Milwaukee Bucks - Toronto Raptors
Recommendation: Raptors - 4
Odds: 2.01
Bookmaker: Pin
Stake: 1 unit (flat staking)
Both teams have 5-5 record in the last 10 games. Toronto have fared far better though as they’ve played 7 of these 10 games on the road.
Raptors are actually doing very decent job on their long road trip, losing narrowly in Sacramento due to dubious referee decision and winning comfortably over Houston. This is the last stop and they are going to the sweet home for a long stretch on their floor. They should really be enthusiastic about that, even more so after spending Thanksgiving Day on the road.
Bucks are well rested and this is my main worry. Yet something is not clicking right again in Milwaukee in general. They are lingering around the 8th spot but other teams from behind will only get better and it will be hard for J-Kidd and his troops to hold their position. Giannis is playing successfully as a PG against many teams, mainly because of his height advantage. Bucks remain very weak from long-range though, in the continuing absence of the leading scorer Khris Middleton.
The other problem is the center position. Greg Monroe has definitely lost his coach’s confidence. Henson and Plumlee are decent defenders but contribute very little on the other end.
Valanciunas will be one of the key factors here. He should be the main rim protector for Raptors, as Bucks score most of their points in the paint. Jonas is getting harder and harder with every season and is able to do it. At the other hand, I can’t see Milwaukee stopping red-hot DeRozan and this could make the difference here.
Raptors have won all 4 games last season.
