Milwaukee Bucks: Analyzing Malcolm Brogdon/Kyle Lowry Matchup

Conclusion

Unsurprisingly, this is going to be Kyle Lowry’s matchup to win. He’s the more skilled and more experienced player, and he’s been down this playoff road and seen the struggles it can bring before.

That doesn’t mean I’d expect this to be an easy series for him, though. Brogdon is as game and intelligent as they come, and if Lowry has even the slightest semblance of a struggle — as he has in years gone by — the rookie could make him pay.

Brogdon is the less likely of the two to have a 30-point outburst that single-handedly wins a game, but he’s a vital cog in the Bucks machine. Brogdon will look to do all of the little things and contribute positively across the board, and if he succeeds, the Bucks will be in position to cause the Raptors real trouble.

Both teams are incredibly reliant on the three-point threat that comes from their point guards due to the respective ineptitude of DeRozan and Antetokounmpo from distance. As such, something as simple as one of these two holding their opposite number below their average could result in a knock-on effect that changes the feel of the series on the whole.

Lowry is a three-time All-Star for a reason. You’d expect him to relish the prospect of competing with a rookie in the playoffs, but the Raptors should underestimate Brogdon at their own peril.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Player Power Rankings (April 6-April 12)

Although they’re very different players at very different stages of their career, success in this matchup will dictate how the series takes shape.