Ranking 5 potential first round opponents for the Milwaukee Bucks

Ranking potential first-round opponents for the Milwaukee Bucks: #2 – Toronto Raptors

This was a close one for me between the Cavs and the Toronto Raptors, but in the end, I went with the Raptors which might be because of their recent form. They’ve won five in a row, swept a five-game Western Conference road trip, and seem to be clicking at the right time.

The Raptors swept the season series against the Milwaukee Bucks and have won five straight against them. Toronto always plays Milwaukee hard and they have a ton of size, length, and players with great feel on defense to bother the Bucks’ best players. It’s something that the Bucks can learn from, honestly.

Again, perhaps I’m a little spooked by those five straight losses to the Raps, but it feels like they’re a tough matchup for the defending champs because of their length and size. Having guys like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Precious Achiuwa, among others to throw at Giannis Antetokounmpo as well as Khris Middleton (who has struggled against the Raptors’ length in the past) and it’s an interesting matchup.

Antetokounmpo went 6-of-17 in his lone game against the Raptors this season, but also got to the line 17 times (and knocked ’em all down). Middleton has had varying degrees of success but averaging 21 points on 54.6 percent true shooting is fine but did turn it over 10 times in those three games, which is something the Raptors have been good at doing against him.

The Raptors will have a lot of confidence coming into a potential series against the Bucks given their recent success and will be a tough out for whatever higher seed that plays them.