5 Reasons The Milwaukee Bucks Can Still Win Their Series Against Toronto Raptors
The Bucks Have Shown They Belong
When evaluating playoff experience, the Toronto Raptors clearly have the edge.
They return the majority of a rotation that made it to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season and their key addition, Serge Ibaka, had 89 playoff appearances to his name before joining the Raptors at the trade deadline.
P.J. Tucker is the only major rotation piece without prior playoff experience.
Milwaukee Bucks
By contrast the Milwaukee Bucks are relative foals in the postseason, starting a pair of rookies and totaling just 28 playoff appearances in their starting lineup combined (16 of those coming from shooting guard Tony Snell).
Greg Monroe, Malcolm Brogdon, Thon Maker and Mirza Teletovic are all playing in the playoffs for the first time in their careers.
Yet the “Young Bucks” did not step into the postseason with starry eyes, gazing in wonder at the world’s largest stage while the more experienced team chewed them up.
The Bucks are the ones who came out of the gates ready to play, shutting down Toronto in Game 1 and again in Game 3. They were in Game 2 right down to the wire.
The Raptors are the postseason veterans, and rightly so Dwane Casey has made shrewd playoff adjustments to give his team the advantage. Toronto started Norman Powell over center Jonas Valanciunas in a move that sparked the offense for both the starters and the bench.
Powell’s size over Cory Joseph in the rotation has reduced the number of weak spots for the Bucks to attack when they have the ball.
But the Bucks are heading back home, and head coach Jason Kidd has the opportunity to make the adjustment. With a versatile core he has options for Game 6 and a team not ready to lose. The Milwaukee home crowd will want another home game too.
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The Bucks may lose this series — even if the teams are even qualitatively, the Raptors hold the series lead — but they have announced to the league that they belong. With their core locked up for multiple seasons, they will be a player in the East for years to come.