2019 Eastern Conference Finals: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Toronto Raptors preview
By Ananth Para
Key Matchup: Giannis Antetekounmpo vs. Kawhi Leonard
It would be a lie to put anything else here.
More than any series in recent memory, the winner of this matchup will rely on which NBA superstar outperforms his counterpart. Up until this point, both have done what’s been necessary to take their teams this deep into the postseason.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has led the balanced Milwaukee Bucks offensive attack with a stellar 27.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.1 steals per game on 52 percent shooting.
Kawhi Leonard has been putting a surprisingly thin Toronto Raptors team on his back, elevating his stats to a ridiculous 31.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 53.9 percent shooting from the field.
The most intriguing development that will come from this head-to-head matchup is seeing whether either star guards the another for long stretches at a time.
With both the Bucks and the Raptors possessing multiple two-way players, we could see large stretches of Danny Green or Pascal Siakam on the Greek Freak, and see the reintroduction of Tony Snell into the rotation to match the physicality of Kawhi Leonard.