Kawhi Leonard put the sports world abuzz on Sunday evening with an improbable buzzer-beating jumpshot to lift the Toronto Raptors past the 76ers in Game 7 of their second-round series. Toronto was ecstatic with that win but now must quickly turn the page because it has a tough matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Milwaukee finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA and has flexed that muscle in the playoffs as well. The Bucks are the favorites to win this series and are the team to beat in Game 1 as they get this one at home.
Leonard was fantastic against Philly and will need to put on his cape once again in this one for the Raptors to have a shot at the upset in NBA wagering.
This NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks will be held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 15th, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on TNT.
We'll have NBA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NBA season.
Odds Analysis
The Bucks have been instituted as the 6.5-point favorites to take care of business in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. They are listed at -267 on the moneyline while Toronto comes in as the +221 underdog. The scoring total is 218 points.
Milwaukee is the -295 favorite to win the series and Toronto is the +241 underdog to upset the Bucks and move on to the finals in NBA betting.
Previous Series
The Bucks had an easy time of it in the Eastern Conference semifinals, cruising past the Celtics in five games despite losing Game 1 at home. Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo had a big series and the Bucks’ depth and balance proved too much for Boston to overcome.
Toronto’s series was much tougher as it was in doubt until the very final shot of Game 7, as Leonard knocked in an off-balance jumper that hit the rim four separate times before dropping through the net. The Raptors are likely mentally and physically drained after a series like that while the Bucks are well-rested, so that should be taken into consideration for Game 1.
Injury Report
Bucks center Pau Gasol hasn’t played for awhile this year and was officially ruled out for the playoffs after undergoing surgery on his left foot. It takes away the possibility of facing off against his brother, Marc, who is a key player for the Raptors.
Milwaukee does have point guard Malcolm Brogdon back in the mix after he missed much of the postseason previously. Brogdon returned to the floor in Game 5 against Boston and finished with 10 points, four assists and three rebounds.
He is likely to come off the bench in Game 1 and may not play his regular amount of minutes, but nonetheless it’s a big boost for the Bucks to get him back.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Raptors may make this a competitive series, but it seems unlikely Game 1 is all that close. The Bucks are rested and raring to go, and their fans will be jazzed up. Toronto must turn around and get ready for this one after a tough series against the 76ers.
Milwaukee will hit on all cylinders in this one and pull away early for the easy win, covering the spread in the process. The “under” is the right call because Toronto will not score at a healthy enough clip in NBA gambling.
NBA ATS Pick: Milwaukee Bucks 113, Toronto Raptors 103
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