The Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks have looked like the two best teams in the Eastern Conference all year. Both would love to finish atop the standings and they are currently in a tight battle for the best record in the NBA.
These teams are looking like legitimate NBA championship contenders and will face off in a gigantic showdown this week. The Bucks have the slightly superior record and are playing at home, which should make them the favorites.
Toronto is missing a key piece in its backcourt but still enters with a lot of talent and certainly has the capacity to pull off the upset if things go well in NBA odds.
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 Saturday, January 5th, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on NBA TV.
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Odds Analysis
The Raptors have a mark of 28-11 on the season, which has them a half-game ahead of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference standings. Toronto has been very impressive on the road this season with a 13-7 mark. The Raptors have two more road wins than anyone else in the NBA.
The Bucks are 26-10 on the year. While they are behind in the standings they actually have a slightly better winning percentage than the Raptors. Milwaukee has been dominant at home on the year with 17 victories in 20 attempts.
Milwaukee is the highest-scoring team in the NBA and the Raptors are not far behind, so the scoring total in this one is going to be pegged high in NBA gambling.
Injury Report
The Raptors could be without star point guard Kyle Lowry as he continues to deal with a balky back. Lowry has missed several games in a row and while Toronto has managed to keep winning without him, it will be a serious absence if he doesn’t play, as expected.
Lowry is averaging 14.4 points, 9.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game this season. He is shooting 43.3 percent from the field and plays tough defense. The Raptors have a good overall team but Lowry is one of the key cogs and Toronto hopes to get him back as soon as possible.
Key Stat
9.3. That’s the Bucks’ positive point-differential on the season, which is the best in the NBA and a very impressive mark. When teams can consistently blow out opponents it generally speaks well to future performance.
That’s why, even though the Raptors are a half-game ahead in the standings at this point, the Bucks are the smart choice to win the conference. A victory in this head-to-head matchup can help Milwaukee take over first place as it continues to surpass preseason expectations.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Raptors have a superstar in Kawhi Leonard and a good supporting cast, but the Bucks counter with Giannis Antetokounmpo and some talented played around him. Both players are shoo-in All-Stars and are huge reasons why their teams are among the best in the NBA.
Milwaukee would have been favored at home either way, but the absence of Lowry makes it tough for the Raptors to be considered to pull the upset. Toronto is very good but it is the deserved underdog in this matchup.
The Bucks are the choice to win this game and they could be the right call to cover the spread, so check to see where the oddsmakers place it. Keep an eye on the scoring total as the pace could be quick in this one in NBA betting lines.
NBA ATS Pick: Milwaukee Bucks 121, Toronto Raptors 112
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