Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Milwaukee Bucks into Fiserv Forum Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors have won three straight games behind multiple strong performances by former NBA Champion Pascal Siakam. Siakam is averaging 19.8 points per game on 47.8% shooting. He is also averaging 8.6 rebounds per game and 4.3 assists per game. Siakam is not the only Raptor that has had a very successful season to this point. Starting point guard, Fred VanVleet, is having a career year averaging 21.3 points per game on 45% shooting while also chipping in 6.7 assists per game.
Meanwhile on Milwaukee’s side of things, the reigning NBA Champions have finally found their stride despite a tough loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Many would think that Antetokounmpo is leading this recent surge all by himself. However, his fellow All-Defensive First Team selection Jrue Holiday has found his groove as of late. Holiday is averaging 18.5 points per game on 50.4% shooting, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. He is also chipping in 1.6 steals per game. Holiday also had his career high in scoring earlier this season by scoring 40 points against the Pelicans.
It All Comes Down to Giannis
The main focal point of this Bucks team through this season has been the outstanding play by reigning NBA Finals MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis is once again asserting himself into this years MVP conversation by averaging an astounding 27.9 points per game, 11.5 rebounds per game, and 5.9 assists per game. Antetokounmpo is also averaging 1.1 steals per game along with 1.5 blocks per game. These stats once again put him in the Defensive Player of the Year race.
COVID and Other Injuries
The Bucks are now feeling the issues that COVID-19 is bringing to the NBA as a whole. Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton were added to the NBA’s health and safety protocol on Tuesday along with head coach Mike Budenholzer. Allen and Connaughton have both helped contribute vital minutes to this Bucks team. Allen is averaging 11.9 points per game and Connaughton is averaging 11.1 points per game, usually coming off the bench. Not only will they both be out for tonight’s matchup, but the Bucks are already without Giannis Antetokounmpo (late scratch). Additional scratches are Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) and Brook Lopez (back). Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Semi Ojeleye, and Jordan Nwora are all questionable to play against the Raptors as they have not yet cleared the COVID-19 protocols.
Stats and Standings
Coming into Wednesdays game the Raptors are 9th in the Eastern Conference while the Bucks are 3rd. The Bucks come into the game with the much better offense scoring wise and also dominate the Raptors in the rebounding category. However, the Raptors actually have a higher defensive rating as a team than the Bucks do. Milwaukee comes in shooting 45.7% from the floor and 36.1% from three point land as a team, while Toronto is shooting 44% from the floor and 34.4% from deep.
The Bucks and Raptors have had some very great games and memories over the past few years and both teams will be looking to get the best of one another on Wednesday night. My final prediction is that both teams will shoot a good percentage from deep in this game, but Giannis and Co. will ultimately be too much offensive firepower for the Raptors to handle.
PREDICTION: Bucks 117, Raptors 102
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