POSITION-BY-POSITION MATCHUPS
POWER FORWARD
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) vs.
Serge Ibaka (TOR): Antetokounmpo’s stellar season resulted in an all-star starting berth and made him a leading candidate for the league’s most improved player award. He led the Bucks in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, the only NBA player to achieve that this season and just the fourth in league history. Ibaka, DeMarre Carroll and P.J. Tucker all are likely to take turns defending Antetokounmpo, who also is a primary ball handler for Milwaukee. Ibaka is a shot blocker and three-time all-NBA first team defensive selection. He led the league in blocks four consecutive seasons with Oklahoma City. The 6-10 Ibaka has been just what the Raptors needed and has averaged 14.2 points since arriving in a February trade with the Thunder.
Advantage: Bucks. CENTER Thon Maker (MIL) and Greg Monroe (MIL) vs. Jonas Valanciunas (TOR): Monroe is listed here because he plays the majority of the minutes at center for the Bucks. Valanciunas is a physical player at 7-foot, 265 pounds and a tough matchup for the Bucks. Maker has improved throughout the season and his energy and three-point shooting ability could trouble the Raptors. Monroe is a proven low-post scorer and the Bucks will need him to rebound in this series.
Advantage: Raptors.
SMALL FORWARD
Khris Middleton (MIL) vs. DeMarre
Carroll (TOR): Middleton’s return after a 50-game injury absence helped the Bucks turn their season around. Middleton also will match up on DeMar DeRozan at times. Carroll is a solid defender and a three-point threat when the Bucks use their trapping defense on the Raptors guards. Advantage: Bucks.
SHOOTING GUARD
Tony Snell (MIL) vs. DeMar DeRozan
(TOR): The preseason acquisition of Snell gave the Bucks a player who could defend the top shooting guards in the league. The former Chicago Bulls player also developed into a solid three-point threat. DeRozan, an Eastern Conference all-star starter, averaged 27.3 points and 5.2 rebounds while getting to the freethrow line for 647 attempts (sixth in the league) and shooting 84.2% on his foul shots. Advantage: Raptors.
POINT GUARD
Malcolm Brogdon (MIL) vs. Kyle
Lowry (TOR): Brogdon used his “boomerang approach” to the league, in the words of Philadelphia coach Brett Brown, to become a top contender for the league’s rookie of the year award. The former Virginia star was the 36th overall pick in last year’s draft after staying in school for five years and played like a veteran at age 24. Lowry missed 21 games with a right wrist injury but returned for the last four games of the regular season. He shot 41.2% from three-point range and was named to the Eastern Conference all-star squad.
Advantage: Raptors.
BENCH
Michael Beasley and Mirza Teletovic have alternated as the backups at power forward. Beasley can score in volume while Teletovic provides a three-point threat, although he has not consistently hit shots for Milwaukee. Matthew Dellavedova started for much of the season but has done well off the bench. Toronto’s bench got even better with the acquisition of tough-minded defender P.J. Tucker from Phoenix in February. Cory Joseph is a solid backup at point guard and Patrick Patterson has threepoint range. Second-year guard Norman Powell has averaged 8.4 points in 18 minutes per game, and Austrian rookie center Jakob Poeltl has improved over the course of the season.
Advantage: Raptors.
COACHING
Jason Kidd (MIL) vs. Dwane Casey
(TOR): Kidd has led the Bucks to the playoffs in two of his three seasons in Milwaukee, and his Brooklyn team upset the Raptors in the first round of the 2014 playoffs. Despite a season-ending injury suffered by Jabari Parker, the Bucks regrouped under Kidd’s leadership to gain the No. 6 seed. Casey directed the Raptors to a 51-win season, tying Cleveland for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. He joined the Raptors in 2011 and has become the longest-tenured coach in franchise history. Advantage: Even.
Series prediction: Raptors in six games