Bucks Favored To Extend Win Streak vs Toronto

The Milwaukee Bucks (14-8 SU, 10-12 ATS) are road favorites Thursday night as they visit the Toronto Raptors (9-13, 8-14) at Scotiabank Arena. Milwaukee will look to win its ninth straight contest while Toronto tries to end a three-game losing streak. The Raptors hold the upper hand historically with a 7-3 record over the last 10 meetings.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Bucks opened as 4-point favorites in this matchup with the total set at 214.5 points. The UNDER is 7-1 in the last eight meetings and 13-6 in Milwaukee’s last 19 games. The Raptors are 2-7 ATS in their last nine contests while the Bucks are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games.

See Odds Shark’s Best NBA Betting Sites

Milwaukee News & Notes

The Bucks continued their winning ways on Wednesday with a 127-125 win over the Charlotte Hornets. LaMelo Ball had a big game for Charlotte, dropping 36 points, but Giannis Antetokounmpo outdid him with 40 of his own – including the game-winning shot with just two seconds remaining. Khris Middleton scored 21 points while five other Bucks chipped in with 10 or more in a high-scoring affair.

Antetokounmpo is off to another flying start this season, averaging 27 points per game, good for third in the NBA. The Greek Freak has spearheaded an impressive Bucks offense that ranks ninth overall in scoring (109.9 points per game) and sixth on the road (111.6 points per game).

Toronto News & Notes

The Raptors’ early-season struggles continued Tuesday as they dropped their third straight game 98-91 to the Memphis Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. (25 points) and Desmond Bane (23 points) did most of the damage for Memphis while Pascal Siakam (20 points) and Scottie Barnes (19 points) topped Toronto’s scoresheet.

Although the Raptors haven’t had the start they’ve wanted, they’ve got to be excited about what they’ve seen from Barnes, their 2021 first-round pick. The small forward leads all rookies with 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 35.4 minutes per game and is looking like an early favorite for the Rookie of the Year award.

On the injury front, OG Anunoby (hip) is questionable for Thursday along with Gary Trent Jr. (calf). Khem Birch (knee) has been downgraded to out while Goran Dragic (personal) will be out indefinitely.

How Milwaukee Will Cover

The Bucks are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now and have averaged 119.8 points over their last six outings. Outside of Wednesday’s contest, Milwaukee hasn’t won a game by less than seven points all season long. Toronto’s 15th-ranked defense is solid but probably not good enough to slow down Antetokounmpo and his high-flying Bucks.

How Toronto Will Cover

The Raptors do have the upper hand in this matchup historically but the roster has changed drastically in recent years. That said, they’ll need to find a way to shut down Antetokounmpo if they’re going to keep this game within reach. The 2021 Finals MVP has been held to less than 20 points just three times this season, so the Raptors have got their work cut out for them.

Computer Pick: Bucks -4.5

For more NBA predictions, visit our NBA Computer Picks page.