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Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks will visit the Toronto Raptors at Tampa on January 27th.
The Bucks have won seven of their last 10 games and have only lost against the big players on the East (Brooklyn Nets) and the West (LA Lakers). Meanwhile, the Raptors have won six of their last 10 games after starting the 2020-21 NBA season with a 1-6 record.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Toronto Raptors Prediction: Combined starting 5
The Milwaukee Bucks have a 10-6 record, which is tied for the second-best in the Eastern Conference. They also have the best Offensive Rating in the entire NBA (118), despite still trying to figure out their overall identity.
The Toronto Raptors started the year horribly but played a lot better in recent weeks. It all starts on the defensive end for Nick Nurse's team. The team has a 7-10 record after a harsh 1-6 start, and the improvement comes on the back of their Defensive Rating (109.2), which is the ninth-best in the NBA.
In their most recent games, the Bucks defeated the Atlanta Hawks at home, while the Raptors fell to the Indiana Pacers.
In this article, we take a look at our combined starting five from the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors' rosters.
Guard - Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors)
Kyle Lowry remains a consistent piece for the Toronto Raptors, even at 34 years of age.
He was recently questionable to play against the Indiana Pacers on January 25th due to an issue with his foot. However, he played almost 33 minutes against the Pacers before getting ejected with 47 seconds left.
In the 2020-21 NBA season, Lowry is averaging 17.8 points per game with a 42% efficiency from the field and 35% from the three-point line. He has also made 89% of his free throws. Moreover, he is averaging six assists and a career-high six rebounds per game.
Guard - Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks)
After getting traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason, Jrue Holiday was tipped to play a huge role with one of the contenders in the NBA's Eastern Conference.
After a month of the 2020-21 NBA season, Holiday has been a solid factor for the Milwaukee Bucks' dynamic.
In his 12th NBA season, the one-time All-Star is averaging 16 points per game, has made 49% of his field goals, 38% of his threes, and 82% of his free throws. Moreover, he is averaging five assists and almost two steals per game in 16 appearances.
Forward - Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
Khris Middleton is definitely the second-best player on the Milwaukee Bucks' roster. He might be needed to close out games for them, given his shooting skills from the perimeter and mid-range.
Middleton is having a great year. He is averaging a career-high 21.8 points per game, making 52% of his field goals and 43% of his three-pointers. Moreover, he has made 92% of his free throws and is on track to become a member of the 50-40-90 club.
Middleton is also averaging 5.8 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game (both are career-highs).
Forward - Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
The reigning two-time NBA MVP and the most recent winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award is having another stunning season. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo faces the usual criticism of a player who has not achieved big postseason results.
Though his numbers are a little down compared to last year, he is still averaging 27 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists per game. His weaknesses have been three-point (30%) and free-throw (59%) shooting.
Still, waiting for Antetokounmpo to become a great shooter does not seem reasonable, as his strengths are in other areas of his game. Even Giannis himself should recognize that, along with his coaches.
Defensively, Antetokounmpo remains a tremendous piece for the Milwaukee Bucks. He is averaging over one steal and one block per game, and ranks in the NBA's Top 20 on Defensive Rating, Defensive Win Shares, and Defensive Box Plus/Minus.
Center - Chris Boucher (Toronto Raptors)
Chris Boucher has arguably been the best player in the Toronto Raptors' 2020-21 NBA campaign. Though he has not started in each of his 17 appearances, Boucher has been essential for the team and leads the Toronto Raptors in Win Shares and Value over Replacement.
The Toronto Raptors star is averaging 14 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks per game in just over 23 minutes per appearance. Moreover, he has made 55% of his field goals, 45% of his three-pointers (3.8 attempts per game), and 76% of his free-throws.
In terms of Player Efficiency Rating, Boucher ranks 13th in the entire NBA with a 25.2 rating, which is the highest in the Toronto Raptors' roster.
Also read: Where do the Brooklyn Nets rank among All-Time super teams in NBA history?
Guess the Lakers players!
