Sunday’s showdown between the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors is a bit of an anticlimactic ending for playoff teams. With the Eastern Conference postseason field locked in, neither the Bucks nor the Raptors can move up or down in the standings. Therefore, this game is about as meaningless as they get. Expect the game to be between backups as Milwaukee and Toronto rest their starters. The NBA lines list the Bucks as favorites to end the season with a win.
Find the latest NBA odds for upcoming games and futures markets here.
Bucks Secure No. 1 Seed & Best Record in NBA
The Bucks are in rest mode, and we are unlikely to see most, if not all, of their starting lineup on the bench Sunday. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, and Khris Middleton were held out on Friday and probably won’t return until the playoffs. The absence of most of the starters makes trusting Milwaukee with our NBA picks risky.
The lack of starters also makes using the Bucks’ stats somewhat pointless, as they will have a depleted roster on Sunday.
I can say that the Memphis Grizzlies beat the backups on Friday, 137-114. Unlike the Bucks, the Grizzlies had a reason to win that game and secured the No. 2 seed in the West with that victory. With six players resting, the result wasn’t all that surprising, but I don’t expect the Raptors to dominate Milwaukee as Memphis did. That being said, I don’t expect a big win from the Bucks either, and I am on the fence about their shot to cover the NBA spread.
Raptors Looking Ahead to Bulls
The Raptors have one game left in the regular season, but I have to assume their sights are set on Wednesday’s play-in game against the Chicago Bulls. It’s a win-or-go-home situation for both teams, while Sunday’s game is meaningless for Toronto.
The Chicago Bulls will officially play the Toronto Raptors on the road on Wednesday in the play-in game.
If the Bulls lose they go home but if they win then they will play the loser of the Hawks vs Heat game.
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) April 8, 2023
Unlike the Bucks, we don’t have confirmation of any starters resting on Sunday for the Raptors. As of this writing, no injuries or rest days are on the books. However, any reasonable person can assume the Raptors will rest key players in preparation for the Bulls game.
So, which bench do we trust more, the Raptors or the Bucks?
Bucks vs Raptors Game Injuries
Bucks vs Raptors Head-to-Head
The Bucks are on a three-game winning streak against the Raptors and 2-1 against the spread as favorites on the NBA odds board. The Raptors haven’t beaten the Bucks at home since the middle of the 2020 NBA season.
Bucks vs Raptors Game Information
- Game: Bucks (58-23) vs Raptors (40-41)
- Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
- Day/Time: Sunday, April 9, 1 p.m. ET
- Bucks vs Raptors Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
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Bucks vs Raptors Betting Lines
Bucks vs Raptors Picks and Prediction
While prediction bench production can be hard, the Raptors make things easy for us. Toronto happens to rank dead-last in the NBA regarding bench scoring with 27.7 PPG with an average of 72.1 minutes per game. The Bucks, meanwhile, average 34.1 PPG and 93 MPG. This tells me that the Bucks bench sees more action and will be more prepared to lead a team to victory. My final NBA pick of the regular season is on the Bucks to add to their NBA-leading record on Sunday.
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Bucks vs Raptors Trends
Bucks vs Raptors Edge
Bucks vs Raptors Results
Bucks vs Raptors Previous Game (Mar. 19, 2023)
The Milwaukee Bucks face the Toronto Raptors on Sunday in a clash between Eastern Conference teams on opposite ends of the playoff race. The Bucks have clinched an NBA playoff odds berth and currently hold down the No. 1 seed in the East, while the Raptors are 15.5 games back in ninth place. The NBA lines list the Bucks as 8 1/2-point home favorites and maintain their two-game lead over the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics.
Bucks vs Raptors Game Summary
