The Milwaukee Bucks secured an opening-night win over the Washington Wizards, 133-120, but now they face their first road test of the season, traveling north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors.
Milwaukee took the season series against Toronto last year, 3-0. The last time these two teams met was Jan. 17, when the Bucks won 130-112. Giannis had a 35-point, 13-rebound double-double.
Where We’re At
It was about as good a start as you could’ve hoped for the debut of this new Bucks roster. The ball moved quickly, the team played good defense, and they generally played at a much higher pace. While Milwaukee did have some down moments, particularly during a 14-0 run by the Wizards in the third quarter, Milwaukee did enough to keep Washington at arm’s length to secure the win. Giannis had another strong opening night performance with 37 points and 14 rebounds, while Gary Trent Jr. poured in 17 to be the second leading scorer.
The Raptors come in after an impressive 138-118 win over the team many believed had the best offseason, the Atlanta Hawks. RJ Barrett (the Maple Mamba) had an outstanding offensive performance, leading Toronto with 25 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Last season’s deadline acquisition, Brandon Ingram, slotted himself well next to the other Raptors starters by scoring an efficient 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Second-year guard Gradey Dick made a strong early case for himself as a Sixth Man of the Year contender with 21 points on 6/10 shooting and 2/4 from three. Toronto made it very difficult for the Hawks to generate much on offense, limiting them to 42.2% shooting. Of the 15 turnovers the Raptors forced, 10 of them were steals.
Injury Report
The Bucks will be without Kevin Porter Jr. not only tonight due to a left ankle sprain but also for the second game of their two-game road trip against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team said. The only other player on the report is Giannis, who is listed as possible with a significant toe sprain on his left foot.
The Raptors have two players on the report, with rookie Collin Murray-Boyles (right forearm strain) and Ja’Kobe Walter (illness) listed as questionable.
Player To Watch
With Porter missing tonight’s game, all eyes will turn to the fourth-year man out of Toledo, Ryan Rollins, to fill in the starting point guard role. As I mentioned in my article yesterday, when it was revealed that Porter would be out for at least the next two games, this isn’t new territory for Rollins. We’ll see how he handles full-court pressure from the Raptors, but it won’t just be on him with ball-handling duties; Giannis and Cole Anthony can also take some of the load off of him.
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 5:30 p.m. CDT.
