2017 NBA Playoffs: 5 reasons why Toronto Raptors will bounce back to beat the Milwaukee Bucks

3. The Raptors have more experience

Last season, the Raptors sort of defied expectations and took the Cleveland Cavaliers to six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, before getting blown out. They held court at home. The 2015 Raptors made the playoffs and got swept in the first round. The strides gained from 2015 to 2016 for the Raptors were huge. With largely the same core of Lowry, DeRozan, and Valanciunas, the Raptors have been here twice. They need to rely on the playoff experience of those three guys and Patrick Patterson. Serge Ibaka has been to the playoffs every year of his career except one. Ibaka has even played in a Finals.

The rest of the Raptors might not have the playoff experience, but they have been there. Carroll has played in an Eastern Conference Finals. This is Tucker’s first playoff experience, but he’s been around the league and in Euroleague playoffs. The Bucks have almost no playoff experience other than Dellavedova, who won a championship with the Cavaliers last season. Middleton and Antetokounmpo have both been to one playoff series, where they lost in the first round. The Raptors have the experience to be savvy in playoff basketball. The Toronto Raptors have experience and age. They will use these components to defeat the Bucks in six or seven games.