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

1. Homecourt advantage

Now, hear me out on this. The Raptors lost the first game at home, so for the last six games, they do not technically have home-court advantage. But, what I mean by home-court advantage is Game 7. The Raptors still have the trump card. The Air Canada Centre is still one of the best venues in the NBA, especially for a playoff game. They have Drake. The Canadian pride shines through on the biggest stage, and do not expect the Raptors to go down quietly in the night. Having a potential Game 7 at home, where the Raptors were 28-13, is a huge advantage.

Conversely, the Bucks were a measly 19-22 on the road. We should not expect the Raptors to lose Game 2, and it would be hard to see the Bucks winning all three in Milwaukee. That means, the series is likely to go to seven games. The seventh and deciding game will be in Canada, in Toronto, where the Raptors excel. Last year, the Raptors went 32-9 at home, second best record in the league to the Cavs. Remember, Toronto had to win in seven games twice last year in the playoffs, before losing to the Cavs in six. In those two seven-game series, the Raptors lost Game 1 at home and won Game 7 at home. Could this just be a Raptors’ pattern?

Next: NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 keys to Raptors vs. Bucks matchup

With a solid bench and eight-man rotation, the Raptors might have to fight through a few close games before the Bucks run out of gas in games five through seven, when the Raptors depth and experience shine through. There is no easy out in the NBA playoffs, and the young Bucks are proving just that.