They took slightly different paths, but the East's top two teams are now set to meet in the Conference Finals as many expected all season. It's the first time these two franchises will meet in the postseason since 2017. With both the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks taking care of business in the second round of the playoffs, the Eastern Conference Finals is now set. NBA.com is your destination for complete coverage of every series from now through the end of the NBA Finals. Series Schedule Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals will take place in Milwaukee at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15. Game 1 - Wednesday, May 15 at Milwaukee, Time: 8:30 p.m.; TV: SN1/E/O/W/P Game 2 - Friday, May 17 at Milwaukee, Time: 8:30 p.m.; TV: TSN Network Game 3 - Sunday, May 19 at Toronto, Time: 7:00 p.m.; TV: SN1/E/O/W/P Game 4 - Tuesday, May 21 at Toronto, Time: 8:30 p.m.; TV: TSN Network Game 5 (if necessary) - Thursday, May 23 at Milwaukee, Time: 8:30 p.m.; TV: TSN Network Game 6 (if necessary) - Saturday, May 25 at Toronto, Time: 8:30 p.m.; TV: SN1/E/O/W/P Game 7 (if necessary) - Monday, May 27 at Milwaukee, Time: 8:30 p.m.; TV: TSN Network Recapping the Season Series Result: Bucks won 3-1 Best game: Jan. 5, 2019 - Raptors 123, Bucks 116 Best performance: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Jan. 5, 2019) - 43 points (16-25 FG), 18 rebounds, four assists and one steal The first meeting between the Raptors and Bucks this season came early when both teams were a perfect 6-0. Giannis Antetokounmpo (concussion) and Kawhi Leonard (rest) missed the game, and Milwaukee cruised to a 124-109 win behind a balanced effort that saw seven players score in double figures. Serge Ibaka led the Raptors in scoring that night with 30 points and Pascal Siakam chipped in with 22 points. The second meeting was much closer but the end result was the same. Behind a 19-point, 19-rebound double-double from Antetokounmpo, the Bucks defeated the Raptors in Toronto, 104-99. Kyle Lowry struggled in the loss, going scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting from the field. The Raptors picked up their lone win against the Bucks on Jan. 5 in what turned out to be the best game between the two teams this season. Leonard and Siakam led the Raptors in scoring with 30 points each, but they got a scoring punch out of Ibaka (25), Danny Green (12) and Fred VanVleet (21), the latter of whom started in place of Lowry, who was dealing with a back injury. The five of them helped Toronto overcome 43 points, 18 rebounds and four assists from Antetokounmpo to beat the Bucks, 123-116. The Bucks got some revenge in the final game of the season, winning by a final score of 105-92 at the Scotiabank Arena. It was a team effort once again, as seven players scored in double figures, including D.J. Wilson (16) and George Hill (10) off the bench. Key Storyline: Can the Raptors contain Giannis Antetokounmpo? The Raptors will have their hands full trying to slow down Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 27.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in these playoffs. The Bucks have built a team around Antetokounmpo that plays perfectly to his strengths, surrounding him with shooters to give him the space he needs to attack the paint, where he led the league in scoring this season. Antetokounmpo is a matchup nightmare for every team because he's too big and strong for perimeter players to guard and too quick and athletic for big men to stay in front of. Double-teaming him is risky as well. Not only is Antetokounmpo a capable passer, the Bucks made and attempted the second-most 3-pointers in the league this season, trailing only the Houston Rockets. Every player on Milwaukee's roster is comfortable shooting 3-pointers, even Brook Lopez, who set the record for 3s made by a centre during the regular season. So who on the Raptors will take on the responsibility of defending Antetokounmpo? According to NBA.com, Siakam matched up with the MVP candidate the most this season, followed by Leonard, Ibaka and OG Anunoby. Here's what Antetokounmpo did in each of those matchups: Raptors vs. Antetokounmpo Defender Games Possessions Points FGM-FGA Assists Turnovers Siakam 3 93 41 15-27 5 5 Leonard 3 31 4 2-3 3 0 Ibaka 3 26 14 6-9 0 2 Anunoby 3 24 13 4-5 3 1 This is another series where the Raptors will miss Anunoby if he's unable to play. While he wouldn't be the primary defender on Antetokounmpo, Toronto would benefit greatly from having another wing who can match up with him physically, especially now that Siakam is dealing with an injury. According to Blake Murphy of The Athletic, Anunoby is now travelling with the Raptors for the first time since undergoing an emergency appendectomy, but there's still no update on when he is expected to return. Three Players to Watch Kawhi Leonard vs. Milwaukee in 2018-19 (three games): 22.0 points (42.6 FG%, 30.0 3P%, 81.0 FT%), 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists The Bucks did a better job defending Leonard this season than most teams, limiting him to 22.0 points per game on 42.6 percent shooting from the field. Leonard was fantastic in Toronto's lone win with a team-high 30 points, but he scored a total of 36 points in the two other contests he appeared in. Khris Middleton was the primary reason Leonard didn't play to his usual standard. According to NBA.com, he limited the three-time All-Star to 36 points on 11-for-27 shooting from the field over three games. Aaron Gordon has similar success against Leonard based on the matchup data, but Leonard torched both him and the Magic in the first round to the tune of 27.8 points per game. Will Leonard be able to do the same against a Bucks team that had the best defensive rating in the league this season? Khris Middleton vs. Toronto in 2018-19 (three games): 14.0 points (47.6 FG%, 42.9 3P%, 63.6 FT%), 6.5 assists, 5.3 rebounds The Bucks will need Middleton to be a star on both ends of the court against the Raptors. In addition to having to defend Leonard, who is in the midst of the best playoff run of his career, they'll need him to be their secondary playmaker. He was just that against the Pistons in the first round and the Celtics in the second round, posting 19.1 points and 4.6 assists per game. While Middleton failed to score 20 points in any of the Bucks' four meetings with the Raptors, his impact was clearly felt in other aspects of the game, like defence and playmaking. Two of Middleton's three best games as a facilitator came against Toronto as he dished out nine assists in a Jan. 5 loss and eight assists in a win on Oct. 29. The regular seasons suggests that Middleton doesn't necessarily need to be a scorer to help the Bucks advance past the Raptors, but his playmaking abilities can go a long way. Marc Gasol vs. Milwaukee in 2018-19 (two games): 21.5 points (48.4 FG%, 50.0 3P%, 71.4 FT%), 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists Gasol is a big reason why the Raptors are in the Eastern Conference Finals, but this could be a tough series for him. Whereas Nikola Vucevic and Joel Embiid are both back to the basket centres, which better plays to his strengths as a defender, Lopez does most of his scoring from the 3-point line. He attempted 6.3 3-pointers per game this season and shot 36.5 percent from that distance. Lopez hasn't shot well through two rounds of these playoffs, but having him on the floor will force Gasol to cover far more ground than he did against the Magic and 76ers. Unless the Raptors can find a better matchup for Gasol - perhaps Antetokounmpo, as it would allow him to stay closer to the paint - Ibaka might Toronto's go-to centre in this series. Picks and Predictions Micah Adams: Raptors in six Carlan Gay: Bucks in six Kyle Irving: Bucks in six Gilbert McGregor: Raptors in seven Alex Novick: Bucks in seven Scott Rafferty: Raptors in seven<doc-sep>As if Sunday’s Game 7 win wasn’t high enough, the Toronto Raptors are now headed to a place they’ve been just once before: the Eastern Conference Finals. They’re set to meet the Milwaukee Bucks, in a matchup of the two teams with the best regular season records in the NBA this season. It’s also, of course, a clash of superstars between the newly minted Toronto hero Kawhi Leonard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee will enjoy home court advantage in the series, with the first game going at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday. The Raptors open home action for Game 3 on Sunday, May 19. We have plenty more preview content for your feasting eyes coming soon. As usual, the Canadian broadcasts will be split between Sportsnet and TSN — with Sportsnet taking Game 1. American broadcasts will all be on TNT with the team of Marv Albert, Reggie Miller, and Chris Webber. For now, clear your calendars and let’s get this going. Raptors vs. Bucks Eastern Conference Finals Schedule Game 1: Wednesday, May 15 - 8:30pm - Fiserv Forum - TNT/Sportsnet Game 2: Friday, May 17 - 8:30pm - Fiserv Forum - TNT/TSN Game 3: Sunday, May 19 - 7pm - Scotiabank Arena - TNT/Sportsnet Game 4: Tuesday, May 21 - 8:30pm - Scotiabank Arena - TNT/TSN **Game 5: Thursday, May 23 - 8:30pm - Fiserv Forum - TNT/TSN **Game 6: Saturday, May 25 - 8:30pm - Scotiabank Arena - TNT/Sportsnet **Game 7: Monday, May 27 - 8:30pm - Fiserv Forum - TNT/TSN ** if necessary<doc-sep>Raptors vs. Bucks: Schedule, time, TV channel Date Matchup Time (TV channel) May 15 Game 1 at Milwaukee 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT/fuboTV) May 17 Game 2 at Milwaukee 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT/fuboTV) May 19 Game 3 at Toronto 7 p.m. ET (TNT/fuboTV) May 21 Game 4 at Toronto 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT/fuboTV) May 23* Game 5 at Milwaukee 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT/fuboTV) May 25* Game 6 at Toronto 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT/fuboTV) May 27* Game 7 at Milwaukee 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT/fuboTV) (*if necessary) MORE: Watch Bucks vs. Raptors live with fuboTV (7-day free trial) Raptors vs. Bucks: The backstory I covered the 2001 playoffs, the last time the Bucks made the conference finals, and the notion of these two teams facing off brings a tear to my eye. I can still remember Vince Carter’s potential game-winning 20-footer bouncing awry in Game 7 of the East semis against Philadelphia, giving the series to the Sixers and leaving the Raptors fans in a stunned playoff silence that has pretty much lasted two decades now. Toronto made one hopeful trip back to the conference finals, in 2016, and gave one of their best postseason fights, losing to Cleveland in six games rather than the usual four. Milwaukee has not been to the conference finals since that 2001 trip, which was sullied by accusations that the NBA refs had tilted the games toward Allen Iverson and the Sixers, their East Coast numbers believed to be better for ratings. Regardless, these are two teams, guided by new coaches — rookie Nick Nurse for Toronto and likely Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer for the Bucks — without much recent history of success in the NBA playoffs. But one of these teams will be in the NBA Finals and likely face a shaky Western Conference foe. For both, it has been a long time — for Toronto, in fact, a Finals trip has never happened, and for the Bucks, the wait stretches back to 1974. However this series turns, the NBA will get something refreshing out of the deal: A Finals participant that has not had a spot in the league’s biggest showcase in 45 years. Or ever, for that matter. LIVE: Today's NBA scores, updates, TV schedule Raptors vs. Bucks: The key players Sure, it will be star forwards Kawhi Leonard and Giannis Antetokounmpo getting the marquee attention for this one. But it will be their first mates — each of whom guards the opposing team’s star — who determine how this series will go. For Milwaukee, that means Khris Middleton, who is rolling through another impressive postseason. He is averaging 19.1 points and shooting 46.7 percent on 3-pointers, while also posting 6.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists. He was a defensive ace in the series against Boston, the primary defender on two of the Celtics who struggled badly, Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward. Middleton had success defending Leonard in the regular season. In three matchups against Leonard, Middleton faced him an average of 47.7 possessions, allowing only 12.0 points on 40.7 percent shooting from the field. Middleton will have help, of course, but he will get the primary draw on Leonard, and he’s got a good track record in a limited number of games. On the other side, it will be Pascal Siakam, who has been a consistent secondary weapon for Toronto as veterans Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol have struggled. Siakam has averaged more than 20 points per game in the playoffs, and the Raptors will need that consistent scoring against Milwaukee. But Siakam will also get the prime matchup against Antetokounmpo, who dominated the Raptors in the three games he faced them this season. Antetokounmpo averaged 27.0 points, 15.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists against Toronto, shooting 58.5 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from the 3-point line. Siakam was not the only defender on him, but he had his hands full — Antetokounmpo shot 64.7 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the 3-point line when guarded by Siakam in those three games. (Getty Images) https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/50/36/khris-middleton-getty-112118-ftrjpg_1okjnd8uz10tc1v4w7zt0ppkay.jpg?t=922074095&w=500&quality=80 Raptors vs. Bucks: The big number 4.5. It’s easy to overlook the Bucks’ bench when you’ve got Antetokounmpo on the roster, but Milwaukee’s reserves have played 19.1 minutes in the playoffs, fourth-most among the 16 teams, and have been a plus-4.5 through nine games. While Antetokounmpo’s preparedness to lead a team to a championship was a question leading into the playoffs, whether the Bucks’ supporting cast was up to that task was also a question. Thus far, they’ve proven their muster. That was evident in the crucial Game 4 win in Boston, when Antetokounmpo went out with foul trouble in a tied game with 8:18 left in the third quarter. The Bucks responded with a 19-9 run, mostly led by George Hill and Pat Connaughton. Toronto’s bench has been subpar in the playoffs. The reserves could give the Bucks a big advantage. Raptors vs. Bucks: Xs and Os After the Celtics’ Kyrie Irving laid 26 points (12-for-21 shooting) on the Bucks in the conference semifinal opener, Budenholzer did something rare for him — he made a defensive adjustment by having his team switch off screens, even if it left Irving with a mismatch. The Bucks provided enough help in the paint to keep Irving honest, and for the rest of the series, he struggled badly, going 25-for-83 from the field in Games 2-5. Leonard presents a different problem than Irving because you need to do more than just keep him away from the rim. He is capable of finishing at the basket, but he can also hit jumpers from 10-16 feet and 16 feet out to the 3-point line. Clogging the paint won’t be enough against Leonard. Middleton has had success defending him, but Leonard has been a different player in this postseason. Budenholzer might go back to not switching defensively, but you have to wonder whether he will also call for double-team help on Leonard if he starts figuring out Middleton’s approach. NBA PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS: Trail Blazers vs. Warriors Raptors vs. Bucks: The prediction Especially after Game 1 in Milwaukee, it looked like all the fears about that team’s roster were coming to fruition. The Bucks had trouble with strong individual scorers. They don’t switch enough on screens. They don’t adjust enough defensively. That’s all been erased. The Bucks have had the kind of bench depth, the kind of defense, the kind of perimeter shooting that allows them to carry on in the postseason. Not sure the Raptors have that, even with Leonard firing on all cylinders. If the Raptors can slow the pace, as they did against the Sixers, the series swings in their favor. But the Bucks are not an easy out. Bucks over Raptors, 4-2<doc-sep>
The Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors will meet in the Eastern Conference Finals, with the winner of the series going to the NBA Finals to take on either the Golden State Warriors or Portland Trail Blazers. The Bucks got to this point by sweeping the Detroit Pistons in the first round and defeating the Boston Celtics in five games in the conference semifinals. It is the Bucks’ first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2001. They lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games. The Raptors have made the conference finals for the second time ever. The last time they were in the conference finals, the Raptors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Toronto got to this point by defeating the Orlando Magic in the first round and edging out the 76ers in the second round. The Bucks haven’t made an NBA Finals since 1974. The Raptors have never made an NBA Finals appearance. Here are some things you should know about this Eastern Conference Finals matchup, the series schedule and how you can watch. CLICK HERE FOR MORE NBA PLAYOFFS COVERAGE -- 1). Bucks looking for revenge It’s amazing what two years can do to a team. The Bucks are a completely different team than they were when they lost to the Raptors in the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs. Now, Milwaukee and Toronto both have perennial MVP candidates that have led their teams to the conference finals. The Bucks, however, will the ones looking to get revenge for their loss. 2). Playoff experience scant Mike Budenholzer and Nick Nurse don’t have much experience when it comes to making it this far in the NBA Playoffs. Budenholzer, who last coached the Atlanta Hawks, made the Eastern Conference Finals in 2015 before getting swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nurse only served as an assistant for the Raptors when they made the conference finals in 2016. This is his first time as a head coach. Who has the edge? Maybe Budenholzer. He served as an assistant under Gregg Popovich for many years and coached Raptors star Kawhi Leonard as well. He might know exactly how to defend the former Spurs star, thus giving Milwaukee the added advantage in the series. 3). Three-point shooting a major factor The Bucks have a powerhouse in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who can dominate the inside, but the team still likes to shoot threes as much as anyone in the NBA. Defending the three for the Raptors might prove to be difficult, even if they lock down Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee leads the conference in three-pointer made per game in postseason with 13.4, according to the Toronto Star. While the Toronto Globe & Mail noted that the Raptors have led the league in three-point percentage after they acquired Marc Gasol on Feb. 7, Toronto only shot 29.8 percent against the Sixers. Three-point shooting for both teams is definitely going to be a major key throughout the series. 4). Game 1 is vital Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared to take a shot at the Boston Celtics when he told reporters, “Against Boston, you can go down 1-0 and still be fine; but against Toronto, it's hard to be in that spot when you lose the first game in your home.” The Greek Freak knows Game 1 is important. The Raptors, have three wins in 17 Game 1s, according to the Toronto Globe & Mail. The team that wins Game 1 usually has a good chance of winning the series. The Raptors previously dropped Game 1 to the Orlando Magic in the first round and won Game 1 against the Sixers in the last series. 5). Who has the bench advantage? A deep bench for the Bucks could be what gives them the edge over the Raptors in this series. George Hill and Pat Connaughton are both key bench players that have played a major role in each of the Bucks’ series in the playoffs. Hill is averaging 12.1 points and Connaughton is averaging 9.4 points. USA Today noted that the Bucks’ bench players, in total, are averaging 37.4 points in the postseason. Serge Ibaka proved to be an X-factor during Toronto’s Game 7 win over the Sixers, but overall the Raptors haven’t been able to rely on the bench as much as they thought. Ibaka will have to build upon a solid Game 7 and players like Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell will be called upon to have better games, if the Raptors are to move onto the NBA Finals.