Orlando Magic vs Milwaukee Bucks Game 2 Predictions, Odds & Picks

• The Orlando Magic are 2-0 in Game 1’s since the 2019 NBA Playoffs.
• The Milwaukee Bucks shot just 33.3% from three in Game 1.
• Nikola Vucevic led all scorers with 35 points.

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Orlando Magic vs Milwaukee Bucks Odds

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Orlando Magic vs Milwaukee Bucks Predictions and Picks

While Orlando’s surprising defence looks sustainable, Milwaukee is likely to turn up the heat attack even more in Game 2 against the Magic. We don’t foresee the Magic being able to keep the pace two games in a row.

Picks:

Milwaukee Bucks def. Orlando Magic -910

Milwaukee -12.5 -110

Under 228 -112

How to Watch Orlando Magic vs Milwaukee Bucks

Head-to-Head: Orlando Magic vs Milwaukee Bucks

Can Orlando’s Defensive Scheme Hold?

The Orlando Magic took a page from their 2019 Eastern Conference First Round foes the Toronto Raptors when looking at their gameplan against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Magic sealed off the rim to any Buck that wasn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo. By taking their chances with the Greek Freak in the paint, the Magic were able to limit the secondary contributions by Milwaukee’s reserves.

The next step for Orlando will be making this gameplan sustainable. Antetokounmpo is a load for any player to handle and it is likely that the Bucks will be able to find their shooting range. It’s a double-edged sword against a team as deep as Milwaukee, but Orlando has shown they’re more than prepared for the challenge.

Can the Bucks Handle a Taste of their Own Medicine?

The Milwaukee Bucks were exposed in Game 1. Not as if they’re written out of the playoffs entirely, but the Bucks have a lot to answer for considering they were beaten by a game plan similar to their own.

The Magic fed their offense through Nikola Vucevic and threatened Milwaukee with the shooters surrounding him. In the end, the Bucks couldn’t decide what they were going for on defense. Vucevic had an easy night, shooting 10 of 15 on two-point field goals and five of eight on threes.

Simply put, the Magic rotated the ball off of a dominant inside player, sound familiar? Mike Budenholzer tried a couple of things like playing Giannis at the center, but to no avail in Game 1. How they adjust to Orlando’s attack will be crucial. Brook Lopez looked slow-footed on the perimeter, but any other Buck can’t handle Vucevic in the post. It’ll be an interesting balancing act for Milwaukee going into Game 2.

Magic Key Player: (G) D.J. Augustin

??? ??????@augustinDj14 | #MagicPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/RgMP9QwdFn

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 18, 2020

If you just looked at the past two years of the NBA Playoffs, D.J. Augustin looks like a world-beater in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.

The diminutive point guard didn’t shoot from the field well against the Bucks, owing to their defensive length, but he was an excellent facilitator. Augustin dished out 11 assists on the evening, leading all players.

Augustin’s playmaking will be crucial moving forward. His threat to make a pass complements Nikola Vucevic in screen-and-roll situations perfectly. While it’s unlikely we’ll see him finishing at the rim, Augustin has shown that his playmaking alone is a game-changer.

Bucks Key Player: (C) Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez (34 PTS) for ?+☝️!#WholeNewGame on ESPN pic.twitter.com/2H5xxgfvK2

— NBA (@NBA) August 9, 2020

Also known as Splash Mountain, Brook Lopez has transformed himself from a low-post threat to a three-point gunner at the pivot position. However, in Game 1, he was mostly ineffective.

Defensively, Lopez struggled. While he would’ve loved to bang with Vucevic in the post, he was taken advantage of in the screen-and-roll with Augustin. Lopez’s length has been excellent against switches, protecting the ball into the post, but against swing-offenses, he is too slow to recover.

It isn’t as if Lopez can’t stay on the court, but his offensive contributions must improve in order to help the Bucks. Going two of nine in Game 1 to total just five points isn’t enough for Milwaukee to get through this round.