NBA Playoff Sunday: With Milwaukee leading 2-0, Frank looks at more than the final score in picking Bucks vs Raptors

Bucks (+2) @ Raptors (220.5)
Pick: Raptors First Half -2.5

In case you’ve only been paying attention to the full game lines during the NBA Playoffs, a team down 0-2 going home being favored by just as many, or in this case more points in the first half than it is for the full game is not new. The public has been getting sharper and sportsbooks had to adjust. As we saw with the Trail Blazers last night, being down 0-2 and going back home does not automatically result in a win. Sometimes, there’s a reason a team is down 0-2 and home court advantage isn’t enough to bridge the gap between the two teams. However, the desperation element usually results in a team coming out hungrier in the first half so don’t hesitate to back the Raptors in the opening 24 minutes tonight. I pass for the full game because I think it’s very possible this is last night in Portland all over again where the team in a must-win spot gets out early and then reality sets in. Milwaukee has continued to show it is head and shoulders above the rest of the East after a blowout victory on Friday night in Game 2. It’s probably only going to become more obvious that Toronto missed its chance to make this a series after letting the first game slip away on Wednesday. Nick Nurse’s team will come with good energy out of the gate, but I’m not sure that’s enough to win tonight. It should be enough to lead by multiple possessions at half though.