Bucks Still -6000 Favorites to Win Series vs Magic After Stunning Game 1 Loss

• Top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks drilled in Game 1 of series against the Orlando Magic
• Even with their odds shortening, Bucks are still massive favorites in the series
• Read below to find out what our top wager is right now

It was always expected that the Milwaukee Bucks would be challenged in the Eastern Conference playoffs, even if they were the betting favorite in the 2020 NBA Championship odds.

It’s just that nobody expected it to happen this early.

A stunning 122-110 loss in Game 1 to the lowly Orlando Magic — who were 10-point underdogs — has not only put the Bucks behind the 8-ball, but all the naysayers that think Milwaukee is fool’s good to win a title suddenly have new ammunition.

Bucks vs Magic Series Odds

*Odds taken on August 18th

Prior to series start, Milwaukee was a massive -10000 favorite to dust the Magic. And even with the stunning loss, they’re still a heavy favorite to advance. Is there any reason to believe the Magic won’t pull a disappearing act like they did in last year’s playoffs? Let’s take a closer look at this suddenly (semi) interesting series.

Who Else Shows Up for Bucks?

You’re never going to stop the presumptive two-time league MVP, as Giannis still went to work in Game 1, evidenced by his 31 points and 17 rebounds on 12-for-25 shooting from the field to go along with seven assists. He also vanished in the clutch, going 0-for-5 with a turnover and just one free throw made in the final 10 minutes of play.

Giannis put up 31 points and pulled down 17 rebounds. pic.twitter.com/3JT62Gpl5Y

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 18, 2020

But as is the not-so-secret formula to beat Milwaukee, Orlando packed the paint, daring Giannis to launch more than he should from behind the arc. Antetokounmpo did go 3-for-7 from deep, but anytime the Magic can keep him outside the paint, it’s a win.

Giannis for 3 😬 pic.twitter.com/FqtnnfGyd4

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) August 18, 2020

The bigger issue, however, is what happens when Giannis has to move the ball and make the right basketball play. Two of the players that are supposed to be A+ supports for that role badly struggled in Game 1.

Khris Middleton, an all-star this season, went 4-for-12 from the field for just 14 points with four turnovers. Brook Lopez was just 2-for-9 from the field, and missed all four of his three point attempts.

Can Orlando Keep This Up?

Perhaps no team is more “it’s just one game” than the Magic. Last year, the Magic went into Toronto and stunned the second-seeded Raptors to take Game 1. They subsequently dropped the next four and were out of the playoffs before you could spell upset.

Vucevic (35 PTS & 14 REB) stepped up in Game 1 to lead Orlando past the No. 1 seed Bucks 😤 pic.twitter.com/rjizf7Ml9E

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 18, 2020

There are some positive signs here, the first being the monstrous performance of centre Nikola Vucevic. The Magic big man was a wrecking ball, going 15-for-24 from the field, including a tidy 5-for-8 from three, dropping 35 points and 14 boards. It’s the first 30-10 game by a Magic player in the playoffs since Dwight Howard was in his prime. To make this even more remarkable, he accomplished this while attempting zero free throw attempts.

The Magic are rolling in the 4th 💥 pic.twitter.com/VS7uZk8Elm

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 18, 2020

But Vucevic wasn’t on an island, as he was one of four players to score 15 points or more, with six players scoring in double digits. Veteran DJ Augustin was a rock with 11 points and 11 dimes, but no. 1 pick reclamation project Markelle Fultz was solid with 15 points and six dimes.

Terrence Ross was cooking off the bench, finishing with 18 points and six boards, while Gary Clark hit four threes en route to 15 points.

What’s the Best Bet?

Milwaukee’s biggest question mark was if they could shoot well enough to maximize the space for Giannis to wreak havoc in the paint. When they are hitting those shots, they are easily one of the best squads in the league, one that was beating up on teams at a historic pace prior to COVID-19.

When they shoot 43.4% from the field, including a pedestrian 14-for-42 from deep (33.3%) they look like an absolutely average group that can be beaten.

We’re about a second consecutive loss away from hitting the panic button for Milwaukee. Also, it would be nice to see if Orlando can put together another paint-packing defensive effort while getting contributions up and down their roster in a second-straight game.

Only die-hard Orlando fans should be betting on an upset right now, as this could be the wake-up call Milwaukee needs to return to pre-stoppage form.