Why Raptors' Game 5 victory over Bucks is a win-win for Warriors

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The Milwaukee Bucks didn't lose three games in a row all season long.

Until the Eastern Conference finals, that is.

After dominating the first two games of the series at home, the Bucks dropped the next two in Toronto, and now trail the Raptors three to two after losing 105-99 in Game 5 on Thursday night.

With the victory, the Raptors now sit just one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance, and they will have an opportunity to clinch that trip on their home floor Saturday night when they host the Bucks in Game 6.

If you're of the opinion that the Bucks would be a tougher Finals matchup for the Warriors than the Raptors, Toronto's victory in Game 5 is a win-win. Either the Raptors will advance in six games to face Golden State for the 2019 NBA championship, or the Warriors will face an opponent coming off an exhausting seven-game series, with just two days of rest before the Finals begin.

Should the Raptors prevail in Game 6, they'd have four days off before the Finals begin.

The Warriors, of course, already have had three days off since sweeping the Trail Blazers in four games, and will have a full nine days between the end of that series and Game 1 of the Finals.

Even if the Raptors advance in six games, they'll still have played two more games than the Warriors on their way to the Finals. If the Bucks ultimately advance, they'll have played the same number of postseason games as the Warriors but should be considerably more fatigued because of the quick turnaround.

Regardless of who the Warriors play in the Finals, they'll start on the road, as both the Bucks and Raptors will have home-court advantage due to having better regular-season records.

Neither Kevin Durant nor DeMarcus Cousins are expected to be ready for the start of the Finals, but Thursday's injury update offered hope that they would be able to return at some point in the series. Obviously, getting either player back would be a boon to Golden State's chances, and both might very well put the title out of reach for either potential opponent.

[RELATED: Myers details how Dubs preparing for both Bucks and Raptors]

For now, though, Durant and Cousins continue in their rehabilitation, and the Warriors get an extended look at both of their possible opponents for the league title.

It's uncertain which team would be a better matchup for Golden State, but one thing is for sure: The Dubs would prefer to see them fight it out in a Game 7.

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