The set-up: The 9-6 Toronto Raptors wrap up a five-game road trip Friday night when they face the 6-7 Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. Toronto opened 7-2 but has gone 2-4 its last six games. Meanwhile, the Bucks are coming off a 93-89 victory Monday over Orlando and Milwaukee will be trying to win consecutive games for the first time in nearly a month and for just the second time this season.

Toronto: DeMar DeRozan remains at a 30-points-per-night level (30.5-5.2-4.1) but the Raptors need to develop other scoring options in order to stay in the win column. DeRozan scored "just" 24 points and grabbed five rebounds and nine assists in the Raptors' last game, a 115-102 Wednesday victory at Houston. SF DeMarre Carroll underwent knee surgery last season and is being monitored carefully in an effort to keep him fully healthy throughout this campaign. Carroll sat out the second night of a back-to-back on Monday but responded with a season-high 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting on Wednesday. DeRozan's backcourt mate Lowry (19.7-5.3-7.3) will eventually have to start shooting better (39.45 so far) for Toronto to compete for the Eastern Conference title.

Milwaukee: The Bucks have two outstanding talents in Giannis Antetokounmpo (21.8-8.5-5.8) and Jabari Parker (19.7 & 6.2) but no other player reaches double figures. The Bucks are a poor offensive team (101.7 PPG ranks 23rd) but a solid defensive one. The Bucks are holding opponents to 102.6 PPG (11th) on 43.7% shooting (6th), which includes a league-best 30.6% on opponents three-point shots.

The pick: The Raptors have won 10 of the last 11 meetings with the Bucks, including five in a row and all four contests last season, winning by an average margin of 16.3 PPG. The Raptors are 7-1 to the over in road games this year and the Bucks are 6-1-1 to the over in home games. However, the ‘worm' is about to turn. The Under is a 10* play.