After a challenging homestand, the change of scenery has been a welcome sight for the Raptors. After a solid win Monday, they followed that up tonight with a well-fought win over the Milwaukee Bucks 111-105.
Both teams have had their share of struggles recently. Milwaukee continues to miss Giannis Antetokounmpo who was joined by Taurean Prince and Kyle Kuzma on the injury list once again. A massive, 45-point loss to Brooklyn and trade rumors continue to make the Bucks look like a rudderless ship that has been underperforming all season. The Raptors had their own woes, with RJ and Jak still sidelined with their respective injuries. Undoubtedly that contributed to their recent string of losses, but their kryptonite during that stretch was exhaustion. With a little rest they have returned to form.
Bobby Portis was the unsung hero for Milwaukee, doing everything that he usually does that makes him such a big part of their roster. His shooting, defence, and scrappy plays helped keep them in the game. He finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals and a block. Kevin Porter Jr. and Myles Turner were also big parts of the Bucks offence, ending with 22-4-13 and 21-6-1 respectively.
The pace and ball movement were the keys for the Raptors, finding open shooters with the extra pass. Their rebounding, especially on longer boards, were excellent tonight, preventing second chances for the Bucks for much of the contest. Mamu, Scottie, and Ingram all led the way for Toronto tonight, ensuring the victory despite difficult games for much of the lineup and only 21 total bench points. Mamu, returning to Milwaukee where his career started, took advantage of the familiar territory and the opportunity to start the game. His 3-point shooting, aggression on the boards, and cutting all helped contribute to the Raptors’ win. He finished the game with 18-7-2. Scottie was also an excellent factor for Toronto on both ends, showing why he leads the league in stocks this season. He ended with 24-11-2 with 3 stocks, helping clinch the victory for the Raptors. Ingram showed veteran savvy, forcing his way into the paint and making tough shots whenever the Raptors found themselves in a scoring drought. When the final buzzer sounded, his final contribution was 29-8-2 and 2 steals.
The Raptors started hot. BI went 3-3 in the frame from long range and Scottie went 4-4 from the field. Their defence was high-energy, denying possessions early for the Bucks. As soon as they got the ball back, they were out and running, giving themselves a variety of easy looks. If the Bucks were able to find the shooter, Toronto would make smart extra passes to get easy and open shots. Their biggest weakness to start was turnovers, with 7 in the first quarter, many of which were unforced and simply questionable passes in through the paint to cutters or on the wing. Despite leading by 11 points early, the turnovers gave the Bucks a chance to get within 6 at the buzzer.
In the second quarter, the Bucks were able to draw even with Toronto. Their biggest adjustments were defensive, shutting down a lot of the Raptors’ transition play and facing them with a physicality that is tough to overcome. Their bench also outperformed Toronto’s as Gradey Dick continues to struggle this season. Shead, Walter, and Battle were all almost non-factors as well. Meanwhile, Bobby Portis, Ryan Rollins, and Gary Harris scored a combined 25 points in the first half alone, giving the Bucks the edge. One of the more interesting notes as the quarter wore on was the absence of foul calls in Toronto’s favour. Despite some contact around the rim, Toronto didn’t get a single free-throw in the entire first half. The Bucks were 10-12, a stark contrast that led to plenty of conversation from the Raptors’ coaching staff and players on the court.
Doc Rivers wasn’t shy to make adjustments during half-time, coming out of the locker room with an adjusted lineup that went on an early 6-point run, giving the Bucks the lead for the first time. Quickley made an effort to get going early, but was still unable to find any shooting rhythm. The free-throw disparity started to be corrected, with both Scottie and BI finding their way to the line in the first few minutes. Toronto regained and held the lead, now with a bit of help from the bench. Shead and CMB weren’t big scoring factors, but their stifling defence slowed the Bucks. As the quarter wore on, the Raptors’ frustration with the officiating grew, but they were able to stay composed and hold a 7-point lead before the final frame.
The Bucks weren’t ready to give in easily and the Raptors weren’t initially ready to respond. Milwaukee tried to will themselves the lead, putting in more effort for loose balls and rebounds. Their desperation made them too aggressive though, so for the final 7 minutes of the game, Toronto was in the bonus. Darko left the bench out as long as possible, trying to buy rest for the starters, but let the Bucks within a single possession. Scottie and BI restored order with their return, building back their lead. They were able to survive a scoring drought halfway through the quarter, and execute in the final two minutes to escape with the game. Unexpectedly, the biggest offensive possessions came from Quickley who made a pair of big baskets when needed most despite struggling all game.
Next, they will return home for a single game against Boston on Saturday before going back out on the road.
