NBA
Bucks Dominate Raptors 105-92, Take Three Of Four Of Season Series
Against the Milwaukee Bucks last night, it was a game the Toronto Raptors needed to win.
Obviously, already down two games to one in the season series, the outcome of this game could affect the playoffs. The Bucks and Raptors have been battling for the #1 seed in the East (and the entire NBA) all season. The winner of last night’s contest could have home court advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals if both teams secure identical regular season records.
Instead of throwing the first punch, the Raptors were listless and devoid of energy. Milwaukee got off to a slight 10-6 lead, and Nick Nurse called a timeout at the 7:10 mark of the first quarter.
Toronto’s effort was marginally better the rest of the quarter. Both teams also engaged in mediocre basketball, with Toronto leading Milwaukee 25-22 going into the second quarter.
Four Minutes of Terror
If you’re a Raptors fan, the next four minutes can only be described as a drive-by shooting. The Bucks scored 19 points in the blink of an eye. By the time Toronto called a timeout with 7:53 left in the half, Milwaukee had a 10-point lead.
Watching the game in person, it felt like Milwaukee was playing playoff basketball while the Raptors were playing regular season basketball. You could feel the energy difference in the crowd. By the end of the first half, Milwaukee led 56-47.
Raptors Throw in the Towel?
Milwaukee continued this assault on the Raptors at the beginning of the 2nd half. They increased their lead to 76-54 at the 6:45 mark of the 3rd quarter.
Milwaukee also dominated Toronto defensively all game. They had multiple players crash the boards and were active defensively. As a result, they played the passing lanes, forced turnovers, and sent two, sometimes three defenders at Kawhi Leonard every time he touched the ball.
Amazingly, the Bucks played so effectively with their star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo on the bench with foul trouble for most of the quarter. A total team effort.
The Raptors’ bench pulled Toronto to within 11 by the end of the quarter, making it 87-76 Bucks. But Toronto would need an impressive effort in the 4th quarter to win this game.
Pascal Siakam Takes It Personally
Pascal Siakam started the 4th quarter like a man possessed, scoring five straight points. Siakam helped bring Toronto to within six points, but that’s as close as the Raptors would get.
The Raptors had their chances in the 4th, as the Bucks suddenly went cold from the field. However, Toronto wasn’t able to take advantage of it. Milwaukee was simply always one step ahead, trying a bit harder on defense, and finding the open man on offense. They also were consistently ahead of the Raptors all night and not coincidentally, just a little bit ahead in the standings.
In this battle for the #1 seed in the NBA – with the NBA on TNT’s cameras & personalities all throughout the building in Toronto – Milwaukee earned the right to be the #1 seed in the NBA, easily winning the game 105-92.
Takeaways:
Toronto needs a trade. I believe they are a scorer away from competing seriously for a championship. Milwaukee’s strategy showed how vulnerable the Raptors are in their current form: If you want to shut down the Raptors’ offense, just put two or three guys on Leonard and force somebody else to score.
Without retooling their current roster, I don’t see a Raptors team that is able to compete more effectively in the playoffs. You can substitute DeMar DeRozan for Leonard, but the problem remains the same: too many ‘good’ players, not enough ‘great’ players.
Notable Performances:
Milwaukee’s team defense held one of the NBA’s dominant offenses to 39.8% from the field and 25.9% from 3-point range.
Toronto was also held to 21.7 points below their team scoring average. The Bucks holding the Raptors to 92 points (when Toronto usually scores 113.7) is extremely impressive.
Next game:
The Raptors play the Los Angeles Clippers at 3pm on Sunday, February 3rd in Toronto.
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Photo Credit
James Anderson via Flickr
