If you sat down to watch the Toronto Raptors game today hoping for a feel-good win after a disappointing and frustrating Canadian Men’s hockey game, you’re not alone. Although they were down early, they rallied to deliver a decisive 122-94 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, now with two straight wins and remaining undefeated since the All-Star Break. This victory also means Toronto wins the season series against Milwaukee 3-1.
While the lineups were mostly intact, Scottie remained away due to personal reasons for Toronto while Giannis Antetokounmpo and Taurean Prince continued to rehab for the Bucks.
Milwaukee started the matchup strong with their effort on the offensive boards and paint touches. In total, they managed 13 offensive boards, with Bobby Portis Jr. leading the way in that hustle category. Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins carried the majority of the scoring load, finishing with 21-2-10 and 21-9-1 respectively. Although solid individual performances, the Bucks continue to feel the absence of Giannis, unable to get their offence going as a whole.
Toronto had a solid shooting game, finishing 16-46 from behind the arc. Six different Raptors hit 3s, a welcome change from some of the tougher games of the year. The biggest key to their victory remains the same as many of their wins though, with pinpoint execution of passing and ball movement delivering plays like this:
Their defence also played a massive role, keeping them in the game during scoring droughts. The Bucks committed 17 turnovers which provided 27 points for Toronto, almost equal to their margin of victory.
It also didn’t hurt that Toronto’s bench outscored Milwaukee’s 47-32.
Quickley had a phenomenal all-around game for Toronto, finding a soft touch around the rim to go along with solid 3-point shooting that allowed him to finish with 32-3-9. He scored 18 points in the second quarter alone, continuing to prove that despite some struggles early on in the season, he’s continuing to find rhythm and his role on this team. Ingram was also instrumental, despite finding himself against a variety of defensive matchups and double teams was able to contribute 22-2-6.
Finding mismatches early were key. Despite AJ Green’s ability to make long range shots at an impressive clip, his small stature made him a target for the Raptors’ offence initially. Ingram in particular was able to find ways to get by him or draw fouls, allowing him to get going early on. Milwaukee switched to a zone defence, forcing the Raptors to execute the weakest component of their offence.
The Bucks were relentless in the paint, finishing overtop of their defender one-on-one and getting second and third chance opportunities repeatedly.
The bench infused some energy, with Shead, Mamu, and CMB digging in to keep Toronto within striking distance.
In the second, possessions and scoring were back and forth with both teams finding rhythm. Battle, IQ, Mamu, and Ja’Kobe were all able to hit shots from long range to give Toronto a sustained lead and forced Milwaukee to adjust defensively. The Bucks tried to find their own shot, moving the ball around the arc to take advantage of slow close-outs, especially by Poeltl who is still recovering. They weren’t as successful in this frame, giving Toronto a nine point advantage as they headed to the locker room.
The Bucks came out of the locker room full of energy and drew within two possessions, but Toronto answered with the tandem of Shead and Quickley orchestrating another offensive burst that gave Toronto a 13-point advantage.
The Raptors continued to roll, and a series of timeouts for the Bucks demonstrated their need for someone to step up and carry the scoring load. Despite best efforts from Kevin Porter Jr. and Bobby Portis Jr. (to the extent of a flagrant foul penalty one), Toronto ended the quarter with a 19-point advantage.
Toronto stayed solid all the way to the buzzer. Any hint of momentum from Milwaukee triggered a time out, allowing the Raptors to regroup and defend their lead. The remainder of the bench checked into the game for the final few minutes.
Next, Toronto will host a pair of exciting matchups, starting with defending champs Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. Tune in at 7:30pm ET on TSN.