Raptors knock Bucks out of playoffs in Game 6

LOS ANGELES, USA – DeMar DeRozan delivered 32 points as the Toronto Raptors rebounded after blowing a 25-point second half lead to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 92-89 to reach the second round of the NBA playoffs.

The Raptors used a 9-0 surge late in the fourth quarter at Milwaukee’s Bradley Center arena to win the first-round Eastern Conference series by eliminating the Bucks in 6 games.

Toronto advances to face the second-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, a rematch of last season’s East finals.

DeRozan led the way for Toronto on Thursday. He made 12-of-24 from the field, including a thunderous dunk with 48 seconds to play. Kyle Lowry added 13 points for the Raptors.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 47 minutes but made just seven of 13 attempts from the free-throw line. The Bucks made only 18 of their 28 foul shots.

The Bucks stumbled through the second quarter, going 6-for-22 from the field and missing all 4 of their three-point attempts to fall behind by as much as 13.

DeRozan had 16 points by halftime as Toronto took a 51-38 lead into the break.

The Raptors led by as many as 25 in the third quarter before Milwaukee finally got their act together. The Bucks closed the quarter on a 15-3 run to make it a 74-61 game heading to the fourth.

Toronto led by 6 in the fourth when Serge Ibaka drew his fourth foul but a 14-0 Milwaukee run put the Bucks up 80-78 with just over three minutes to play.

Jason Terry nailed a long range three-pointer to make it a one-possession game with 16 seconds left but DeRozan closed it out from the foul line. – Rappler.com