Fred VanVleet scored 33 points and added 7 assists and the visiting Toronto Raptors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 124-113, Tuesday night, February 16 (Wednesday, February 17, Philippine time) in the opener of a two-game set.
The Raptors, who had lost two in a row, handed the Bucks their fourth straight loss.
Kyle Lowry scored 18 points for Toronto before leaving the game for good because of a left ankle injury with 8:42 to play in the 3rd quarter. He also exited late in the first half but returned to start the 3rd quarter.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out 8 assists and logged 5 steals for Milwaukee.
Pascal Siakam added 23 points and 13 rebounds for Toronto. Chris Boucher had 14 points, and OG Anunoby, who returned after missing 10 games with a strained calf, scored 13 points. Norman Powell put up 11 points.
Pat Connaughton scored 18 of his season-best 20 points in the first half for the Bucks. Bobby Portis had 16 points, Donte DiVincenzo scored 12 and Bryn Forbes and Khris Middleton each had 11.
The Raptors took a three-point lead into the 4th quarter and went up by 9 on Boucher’s three-pointer with 7:05 remaining.
Middleton hit a jumper with 5:36 left to cut the Bucks’ deficit to 3. The Raptors came back to take a 10-point lead on Anunoby’s dunk with 2:32 to play.
After the Raptors led by as many as 9 points, the teams were tied at 33 entering the 2nd quarter.
The Bucks used a 10-0 run to lead by 12 points with 7:58 left in the half. Toronto went on a 19-5 surge to regain the lead by two points with 3:57 left, and it was 64-64 at halftime.
The Raptors led by 8 after VanVleet’s three-pointer with 5:43 to play in the 3rd quarter. The gap was down to one point following a jumper by Middleton with 1:11 to go. Aron Baynes hit a jump shot to complete the third-quarter scoring and give Toronto a 94-91 lead.
Milwaukee was without Jrue Holiday (health and safety protocols) for the fifth straight game. – Rappler.com
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