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The Toronto Raptors defended their home ground and tied the Eastern Conference final at 2-2. After a nasty win in the third game, they came out and delivered one of their best playoff performances in the fourth game by beating the Milwaukee Bucks, 120-102.
Giannis Antetokounmpo got off to a good start after a terrible night in Game 3, scoring 11 points in the first quarter. But Kyle Lowry was just as hot at first and was vital in helping the Raptors resist the initial burst of the Bucks. In the second quarter, the Raptors put Kawhi Leonard on Giannis, which slowed down the Greek Freak, and at the other end, they started to reduce the defense of the Bucks. They controlled the frame and opened a two-digit lead at the break.
The second half followed the same trend, with the exception of a brief Bucks push in the third quarter to reduce the deficit to six points. Kawhi Leonard and Co. were ready with an answer, however, and quickly regained control of the match. They took a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and were never challenged. Fred VanVleet scored a three-pointer and ended in a four-point game after Giannis fouled Serge Ibaka while fighting for the rebound.
Leonard managed a brave performance while battling a leg injury, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while playing an excellent defense. Lowry also had a solid match with 25 points, five rebounds and six assists. Meanwhile, Ibaka, VanVleet and Norman Powell combined to get 48 points off the bench. For the Bucks, Khris Middleton led the way with 30 points.
Here are some points to remember from the crucial victory of the Raptors:
The raptor bank intensifies
The entire Raptors support cast was inconsistent in the playoffs, but their bench, in particular, was downright bad at times. This was not the case at all in match 4. The trio composed of Serge Ibaka, Norman Powell and Fred VanVleet, who were for the most part the only reserve to play significant minutes in the playoffs, combined 48 points, 19 rebounds and 11 assists. Powell, in fact, has managed the greatest number of shots among players in the game with 18 players. The question now is whether they can translate this type of performance on the road. With Leonard not clearly 100%, the Raptors are going to need their bench to keep playing well if they want to steal a match on the road – what they'll have to do to win the series.
Bucks in an unknown position
By the time of the third game in Toronto, the Bucks had lost only one game in the playoffs. In just a few days, they lost twice more. In addition to being tied at 2-2, this is only the second time of the season that the Bucks lose consecutive games. We must go back to March 2 and 4, when they lost two consecutive games against Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns on the road. Now they will have to give an emphatic response in Game 5 at home Thursday night. Throughout the season, they have responded well to all kinds of setbacks, but this is by far the most serious. Will they be ready?
What's up with Kawhi?
In the first quarter of Game 3, Kawhi Leonard had a tricky landing on the quick restart and seemed to suffer from some kind of leg or knee injury. Since he's been seen grinning when he really needs to speed up or explode, he's even sometimes limped. It was great to finish the third match, but he was clearly not himself in the fourth. He still made a brave performance, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and four interceptions, but he did not seem to be able to carry the same kind of burden on the offensive he was during a good part of the playoffs. He took only 13 shots, the second less than for the fifth match of the first round when the Magic was destroyed. It was not a problem Tuesday night because of the efforts of the bench, but it will not always be the case. Leonard's health will be a key factor to watch before the fifth game.
How to watch Bucks vs. Raptors Game 5
- Date: Thursday, May 23
- Time: 20:30. AND
- Location: Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- TV channel: TNT
- Live Statistics: GameTracker
- Diffusion: fuboTV (try it for free)
- chances: Bucks -7 (Over / Under 218)
TV Lists
All Eastern Conference finals will be broadcast on TNT.
Ratings and Analysis
Check out the Sportsline NBA Selection Sheet for all your daily odds.
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