MILWAUKEE — On Tuesday evening, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to a 99-85 victory over the Toronto Raptors in an NBA Cup match, featuring teams with the lowest records in the league.
Antetokounmpo contributed 23 points for the Bucks, while Bobby Portis provided a valuable 17 points from the bench. Brook Lopez scored 13 points, and both AJ Green and Ryan Rollins chipped in with 12 points each.
The Raptors, who are currently struggling with a record of 2-10, saw Gradey Dick shine by scoring a career-best 32 points. Jakob Poeltl added 13 points and Chris Boucher finished with 12.
The Bucks started to establish a stronger lead in the third quarter, which grew to 21 points early in the final period. Although the Raptors managed to narrow the gap to 10 points with under five minutes left to play, they could not close in any further.
In this game, the Bucks were without their star guard Damian Lillard, who is following the concussion protocol, while Immanuel Quickley was out for the Raptors due to an elbow injury.
Key takeaways showed that Dick had an impressive 22 points in the first half, with an astounding 12 out of 14 free throws made, as he has been averaging 19 points per game this season. The Bucks took a strong approach by attempting 31 three-pointers in the first half, aiming to counter the Raptors’ defensive strategy focused on Antetokounmpo in the paint. Ultimately, the Bucks finished with a shooting rate of 16 for 56 (28.6%) from beyond the arc.
A significant moment in the game happened when the Bucks held a 54-43 lead at halftime. The Raptors opened the third quarter with an impressive 11-0 run, but the Bucks quickly retaliated with an 11-2 run themselves, highlighted by a three-pointer from Green.
In terms of performances, this win allowed the Bucks to break a two-game losing streak, while the Raptors are now riding a five-game losing streak.
Looking forward, the Raptors are set to face the Detroit Pistons at home on Friday, while the Bucks will also host the Pistons, but on Wednesday.