I’ll go into more detail about the players in the Game 3 and 4 recap, but it’s clear they did just what they set out to do.
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“I’ve always said we play better with our backs against the wall”, Casey said after the game.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts after a dunk during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA first-round playoff series basketball game against the Toronto Raptors Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Milwaukee.
No team has won back-to-back games yet although the Raptors will certainly be aiming at snapping that trend Monday night.
“I was in that position as a rookie”, George said. The books keep on adjusting the total from game to game, this time decreasing it by a total of 4 points compared to the last match-up. “So, I gave him a couple of words”.
“Just to have a presence there, to put the defense in rotation”, Powell said. It created a small starting five with Serge Ibaka at centre, DeMarre Carroll at power forward and Powell at small forward. However, Lowry struggled to help his team in the first round, and his production would drop again as he averaged 13.9 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, 7.6 assists per game, and 1.3 steals per game on 31.6 percent shooting from the field.
Still, consider this: In Game 3, DeMar DeRozan did not make a basket and finished with eight points.
He had 24 points in the last quarter and overtime alone and Conley said it was scary watching the two-time Defensive Player of the Year and MVP candidate this season. They’re the better team and they need to show it, now. “I wish I could find more minutes for him, I really do”.
Playing in front of a deafening Milwaukee crowd that made the Air Canada Centre feel like a library, the Raptors looked completely unhinged from the opening tipoff against a young Bucks team that featured two rookies in Thon Maker, who was playing high school basketball at this time a year ago in Ontario, and Malcolm Brogdon.
San Antonio lead the series 2-1.
Khris Middleton recorded his first playoff double-double, and third double-double of his career, with 10 points and a playoff career-high 11 rebounds.
“Powell’s strengths defensively are a 6’11” wingspan and an strong lower body.
The Bucks captured the series opener 97-83. It was flawless from the three-point line.
Held to eight free throws while missing all eight of his shots from the field two nights earlier, DeRozan proved that performance was merely an aberration Saturday afternoon.
The second quarter started the same as the first with the Bucks scoring inside and out. They responded Saturday, however, willing their team to victory in an ugly game on the road that was a must-win.
After a re-affirming win such as Saturdays, just about anything sounded good coming out of the mouth of the guy who scored 33 to get the Raptors back on level footing. If that’s the case, this Raptors team can reach the potential of dark-horse Eastern Conference contenders they were touted as heading into the playoffs. “I think we took bad shots, didn’t take care of the ball. We’ve got to understand how to approach it the right way”. It’s hard for the nerves, but I like that tough aspect of our team.
Powell has been Casey’s wildcard all season, and he has grown accustomed to having his number called at any time. I still have a headache from the game.
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But the make-or-miss league you hear about so often from coaches is also a truism and for the better part of the first three games the Bucks were makers (apologies to Thon on that one) and the Raptors were missers for the most part although much better in Game 2.
