Cory Joseph’s three-pointer with 1:27 to play put Toronto up by three, then DeRozan drove to the hoop for a dunk with 49 seconds to play for a five-point cushion. Each of the three previous series wins in Raptors franchise history had gone the distance.
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MILWAUKEE (AP) – The Toronto Raptors keep getting themselves into tough situations in the playoffs.
Despite the massive egg he dropped in Game 3, DeRozan was the hero of this series and by far the biggest factor in this particular game.
We lost two more teams on Thursday night to the National Basketball Association playoffs.
“I’ve always said we play better with our backs against the wall”, asserted Casey. The Raptors clinched the best-of-seven series 4-2 to advance to the conference semis which begin Monday in Cleveland.
“Ready for the next one”.
“(DeRozan and I) talked about it in the locker-room, we both were completely calm”, he said. The lead could have been even bigger, but the Bucks simply could not make free throws – going 6 of 14 from the line in the fourth quarter – and Antetokounmpo missed 5 of 8 during a three-minute stretch. The Raptors looked like they were on cruise control after DeMarre Carroll’s 3 gave them the 71-46 advantage. Milwaukee made just 1 of 9 3-pointers in the first half and finished 7 of 19 from behind the arc.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Tony Snell (21) drives around a pick from center Greg Monroe (15) with Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) defending during the second half at the United Center.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and nine rebounds to lead a young Bucks team.
When the Raptors hit a flurry of long balls early in Q3, their lead looked unassailable. That lead would eventually reach a disappointing 20 points, and Milwaukee never could conjure up an answer.
If the Bucks had managed to upset Toronto, then it would start a stream of stories about how Antetokounmpo represents the future of the league and they might be the eventual heir to the Cavs’ throne in the East. Milwaukee didn’t get it done, but both of those things could still be true. “‘Whaddya gonna do?’ I think when he has those kinds of games, just bring it in, there’s nothing you can do”.
Both teams were exhausted in the final few minutes, especially the Bucks.
The Raptors led by as many as 25 in the third quarter before Milwaukee finally showed signs of life. Casey said his team had lost some composure during the Bucks’ run.
Spurs 103, Grizzlies 96: Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points, and the San Antonio Spurs advanced to the Western Conference semifinals by beating the Memphis Grizzlies at Nashville, Tennessee, to take the series 4-2. They’re used to being doubted.
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“In the same way Giannis was really good attacking on the break and we had to get in and fight for defensive rebounds, it’s going to be the same kind of fight with Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love down there when LeBron is attacking”. “I was just saying in the timeout – because it seemed a little bit intense, and guys were a little bit uptight on the bench – I was just telling them, relax, let’s run some plays, let’s move the ball, let’s keep doing the things that got us up that high in the first place”.
