Bucks Overpower Raptors In Battle Of Top Eastern Conference Teams
10th December 2018
Malcolm Brogdon's back-to-back three-pointers with 1:07 remaining first tied the score then put the Bucks up 100-97, a lead they wouldn't relinquish
- The Milwaukee Bucks bounced back from a disappointing defeat with a big win in Toronto on Sunday, edging the Raptors 104-99 in a battle of the NBA's top Eastern Conference teams
- The Raptors still own the best record in the league at 21-7, but they suffered a second straight defeat after falling 106-105 to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday
- Brook Lopez also scored 19 for Milwaukee, who became the first team to beat the Raptors twice this season
- Serge Ibaka scored 22 points and Kawhi Leonard had 20 for the Raptors. But Kyle Lowry went scoreless for the first time this season, missing all five of his shots
LOS ANGELES, United
States- The Milwaukee Bucks bounced back from a disappointing defeat with a
big win in Toronto on Sunday, edging the Raptors 104-99 in a battle of the
NBA's top Eastern Conference teams.
The Raptors still own the best record in the league at 21-7,
but they suffered a second straight defeat after falling 106-105 to the
Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
Malcolm Brogdon's back-to-back three-pointers with 1:07
remaining first tied the score then put the Bucks up 100-97, a lead they
wouldn't relinquish.
Brogdon scored 18 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 19
and matched his season-high with 19 rebounds for Milwaukee, who fell to the
two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors on Friday.
Brook Lopez also scored 19 for Milwaukee, who became the
first team to beat the Raptors twice this season.
"We came off a tough loss to the Warriors, we knew we
needed this one going into this back-to-back," Brogdon said. The Bucks,
who improved to 17-8, host Cleveland on Monday.
He said shaking off the loss to Golden State wasn't
difficult.
"We're a really good team this year," he said.
"We have a lot of confidence in ourselves. We're resilient. We've got a
coach that has confidence in us every night win or lose."
Toronto have dropped two straight for the second time this
season and have lost three of their last four.
Serge Ibaka scored 22 points and Kawhi Leonard had 20 for
the Raptors. But Kyle Lowry went scoreless for the first time this season,
missing all five of his shots.
He did produce seven assists, and Toronto coach Nick Nurse
said the Raptors didn't play badly offensively.
"We did a lot of things well enough to win the game,
but we just didn't score," said Nurse, who admitted to concern over missed
shots at the rim and missed open looks from the perimeter.
"That's more the question," he said of solving
those shooting woes. "Can we get a little confidence back, get a little
pep in our step?"
Popovich’s career
Jrue Holiday and Julius Randle combined for 65 points to
lead the New Orleans Pelicans past the Detroit Pistons 116-108.
Holiday and Randle rose to the occasion after star teammate
Anthony Davis was hobbled by a sore hip after a clash with Detroit's Blake
Griffin in the first quarter.
Davis returned to the game in the third period but finished
with just six points on two-of-seven shooting with nine rebounds, four assists
and five blocks.
"He was probably 50 percent," Pelicans coach Alvin
Gentry said. "But just having him out there -- defensively I thought he
did a great job for us.
Holiday filled the void with 37 points, one shy of his
career high. He tied a career-best with six three-pointers. He pulled down five
rebounds, handed out five assists and came up with three steals.
Randle added 28 points with six rebounds and five assists.
"Everybody stepped up and played well when we needed
them to," Gentry said. "Obviously, Jrue did a fantastic job
controlling the game."
Elsewhere, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz
110-97, avenging a 34-point loss to the Jazz on December 4.
DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points and Rudy Gay had 23 points
and 15 rebounds as the Spurs put together two straight wins for the first time
since they won four straight from October 27-November 3.
The victory was the 1,210th of coach Gregg Popovich's
career, moving him into a tie with Pat Riley for fourth place in NBA history.