Raptors 107 – Milwaukee Bucks 89: a breather
By Brian Boake
A patchwork lineup was all the Raptors could muster in Milwaukee. It was more than enough against a befuddled Bucks team.
As the great baseball manager Earl Weaver once said, when his Baltimore Orioles were playing at a championship level, “I could stay at the hotel. They don’t need me.” Yes, being a manager or a basketball coach can be a simple job when you’re running a talented and healthy team. While the Toronto Raptors have some talent, after long years in the wilderness, their health has been a concern of late. When a team is wobbling, leadership is called for.
Coach Dwane Casey took the bold decision to rest his All-Star shooting guard, DeMar DeRozan, last night against the also-ran Milwaukee Bucks. Despite his team already being short-staffed due to Jonas Valanciunas’s injured hand, Casey trusted in his rotation players to secure the win. His faith was rewarded; rookie Norman Powell scored a career-high 17 points and the Raptors won the game’s final three quarters, cruising to a surprisingly easy triumph.
The Raptors are in the depths of an accursed four-games-in-five-nights week, and DeMar had played most of the game against the Chicago Bulls. Rather than risk another injury, which is always a concern with a tired player, Casey gave the start to Powell. The unheralded guard from UCLA has enjoyed some high-scoring games with the Raptors 905 D-League team, and his defense has never been a problem.
Kyle Lowry didn’t get much rest until the game was well in hand. Happily for the Raptors, that point was relatively early, so our point guard needed only 28+ minutes to score 25 points and hand out 11 assists. Lowry took a mere nine shots; he lived at the line, making 11 of 13. His teammates made four trips, a pitiful number though perhaps not surprising given the absence of DeRozan and JV.
The Bucks looked distinctly out of kilter. Maybe the Raptors defense was that good, but I don’t think so. Are Milwaukee fans rethinking their excitement about “winning” Greg Monroe, the off-season’s big (and expensive) free agent signing? He played like a second-unit man. He should be dominating in the low post – he had four baskets, and no free throws. Giannis Antetokounmpo was an assist short of a triple-double when pulled by perplexed coach Jason Kidd. The Greek Freak has been a bright spot in a deeply disappointing season.
The fearless Bismack Biyombo got extra minutes, and used them well. He joined Lowry in the double-double club, missing only one of seven shots and grabbing 13 rebounds. His two blocked shots were spectacular. I don’t know how GM Masai Ujiri is going to juggle the books to make it happen, but we have to resign Bismack.
Terrence Ross took a while to get his stroke happening, but finished with 11 points. Patrick Patterson and Jason Thompson more or less split the power forward duties. 2-Pat’s shot seems to have returned (touch wood), and his defense and rebounding never left. He had 14 points. Thompson had more fouls (5) than baskets (1), but served a purpose. In JV’s absence (and we still have no idea how long that will be), paint protection will be at a premium.
The Raptors are in Indianapolis tomorrow night to face the Pacers, then return to Toronto for a game against the Boston Celtics.