Milwaukee Bucks 102-120 Toronto Raptors
After the first two games of the NBA Eastern Conference finals, it looked as if the Milwaukee Bucks would make like the Golden State Warriors and sweep the Toronto Raptors.
The No. 1-seeded Bucks flexed their considerable muscles in Milwaukee as the Raptors appeared to be overmatched by the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and co.
But lo and behold, the Raptors have rallied back from that 0-2 hole by claiming Games 3 and 4 in Toronto to make this series a lot more interesting for SBOBET NBA fans.
The Raptors have relied on Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam to carry them offensively for most of the postseason. But they didn’t need their two stars’ scoring as much in Game 4 as their role players stepped up in a huge way.
Despite back-to-back defeats, the NBA 2019 betting odds still favour the Bucks, who will have the crucial home-court advantage moving forward. But they must now find some answers after two tough losses in Toronto.
Highlights of the game
The big NBA 2019 news following Game 3 was the status of Kawhi Leonard. The Raptors star looked to injure his leg during that double-overtime win, and despite saying he was “good” for Game 4, it was certainly a significant concern.
But instead of Kawhi, it was Kyle Lowry who set the tone early for the Raptors as he hit four of his first five shots and had 11 points. As for the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo matched Lowry’s 11 points as Milwaukee were only down one after the first quarter.
Once the reserves came in, though, the Raptors’ bench players — Serge Ibaka, Norman Powell, and Fred VanVleet — began to get the better of their Bucks counterparts.
Powell, in particular, continued his impressive play in this series as he had 10 first-half points. Meanwhile, Ibaka added 12 and VanVleet — who’d been struggling mightily with his shot — finally hit a couple of 3-pointers as the Raptors entered half-time with a 10-point lead.
Khris Middleton had it going offensively for the Bucks in Game 4, and he and Antetokounmpo tried to keep Milwaukee within striking distance in the third quarter.
But the Raptors continued their well-rounded scoring attack. After a quiet first half, Leonard finally got going with 11 points. Powell also hit a couple more 3-pointers as they extended their lead to 13 heading into the fourth.
The Ibaka-Powell-VanVleet trio then led a 10-3 run to start the fourth, which gave the Raptors a 20-point cushion. The Bucks were unable to make a Warriors-esque second-half comeback and finally waved the white flag after a Leonard 3-pointer with four minutes left pushed the lead back up to 19.
Key Statistics
The story of this game was undoubtedly the Raptors reserves. Powell, Ibaka, and VanVleet combined for 48 points on 50 per cent shooting from the field. VanVleet, who came into the game with just eight made field goals in his last 10 games, went 5-of-6 with three 3-pointers.
Thanks to that strong bench production, Leonard was able to take a backseat offensively. He finished with just 19 points, his lowest output since scoring 16 in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Magic. Siakam was also limited to seven points on six field goal attempts, both playoff lows.
As for the Bucks, Khris Middleton — who had just 32 points through the first three games of the series — finally broke out with 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting, along with six rebounds and seven assists.
However, the Bucks’ backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Malcolm Brogdon struggled mightily, going a combined 4-of-18 for nine points. Bledsoe has been awful in this series thus far, averaging a mere 8.3 points on 25 per cent shooting.
What’s next?
As the series shifts back to Milwaukee for Game 5, the Raptors suddenly look like a different team. With Marc Gasol (33 points in his last two games) rediscovering his shooting touch and their bench back to being productive, they no longer seem so highly dependent on Leonard and Siakam offensively.
But the big question will be whether Powell, Ibaka, and VanVleet can carry that great play over to Milwaukee, as role players generally play better at home.
There’s also the looming doubts about Kawhi and if he can be able to carry the Raptors again if needed despite his leg injury.
Meanwhile, the Bucks’ supporting cast needs to bounce back and provide more assistance for Antetokounmpo. More importantly, Bledsoe desperately needs to get going. He has been a complete non-factor in this series, which has to change if the Bucks are to reach the Finals.
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