Bucks Zone

Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks blow out the Toronto Raptors

The Bucks tied their season series with the Raptors with a dominant win.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

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Not even the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo could stop the Milwaukee Bucks from exacting revenge on the Toronto Raptors as they chalked up a dominant 128-112 win on Wednesday night.

Damian Lillard and Malik Beasley scored at least 30 points each to lead the Bucks’ second straight win and their seventh in 11 games this season. The wire-to-wire victory also avenged Milwaukee’s 111-130 loss to Toronto in their first duel on November 1st.

Giannis sat out due to a calf injury, but Milwaukee had no problem finding the needed production, with six Bucks finishing in double figures.

Scoring at will

Lillard finished with 37 points and also did a stellar job quarter-backing the team with his 13 assists.

Beasley had his highest scoring production as a Buck, shooting 8-for-11 from the three-point area to finish with 30 points.

Bobby Portis Jr. continued his strong showing, adding in 18 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. Pat Connaughton added 13, Khris Middleton had 11, and Brook Lopez contributed 10 points.

A strong start keyed the win

The Bucks started like a house on fire and dropped 36 points in the opening period while holding the Raptors to just 21. The onslaught continued in the second period, where the Bucks outscored the Raptors, 34-26, to build a huge 70-47 lead at the half.

Lillard already had 24 points after two-quarters of play. Milwaukee didn’t slow down in the second half, sealing just their second win on the road so far while dealing Toronto their third home loss this season.

Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 29 points, while Jakob Poeltl added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Pascal Siakam, Gradey Dick, and Precious Achiuwa chipped in 11 points each for the Raptors, who fell to 5-6.

Milwaukee Bucks fall to no. 7 in The Athletic’s Power Rankings

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.