NBA News Wire
Raptors 102, Bucks 98
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
MILWAUKEE — Guard DeMar DeRozan scored 15 of his 23 in the fourth quarter as the Toronto Raptors pulled away late for a 102-98 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
The lead changed hands nine times over the first seven minutes of the quarter with the Raptors finally building some separation on guard Greivis Vasquez’s 3-pointer with 5:24 to play.
The Raptors shot 44 percent from the field but made 12 of 27 from long distance and were 18-for-22 from the free throw line. Vasquez went 10-for-14 from the field and hit six of eight 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 26 points.
The Raptors won three in a row and six of the last seven.
A night after setting new season-lows for field-goal attempts (68) and 3-point attempts (eight) in a 102-90 loss at Chicago, the Bucks came out hot against one of the better teams in the east.
Behind 23 points and six assists from forward John Henson, the Bucks shot 48 percent and got double-digit efforts from five players but couldn’t close out down the stretch and dropped their fifth in a row while setting a new franchise record for losses in a season.
Trying to lock down the No. 3 spot in the East, the Raptors were riding high after knocking off the East-leading Pacers despite missing both forward Amir Johnson and guard Kyle Lowry. Both were also sidelined Saturday, but the Raptors got off to a good start, knocking down five of eight 3-point attempts to take a 28-22 lead after one quarter.
Milwaukee came back in the second quarter and tied the game at 32 when Jeff Adrien sank a free-throw to convert a three-point play with 9:40 left in the half.
Forward John Henson blocked DeMar Rozen’s 17-footer on the other end and the ball ended up in forward Giannis Antetokounmpo’s hands. He put Milwaukee ahead 34-32 with 9:18 left, and the Bucks rolled into a halftime with a 56-47 lead.
NOTES: Milwaukee signed free agent F Chris Wright to a 10-day contract Saturday. Wright was with the Bucks from March 14-23 and appeared in two games, averaging 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 16.5 minutes per game. … Raptors G Kyle Lowry (bruised left knee) and F Amir Johnson (sore right ankle) did not play Saturday. … Milwaukee’s .652 all-time winning percentage against Toronto is the Bucks’ best against any NBA opponent. … Raptors F Steve Novak grew up in nearby Brown Deer, Wis. and played collegially at Marquette, which also calls the Bradley Center home.
