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Raptors 110, Bucks 100
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
TORONTO — Guard Greivis Vasquez scored 25 points and guard Kyle Lowry added 24 as the Toronto Raptors set a team record with their 48th victory of the season in defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 110-100 on Monday night.
Vasquez was filling in for regular shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, who was dressed but was rested by the Raptors (48-33). The Raptors swept their four-game season series with the Bucks (15-66) for the first time in team history.
The Raptors, who have clinched the Atlantic Division, had won 47 games in a season twice before — 2000-01 and 2006-07. The undermanned Bucks had only nine players available.
Center Jonas Valanciunas scored 14 points and had 13 rebounds for the Raptors. Forward Tyler Hansbrough had 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while forward Amir Johnson added 10 points.
Guard Ramon Sessions led the Bucks with 21 points and forward Jeff Adrien added 19 points with nine rebounds. Guard Brandon Knight added 18 points, forward Khris Middleton chipped in with 15 and center/forward John Henson had 12.
Bucks guard/forward Giannis Antetokounmpo opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to cut the Raptors’ lead to 12 points. A layup by guard Nando De Colo had the lead up to 17. The Bucks bounced back to trim the lead to seven on Knight’s 3-pointer and two dunks by Adrien. Lowry’s layup with 2:56 to play gave Toronto a 12-point lead. A 3-pointer by forward Terrence Ross increased the lead to 15.
Vasquez opened the second half with a pull-up jumper to put Toronto ahead by 15 points. Lowry’s 3-pointer put the Raptors up by 20 with 4:12 left in the third quarter. The Bucks whittled that to 12 on Henson’s dunk but forward Patrick Patterson made a 3-point shot that had the lead at 17. The Raptors led 84-69 after the third quarter.
Vasquez opened the game 6-for-6 in shooting, including five straight 3-pointers, and finished the first half with 17 points (6-for-7) as the Raptors led 59-46 at the intermission. The Bucks ended the half on an 8-0 run.
The Raptors led 32-19 after the first quarter led by nine points from Vasquez.
NOTES: Raptors F Landry Fields (flu) did not play. … Raptors G DeMar DeRozan entered Monday’s game ranked third in the NBA with a cub-record 514 free throws. F Chris Bosh set the previous team record for free throws of 504 in 2008-09. DeRozan dressed for Monday’s game but it was expected that he would be rested and not play. G Greivis Vasquez started in his place. … Bucks G Brandon Knight (right hip) was listed as questionable for Monday’s game but he was in the starting lineup. … Bucks G/F Carlos Delfino (right foot), C Larry Sanders (right orbital bones), F Ersan Ilyasova (right ankle), G O.J. Mayo (right ankle), F/C Ekpe Udoh (ankle and knee) and G Nate Wolters (left hand) were out. … The Raptors visit the New York Knicks on Wednesday to end their regular season. … The Bucks host the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday to end their season.
