The Toronto Raptors on Monday moved within one win of advancing in the NBA playoffs with a 118-93 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Norman Powell, starting for the second time in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series, scored 25 points for the Raptors, who took a 3-2 lead and will try to clinch the series in Milwaukee tomorrow.
The winners of the series take on defending champions the Cleveland Cavaliers, who swept their series against the Indiana Pacers.
Photo: AP
The Cavaliers beat the Raptors in the Eastern Conference finals last season.
Kyle Lowry had 16 points and 10 assists for the Raptors, while Serge Ibaka contributed 19 points, DeMar DeRozan had 18, DeMarre Carroll added 12 and Cory Joseph scored 10 off the bench.
However, Bucks coach Jason Kidd said it was Powell, a reserve guard most of the season, who has made a big difference since he was inserted in the starting lineup by Raptors coach Dwane Casey.
“I think Powell is coming out with a lot of energy on both sides of the ball and they’re feeding off that,” said Kidd, whose Bucks were led by the 30 points and nine rebounds of Giannis Antetokounmpo. “He’s playing extremely hard and he’s knocking down shots, but he’s in there to play defense and he’s playing at a very high level for those guys right now ... He’s picked them up here in the last couple of games just with his energy and spirit.”
Energy is what Casey wanted when he opted to start Powell.
Powell “is a spark plug,” Casey said. “He’s the X factor. So many times you’re so concerned about DeMar [DeRozan] and Kyle [Lowry], and rightfully so. So, that next spark plug, that next guy, that next instigator is the guy. So, this series he’s been an X factor, the next game it might be a different story, but he’s done an excellent job playing off those two and taking what the game has given him, whether it’s a three-point shot or attack to the basket.”
Bucks center Greg Monroe, who scored 11 points, said Powell was “playing harder than everybody.”
“We just have to match his energy,” Monroe said.
The Raptors got off to a strong start, using a 17-0 first-quarter run to take a 26-11 lead.
Milwaukee responded with a 9-0 run, but the Raptors were up 31-20 at the end of the first period.
Toronto led by as many as 19 before taking a 57-48 lead into halftime.
“I think they just did a great job of setting the tone, hitting first,” Antetokounmpo said. “We just have to do a better job of being ready, try and hit first and be more focused at the beginning of the game.”
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