Powell’s 25 points lift Raptors
— The Toronto Raptors are within one win of the National Basketball Association’s Eastern Conference semifinals.
Norman Powell scored 25 points, his career high in the postseason, to lead the Raptors to a 11893 victory over the Bucks on Monday, sending the Raptors back to Milwaukee with a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven series.
Six Raptors scored in double figures. Serge Ibaka finished with 19 points, DeMar DeRozan added 18 and Kyle Lowry battled through a sore back to finish with 16 points and 10 assists. The team’s medical staff had worked on Lowry’s back before the morning shootaround, then sent him home to rest. It clearly bothered him during the game — when he wasn’t on the court, he was lying on his back in front of the bench.
DeMarre Carroll chipped in with 12 points, while Cory Joseph had 10.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 30 points and nine rebounds.
A victory in Thursday’s Game 6 in Milwaukee would send the Raptors to the Eastern Conference semis against familiar foe Cleveland. The Cavaliers, who ousted Toronto in the conference final last season, swept their series against Indiana.
The win was Toronto’s most decisive of these playoffs. The Bucks never led by more than two points while the Raptors built a 19-point first-half lead and roared into the fourth quarter with a 90-73 advantage.
The Bucks would come no closer than 14 points in a fourth quarter that belonged to Toronto.
The Raptors shot a sizzling 58 per cent on the night, and 44 per cent from three-point range.
Two nights after it worked so well in Milwaukee, Raptors coach Dwane Casey started Powell over Jonas Valanciunas, and the athletic Powell made his presence known from the outset. Early in the first quarter, he stole the ball off Antetokounmpo, was wrapped up by Malcolm Brogdon but managed to get the shot off for a threepoint play. His three-pointer capped a 17-0 run that gave the Raptors a 15-point lead. Toronto took a 31-20 advantage into the second quarter.