Demar-vellous
Massive effort from DeRozan puts him in Raptors’ record books
The basketball calendar doesn’t exactly scream post-season right now, but a playoff-type backdrop unfolded New Year’s night at the Air Canada Centre.
Oddly enough, it was a playoff matchup from last spring, the Raptors and visiting Bucks meeting for the first time since Toronto’s elimination of Milwaukee.
It was good basketball then, quite good Monday night, the Bucks and Raptors trading shots, stops, competing and diving for loose balls.
By the end, it was better than good with DeMar DeRozan having a game for the ages, becoming only the third player in team history — Vince Carter and Terrence Ross the others — to hit the magical 50 as the Raptors ran their home win streak to 12 games following their 131-127 classic.
The evening required an extra five-minute quarter, fitting given how no team deserved to lose in regulation.
In the extra period, the Raptors played at a high level, especially on defence, outside of a inbounds play, while riding DeRozan’s offence.
Chants of MVP would resonate on a night when DeRozan lit up the Bucks for a career-high and franchise-high 52 points.
Kyle Lowry, meanwhile, had 26.
With 2:07 remaining, Milwaukee was clinging to a 110-106 lead. Down to 1:31, it was a one-point game.
And so the stage would set for a thrilling end.
Three-pointers would be matched as the game was deadlocked, 112-112, with 56.9 ticks on the clock.
The stakes weren’t as high, but this was playoff basketball minus the microscope of dissecting every possession in every quarter.
If it was, one could have questioned why no timeout was called by the Raptors, who had just forced a turnover, late knowing they didn’t have enough quality shooters on the floor.
The possession ended in a desperate shot that turned into an air ball, giving the Bucks the final shot with 3.2 seconds left.
Overtime was necessary when a feeble attempt from three-point distance had no chance of dropping.
And to think the teams meet again this Friday in Milwaukee.
Whether it’s hitting the rookie wall or simply stuck in a rut, Anunoby hasn’t been as productive recently as he’s been in the past.
The kid, for now, is a spotup shooter, preferring to play on the perimeter and more specifically on the right corner, his sweet spot.
He seldom gets to the line and even rarer is a made shot from the field and not from distance.
In the third quarter, he did get to the line, marking the first time in five games in which Anunoby attempted a free throw.
With DeRozan and Lowry leading the way offensively, the need for secondary scoring wasn’t that great, but it’s always good when multiple players can find their shooting eye.
Pascal Siakam isn’t known for his knock-down ability, but he will lock up his man on defence.
Siakam was asked to guard Giannis Antetokounmpo, doing as good a job as one can expect by con- testing Antetokounmpo.
The Greek Freak moniker is so fitting given the many facets to his game, save for the three-point shooting.
When he’s in attack mode, he draws defenders and any teammate who is diving to the basket finishes easily at the rim.
He reads defences better and his decision making continues to improve.
It was surprising not to see Antetokounmpo matched up against DeRozan, who had 35 points after three quarters as Toronto took an 88-84 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Toronto’s starting backcourt had a combined 51 points.
The Raptors were red hot from the field right from the opening tip, taking advantage of Milwaukee’s soft interior defence, defending and getting whatever shot they wanted.
Before fans were in their seats, the home side had built a 9-0 lead prompting Jason Kidd to call a timeout.
Kidd and the Raptors have a history dating back to Kidd’s days in Brooklyn and that seven-game series the Nets would win when Toronto had possession with a chance to advance.
Last spring, Kidd’s Bucks took a 2-1 series lead in the first round, but would end up losing in six when the Raptors stormed back from a humbling Game 3 loss.
Kidd is mentally tough and his team embraces his personality. On cue, Milwaukee played with more toughness.
Of course, it always helps when teams are making shots and the Bucks were in rhythm.
Thon Maker, for example, buried two corner threeballs, each from the identical spot, when the Raptors were slow in their rotation.
The quarter would end with the Raptors leading, 34-30.
With DeRozan leading the way, Toronto made in excess of 60% of its shots. He was rolling.
Not surprisingly, Milwaukee began to get up on DeRozan with Malcolm Brogdon being asked to harass DeRozan.
Brogdon contested more shots, but had no defence when DeRozan heaved a deep three just before the half that found net.
It was DeRozan’s fourth made from distance to give him 26 on 19 attempts.
Milwaukee’s bench was a plus-11 with Maker sparking the Bucks’ second unit by scoring 11 points in 12 minutes.
At the break, the Raptors were up, 60-56.
As the score would suggest, both teams were in rhythm, but the difference was DeRozan.