Raptors’ slide stops with Bucks
All-star Lowry steps up with 32 points and sheer will to end five-game nosedive
Kyle Lowry knew it was time for actions rather than words, that the Toronto Raptors needed to play themselves out of a January funk rather than talk their way to wins.
Then he did what he does so well and so often: dominate a game with his play.
A brilliant first 10 minutes and a blistering opening to the fourth quarter was Lowry as his best as the Raptors snapped an unseemly five-game losing streak by beating the Milwaukee Bucks 102-86 at the Air Canada Centre on Friday night.
Lowry finished with 32 points and six assists, but it was more his energy than his stats that allowed Toronto to win for the first time since Jan. 17 at Brooklyn.
He dominated the opening quarter in every respect, helping Toronto to an unusually impressive start with 12 points and five assists in the first 10 minutes, but the tone of his play dictated his night.
And when the Bucks cut a comfortable Toronto lead to seven heading into the fourth, Lowry came back from a short rest and the Raptors doubled the advantage in the first five minutes of the quarter.
“It’s like the first win of the year right now. Let’s just try to get that first win,” Lowry had said earlier in the day. “It really is right now. That first win is the toughest one to get. I think we’ve got to go out there and battle and do whatever we can do.”
What the Raptors did was throw a defensive blanket over any Bucks not named Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jabari Parker. They combined for 40 points on 15-for-32 shooting, but the Raptors did not let anyone else get going.
Norman Powell added 19 points for the Raptors — once again without injured all-star DeMar DeRozan — and Lucas Noguiera’s athleticism around the rim was vital in the fourth quarter.
After juggling the front-court since the return of Jared Sullinger and Patrick Patterson from injury, coach Dwane Casey shortened his rotation on Friday night. Sullinger, whose bulk was needed against Zach Randolph of Memphis on Wednesday, sat out entirely as Casey went primarily with Jonas Valanciunas, Patterson and Nogueira. Pascal Siakam played four first-half minutes against a more athletic Bucks front line because there wasn’t a good matchup for Sullinger.
Patterson is still struggling with his shot — he was 2-for-4 from three-point range in 29 minutes — but his ability to anchor the defence and get the Raptors organized is invaluable. Toronto held the Bucks to 39 per cent shooting.