Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Lowry bounces back, Raptors edge Bucks to even series
TORONTO — Kyle Lowry scored 22 points, including the clinching basket with less than 10 seconds to play, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 106-100 on Tuesday night, evening their first-round playoff series at 1-1.
DeMar DeRozan had 23 points, Serge Ibaka added 13 of his 16 in the second half and Jonas Valanciunas had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who improved to 5-1 when playing Game 2 of a playoff series on their home court.
Game 3 is Thursday night in Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks. Khris Middleton scored 20 points and Greg Monroe had 18.
Lowry scored just four points in Saturday’s Game 1 loss, missing all six of his 3-point attempts.
He was much better in Game 2, going 6 for 12, including 2 of 5 from long range. His step back jumper with 8.9 seconds remaining gave Toronto a 104-100 lead.
Toronto went 5 for 23 from behind the 3- point line in Game 1, but nearly tripled its output in Game 2, finishing 14 for 29.
Leading 84- 83 through three quarters, Toronto opened the fourth with an 11-0 run that included a pair of 3-pointers by Ibaka, and a third from P.J. Tucker.
Milwaukee battled back, and a layup by Antetokounmpo cut it to 98-97 with 2:46 remaining, leading to a Raptors timeout.
Ibaka made a jumper to put Toronto up three but Antetokounmpo answered with a 3-pointer, tying it at 100-all with 2:03 left.
DeRozan broke the tie with a jumper and, after missed 3- pointers by Malcolm Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova, Tucker missed a pair of free throws.
DeRozan grabbed the rebound on a missed jumper by Middleton, setting the stage for Lowry’s decisive basket.
DeRozan scored 12 points in the first and Antetokounmpo made just one of six field goal attempts in the opening quarter as Toronto led 28-25.
Lowry scored 12 points in the second but Milwaukee scored the final five points of the half to keep it close. Toronto led 55-52 at the break.
DeMarre Carroll scored seven points in a 13-0 Toronto run that gave the Raptors a 73-60 lead midway through the third but the Bucks answered with a 15-4 run over the next three minutes. Toronto led 84-83 heading to the fourth.
MILWAUKEE (100)
Antetokounmpo 9-24 5-7 24, Snell 5-7 0-0 14, Maker 2-7 0-0 5, Brogdon 3-11 0-0 7, Middleton 6-14 5-5 20, Hawes 1-2 0-0 2, Teletovic 0-2 0-0 0, Monroe 6-9 6-6 18, Terry 1-1 1-1 3, Dellavedova 3-10 0-0 7. Totals
36-87 17-19 100. TORONTO (106)
Carroll 3-4 1-3 9, Ibaka 6-15 0-0 16, Valanciunas 4-10 2-3 10, Lowry 6-12 8-9 22, DeRozan 9-18 5-6 23, Tucker 2-4 0-2 5, Patterson 2-6 2-2 8, Poeltl 1-1 0-0 2, Wright 0-1 0-0 0, Joseph 4-6 0-0 11. Totals 37-77 18-25 106.
Milwaukee ......... 25 27 31 17 — 100 Toronto ............. 28 27 29 22 — 106 3-Point Goals— Milwaukee 11-23 (Snell 4-6, Middleton 3-3, Maker 1-2, Antetokounmpo 1-3, Brogdon 1-3, Dellavedova 1-4, Hawes 0-1, Teletovic 0-1), Toronto 14-29 (Ibaka 4-7, Joseph 3-4, Carroll 2-3, Lowry 2-5, Patterson 2-6, Tucker 1-3, DeRozan 0-1). Fouled Out— None. Rebounds— Milwaukee 40 (Antetokounmpo 15), Toronto 40 (Valanciunas 10). Assists— Milwaukee 20 (Antetokounmpo 7), Toronto 24 (Ibaka 6). Total Fouls— Milwaukee 16, Toronto 22. Technicals— Milwaukee defensive three second, Milwaukee team.
Attendance— 20,077 (19,800).
BULLS 111, CELTICS 97
BOSTON — Jimmy Butler scored 22 points, Rajon Rondo finished one rebound shy of a triple-double and the Chicago Bulls beat the Boston Celtics 111-97 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their series against the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Butler added eight rebounds and eight assists. Rondo’s night ended with 11 points and 14 assists on a night when all five Bulls starters reached double figures.
Dwyane Wade had 22 points, including 16 in the second half, and Robin Lopez added 18 points and eight points. The Bulls host Game 3 on Friday. After a better start by the Celtics, a familiar theme started to take hold as the Bulls took control by again dominating on the offensive glass. Chicago held a 43-38 rebounding edge for the game.
Isaiah Thomas scored 20 points for Boston.
CHICAGO (111)
Mirotic 5-13 0-0 13, Lopez 8-11 2-2 18, Rondo 5-11 1-2 11, Butler 8-19 5-6 22, Wade 9-16 1-2 22, Zipser 6-8 2-2 16, Felicio 2-3 0-0 4, Portis 1-1 0-0 3, Grant 0-3 0-0 0, Carter-Williams 1-3 0-0 2, Valentine 0-0 0-0
0. Totals 45-88 11-14 111.
BOSTON (97)
Crowder 6-11 2-2 16, Johnson 2-3 0-0 4, Horford 3-8 1-2 7, Thomas 6-15 7-13 20, Bradley 5-15 0-0 12, Brown 1-3 0-0 2, Olynyk 4-8 1-2 11, Zeller 2-2 0-0 4, Smart 6-11 0-0 13, Rozier 2-4 0-0 5, Young 1-2 0-0
3. Totals 38-82 11-19 97.
Chicago ............ 31 23 32 25 — 111 Boston .............. 26 20 29 22 — 97 3-Point Goals— Chicago 10-25 (Wade 3-4, Mirotic 3-9, Zipser 2-3, Portis 1-1, Butler 1-4, Grant 0-1, Rondo 0-3), Boston 10-33 (Olynyk 2-4, Crowder 2-6, Bradley 2-8, Young 1-2, Rozier 1-2, Smart 1-4, Thomas 1-5, Brown 0-2). Fouled Out— None. Rebounds— Chicago 43 (Rondo 9), Boston 38 (Horford 11).
Assists— Chicago 28 (Rondo 14), Boston 26 (Olynyk 7). Total Fouls— Chicago 17, Boston 17. Technicals— Portis, Thomas. Attendance— 18,624 (18,624).