Raptors beat Bucks in slugfest, tie series
DeMar DeRozan reverted back to his playmaking form. The Toronto Raptors reasserted themselves on defense.
They’re headed back to Canada after winning a bruiser of a first-round playoff game on Saturday over the Milwaukee Bucks.
DeRozan scored 33 points, and Kyle Lowry had 14 of his 18 points in the second half of Toronto’s 87-76 victory to tie the Eastern Conference series at two games apiece.
The Raptors turned up their intensity before a hostile road crowd after getting embarrassed in a 27-point loss to Milwaukee in Game 3. They forced 21 turnovers.
“I’ve always said we play better with our backs against the wall,” coach Dwane Casey said. “It’s a tough way to live, but I love our team’s resilience and personality.”
Toronto reclaimed home-court advantage in the bestof-seven series. Game 5 is Monday at the Air Canada Centre.
Tony Snell led Milwaukee with 19 points, including five 3-pointers, both playoff career highs.
His 3 with 3:14 left got the Bucks within seven. Lowry answered with a bucket before setting up another basket with a driveand-dish to center Jonas Valanciunas for a layup in traffic.
While Toronto’s star guards produced in the clutch, the defense threw up roadblocks after the Bucks ran roughshod all over the court on Thursday night.
Milwaukee shot 37 percent overall in Game 4, but 31 percent (13 of 42) in the second half. HAWKS 116, WIZARDS 98: Paul Millsap scored 29 points, Dennis Schroder had 27 and the Atlanta Hawks delivered an early knockout blow against Washington, cruising to a victory Saturday that sliced the Wizards’ lead to 2-1 in the opening-round playoff series. After two tight losses in Washington exposed some bad blood between the teams, Atlanta returned home and built a 25-point lead by late in the first quarter.
GRIZZLIES 110, SPURS 108, OT: Marc Gasol hit a 12-foot floater with 0.7 seconds left in overtime, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the San Antonio Spurs to even up their first-round series at 2-2. The Grizzlies won despite blowing a 10-point lead with 7:38 left in regulation and 23 turnovers that San Antonio turned into 31 points.
Clippers’ Griffin to miss rest of playoffs with toe injury: Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin is out for the remainder of the playoffs after injuring his big toe during Friday night’s win against the Utah Jazz. The team announced Saturday that the five-time All-Star was diagnosed with an injury to the plantar plate of his right big toe.