ADVANCING TO ROUND 2

Raptors to take on Cavaliers

The Toronto Raptors are headed to the Eastern Conference semifinals. But they didn’t take the easiest path in getting there.

DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points as the Raptors held on to beat the Bucks 92-89, but not before watching their 25-point lead vanish in a fierce Milwaukee comeback.

The Raptors clinched the bestof-seven series 4-2 to advance to the conference semis, where they face the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers, who have been off since sweeping No. 7 Indiana on Sunday.

Kyle Lowry added 13 points, but he and DeRozan were the only Raptors to score in double figures. Serge Ibaka had 11 boards but just seven points before fouling out for Toronto.

The Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had terrorized the Raptors in much of the series, scored 34 points and nine rebounds to lead a young Bucks team. Thon Maker, who played high school basketball in Orangeville, Ont., had five blocks for Milwaukee.

The Raptors, who had never won a playoff series in less than the maximum number of games, dominated for much of the night and led by as many as 25 points midway through the third quarter. But the Bucks responded with a 15-3 run to cut Toronto’s lead to 74-61 heading into a nail-biting final frame.

Toronto went five minutes without a field goal before Lowry’s long jumper early in the fourth. But the Bucks kept hold of the momentum and the Raptors coughed up one ball after another, and when Kris Middleton drilled a three and drew a foul with 4:06 to play, it pulled the Bucks to within a point.

Jason Terry drilled a three on Milwaukee’s next possession to put the Bucks ahead, and the earsplitting Bradley Center crowd roared.