MILWAUKEE (AP) – Pascal Siakam scored 33 points, OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. each scored 22 and the Toronto Raptors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 117-111 on Wednesday night.
Fred VanVleet added 19 points for the Raptors. They improved to 18-17 and made it through the first half and the late Milwaukee rally.
The defending NBA champions were without coach Mike Budenholzer after he entered NBA health and safety protocols.
Milwaukee played without NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who did not play due to an illness not related to COVID-19. Grayson Allen, George Hill and Pat Connaughton also entered protocols Wednesday.
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Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 25 points. Jordan Nwora had 17 and Jrue Holiday and DeMarcus Cousins had 15 each.
The Bucks were coming off a 115-106 home loss to Detroit.
Milwaukee made 61% of its shots to take a 77-68 at the half, tying the most points it has scored in the first half of this season. The 77 points marked the most Toronto has given up in any half this season. The previous record was 72 in both halves of a 144-99 loss at Cleveland on Dec. 26.
Toronto erased a 14-point deficit and tied it at 85 in the middle of the third. The Raptors built a 15-point lead in the fourth, but the Bucks edged closer to seven with just under two minutes remaining.
ADVICE
Raptors: F Svi Mykhailiuk and F Yuta Watanabe remained in health and safety protocols. … G David Johnson returned from a calf strain. … Siakim was called for a technical foul in the third quarter after his elbow struck Middleton’s face.
Bucks: The Nwora, Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Semi Ojeleye reserves, which had previously been unavailable due to protocols, returned. Nwora began. … He made 13 of 21 3-pointers in the first half, but missed all eight of his 3-point attempts in the third quarter. … Cousins left the game with a contusion to his left calf.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Raptors: Host Utah on Friday night.
Bucks: In Brooklyn on Friday night.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
Reference-globalnews.ca