Milwaukee Bucks lose to Raptors; Giannis Antetokounmpo scores 24
MILWAUKEE - Pascal Siakam had 30 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his second career triple-double and the Toronto Raptors overcame an early 15-point deficit to beat the cold-shooting Milwaukee Bucks 103-96 on Saturday night.
OG Anunoby added 24 points to help the Raptors improve to 3-0 this season against the defending champion Bucks, who shot a season low 33.8%. Toronto has won five straight in the series.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 30 points, making all 17 of his free throws but going 6 of 17 from the field. He didn't play in the previous two games with Toronto this season, with the Raptors winning 97-93 in Toronto on Dec. 2 and 117-111 in Milwaukee on Jan. 5.
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Fred VanVleet added 17 points for Toronto, Chris Boucher had 15, and Preston Achiuwa finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Grayson Allen had 18 points for Bucks, and Khris Middleton added 16.
After spending two minutes on the bench with five fouls, Siakam returned with 6:46 left in a tie game and made a jumper 21 seconds later. After Antetokounmpo tied it again with two free throws, Siakam hit a corner 3-pointer in front of the Bucks’ bench with 5:53 left to put the Raptors back in front for good.
The Bucks took a 16-2 lead in the first four minutes and the Raptors missed 11 of their first 12 shots. Milwaukee extended the lead to 22-7.
Toronto chipped away at the deficit and tied it on OG Anunoby's free throws with 45 seconds left in the half. Pat Connaughton made a 3-pointer with 38.5 seconds left to give the Bucks a 49-46 halftime lead.
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The Raptors took their first lead at 53-52 on Siakam’s 11-foot jumper with 9:19 left in the third quarter. Preston Achiuwa followed with a layup that capped a 9-0 spurt for Toronto.
Milwaukee tied it twice later in the third quarter and three more times in the first six minutes of the fourth period, but Toronto responded and regained the lead each of those instances.
The Bucks were missing guard Jrue Holiday for a fifth straight game as he deals with a sore left ankle. Toronto was playing without Gary Trent Jr. (swollen left ankle) and Scottie Barnes (right knee).
Tip-ins
Raptors: Toronto was playing a night after losing 103-87 at Detroit. ... Siakam has averaged 27.7 points in three games against the Bucks this season. ... Rookie Justin Champagnie had a career-high 12 rebounds.
Bucks: Wesley Matthews went to the locker room in the first quarter with a bruised collarbone but returned to the game in the second period. ... The Bucks made 32 of 35 free throws. ... Middleton shot 3 of 12.
Up next
Raptors: At Miami on Monday night.
Bucks: At Atlanta on Monday night.
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