The Milwaukee Bucks are currently having a tough time as the 2024 regular season ends. This week, they fell short to the Washington Wizards, and the Memphis Grizzlies, and after last night’s tough 117-111 loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Bucks are now on a three-game losing skid and have lost five out of their last seven games. The Bucks tried to right the ship last night, however, a second-quarter run by the Raptors is what ultimately propelled Toronto to the win.
After the loss, the Milwaukee Bucks fall to 47-30. They still hold the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, but they’re only one game ahead of the third-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. For the Toronto Raptors, this win puts an end to the team’s 15-game losing streak which started back on March 7th. They’re now at an abysmal record of 28-53.
Milwaukee Bucks Look Distraught After 117-111 Loss to the Raptors
It would be a pretty even first quarter. Milwaukee’s biggest lead of the first 12 minutes of the game was seven points, nonetheless, the Raptors kept coming back at this Bucks squad. The Bucks finished the first with a six-point lead, but that quickly dissolved midway into the second quarter. Toronto went on a scoring rampage during the second, they outscored Milwaukee 21-11 at one point to tie the game at 51 with less than two and a half minutes remaining in the first half. By the time the second quarter finished, it would be Toronto who now held a four-point lead going into the locker room.
Gary Trent Jr. led all scorers at halftime with 17 points. His teammate RJ Barrett followed up with 11 points. For Milwaukee, Damian Lillard held it down with 13 points. Brook Lopez had 11 points, while Khris Middleton recorded 10 points on five of seven shooting from the field. Although Toronto turned the ball over three more times than Milwaukee, the Raptors out-rebounded the Bucks 27-21.
The Milwaukee Bucks had multiple chances to take the lead in the third quarter, but it wouldn’t come to fruition as the Raptors were on a scoring onslaught. At one point, Toronto held a 14-point lead, and it almost looked like there was no fight coming from this Bucks team. With two minutes left during the third, that’s when the Bucks tried to step into overdrive and make this an interesting game. Milwaukee would head into the final quarter of play down just five points.
These two teams would tie the score up twice during the first couple of minutes of the fourth quarter. With less than six and a half minutes left, both teams were tied at 100. The Milwaukee Bucks would take their first lead since the second quarter, but it wouldn’t last long. Milwaukee would find themselves in foul trouble giving up 10 points on free throws in the final minutes of the game. The Bucks had opportunities to make this game more enticing, and perhaps even take the lead and win, but with all the missed shots, and giving up free-throw attempts, they dug themselves into a hole they could not quite get out of.
Damian Lillard would lead all scorers with 36 points, along with having five rebounds, six assists, and a steal. Lillard also committed seven turnovers in the loss. His teammate Khris Middleton had 21 points, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals, and Bobby Portis put up 19 points in 28 minutes off the bench. For the Toronto Raptors, Gary Trent Jr. led the team with 31 points. He also had five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. RJ Barrett dropped 26 points, while Immanuel Quickley had 25 points in Toronto’s big-time win.
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