Milwaukee Bucks: Recent History Against Toronto Raptors
By Adam McGee
2013-14 Season: Raptors Win 4-0
After sweeping the Raptors in 2012-13, the Bucks entered the season and indeed their matchups with Toronto looking very different heading into 2013-14.
Having been swept at the hands of the Heat in the playoffs, the Bucks returned for the new season without either Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis. It’s easy to see now that the Bucks made a wise decision in moving on from that pair, but in the moment the Bucks had lost their two best players and virtually signed themselves up for a franchise worst 15-win season.
Raptors 97, Bucks 90; Nov. 2, 2013 – Bradley Center
As only the third game of the season, it wasn’t quite apparent just how bad the Bucks’ season would be at this point. Still, they never really threatened to win what was a surprisingly close game considering the superior talent of the opposing Raptors team.
The Bucks managed to hang tough thanks to an impressive 16 points, eight assists and six rebounds from their marquee free agent signing O.J. Mayo, but had no real answers for the varied scoring the Raptors got from Rudy Gay, DeRozan and Lowry.
Bucks 94, Raptors 116; Jan. 13, 2014 – Air Canada Centre
Over 20 games below .500 by the time they made their first trip to Toronto in this season, the Bucks were losing, but the seeds for progress were being sewn even if it wasn’t necessarily apparent at that time.
Ersan Ilyasova led the Milwaukee effort with 29 points and nine rebounds, but with the benefit of hindsight it’s the insertion of Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo to the starting lineup that plays as much more notable. Middleton dropped off five assists, while Giannis gave signs of things to come with a line of 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block.
With the Raptors having four players finish the game with over 17 points, that hope for the future was all the Bucks had to cling to from a disappointing loss.
Raptors 102, Bucks 98; Apr. 5, 2014 – Bradley Center
As the season wound down, the Raptors arrived in Milwaukee pushing for one of their best seasons in franchise history up until that point and locked into the playoffs.
I know this is going to sound very strange, but in a closely contested game it was Greivis Vasquez who made the difference. Over 12 months before the Bucks would make an unsuccessful trade for the Venezuelan, he dropped 26 points with four assists and four rebounds.
Khris Middleton led the Bucks by 20, while Jeff Adrien also chipped in with an impressive 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Bucks 100, Raptors 110; Apr. 14, 2014 – Air Canada Centre
In the penultimate game of the regular season, the Raptors were in party mode as they celebrated a division title and a franchise record for wins, while the Bucks were just desperate to start their vacation.
Ramon Sessions drove the Bucks forward in terms of scoring, but he was no match for — you guessed it — Greivis Vasquez. The future Buck went off on Milwaukee for the second time in nine days, this time notching 25 points and seven assists.