Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 108-97 win over Toronto Raptors
By Adam McGee
Dominant defense
For NBA purists who love to watch defense played at the highest level, Tuesday’s game provided a real treat.
The league’s two best teams on that end of the floor went head-to-head, and both delivered bouts of picture perfect defense, stifling the considerable offensive talent on the floor for long spells, including a notable run right from the opening tip.
As the game unfolded, though, it became apparent for as good as Toronto’s defense was, it doesn’t quite come close to the level the Bucks have reached defensively.
The second half, in particular, was an absolute masterclass. As the game’s intensity ratcheted up, the Bucks came into their own on D, truly suffocating the Raptors any time they tried to get inside and make anything happen.
It wasn’t just a case of shots being blocked, but rejections being strung together consecutively on the same possession. The Defensive Player of the Year contending frontcourt tandem of Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo combined for eight blocks alone.
The Raptors had some bouts of red-hot shooting from behind the arc, but would have needed to sustain that for the full 48 minutes given how little they were afforded in the paint. The Bucks allow a league fewest 38.4 points in the paint per game to opponents. The Raptors managed just 22 on this occasion.
The Bucks are an all-time defensive juggernaut and that could ultimately be what delivers them a title in June.