Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 114-106 loss to Toronto Raptors
By Adam McGee
Takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ 114-106 loss to Toronto Raptors – Shooters finding rhythm
There was plenty of negatives in the Bucks’ Monday night defeat to Toronto, but it wasn’t all bad. And as Milwaukee works to find form ahead of the playoffs, one particular element will have been very encouraging to the coaching staff.
It was against the Raptors in last year’s playoffs that the incredible importance of the Bucks’ shooters knocking down their open looks was underlined, and many of the decisions the Bucks went on to make in free agency were certainly tailored to that end.
On that front, the play of George Hill and Kyle Korver offered some much-needed reassurance to the Bucks on Monday night. Without question the Bucks’ two deadliest shooters, Hill and Korver kicked their game up a level to lead Milwaukee’s effort against Toronto.
Korver led the Bucks in scoring with 19 points on 5-of-6 shooting and all of those looks coming from behind the arc. After a couple of tougher games, it was a positive to see Korver hit top form again in the bubble, and well-timed as the playoffs draw ever nearer.
Even more pressing, though, was the turnaround in Hill’s performance. The Bucks’ Sixth Man is a crucial piece to the team in a variety of different departments, and had looked way off his best since the restart.
That wasn’t the case in this one as Hill knocked down four triples on his way to 14 points in 19 minutes, recapturing the kind of form that will likely see him finish the season as the NBA’s leader in 3-point percentage.
With the Bucks’ starters largely looking close to their usual selves, getting their role players in form is key. This was a positive on that front.