Raptors Even the Series, Beat Bucks in Game 4, 120-102

The Toronto Raptors have evened the Eastern Conference finals after tonight’s win. The Canadian team and the No.2 seed in the East defeated the Milwaukee Bucks with 120-102 and tied the result to 2-2 in this exciting matchup.

“We did what we supposed to do at home,” said Kyle Lowry after the game.

After a close first quarter, the Raptors slowly started to create the distance between them and the Bucks, which eventually reached 25 points in the final period.

One of the decisive moments was the opening of the second sequence when Raptors made a 9-0 series, which boosted their morale and pulled them away to a 10-point lead, 42-32.

That distance was kept at the break when Toronto led 65-55, and it continued to be active throughout the third period. The start of the fourth was all about the hosts who had a 10-3 rush, which extended their advantage to 104-84, and sealed this event. After that, the majority of the players on the court only waited for the game to end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBNI4hAmMl8

What makes this win even more significant for the Raptors is the fact that Kawhi Leonard didn’t play his usual game. After 52 minutes in Game 3, the Claw was much slower offensively tonight, and consequences from the Sunday’s marathon were apparent. Leonard scored 19 points and had 7 boards and 4 steals.

But all the other guys were more than willing to help him. Besides Leonard, five more players scored 10 or more points, and three of them were off the bench.

“As a team, everybody stepped up, it was next man up,” said Lowry. “We understood Kawhi isn’t going to be great, at a 100% tonight.”

Lowry had 25 points and was perfect from the line, 10 of 10. Raptors X-factor Marc Gasol was once again superb with 17 points, 7 assists and 5 boards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S9wO6xakDo

It was confirmed that each time he has a good offensive game, no matter how he plays defensively, the Raptors win. But Gasol had a massive aide under the rim. Serge Ibaka showed up and posted a double-double with 17 points and 13 boards.

“Now we know, now we are back in the game. The series is back now, and we got to focus to the next game,” said Ibaka after the match.

Besides him, Norman Powell with 18, and Fred VanVleet with 13 points were of a huge help this Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Arena.

On the other side, Giannis had a much better performance than in Game 3. The Greek Freak scored 25 points and had 10 boards, 5 dimes, and 3 blocks. Khris Middleton posted the best playoff game ever with 30 buckets, shooting 11 of 15 from the field, and hitting 4 downtown shots.

Middleton also added 7 assists and 6 rebounds.

The problem for the Bucks was that except Mirotic with 11 , they didn’t have any other player with 10 or more points. And also, for the first time in this series, the Raptors outrebounded them, 44-40.

“We have habits all season long, we are not going to lose our confidence,” said Giannis after the match. “We gonna keep believing in our habits, keep trusting one another.”

Toronto showed that they could be quite effective against Giannis who tore them apart in the opening two events. They were making him work extra hard for each basket, and eventually, he had to slow down because of all the energy he spent. Also, Brook Lopez had just 8 points, and Eric Bledsoe added 5, and there lies the reason for another loss of the Bucks, whose game depends very much on outside shooting. And these two guys were supposed to stretch the Raptors’ defense.

The thing which worries Toronto’s fans is the fact that Kawhi began limping after he dunked on Giannis in the third period. Many are frightened because of his health, as the Claw already had numerous problems in the past considering injuries.

Next match is in Milwaukee, the Fiserv Forum. The way thing looks now, it appears that the home teams are protecting their courts and that Game 7 might decide who faces the Warriors in the finals.

Game 5 starts at 8:30 p.m. ET this Thursday.