Two seasons ago, the Milwaukee Bucks made the playoffs as the sixth seed in the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo was 20-years-old, a developing talent the team hoped would one day turn into a franchise player.
Earlier on Saturday, Australian rookie Thon Maker was an intimidating force and Matthew Dellavedova hit key shots in Milwaukee's upset win over the Toronto Raptors in game one series.
Assign a shorter player on the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks star can take advantage on the block. Middleton bumped the lead to 14 with a floating jumper. He also finished in the league's top 20 in each category, making him the first player in National Basketball Association history to do so. Ibaka's been on several deep playoff runs with Oklahoma City, including four trips to the Western Conference finals and one appearance in the NBA Finals in 2012, when the Thunder lost to LeBron James' Miami Heat in five games. We love when we chase.
He was slapped with a US$35,000 fine - plus the team was fined US$25,000 - for more playoff shenanigans in 2015. Toronto is 1-11 all-time in opening games, and this time, the Raps were bested by a young, lanky Milwaukee Bucks team that imposed their will from the opening tip. Forward Serge Ibaka had 19 points and 14 rebounds. Harden averaged 29.1 points, 11.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds a game- all career bests - in helping Houston to a 55-27 record. "And guys just helped each other out defensively". "We've been playing well lately". He would be in for the MVP, but unfortunately there's a lot of history being written right now. The "Greek Freak" is already in his fourth season at the age of 22.
That Lowry - who finished the series opener with four points in 33 minutes - and coach Dwane Casey have differing opinions on how that can be done is either a misinterpretation of phrases or a differing view on how to actually accomplish it.
"It's on us", Casey said.
"The group of guys that we have, especially going into the playoffs - we've got to make sure we come ready to play, because we know they're (Houston) going to be ready", he said. "No ifs, ands, or buts about it, I've got to play better". P.J. Tucker started in his place.
Trump Says China Working On North Korea 'problem'
He also reiterated the end of the era of strategic patience, referring to the Obama administration's policy toward North Korea. McMaster said an global consensus that includes China has now emerged that North Korea's "threatening behavior" can not go on.
Lowry has made seven 3-pointers on 49 attempts in the first round the past two postseasons. Their lone Game 1 win came in the second round against Philadelphia in 2002. If the Bucks keep getting easy points on fast breaks, this series could be over sooner rather than later.
The Raptors appeared to be in control midway throught the third and then, with just less than five to go, got a gift when Giannis Antetokounmpo picked up his fourth foul and had to go to the bench for the remainder of the quarter.
Two months ago, you'd have been hard-pressed to find anyone who thought the Milwaukee Bucks would be preparing for the NBA's postseason.
DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 27 points, but made just 7 of 21 field goals.
The answer is obviously somewhere in the middle: Lowry can't go off half-cocked and fire up contested jumpers willy-nilly, nor can the Raptors rely exclusively on him.
He was also brought in for his work rate, which is why it wasn't a surprise to see Ibaka still battling for offensive rebounds and hustling back on defence late into the game Saturday when most of the Raptors had already accepted their fate. Playoff strips covering all home games throughout the Bucks' 2017 playoff run and single game tickets are also available. He was fined US$25,000 in 2014 when he famously paired an F-bomb and "Brooklyn" while addressing the Toronto crowd outside the Air Canada Centre.
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