Raptors beat Bucks 87-76 in slugfest, tie series at 2-2

Game 5 will take place Monday, April 24th in Toronto.

The Bucks had a golden opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Raptors.

The trio of Kyle Lowry, DeRozan, and new starter Norman Powell combined for 34 points in the second half, almost outscoring Milwaukee (35 in the half). Antetokounmpo and Monroe finished with 14 points each for the Bucks, who shot 37 percent and turned the ball over 20 times with Antetokounmpo accounting for seven.

The Barney introductions seemed to get in the heads of the Raptors and gave the Bucks some momentum, as Milwaukee blew out Toronto by 27 in Game 3.

But credit the Raptors for slowing down the Bucks, the 76 points. the lowest scoring since a game in mid-November with 73.

The morning after the Raptors were shocked and humiliated 104-77 in Game 3, DeRozan vowed that Saturday's game would be different. Toronto's P.J. Tucker helped contain the Bucks' All-Star with physical play in the post in the fourth quarter.

A free throw by Antetokounmpo with five-and-a-half minutes left pulled the Bucks to within five points, but the Raptors, who led the league in comeback victories this season, refused to get frazzled. The 6-foot-4 Powell offered more quickness to counter the athletic Bucks.

A couple of awful Toronto turnovers prompted a Bucks' run that gave Milwaukee a seven-point lead with 5:33 left in the first half.

Bucks: Antetokounmpo got off to a choppy start after missing five of his first six shots.

John Wall tallied 29 points, seven assists and four rebounds for the Wizards.

Milwaukee went 0 of 9 from the field during a stretch between late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, but still managed to stay within two possessions of Toronto for much of the second half.

The game was tied at halftime before Toronto slowly edged away, building a 10-point lead with 4 minutes left on Powell's 3-pointer.

"The first half DeRozan was the only one scoring for them". The 6-foot-11 forward did add to his collection of highlight-reel plays with a dunk in transition after sidestepping around DeRozan with about 5:30 left in the second quarter.

It also got another shooter into the game for the Raptors and another ball-handler capable of switching on the perimeter, helping the Raptors get off screens sooner and back into good defensive position.

The Raptors built themselves a nine-point lead before taking a 64-58 advantage into the fourth quarter in front of a loud crowd of 18,717 towel-waving fans at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

"I keep a level head and I understand bad things are going to come, and I accept it, just like I accept the great times", DeRozan said of his ability to bounce back.