"The options became slim, we need to play him", Kidd said. "You're not going to win in this league playing with that kind of intensity, force".
Ibaka would finish the night with 16 points, six assists and seven rebounds, while Valanciunas, almost a forgotten man in Game 1, would get in just under the wire with a double-double of 10 rebounds and 10 points. "It's something now that we're not unfamiliar with, being at this point". Jimmy Butler is just better than any player they have, and when he stepped up starting at the end of the third quarter, scoring 23 points in the last 14 minutes of the game, there wasn't anything the Celtics could do to stop him-or even slow him down.
When Antetokounmpo attempted to go one-on-one with Ibaka, a guy he posterized in Game 1, Ibaka blocked him cleanly much to the delight of the 19,800 on hand.
The Bucks had a confusing rotation during the first half where Jason Kidd would play Spencer Hawes, Matthew Dellavedova, Jason Terry and Tony Snell over Greg Monroe.
"Any time you win it feels good, especially against a good team, a playoff-tested team", Monroe said.
Like a sideshow carnival act, it seemed every member of the Toronto Raptors who took to the court wanted an up close look at Giannis Antetokounmpo and they all got one. Serge Ibaka scored 16 points for Toronto, Cory Joseph had 11, and Jonas Valanciunas added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Toronto recovered to win seven-game series against IN and Miami after losing Game 1 openers IN last year's playoffs.
"It's on us", Casey said. "We've been there before. It's not a good feeling, but there are things that are correctable as far as our offence is concerend".
Dustin Pedroia out of Red Sox lineup Saturday after being spiked
On the first pitch from Kelly, Machado drove a triple to center field that scored Adam Jones and cut Boston's lead to 6-1. Nobody else has it? "It seems to get broadcast more here". "Extremely late slide", Farrell said, per ESPN .
Casey said it's not just Lowry he needs to be more aggressive and forceful in everything he does in the game. The second game of the best-of-seven series will be played Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre.
While Lowry was stellar all night, he got plenty of help. "I thought our guys did a great job of sharing the ball, the ball wasn't sticking and they didn't care who shot it or who made the shot, it was about making the right play". Just because Giannis was the biggest, strongest, baddest dude on the court does not mean that he will always be able to impose his will like we saw a few days ago. Milwaukee outscored Toronto 51-32 in the last two quarters of play. The Pistons made quick work of the Bucks, though Milwaukee throttled Detroit 124-104 in Game 3 behind 40 points from Michael Redd.
Wright played only eight minutes and he took just one shot, which he missed, but he was active and brought energy back to the Raptors when they needed it.
"Nothing is easy" isn't just a preferred defensive mantra in the National Basketball Association, it sums up the way the Toronto Raptors go through life. They ended the quarter on a six-point run, going into the fourth down one.
Lowry may be considered the 1B to DeMar DeRozan's 1A role, but the veteran point guard is arguably more important to the Raptors' success.
His final line of 22 points, four rebounds and five assists wasn't all that eye-popping, but he operated decisively within the constraints that the lengthy and aggressive Bucks placed upon him. No Raptors player made more than one 3-pointer.
Early on Saturday, Antetokounmpo put on a one-man show: two dunks, three rebounds, a layup and free throw as Milwaukee turned a 4-0 deficit into a 17-15 lead. After shooting 1-for-7 through the first two quarters, Ibaka had 13 points in the second half, hit three-of-four threes and had two emphatic blocks of Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker at the basket. His Game 1 showing wasn't quite the lightning rod that Lowry and Casey's were, but he was visibly bothered by Milwaukee's trapping in the second-half on Saturday. Chicago also outrebounded Boston in three of their four regular-season meetings. Antetokounmpo finished with seven assists.
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