NBA Playoffs 2019: 3 Talking Points from Milwaukee Bucks vs Toronto Raptors, Game 4

The Toronto Raptors were able to defeat the Miwaukee Bucks 102-120 in game 4 to tie the Eastern Conference Finals at 2 games a piece, after initially going down 0-2 in the series.

The Raptors started strong and had a 1 point lead at the end of the first quarter. A strong start to the second quarter helped them build a quick lead going into half time. The Raptors were able to use this momentum in the second half, as they maintained the lead and ultimately came out on top of this matchup.

Kyle Lowry led the raptors with a team high 25 point on shooting 6-11 from the field. He also contributed with 3 three pointers and shot 10-10 from the free throw line.

#3 The Raptors Show Effort on the Glass

Rebounding plays a very important role in basketball games. It allows you to gain extra possessions on the offensive end, and also limit your opponents offensive possessions on the defensive end. Throughout the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks were the best rebounding team in the NBA, averaging 49.7 rebounds per game and keeping their opponents to 45.3 rebounds per game.

Being the best rebounding team in the NBA this season, the Bucks were expected to dominate the glass coming into game 4. In the first 3 games of the series, they were able to utilise their size and length to gain a commanding rebounding lead over the Raptors.

In game 4 however, the Raptors showed a focus and effort when it came to boxing out and rebounding. They outrebounded the Bucks 44-40. Serge Ibaka led the team with 4 offensive rebounds, which gave the team much needed second-chance points, and a game high of 13 rebounds.

#2 The Raptors Defense Puts Pressure on the Bucks:

Giannis Antetokounmpo at the free throw line

Having the most dominant player in the paint, in the current NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are able to successfully space the floor and and utilize their outside shooting when the defense collapses on Giannis. The sharpshooters on the Bucks have been one of the biggest contributors to their success this season. However, they were held to just 31.4% from beyond the arc in game 4, due largely to the quick defensive rotations by the Raptors.

Kawhi Leonard, who is arguably the best two way player in the league, has kept the dominance of Antetokounmpo at bay throughout the last two games.

Khris Middleton led the Bucks with a team high 30 points on 11 of 15 shooting from the field and also added 7 assists to his stat line. The remainder of the team however, was unable to find their footing on the offensive end and will look to bounch back at their home court in game 5.

#1 Great All-around Display from the Raptors:

Kawhi Leonard has been the go-to star for the Raptors for most of the playoffs. The supporting cast of the Raptors, however, showed their full capabilities during game 4 as Kawhi was battling fatigue and a minor leg injury.

Kyle Lowry starred for his team. He finished with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Marc Gasol was great on both ends. He ended with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists and also made several key defensive plays. Serge Ibaka had his best game of the playoffs. He was great coming off the bench and recorded a double-double in 24 minutes of playing time.

Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell added 13 points and 18 points respectively. This was a total team effort from the Raptors. If the team can continue to produce throughout the next few games, they could find themselves in the NBA finals against the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors.