The NBA playoffs had three game threes scheduled for Thursday night. The Bucks and Raptors squared off at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, but the game was over by the time the third quarter ended. The Bucks dominated the Raptors on both sides of the court and came away with the win 104-77. The Bucks were led by Khris Middleton who had a game-high 20 points. Giannis Antentokounmpo also chipped in 19 points. The Raptors star backcourt couldn't find any points this game. The Bucks now have a 2-1 lead on the Raptors, and now the Raptors might want to hit that panic button.
Offensive Efficiency
The Milwaukee Bucks had a great game on the offensive side of the court. They shot over 50 percent from the field for the entire game. Out of the 11 players that played in Thursday's game, 6 of them scored in double digits. The even scoring among the Bucks was key, as the Raptors couldn't focus in on one person defensively. The team was red hot from deep, shooting 52 percent from three-point territory. The Bucks moved the ball well throughout the game, sacrificing a good shot for a great shot. They had a double-digit edge for the majority of the game.
As for the Raptors, it was a bitterly cold night from the field compared to their game two win. The team shot a horrible 33.8 percent from the field and an even more unimpressive 27 percent from three point range.
The backcourt duo of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry combined for 21 points for the game, as the both shot the ball poorly. Derozan didn't even make a shot from the field only getting eight free throws. Lowry shot 4-10 from the field and finished with 13 points. All of the starters for the Raptors finished in the minus section in the plus/minus stat for the game.
When the Raptors lost in this series, they lost big and this isn't looking good for the three seed in the east.
Home Court Advantage
The Bucks were loving the Home Court Advantage this game. The stadium played the Barney theme song during the Raptor's player intros, and the song resembled the Raptors play this series. Along with the comical intros, the Bradley center was filled and the fans were loud and rambunctious, letting the Raptors know that this wasn't going to be an easy win if they were going to win at all.
The fans were excited to see a dominant win, and hope to see their team take a commanding 3-1 lead in their next game. The Raptors need to even the series next game or the won't be feeling the love when they return to Toronto for game five.
The Bucks surprised many with them taking a 2-1 lead over the Raptors. They have benefitted from a great offense and poor shooting from the Raptors. Game four is on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. EST. Will the Raptors find their shooting touch before then or will their poor shooting get them in a 3-1 hole?
The Raptors starting lineup was introduced with the Barney theme song in Milwaukee 😂💀 pic.twitter.com/vNhKdQfF96
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 21, 2017