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Toronto Raptors: 3 takeaways from Game 1 loss vs. Bucks

By Jonathan Turco

MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 15: Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks during Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images).
MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 15: Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks during Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). /
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Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images /

3. Tale of two halves

The Toronto Raptors were like Dr. Jekyll and Hyde comparing their first and second half performances. In the first half, they were able to outscore their opponent 59-51, compared to being outscored 57-41 in the latter half of the game.

Was it the Bucks’ defense making adjustments or the Raptors’ offense getting worse as the game progressed? The correct answer is both, but it is weighted. Milwaukee’s defense in the second half was daring the Raptors’ shooters after their first half explosion, when they went 8-for-18 from deep. In the second half they were 7-for-24 from deep, not garnering the same efficiency as they did in the previous half. The majority came from the lack of offensive execution on Toronto’s end.

The Raptors’ bench was huge in the first half in the minimal but meaningful minutes they played together, helping extend Toronto’s lead as opposed to falling apart like they have been. In the second half they were completely unplayable. Brogdon individually outscored the Raptors’ bench, 15-12. The team overall shot 34-for-92 with Lowry (66.7 percent) being the only Raptor with better than 40 percent shooting.

Danny Green and Marc Gasol continued to struggle offensively. They shot 3-for-16 combined (18.8 percent), with all of their made baskets coming from deep. Furthermore, the two contributed to the 0-for-10 shooting in the final four minutes of the game, missing good looks that could have changed the outcome.

Green had only three shots in the game until he threw up two clunkers from deep in the final minute and a turnover. Gasol had a bad foul on Eric Bledsoe with the shot clock practically done (0.3 seconds left) on a tough layup, missed a wide-open floater on the elbow and forced a shot from deep with plenty of time left on the shot clock with the game close.

It wasn’t either of their best performances, and it has happened more often than not so far this postseason. Nick Nurse and the rest of the Raptors coaching staff needs to do a better job including everyone in offensive sets, giving them more touches to avoid cold stretches from their shooters and to give Leonard better looks.

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