Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from blown Game 5 vs. Raptors

MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 23: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 high fives Tim Frazier #12 of the Milwaukee Bucks during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors on May 23, 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images). /

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3. Blown early lead allows Toronto back into it

After losing two consecutive games on the road to allow the Raptors back into the series, Milwaukee was looking to establish dominance and get the crowd going early in Game 5. The Bucks built up a lead as high as 14 through a defense that limited the Raptors to just 4-of-12 shooting from downtown.

They’d ultimately head into the second quarter up 10 with the opportunity to snowball that lead even more. The crowd at Fiserv Forum was rowdy and energetic with every bucket and missed foul call. A mini-run could’ve pumped the fans up even more and demoralized Toronto to the point of no return.

Instead, the Raptors managed to slowly claw their way back into the game in the second quarter. Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam combined for 15 points while they outscored Milwaukee 12-3 on 3-pointers. Ultimately, it was a 24-17 advantage that cut a double-digit deficit down to just three points heading into halftime.

On the road, a comeback from the opponent is to be expected. A home crowd can do wonders for a team in helping aid their play through their passion and energy, which can be demoralizing for those who oppose it. At home, the Bucks should have never taken their foot off the gas, instead choosing to floor it on the backbone of their rabid fanbase.

The series now heads north to Toronto, where building up that type of lead won’t be easy, if possible at all. Milwaukee put itself in a great position to essentially make Game 5 a no-contest. Instead, the Bucks failed to utilize one of their greatest advantages to help fuel them and now find themselves down in the series partly because of it.

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