Bucks-Raptors Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Feb 08 2012 10:51AM

The Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks erased huge deficits in their most recent games, only to suffer heartbreaking defeats.

Each know they need to get off to better starts going forward.

Looking to avoid a fourth consecutive loss, the Bucks try for a seventh win in eight meetings with the Raptors, who open a seven-game homestand Wednesday night.

Averaging a league-worst 19.5 points in the first quarter, Toronto (8-18) got off to another awful start Monday at Washington. After trailing by 10 after 12 minutes of play and 15 at the break, the Raptors found themselves down 79-61 with 3:02 to play in the third quarter.

Toronto, though, fought its way back and forced overtime behind strong efforts from Jerryd Bayless and Linas Kleiza, but lost 111-108 after scoring three points in extra period.

"That was a bad exhibition of basketball. We had an unprofessional start," coach Dwane Casey said. " ... You have to go off on them at halftime to get them to play. It shouldn't have to ever get to that, and that's why I was disappointed, even with the second-half comeback."

James Johnson shared the same sentiment.

"It's just something that doesn't need to be said. We're professionals, we're grown and this is our job," Johnson said of the team's sluggish play early on. "If you can't come out ready for your job then either we need to find new starters or go find a different day job."

While most would like their chances of regrouping versus the road-weary Bucks (10-14), the Raptors haven't experienced much success in this series of late. Toronto has dropped six of seven to Milwaukee - including all four meetings last season by an average of 9.3 points.

Losers of 10 of 13 on the road, the Bucks suffered their third straight loss overall Tuesday, 107-105 to Phoenix.

Milwaukee allowed a season worst-tying 67 points in the first half and trailed by as many as 21 in the third quarter. The Bucks, however, would rally to go up by four midway through the fourth before ultimately coming up short.

"We just need to come out with a better sense of urgency from the start," said Mike Dunleavy, who had 17 points off the bench. "Most of our games the last week or so, we've been real bad to get going, to get off the jump. Hopefully we can get off to a good start and play a good four quarters (Wednesday)."

In addition to picking up the pace early on, Milwaukee could surely use a more inspired effort from leading scorer Brandon Jennings.

Averaging 19.2 points, Jennings scored only three while putting up just four shots - the fewest in his career when playing more than 12 minutes.

"I just got in and talked to him," coach Scott Skiles said. "He looked a bit disconnected. I'm not sure why."

While Milwaukee won't have to worry about containing the injured Andrea Bargnani (strained left calf), it could have its hands full with Bayless and Kleiza, who each scored 30 points Monday.

Bayless is averaging 16.1 points over the last seven games - significantly higher than his season mark of 11.7. Kleiza, meanwhile, has recorded 20.7 points per contest during the last three.

Delfino scores 25 as Bucks beat Raptors

Posted Feb 08 2012 11:08PM

TORONTO (AP) Feeling comfortable in his former home, Carlos Delfino gave the Milwaukee Bucks a rare road win.

Delfino made six of eight 3-pointers and scored a season-high 25 points, Drew Gooden had 20 points and 14 rebounds and the Bucks snapped a three-game losing streak, beating the Toronto Raptors 105-99 on Wednesday night.

Mike Dunleavy scored 16 of his 18 points in the second quarter and Stephen Jackson had 17 as the Bucks won for the seventh time in eight games against Toronto.

"Carlos was huge," Gooden said. "It was kind of like him and Dunleavy were Siamese twins. Dunleavy had it going in the first half and Carlos got it going for us in the second half. That was big."

Delfino, who matched season highs with nine rebounds and four steals, acknowledged feeling comfortable in returning to the arena where he played his home games in 2007-08.

"There's an extra juice you have in your body," he said. "You feel like you're at home."

That comfort proved vital for the Bucks, who came in 3-10 away from home, the third-worst road record in the East. All three of their previous road wins came between Jan. 20 and 25 with victories at New York, Miami and Houston.

"We haven't been the best on the road this year," Gooden said, "but we're steadily trying to creep up and get back to the .500 mark and we need road wins to do that."

Delfino's contribution was especially important given the lack of production from Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee's leading scorer. One night after finishing with a season-low three points in a 107-105 loss to Phoenix, Jennings was kept quiet again, making just three of 12 field-goal attempts and missing six of seven from beyond the arc. Eight of his 11 points came in the final quarter.

"They were trapping him pretty hard tonight," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said of Jennings' apparent lack of aggressiveness.

Gooden, however, wasn't concerned about Jennings' poor shooting.

"He's just in a bad slump for two games," Gooden said. "That's nothing. If he hits a couple of shots, he'll get it going and he'll be back in no time."

DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points and James Johnson had 15 for the Raptors, who have lost three straight and five of six. Linas Kleiza scored 12 points and Leandro Barbosa 11, and Jose Calderon had 15 assists.

DeRozan said Toronto's biggest defensive letdown was a failure to close out on long-range shooters.

"We've got to run the 3-pointers off the line and trust our help," DeRozan said. "That's one thing we didn't do. We kept letting them line up 3's and knock them down."

Milwaukee led 76-73 to begin the fourth and pushed its lead to six points on a 3 by Delfino before Toronto's Rasual Butler made back-to-back 3's and Barbosa added a driving layup.

Jackson hit a 3 to restore Milwaukee's lead, but Kleiza hit two free throws to give Toronto a one-point edge.

The Bucks responded by taking the lead for good on a pair of free throws by Dunleavy with 6:55 left. Gooden made one of two and Jennings hit a 3 to make it 88-83 with 5:48 remaining.

Kleiza and Milwaukee's Larry Sanders were called for technicals after shoving each other under the Toronto basket midway through the fourth. Barbosa stepped between them to break up the minor scuffle.

Gooden had 13 points in the opening quarter but DeRozan had eight as Toronto scored 29 first-quarter points, a season high, to lead 29-28 after one. It marked the first time the Raptors had led after the first since Jan. 13 against Indiana. Toronto also lost that one, 95-90.

Dunleavy made six of seven shots in the second quarter, including three of four 3-pointers, and scored 16 points. Jackson added eight as the Bucks led 58-51 at the break.

"We came to the game focused tonight and we need to play like that more often," Jackson said.

Milwaukee's 58 points in the opening half were the most by a Raptors opponent this season.

Notes: Gooden had a season-high 15 rebounds at Chicago on Jan. 27. ... Bucks F Ersan Ilyasova missed the game because of back spasms. ... After matching a season-high with seven assists, Raptors G Jerryd Bayless left in the third quarter with a sore left ankle and did not return. ... Calderon had a season-high 17 assists in a win over Washington on Feb. 3. ... Toronto opened a seven-game homestand, matching a franchise high. After playing 17 of their first 26 games on the road, the Raptors play 12 of their next 15 at home.

Notebook: Bucks 105, Raptors 99

Posted Wednesday February 8, 2012 10:52PM

Duane Watson, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: The Milwaukee Bucks (11-14) defeated the Toronto Raptors (8-19) 105-99 in Toronto to capture their fourth road win of the season and halting a three game losing streak.

A highly contested, offensive inspired game saw six Bucks players in double digits, but the catalyst was former Raptor Carlos Delfino who scored a season-high 25 points, grabbed nine rebounds and shot 6-for-8 from the three-point line. Delfino's defense was key as he made one of his three steals in the open court down the stretch on DeMar DeRozan to deny the Raptors a chance of getting their fourth home win (3-7). The Raptors start a franchise tying longest home stand with 6 more successive games to come at the Air Canada Centre.

The Bucks are coming off a 107-105 loss in Phoenix and were in need of a win, while they ended their own three game skid, they gave Toronto their third loss in a row. Drew Gooden contributed 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Mike Dunleavy scored 18 points and Stephen Jackson had 17. DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 25 points, James Johnson added 15 and Jose Calderon scored 9 points with a game high 15 assists.

QUOTABLE: "I'm lucky, it's one of those nights, I should play roulette. I've just been working on my game, tonight I guess I was making shots."
-- Delfino on his 6-for-8, 3-point shooting tonight.

THE STAT: Milwaukee's 11 team blocked shots, the majority of which came when the Raptors needed baskets most, continually having the door slammed shut on their runs. The Bucks defense stepped up when needed and put them over to win the game.

TURNING POINT: Delfino's sixth 3-pointer of the night with 2:52 left in the fourth quarter made it 94-85 and was the beginning of the end. He followed it up a minute later with an open court steal on DeRozan and was fouled, putting him on the free throw line making one of two and widening the margin to 8 points, (97-87).

QUOTABLE II: "Carlos was huge, it was kind of like him and Dunleavy were Siamese twins, Dunleavy had it going in the first half and 'Los got it going in the second half, so that's big."
-- Bucks center Gooden

HOT: Dunleavy is averaging 10.4 points on the season, but exploded with 16 points in the second quarter on 5-for-6 shooting and 3-for-4 from three-point line, leading the Bucks into halftime with a 58-51 lead.

NOT: Brandon Jennings came off a three-point, four-field-goal-attempt performance on Tuesday. Jennings is averaging 19.2 points per game, while taking 16.7 attempts. He got more shots off tonight (3-for-12). He was equally as cold with 11 points, 4 assists and 3 turnovers, while shooting 4-for-8 from the free throw line.

GOOD MOVE: Milwaukee head coach Scott Skiles has not been liking what he has been getting out of his starters of late and went with Stephen Jackson and Dunleavy off the bench for big minutes in the second quarter. The duo delivered, scoring 24 (Dunleavy 16 and Jackson eight points) of the Bucks 30 points for the quarter.

NOTABLE: The Raptors 29 points in the first quarter was a season high. ... Raptors guard Jerryd Bayless left the game in the third quarter with a sore left ankle and did not return. ... The Bucks have won 7 of the last 8 meetings with the Raptors and five in row dating back to last year. ...Toronto led 29-28 after the first quarter for the first time since January 13th vs. Indiana. ...The Bucks have either tied or outscored their opponents in the fourth quarter each of the last 14 games.

UP NEXT: The Raptors continue their home stand Friday vs. Boston, Sunday vs. Lakers and Tuesday vs. New York. Milwaukee travels on Friday @ Cleveland, on Saturday vs. Orlando and on Monday vs. Miami.

• Bucks: Bogut
• Raptors: Alabi, Bargnani

• Bucks: Sanders
• Raptors: Kleiza

• Lead Changes: 16
• Times Tied: 12

• Arena: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
• Officials: #27 Dick Bavetta, #7 Kevin Fehr, #65 Sean Wright
• Attendance: 15291
• Duration: 2:13