10 things I saw from Raptors-Bucks (12–12–2016)
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3 min readDec 13, 2016
- This is what great teams do to young teams on the road. The Raptors blitzed the Bucks from the jump, got whatever shot they wanted, forced turnovers and had everyone in the rotation playing well before settling in for a comfortable laugher.
- Middleman: Jonas Valanciunas played a solid two-way game. He looked far more fresh and agile coming off two off-days and that translated most on defense. More importantly, this was an easier match-up for Valanciunas as he could drop back in the lane to wall off penetration in the pick-and-roll. He even showed off some clever passes in the pick-and-roll to switch the floor when the offense got stuck.
- Trade bait: Terrence Ross bailed out the Raptors during the only stretch of the night when it was somewhat close. Mr. Trade Machine went for a personal 10–0 run in the fourth quarter to blow the game wide-open. Ross slashed to the bucket, got off a massive two-handed jam in transition, drilled four threes and had active hands.
- Shaqtin: … But just in case anyone forgot, Ross is still Ross. He punctuated his 10–0 run with a steal, then tried for a massive windmill jam in transition that drew nothing but iron. Fortunately the Raptors got the rebound and Kyle Lowry drilled a three. It was that kind of night.
- Forgotten one: Everyone is rightfully enamored with Norman Powell, but his incumbent DeMarre Carroll can also ball. He opened the game with a pair of transition threes, snuck in for a putback, worked a pick and roll into an alley-oop for Jonas, and played active defense against Giannis Antetokounmpo.
- Trap game: The Bucks started aggressively trapping Lowry and DeMar DeRozan after giving up 69 (nice) points in the first half. That forced some turnovers and allowed the Bucks to use their athleticism in the fast break. This is a trend to watch for as the season goes on, because this is how defenses will play the two star guards come the postseason. The Raptors need to have counters.
- DeRozan had a counter: He would split the trap, then fling his arms up like James Harden to get the whistle. It’s ugly basketball but it worked — DeRozan toed the line 15 times as part of a hyper-efficient 30-point night.
- Buck wild: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker are wickedly talented but I can’t help but feel they don’t play well together. Parker needs the ball in his hands to thrive just as much as Giannis and they pretty much both play the same position.
- Young veteran: I said this last time against the Bucks, but I continue to be impressed by Malcolm Brogdon. Rookie guards are often sloppy and hurried — Brogdon is methodical and crafty. He works the pick-and-roll beautifully and knows how to use his body to get into the right angles for the pass. He reminds me of D’Angelo Russell.
- Contact … No Call: No GM should pick up the phone with Masai Ujiri. The Bucks traded two picks to take on the contract of Greivis Vasquez. That trade already led to Cory Joseph and Norman Powell and there’s still a first-rounder left.
