Raptors 106, Bucks 87
TORONTO -- Jonas Valanciunas scored 19 points, and reserve forward Patrick Patterson added 16 as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 106-87 Sunday night at Air Canada Centre.
Valanciunas, Toronto's fourth-year center, paced the attack for the Raptors as Dwane Casey became the winningest coach in franchise history with the 157th victory of his career.
The Raptors are off to a 3-0 start for the third time in franchise history. The most recent occurrence was 2008-09.
Guard DeMar DeRozan had 15 points and four assists, and Kyle Lowry added 15 points and seven assists as six Raptors scored double figures. Center Bismack Biyombo had a game-high 10 rebounds.
Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 20 points and nine rebounds. Center Greg Monroe added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists for Milwaukee (0-3).
Guard Greivis Vasquez, who was traded to Milwaukee on draft night after two seasons in Toronto, had nine points, four assists and three rebounds off the bench.
The Bucks scored six consecutive points early in the fourth quarter to cut the Raptors' lead to 83-77.
Toronto then pulled away, scoring 14 straight points in less than four minutes. Guard Terrence Ross hit a trio of 3-pointers and a layup during that stretch, and Patterson added a 3-pointer.
Milwaukee had cut the Raptors' lead to 81-71 going into the fourth as Antetokounmpo went 5-for-6 from the field in the third quarter, scoring 11 points in the period as the Bucks battled back.
The Raptors were up 55-41 at halftime, turning 11 Milwaukee turnovers into 15 points.
DeRozan hit his first five shots from the field on the night Valanciunas was 5-for-8 in the first half.
Monroe was 4-for-5 from the field in the opening half to lead the Bucks.
Toronto led 24-19 after the first quarter. The Raptors scored 10 consecutive points to break open a tied game before the Bucks closed the opening period on a 5-0 run to cut the lead in half.
NOTES: Bucks G Greivis Vasquez spent the previous two seasons with the Raptors, appearing in 143 games and averaging 9.5 points, 3.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game. ... Based on opening-night rosters, the Bucks are the second youngest team in the NBA this season at 24 years and 144 days, older than only the Philadelphia 76ers at 23 years and 66 days. ... Toronto plays 10 of its next 12 games on the road beginning Tuesday night in Dallas. ... Raptors G Kyle Lowry had his 1,500th assist with Toronto in Wednesday's season opener against Indiana, becoming the fifth player in team history to reach that mark with the club, joining Jose Calderon (3,770), Alvin Williams (1,791), Damon Stoudamire (1,761) and Vince Carter (1,553).