Bucks at Raptors
The Milwaukee Bucks want to be contenders in the Eastern Conference, but a lack of execution down the stretch in games against sub-.500 teams will need to be cleaned up first. The Bucks will measure themselves against one of the best teams in the East when they visit the Toronto Raptors on Monday.
Milwaukee was enjoying a stretch of five wins in six games - with the lone loss a one-point setback to San Antonio - and looked like a team on the rise before dropping games to the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards. The Bucks squandered a 20-point lead in the 114-110 setback at home against the Hawks and gave up an 11-0 run down the stretch at Washington en route to a 110-105 setback. The Raptors are more experienced at closing games out and have been off since Friday, when they erased an eight-point halftime deficit and held the Boston Celtics off at the end to earn a 101-94 road triumph. Toronto won eight of its last nine games, including a 105-99 triumph at Milwaukee on Nov. 25.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Sportsnet One (Toronto)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (11-11): Milwaukee power forward Mirza Teletovic found himself out of the rotation and did not even see the court in the previous two games before getting the call on Saturday and helping to keep the Bucks in the game. The 31-year-old went 8-of-12 from the field, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, and finished with a season-high 25 points in the loss. "I thought Mirza was unbelievable," Bucks point guard Matthew Dellavedova told reporters. "It's not easy to not play for a few games and then come out and do that when your number is called. He's been doing a great job of staying ready."
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (16-7): Point guard Kyle Lowry enjoyed his first 30-plus effort of the season with 34 points on Friday and continues to trend up with an average of 24.8 points on 56.7 percent shooting in five games this month. The All-Star is shooting 57.9 percent from 3-point range in the last five contests. Toronto is also getting improved production from shooting guard Norman Powell, who takes over in the starting lineup when DeMarre Carroll sits out the second night of a back-to-back and consistently delivers, like 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in 36 minutes on Friday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Raptors G Cory Joseph went 1-of-7 from the floor on Friday after going 21-of-34 in the previous four contests.
2. Bucks reserve SG Malcolm Brogdon is 8-of-9 from 3-point range in the last three games.
3. Milwaukee SF Giannis Antetokounmpo collected 29 points, 11 assists and six rebounds in the 105-99 loss to Toronto last month.