Raptors at Bucks
The Toronto Raptors have discovered another solid scoring option to go along with stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, and with it they are on the verge of advancing in the playoffs. The Raptors will try to continue to ride the hot hand of Norman Powell when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks for a potential series-clinching Game 6 on Thursday.
Powell saw just 21 minutes of action through the first three games (two appearances) of the series as Toronto dug itself a 2-1 hole, but he was inserted into the starting lineup and made all three of his 3-pointers in a Game 4 win and then erupted Monday night at home to help the Raptors seize a 3-2 series advantage. "In this series, he's been the X factor," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said of Powell, who made four more 3-pointers in as many attempts en route to 25 points in Game 5. The Raptors now have back-to-back double-digit wins after losing by 27 at Milwaukee in Game 3, and the Bucks are trying to rediscover that form before losing their eighth consecutive playoff series dating to 2001. "You can talk about it but you’ve got to go out there and you’ve got to play. You've got to know how it feels to get your (expletive) kicked, right? And that’s what happened (Monday)," coach Jason Kidd told reporters. "Being a young team, we were in that position in Game 3 (winning big). We have to understand what took place so we know what we have to do come Game 6."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, Sportsnet (Toronto), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS: DeRozan has been up and down in the series, especially at Milwaukee, where he went 0-for-8 from the floor in Game 3 before shooting 12-for-22 in Game 4. After a rough outing in the opener of the series, Lowry has been a bit more consistent, making exactly two 3-pointers in each of the last four contests while averaging 17.3 points and 5.3 assists. Forward Serge Ibaka was 13-for-39 from the field over a three-game span before scoring 19 points on 8-of-10 in Game 5.
ABOUT THE BUCKS: Milwaukee is looking to overcome a recent history of embarrassing Game 6 failures at home, which includes a 120-66 loss to Chicago in 2014 and an 83-69 setback against Atlanta in 2010. "They bounced back after Game 3, and that's what we're going to try to do," forward Giannis Antetokounmpo told reporters. "It's a learning process for us. We've got to do a better job." Antetokounmpo had 30 points and nine rebounds Monday night, while his teammates combined to grab only 14 boards, contributing to being outrebounded by 17 on the glass.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Antetokounmpo is averaging 16.5 points at home in the series, compared to 27.3 on the road.
2. Toronto is 0-3 under Casey when it has had the chance to end a series in six games.
3. The Raptors have made 36 more free throws in the series.