Bucks look to take 3-1 lead vs. Raptors
MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks will try to take a commanding lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series with Toronto on Saturday when they host the Raptors in Game 4 of the best-of-seven set at the Bradley Center.
The Bucks stunned the Raptors in Game 3, riding a 104-77 blowout to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Despite that performance, Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd expects Toronto to bounce back.
"It only counts for one in the win column," Kidd said. "They understand they have to come back ready Saturday afternoon, just like after Game 1."
Milwaukee cruised to a victory in the series opener at Toronto and despite recovering from multiple double-digit deficits, couldn't get past the Raptors in the second game.
Toronto made a number of adjustments between Games 1 and 2, and coach Dwane Casey was confident his team could make the necessary changes again following one of the worst playoff performances in franchise history.
"We did it from Game 1 to Game 2, so it's possible," Casey said. "We have to make sure we pass the basketball. We went from 24 assists to whatever we had tonight (11).
"We have to sell the guys on the fact that you have to move the basketball. You're not going to dribble around them. You're not going to outrun or out-quick them. The ball can beat speed and quickness. That's what we did in Game 2 and that's what we've got to get back to."
Despite the blowout loss, Raptors guard Kyle Lowry -- like Kidd -- wanted to remind folks that there is still a lot of basketball to be played and that while the Raptors' pride may have been wounded, their confidence remains high heading into Game 4.
The Raptors went 4-1 this season following losses by 15 points or more. The last two times it happened, Toronto responded with winning streaks of six and four games, respectively.
"I still think we can win the series," Lowry said. "It ain't over. It just sucks right now. It's a terrible night right now. It's a terrible feeling the way we just got our (butt) beat. Terrible feeling. So we'd better pick it up. If not, it's going to be a terrible feeling again. But our confidence has not changed. We'll be fine. We've got to come out there and do what we gotta do Saturday."
Toronto will also have to find a way to make things easier for DeMar DeRozan, who was held to just eight points and missed all eight of his attempts from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers. The Bucks made life miserable for DeRozan, essentially taking away his ability to effectively work the pick-and-roll.
"I've got to do a better job of finding him openings and spaces so he can vault up and use his scoring ability," Casey said.
Kidd has urged his team to play "aggressive and desperate," two traits that come easily to a team with a young core lacking a lot of playoff experience. While Kidd has playoff-tested veterans on his bench in Jason Terry and Michael Beasley, as well as Matthew Dellavedova, who won a title last year with Cleveland, he has let his young players, especially rookies Thon Maker and Malcolm Brogdon, grow on the floor during this series.
"I'm a young coach, so I think we all fit with the experience level," Kidd said. "Thon and Malcolm being two rookies, believe that they can do the job, and they've shown that during the season. The guys on the floor and on the bench support them, and the coaching staff has done everything to prepare them for this moment. It's up to them to be basketball players, and they're very comfortable with doing that. We try to keep things simple and have fun with it, and they do all the work. Watching those two guys play right now is fun."
Milwaukee hasn't led a series 2-1 since taking two of the first three games from Charlotte in the 2001 Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bucks have lost seven straight series since then, holding an advantage just two times before taking 1-0 and 2-1 leads against the Raptors this season.