The Raptors finally got the full band back together on Monday night.
Problem was they played the same lousy tune we’ve heard all season.
Unable to hit outside shots nor prevent opposing Milwaukee from nailing way too many, the Raptors fell for the 13th time in 14 games, 128-104 to the Bucks.
Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo needed only three quarters to notch a triple-double, Damian Lillard had 25 points, Bobby Portis added 20, with former Raptor Gary Trent Jr. scoring 17 off the bench.
RJ Barrett returned to action after battling the flu and led Toronto with 25. Scottie Barnes had 21 and forced Antetokounmpo to work hard for his points, but also committed five turnovers for the uneven Raptors.
It was the first time head coach Darko Rajakovic’s preferred starting five was available since last March 1. Gradey Dick came off the bench in that one, but is now joined in Toronto’s 17th starting group — one the team hopes will be intact for a while — by Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, Barrett and Jakob Poeltl.
Barrett had said a day earlier “we’re going to go out there and see what we got,” but had cautioned, along with Rajakovic, that there likely would be some rust. While that was true, Dick was scoreless in the first half (finishing 3-for-12) and there were turnovers a plenty, the group still won its early minutes. Trouble was the new-look bench only scored two points in the half (and was eventually outscored 63-24).
Meanwhile, Milwaukee, winner of the recent NBA Cup, had its superstars Antetokounmpo and Lillard in the lineup, but missed former all-star Khris Middleton, who is being eased back into action after missing all but the previous month of this season. Barnes did a decent job on Antetokounmpo and Lillard, who was averaging the fifth-most points at Toronto of any player ever, had a quiet half, but it didn’t matter since Milwaukee hit 12 three-points through two quarters to one by Toronto. That the game only saw the Bucks ahead by 19 to that point seemed like a small win for the Raptors, considering the three-point differential.
Things went downhill from there for the home side. The difference was 24 points after three as the Raptors played another non-competitive game in front of the home fans. Some growing pains are to be expected, but the last few weeks have been an ugly stretch and even the return of the full first group couldn’t change that on Monday.
It won’t get any easier, with three games in four nights on the road on tap, starting Wednesday against the New York Knicks. NBA-leading Cleveland hosts Toronto a night later, followed by upstart Detroit on Saturday.
@WolstatSun