Notes: Bucks-Raptors deal in 2015 keeps giving for Toronto
TORONTO - The Milwaukee Bucks were not going to take Norman Powell in the 2015 draft.
But that hardly mattered Monday night as the second-year forward tore them apart in the Toronto Raptors' 118-93 victory at the Air Canada Centre. The Raptors romped in a pivotal fifth game as the 6-foot-4 Powell started for the second straight game and scored 25 points.
The Bucks selected Powell for the Raptors in a draft night deal, and also sent them a 2017 first-round pick, in exchange for guard Greivis Vasquez. The former Raptors guard never made an impact for Milwaukee and was out most of the 2015-'16 season with a foot injury.
Toronto used one of its two first-round picks in the 2017 draft as part of its trade deadline deal with Orlando for Serge Ibaka. And Powell is the gift that keeps giving for the Raptors.
"Powell has come in with a lot of energy on both sides of the ball and they're feeding off of that," Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. "He's playing extremely hard and he's knocking down shots. He's in there to play defense.
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BOX SCORE: Raptors 118, Bucks 93
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"When you look at the stat sheet, he's picked them up here the last couple games, just with his energy and his spirit. Somehow we have to match that. We have to have someone that can match his spirit, to give us a chance."
Toronto coach Dwane Casey said the Raptors loved Powell's pre-draft workout in 2015 and were trying to figure out a way to select him.
"Our scouts did a great job and Masai (Ujiri) and Jeff (Weltman) did a great job," Casey said of the Raptors' front-office team. "I remember his workout; he came in and was just a very physical and tough kid. And we needed toughness.
"He's the kind of player that can play a playoff-type game; just his mental toughness and physical toughness. He's a great example of a four-year young man (from UCLA). He's got his life together on and off the floor.
"He started when DeMar DeRozan was out. He stayed ready and worked his butt off with the coaches.
"I don't know the particulars of the trade, but he was a guy we really wanted in that situation. I'm glad we got him."
Deja Vu: Bucks coach Jason Kidd has been here before, locked in a battle with the Raptors in the playoffs.
It happened in a first-round series three years ago, and his Brooklyn Nets survived in seven games, edging Toronto in Game 7 at the Air Canada Centre.
But that Nets team was veteran-laden, featuring Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson.
This year’s Bucks have some playoff vets, but the prime performers are relative newbies, including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton and rookies Malcolm Brogdon and Thon Maker.
“A lot of it is Deja Vu,” Kidd said at shootaround. “Game by game it’s very similar.
“This is a younger group. When you’re going with Joe Johnson and KG and Paul, they had played in a lot of big games. They understood was at stake.”
Patience please: Kidd said Antetokounmpo eventually will improve his perimeter shooting.
“He’s going to become a really great shooter; he’s only 22 years old,” Kidd said. “He’s doing a lot of things above average right now and his shot will come. It just doesn’t come overnight.
“He makes plays for his teammates. When he starts to be consistent with shooting the 18-foot jump shot then he’s complete. He is just starting his journey.”
Slowing Giannis: Raptors guard P.J. Tucker is an elite defender and is spending plenty of time trying to slow down Antetokounmpo.
The Raptors had success on Saturday while holding Antetokounmpo to 14 points, including 0-of-7 shooting in the second half.
"We just tried to beat him to spots and not give him room on his drives," Tucker said. "I don't know if anybody in the league can stop him. It was just trying to play the percentages and make him take tough shots.
"He probably missed a few that he would normally make. We probably got lucky on a few."
How tough is the Greek Freak to defend?
"He's behind the backboard and can still finish the ball," Tucker said. "It's unbelievable. There are times you think you've got him and he's just like, Go-Go Gadget arms."
"He's tough for anybody. He has improved his handle and his post-up; he has improved a lot. I think that's coach Kidd just giving him that confidence to go. You see him on the break and the way they run the break, we're getting back. They're like wolves, man. He's pushing the ball fast. That's one of the big things we have to limit from here on out, the rest of the series."
Raptors coach Dwane Casey said Tucker did so well in Game 4 that it reduced the playing time for Patrick Patterson. Casey said either DeMarre Carroll or Patterson would play fewer minutes depending on who was defending Antetokounmpo with the most effectiveness.
BUCKS-RAPTORS SCHEDULE (All times Central)
Eastern Conference first-round series (best of seven)
Saturday, April 15 - Bucks 97, Raptors 83
Tuesday, April 18 - Raptors 106, Bucks 100
Thursday, April 20 - Bucks 104, Raptors 77
Saturday, April 22 - Raptors 87, Bucks 76
Monday, April 24 - Raptors 118, Bucks 93 (Raptors lead series, 3-2)
Thursday, April 27 - Game 6 at Milwaukee, 6 or 7 p.m.* (FSW)
Saturday, April 29 - Game 7 at Toronto, TBD (TNT, FSW), if necessary
* Game 6 will be at 6 p.m. if the Houston-Oklahoma City series is finished; otherwise game time will be 7 p.m.