D'Amato: Bucks close gap on future

Almost exactly two years ago, the Milwaukee Bucks lost Game 6 of a first-round playoff series by 54 points. On Thursday night, they lost Game 6 of a first-round playoff series by three points.

Both elimination games hurt for different reasons.

The former showed how far the Bucks had to go to. They were out of their league against the Chicago Bulls in 2015, or for that matter against any other playoff team they would have faced in the Eastern Conference.

The latter, a 92-89 loss to the Toronto Raptors at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, showed how painfully close they are to finally owning the future, which for years has seemed to be a moving target.

“That team is going to be a heck of a team to deal with in the future because of how hard they play and their length,” said Raptors coach Dwane Casey. “I’m telling you, that team is a difficult team to play against with their length.”

The Bucks might lack a few pieces, but what they don’t lack is heart. They clawed back from a 25-point deficit and actually led late in the fourth quarter but missed nine free throws down the stretch.

Many of their attempts clanked off the front of the rim, a sure sign of fatigue. Make them, and they’re playing Game 7 in Toronto.

“It comes down to free throws,” said coach Jason Kidd. “We got to the stripe. We couldn’t capitalize.”

BOX SCORE: Raptors 92, Bucks 89

GAME STORY: Frantic comeback falls short in Game 6

RELATED:Bucks falter at the line during furious comeback

Every NBA playoff game is physical, but this one was extraordinary for the amount of NFL-type contact, with bumping, shoving and slapping on every possession. The referees called 40 fouls and could have called 40 more.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, who played 47 minutes and was gassed for much of the second half, couldn’t possibly have given one more ounce of effort.

“It wasn’t just me,” he said. “Everyone was tired.”

Greg Monroe scrapped like a cage fighter for every inch of real estate in the paint. Khris Middleton was so spent he could barely speak after the game. Matthew Dellavedova and 39-year-old Jason Terry played the entire fourth quarter and were everywhere.

“ ‘Jet’ and ‘Delly’ are winners,” Kidd said. “Hopefully, that will help our culture as we move forward.”

NOTES: Veterans Terry, Dellavedova show teammates the way

NBA: Playoff scoreboard, box scores, recaps

To be sure, the Bucks are a player or two away. They definitely need another shooter. Mirza Teletovic was supposed to be a floor spacer and wound up being a bench fixture; he didn’t even play Thursday.

You don’t necessarily want Dellavedova shooting threes and even if Terry comes back, he’s a 15-minute man at this point in his career. So priority No. 1 is to find a perimeter player who will complement Middleton and Tony Snell.

Thon Maker has a tremendous upside but he’s got to get stronger.

And let’s not forget that Jabari Parker should be back at some point next year. If he’s 80% of the player he was the night he went down with a second ACL tear, the Bucks are that much better.

There’s no shame in losing to a superior team. The Raptors had the deeper and more talented roster. DeMar DeRozan was every bit as good as Antetokounmpo and he’s got more weapons around him.

“Toronto was just the better team,” Kidd said.

For now.

By the time that new arena opens, the Bucks could well be the beasts of the East.