Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard defends Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in a NBA basketball game in Toronto./ap
Toronto — After playing a starring role down the stretch, Malcolm Brogdon called this Milwaukee’s best performance of the season.
Brogdon hit tying and go-ahead 3-pointers in the final 67 seconds and the Bucks held on to beat Toronto Raptors 104-99 on Sunday night.
Brogdon scored eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 19 points and matched a season high with 19 rebounds, and Brook Lopez had 19 points for the Bucks, the first team to beat Toronto twice this season.
“In terms of having a full game, playing hard on both ends and executing at a high level on both ends, executing the game plan, and then finishing strong down the stretch, that is definitely the top game for us,” Brogdon said.
The Bucks (17-8) bounced back from Friday’s loss to Golden State and have yet to lose consecutive games this season.
“That’s how special this team is,” Antetokounmpo said.
Serge Ibaka scored 22 points and Kawhi Leonard had 20 for the Raptors, who have lost two straight, the second time this season they’ve suffered consecutive defeats. Toronto, which lost 106-105 at Brooklyn on Friday, dropped three straight from Nov. 12 to 16, losing at home to New Orleans and Detroit before an overtime defeat at Boston.
Fred VanVleet scored a season-high 19 points and Pascal Siakam had 17 for the Raptors, whose 21-7 record is best in the NBA.
Neither Leonard (rest) nor Antetokounmpo (concussion protocol) played when the Raptors lost 124-109 at Milwaukee on Oct. 29, Toronto’s first defeat following a 6-0 start.
Toronto’s Kyle Lowry shot 0 for 5 and didn’t score for the first time since March 17, 2013 against Miami. Lowry led the Raptors with seven assists.
“Just couldn’t find the open ones tonight,” Lowry said. All of his misses Sunday were from 3-point range.
Milwaukee led 79-74 heading to the fourth and pushed its lead to 85-74.
Toronto battled back to lead 97-94 on a 3 by Leonard at 2:07, but Brogdon hit the tying 3 at 1:07 and followed with a go-ahead jumper with 40 seconds left.
OTHER RESULTS:
PELICANS 116,
PISTONS 108
SPURS 110,
JAZZ 97
HORNETS 119, KNICKS 107
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