By Jim Hoehn, The Associated Press on March 19, 2023.
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, Brook Lopez scored 17 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, and the Milwaukee Bucks rallied for a 118-111 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. Khris Middleton added 20 points and Bobby Portis had 14 as the Bucks improved to an NBA-best 51-20. Antetokounmpo had his 33rd career triple-double. Lopez scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter on a pair of 3-point plays and a dunk to put Milwaukee in front 97-95. Middleton’s free throw capped the 15-2 run that put the Bucks up 104-97. A dunk by Jakob Poeltl brought Toronto within 110-107, but Lopez scored underneath and Jrue Holiday hit two free throws to make it 114-107 with 1:29 remaining. Fred VanVleet had 23 points and O.G. Anunoby added 22 for the Raptors, who had won their three previous games. Toronto missed a chance to move into eighth in the East Conference ahead of Atlanta, which lost to San Antonio 126-118. Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Raptors up 83-76 with just under 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. Toronto led 95-89 entering the final period. The Bucks hit seven of their 16 3-pointers in the first period en route to a 33-29 lead. TIP-INS Raptors: F Scottie Barnes exited in the second quarter with a left wrist injury and did not return. Bucks: F Jae Crowder missed his second straight game with left calf soreness. C Meyers Leonard was a late scratch, also with left calf soreness. UP NEXT Raptors: Host Indiana on Wednesday. Bucks: Host San Antonio on Wednesday. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports 16