 from the floor with 2:37 left in the first quarter.Toronto went on to shoot 31 percent from that point to the fourth quarter, when the Bucks' lead swelled to 15.TIP INSRaptors: Leonard was expected to sit out just Monday's game. ... Toronto went about a four-minute stretch between the first and second quarters shooting 1 of 10 from the floor to fall behind by nine with 10:06 left in the second.Bucks: Antetokounmpo was injured Saturday against Orlando. ... Ilyasova (14 points) and Thon Maker (11) were active up front in the first half to help make up for the absence of Antetokounmpo, who cheered on his teammates one row behind the bench. ... Asked what he was most surprised by in the Bucks' fast start, Budenholzer said ''I'm not a big surprise guy. I'm just happy with the way they've worked every day. It's been a good steady work ethic.'' UP NEXTRaptors: Return home to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.Bucks: Visit the Celtics on Thursday in rematch of first-round playoff series last year won by Boston in seven games.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Oct 29, 2018MILWAUKEE - Giannis Antetokoumpo is expected to be back in the starting lineup Monday night when the NBA's only remaining undefeated team faces Milwaukee.The Bucks All-Star forward played just three minutes in the second half Saturday against Orlando after taking an inadvertent elbow from Aaron Gordon in the first quarter."I just got hit in the head," Antetokounmpo said. "I tried to block the shot, I fell down. I don't remember much after that, but I've got to be careful with that because I could have a concussion and stuff."We did some tests in the second quarter and then I did some tests in the third quarter. It was just a hit in the head." He scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting with five rebounds in 16 minutes of first-half action then added six more late in the game before Budenholzer cleared Milwaukee's bench for a second straight game."I think we just wanted to be extra cautious," Budenholzer said. "Make sure everything was OK and kind of give him an extra look. Everything is good." Milwaukee has struggled in the past without Antetokounmpo on the floor. That wasn't an issue against Orlando, which was outscored, 28-17, in the third quarter as the Bucks cruised to a 113-91 victory -- their fourth victory 15 points or more this season -- behind double-digit scoring efforts from Malcolm Brogdon, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton.Rookie Donte DiVinchenzo played a big role, too. He followed a career-best nine-point effort the night before with 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting."I'm starting to feel a little better out there," DiVincenzo said. "I'm more confident offensively. Defensively is where I pride myself, so as long as I am doing it on that end, I'm fine with the results on the offensive end." At 6-0, the Bucks are off to their best start since the 1971-72 team opened the season with seven consecutive victories and will put that streak on the line against a Raptors team also off to a 6-0 start, marking a franchise record."I love those games," Antetokounmpo said. "The Raptors haven't lost. They have one of the best players in the league and (one of the best) teams. So we've got to come out there and play our best basketball and try to win." Like the Bucks, the Raptors have adjusted quickly to a new coach. In their case, assistant Nick Nurse was promoted to the top job after serving as an assistant under Dwane Casey.Nurse, though, doesn't have the benefit of inheriting a largely-intact squad; he's had to manage the loss of DeMar DeRozan, who was dealt to the Spurs -- along with center Jakob Poeltl -- in exchange for disgruntled forward Kawhi Leonard.Leonard, a free agent after the season who could again be a trade target, has made an immediate impact in Toronto, averaging 26.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in five games."I feel good. We're on the right track," said Leonard. "We've won every game so far and we just gotta keep going." So far, everything seems to be clicking on all cylinders for the Raptors."Everyone has their own individual personalities, but everyone on this team knows how to come outside their own box and their own bubble to be able to accept others and be in their bubbles," Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said. "That's where we've got good professionals." The Raptors, who eliminated Milwaukee in a six-game first-round playoff series in 2017, took two of the three meetings with the Bucks last season.
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