Field Level Media
Jan 1, 2018
DeRozan's career-high 52 propels Raptors past Bucks in OT
DeMar DeRozan poured in a career-high 52 points, including eight in overtime, to carry the Raptors to a 131-127 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Toronto on Monday.
DeRozan, a shooting guard, made 17 of 29 field-goal attempts and all 13 of his free throws. His previous career high was 45 points against the Philadelphia 76ers last month on Dec. 21.
Kyle Lowry had 26 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Raptors (25-10), who have won 14 of their last 17. Fran VanVleet and Serge Ibaka contributed 11 points apiece for Toronto.
Eric Bledsoe's 29 points led the Bucks (19-16). Giannis Antetokounmpo supplied 26 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Khris Middleton added 18 points and Thon Maker chipped in 16.
DeRozan drained a pullup jumper with 2:52 remaining in overtime to give the Raptors a 121-117 lead. He hit two free throws 37 seconds later to reach the 50-point mark. Lowry's layup with 1:33 left made it 125-120.
Bledsoe's 3-pointer with 10.6 seconds left brought Milwaukee within three before VanVleet split two free throws. Antetokounmpo's dunk with seven seconds left made it a two-point game. DeRozan then made two free throws to seal the Raptors' victory.
DeRozan scored 26 in the first half as the Raptors led 60-56 at the break. Lowry made a 3-pointer with 8:42 remaining in the third to bump the lead to double digits, 71-61.
Antetokounmpo scored six points during a 12-2 Bucks spurt that pulled them within one, 76-75. Maker committed a goaltending violation on a DeRozan layup in the final minute of the quarter, giving the Raptors an 88-84 advantage.
Milwaukee moved in front, 92-90, on a Middleton jumper. The Raptors regained the lead on VanVleet's 3-pointer and neither team led by more than five the remainder of regulation.
Matthew Dellavedova's 3-pointer with 3:23 left gave the Bucks a 108-106 edge. Lowry knotted the game at 112-112 on a 3-pointer with 56.9 seconds remaining.
Bledsoe and DeRozan traded free throws and both teams came up empty in their final possessions of regulation, sending the game to overtime.
--Field Level Media