Lopez helped spark a run of 10 unanswered points in the final three minutes as the Bucks fought back from 100-98 down to claim a crucial victory in front of their home fans at the Fiserv Forum.
Brook Lopez scored 29 points as the Milwaukee Bucks staged a late rally to defeat the Toronto Raptors 108-100 in the opening game of their NBA Eastern Conference finals clash on Wednesday.
Lopez helped spark a run of 10 unanswered points in the final three minutes as the Bucks fought back from 100-98 down to claim a crucial victory in front of their home fans at the Fiserv Forum.
π¦π MOOD IN MILWAUKEE! ππ¦ pic.twitter.com/s1dHErqh3c
— NBA (@NBA) May 16, 2019
Two free throws from Kawhi Leonard had nudged Toronto into a 100-98 lead as the clock wound down on a pulsating opening installment of the best-of-seven series.
But a Lopez dunk gave the Bucks a 101-100 lead and then a three-pointer from the towering 31-year-old took Milwaukee four points clear.
BUCKS WIN!!#FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/h96iLuIsjn
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 16, 2019
Two free throws apiece from Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton completed the scoring as the Bucks pulled away to win.
“It was a complete team effort,” said Lopez, who finished with 11 rebounds and two assists. “We’d been playing with good energy the whole game but shots weren’t going down for us. So we knew we just had to keep grinding, which is what we’ve been doing all season long,” Lopez added.
The MVP stuffed the stat sheet in the Game 1 WIN:
24 PTS | 14 REB | 6 AST | 3 BLK | 2 STL#FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/zEO6VBmpm7
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 16, 2019
Lopez was backed by 24 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also hauled down 14 rebounds with six assists.
πͺ @Giannis_An34's 24 PTS, 14 REB, 6 AST, 3 BLK help the @Bucks go up 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals! #FearTheDeer #NBAPlayoffs
Game 2: Friday (5/17), 8:30pm/et, TNT pic.twitter.com/dy7mORGntF
— NBA (@NBA) May 16, 2019
Middleton had 11 points with 11 rebounds while Malcolm Brogdon delivered a vital 15 points from the bench.
"Definitely proud of this team. It was an ugly game, but we stood with it." #FearTheDeer | @hulu pic.twitter.com/Wkk8Ribvek
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 16, 2019
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer praised the overall contribution of the team but singled out Lopez for special praise.
Brook Lopez with the clutch jam and triple late in Game 1! #FearTheDeer #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/JjC9XKXcft
— NBA (@NBA) May 16, 2019
“Big game from Brook on both ends of the court,” Budenholzer said. “In the first half we were struggling but Brook was able to manufacture a couple of things.
“And several times in the fourth quarter he was out there making big-time plays – blocks, rebounds, contests. Certainly in a big moment, that was a great Brook Lopez tonight.”
LOWRY RUES THE RAPTORS
LOWRY!! ππΎπ₯#WeTheNorth#NBAPlayoffspic.twitter.com/YaTKldCKul
— Tercer Equipo NBA (@NBATercerEquipo) May 16, 2019
The Raptors meanwhile will take positives from the form of Kawhi Leonard, who once again looked poised to single-handedly drag Toronto over the line.
Kawhi and all of the Raptors (except Kyle Lowry) went 0-15 FG in the 4th quarter of Game 1. pic.twitter.com/FWrI94q3NE
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 16, 2019
Leonard finished with 31 points, nine rebounds and two assists while point guard Kyle Lowry was similarly impressive with 30 points and eight rebounds.
Kawhi shows off the shooter's touch!#WeTheNorth 72#FearTheDeer 62#NBAPlayoffs on @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/eIIyygkeB2
— NBA (@NBA) May 16, 2019
Pascal Siakam added 15 points while Marc Gasol delivered another impressive defensive display with 12 rebounds and two blocks.
NOT IN GIANNIS’ HOUSE!#FearTheDeer 108#WeTheNorth 100
23.2 remaining on @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/s5OC7aTsXG
β NBA (@NBA) May 16, 2019
Raptors ace Danny Green was similarly frustrated.
Kyle Lowry hits back-to-back threes!#WeTheNorth | #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/pQ39Y1QaBR
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) May 16, 2019
“When you’ve got a team down like that you’ve got to be mature enough and professional enough to try to keep them there,” Green said. “This is one win I thought we could have gotten. I felt like we kind of let it slip away.”
π¦ @Bucks take a 1-0 series lead! #FearTheDeer #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/K0Etar6t7x
— NBA (@NBA) May 16, 2019
Game two in the series takes place on Friday as the Western Conference No. 3 Trailblazers visit No. 1 Golden State Warriors for Game 2 at 9:00pm/et on ESPN! (GSW leads 1-0).
"It was definitely good to see us win in a different way tonight." #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/G9XadEZODc
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 16, 2019