Toronto Raptors vs Milwaukee Bucks Jan.30/09

The Toronto Raptors' hot streak is over.

Former Raptor Charlie Villanueva had 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead Milwaukee to a 96-85 win over Toronto on Friday, the Bucks' first victory since their leading scorer Michael Redd suffered a season-ending injury.

Chris Bosh had 18 points and nine boards to top Toronto (19-29), while Andrea Bargnani and Jermaine O'Neal finished with 16 points apiece, and Anthony Parker added 12.

Luke Ridnour chipped in with 15 points for the Bucks (23-27), while Andrew Bogut added 13 in his first game back after missing eight straight with back spasms.

Jose Calderon, who was chasing the NBA record for consecutive free throws, saw his run come to an end when he missed the second of two attempts with 3:32 left in the game, eliciting a gasp from the crowd. The Raptors point guard finished with 11 assists on the night, plus seven points.

The Raptors went into Friday's game playing some of their best basketball this season, and appeared to have turned a corner, their three-game winning streak putting an end to a miserable seven-game skid.

But they never led Milwaukee by more than six points - and that was early in the night - and trailed 70-59 heading into the final 12 minutes.

The Bucks stretched their lead to 18 points and then were up 16 with just under seven minutes to play when O'Neal was whistled for an offensive foul on Luc Mbah a Moute that enraged the Toronto coaching staff and revved up the Raptors, along with the crowd of 18,791 at the Air Canada Centre.

A basket by O'Neal cut the Bucks' lead to 86-78 with 3:59 left, but Toronto would come no closer. O'Neal was ejected with 2:04 to go after picking up his second technical foul in a scuffle with Bogut and Villanueva. The Raptors centre left the floor to a standing ovation, the last time Toronto fans would cheer as four free throws by Ridnour secured the win for Milwaukee.

The Bucks outshot the Raptors 47 per cent to 43 per cent, and edged them on the boards 39-36.

Calderon's free throw streak ended at 87, leaving him 10 away from tying the NBA league record set by Minnesota's Micheal Williams in 1993.

Bargnani got the Raptors rolling with 13 points in the first quarter as the Raptors shot 60 per cent in the frame and took a 30-24 lead into the second.

The Bucks opened the second quarter with an 11-0 run capped by a Villanueva hook shot that gave Milwaukee a five-point lead. They would stretch it to seven before the Raptors battled back and Parker drained three free throws to cut Milwaukee's lead to 49-47 at halftime.

The Bucks began the third with a 13-4 run to take an 11-point lead on a layup by Ramon Sessions midway through the quarter, and the Bucks remained in control to lead 70-59 heading into the fourth.

NOTES: Redd suffered a season-ending knee injury Saturday. . . . The Raptors had beaten Milwaukee in four of the Bucks' previous five visits to the Air Canada Centre. . . . The Raptors host Orlando on Sunday, then play the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Tuesday before returning home to face the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. . . . Author/environmentalist David Suzuki was at the game, as was Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Litsch and actor Don Diamont of the Young and the Restless.

Category:

Sports

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• Toronto
• Raptors
• vs
• Milwaukee
• Bucks
• Jan.30/09

[aryca265]

i agree- i was at this game and the calls just kept coming on the raps.

they couldve won...

the crowd was insaaane

[S1ZZL3]

dissapointing!

[vc15mainevent]

they shouldn't b losing 2 the bucks...they don't even have redd. they just don't play D thats y they lose all these fuckin games....we're 1-3 against the weak ass bucks.

[danxtlilj]

PLZ TELL ME CALDERON WASN'T PLAYING!!

[thug4lifetc]

it upset me so much.....

[raptorsfan1000]

stupid refs

[triol29]

the ref were just stupid in the game there was so much fouls on the raptors side

[justizzllee]

the refs where completely messed up dey didnt make any right call

[hilashirvan]

Triano ha fatto di tutto per perdere la partita. Come si fa a far giocare 22 minuti a Bargnani quando nei primi 9 ha messo 13 punti. Hey, 13.....punti in 9 minuti.... quando un giocatore sta in serata lo devi tenere in campo finchè non ha i crampi.

Triano -10

[BlackJays]

Well, at least they got what they deserved...a loss!