TORONTO _ It's official: these playoffs are on.
The Milwaukee Bucks made sure of that with a dominating second half on the way to a 97-83 victory over the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 26 points and eight rebounds, and center Greg Monroe had a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds. The Bucks rookie duo of Malcolm Brogdon (16 points and six rebounds) and Thon Maker (four points, three rebounds, three blocks) played a big part in the victory.
DeMar DeRozan paced Toronto with 27 points and eight rebounds and was angered late in the game after Antetokounmpo blocked his shot and celebrated with a fist pump. Raptors teammates held DeRozan back and Antetokounmpo was issued a technical foul.
Matthew Dellavedova and Tony Snell each added 11 points for the sixth-seeded Bucks, who will travel back to Milwaukee before returning to Canada for Game 2 on Tuesday night. Khris Middleton added 10 points and nine assists despite struggling to a 1-for-10 shooting start.
Toronto shot just 37 percent for the game and scored only 32 points in the second half.
The Bucks led by as many as 10 points early in the second quarter, but the Raptors rallied to take a 51-46 halftime lead.
DeRozan scored 18 points in the half and Serge Ibaka added 14.
Antetokounmpo had 15 points while playing all but 3 minutes of the half. Brogdon added 10 points and sank 2 of 3 3-pointers.
Antetokounmpo picked up his fourth foul with 4:33 left in the third quarter when he went over the back of P.J. Tucker while contesting a rebound.
But Milwaukee responded with an 11-5 run which included a 3-pointer by Dellavedova and a dunk by Snell. The Bucks led, 75-70, entering the final quarter.
DeRozan had 26 points through three quarters and Antetokounmpo had 22.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd brought Antetokounmpo back at the start of the fourth quarter and Milwaukee continued to extend its lead.
A floater by Dellavedova and a jumper by Middleton pushed the Bucks' lead to 81-71 and Monroe fouled with a steal.
A goaltending call on Ibaka gave the Bucks a 12-point lead a few minutes later, and Middleton scored off a Monroe feed to push the Bucks' lead to 89-75. After a free throw by Ibaka, Monroe scored on a move to the hoop and Antetokounmpo sank a 12-footer, giving the Bucks a 93-76 lead with 2:38 remaining.
The Raptors also lost Game 1 of all three playoff series they played in last season.
