TORONTO _ Considering the game was played on New Year's Day, Monday's contest between the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors was unequivocally of the game of the year in the NBA.
There was a great crowd, a record scoring performance and even overtime to boot.
As intense and dramatic as the game was, it represents a missed opportunity for the Bucks as they couldn't hold onto a late lead and, outside of Eric Bledsoe, failed to generate any offensive production on the way to a 131-127 loss at the Air Canada Centre.
Bledsoe scored 11 of Milwaukee's 13 points in overtime as it took more than three minutes for Giannis Antetokounmpo to get his first touch in the extra frame. Meanwhile, Raptors star guard DeMar DeRozan continued his stellar night, setting a Raptors franchise record with 52 points, doing so at the free throw line to put Toronto's victory on ice.
Bledsoe finished with a team-high 29 points, including 5 three-pointers, and Antetokounmpo had 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the loss, scoring just two points in overtime.
After trailing most of the game, the Bucks made a big push in the final 4 minutes of the game when they went to a lineup featuring Antetokounmpo at center surrounded by Bledsoe, Matthew Dellavedova, Malcolm Brogdon and Khris Middleton. That unit embarked on a 7-0 run immediately to give the Bucks their largest lead of the night at 110-106 with 2:07 remaining in regulation.
The game turned about 30 seconds later as Serge Ibaka met Antetokounmpo at the summit and blocked him on a layup attempt, igniting a drive the other way that ended in a layup for DeRozan and a foul called on Middleton.
Antetokounmpo put the Bucks back up by three before Middleton helped out Kyle Lowry in the corner, leaving him open for a corner three with less than a minute left. Monday marked the first time Toronto's all-star tandem of DeRozan and Lowry combined for 10 three-pointers, going 10 of 19 between them.
With the game tied at 114 and 3.2 seconds left, the Bucks had the chance to claim the victory in regulation. The inbound pass found its way to Brogdon, who was bodied by DeRozan and couldn't get any space before putting up a shot that was both after the buzzer and off the mark.
More run: The Bucks assigned forward Jabari Parker to the Wisconsin Herd on Monday. He practiced with the Herd at the 20th Ave. YMCA in Oshkosh Monday afternoon and will join the team for another practice on Tuesday morning.
Similar to his first stint with the G League squad in December, two practices will be the full extent of his participation with the Herd as he rehabs from a torn left anterior cruciate ligament with an eye on returning to NBA action in February.
"I think for the G League it's great that we're playing and he gets to practice with the Herd the next couple days," Kidd said. "We've talked about this is the process of coming down the mountain of his rehab and we'll see how it goes, the experience of him playing and getting back into basketball shape then rejoining us when we get back in town."
A cut above: Bucks rookie forward D.J. Wilson entered the new year fresh off his first experience of receiving stitches.
Wilson was guarding Antetokounmpo during Sunday's practice when Antetokounmpo went up to make a pass and came down on the right side of Wilson's face. At first, Wilson didn't think anything of it as he prepared for the next play.
"I didn't really feel it at first," Wilson said. "Then I went back to the huddle and was listening to Coach (Sean) Sweeney talk about defense and what I needed to do and they were yelling for the trainer. Then I felt that I had a bunch of blood."
The cut above Wilson's right eye was quickly bandaged and ultimately deemed severe enough to warrant stitches. He received six.
"I had hot glue right here in middle school _ I used to skateboard," Wilson said pointing to a spot on his face close to the current injury. "But as far as stitches it's the first time."
