Raptors Pick Up a Close Win Down in Milwaukee 111-105

Sometimes, the schedule breaks your way, and sometimes you have to break the game yourself. For the Toronto Raptors, Thursday night in Milwaukee was a little bit of both, but mostly the latter. Facing a Bucks team missing its two-time MVP, Toronto still had to grind, claw, and execute down the stretch to leave Fiserv Forum with a 111-105 victory.

It wasn’t always pretty, but road wins in the NBA rarely are. What matters is the result, and for a Raptors team looking to solidify its identity, this was the kind of performance that builds character.

Brandon Ingram led the charge with a game-high 29 points, showcasing the smooth, mid-range artistry that has made him a nightmare for defenders across the league. But he wasn’t alone. Scottie Barnes, the heartbeat of this Toronto squad, poured in 24 points and snatched 11 rebounds, delivering the kind of two-way impact that changes the geometry of a basketball game.

“We knew they were wounded, but wounded animals are dangerous,” Barnes said post-game, referencing the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo. “We had to come in here and handle business, and that’s what we did.”

Barnes and Ingram Take Over When It Matters

The game had a distinct ebb and flow, a rhythm of runs that kept the Milwaukee crowd engaged despite their team’s struggles. The Bucks, mired in a brutal stretch where they’ve dropped 12 of their last 15, refused to roll over. Without Antetokounmpo (calf strain) and Kyle Kuzma (illness), Milwaukee leaned heavily on its depth. Bobby Portis answered the call with a monster double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds, playing with the trademark intensity that usually ignites the home fans.

The third quarter proved pivotal. Milwaukee, trailing by as many as 11 in the first half, surged out of the locker room. They briefly snatched a 59-57 lead, threatening to steal momentum entirely. The energy in the building shifted; you could feel the tension rising for a Raptors team that was missing its own key pieces in RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl.

That’s when Barnes stepped up. He converted a massive three-point play that not only regained the lead for Toronto but seemed to settle the team’s nerves. It was a captain’s moment—a signal to his teammates that order had been restored.

From there, the Raptors’ depth began to shine. Gradey Dick, continuing his development into a reliable sharpshooter, buried a crucial 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 89-80, giving Toronto breathing room heading into the final frame.

A Fourth Quarter of Execution

If the third quarter was about resilience, the fourth was about execution. The Bucks, led by Kevin Porter Jr. (22 points, 13 assists), kept throwing punches. Porter Jr. was a dynamo, facilitating the offense and finding open shooters like Myles Turner and AJ Green. Every time Toronto looked poised to pull away, Milwaukee found an answer.

But Toronto’s playmaking duo of Jamal Shead and Immanuel Quickley proved to be the difference. Both guards dished out 10 assists apiece, dissecting the Bucks’ defense with surgical precision.

The defining sequence came with just over two minutes remaining. With the lead sitting precariously at five, Quickley took control. He scored on a putback layup, showing hustle that doesn’t always show up in the box score, and followed it up moments later with a pull-up jumper off a feed from Ingram. Those back-to-back buckets were the dagger, thwarting Milwaukee’s final comeback attempt.

Sandro Mamukelashvili also deserves a nod. Facing his former team, “Mamu” provided a spark off the bench with 18 points, playing with an evident chip on his shoulder. His energy was infectious, providing the Raptors with a third scoring punch they desperately needed.

Raptors Looking Ahead

The win improves Toronto to 17-11, a respectable mark that keeps them in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. More importantly, it marks back-to-back road victories—a sign of a maturing team learning how to win away from Scotiabank Arena.

“It’s about trust,” Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković noted. “In those tight moments, trust the pass, trust your teammates. Tonight, we trusted each other.”

For Milwaukee, the misery continues. Now sitting at 11-17, the Bucks are searching for answers. The road ahead doesn’t get easier, as they face an arduous stretch where they’ll be away from home for 11 of their next 14 contests. Sunday’s trip to Minnesota looms large.

As for the Raptors, they head home with heads held high. They host the Boston Celtics on Saturday in what promises to be a stiffer test. But for tonight, they can celebrate a job well done—a professional win against a desperate team, driven by their stars and supported by a collective will to win.