By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Opening East Group B of the Emirates NBA Cup, the Milwaukee Bucks overpowered the Toronto Raptors, 99-85, in Fiserv Forum.
With Damian Lillard in the concussion protocol, Giannis Antetokounmpo paved the way with a team-high 23 points behind 9/12 field goals. He added seven assists plus four blocks and four rebounds over 33 minutes. The Greek Freak was listed as probable with right patella tendinopathy.
“I really thought they were fighting and competing for 48 minutes. I thought turnovers were a big problem for us, 14 in the first half and seven in the second half. Between that and offensive rebounding, that decided the game,” noted the Serbian head coach of the Raptors, Darko Rajakovic.
The starting center on the wrong end of the contest, Austrian Jakob Poeltl ended up with 13 points, eight rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and one assist.
Besides pool play in the NBA Cup, the Bucks reached 3-8 in the 2024-25 Regular Season, forcing their opponents down to 2-10.
Erik Spoelstra’s misstep
Elsewhere in East Group B of the NBA Cup, the Detroit Pistons edged out the Miami Heat, 123-121, in overtime. Helping his side also jump to 5-7 in the Regular Season, Italian Simone Fontecchio chipped in ten points, three assists, and two rebounds over 23 minutes.
🤷♂️Erik Spoelstra called a timeout in frustration, but he didn’t have any left. So he’s assessed a technical foul. Pistons took the lead at the line! pic.twitter.com/7gTDdMJOgM
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) November 13, 2024
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra assisted as well, calling a timeout he did not have. The referees issued a technical foul leading Malik Beasley to a tie-breaking free throw with 1.1 seconds remaining in the extra period. “I made a serious mental error there at the end,” apologized Spoelstra, “That’s on me. I feel horrible about it.”
With two points and one rebound to his name, Serbian Nikola Jovic left the game after 2:30 with a reduced septum. He was bleeding from the nose following a collision with Beasley. Swedish Pelle Larsson went for two points, three rebounds, and one assist.