Fred VanVleet Shoots the Lights Out But Bucks' Shooters too Hot for Raptors

The Toronto Raptors had no answers for the Milwaukee Bucks' red-hot shooters despite a season-high 39-point performance from Fred VanVleet

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

It was about as poetic as it could get. Just seconds after Fred VanVleet raced down the court and nailed a pull-up jumper over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night, the lights went out.

This season has not gone the way anyone would have hoped for the Toronto Raptors or their lead point guard. Through 36 games, VanVleet entered Tuesday night shooting 37.6% from the floor, the worst in the league for players with at least 300 field goal attempts this season. Even his trusty three-point shot had largely disappeared for much of the year, falling to a below-average 32.8% rate.

But lately, there have been signs of hope. A 33-point do-it-all performance from VanVleet on Monday night against the New York Knicks was the first step in the right direction. Then on Tuesday, he delivered again, shooting the lights out, almost literally, with a season-high 39 points on 15-for-28 shooting with six three-pointers. And yet, for Toronto, it wasn't enough, falling 130-122 to the Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton-less Bucks.

VanVleet did it from every level against Milwaukee. He refound his groove from behind the arc, nailing crucial three-pointers to stay even with an equally hot Bucks team. In the fourth quarter, when Brook Lopez got ejected, he took advantage of Milwaukee's suspect interior defense, driving the lane for three straight buckets to pull the Raptors to within two. When the Bucks responded, he came right back down and nailed a crucial three-pointer to keep Toronto within striking distance.

But a clutch three-pointer from Jrue Holiday, some crucial missed offensive opportunities for Toronto down the stretch, and far too many defensive miscues all night proved costly for the Raptors who moved to 20-25.

Milwaukee opened the game red-hot from three-point range. Sure, some of the shots were highly contested, but Toronto's defense was far too porous in the first quarter as the Bucks racked up 44 points with ease. Holiday and Joe Ingles combined for five of Milwaukee's eight first-quarter threes. If not for a pair of tough pull-ups from VanVleet and an and-1 finish, things could have gotten really ugly.

Toronto did respond, though, cutting the gap and eventually pulling ahead by as many as nine in the second quarter thanks to some stingier defense and a breakout from Gary Trent Jr. The Raptors' shooting guard got into his bag of tricks with a reverse layup to open the scoring before nailing a pair of pull-up threes, finishing the second with 14 of his 28 points on the night. Even Precious Achiuwa got into the three-point action, nailing a pair of threes over Lopez who, having clearly read the scouting report, opted to sag off the Raptors' forward to cut off his drive.

The lead, though, wouldn't last. Lopez responded with his own trio of three-pointers above the break and Grayson Allen got hot as the shooting onslaught continued for Milwaukee who managed 16-for-29 from three-point range through three quarters. Again, VanVleet did his best to keep Toronto around, first nailing a step-back three in the corner and then working a pick-and-roll with Chris Boucher for another pull-up three.

What VanVleet showed Tuesday is that he's still got it. No, it won't be there every night as he battles through the wear and tear of plenty of injuries. But when he's healthy, he can still be the engine that drives Toronto's offense.

Lopez & Trent Scuffle

Trent and Lopez got into a strange scuffle midway through the fourth quarter. It appeared to start with some minor shoving back and forth before Lopez ripped off Trent's headband prompting further pushing and shoving between the two teams.

Brook Lopez Gary Trent Jr fight pic.twitter.com/8P7u3peKr6

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 18, 2023

O.G. Anunoby and Jamaal Magloire both received technical fouls for the Raptors while Lopez was tossed from the game with a pair of technicals.

Up Next: Minnesota Timberwolves

The Raptors will continue their road trip on Wednesday night when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8 p.m. ET.