Toronto big man Jonas Valanciunas sets tone coming off Raptors bench
TORONTO — Dropped out of the starting lineup for the second game in a row, Jonas Valanciunas still managed to create waves off the Raptors bench Monday night.
The Toronto centre took umbrage at the Milwaukee bigs in the third quarter, sent them flying and then flexed his muscles to pump up an adoring Air Canada Centre sellout crowd of 20,251.
Six other Raptors scored in doubles figures in a statement 118-93 Game 5 win. But Valanciunas’ muscle helped set the tone as he fronted up on a night that moved the Raptors one win away from dispatching the Bucks in their first-round playoff series.
It was a game in which Milwaukee found itself hanging onto the edge of the precipice, never managing to pull itself back despite repeated efforts.