If you ask a Bucks fan heading into Game 4, what they expected to happen, I am willing to bet you that no fan said ‘They’re going to get blown out and the series will be tied at 2.’ Even the most pessimistic fan would not expect something like this from Milwaukee. This was jarring considering everything we knew about the Bucks. It was not like Game 2 where the Raptors got their asses kicked from the start of the game. Bucks trailed by only one point at the end of the first quarter then it all went to hell from there.

Player of the Game: Khris Middleton – Here’s the lone bright spot of the game. Middleton had a great game this evening. He scored 30 points with seven assists and six rebounds. This is easily one of his best starts of the playoffs for him. He helped this team stay alive in the second quarter as it appears the Bucks were crumbling yet kept it alive. One of the things I appreciated about Middleton is he never held his head down. He tried to keep guys engaged and be a leader out there. We haven’t seen that from Midds.

Honorable Mention: Norman Powell – Seriously, fuck this guy. He is the Bucks killer. I don’t know what I could say about him. He is easily the scariest player on the Raptors. Not Kawhi Leonard, but Norman fucking Powell. He has been excellent for the Raptors. He scored 18 points on 13 shots and actually wasn’t that good yet Powell found a way to make himself known in Game 3 and 4. If not for Powell in Game 3, Bucks are up 3-1 heading to Game 5.

What do you change if you’re Bucks?
This team should ‘trust the process’ a little bit, but it appears that things are broken a little bit especially with Eric Bledsoe. See how he can work with the bench unit and insert Malcolm Brogdon or George Hill into the starting line (Note on Brogdon, we saw it with Kawhi Leonard but it appears Malcolm was dead tired in this game). They have to be better on defense. With great players, there is an attitude of either you let that guy beat you or the guys around him. Bucks chose the latter and got burned in the last two games. Let Kawhi have 50 and shut down everyone else around him.

Today’s Daily Tap on Bucks-Raptors Game 4

Next up: Game 5 is happening which will arguably the biggest game in recent Bucks history. Bucks haven’t had a decisive Game 5 at home since 2001 semifinals versus Charlotte. Funny enough, they lost that game and beat Charlotte on the road in Game 6 then won in Milwaukee for Game 7. That series weirdly enough played out like this one. We shall see what happends in Game 5. There are so many things that could happen honestly. Bucks are going to need their supporting cast to show up in this one. Love this team and believe in this team but it’s gut check time.

Charlie.