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Published Oct 24, 2025 • 4 minute read
Brandon Ingram
Milwaukee Bucks' Kyle Kuzma (second left) shoots over Toronto Raptors' Brandon Ingram (3) during first half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Friday. Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn /The Canadian Press
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Brandon Ingram has a decent handle when operating in the half court, but his Notorious B.I.3. handle does have a certain appeal.
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His presence in his season debut was evident for all to see, his scoring presence in Ingram’s home debut Friday night revealed the step Toronto’s go-to player made this early into the season.
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He took his defender off the dribble, pulled up in the mid-range, attacked the rim and would occasionally extend his offence as Ingram showcased his versatility.
The problem Friday was the Raptors’ inability to find Ingram in the decisive fourth quarter when he didn’t get many looks.
Ingram’s three-pointer did give the Raptors life in the final minute before Milwaukee responded.
For an early season game, the Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks battled and competed, especially down the stretch in a close game.
Milwaukee would emerge with a 122-116 win and will return to Scotiabank Arena in two weeks.
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Turnovers, free-throw shooting, those were some of the areas that conspired about the Raptors.
Ingram was not the problem and he figures to get better once the Raptors fully use him.
The following are three takeaways from the Raptors’ home opener, a night completely overshadowed with the Blue Jays playing host to the Dodgers down the street in Game 1 of the World Series, a night Jakob Poeltl picked up two early fouls en route to a five-foul game after fouling out in the season opener, a night when an injury forced the NBA’s three-man officiating crew to be reduced to two.
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1. It’s Greek To Me
Without due respect to the likes of Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., there’s no pro athlete quite like Giannis Antetokounmpo, a one-man wrecking ball on the court.
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When he’s on the floor, the Bucks look like title contenders and when he’s not Milwaukee operates like an average team at best.
The Greek Freak imposed his will right off the bat, so to speak, by scoring 12 points in nine minutes as the visitors took a double-digit lead.
Without Antetokounmpo on the floor, the Raptors would take the lead on a night no lead was secure as Toronto’s home opener turned into a very competitive and entertaining event.
The game also marked the first time fans got to see Antetokounmpo play alongside new stretch five in Myles Turner, who left the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers for the big bucks in free agency.
Suffice to say the new tandem remains a work in progress.
Antetokounmpo can do it all at both ends of the floor and is virtually unstoppable when he’s draining threes, which he did Friday when the Raptors threw all kinds of defensive looks.
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He’s too good and Antetokounmpo would post a 30-point game for the second tip in a row to begin the season to go along with a dominant performance on the glass en route to an epic 30-20 game featuring seven assists.
Simply put, he manhandled the Raptors.
2. Quickley Going South
ven the Raptors are two games into an 82-game schedule, but Immanuel Quickley needs to find his form from three-point range.
When he’s making shots, it opens the floor.
Even when he’s not making shots, his ability to dictate tempo and find teammates in transition is second to none.
Befitting his surname, the Raptors’ starting point guard is quick.
Shots need to be drained.
He missed all seven of his heaves from distance in Wednesday’s season-opening win in Atlanta with Quickley missing his first two looks Friday.
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In the opening half, he did not commit a turnover.
Three minutes into the second half and Quickley buried his first three-ball, eliciting a big smile knowing an albatross had been lifted.
A big reason why the Raptors would lose their home opener was, in part, due to their overall inability to make shots from distance.
Another reason was Toronto’s lack of scoring from its bench, the same second unit that was stellar in the season opener.
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3. Darko Sees The Light
He wore a Blue Jays cap during his pre-game gathering with the media and then pushed and prodded the Raptors to run and defend.
Darko Rajakovic is beginning to show encouraging signs two games into his third season as Raptors head coach.
He’s making the very most of a deep bench and has shown quite capable of finding that balance where just enough starters are on the floor with the second unit.
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Rajakovic showed his hand early by having Scottie Barnes matched up against Antetokounmpo, two bigs who have big issues making perimeter shots.
Barnes attacked the rim and even stared down Antetokounmpo on one strong foray.
Just not sure it was a wise move, but it did show fearlessness mixed in with a pinch of recklessness.
Rajakovic wants his team to play fast and he continues to preach defence.
Unlike the Hawks, the Bucks were much more connected and deserved the win.
Up next
First road trip of the season sees the Raptors execute the Texas two-step with a date Sunday in Dallas against this year’s first overall pick Cooper Flagg followed by a Monday night tip in San Antonio against the NBA’s first overall pick two years ago in Victor Wembanyama, a tough back-to-back set by any standard.
fzicarelli@postmedia.com
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