MILWAUKEE -- The Bradley Center was throbbing, filled with raucous basketball fans eager to watch one of the NBA's up-and-coming teams.
The Milwaukee Bucks fed off the energy that pulsed through the stands, overwhelming the cold-shooting Toronto Raptors from the opening tip.
Khris Middleton scored 20 points in a 104-77 win on Thursday night that gave the Bucks a 2-1 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
Greg Monroe added 16 points and seven rebounds for the sixth-seeded Bucks, who held DeMar DeRozan without a basket and never looked back after leading by 20 points after the first quarter.