What Game Was I Watching?

One bar, two games, similar outcome. While most of the people in the bar were moaning and groaning with every Sens goal scored on the Leafs, there were a handful of us silent [minus the swearing] in disbelief at what was transpiring in Milwaukee. Here were the top 10 Toronto Raptors being manhandled by the Bucks. The game was rough from the beginning; the refs let it be known in the first quarter what the game would be like. Not only were there phantom calls against the Raps, but there were enough flops that soccer players would be embarrassed. The Raptors, however, didn't adjust to how the game was being called. That was reason number 1 for the blowout. Reason number 2, was the unconscious shooting of the Bucks. Porous defense aside, the Bucks couldn't miss [and Desmond Mason didn't], and it hurt the Raptors all night long. The third, and in this writers opinion main reason, that the game was a blowout, was because of the substitutions made by Sam Mitchell. Now, I have been a Mitchell supporter from day one. He is an excellent motivator and communicator. He brings out the best in a lot of his players, and he takes no guff. BUT, he hurt the Raptors in this game. Case in point #1: JAMARIO MOON PLAYING IN THE FIRST QUARTER. Nothing against Moon, but seriously, when the Raptors are down double digits in the first quarter, don't throw in the towel by playing 10 guys. Keep your top 7 or 8 players in and see what happens. Sure, I'm just a casual observer, but from watching the game, it seemed like Mitchell DID throw in the towel in the first half, assuming either that his bench could handle the Bucks, or that they were going to lose regardless, so might as well keep his starters fresh for tomorrow. Case in point #2: of the starters, only TJ Ford played more than twenty minutes, and that was only twenty three. Yes, the Raptors have 4 games in 5 nights, and the health and energy of the players is important, but I'm sure the starters could've handled more than 20 minutes. Being down 15 at the half is still comeback territory, but not when you refuse to play your best players, and just hope your bench is good enough. Let's just hope I am wrong about all this.