(SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Raptors have been in a funk and will try to snap out of it Monday night when they begin a three-game road trip at the Bradley Center versus the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Raptors have lost two straight, three of four and seven of their last nine. They just completed a six-game homestand at 2-4 and hit the road for three straight versus Milwaukee, Memphis and Philadelphia.
On Sunday, Tyreke Evans of the New Orleans Pelicans made a contested layup with 1.6 seconds left to lead his team to a 95-93 victory over the Raptors.
DeMar DeRozan missed a fadeaway 3 at the buzzer as the Pelicans won despite not having Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday.
DeRozan led Toronto with 22 points in his third game back from a groin injury. Lou Williams scored 17 points and Greivis Vasquez added 16 and nine assists. Amir Johnson finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Patrick Patterson chipped in 10 off the bench.
The Pelicans jumped out to a seven-point lead after the first quarter and led by 14 at the half. Toronto jumped the Pelicans in the third quarter to the tune of 35-14, but New Orleans won the fourth 31-22.
"We've got to find a way to get jump-started at the beginning of the game or find a group that's getting jump-started," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.
The Bucks have won three of their last four and two straight at home, although one of the home contests was 3,902 miles from Milwaukee.
On Thursday, the Bucks triumphed over the New York Knicks, 95-79, in London, England.
O.J. Mayo scored 22 points to send the Knicks to a franchise-worst 16th straight loss.
Brandon Knight added 20 points, six assists and six steals for the Bucks, who improved to 3-0 against New York this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton tallied 16 and 14 points, respectively, while Zaza Pachulia contributed 11 points and 14 rebounds.
"I love the international atmosphere," Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. "As a player and as a coach, I've had some success. I've been very fortunate to have as a player some great teammates to help us win, and also as a coach, some great players to step up and deliver."
Ahead 19-11, Milwaukee scored 12 of the first quarter's final 14 points to make it a 31-13 game. The Bucks started the second on a 7-2 spurt to make it 38-15. They led by as many as 24 in the period before taking a 56-37 edge into the locker room.
Milwaukee cruised to victory in the second half.
The Bucks will be without backup point guard Kendall Marshall for the rest of the season after he tore the ACL in his right knee in the second quarter against the Knicks.
Larry Sanders is serving a suspension for a failed drug test.
The Raptors beat the Bucks by 42 in Toronto on Nov. 21. The Raptors have taken five straight versus the Bucks, including two straight in Brew City.
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