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Young Buck Maker no ‘deer in headlights’ in NBA playoff spotlight

Orangeville Prep product Thon Maker eases into starting role with Milwaukee Bucks, rewarding draft-day faith and getting Raptors’ attention.

Bucks rookie Thon Maker battles Raptors big man Jonas Valanciunas under the rim in Game 1 at the Air Canada Centre.

Rick Carlisle, the Dallas Mavericks coach, was pumping the tires of Milwaukee’s Jason Kidd before a game late in the NBA regular season, trying to drum up support for Kidd as the coach of the year.

Carlisle — an astute observer of the game, an accomplished and underrated coach with a unique perspective on what it takes to do the job — pointed to Kidd’s handling of raw 20-year-old Thon Maker as an example.