Alijah Martin Leads Short-Handed Raptors to Victory Over Bucks in NBA Cup Play
Alijah Martin scores career-high 27 points as short-handed Raptors defeat Bucks
Alijah Martin delivered a career-best performance with 27 points on Friday night, helping the Toronto Raptors overcome major roster absences to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 121-107 in NBA Cup play at Fiserv Forum, sportsnet.ca reported.
Playing without Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, and Immanuel Quickley, the Raptors improved to 5-4 overall and 1-1 in NBA Cup action. The team trailed by as many as 13 points in the first quarter before turning the game around in the second half, outscoring Milwaukee 70-47 in the second half, according to theglobeandmail.com.
Martin shot 9-of-11 from the field and drained 6-of-7 from three-point range. Entering the night, the 2025 second-round pick had converted just 6-of-27 three-point attempts over his brief NBA career and had not scored more than nine points in any of his previous 30 appearances, theglobeandmail.com noted.
RJ Barrett matched Martin with 27 points for Toronto. Jamal Shead added 10 points and a career-high 16 assists in his first start of the season, while Jakob Poeltl contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Tyler Herro paced the Bucks with 23 points and 10 assists. Rookie Brayden Burries added 21 points and 11 rebounds for Milwaukee, which dropped to 1-8 on the season, marking the franchise’s slowest start since 1993-94, according to theglobeandmail.com.
Toronto rallies from early deficit behind career nights
The Bucks controlled the first half by securing 11 offensive rebounds and shooting 55 percent from the field, taking a 60-51 lead into halftime. Toronto slowly chipped away at the deficit, seizing control during a nearly perfect third quarter where five different players scored at least six points and the team shot 62 percent.
Martin hit his fifth three-pointer of the night midway through the third quarter to give the Raptors their first lead at 71-69. Milwaukee responded with a 10-2 run, but Toronto answered with nine consecutive points, taking the lead for good on Allen Graves’ three-point play late in the period.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic praised his team’s resilience after the victory. “Tonight was inspirational for us, not just because we were missing players and other guys stepped up, but the fight we had to have to win,” Rajakovic told sportsnet.ca.
Martin expressed gratitude after the game following a difficult stretch that included off-season knee surgery. “I don’t want to get emotional, but when you love the game and it just gets stripped away from you… you just hit rock bottom,” Martin told sportsnet.ca. “So I’m grateful, honestly. I’m just going to keep my head down, stay humble and just keep pushing.”
Upcoming matchups in East Group A
The win puts the Raptors at 1-1 in East Group A of NBA Cup play, a group that also includes Detroit, Orlando, and Brooklyn, as reported by theglobeandmail.com.
Toronto returns home to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks look to halt their slide when they host the Boston Celtics on Sunday night.
Disclaimer: The insights provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.