The Toronto Raptors secured their first NBA Cup victory of the season, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 121-107 at Fiserv Forum.
Raptors guard Alijah Martin was the standout performer, recording 27 points off the bench and providing the spark Toronto needed to secure the win.
The Raptors were without Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, who were both sidelined with injuries. In their absence, Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles were called upon to step up, joining Ja’Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett and Jakob
Poeltl in the starting line-up.
The Bucks got off to a strong start, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. opening the scoring with a lay-up and a three-pointer. Milwaukee also found success on the offensive glass, building an early 7-0 run before Murray-Boyles ended it with a dunk off a nice pass from Shead.
Toronto struggled to find its rhythm offensively, continuing a trend seen throughout much of the season. Despite creating quality scoring opportunities, the Raptors had difficulty converting their looks, while Milwaukee continued to capitalize on second-chance opportunities.
The Bucks extended their advantage with a 10-0 run following a Raptors timeout midway through the opening quarter. However, Toronto responded late in the frame, with Murray-Boyles, Martin and Jamison Battle helping spark a 17-5 run to cut the deficit to just two points.
Martin was particularly impressive, knocking down two three-pointers and converting both of his free throws. He finished the opening quarter with a career-high 14 points, showcasing his scoring ability from beyond the arc.
Despite Milwaukee’s strong start, Toronto battled back to close the gap, trailing 29-24 heading into the second quarter.
Milwaukee carried its momentum into the second quarter, with Brayden Burries and Ryan Rollins quickly finding the basket to extend the Bucks’ lead to eight.
The two teams continued to trade baskets midway through the frame, with Shead and Murray-Boyles connecting for Toronto. Shead was particularly effective as a playmaker, recording seven assists in the quarter.
The Bucks began to pull away once again, led by a strong performance from Burries, who contributed a tough lay-up and a three-pointer.
He had 15 points and seven rebounds as Milwaukee extended its advantage to 12. A subsequent 7-0 run, capped by a basket from Kyle Kuzma, pushed the lead to 14 and prompted Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković to call a timeout.
Toronto responded with a late push, highlighted by a three-pointer from Martin and a tough and-one finish from Barrett. Shead continued to create opportunities for his teammates, recording his 10th assist of the half. Despite the late surge, Milwaukee maintained its advantage, taking a 60-51 lead into half-time.
Toronto came out of the half with a renewed sense of urgency, quickly cutting into Milwaukee’s lead. Shead recorded his 11th assist of the night, finding Poeltl, who kept the ball in play before finishing with a smooth finger roll.
A subsequent steal led to a Walter dunk, bringing the Raptors within five. Shead continued to find Poeltl, setting him up for two more baskets as Toronto pulled within one.
Martin then gave Toronto its first lead of the night with a three-pointer midway through the quarter. However, Milwaukee responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Tyler Herro and Jaquez Jr., followed by an alley-oop finish to extend its advantage. The Bucks put together a 10-2 run after briefly surrendering the lead.
Shead continued to lead Toronto’s offence, recording his 13th assist with a pass over the defence to Collin Murray-Boyles. The rookie then found Martin for another basket to tie the game. Shead also recorded a double-double as the Raptors began to build a five-point advantage.
Murray-Boyles added a strong and-one finish, while Milwaukee continued to battle to stay within reach. Toronto’s third-quarter response proved crucial, as the Raptors carried a narrow two-point lead into the final frame.
Toronto opened the final quarter with a jumper from Jaden Bradley, followed by another three-pointer from Martin to extend the Raptors’ lead to seven, their largest of the night at that point.
Martin continued to deliver from beyond the arc, knocking down another big three to bring his total to 27 points.
The two teams continued to trade baskets, with Milwaukee answering nearly every Toronto scoring run. The Bucks refused to go away quietly, keeping the game competitive as both sides looked to gain control down the stretch.
However, Toronto began to pull away as its defence tightened and the offence found its rhythm. The Raptors built a 12-point advantage before Poeltl recorded a double-double late in the game, helping put the result beyond Milwaukee’s reach. Barrett also contributed with key baskets as Toronto extended its lead to 15. The Raptors continued to push late due to the fact that point differentials mean a lot in this tournament.
Milwaukee could not find an answer in the closing minutes, allowing the Raptors to see out the victory.
It was far from the prettiest of wins, but that has been the Raptors’ approach throughout much of the season: finding ways to get the job done, regardless of how they get there.
Slow starts offensively continue to be a concern, while Toronto also struggled at the free-throw line, an area that will need improvement moving forward.
Martin was one of the biggest positives, taking advantage of his opportunities and finishing with 27 points. He has also shown strong chemistry alongside Jamal Shead, who had an outstanding night with a double-double, recording 16 assists and 10 points. Shead continues to demonstrate the potential to become Toronto’s starting point guard of the future.
Barrett also put together another impressive performance, finishing with 27 points. Poeltl was equally important, recording a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. It has been a difficult season for Poeltl, but hopefully this performance gives him something to build on moving forward.
Murray-Boyles also looked more comfortable playing at forward rather than centre, which could be something worth exploring as the season progresses.
Toronto will look to carry this momentum into its next outing when it returns home to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, November 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
