Brayden Burries delivered a career-high 21 points and his first career double-double, but the Milwaukee Bucks fell 121-107 to the Toronto Raptors in their opening NBA Cup game on Friday.
Reserves Lead Toronto to Victory
The Toronto Raptors secured the victory despite playing without Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes. Milwaukee capitalized on the absences early, controlling the first half. Burries anchored that hot start by scoring 15 of his 21 points before halftime, grabbing seven rebounds in the opening two quarters alone.
He finished his night with 21 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and one block across 38 minutes on the floor, shooting 8-for-14 from the field, 1-for-5 from beyond the arc, and 4-for-6 at the free-throw line, Knup reported. His playing time in the contest far exceeded his season average of 19.7 minutes per game.
Milwaukee Falters After Halftime
The momentum vanished after the break. SI noted that the Bucks struggled offensively, lost defensive containment, and committed a flurry of fouls and turnovers in the second half.
Milwaukee finished the game with 28 fouls and 20 turnovers, handing possessions away while shooting just 13-for-37 from the field and 6-for-23 from the three-point line in the final two quarters. Toronto capitalized by shooting 27-for-50 from the floor after halftime.
Tyler Herro endured another slow start for the Bucks, specifically in the first quarter for the third game in the row. Stay Updated Get more NBA player news, recaps, and predictions in your inbox Subscribe to the Knup newsletter for NBA coverage, sports business notes, and ecosystem updates.