Alijah Martin scores career-high as Raptors defeat Bucks in NBA Cup play
Toronto rallied past Milwaukee 121-107, with reserve guard Alijah Martin posting a career-high 27 points despite missing several starters.
Toronto Raptors overcame a depleted lineup to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 121-107 on Friday in NBA Cup play, improving to 5-4 on the season. The Raptors were without Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, and Kawhi Leonard was limited by a knee injury, but a balanced team effort helped them secure the win.
Reserve guard Alijah Martin, a 24-year-old second-year player, delivered the game’s standout performance, scoring a career-high 27 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including six of seven from three-point range. He entered the contest early in the first quarter and quickly found his rhythm.
“That’s when I knew he was flowing a little bit,” said teammate Jamal Shead after Martin hit a pair of open threes.
“Jamal is special. He gets you going,” Martin replied.
“Tonight was awesome because when guys are ready for their moment, they pop, and he popped tonight,” Shead added, noting Martin’s 10 points and a career-high 16 assists.
Raptors forward RJ Barrett also contributed 27 points, while Collin Murray-Boyles added 19 points and four steals. The team shot 62 percent in the third quarter and held the Bucks to just 47 points after halftime.
Milwaukee, now 1-8 without Giannis Antetokounmpo, struggled to contain Toronto’s offense despite a strong first-half showing that gave them a 60-51 lead at the break.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic praised the collective effort, saying, “It 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. When things were not going our way we never stopped fighting. It was a huge cultural win for us.”
Martin, who signed a standard NBA contract after a two-way deal and a season-ending knee surgery, expressed gratitude for the opportunity.
“I don’t want to get emotional, but when you love the game and it gets stripped away from you, you hit rock bottom. I’m grateful, honestly. I’ll keep my head down, stay humble and keep pushing,” he said.
The victory marked a positive step for a Raptors squad seeking consistency early in the season and highlighted the depth of the roster when key players are unavailable.