Alijah Martin's career game helps short-handed Raptors beat the Bucks 121-107 in NBA Cup game

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Alijah Martin scored a career-high 27 points and RJ Barrett also had 27 as the short-handed Toronto Raptors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 121-107 in an NBA Cup game Friday night.

Toronto outscored Milwaukee 70-47 in the second half to improve to 1-1 while the Bucks fell to 0-1 in NBA Cup group play. They're part of East Group A along with Detroit, Orlando and Brooklyn.

The Raptors were playing without seven-time all-NBA selection Kawhi Leonard (knee), two-time All-Star Scottie Barnes (groin) or starting guard Immanuel Quickley (hamstring). Leonard missed his seventh straight game.

Martin picked up the slack by shooting 9 of 11 overall and 6 of 7 from 3-point range. He entered Friday having gone 6 of 27 on 3-point attempts in his career.

The 2025 second-round pick from Florida hadn’t scored more than nine points in any of his previous 30 career games. Martin had totaled 23 points in seven games this season before his breakthrough Friday.

Toronto's Jamal Shead added a career-high 16 assists along with 10 points. Collin Murray-Boyles and Jakob Poeltl had 19 points each.

Milwaukee's Tyler Herro had 23 points and 10 assists. Bucks rookie Brayden Burries had 21 points and 11 rebounds to set career highs in both categories.

The Bucks (1-8) are off to their slowest start since 1993-94, when they lost 10 of their first 11 games and went on to finish 20-62.

After trailing by as many as 15 points, Toronto (5-4) took its first lead on a Martin 3-pointer that made it 71-69 with 5:41 left in the third quarter. Herro put Milwaukee back in front by hitting his first 3-pointer of the night 22 seconds later.

Herro’s 3-pointer started a 10-2 run that put Milwaukee ahead 79-73, but Toronto scored the next nine points and pulled ahead for good on Allen Graves’ three-point play with 2:17 left in the third.

Raptors: Host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

Bucks: Host the Boston Celtics on Sunday night.

See AP’s full NBA coverage here

Toronto Raptors' Jamal Shead, center, drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks' Jericho Sims (00) during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Toronto Raptors' Alijah Martin drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks' Kasparas Jakucionis during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Toronto Raptors' Jamal Shead (1) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks' Tyler Herro (11) during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Toronto Raptors' Jamison Battle (77) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks' Nate Ament (15) during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Toronto Raptors' Alijah Martin (55) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks' Jericho Sims (00) during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Daryl Mitchell made a half century and shared a 59-run partnership with Mitchell Santner Saturday in an act of resistance before New Zealand was dismissed for 134 in 41 overs, batting first in the second one-day cricket international against India.

Mitchell was out for 55 and Santner for 31 as New Zealand again failed to produce a challenging total against a concerted India attack. Henry Nicholls (11) was the only other New Zealand batter apart from Santner and Mitchell to reach double figures.

Gurnoor Brar produced difficult bounce and took 4-30 from 10 overs while Auqib Nabi struck twice early and finished with 2-31. Anshul Kamboj and spinner Axar Patel, bowling through the middle of the innings, took two wickets each.

India captain Shubman Gill won an influential toss, his sixth in seven matches across the T20 and ODI series, and couldn't hide his delight at being able to send New Zealand in on a pitch which had sweated under the covers for two days.

Asked what he intended do after winning the toss, Gill grinned and said: “Bowl. No surprises there.” His New Zealand counterpart, Mitchell Santner, looked dejected.

The toss was delayed by an hour because of a damp outfield and the match was reduced to 47 overs per side.

Gill has called tails in six matches and won the toss every time. The only time he called incorrectly was when he changed to heads.

The pitch was a little moist and tended to hold up early on. Arshdeep Patel took no wicket for four runs off his first four overs.

Later, he found sharper and more threatening bounce as New Zealand batters again succumbed to the lure of the pull shot. Three New Zealand top-order batters were out pulling in the first match at Auckland on Wednesday which India won by five wickets after bowling out New Zealand for 185.

New Zealand started poorly, losing three wickets inside the first nine overs.

Tim Seifert was out without scoring in the second over, popping a ball that held up sharply to Anshul Kamboj at midwicket from the bowling of Nabi. Nabi also removed Will Young who was cramped trying to defend a short ball on a fourth stump line, edging a catch to K.L. Rahul.

At the end of the 10-over power play, New Zealand was 29-5 and had hit only three fours and a six. New Zealand hit only two more boundaries between the 10th and 20th overs, after which it was 55-3.

Mitchell was dropped by Gill off Kamboj when he was 21 but subsequently battled through to his half century from 97 balls with five fours and two sixes.

He was out soon after, slicing a ball from Axar Patel to Kamboj in the deep. Santner followed quickly, caught behind by Rahul off a quick ball from Brar.

See AP’s full cricket coverage here

India's Auqib Nabi celebrates the wicket of New Zealand player Tim Seifert during Game 2 of the one day international cricket between New Zealand and India, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in Wellington, New Zealand. Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)

India's Gurnoor Brar bowls during Game 2 of the one day international cricket between New Zealand and India, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in Wellington, New Zealand. Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell bats during Game 2 of the one day international cricket between New Zealand and India, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in Wellington, New Zealand. Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell gestures during Game 2 of the one day international cricket between New Zealand and India, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in Wellington, New Zealand. Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Mitchell Santner bats during Game 2 of the one day international cricket between New Zealand and India, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in Wellington, New Zealand. Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)

India's Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring 50 runs during the one day cricket international between New Zealand and India in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

India's KL Rahul and New Zealand's Nathan Smith, right, shake hands following the one day cricket international between New Zealand and India in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (Joshua Devenie/Photosport via AP)