Summer League Game 2 Recap: Bucks 80 Spurs 90

The Bucks Post a Disappointing Loss in a Brayden Burries Masterclass

by Aiden Fermaner

13 /07/26

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The Bucks lose the second game of this Summer League. It was highlighted by a bad night on the boards for the team and a run that was left too little too late after an abysmal first quarter. Brayden Burries shone in this game and put on a masterclass of his abilities, which we will break down further.

First Quarter

The Bucks got off to a slow start in the first quarter. We were beaten on the boards and especially on the offensive end, giving up 6 extra second-chance points for the game, and the Spurs shot 5 extra shots this quarter alone. Not a good recipe for us, especially when you add in our shooting at a 31% clip for this quarter, giving up a 10-25 point lead this game. Brayden Burries pulled in 2 blocks for the quarter and looked really confident but couldn’t convert offensively this quarter. This changes throughout the game, and we get to see a Brayden Burries masterclass as this game progresses.

Second Quarter

The Bucks look much better this quarter. Cormac Ryan had a good quarter statistically, filling it up with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 3 points, and he looked like a leader and someone out there to prove something, which is something I was hoping to see from him. He is being given minutes over players like Brandon Boston and Kira Lewis, and we need him and Pete Nance providing valuable leadership and keeping this team on track, especially in these few quarters we have had that basically seal games away after we work hard to keep the game close or before we can get into the game. Brayden Burries had a good quarter, got hot this quarter and looked good all around, getting on the boards and playing great defence. He scored 8 points for the quarter, and he looks so confident in his abilities, which I'm looking forward to seeing continue. I want to see that confidence develop in Nate Ament. He is getting to some good spots, and I need to see him more confident in his shot and prepared to take the good with the bad as his skills develop. The Bucks have a much better quarter, 15-17 going the Spurs' way, and we are down 25-42.

Third Quarter

Brayden Burries was showing the confidence that I keep mentioning. He comes down and gets blocked, yet the very next play, he will bring the ball down the court and keep pushing an agenda of aggression regardless of the previous play. I want to see more of that from Nate Ament. If he misses a shot, I want to see his head up and ready to take another shot on the next possession, especially in these Summer League games. Cormac Ryan continued to harass and push the envelope on defence while also putting some pressure on the rim offensively and looking like a defensive leader, setting the tempo on defence. In the end, it was a much better quarter; we ended it winning 22-17 and are down 12 going into the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

The Bucks had their best quarter of the game, winning 33-31, but unfortunately our defence just couldn’t stop their scoring to claw back the early lead we gave up. Pete Nance followed suit to Cormac Ryan and stepped up when needed in the last quarter, posting 8 points with 2 threes. Nate Ament gets a great drive and slam during this quarter. It was a great look to see, and I believe this will be the glimpse we keep seeing of him, and we need to have faith in the Bucks organisation to work with him and pull more and more of these capabilities out of him. Brayden Burries was critical of himself in a quarter-time interview, saying he was playing “below average”. He caught fire in this quarter, scoring 11 points on 100% from the field with 2 made threes. He also capped off the game, adding 2 steals to his stat-line. In the end, the Bucks couldn’t do enough to get over the line after getting the lead down to as little as 6 points in the final minute. It is simply the case of giving up the detrimental first quarter and not being able to recover throughout the game. 

MVP

I can't go past Brayden Burries in this one. In what was a pretty average game, Brayden Burries played his best game and has left Bucks fans even more excited about his potential. He had 26 points for the game along with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. All of this was on 56% from the field and 4 for 5 from three. It was an all-around masterclass by him, and I'm sure we are all looking forward to seeing more of it.