Brayden Burries Focuses on Rebounding After First NBA Start

Brayden Burries’ first NBA start brought a larger opportunity and a difficult shooting night. The Milwaukee Bucks rookie responded by looking for other ways to contribute.

Burries finished with nine points, nine rebounds and one assist in Milwaukee’s 112-100 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. He played 26 minutes and shot 4 for 15 from the field, including 1 for 7 from 3-point range.

The result left him focused on improvement, but his rebounding provided a contribution while his offense remained inconsistent.

Asked about collecting nine rebounds, Burries explained that pursuing the ball helps him stay involved.

“Finding other ways to impact the game of winning outside of scoring,” Burries said.

That approach was especially relevant in a game when his attempts were not falling. Rather than measuring his entire performance through shooting, Burries described trying to help through rebounding and finding open teammates.

A starting opportunity can change a rookie’s workload without making the adjustment easier. More minutes bring additional possessions to influence, but they also require a player to remain effective through stretches of frustration.

For Burries, rebounding offered a way to keep competing while searching for an offensive rhythm.

He described missed shots as a natural part of the game and emphasized putting himself in position to contribute anyway. That mindset matters for a young player whose role will require more than scoring efficiently every night.

His nine rebounds also gave him something tangible to build on from the experience. Burries shared the team lead in rebounds with Kel’el Ware, helping Milwaukee on the boards despite his shooting struggles.

The next step is to combine that activity with better offensive execution. Finding open teammates, recognizing available shots and maintaining defensive attention all remain important when a player is working through a poor shooting performance.

Burries acknowledged that his first start was a valuable opportunity. His postgame assessment nevertheless centered on what Milwaukee needed to improve after another defeat.

Burries identified inconsistent stretches as a problem for the Bucks, describing periods when the offense struggled to establish a flow.

He also pointed to Minnesota’s offensive rebounding and included himself among the players responsible for improving.

Those issues can compound one another. An empty offensive possession becomes more costly when a team then fails to secure the rebound at the other end, extending the time before it can generate another scoring opportunity.

Burries said Milwaukee stayed competitive but could not respond well enough when Minnesota created separation in the fourth quarter.

“I think we did a pretty good job,” he said of staying the course. “Just not good enough.”

His assessment reflected the balance of the night. There were useful individual contributions, including his work on the boards, but the Bucks still lacked the sustained execution necessary to finish the game.

For Burries, the first start provided experience handling both an expanded opportunity and a difficult result. His willingness to remain active when his shot was not falling gave him a foundation to build on as he works toward a more complete performance.