For the first time this season, the Milwaukee Bucks’ record has fallen under .500, losing their fourth game in a row to the Detroit Pistons. Cade Cunningham dazzled for the Pistons, going for 29 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds to lead all scorers, while Tobias Harris added another 18 points. Ryan Rollins once again carried the load for the Bucks offensively, scoring 24 points and dishing out seven assists.
The opening four minutes of the game weren’t kind to the Bucks on either end of the floor. After opening the game with a Bobby Portis three-point make, the Pistons went on a 13-3 run, prompting a timeout from Doc Rivers. Milwaukee was able to find their footing offensively after the timeout, with Portis making it rain from three to kick-start a 13-7 run. The big man out of Arkansas went a perfect 5/5 in the quarter, as the Bucks got the lead back late. But thanks to a steal and layup by Jaden Ivey and a buzzer-beating three by Duncan Robinson, Milwaukee went into the second quarter trailing by four, 30-26.
Coming into tonight, Andre Jackson Jr. had only played 18 minutes this season, but tonight he got some early run. In the second quarter, he threw a lob to Jericho Sims and then scored his first points of the season, helping the Bucks retake the lead. Detroit came back right and went on a 9-2 run to go back in front, leading to another Rivers timeout. Things didn’t get better, as the Pistons scored seven straight and Rivers called another timeout with the Bucks trailing by their most significant margin to that point at 13. Milwaukee did get it within five with 3:29 to go, but the Pistons showed why they’re currently the number one team in the East. From that point to the end of the quarter, they outscored the Bucks 17-5 to go into the locker room up by 17 points, 69-52.
The Pistons kept their foot on the gas to start the second half, with an immediate Jalen Duren layup and-one. It was part of an opening 12-4 run that put Detroit up by 25 before Rivers called a timeout yet again. To add insult to injury, Portis got hit below the belt after scoring a basket, and the officials didn’t stop play until after Duncan Robinson hit a three-pointer on the other end. The Pistons built their lead up to as many as 29 points. Milwaukee did try and get back into the game, cutting the lead down to 18 with 4:14 to go, but Detroit kept matching their scores and kept the Bucks at arm’s length. When the dust settled, the Bucks went into the fourth quarter down by 19, 104-85.
The Bucks did have a bit of momentum, getting the deficit down to 16 points early, but once again, Detroit snuffed it, swinging back to put a damper on the comeback attempt. They were able to build their lead back up to 24 points with 6:43 left in the game, as they continued their improbable shooting from distance. Milwaukee once again tried to make it a game, but by then, it was too little, too late. Rivers put in his end of the bench with 2:22, as the Pistons coasted to the double-digit victory.
Coming into tonight, the Pistons were tied for 21st in the league in three-point shooting percentage at 34.6%, while the Bucks were second in the league at 41.3%. Yet tonight, the Pistons shot a scorching 53.3% (16/30) from beyond the arc, nearly 20 percentage points higher than what they’ve done up to this point in the season. Duncan Robinson led them at 5/6 from deep.
