Milwaukee secures the five-seed in gutsy win
The Milwaukee Bucks grind out one of their most impressive wins of the season against the Detroit Pistons, winning 125-119 and securing the five seed! Giannis was utterly incredible with another insane triple-double with 32 points, 15 assists, and 11 rebounds. Predictably, it was Cade Cunningham who led the Pistons, notching 36 points and 12 helpers.
Game Recap
Cade Cunningham was hot early for the Pistons, with six points in the opening minutes. However, the Bucks hung in there with Giannis leading the way and every other starter scoring. Bucks up 17-13 at the first timeout following a Rollins transition three. Giannis then took a very short break, and the Bucks came up empty on a few too many possessions, allowing Detroit to go up 11 with just over two minutes left in the first. Thankfully, Giannis came back and sparked an 11-3 run, with KPJ hitting a massive three (which he got fouled on but there was no call) to end the quarter. Bucks down 36-35 after one.
Trent continued Milwaukee’s hot shooting into the second, nailing a three to begin. KPJ and Giannis then ran a beautiful pick-and-roll for the GA smash, followed by BP moving into the dunker spot to receive another nice pass for the bucket; Bucks up 42-36 a few minutes into the second. The visitors continued to score but also lost focus on defence for a few possessions; Trent got caught doubling Tobias Harris for no reason (leading to a Malik Beasley triple), and Schroder got downhill for the layup. However, although the Pistons threatened momentarily, the Bucks did a great job generating good shots and keeping them at bay, up 59-51 with 4:43 left following a behind-the-back pass from Rollins to Portis in transition. The Bucks ended the half going a little bit dry on offence, up just three at 68-65.
Giannis began the quarter by hilariously getting the Pistons to bite on two pump fakes, drawing shooting fouls each time, as the Bucks went up nine following a Rollins steal and finish in transition. Both teams then went on what felt like a four-minute stretch where neither squad missed, Bucks up 91-83 with 5:10 remaining in the third and (shrieks) the non-Giannis minutes began. Predictably, the Pistons went on an 8-2 run, and Giannis was put back in. Milwaukee was up by a whisker, 98-97, after three.
Detroit took the lead momentarily early in the fourth behind another Beasley triple as he got behind the zone, but two massive threes from Trent (who had struggled all night) put the Bucks back up four. Then Cade dropped a triple of his own, and Giannis responded with two buckets in transition (along with a KPJ hammer out of the timeout). Following Porter’s dunk, he got hit by a hard screen by Jalen Duren that he didn’t like and retaliated by bumping Duren in the back, starting a scuffle and earning himself a flagrant-one. From there, the Bucks really buckled down on defence as Doc closed with the same Giannis + bench lineup that closed against the Wolves. Seriously, the defence was truly impressive; with 6:21 on the clock, the Pistons scored another 13 points in the game. Milwaukee got up six with about 20 seconds on the clock, but couldn’t score. Detroit called timeout, drawing up a play for a made Malik Beasley three, reducing the lead to three with 15.3 on the clock. KPJ was fouled, making both, and JB Bickerstaff called his final timeout. Cade missed, and the game was over.
Stat That Stood Out
I have to go with the Bucks limiting the Pistons to just 22 points in the fourth. Truly one of the better defensive performances I’ve seen this season.
Support our site! | BreakingT | ESPN+ | ESPN+ 30 For 30 | fuboTV | Disney+