Pistons fall out of NBA Cup contention in blowout loss to Bucks

Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News on Dec 3, 2024

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DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons walked into Little Caesars Arena for a significant game on Tuesday.

It was the final night of the NBA Cup Group play, and with a victory, the Pistons had a chance to advance to the knockout round. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff viewed the game as a chance to compete in a high-stakes environment, with teachable moments regarding valuing possessions, attention to detail and preparations.

However, the game came against the Milwaukee Bucks, who have owned the Pistons over the previous three seasons. The Bucks maintained their dominance, sending the Pistons to a 128-107 defeat. Detroit suffered its 11th consecutive loss to the Bucks (11-9) and was eliminated from the in-season tournament as the Bucks won East Group B.

The Pistons ended their NBA Cup play with a 3-1 record. They are 9-14 overall.

After sitting out the previous night due to a left sacroiliac joint sprain, Cade Cunningham played his second game after he sustained the injury on Nov. 21. He scored 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, with six assists and five rebounds — ending his double-double streak at five. He was a late scratch against the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday night.

The Bucks controlled the game from the opening tip due to their 3-point shooting. Milwaukee shot a sizzling 56.1%, including 23 made triples. Damian Lillard, who notched 27 points, led the way with five made 3-pointers.

Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince each accounted for four made triples while finishing with 14 points each. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with a game-high 28 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field. The Bucks shot 71.4% from behind the arc in the first half, leading to a 78-59 halftime lead.

Tobias Harris scored 16 points while Tim Hardaway Jr. added 15 on 5-of-10 shooting. Jaden Ivey had his worst performance of the season with eight points on 3-of-10 shooting.

Observations vs. Bucks

— Ron Holland II not backing down from Lillard: Lillard had one of his most efficient scoring nights of the season, but Holland did not back down from the challenge. Lillard scored 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the first quarter. He cooled off a bit in the second frame and Holland was essential in Lillard's struggles.

The rookie forward took it upon himself to guard Lillard 94 feet, and at the 10-minute mark, he nearly forced the All-Star guard into committing an eight-second violation. On the Bucks' next offensive possession, Holland forced Lillard into a turnover by stripping the ball on his drive to the basket.

— Defensive 3-point shooting has been an underlying issue: Although the Pistons put together a respectable defense through the first 23 games, they have struggled to defend the 3-point shot the entire season. Detroit came into the game allowing opponents to shoot 36.6% (20th in the league) from behind the arc, and it was only a matter of time before a team put on a 3-point shooting extravaganza.

It was fitting that the Pistons had their worst game defending the 3 against Milwaukee, a team that came into Detroit as the league's fourth-best 3-point shooting team at 38.4%.

— Ausar Thompson with his best game: Thompson had his best game since making his season debut on Nov. 25. Thompson recorded a season-high eight points and five rebounds in 14 minutes.

Up next

The Pistons embark on another two-game road trip, beginning Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics. This will mark the second time within a week that the Pistons have played a back-to-back set after an NBA Cup game. Their last one was Saturday night when they lost a blowout to the 76ers.