The game is over as soon as it started.
Wielding a championship-caliber roster and one of the game’s most dominant players in Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks quickly fired him. Detroit Pistons A team that was missing not only Cade Cunningham, but several other key players as well on Monday night. Killian Hayes (left shoulder contusion) was a late scratch, and Isaiah Stewart (left shoulder soreness) missed his fourth game in two weeks.
Opening the game up 28-8 in the first five minutes and three seconds, Milwaukee never looked back, putting the Pistons away with ease with a 150-130 victory. Bojan Bogdanovic (33 points, 11-for-15 shooting), Jalen Dorin (23 points, 14 rebounds) and Jaden Ivey (12 points, 11 assists) were three bright spots in one night. The Pistons didn’t give fans much to cheer for.
The Bucks scored 12 of their first 13 shots, and Antetokounmpo scored 20 of their 29 points in eight minutes in the first quarter. When Antetokounmpo logged off with 3:33 to play in the opening period, the Bucks Pistons led 40-12. He also recorded 12 rebounds and four assists. Detroit trailed by 25 points after the first.
It was another disappointing attempt for the Pistons, who were edged out by the Bulls by 18 points in Paris last Thursday and played their first game since the trip. After a cold start, Detroit managed to finish the night shooting with 49.4% overall and 40.6% from 3. But their shooting splits improved in garbage time, as they managed just 20 points the rest of the way.
Honoring Pistons Hall-of-Famer Bob Lanier
The Pistons lost one of their greatest personalities in franchise history last spring when Bob Lanier, who played 10 seasons in Detroit from 1970-80 before ending his career in Milwaukee, passed away on May 10 at the age of 73. The Pistons honored Lanier’s legacy during Monday’s game.
At halftime, the Pistons hosted the Laniers at midfield, and other notable players in franchise history accompanied them. Lanier’s sons, Walter and Robert, were accompanied by Lindsey Hunter and Ben Wallace, respectively. and Lanier’s daughters, Tiffany, Kimberly and Geraldine Stewart, accompanied by John Long, James Edwards, and Dave Bing, respectively.
Throughout the game, other Pistons personalities such as George Blaha and Rick Mahorn shared their memories of Lanier. Dwane Casey also shared his memories of Lanier before the game.
“Just a man,” Casey said. “He represented the NBA in a way that you can’t even put a price on, all over the world.”
Ivy, Doreen starred in Trash Time
The Pistons have been reduced to spot-watch all season with Cunningham out for the season. Hayes was Detroit’s best passer. With Hayes also in streetwear, Ivey had to take on more responsibility for the game industry.
Ivey put together his best playmaking performance of the season, running out Detroit’s offense while handling the ball. He showed good chemistry with Doreen, who scored his best night with 23 points. Doreen did most of his damage in the second half, scoring nine points in the fourth and six in the third.
Duren did most of his damage on a steady stream of dunks and catching buckets, but he also hit all five of his throws. He entered the game shooting 58.2% at the goal line, but has shot 69.6% since November 25th. He was quietly very strong on the line after a bad start.