Bucks authorial Note: This “preview” covers both home in-home games this week with rival The Detroit Pistons.
The 5-0 Milwaukee Bucks take on the 2-5 Detroit Pistons twice this week with both games at home. These are games 5 and 6 of the unusual 6 game home stand to start the year. When asked recently about this quirky series of games, George Hill commented, “Yeah, now we can hopefully play some games in warmer weather during the cold winter months.” The Pistons are coming off an electric win Sunday against the Golden State Warriors. Because of that, for Monday’s game we can certainly wonder if the Pistons will have much in the tank.
The Bucks will have home-in home games two more times this year. The next one is Jan. 1 and Jan. 3rd against the Wizards in Milwaukee. Then, much to George Hill’s desire, the Bucks play a home in-home against Miami, in Miami Jan. 12th and Jan. 14th. You’d have to think that’d be the warmest place in the country at that time of the year.
The Bucks are the only unbeaten team left in the NBA as of 10.31.22.
Bucks keys to victory
Avoid injury: this has to be the most important one. We may see a Giannis “load management game” out of these two. It is so early in the season, to risk any type of injury to Giannis would have catastrophic consequences to the season.
Keep shooting the three: The Bucks average 38 three point attempts a game. (Detroit averages 34 per game) The Bucks and their offense is built around Giannis driving the ball and kicking it out to a shooter. It is working so far: keep shooting the three.
Keep Rebounding: The Bucks are the best team, so far, in the NBA in terms of team rebounding. (The Bucks are also second in the NBA in blocked shots.) They are getting excellent interior play from Lopez, Bobby Portis and Giannis. If they keep that up, Detroit will be very overmatched.
The Opponent: The Detroit Pistons
The Pistons have not shot the ball well so far this year and have the NBA’s 3rd worst team field goal percentage. They are in the bottom five in fouls (they foul a lot) and in team assists (22 per game). The Pistons don’t tend to pass the ball well. They have played very inconsistent basketball.
Bojan Bogdanovic leads the team in scoring. (23 points per game) I’m certain everyone associated with the Pistons would prefer to have last year’s number overall pick Cade Cunningham lead the team in scoring. (He’s close. He is second on the team averaging 22.5 points per game) Cunningham has been inconsistent and also electric at times. He is the future of the team and a rising star.
Saddiq Bey is an interesting player for the Pistons. Only 23, Bey is a dribble-drive 6’ 8” forward, he really likes to dunk. He continues to improve and could one day be a top twenty NBA player. He scores and plays solid defense.
Jalen Duren is also an intriguing player for the Pistons. Only 18, Duren is raw and chalk full of talent. Duren fits the mold of what it seems like this team and franchise are trying to do: be the Rockets and Thunder of the East. Acquire tons of first round talent in the hopes one or two of those guys become great NBA players.
Things to tell your buddies as you are watching the game
- The Pistons one point win on Jan. 3rd, 2022 broke a 13 game losing streak to the Bucks.
- Over the last twenty head to head match-ups, the Pistons are 3-17 against the Bucks. Three wins! That’s it.
- Isaiah Thomas played all thirteen years of his prolific NBA career for the Detroit Pistons. He currently does analyst work for NBA TV. The Bucks could only be so lucky if Giannis does the same.
- Pistons Coach Dwayne Casey has been coaching the team since 2018. Casey was also the coach of the year in 2018.
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