The Detroit Pistons successfully avenged a recent loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, as they defeated the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Bucks on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, 124-112.
The Pistons set the tone early in the contest, as they finished the first quarter with a seven-point lead and headed to halftime with a five-point cushion.
Pistons’ Stewart sounds off on Milwaukee’s defense
During a halftime interview, Detroit big man Isaiah Stewart was asked about the Bucks’ decision to go with a zone defense in the first half, and the former Washington Huskies did not hold back on his answer.
“Just break it. It’s not really a hard zone — you just gotta move them around. It’s a grown man’s game, and they’re out here playing zone,” Stewart said.
Isaiah Stewart on the Milwaukee Bucks zone defense
“Just break it. It’s not really a hard zone — you just gotta move them around. It’s a grown man’s game, and they’re out here playing zone.”
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) December 7, 2025
One proven way to break a zone defense is by shooting 3-pointers to stretch the floor, and the Pistons succeeded with that in the first half. Detroit went 7-for-14 from behind the arc in the first two quarters of the contest, including two 3-pointers from Cade Cunningham, who finished the contest with a team-high 23 points to go along with 12 assists. Overall, Detroit drained 15 threes on 38 attempts from a 38 percent success rate.
Milwaukee also shot well from the 3-point region, where the Bucks went 16-for-38 (42%). However, they were soundly beaten in transition and in the shaded area. Detroit scored 26 fastbreak points to just 14 by Milwaukee. The Pistons also won the points battle in the paint, 50-38.
Stewart was a notable factor in the contest as well, as he collected 19 points with three 3-pointers and two rebounds in 26 minutes for the Pistons, who now lead the Bucks in the regular-season series, 2-1.
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