Milwaukee Bucks Basketball Continues
(I wonder if the Bucks stay in Detroit or just fly back tonight and then fly back on Monday?)
The (28-13) Milwaukee Bucks take on the (4-37) Detroit Pistons on Saturday afternoon away in Detroit at the Little Caesars Arena (2pm CST start time) The game should be broadcast live on Bally’s Sports. Milwaukee is already favored by 12.5 points. Cade Cunningham is listed as “out” for Detroit. Giannis was off against Cleveland and is listed as a game-time decision.
The game has an earlier start time 2pm CST, probably to accommodate families and to try to get anyone to watch the lowly Pistons. With the NFL playoffs going on (Go Pack!) It is nice for Bucks fans because you can roll right into the Bucks game, then dinner, then watch the Packers smash the 49ers.
Detroit has a good, veteran, respected coach in Monty Williams. You might remember him as the coach of the Suns when Milwaukee won the NBA title back in 2021. Detroit gave him an $80 Million dollar contract.
Bucks Coach Adrian Griffin is making around $4 million per season.
Related: Should Bucks fans worry about 1st year Coach Adrian Griffin
Milwaukee is currently the number two seed in the East. Detroit is dead last and is the 16th seed.
Milwaukee Bucks keys to victory
No let downs
The Bucks did not play well against Cleveland. It happens; if you roll a pair of dice 82 times you are bound to roll “craps” once in a while.
Malik Beasley (1-6 from the field) and Khris Middleton (1-10 from the field) were ice cold against Cleveland. Beasley is averaging (11.7) points per game. He has done a great job of not turning the ball over (0.6 per game).
Milwaukee needs to come on with some passion and energy on Saturday. No let downs!
Milwaukee is currently second in the NBA in team scoring (124.2 points per game). It’d be good to see a few guys get into double figures for scoring.
Keep the Pistons below 104 points (play some D)
Detroit has scored over 100 points in all of their games except three. On the season Detroit is averaging 111.9 points per game.
But Detroit has scored less than 104 points, 14 times this season.
Having Jae Crowder back should help the D.
According to Stat Muse The Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat were tied for the most games with fewer than 100 points in the 2022-23 season, with 14 games.
Milwaukee struggled themselves to get over 100 vs Cleveland and missed out, only scoring 95 points.
“You go, I go”
The scoring burden seems to fall on Dame and Giannis.
It appears to be Dame’s time “to go”. If he scores over 30, which he could, then let’s go!
Giannis is 3rd in the league right now averaging 31.2 points a game.
Lillard is 15th in the NBA right now and is only averaging 25 points a game.
So this game, assuming they both play, should be “you go, I go”- Giannis gets a dunk, Dame gets a 3.
The Opponent: The Detroit Pistons
Detroit is (2-18) at home.
The season is already over for the Pistons. Right now Vegas won’t even give you odds for a Detroit Championship bet meaning they won’t even allow you to waste your money. And that’s Vegas! They usually will always take your money.
Cade Cunningham is out. He leads the team in scoring. (22.8)
Bojan Bogdanovic will play. He is second on the team in scoring (19.8) He is on many team’s radar as a potential trade target.
Jalen Duran is finally putting it together for Detroit. Over his last ten games the 6’10” center has averaged 17 points and is shooting 68% from the field.
Marcus Sasser had the game of his career when these two teams faced each other for the first time this season, scoring 26 points. Usually Sasser comes off the bench and is averaging 7 points a game this year.
Ausar Thompson has turned heads with his all-around play. Last year’s 5th overall pick is averaging 8 points and 6 rebounds a game.
Last game Detroit went with a starting line-up of:
Bojan Bogdanovic (20.6 pts), Jaden Durren (8.2) , Killian Hayes (8.6), Ausar Thompson (8.5), and Isiah Stewart (10.5) at center. Stewart is also out. When you add all that up it just isn’t much scoring.
Things to tell your buddies as you are watching the game
- Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks franchise with 950 career blocked shots.
- Isaiah Thomas is the career scoring leader for the Pistons, who take their name from the influence of the automobile industry on Detroit. (18,822 points).
- Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks franchise with 3,611 assists.
- Milwaukee has a defensive rating of 111.9. It is not very good.
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