A freight train is running through Fiserv Forum tonight and it’s not just Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons travel a bit less than 400 miles to Milwaukee where the 9-win Bucks are waiting for them. The Pistons rattled off 13 consecutive victories last month and then lost two in a row. A third consecutive loss after 13 straight would have began a narrative in national media surrounding whether the Pistons are a fluke and a product of their schedule.
However, the Pistons came together Saturday night to secure a tight three-point victory over the contending Miami Heat on the road.
That’s the same kind of tenacity and intensity Detroit’s going to need to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo from dominating this game.
Nov 13, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) shoots against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during overtime at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
How to watch and start time
Watch the Detroit Pistons take on the Bucks in Milwaukee at 8:00pm Eastern on FanDuel Sports Network Milwaukee or NBA League Pass. DraftKings Sportsbook has Detroit favored to win the game by a spread of just -4.5 and ESPN Analytics gives Detroit a 61% chance of winning.
Pistons look to end Bucks dominance over franchise
The Milwaukee Bucks are 15-2 in the regular season against the Detroit Pistons since Cunningham was drafted in 2021. The Pistons have never won two consecutive regular season games against the Bucks since Cunningham was drafted.
They’ll have the chance to do just that tonight after already beating the Bucks earlier this season.
The last time Detroit beat the Bucks in back-to-back games was during the 2015-2016 regular season when the Pistons won three consecutive games. At this time, Detroit was led by current Pistons-forward Tobias Harris and center Andre Drummond. A young trio of Jabari Parker, Khris Middleton, and Antetokounmpo led the other side.
Antetokounmpo is one of those transcendent players who needs specific attention when constructing a defensive gameplan. Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff looks to extinguish the fire the Greek Freak has lit for himself since returning from injury.
Giannis is on a roll
The Bucks have won one of the three games they’ve played since Antetokounmpo has returned from injury and the single win is against the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets. The star forward is averaging 28.3 points, 10 rebounds and just under five assists while shooting almost 70% from the field in just 26 minutes per game.
When these two teams first met earlier in the season, Antetokounmpo didn’t play. This will be the first time the Pistons have to deal with the former NBA MVP this season. The Pistons defense is fully capable of taking on the challenge.
Detroit currently ranks second in defensive rating and fifth in points allowed. This is a team that prides itself on doing the little things correctly and consistently playing gritty on both sides of the ball.