The Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a much-needed upset win over the Detroit Pistons after losing eight of their last nine games and despite losing Giannis to injury after three minutes. Jericho Sims put up a career-high 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins combined for 48 points. Tobias Harris led Detroit with 20 points on 5/8 shooting from three-point range.
Things went from bad to worse for the Bucks to start this one. They were having a difficult time generating any offense in the opening minutes, scoring just two points on Giannis’ free throws while the Pistons scored 10 in response. The worst part was that after Giannis found AJ Green for a cutting layup, Giannis suffered a non-contact injury and had to limp to the locker room. It was later revealed that he sustained a right calf strain and would be out for the rest of the game. They were held scoreless in the two and a half minutes without him, as the Pistons took a 17-4 lead, forcing a Doc Rivers timeout. It took the Bucks until the 2:04 mark of the quarter to hit double-digits, thanks to a Green three-pointer. Despite trailing by as many as 18 points, the Bucks found a way behind Kevin Porter Jr. to be trailing by single digits entering the second quarter, 30-21.
Even without Giannis, the Bucks’ defense came to play in the second quarter. Detroit started just 3/8 for six points, while Milwaukee scored eight to bring the game within seven, before J.B. Bickerstaff called a timeout. The Bucks fell behind by double-digits again, after Jericho Sims was called for a flagrant foul for being in the landing space of a Javonte Green made three-pointer. After making the free throw, Daniss Jenkins hit a three, putting Detroit up by 15 points. This came after officials determined Ausar Thompson didn’t commit a flagrant on KPJ after hitting him in the head. Things turned around for the Bucks from there, as in the last 4:37 of the quarter, they outscored the Pistons 14-4, with KPJ scoring the last two buckets with 1:33 to go and 30 seconds left. Porter had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but missed the three, and the Bucks went into the second half down 52-49.
The Bucks continued to play with a ton of energy in the early goings of the third quarter. They outscored the Pistons 7-3 in the first two minutes to take their first lead of the game off a Myles Turner three. Detroit was able to take the lead right back, but Milwaukee was able to keep it within striking distance for the rest of the quarter. Isaiah Stewart ended up getting ejected from the game after receiving his second technical foul after getting into it with Portis. The Bucks did get it within five points with 26 seconds left after a Portis three, but Daniss Jenkins hit a mid-range jumper with four seconds left, with the score sitting at 85-78 heading into the fourth quarter.
Milwaukee continued to hang around and be competitive. After trailing by eight points, the Bucks pulled off the biggest run of the game to that point. Over the next 2:29, they went on a 12-2 run to re-take the lead, highlighted by Green nailing back-to-back huge three pointers. Both sides traded baskets for a while before the Pistons took the lead back with 2:53 to go, after Cade Cunningham grabbed his own miss and laid it in. Sims’ career day continued, as he hit an and-one layup and a free throw to give the Bucks a one-point lead with 1:34 to go. The two Central Division teams went scoreless for the next 1:21 of game action before Jalen Duren picked up his sixth foul, sending Ryan Rollins to the free-throw line. Rollins made both free throws to give the Bucks a three-point lead with 13.5 left in the game. Cade airballed the three with a chance to tie, and Green nailed two clutch free throws to give the Bucks a five-point lead with 7.6 seconds left as the Bucks held on by the skin of their teeth.
Much-maligned backup center Bobby Portis came up big when it mattered. With Turner carrying four fouls, he played most of the second half and did his job and then some. After being held scoreless in the first half, Portis scored 13 points in the second, eight of which came in the fourth quarter. He also grabbed nine rebounds, dished out five assists, and looked pretty solid on defense throughout.