Bucks vs. Pistons: Onto the Knockout Round of the NBA Cup

Milwaukee wins East Cup B, secures seventh straight victory

The Milwaukee Bucks are once again knockout round bound in the NBA Cup, as they handled the Detroit Pistons with ease, 128-107.

Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.

What Did We Learn?

This was arguably the most dominant showing from the Bucks this season. In so many ways, their offense seemed perfect. Right out of the gates, they exhibited strong firepower and didn’t relent. Their 78 first half points was the most in any half this season and it set an immediate tone. To capitalize even further, their 23 threes served as a season-high. When this team clicks, they click well. Consistency is obviously the biggest hinderance, but from where they were earlier this season, things have come a long way and the Bucks have proven they are indeed dangerous.

Three Observations

The 3-point shooting did the trick.

Sometimes when it rains, it pours. That’s exactly what happened in this one. Once the match was lit from beyond the perimeter, the hot shooting spread like wildfire. It truly was contagious, as six Bucks players connected on multiple threes. They were led by Damian Lillard, who buried 5/11 from beyond the arc. Bobby Portis was the main guy off the bench, hitting four threes en route to 14 points on the night. Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green each provided several threes of their own, further providing a big boost. It just epitomizes yet again the depth of this squad and how when one shooter may have an off night, there are plenty of other options that can step up.

The Bucks have clinched the East Group B in the NBA Cup.

By remaining undefeated in NBA Cup action, the Bucks have now advanced to the Knockout Rounds of the NBA Cup. They’ll host one of the four quarterfinals. This is the second consecutive season that Milwaukee has made it to the quarterfinals, as they defeated the New York Knicks in last year’s. I know it’s taking a bit for the NBA Cup to grow on some people, but it’s neat to hear Doc Rivers and the team talk about how they thrive on and seek out competition:

The Bucks will now take on Orlando either next Tuesday or Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup.

Giannis absolutely dazzled.

It wasn’t his most luxurious offensive showcase as he scored just 28 points on the night, but man, was the efficiency there for Giannis Antetokounmpo. His first miss of the evening came with just over a minute left in the third. That’d actually end up being his only miss of the game, as his final stat line read 10/11 from the floor. That’s just absurd. The best part? He didn’t even really rely on driving to the hoop too much. His mid-range was in full display and his jumper serving as a thing of beauty. Just a fabulous performance from the Greek Freak.

Bonus Bucks Bits

• Andre Jackson Jr. got in the 3-point fun himself, hitting two threes early on in this one. It’s great to see his confidence in his shot grow.
• It was a quiet night for Brook Lopez, as he tallied just five points on the night. The Bucks could afford it though, as they received more than enough offense in other areas.
• Seeing Damian Lillard start games off locked in is a phenomenon. His start in this one mirrored his first quarter performance in Miami. I don’t know if there’s a better way to start a tone in a game than with a handful of nylon-ripping Dame 3-pointers.
• Taurean Prince is currently the best 3-point shooter percentage-wise in the NBA and he’ll remain at the top of the list after this one. He went a perfect 4/4 from deep.
• What a great shot (in more ways than one, shoutout to the Bucks content team).

Up Next

The Bucks are back in action tonight as they return to Fiserv Forum to take on the Atlanta Hawks. The action tips off at 7 p.m. CDT and can be seen on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.

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