The Milwaukee Bucks secured a 141-135 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, with Damian Lillard shining by contributing 45 points and 11 assists.
Giannis Antetokounmpo added 31 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, despite struggling with his free throws, missing 11 out of 22 attempts. The Bucks, who have won four of their last five games, also saw Brook Lopez scoring 19 points.
Detroit’s second unit, featuring Alec Burks (33) and Ausur Thompson (career-high 22), combined for an impressive 55 points. However, only Bojan Bogdanovic (19) and Jaden Ivey (18) from the starting lineup reached double figures. The Pistons, currently on a challenging stretch with a 2-37 record in their last 39 games, including a 28-game losing streak, will face the Bucks again on Monday.
Antetokounmpo played a crucial role in a 9-0 run that gave the Bucks a 126-121 lead, but his struggles from the free-throw line persisted. Lillard, on the other hand, managed to extend Milwaukee’s lead to 134-126 with five consecutive points. Despite Detroit’s efforts, including Mike Muscala’s back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, the Bucks held on for the victory.
In the third quarter, Milwaukee took control as Detroit missed seven of its first eight shots, allowing the Bucks to establish an 80-71 lead. Lillard’s outstanding performance continued with 19 points in the quarter, totaling 36 for the game. However, the Pistons remained in contention, trailing 103-98 at the end of the third quarter. Lillard’s buzzer-beater from 31 feet helped the Bucks secure a 70-67 halftime lead in a game where both teams shot over 50% from the floor.
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