Milwaukee Bucks vs. Detroit Pistons Preview: Friday Night Frights

Fresh off their late game win over the Boston Celtics, the Milwaukee Bucks play their final back-to-back of the season against the Detroit Pistons on Friday evening.

Where We’re At

Against a short handed Boston squad, the Bucks couldn’t hold onto and extend their lead throughout the course of the game primarily due to 21-50 shooting from deep for the Celtics. Just when it seemed the Bucks had it in hand, Marcus Smart or Daniel Theis would hit a triple. No matter though, as the Bucks stars won out, as they normally do, in the waning minutes of the game. It was a predictable strong close for a team that now has control of their own seeding. Win out, and they have the two seed. That’s certainly not a given though, as one expects we’ll get the C squad in this game to let the primary players rest. Whoo Mamu and perhaps our first Luca Vildoza sighting??

In Detroit, they have to be encouraged by the late season surge from number one overall pick Cade Cunningham. He’s up to 17.5 points, 5.5 boards and rebounds, and while his 31.8 three-point shooting isn’t ideal, I bet that’ll take a big leap for them next year. I’m glad for them, because they’ve dealt with a lot of meh since those Chauncey Billups teams. It already showed once this season, with the Pistons knocking off a full strength Bucks squad. They’ve come on a bit in the second half, although their latest contest was a 131-113 loss at the hands of Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

It’s unclear exactly how the Bucks plan to handle resting folks for this game, although I’d expect a full B-squad reveal later on Friday in the updated injury report.

The Pistons will have their own type of skeleton crew, without new arrival Marvin Bagley III, Hamidou Diallo or Jerami Grant. Cory Joseph is questionable.

Player to Watch

It’s gotta be Cade Cunningham, with apologies to Saddiq Bey who slaughtered the Bucks in the Pistons win and has a 50-piece in his pocket within the last few weeks. Cunningham’s growth is integral to the Pistons getting out of the mediocre morass they find themselves in, and if he can evolve into a primary creator/scorer on a perennial playoff team, coupled with a high pick this next year, there could be the start of something...

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