Playing the Bucks for the second time in four days, the Detroit Pistons were much better prepared to face Milwaukee’s zone defense on Saturday night and coasted to a comfortable 112-112 victory, avenging Wednesday’s loss in the process. The game was very physical, especially between Isaiah Stewart and Bobby Portis, but both players kept their cool while setting the tone for a big Central Division battle.

Running the show, Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham was much more successful in breaking through the Bucks’ defense and was able to move their guys around to create pockets all night long. Cunningham finished with 23 points, 12 assists and six assists in the win without playing the final five minutes of the game. By that time, the Pistons’ had the game all but wrapped up, and Detroit's reserve players joined the Bucks’ backups on the court to wind the clock down. 

From a team perspective, the Pistons were able to shoot over top of Milwaukee’s zone at a higher clip than on Wednesday. As a unit, the Pistons finished the win with a 38% mark from downtown and were able to make the Bucks pay for leaving guys open on the perimeter. 

Duncan Robinson returned after missing the last meeting between these two squads, and he was able to add a triple to help Detroit’s cause. Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham sank three shots from behind the arc and carried the weight of Detroit’s outside shooting, and Javonte Green added two triples of his own. The Bucks were unable to rotate quick enough and close out effectively as Detroit swung the ball around to the open man often, and it resulted in a high-octane outside shooting night for the Pistons in a double-digit win. 

Pistons Gain Huge Edge On The Glass

When crunching the numbers, it is impossible to discount the stark advantage that the Pistons were able to gain on the boards. In the 12-point win, the Pistons outrebounded the Bucks by a 53-36 margin, and that disparity allowed for Detroit to demonstrate their force in the post. 

When The Detroit Pistons Need A Spark, Ron Holland Is The Answer The Pistons are lucky to have a player of Ron Holland’s caliber coming off the bench

Simply put, Pistons center Jalen Duren put on a rebounding clinic against the Bucks. Finishing with 16 points and 16 rebounds, Duren was wrestling to corral missed shots in the paint all game long. Though he started off slow with only two points in the first half, the Pistons went to Duren heavily in the second half, and he was able to post a big double-double as a product of his determined, physical presence down low. 

Sasser Makes His Season Debut

As for an extra dose of positive news in the win, Pistons guard Marcus Sasser made his season debut on Saturday night after dealing with a hip injury for the first quarter of the regular season. Sasser was held scoreless on his lone shot, but he did pick up two assists to get the ball rolling this year. Earlier in the week, Sasser put up 20 points in a rehab stint with the G-League’s Motor City Cruise, so it is a good sign to see Sasser back on the court, albeit for a brief three-minute spell against the Bucks. 

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And as Sasser returns to the mix, the Pistons were without Tobias Harris tonight as the veteran forward is dealing with a sprained ankle. 

Next up, the Pistons have several days off before facing off against the Atlanta Hawks at home on Friday, Dec. 12 at 7 pm.

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