With a 17-4 record a quarter of the way through the regular season, the Detroit Pistons are in first place in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons squeaked out a dramatic last-second, one-point win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, and it was another example of why Cade Cunningham ranks as one of the most clutch players in the league.

With less than 30 seconds remaining and the Pistons up two points, Cunningham weaved down the court with a flashy spin move before depositing an acrobatic reverse lay-up into the hoop to give Detroit a 99-95 advantage. The final score was 99-98 in the Pistons’ favor, so Detroit needed Cunningham’s dazzling dribbling display complete with the tough finish as the cherry on top. 

In his return, Pistons center Jalen Duren had an important double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds against the Hawks. Duren was effective early on and ended the first half with 14 points and five rebounds, but the Pistons seemed to move away from utilizing the efficient big man in the second half. Still, the Pistons rode that dynamic duo’s performance, along with a 17-point effort from Ron Holland, to victory against a talented Hawks squad. Now, the Pistons will turn their attention to a 9-13 Milwaukee Bucks outfit that has struggled as of late with Giannis Antetokounmpo missing a handful of games due to injury.

Injuries

Duncan Robinson missed his first game of the season on Monday as he’s recovering from a sprained ankle, so it will be important to follow his progress before tip-off. Point guard Marcus Sasser is expected to continue his rehab with the G-League’s Motor City Cruise, so he’s still a little bit away from making his season debut. As of late, Pistons forward Bobi Klintman has ramped up his on-court activity, so it would not be a surprise to see him become available sometime during this week. 

As for the Bucks, Giannis made his return to the lineup on Monday against the Washington Wizards, so he’s expected to play tonight versus Detroit. Kevin Porter Jr. is considered day-to-day after undergoing back spasms against the Wizards, and guard Gary Harris has already been ruled out in his recovery from an Achilles injury. 

Last-Second Scare: Detroit Pistons Pull Off 1-Point Win Over Atlanta Hawks Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham scored 18 points in Detroit’s narrow win

Bucks News

Though the Bucks have split their last two games, Milwaukee had lost its seven consecutive games prior to that mark. So, it is clear to say that the Bucks have experienced a rough patch without Giannis, but the All-Star forward should be back in the lineup tonight. Antetokounmpo scored 26 points, grabbed seven rebounds and added four assists before fouling out in the Bucks’ 129-126 loss to the Wizards.

Right now, the Bucks sit at 9-13 on the season, so Milwaukee is many games behind the first place Pistons in the Central Division. However, the Bucks have played the Pistons extremely hard over their last 20 meetings with Milwaukee owning a massive lead in that series, so this is going to be an important game for Detroit no matter what kind of form the Bucks are in. 

Though Milwaukee’s record has not been kind, the bucks lead the NBA in three-pointers and three-point field goal percentage. The Bucks rank third in field goal percentage overall, so the squad is connecting on their shots at an efficient rate– it’s the rest of the basketball game that needs work. 

Player To Watch: Daniss Jenkins

It will be interesting to see how second-year point guard Daniss Jenkins rebounds tonight. Against the Hawks, Jenkins went 0-for-8 from the field in a surprisingly poor shooting night for the speedy combo guard, and Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game that he certainly did not expect that type of shooting performance from Jenkins.

READ MORE: Marcus Sasser To Begin Rehab With G-League's Motor City Cruise

Bickerstaff went on to praise other parts of Jenkins’ game, though, as the crafty guard contributed to the team’s victory in other key ways. Jenkins grabbed eight rebounds (four of which were offensive) and dished out six assists to help propel the Pistons’ to the team’s 17th win on the season. 

If Robinson is unable to play at 100-percent, Jenkins could continue to see an increase in his minutes tonight against the Bucks. Jenkins brings a lot to the table and can run the second unit when Cunningham needs a breather, so he’s an impact player that can wear a multitude of hats for Detroit in a pinch. 

Prediction: Detroit Pistons 121, Milwaukee Bucks 112

The Bucks were much more impressive from a scoring standpoint with Giannis back in the lineup on Monday, but the Pistons appear to have a more complete team right now. Detroit leads the league in single-digit victories so far with 10 this season, so the Pistons have shown an ability to win close battles with Cunningham leading the way. If tonight’s game comes down to the last couple possessions, the Pistons are in good shape with Cunningham dictating the outcome. 

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