Drummond powers Pistons past Bucks
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Andre Drummond notched his 10th career 20-20 game with 20 points and 23 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons won their second straight, topping the Milwaukee Bucks 98-83 Sunday at The Palace.
Drummond added three blocks and two steals for the Pistons (2-1). Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope supplied 21 points and six rebounds, Tobias Harris had 16 points, and Marcus Morris and Ish Smith chipped in 11 points apiece for Detroit.
Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo carried the Bucks (1-2) with 17 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. Jabari Parker had 13 points and six rebounds, center Greg Monroe tossed in 11 points off the bench, and Matthew Dellavedova contributed 10 points and five assists for Milwaukee.
The Bucks, who lost three of four to Detroit last season, were coming off a last-second victory over Brooklyn on Saturday night.
Detroit held a 57-47 lead early in the third. Antetokounmpo then led the Bucks on a 13-5 spurt, scoring seven points in that span.
Harris and Caldwell-Pope nudged the Pistons' advantage back up to 10 by the end of the quarter. Following a Harris bucket, Caldwell-Pope drained a 3-pointer. In the closing seconds, Caldwell-Pope made a steal and fed Harris for a dunk to make it 75-65.
Milwaukee cut the lead to six points in the opening moments of the fourth, but a 9-2 Pistons run upped the advantage to 90-75. Morris started it with a 3-pointer. A pullup jumper by Harris extended the lead to double digits, and Drummond followed with a put-back slam. Harris capped it off with a short jumper.
The Bucks never threatened from that point.
Drummond had 12 points and eight rebounds by halftime as Detroit led 50-39. Drummond's steal at one end and soaring dunk at the other was the highlight play of the half. Caldwell-Pope contributed 11 first-half points, including a corner three for the final points of the second quarter.
NOTES: Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy considers Milwaukee's 6-foot-11 F Giannis Antetokounmpo a "unique player" because the big man is the primary ballhandler. "In a league of extremely gifted players and athletes, he's unique even by those standards," Van Gundy said. "He has the size of a center and the skills of a guard." ... Pistons SG Reggie Bullock was inactive because of back spasms. ... Bucks PG Jason Terry didn't travel with the team for personal reasons. ... Van Gundy indicated that it is doubtful the team will reach an extension agreement with SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope prior to Monday's deadline. ... The Bucks' average has jumped from 24.5 years at the start of last season to 26.4 this year, close to the league average of 26.7. ... Milwaukee PF John Henson's game-winning tip-in on Saturday against Brooklyn was his first career buzzer-beater.