Bucks at Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are in the midst of a long homestand at the best
time possible and look to take advantage when they host the Milwaukee
Bucks on Monday. Detroit is 2-1 one-third of the way through the
nine-game stretch as it attempts to beat out the Chicago Bulls for the
eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons are in a virtual tie with the Bulls with 12 games remaining and coach Stan Van Gundy is adamant that the team's defense will decide whether or not Detroit lands the final playoff berth. "I think for us to make any kind of serious push for a playoff spot, we're going to have to defend a lot better than we have been," Van Gundy told reporters. "If we're not going to defend, we'll get a win here or there, maybe, but we're not going to get enough to get ourselves into the playoffs. I really think for us, it's either we defend or we'll bow out of that race fairly quickly." Milwaukee had won four of five games before struggling in a 94-85 loss to the Utah Jazz on Sunday. "This game was a very plain yogurt-type situation that had no flavor, no excitement," Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd told reporters. "There was no juice."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE BUCKS (30-40): Milwaukee was outworked on the glass in the loss to Utah as it grabbed a season-low two offensive boards while being outrebounded 45-27. Forward Jabari Parker with eight rebounds was the only player with more than four boards for the Bucks and Kidd cited the issues as a major factor in the defeat. "They've got two bigs that go to the boards every time and that kills your pace, especially if they come up with offensive rebounds," Kidd said. "They had (16) of them that slowed the pace down and gave them second or third opportunities."
ABOUT THE PISTONS (36-34): Detroit knocked off below-.500 teams Sacramento and Brooklyn in its past two games and has two more lined up in Milwaukee and Orlando before the schedule toughens up for the rest of the homestand. "I know we're capable of more. I know we need guys to put a lot more into it," Van Gundy said. "We've still got a tough stretch here next week. Milwaukee's been playing well and then we've got Orlando and then Charlotte and Atlanta. So it's not going to be an easy week and we're going to have to compete harder at the defensive end of the floor." Detroit is allowing an average of 113.7 points in the last six games and gave up its fewest during the stretch Saturday when it produced a 115-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pistons have won four of the past five home meetings with the Bucks.
2. Parker had 19 points against Utah and has scored in double figures in 17 of the past 18 games.
3. Detroit C Andre Drummond had nine rebounds against Brooklyn to fail to reach double digits for just the second time in the past 24 games.