Pistons host the Bucks
By J.M. Poulard
Essentials
- Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (2-3) at Detroit Pistons (1-3)
- Date: November 7
- Time: 7:30 p.m.
- Television: FS Detroit +
Get in the Game
After earning their first victory of the season against the New York Knicks, the Detroit Pistons will host the Milwaukee Bucks tonight.
The Bucks have collected two wins so far at the expense of the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers (on the road).
The wins have come as a result of the fourth best defense in basketball. The Bucks operate under a fairly simplistic formula that few have been able to solve at the moment. Defenders funnel ball-handlers to the paint where Larry Sanders deters all comers not named Lance Stephenson.
Sanders’ shot-blocking tends to discourage players and forces opponents to kick the ball out for above the break three-pointers. It’s worth noting that the Bucks are second in the league at defending that specific shot, per NBA.com.
The Pistons’ bottom-third offense will probably have issues dealing with the Bucks’ scheme, but one can only wonder if the finishing abilities of Josh Smith, Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe mitigate Sanders’ defenses just a bit. Milwaukee’s defensive anchor is swatting away two shots per contest, but he’s also registering four fouls per game to get there.
Going after every shot comes with a price, and perhaps Detroit can coax Sanders into some early fouls. It’s worth noting teams only score 91.5 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court, and that figure jumps up to 97.5 when he sits.
How big of a gap is that?
Well, the Bucks statistically morph into the best defense since the 2008 Boston Celtics (anchored by Kevin Garnett at his absolute defensive best) with Sanders playing, and when he rests, Milwaukee “only” paces somewhere around the top 10 this year.
As a result, one can see why the Pistons might want to attack Sanders early and often. However, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee a win. Sanders is a train wreck on offense as evidenced by his 37.8 percent shooting.
Teams don’t bother guarding him because of his inability to score. Thus, opponents can load up on the Bucks’ offensive options without much real fear of Sanders beating them. He’s an abysmal finisher and the rest of his teammates follow suit.
The Bucks are in the league’s bottom half in field-goal percentage in the restricted area, according to NBA.com. This should be good news for a Pistons team that ranks among the league’s worst in terms of protecting the basket.
Tonight’s matchup provides intrigue considering that both units are fairly evenly matched. Detroit probably holds the edge in terms of talent, while Milwaukee appears to have a higher ceiling because of the potential of their players.
Jabari Parker and Giannis “the Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo are the guys to keep an eye one, and they will likely be heard from before it’s all said and done.
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