NBA: Bucks edge Pistons to remain unbeaten
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Detroit Pistons centre Isaiah Stewart (centre) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (left).
PHOTO: REUTERS
LOS ANGELES – Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points, Jrue Holiday hit a tie-breaking three-pointer in the final minute and hosts Milwaukee Bucks remained the National Basketball Association’s only unbeaten team by defeating the Detroit Pistons 110-108 on Monday.
Holiday finished with 25 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Bucks defeated their Central Division rivals for the 14th time in the last 15 regular-season meetings.
“He’s just a magician with it, man, the type of step-backs he does,” said Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis, on Holiday’s step-back jumper for his final-minute trey.
Brook Lopez supplied 24 points and nine rebounds, while Portis added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks.
Cade Cunningham’s 27 points, seven assists and six rebounds led the Pistons, who were playing the tail end of a back-to-back.
Bojan Bogdanovic had 23 points, Jaden Ivey tossed in 19, Hamidou Diallo chipped in 13 and Isaiah Stewart added 11 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit.
The Pistons’ starting line-up had only one player – 33-year-old Bogdanovic – older than 23, while five of the Bucks’ starters were at least 27.
“A lot of talented guys there learning how to play, but they’ve been learning quickly and getting a lot better,” Lopez said on ESPN of his opponents. “They’re definitely better than their record.”
Milwaukee maintained a double-digit advantage for most of the second quarter before an 8-3 Pistons spurt pulled them within 60-52 by half-time.
Detroit continued to cut the Bucks’ lead, in the second half, to 62-61.
Antetokounmpo then went on an 8-0 run to help the Bucks pull away. But the Pistons did not give up.
Antetokounmpo then made a fadeaway jumper with 2min 7sec to go for a 105-101 advantage. Ivey answered with a pair of free throws.
After the Bucks failed to score on their next possession, Stewart tied it with a layup.
Holiday responded with a three-pointer from the wing. Cunningham missed an elbow jumper but Antetokounmpo committed a turnover.
Cunningham then missed a long three-point try and Lopez made two free throws to clinch Milwaukee’s victory.
“Great players make great plays,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “Holiday made a great shot.”
Elsewhere, Paul George made a contested 15-foot baseline jumper with 6.2sec left to give the Los Angeles Clippers a 95-93 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Monday.
George had 35 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and six steals for the Clippers, who scored the game’s final seven points to break a four-game losing streak.
Los Angeles never led in the fourth quarter until George sank his tie-breaking basket in the final seconds. REUTERS
