The second game of preseason is here, with the Milwaukee Bucks taking on a divisional foe in the Detroit Pistons tonight at Fiserv. The Bucks are coming off a win over the Miami Heat on Monday night, as are the Pistons, who beat the Memphis Grizzlies.
Where We’re At
There has been considerable chatter surrounding Giannis in recent days, but as far as the basketball is concerned, there was some encouraging stuff from their preseason game. I love the fact that the team is leaning more into playing multi-faceted players
who are not specialists at one thing. AJ Green, KPJ, Ryan Rollins, and Cole Anthony are all players who can dribble, pass, and shoot; this allows the offence to keep flowing and not suddenly stop when one minor advantage is taken away. Unfortunately, with Giannis out again, we won’t know for sure whether Kyle Kuzma is destined for a starting or bench role this season.
On the other hand, the Pistons largely retained the same core, following a playoff berth last season for the first time in a hot minute. Cade Cunningham announced himself to the average NBA fan last year, while players like Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, and Jaden Ivey (who missed most of last year due to injury) will be looking to do the same this season. Of course, one notable exclusion from this team (for now, at least) is one-time Buck Malik Beasley, who is still under investigation by the NBA for gambling allegations. That said, Detroit got Beasley insurance with the signing of Duncan Robinson, who plugs into the movement shooter role seamlessly.
Injury Report
Finding injury info in the preseason is not the easiest, since there are no official injury reports. For the Bucks, we know that Giannis will be out as he recovers from a bout with COVID. Cole Anthony had stitches after getting hit on the chin against the Heat so that he may be a watch for tonight.
For the Pistons, Jalen Duren has been day-to-day with hamstring tightness, so expect him to miss, while Colby Jones will be out with a bothersome ankle.
Player To Watch
Kyle Kuzma is someone Bucks fans should continue to keep an eye on. How they utilise him this season will be pivotal to the team’s success. Kuzma didn’t shoot the ball well on Monday, but I thought he made some nice passes. How do they get more of the good stuff out of him and minimise the bad stuff?
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 7:00 p.m. CDT.
