Preseason is a unique animal. In getting myself acquainted with the Milwaukee Bucks in preparation for their matchup against the Detroit Pistons, I took a peek at their box score from their preseason-opening win against the Miami Heat on Monday.
Somehow, 20 different members of the Bucks played in the game, including 15 for more than 10 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo was not one of them. But big offseason acquisition Myles Turner was! As was Cole Anthony, who I forgot was in Milwaukee now, and Gary
Harris, who I forgot was still playing in the NBA. He is forever a Magic in my mind.
That is just the glory of preseason basketball.
Game Vitals
When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
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Analysis
It feels a little pointless to think a little too deeply about a Bucks team that might go 20 deep again, but the Detroit Pistons gave us plenty of food for thought in their first game of the season. As expected, you definitely saw a lot of things they emphasized in the offseason and want to test drive in the preseason, when the games don’t matter.
Chief among trial balloons is using Ausar as a primary playmaker in bench lineups. He had the ball in his hands a lot whenever Cade Cunningham wasn’t on the floor. The results were decidedly mixed, but it’s encouraging that they are serious are dedicting time and development toward skills that would allow Thompson to blossom into a superstar sidekick alongside Cade. And it ain’t gonna be high-volume three-point shooting. Let’s just dispel that notion right now. Instead, it will be finding out ways to mitigate his lack of stretch by maximizing his ability to drive and make quick decisions in getting teammates involved. His teammates, like newly aquired Duncan Robinson, will be the ones asked to be lethal from the perimeter.
Other items on the test track were allowing Jaden Ivey plenty of latitude to pick his spots, get himself back into game shape, and, more importantly, game speed. Not that he isn’t fast. More so, he needs to reacquaint himself with how to operate on the floor with nine other high-level athletes.
What we saw from Cade in game 1 was a masterclass in efficient decision-making and setting the tempo. He was excellent, and he still isn’t a finished product. It was exciting to see, and I hope to see more of it.
Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons (1-0)
Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart
Milwaukee Bucks (1-0)
Kevin Porter, Gary Trent, AJ Green, Bobby Portis, Miles Turner
