Khris Middleton powers depleted Milwaukee Bucks over the Detroit Pistons
While missing three key players, the Milwaukee Bucks completed a season sweep of the Detroit Pistons, pulling off a 126-117 win on Tuesday night.
Khris Middleton stepped up big time for Milwaukee, firing a season-high 34 as the Bucks climbed to 2-1 in their current four-game road trip.
Big showdown coming up
The league-leading Bucks (54-21) will cap the road trip against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday before heading home for a big showdown with the Boston Celtics (52-23).
Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee), Jrue Holiday (personal), and Jae Crowder (calf) missed the game, but Middleton helped the Bucks survive their absences by coming up with his highest-scoring game of the season against the team that drafted him.
Middleton got plenty of support from Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, and Jevon Carter, who combined for 67 points.
Lopez scored 24 points, Carter added 22, and Portis had 21 as the Bucks quickly returned to their winning ways after losing to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, 129-106. Portis also ended up with 14 rebounds.
"I was really out there trying to crash the boards," Portis said. "Even when you get blocked out, and I got blocked out a lot tonight, you might help free up someone else. It's just about playing with energy."
The Pistons rookie had a career night
Detroit was led by rookie Jaden Ivey, who exploded for a career-high 32 points. He added eight rebounds and eight assists, but the Pistons still lost to the Bucks for the fourth time this season.
The Pistons lost their sixth straight game and 17th of their last 18, thus burying themselves deeper in the standings with a league-worst 16-59 record.
