Detroit extended its strong start to the season with a 124-112 win over Milwaukee on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena, ending the Bucks’ 15-game winning streak in Detroit.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 23 points and 12 assists, helping his team improve to 19-5 while taking two of three matchups against Milwaukee this season.
Detroit built its early lead behind efficient shooting, hitting 57.1 percent of its first-half attempts and going 7-for-14 from beyond the arc.
Despite the hot start, 13 turnovers kept the margin close at 61-56 at halftime, with Cunningham producing 15 points and eight assists before the break.
Jalen Duren anchored the interior with 16 points and 16 rebounds, giving Detroit consistent second-chance opportunities and anchoring its paint defense.
Isaiah Stewart added 19 points on 6-for-8 shooting, spacing the floor with three made threes while providing physicality inside.
Milwaukee stayed competitive early behind Kevin Porter Jr., who scored 32 points and connected on seven threes, but the Bucks could not overcome their defensive lapses.
Detroit opened the third quarter on a 13-3 run to extend the advantage to 74-59, gaining separation that held for the remainder of the game.
Milwaukee entered the night with a 13-game winning streak against Detroit, but the Pistons continued their turnaround by controlling the tempo and limiting second-half mistakes.
Kyle Kuzma scored 15 points for the Bucks, who have now dropped 10 of their last 12 games.
The Pistons pushed the lead to 25 in the fourth quarter, allowing both teams to empty their benches in the final minutes.
Marcus Sasser made his season debut for Detroit after missing the first 23 games with a hip injury, contributing 11 points in 22 minutes.
Ausar Thompson added 13 points and eight assists while helping Detroit generate consistent ball movement throughout the night.
The Pistons won the rebounding battle 53-36 and recorded 31 assists on 43 made shots, reinforcing their execution in half-court offense.
Milwaukee shot 42 percent from the field and 42 percent from three but struggled to generate stops, allowing Detroit to shoot 50 percent overall and 38 percent from the perimeter.
The Bucks also committed 25 fouls, sending Detroit to the free-throw line 31 times and contributing to the separation in the second half.
Detroit continues its homestand on Friday night against Atlanta.
Milwaukee returns home for a matchup with Boston on Thursday as it looks to regain momentum after its latest setback.
