Damian Lillard steps up to lead Bucks past Pistons

Damian Lillard scored a season-high 45 points and the visiting Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Detroit Pistons 141-135 Saturday afternoon.

Lillard also supplied 11 assists and six rebounds, while Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Brook Lopez contributed 19 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Khris Middleton chipped in 17 points.

The Bucks have won 20 of the past 21 regular-season meetings, including the past eight matchups. They'll hold a rematch Monday in Detroit.

Alec Burks led Detroit with 33 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Ausar Thompson had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, Bojan Bogdanovic tossed in 19 points and Jaden Ivey added 18 points and six assists.

Detroit led most of the first half but a Lillard 3-pointer in the closing seconds provided the Bucks a 70-67 halftime advantage.

Lillard finished the half with 17 points, while Lopez had 16. Antetokounmpo was limited to eight points, as he missed six of his eight free-throw attempts.

Antetokounmpo opened the second half with a dunk. Lillard drained a wide-open 3-pointer to give Milwaukee a nine-point lead, 80-71, and prompt Detroit coach Monty Williams to call timeout.

Milwaukee soon nudged the advantage to 11 points but the Pistons answered with a 7-0 run, including five points from Ivey.

Lillard had 12 points in the last 2:32 of the third but the Bucks still led by only five, 103-98, entering the fourth. Burks kept it close with five points in the final minute of the quarter.

After a Middleton basket opened the fourth, the Pistons took the lead with an 8-0 run, including two Mike Muscala 3-pointers.

Burks made four consecutive free throws to give Detroit a 119-115 lead. A three-point play by Antetokounmpo gave the Bucks a 122-121 lead midway through the quarter. He added a layup with 4:40 remaining to stretch the advantage to five points.

Lillard made a steal and converted a three-point play with 2:11 left to make it 134-126. He added two free throws with a minute to go for a 138-130 lead.

- Field Level Media