Published on: Apr 8, 2022 1:22 pm IST|Updated on: Apr 8, 2022 1:23 pm IST
DET vs MIL Dream11: Just three days of action remain in the league and then the Regular Season will take its leave. However, it will also leave behind the championship race that will kickstart during the Playoffs. But even if we consider the intensity that the Playoffs bring, it is sad to see many of the teams exiting the scene, teams that I, as a writer bonded through the five+ months period. One of those teams that will say goodbye to us is the Detroit Pistons, and they will encounter the defending champions, Milwaukee Bucks.
The Pistons were always expected to finish around 20-25 wins and their record doesn’t surprise most of the fans. They are in the rebuild mode and they have ways to go before becoming even a Play-in tournament team in the East that has seen even ninth-tenth ranked squads having a 50% win record.
The Bucks have turned the heat on lately and there is no doubt that they still remain the team to beat in the East considering that they are the defending champions. The Heat will finish at the top, the Bucks will likely grab the second seed, the Celtics third seed, and the Sixers fourth, while the Raptors fifth seed. All these teams are contenders according to me but the Bucks remain the team to beat.
Host: Detroit Pistons Visitors: Milwaukee Bucks Match Timing: 9 April, @ 04:30 AM Venue: Little Caesars Arena
The Pistons suffered a 113:131 defeat versus the Mavericks as Cade Cunningham stacked up 25 points
When the season began, Cade Cunningham was struggling to get going and was erratic shooting-wise, but that is what happens to many rookies. In the second half of the season, the guard improved his game considerably, becoming an efficient scorer while being an effective rebounder and playmaker from the word go. He has drawn comparisons to Jason Kidd, which is a lofty standard to live up to, not statistically but in terms of the leadership that the legendary Guard brought to the floor.
Saddiq Bey has been a bit inconsistent but he has had a great season, becoming even better with his scoring skills. Isaiah Stewart has been a rebounding force and has shown defensive grit. Jerami Grant missed a lot of games due to injury but when he played, the Pistons were more competitive. However, the biggest improvement especially in the second half of the season was showcased by guard Killian Hayes, whose defense was paired up with much-better shooting and quality playmaking. The Pistons can become a highly effective team if they acquire a high-yielding off-Guard who can average 15-20 points per game and play above-average defense.
The Bucks defeated the Celtics 127:121 as Antetotkounmpo and Holiday both scored 29 points each to overcome the Tatum-less Boston squad
The Bucks can end up meeting the Celtics in the second round of the Playoffs, which sounds like one of the best series during the Playoffs. The Bucks match up well against the Celtics because of their immense size up-front while they can also break down their defense through the inside prowess of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Teams that have relied heavily upon outside game and guards have rather struggled against the Celtics so perhaps the Bucks match up well with the size of Antetokounmpo and Lopez up-front while even Jrue Holiday has a more than decent wingspan as the Point Guard.
Last season we saw how the Bucks can elevate their play during the Playoffs and I doubt any team has as strong a frontline as the Bucks in all of the league. They have the two-way prowess of Giannis, who will be a handful for any team to take care. If the Bucks finish at the second seed, they will pose a world of threat for any team that finishes in the seventh place. Anyway, there is still more than a week or so for the NBA Playoffs(The Play-in tournament will be earlier though). So, yes coming back to this game, will the team rest their starters in Giannis, Middleton, and Holiday for this game considering they are up against a vulnerable team and the team played just last night?
Detroit Pistons (Eliminated from Postseason) | Milwaukee Bucks (2nd in East) Games: 80| 80 Wins: 23 | 50 Defeats: 57 | 30
Milwaukee Bucks Team News:
Bucks Usual Starting Five Wing: SF: Khris Middleton Middle: PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo | C: Brook Lopez Guards: SG: Wesley Matthews| PG: Jrue Holiday
Bucks Expected Starting Five Wing: SF: Jordan Nwora Middle: C: Bobby Portis Guards: SG/SF: Pat Connaughton | SG: Wesley Matthews| PG: George Hill
Bench: Serge Ibaka, Bobby Portis, Jordan Nwora, Grayson Allen, Lindell Wigginton, Pat Connaughton, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Detroit Pistons Team News
Pistons Expected Starting Five Big Forward: PF: Isaiah Livers Wing: SF: Saddiq Bey Middle: C: Isaiah Stewart Guards: SG: Cade Cunningham| PG: Cory Joseph / Killian Hayes(If Cory doesn’t play)
BENCH: Braxton Key, Saben Lee, Jamaro Pickett, Luka Garza
Cade Cunningham(DET) Points: 25 Rebounds: 07 Assists: 09 Steals: 02 Blocks: 01 Rookie Cunningham has been solid in the second half of the season and has actually shot up in Rookie of the Year race. The all-around talent has mostly been in 20-25 points, 5-8 rebounds, and 7-9 assists range these days. He can be considered as a Star/Pro Player in the Dream 11 NBA Fantasy scenario. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 38-50
Giannis Antetokounmpo(MIL) Points: 29 Rebounds: 11 Assists: 05 Steals: 02 Blocks: 01 Power Forward Giannis has shown that he is an MVP-level player, being an elite scorer, rebounder, defender, and also an effective playmaker. He has mostly been in 25+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 4+ assists. Will he be rested in a back-to-back affair against a struggling team? Expected Fantasy Points Range: 47-57 Jrue Holiday(MIL) Points: 29 Rebounds: 08 Assists: 08 Steals: 03 Blocks: 01 Guard Jrue has improved his numbers compared to last season which makes it a scary prospect, and he continues to be an elite ball-handler. The Guard has mostly been in 18-24 points, 7-9 assists, 4+ rebounds, and 1+ steal range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 36-50
Isaiah Stewart(DET) Points: 19 Rebounds: 14 Assists: 01 Blocks: 01 Center Isaiah has been strong on the rebounding end but is not that consistent on offense. He is a sharp help defender too and is mostly in 5-9 points and 9-14 rebounds range. Will he be rested here? Expected Fantasy Points Range: 15-28
Khris Middleton(MIL) Points: 22 Rebounds: 08 Assists: 09 Steals: 02 Blocks: 01 Wing Khris will be a huge part of the Bucks’ scheme during the Playoffs and he has heated up during that period time and time again. The SF has mostly been in 17-24 points, 5-8 rebounds, and 5-9 assists range lately. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 30-45
Killian Hayes(DET) Points: 11 Rebounds: 04 Assists: 02 Steals: 02 Guard Killian has played much better in the second half of this season and has shown that he can become an elite perimeter defender too. The Guard has mostly been in 10-13 points, 4-7 rebounds, 3-7 assists, and 1-5 steals range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 20-30
(If Giannis, Khris, Holiday, and Lopez are not playing) PG: C Cunningham(SP) SG: P Connaughton, K Hayes SF: B Key PF: J Nwora, S Bey C: B Portis(PP), I Stewart
(If Giannis, Khris, and Lopez are not playing) PG: J Holiday(PP), C Cunningham(SP) SG: K Hayes SF: B Key PF: J Nwora, S Bey C: B Portis, I Stewart
(If Giannis and Lopez are not playing) PG: J Holiday(PP), C Cunningham(SP) SG: P Connaughton, K Hayes SF: K Middleton, B Key PF: S Bey C: B Portis
(If Giannis is not playing) PG: J Holiday(PP), C Cunningham(SP) SG: P Connaughton, K Hayes SF: K Middleton PF: S Bey C: B Portis, B Lopez
(If Lopez is not playing) PG: J Holiday, S Lee, C Cunningham(PP) SG: P Connaughton, K Hayes SF: B Key PF: G Antetokounmpo(SP) C: B Portis (Lineup MAY be updated as per news, use the above references if it is not updated. Giannis can be rested here it feels like.)
Will it not be fun to watch young Cade Cunningham showing a glimpse of a potential All-Star career? In the least encouraging piece of news for the Indian NBA fans who want to watch the game, you can’t catch this game on the streaming services Jio TV and Voot. So how can you go about it? Well, the best way to catch what is up in the league is by accesing the NBA League Pass and purchase the annual subscription. This service provides access to all live games and if you are not able to catch the live game, you can just plug it into the full game replay. To know the scores, stats, and news, go to the official website of the NBA.