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Damian Lillard finds his ‘rhythm’ in Bucks’ road victory against Pistons.

DETROIT — Damian Lillard had 45 points and 11 assists to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 141-135 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
“Dame was so great tonight, and he was competing on both sides of the ball,” Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said. “I had no idea he had 45, but he’s a rhythm musician, and he certainly got into a groove out there. He made huge shots, which is why he’s on this team.

Giannis-less Bucks are brutally defeated in Cleveland.

Lillard became the first player in Bucks history to have at least 40 points, 10 assists, and five 3-pointers in a single game.

“I had a good warmup and I got a couple shots to go in, so I felt good,” he told reporters. “I knew the game was vital, so I chose my locations. I moved the ball when it was necessary and attacked when it was appropriate.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, but missed 11 of his 22 free throw attempts. Brook Lopez scored 19 points for the Bucks, who have won four out of five.

Dame Time stunner: Bucks edge Kings in overtime with Lillard’s stunning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“Giannis was big on both ends,” Griffin explained. “He got us some stops early in the second half and was aggressive with the ball, getting to the hoop. “When he draws fouls, he gets us to the bonus faster than most teams, which is invaluable.”

Alec Burks (33) and Ausur Thompson (career-high 22) combined for 55 points for Detroit’s second unit, but Bojan Bogdanovic (19) and Jaden Ivey (18) were the only starters to reach double figures in Game 1 of a two-game series.

“Burks has been great. “I’m trying to think of veterans who have played this type of game in the past,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “His ability to score the ball and communicate with the young guys on the floor have helped us a ton.”

Bucks’ strong fourth quarter helps them upset Curry-less Warriors.

The Pistons are 2-37 over their last 39 games, including a record-tying 28-game losing skid. They will host Milwaukee again on Monday.

Antetokounmpo scored five points during a 9-0 run that put the Bucks up 126-121 with 4:40 remaining, but he missed his tenth free shot seconds later.

Lillard, however, scored five consecutive points to restore Milwaukee’s advantage back to 134-126 with 2:11 remaining.

Bucks snap out of skid by thumping Celtics with 25-0 spurt.

“It’s hard to play defense when a team has (49) free throws,” Williams told ESPN. “I feel bad for our team because we’re trying to play good basketball and good defense.”

Detroit missed seven of their first eight shots in the third quarter, allowing Milwaukee to take an 80-71 lead. Antetokounmpo continued to struggle from the foul line, missing eight of his first twelve attempts to keep Detroit in the game.

Lillard scored 19 points in the quarter, giving him 36 for the game, but the Pistons remained within 103-98 at the end of the third. Mike Muscala made back-to-back three-pointers early in the fourth, putting Detroit ahead 106-105.

‘We need to improve,’ Giannis says after sagging Bucks lose to Jazz.

The Bucks led 70-67 at halftime after Lilliard’s 31-footer at the buzzer. He finished with 17 points and seven assists as both sides shot more than 50% from the floor.

“We need to take better care of the 3-point line on Monday,” he remarked. “Will they shoot like this again?” I’m not sure, but we need to make sure we don’t give them that confidence.”

5 Best Milwaukee Bucks Seasons of All Time.

As the regular season comes to a close, the Milwaukee Bucks hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

With the league’s top record, the Bucks recently became the NBA’s first team to clinch a postseason spot. The Bucks, led by MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo and All-Star Jrue Holiday, have won 21 of their last 23 games prior to March 16.

They were the first team to reach 50 victories this season and are among the top teams offensively, defensively, and in rebounding. The squad has the opportunity to win its third championship in franchise history and return to the NBA Finals for the first time since winning in 2021.

Here are the five greatest.

Oscar Robertson, left, poses with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after receiving the lifetime achievement award at the NBA Awards on June 25, 2018, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.

Richard Shotwell, Associated Press Archives
The Bucks’ explosive tandem of center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) and guard Oscar Robertson led the team to its first NBA title in its third season.

Larry Costello led the Bucks to a team record 66 victories, while Abdul-Jabbar won MVP in his second season. Abdul-Jabbar averaged 31.7 points and 16.0 rebounds. While blocks were not yet an official metric, Abdul-Jabbar excelled as the defense’s focal point, patrolling the paint as needed.

The 32-year-old Robertson was acquired during the summer from the Cincinnati Royals and instantly added

46-26, NBA champs 2020-2021
The Bucks won their first NBA title in 50 years, with Antetokounmpo scoring a remarkable 50 points.

Antetokounmpo scored 50 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks in Game 6, helping the Bucks overcome a two-game deficit to upset the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals. Antetokounmpo averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.8 blocks to win the Finals MVP.

How Culver’s is honoring Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo following his 54-point performance.Khris Middleton, a shooting guard, was dominant against the Suns, scoring 24.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. Holiday again performed admirably, recording 16.7 points, 9.3 assists, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals.

The championship was much sweeter for the Bucks given their postseason slippage over the previous two seasons and speculations that coach Mike Budenholzer was on the hot seat.

Antetokounmpo won back-to-back MVP awards while the Bucks won 116 games in those two seasons. However, the Bucks lost in six games to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals and then in five games to the Miami Heat in the 2020 bubble playoffs semifinals.

59-23, NBA Finals, 1973-74

Bucks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, right, scores a winning shot over Boston’s Hank Finkel (29) to win 102-101 and square the series at 3-3 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on May 11, 1974 in Boston.

Associated Press Archive
This was Abdul-Jabbar’s penultimate season with the Bucks, and the franchise’s last trip in the NBA Finals before a 47-year drought. Despite Abdul-Jabbar’s spectacular game-winning hook shot in Game 6, the Bucks fell to the Boston Celtics in seven games.

He hit the legendary jumper with 3 seconds left in double overtime, propelling the Bucks to a 102-101 away victory in one of the most thrilling games in NBA history. Abdul-Jabbar topped all players in the Finals with 32.6 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

57-25, Eastern Conference Finals, 1985-86

When the Bucks joined the Eastern Conference in 1980-81, it marked a new era for the club.

Abdul-Jabbar stayed in the West as a member of the Showtime Lakers, winning five more championships alongside point guard Magic Johnson. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics were the East’s best team, with guard Larry Bird leading the way to three championships.

Coach Don Nelson’s wild Bucks, on the other hand, were a legitimate Eastern Conference challenger throughout the decade. In 1982-83, the Bucks became the first team to sweep the Celtics, winning all four playoff games.

Sidney Moncrief, a shooting guard, led the Bucks to seven consecutive seasons of at least 50 victories, including a 60-win season in 1980-81.

During the 1985–86

The 28-year-old Moncrief averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals. Moncrief was joined by 27-year-old swingman Paul Pressey (14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.1 steals) and 24-year-old forward Terry Cummings (19.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals).

The Bucks defeated the Nets in three games in the first round. Then the Bucks exacted retribution on Moses Malone and the Philadelphia 76ers, who had swept them in the second round the previous season. The Bucks defeated the 76ers in seven games in the second round, while the Celtics waited in the conference finals.

Moncrief suffered a foot injury during the postseason, which began against the Nets, causing him to miss games and be less than 100 percent.The Celtics swept the Bucks and knocked off the Rockets in six in the Finals.

60-22 Eastern Conference Finals, 2018-19

Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee drives past Boston’s Aron Baynes during Game 5 of a second-round NBA playoff series in Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo won his first Most Valuable Player title in 2018-19, spearheading the Bucks’ turnaround.

Morry Gash, Associated Press Archives
The 2018-19 season did not result in a championship, but it laid the groundwork for the Bucks’ return to annual contention during Budenholzer’s first season in charge.

The spry 24-year-old Antetokounmpo matured to win his first MVP award and lead the Bucks to a 61-21 record, the best in the East. Antetokounmpo averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 blocked shots, and 1.3 steals per game.

Middleton (18.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.3 apg); Eric Bledsoe (15.9 ppg, 5.5 apg, 1.5 spg); and Malcolm