In a storm of points and rebounds, Damian Lillard, the modern Prometheus of court, unleashed a fireburst of 33 points, while Bobby Portis matched his season-high vigor by scoring a hefty 31 points. This duo became the alchemist's spark igniting the Milwaukee Bucks to an overwhelming victory, crushing the Detroit Pistons 146-114 on a Saturday seeped in relentless action.
The Greek Freak, the powerhouse known as Giannis Antetokounmpo, delivered a storm of his own with 22 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, shooting an almost supernatural 7 of 9. He was fresh off his impressive score of a franchise-record 64 points last Wednesday. That grandstands show came in a 140-126 victory against none other than the Indiana Pacers, a match that would be remembered for a postgame standoff in the arena hallway over the game ball.
Detroit tumbled down into the annals of history, matching the NBA's third-longest losing streak within a single season, a feat of ignominy shared with the 1995-96 Vancouver Grizzlies, 1997-98 Denver Nuggets, and 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats.
The unenviable record for the longest losing streak within a season is held jointly by the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers, who both endured 26 punishing consecutive losses. It's worth mentioning that the 76ers bore the brunt of an even longer 28-match losing streak that extended from the 2014-15 season to 2015-16.
A night before their clash with the Bucks, the Pistons faced a crushing defeat of 124-92 at the hands of the Philadelphia, showing once again their inability to compete with the East's top teams.
In Buck's action-packed game against the Pistons, Beauchamp found himself on the starting line-up. He rose to the occasion, scoring the game's first seven points. This early blitz set the tone for the Bucks' landslide victory. The absence of Beasley and Middleton left an open court for MarJon Beauchamp who delivered memorable play on his first start of the season.
Other standouts from the match included Bucks rookie Andre Jackson Jr. who took the golden opportunity to show his worth on the court with a personal best 10 points and eight rebounds.
Even with the court ablaze, the next games wait: the Pistons will take on the Atlanta Hawks and courageously try to fend off their encroaching losing streak, while the Bucks look to cement their place at the top as they host the formidable Houston Rockets. Game on!
