DETROIT -- The Milwaukee Bucks venture into Little Caesars Arena on Friday night for not only the Detroit Pistons' final home game of the 2024-25 regular season, but perhaps the biggest game in the venue since the Bucks advanced to the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinal by topping the Pistons on Dec. 3.
But, as Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo noted Thursday night, this is a much different Pistons team the Bucks are facing now. Detroit has gone 35-22 since that game in early December and has put together its first playoff season since 2018-19. With a 44-36 record with two games to play, the Pistons already have won 30 more games than last season.
And that has put the Pistons in position to jump the Bucks for the No. 5 seed in the East – but only if they can beat Milwaukee two times in three days.
The Bucks (46-34) are one of three teams in the league on a six-game winning streak and they can clinch that fifth seed with a victory either Friday or in a Sunday matinee at Fiserv Forum. A victory would give them the head-to-head tiebreaker with Detroit. Their likely first-round opponent would be Indiana, which they own a 3-1 season record against.
Is Giannis playing?
Antetokounmpo will play, barring an unforeseen setback pregame. He is officially probable to play with pain in his left shoulder, but he was pulled after just 25 minutes of action in the Bucks' win over New Orleans on Thursday night once the Bucks learned that Friday's game turned into a must-win for seeding purposes.
Isaiah Stewart out for Pistons
Noted instigator – and arguably the heartbeat of the Pistons lineup – Isaiah Stewart will not play vs. the Bucks with inflammation in his right knee. He fouled out in 22 minutes off the bench for the Pistons in their win over New York on Friday, and the 6-foot, 8-inch, 250-pound big man is a physical presence and tone-setter. Just this season, he was ejected for a Flagrant 2 personal foul on Antetokounmpo during a game in Milwaukee on Nov. 13 and then was suspended two games for his role in a scuffle with Minnesota at the beginning of April.
Eastern Conference playoff picture
The entire league is playing Friday night, so heading into Friday's games here is a look at the East playoff bracket:
- No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Play-in team
- No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5
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