Damian Lillard Drops 45 Points, 11 Assists as Bucks Run Past Pistons, 141-135

The Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks were all knotted up at 121-121 with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter. But the Bucks’ all-star teammates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were too much to handle, as the visitors pulled away down the stretch to claim a 141-135 win over the Pistons on Saturday, Jan. 20, at Little Caesars Arena. Lillard had a career day, notching his highest-ever point total against the Pistons franchise, dropping 45 points to go along with 11 assists and six rebounds. Antetokounmpo was expected to miss the game with a right shoulder contusion. Instead, the NBA’s leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game recorded a near-triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. The two combined to shoot more free throws than the entire Pistons team – 38 for Antetokounmpo and Lillard, compared to 32 for Detroit. After the contest, Pistons Head Coach Monty Williams remarked about the massive free throw disparity, that saw Milwaukee attempt 49 as a team. “Two guys have 38 between them. The league has to figure it out. You can’t just keep running into people and throwing the ball at the rim. That’s just not basketball in...