Thanks in part to a renewed focus on defense, the Milwaukee Bucks are back on track during their best start in nine years.
Looking to stymie offensively challenged Detroit for the second time in four days, the surprising Bucks can match a season high with a third straight win Friday night, while the last-place Pistons will try to avoid their longest losing streak in 20 months (7 p.m. pregame, 7:30 tip-off on FOX Sports Detroit PLUS).
Milwaukee (9-7) allowed an average of 116.5 points on 50.1 percent shooting - 43.4 from 3-point range - during a recent four-game stretch that included back-to-back losses against Toronto and Washington.
The Bucks, however, tightened things up as they pulled away for a 98-86 home win over the Pistons on Tuesday and limited Minnesota to 38.3 percent shooting, including 3 of 14 from beyond the arc, in a 103-86 road win the following night.
Milwaukee matched season highs with 12 steals and seven blocks Wednesday and has forced 19 turnovers in each of the last two contests. Larry Sanders has 10 blocks over his last three for the Bucks, who have won seven of their last 10.
"I thought defensively, Larry, everyone that was on the floor was at a very high level," coach Jason Kidd said Wednesday after his club secured its best 16-game start since the 2005-06 season, which ended with the Bucks at 40-42.
Milwaukee is facing Detroit (3-12) for already the third time this season. The Bucks struggled to slow the Pistons in a 98-95 road loss Nov. 7 before holding them under 20 points in each of the final three quarters Tuesday.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led six players in double figures with 19 points and Detroit shot 49.3 percent from the field and 11 of 23 from beyond the arc in its home win. Caldwell-Pope was held to six on 2-of-9 shooting Tuesday.
After averaging 8.7 points and shooting 39.7 percent in his first 13 games, Andre Drummond has totaled 40 on 17-of-26 shooting in his last two. He's also averaging 15.8 points and 13.4 rebounds over five consecutive double-doubles versus Milwaukee after scoring a season high 23 with 10 boards Tuesday.
The Pistons, though, are scoring 90.0 per game on 41.2 percent shooting during their losing streak following Wednesday's 104-98 home loss the Los Angeles Clippers. They haven't dropped seven in a row since a 10-game skid in March 2013.
Detroit has also dropped four straight at the Palace of Auburn Hills, where the Bucks have lost three in a row.
"I've never been in this situation," said Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy, who hasn't had a losing record nor missed the playoffs in any of his seven full seasons as an NBA coach.
D.J. Augustin finished with a team-high 19 points Wednesday while starting his second game in place of injured guard Brandon Jennings, whose status is uncertain due to a sprained left thumb. Jennings has scored 19.4 per game while making 18 of 34 from 3-point range in five meetings with his former club.
Milwaukee's Brandon Knight is averaging a team-high 18.0 points and has scored 20.7 in his last three versus his old team. Rookie Jabari Parker has totaled 32 points and 14 rebounds while going 15 of 24 from the field in this season's series.
