The Detroit Pistons are not going to Las Vegas.

Facing the Milwaukee Bucks with a chance to clinch a bid in the NBA Cup’s Knockout Rounds, you could make a pretty good argument that this was the biggest basketball game in Detroit since Game 4 of the 2019 NBA Playoffs — ironically, also against Milwaukee.

The Pistons got throttled that night and, thanks to a pitiful defensive effort on Tuesday, they got their butts whooped again in a 128-107 loss at Little Caesars Arena.

The Central Division rivals entered the night 3-0 in the Group B standings. With the win, the Bucks move on while the Pistons, who had a pathway to have advance via a convoluted tiebreaker and a wild-card entry, will stay home and continue with the regular season.

Honestly, this one was over midway through the second quarter. The Bucks shot 74% in that period and exploded on a 14-0 run that took a semi-competitive game into a blowout.

Detroit has played decent defense at times this season, but Damian Lillard and Milwaukee bombed away early and often. The star point guard finished with 27 points and five triples as the Pistons gave up a whopping 22 threes.

Taurean Prince, AJ Green, Bobby Portis, Gary Trent Jr. and even Andre Jackson Jr. looked like they were in the 3-point contest at NBA All-Star Weekend.

As for the Pistons’ offense, they played pretty well thanks to a balanced attack.

Led by Cade Cunningham’s 23 points, Jalen Duren (11), Tim Hardaway Jr. (15) and Tobias Harris (16) all scored in double figures. Duren, in particular, has really struggled with the Bucks and having to guard Giannis. He fared well tonight and has played well lately.

Normally a reliable defender against a guy like Giannis, Isaiah Stewart was a non-factor tonight. He scored nine but he fouled out in the third quarter.

Malik Beasley had one of those rough nights he’s prone to having after torching his former team the last time they faced off. I mean, it’s hard to get your ass kicked when you shoot 50% from the field and over 40% from three most of the night.

The Pistons found a way.

I’m not sure what this says about them. Maybe nothing.

They’re an improved team, but they’re far from the Bucks — who are still lightyears more talented and capable than their 10-9 record lets on. I think Detroit is still short on defensive talent, and that shows in games against teams like this.

A large part of being a good defensive team is effort. The less defensive personnel you have, the harder you have to play on that end. This team struggles with balancing the effort on both ends. That’s not acceptable, but it’s at least understandable.

I think the Bucks are a team that exposes another weak spot: Secondary ball handling. Cade really has to work to get to his spots against the Bucks length and size. Jaden Ivey is fine as a secondary ball handler, but his dynamic ability as the primary guy doesn’t translate.

Outside of them, you’re left with guys who you’d rather not handle the ball extensively. Detroit would be so much better if they had a big wing who could hit some shots, defend and handle the ball respectably.

And hey, before you type that comment: I know, 80% of the NBA wants that guy.

I keep waiting for Ausar Thompson’s minutes to rise and for his fitness to get back to normal. I think he can cure a lot of what ails that starting lineup — defending, hitting some open shots (Vinson effect!) and defending like a demon — he’s just not ready right now.

It sucks that the Pistons aren’t moving on. I was excited for this game and it would have been really fun to see them head to Vegas and replicate what the Indiana Pacers did last season.

Maybe this NBA Cup isn’t as silly as we thought it was when it started last year?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

On November 8th, Milwaukee’s music scene lost an icon in hip hop pioneer Twan Mack. The sudden loss sent a shockwave through not only the city’s hip hop community, but the greater Milwaukee area as a whole and far beyond. Tributes poured in from all over, including the Milwaukee Bucks, and as far away as New York, Europe and Japan. On January 11th, that community will come together again, not to mourn, but to celebrate his life.

“The Sound of Kareem City” is a free tribute event that will be held at The Cooperage (822 S. Water St.) from 3 p.m.-close, honoring the self-proclaimed champion of “Adult Contemporary Hip Hop,” with more than 25 acts set to take the stage throughout the night. The list includes several artists with close ties to Mack’s four-decade long career, featuring fellow Kali Tribe co-founder King Kamonzi, Kareem City bandmate Dame Ellzey, legendary DJ Doc B, the Rusty P’s, and many, many more. 

While the event is free, donations and merchandise sales from the night will go directly to assisting Mack’s mother, of whom the emcee was a primary caretaker. For those who cannot make the event in person, a GoFundMe was established in the wake of Mack’s passing, to cover funeral expenses and the immediate needs of his mother. You can donate to that here.

Twan Mack was an artist that helped co-found Kali Tribe, the first hip hop group from Milwaukee to have a video played on BET in the early ‘90s. He would go on to reinvent his sound, ultimately championing “Adult Contemporary Hip Hop” around the world, including performances at Summerfest, and supporting longtime friend Todd “Speech” Thomas and legendary hip hop act Arrested Development in Europe and Asia. He passed suddenly from heart complications at age 54.

While many in the Milwaukee hip hop community have not felt “Marvelous” since his passing, the January event will look to bring people together once again, championing the positivity that Twan Mack instilled upon every crowd member and artist that he crossed paths with.

MILWAUKEE – A 31-year-old Milwaukee man has been criminally charged in connection to a homicide that occurred on Saturday, Nov. 23. The victim was found dead in an alley on Milwaukee’s south side. 

The accused, Joshua Santos, is charged with one count of first degree intentional homicide.   

According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police were dispatched to the area of 8th and Becher around 7:30 a.m. for reports of a subject down in an alley. The 911 caller indicated that there was a woman lying in the alley and that it looked like she’d “been dumped there,” the complaint states.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Officer determined the cause of death as probable asphyxia due to strangulation, per the complaint. 

Detectives recovered security footage from the alleyway. This video captured a light green or light gray sedan, believed to be a Lexus ES sedan. Officials were able to track down the vehicle using the license plate reader database. When authorities arrived at the listed address, they located the 2003 Lexus ES Sedan parked outside.

Per the complaint, the owner of the vehicle told detectives that on Nov. 22 she let a friend of hers known as “Josh Santos” use the vehicle. She stated that Santos dropped her off at work at 2 p.m. on Nov. 22 and then picked her up again in her Lexus that same day at approximately 11 p.m. 

She claims as she exited work on Nov. 22 and went to her vehicle, Santos was in the back seat, with another person she believed to be a female. The vehicle owner indicated that the female was covered by a blanket – and that she smelled a strong odor coming from the back seat. Santos allegedly told her that someone had thrown up in the back seat, court filings say. 

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The owner of the Lexus told investigators she did not see the person under the blanket move or get out of the vehicle at any time.

The owner of the Lexus stated they eventually drove to her residence and remained there until 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. on Nov. 23. She stated when they arrived at her house, the female was still in the back seat, fully covered with a blanket – and that she remained in the car underneath the blanket the whole time they were at her residence. She told investigators she thought the female was just drunk.

The owner of the Lexus claims that between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Nov. 23, Santos stated to her “let’s get ready to go”. The woman stated she got up and they both re-entered the Lexus. Once inside the vehicle, the woman claims she reached back and touched the female and found her to be still, “hard to the touch” and cold, according to the criminal complaint. 

The woman stated she began to drive and followed Santos’ directions going in and out of numerous alleys on the south side of Milwaukee. She stated that while driving in one of the alleys, Santos climbed through the car to the back seat and ordered her to stop the vehicle. The vehicle owner stated Santos then opened the rear door to the vehicle and physically pushed the female out of the car and into the alley. 

According to the complaint, the vehicle owner told detectives that she and Santos then went to a Dollar Tree where she bought “Spick and Span” cleaner and towels. She stated that she and Santos then spent 15 to 20 minutes cleaning the feces and blood out of the car. She stated that Santos did not tell her much about the female, and that “all he told me was, sorry,” the complaint states. 

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After cleaning out her vehicle, she claims she drove Santos to the bus stop at the intersection of Kinnickinnic Avenue and Oklahoma Avenue, where she dropped him off and he exited her vehicle.

In custody

Per the complaint, during an interview with investigators, Santos admitted to killing the victim and dumping her body in an alley. He allegedly told detectives that while driving his friend’s car, he decided he wanted to get some cocaine and drove to the area of 18th and Greenfield on Nov. 22. Santos stated that a woman got into his car at that location, and that she had the “hook up” for drugs and that they needed to find her supplier. They allegedly drove around Greenfield until they found a van and the woman got $40 worth of crack and cocaine. 

Santos told detectives that he snorted the cocaine and the woman smoked the crack cocaine. Santos stated that the reason that he went to this woman is because prostitutes always know where to get drugs, according to the complaint. 

Santos told investigators that the woman then became angry, and was acting weird and wanted “more drugs, more money, more everything,” per the complaint. 

Court filings say Santos stated that he sometimes sees and hears things and that his head was “weird” during that time with the woman. He said something in him “snapped” and he admitted to strangling the victim with a belt. Santos allegedly told detectives he strangled the victim to “get her to shut up, stop asking for stuff” but stated he doesn’t really know and doesn’t really remember why he did it, per the complaint. 

Initial appearance

Santos made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Sunday, Dec. 1. Cash bond was set at $350,000. The court also ordered a competency examination for Santos.