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.

The Milwaukee Police Department has a hiring problem.

It can’t find enough recruits to offset retirements and the departure of others. 

Ald. Lamont Westmoreland, who represents the 5th District on the city’s Northwest Side, said residents are feeling the impact.

“Lack of police presence, long wait times on calls, all tied back to the lack of sworn officers that MPD has,” Westmoreland said.

Leon Todd, executive director of the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission, which has primary responsibility in the city for recruiting, testing and hiring new officers, agrees.

“Having more officers and growing the size of MPD will do a host of things to improve public safety,” he said. “Shorter response times, higher clearance rates, more proactive time for officers to do follow up or investigative work and have greater visibility and engagement opportunities in the community all drive down crime in various ways.”

In 2023, the Milwaukee Fire and Police Academy graduated 101 new police officers, while the Milwaukee Police Department lost 112 officers to retirement, resignation or termination, Westmoreland said.

The pace of recruitment is slow again this year, with departures of officers once again outpacing new police cadets.

The city also risks missing mandates that require beefing up the number of police officers in the city as part of the Act 12 Wisconsin funding law or face millions in fines. Act 12 created avenues to implement local sales taxes as a way to pump more money into the budget and offset spiraling costs.