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Pistons vs. Bucks: Detroit eliminated from NBA Cup with blowout loss to Milwaukee

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Pistons vs. Bucks: Detroit eliminated from NBA Cup with blowout loss to Milwaukee


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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.



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Milwaukee, WI

Gun violence down across state, including Milwaukee, report says | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

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Gun violence down across state, including Milwaukee, report says | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service



Friends and family of Nelson Manuel Lopez Correa, a 15-year-old boy who was shot and killed on the South Side on Oct. 28, created a memorial in his honor. An Americans for Progress report found that shootings are down nearly 20% this year in Milwaukee. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)

Gun violence homicides dropped by nearly 17% in Wisconsin over the first eight months of 2024 compared to the same time period in 2023, according to a report by the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan policy institute.

The report, released in September, also found that gun violence victimizations, defined as all firearm-related injuries and deaths, dropped in Milwaukee nearly 20% over that same time period.

“I think this decrease is happening for a number of reasons, but one is due to community violence intervention measures that are working,” said Nicholas Matuszewski, executive director of Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, a statewide grassroots organization.

Local violence intervention efforts include 414 Life, a violence interruption program; and Project Ujima, which provides services to families and children who’ve been impacted by violence.

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In addition, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley announced in late October the launch of the national gun violence program, “Advance Peace.”

“Advance Peace is an investment in solutions to decreasing gun violence that will help ensure Milwaukee County is a safe and healthy community where families and children can thrive,” Crowley said in a news release announcing the program.

‘Numbers are dropping’

Matuszewski said Milwaukee and the state are national leaders in community violence intervention efforts, citing the work of the City of Milwaukee Office of Community Wellness and Safety and also programs supported statewide through Wisconsin Community Safety Fund grants.

The Wisconsin Community Safety Fund grants provided 10 organizations, including the Alma Center in Milwaukee, with $10.4 million in funding to reduce violence stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After the pandemic, we had a huge increase in gun ownership and gun purchases which naturally led to more gun violence,” Matuszewski said. “Those numbers are dropping now.”

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While many cities cited in the report have seen gun violence return or drop to pre-pandemic levels, Milwaukee is still on pace to experience more shootings this year than in 2019, the year before the pandemic.

According to data from the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission dashboard, there were 442 nonfatal shootings in 2019. Those numbers rose to more than 750 each year from 2020 to 2023. So far this year, the city has experienced 471 shootings, according to information on the dashboard. 

‘Too many shootings’

Travis Hope, a community activist who conducts street outreach on the South Side, said gun violence still occurs at an alarming rate in the city.

“Too many shootings are still happening and impacting families, communities, and especially young people,” Hope said.

According to data from the Milwaukee Police Department, there have been 119 homicides in the city so far this year, compared to 153 during the same time period in 2023 and 192 in 2022.

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The number of nonfatal shootings in Milwaukee also is down significantly, with 471 so far this year, compared to 769 at this time in 2023 and 788 in 2022.

Officials address drop in gun violence in Milwaukee

During a news conference discussing the reduction in shootings, among other crimes in the city, Mayor Cavalier Johnson cited the work of the Milwaukee Police Department as one reason for the drop in shootings and other crime this year.

“The work that they do is a big factor, a huge factor, in making Milwaukee safer,” he said.

Johnson said that in addition to law enforcement, intervention efforts have also been key in reducing crime.

“When we prevent a crime through intervention, that makes each and every one of us safer,” he said.

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Ashanti Hamilton, director of the Office of Community Safety and Wellness, said that while the decrease in homicides and nonfatal shootings is promising, more work needs to be done.

“Reducing violence is an ongoing process,” he said. “Sustainable change requires addressing the root causes of crime, and this means looking beyond the immediate crime reduction strategies and focusing on broader social, economic and systemic changes that contribute to violence.”


In case you missed it: Help wanted: Can the Milwaukee Police Department fix its hiring problem?





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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee's music scene will honor Twan Mack on January 11th

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Milwaukee's music scene will honor Twan Mack on January 11th


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.

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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.





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Milwaukee, WI

Help wanted: Can the Milwaukee Police Department fix its hiring problem? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

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Help wanted: Can the Milwaukee Police Department fix its hiring problem? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service



Officers conduct an investigation on the city’s South Side. (NNS file photo)
 

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.

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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.

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“I have no issue with the mandate because I do think that we need more officers on the streets,” Westmoreland said. “At the same time, you can’t force people to apply for the job.”

Recruitment challenges and efforts

Westmoreland said Milwaukee is among a number of urban cities that are facing similar hiring challenges, including competition from better paying suburban police departments with less dangerous work environments.

“We can’t use that as a crutch,” Westmoreland said. “We’ve got to be creative with the approach of recruitment.”

Todd said the Fire and Police Commission has made several adjustments over the past few years to find new police, including hiring two staff members dedicated to recruitment, participating in more community events and job fairs and ramping up marketing efforts to city residents.

“One of things we’ve tried to do is highlight the stories of officers to let residents know that they are people that care about the community and want to help make it safer,” Todd said.

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The commission also now accepts applications year-round instead of shorter windows of a few months. It also changed the testing process to allow for online entrance exams, eliminating additional barriers for applicants. 

Changes since pandemic and civil unrest

Kristine Rodriguez, a deputy for the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office who also supports recruitment efforts, said her organization faces similar challenges as MPD, especially since COVID and the George Floyd protests.

“Some of the things that happened during that time still resonate with people,” she said.

She said pay is also an issue, with suburban departments offering hiring bonuses and higher starting pays. They also work less hours sometimes, she said, as staffing shortages can result in mandatory overtime and less days off.

The current starting salary for recruits at MPD is $47,673.69 and increases to $63,564.75 upon graduation from the academy. Police officers can earn up to $84,743.87, while supervisors and other specialists can earn more.

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‘Under a microscope’

Another possible deterrent, Rodriguez said, is the scrutiny officers face nowadays.

“You’re under a microscope 24/7 and that might scare some candidates away,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said her department places a heavy emphasis on community engagement, cultural competency and mental health training and that its relationship with the community has improved. She said the job itself is extremely fulfilling.

“We know that our heart is in the right place, and that’s what makes the job the most rewarding is doing good for the community,” she said.

Others weigh in

Gregory Barachy, who’s worked for the Milwaukee Fire Department for 29 years, said he thinks that being a police officer is probably less desirable now because of the danger and the lack of accountability for those who commit crimes.

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“Crime is insane here, car theft is an epidemic along with the driving that goes with it,” Barachy said. “And then if you happen to arrest someone, they are released without penalty to do it again. Why would someone want to risk their lives for that?”

Barachy, who recently began a position with the Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative, said the fire department has also experienced a huge reduction in applicants.

“We only had a list of 250 this time, while 20 years ago the list was 10,000,” he said.

Carla Jones, whose partner was mistaken as a suspect and arrested by Brookfield police in November 2023, said she believes less people want to become police officers because of a lack of support they receive.

“Some of the main reasons people are joining law enforcement less and less is the lack of morale or real support officers are given,” Jones said. “They’re not doing that because they’re working on a reactive mentality.” 

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A call to disinvest

Devin Anderson is membership and campaign director for the African American Roundtable, which launched the Liberate MKE campaign in 2019 to push for divestment in law enforcement and more investment in community programming.

“In order to build a more just Milwaukee, we have to be moving money away from police and policing,” Anderson said. “We’d rather see fully funded libraries.”

Anderson said that residents want more safety, and that some view policing as the only way to achieve that. But, he said, creating a safer city requires addressing root causes of crime, which the police department doesn’t do.

“They respond after something happens,” Anderson said. “What people actually want is more investments in their neighborhood.”

Testing a challenge

Two years ago, Eddie Juarez-Perez saw an ad seeking new cadets for the Milwaukee Police Department.

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“I decided to answer the call for service,” he said.

Juarez-Perez applied and passed the background check, written and physical exam. But he failed a psychological exam taken by all potential recruits.

“They said I was deemed not suitable for the position,” Juarez-Perez said.

He isn’t giving up.

“I look at being a police officer as being a public servant,” Juarez-Perez said. “I love my city and want to help people have a good quality of life here.”

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Rodriguez said she’s been working to recruit more women involved in law enforcement. But some she said are unable to meet the physical requirements needed to join.

“I think that definitely is a barrier for a lot of women who don’t have upper body strength or have time to train,” she said.

MPD hosts fit camps and other support to help potential cadets meet physical and testing requirements to become an officer.

“We’re trying to give people the best opportunity to prepare and succeed,” Todd said.


For more information

The Fire and Police Commission is recruiting for its next academy cohort.

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