Pat Connaughton saved 10 of his career-high 43 points for overtime, Kyle Kuzma chipped in with 22 in just 12 minutes and the Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the visiting Detroit Pistons 140-133 on Sunday afternoon in a meaningless regular-season finale that took a back seat to Malik Beasley’s pursuit of the NBA’s 3-point crown.
The Pistons’ Beasley, who began the day with 312 3-pointers, one fewer than league leader Anthony Edwards, buried seven of 11 attempts from deep in just 19 minutes to move ahead by six. However, Edwards hit seven 3-pointers to take the title 320-319 in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ win over Utah Jazz.
Beasley finished with a team-high 23 points. The seven 3-pointers equaled his third-most this season.
The Pistons (44-38) entered the game locked into sixth playoff position in the East, where they will take on the third-seeded New York Knicks. They rested regular starters Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart and Ausar Thompson in the rematch of a game they lost 125-119 Friday at home.
Likewise, the Bucks (48-34) knew beforehand that they’d finish fifth in the East and draw the No. 4 Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. They sat out Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, as well as Damian Lillard, who hopes to return from a calf injury in time for the postseason.
With mostly reserves on the court, the Pistons used a 37-point third quarter to erase most of an early 22-point deficit and set up a tight finish that featured Detroit’s Lindy Waters III connecting on a pair of 3-pointers in the final 14.2 seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime.
Fouled shooting a 3-pointer, Connaughton opened the extra session by making two of three free throws to give the Bucks a lead they never relinquished en route to an eighth consecutive win.
Connaughton also found time for a game-high 11 rebounds for the Bucks. Tyler Smith went for a career-high 20 points and Pete Nance added a career-high 19. Jamaree Bouyea also recorded career-highs in points with 15 and assists with a team-high seven.
Waters backed Beasley for the Pistons with 18 points, all coming on 3-pointers, as Detroit wrapped up the regular season with four losses in its last five games. Marcus Sasser also had 18 points to complement a game-high 10 assists. Simone Fontecchio and Bobi Klintman added 15 points apiece, with Klintman’s total marking a career-high to go with a career-high six assists.
Tolu Smith aided the Detroit cause with 14 points and a team-high eight rebounds in his NBA debut, while Paul Reed had eight points, six rebounds and a career-high-tying five assists.
–Field Level Media
