Detroit Pistons Reveal New Starting Lineup vs Milwaukee Bucks
On the second night of a back-to-back, the Detroit Pistons are forced with the decision to roll out a new starting lineup against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
Heading into the matchup, the Pistons have quite a few injuries they are dealing with, and the situation was sure to shake up the starting five.
To no surprise, the veteran forward Tim Hardaway Jr. is getting the night off. During Tuesday night’s game against the Miami Heat, Hardaway suffered a head injury. He was wheeled off the court as he struggled to get up walk off without assistance.
The Pistons listed Hardaway’s diagnosis as a head laceration. It’s unclear just how much time Hardaway will miss, but he’ll get the night off against Milwaukee.
Detroit placed another surprising name on the injury report, adding Jaden Ivey to the mix. As he deals with a sprained toe, Ivey will get the night off in Milwaukee.
And if the Pistons thought they might give Simone Fontecchio a bump into the starting five, that idea went out the window. As Fontecchio also deals with a toe sprain, he’s been ruled out for the night.
For the second time this season, the Pistons will be rolling out a new starting five. Last week, Isaiah Stewart landed a promotion in the absence of the veteran big man Jalen Duren, who was recovering from a sprained ankle.
On Wednesday night, JB Bickerstaff will be replacing a couple of names for the night in Milwaukee.
Detroit Pistons’ Starting Lineup vs. Bucks
- Cade Cunningham
- Malik Beasley
- Tobias Harris
- Ron Holland
- Jalen Duren
Starting alongside another center would be nothing new for Isaiah Stewart. Last year, the veteran played power forward and collected 45 starts out of the 46 games he played. Stewart found plenty of offensive success, producing 11 points per game on 49 percent shooting. He showed off his range, knocking down 38 percent of his threes.
However, Bickerstaff wants to resume the same role for Stewart, as he's been thriving at center off the bench. With that decision comes the first start for the rookie, Ron Holland. The 2024 fifth-overall pick has averaged six points and three rebounds through his first 12 games. Holland has stood out defensively and is growing his offensive value in each matchup.
Beasley doesn’t have any starting experience in Detroit beyond the preseason, but the seasoned pro has 191 starts under his belt elsewhere. In fact, 77 of his career starts came with the Bucks just last year. Beasley produced 11 points on 41 percent shooting from three in a Bucks uniform last season. Coming off the bench for the Pistons, Beasley has produced 13 points per game on 36 percent shooting from three.
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