2019 NBA Playoffs: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Detroit Pistons preview

The Milwaukee Bucks take on the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs. Here is a look at how the series breaks down.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been the league’s best team for nearly the entire season, securing the best record not only in the Eastern Conference but in the entire 2019 NBA playoff field. They will take on the Detroit Pistons, a team whose playoff chances took wild swings throughout the season but who ultimately made it into the field.

Milwaukee finishes the season with a record of 60-22, the best in the league by two games. Not simply a lucky team, the Bucks’ net rating of +8.9 is the best mark of any team in the league over the past two years. Led by MVP favorite Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have their sights set on a trip to the NBA Finals.

On the other side, the Detroit Pistons fought their way to a 41-41 record, avoiding the ignominious feat of making the postseason with a losing record. Behind an All-NBA-level campaign from Blake Griffin, the Pistons made the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and only the second time since 2009.

These two teams faced each other four times during the season, with Milwaukee sweeping the season series. The average margin of victory for the Bucks was 14.5 points, blowing out the Pistons at home and winning closer games in Motor City. While the Bucks led the league in net rating, the Pistons come into the playoffs with a -0.2 rating — dead-last in the 16-team playoff field.

Their first round matchup kicks off Sunday night in Milwaukee, when the Pistons hope their collection of ill-fitting parts can come together to push a Bucks team that has looked unstoppable all season. Do the Pistons have a chance at pulling off the ever-so-rare 1-8 upset?

Here’s a look at the key matchup, three important questions and our final prediction for the series.