Milwaukee Bucks: Looking back at playoff history against Detroit Pistons

2006

The Bucks fall 4-1 to the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs

The fourth and most recent playoff clash between the Bucks and the Pistons occurred during the 2005-06 season.

Many of the pieces changed for Milwaukee over the last two years between meetings in the NBA’s second season, including at head coach as Terry Stotts was put in place during the summer of 2005. But Redd continued to lead the charge for the Bucks as he continued his ascent as an incredibly gifted scorer. Averaging 25.4 points per game on shooting splits of .450/.395/.877, he was a vital reason for why the Bucks grabbed the eighth seed in the East with a 40-42 record.

Meanwhile, the Pistons had taken on the mantle of the best team in the NBA that season by tallying their winningest season in franchise history under the late Flip Saunders at 64-18. Their patented starting five at that point in their run in the decade, while inching towards the back half of their respective careers, still stood as an incredibly well-oiled machine.

Much like their previous series, the Pistons stifled the Bucks’ offense in Game 1 in a 92-74 win on their home floor at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Game 2 proved to be better for the Bucks offensively, but the Pistons faced no trouble as they beat the Bucks 109-98 to put the series at 2-0.

Then came the Bucks’ moment of playoff glory that year in Game 3 when, thanks to a 40-point performance from Redd, they overwhelmed the Pistons in a 124-104 blowout victory. But it all proved to be fleeting, despite Redd putting up a similar scoring night with 33 points, as the Pistons turned the tide in the fourth quarter of Game 4 and to take a 109-99 win.

Detroit finally closed out the series in Game 5 by roundly dispatching the Bucks in a 122-93 victory that helped them move on to the Conference Semifinals in the East. From there, the Pistons edged past the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games before they fell to that year’s eventual NBA champion in the Miami Heat in six games during the Conference Finals.

With our trip down memory lane now complete, we’ll have to wait and see what awaits in the latest installment in the Bucks’ playoff history with the Pistons.