However, the game came against the Milwaukee Bucks, who have owned the Pistons over the previous three seasons. The Bucks maintained their dominance, sending the Pistons to a 128-107 loss. Detroit suffered its 11th straight loss to the Bucks (11-9) and was eliminated from the In-Season Tournament, as the Bucks won East Group B.

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said postgame that his team was “exhausted” because of travel delays and that they played an NBA Cup game the night before. Since its inception a year ago, the NBA Cup has bred a different sense of urgency from players, especially considering each of them on the winning team earned $500,000 last season.

They had the same 3-0 record in NBA Cup play, but the gulf between the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night was ever so wide.