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Bucks return home, play host to Pistons

Feb 9, 2013 - 3:59 PM (Sports Network) - Following an unsuccessful trip out west, the Milwaukee Bucks are back home for three straight games and will host the Central rival Detroit Pistons Saturday at the Bradley Center.

The Bucks dropped games in Denver and Utah, and suffered a 100-86 setback to the Jazz on Wednesday. Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova scored 17 points, while Samuel Dalembert posted his second straight double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Dalembert had 35 points and 12 rebounds against the Nuggets.

"They just dominated us in the paint," Bucks coach Jim Boylan said of the Jazz. "Our guys battled, but they are a physical team. That's their strength. They took advantage of it."

Bucks center Larry Sanders, the NBA's leading shot blocker with 3.16 bpg, did not play due to a back injury. Sanders, who has at least one block in 33 straight games, is listed as questionable Saturday. Milwaukee forward Luc Mbah a Moute (knee) is also questionable versus the Pistons.

Milwaukee has dropped four of five games and will also entertain Washington and Philadelphia in Brew City. It is 13-10 as the host this season.

Detroit cooled off the surging San Antonio Spurs with Friday's 119-109 victory at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Pistons young center Greg Monroe led the charge with his fifth double-double in a row, posting 26 points and 16 rebounds. Brandon Knight posted 24 points and Charlie Villanueva netted 21 off the bench for the Pistons, who ended a three-game slide and halted the Spurs' 11-game win streak.

The Pistons grabbed a 31-23 lead after the first 12 minutes and scored 30-plus points in each of the first three quarters.

"I thought to begin the game we had a great rhythm and flow, outside of maybe two of the first eight possessions, of just really working everything we did," Detroit coach Lawrence Frank said. "Whether it was in transition working our offense, or really getting quality shots and great ball movement, and just not settling for first option opportunities."

Detroit, which is just 5-18 away from home, will return to The Palace on Monday for a three-game homestand.

The Pistons learned that promising rookie Andre Drummond will miss four to six weeks because of a back injury.

"Injuries are a part of the game. This is a contact sport. Obviously we feel very bad for Andre, but he's 19 and he'll recover," Frank said. "He'll be fine. No one wants to get injured. It's one of those things in the course of it that you take it and any sort of negative situation, and you turn it into a positive."

Monroe feels he will get even more minutes with Drummond out.

"Andre is out for a while now, so I expect I'll play a lot more minutes, but tonight was a good team win," Monroe said.

Detroit is 2-1 against Milwaukee this season.