Rod Beard| The Detroit News
The Pistons’ injury list is getting full, just eight games into the season.
After the news that rookie point guard Killian Hayes will be out indefinitely because of a torn labrum in his right hip, the Pistons took another hit, with Derrick Rose leaving late in the first half of Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The outcome of the game wasn’t much better, with the Bucks cruising to a 130-115 victory at Fiserv Forum, their ninth straight regular-season meeting against the Pistons.
BOX SCORE: Milwaukee 130, Detroit 115
Rose’s injury was deemed a right knee contusion.
Jerami Grant had a career-high 31 points and nine rebounds, continuing his streak of 20-plus points in every game in the regular season. Saddiq Bey added his first double-double, with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Wayne Ellington 12 points for the Pistons (1-7).
Pistons rookie guard Saben Lee on his NBA debut
The Pistons gave rookie second-round draft pick Saben Lee an opportunity for his first NBA minutes on Wednesday.
The Bucks (5-3) led the entire game, catapulting to a 12-2 lead in the first three minutes, making five of their first six field goals.
“We didn’t have the appropriate approach to start the game or start the third quarter, and that was concerning to the rest of the game,” coach Dwane Casey said. “We outscored them after those two starts.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo (25 points) had a pair of baskets, including a three-point play, in the opening flurry. He added a jumper and then a 3-pointer, outscoring the Pistons, 9-7, in the first four-plus minutes.
The Pistons, playing without starters Josh Jackson and Hayes, trimmed the lead to 27-25 after a floater by Rose (10 points) and the first of Bey’s six 3-pointers, which tied a franchise rookie record.
Pistons’ Saddiq Bey on career-high 20 points
Pistons forward Saddiq Bey talks about his career-high 20 points against the Bucks in 130-115 loss in Milwaukee.
“I’m really happy for Saddiq, the way he shot the ball, plus he had 10 rebounds too, which is a solid all-around game for a rookie,” Casey said. “I’ll take that from a veteran player.”
The Bucks finished the first quarter on a 15-8 run, including a putback dunk by Bobby Portis (16 points and 11 rebounds) to end the quarter with a 44-33 lead.
In the second quarter, the Bucks kept rolling, with a 10-5 start, before Grant scored four straight points, but Jordan Nwora had back-to-back 3-pointers to help push the lead. The Bucks kept pressing, getting to an 82-56 lead at halftime and coasting in the second half.
Rod.Beard@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard