MILWAUKEE _ Start Luke Kennard. Check.
Play with more energy and force. Check.
Limit turnovers. (Mostly) check.
But without their best player, the Detroit Pistons still didn't have a chance against the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks.
After the Pistons took a one-point halftime lead, the Bucks quickly regained control in the third quarter on the way to a 120-99 victory to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round best-of-seven series.
After two blowout losses at Fiserv Forum, Game 3 is Saturday at Little Caesars Arena.
Pistons All-Star Blake Griffin was out again with a sore left knee.
Griffin might not have been much help with the Bucks' Big 3 of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton combining for 77 points on 29-for-52 shooting.
Antetokounmpo finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, scoring 16 points in the second half.
The Pistons have struggled containing Bledsoe all season, and he scored 27 points on 11-for-19 shooting.
Middleton, the Pistons' 2012 second-round pick, scored 24 points.
The Bucks held the Pistons to 40 points in the second half, and forced six turnovers in the fourth quarter.
Kennard led the Pistons with 19 points and Reggie Jackson added 18 points.
Andre Drummond scored 18 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.
Griffin earned his second technical foul of the series _ despite not playing a minute.
