Australian Thon Maker has produced the breakout NBA performance his rookie season promised, leading Milwaukee to a crucial 108-105 overtime victory over Detroit.
Logging 25 minutes, Maker poured in a career-high 23 points on 9-12 shooting including 4-7 from long-range as the Bucks moved to fifth spot in the Eastern Conference and within sight of the playoffs.
His offensive output almost doubled his previous best of 12 points but it was a crucial tap back on an offensive rebound that may have been his most telling play.
With scores tied at 102 and 40 seconds left on the clock, Khris Middleton missed a three-pointer only for Maker to rise and tap the rebound back to him. He he didn't miss the chance to make amends.
"I don't think we could have played any harder," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told AP.
"Some of their key guys really played well but the difference really came down to Thon Maker. He was a difference in the game."
Said Maker said of his crucial play in the dying stages: "That goes back to a few games ago when our (coaches) were telling me to do that.
"You've just got to tip it back, you can't always grab it. Just playing to win."
Maker scored five points in overtime, nailing a three-pointer with less than two minutes left to put the Bucks ahead 102-99.
He heeded the advice of superstar teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo - who almost had a triple-double himself with 28 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists - delivered in the break before the overtime period.
"If you hesitate I'm going to punch you, so shoot the ball whenever you get it," Antetokounmpo told the Journal Sentinel of what he said to Maker.
"He brings energy, rebounds the ball, runs the floor. He does a little bit of everything."
The win closed out a tremendous March for the Bucks, who went 14-4 for the month and are now a half-game ahead of sixth-placed Atlanta in the Eastern Conference but more crucially, four wins ahead of ninth-placed Chicago.
Maker started all 18 of those games and was given double-figure minutes in 11 of them but Friday was the first time he played more than 14 minutes.
"He picked up his teammates," Bucks coach Jason Kidd told the Journal Sentinel of Maker.
"He took advantage of his minutes. ... He did a lot of the little things but I thought, again, he shot the ball when he was open and he made plays on the defensive end."
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