Schedule and 2005-06 Results
Regular Season Records: Detroit 64-18, Milwaukee 40-42
Game 1 on Sunday, 23 April: Milwaukee loses at Detroit, 92-pts-74
Game 2 on Wednesday, 26 April: Milwaukee loses at Detroit, 109-pts-98
Game 3 on Saturday, 29 April: Detroit loses at Milwaukee, 124-pts-104
Game 4 on Monday, 01 May: Detroit wins at Milwaukee, 109-pts-99
Game 5 on Wednesday, 03 May: Milwaukee loses at Detroit, 122-pts-93

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 5: The Detroit Pistons hosted and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 122-pts-93 to secure a 4-games-1 best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 972 victory. The best-of-7 NBA playoff series record for the Detroit Pistons is now 20-12, while that for the Milwaukee Bucks is 11-18. The Detroit Pistons now have an 8-0 series record and an 8-0 Game 5 record when leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-1. The win order for the victorious Detroit Pistons in series 972 was WWLWW: Series 972 thus becomes the eighth NBA Preliminary-round series, the 39th NBA series (all rounds), and the 83rd MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow this win order.

After Game 4: Taking a 3-games-1 lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 972, the Detroit Pistons visited and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 109-pts-99. Series 972 thus becomes the 18th best-of-7 NBA playoff series in which each of the first four games was decided by a victory margin in double digits. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-1, the Detroit Pistons have both a series record and a Game 5 record of 7-0. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-1, the Milwaukee Bucks have a series record of 0-7.

After Game 3: The Milwaukee Bucks hosted and defeated the Detroit Pistons 124-pts-104 to halve the Detroit best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 972 lead to 2-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-1, the Detroit Pistons have a series record of 12-1 with a 12-series winning streak; when trailing 2-games-1, the Milwaukee Bucks have a series record of 1-9 with a three-series losing streak.

After Game 2: The Detroit Pistons hosted and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 109-pts-98 in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 972 Game 2, thereby taking a 2-games-nil series 972 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-nil, the Detroit Pistons have a series record of 7-0. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-nil, the Milwaukee Bucks have a series record of 0-9. In the history of best-of-7 NBA playoff series from 1947 through 2005, teams winning Games 1 and 2 each by double-digit margins of victory (such as the Detroit Pistons) have a series record of 53-2 (.964).

After Game 1: The Detroit Pistons hosted and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 92-pts-74 in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 972 Game 1. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 1-game-nil, the Detroit Pistons have a series record of 16-3 with a 7-series winning streak. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 1-game-nil, the Milwaukee Bucks have a series record of 3-15 with a 6-series losing streak. In the history of best-of-7 NBA playoff series from 1947 through 2005, teams winning Game 1 by 18 points have a series record of 8-0.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2005-06 regular season, Detroit finished 24 games ahead of Milwaukee. Through the 2005 MLB Finals, when NBA teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by 24 regular-season games, they have posted a 2-0 (1.000) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 972 is the 29th best-of-7 playoff series for Milwaukee, and the 32nd for Detroit. In best-of-7 playoff series, Milwaukee has an 11-17 series record, a 0-2 Prelim-round series record, and a 10-18 Game 1 record, while Detroit has a 19-12 series record, a 3-0 Prelim-round record, and a 19-12 Game 1 record. Series 972 is the third NBA best-of-7 playoff meeting between Milwaukee and Detroit; Detroit won the first two such series.