Their NBA Cup journey came to an end in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night with a 114-109 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. In defeat, though, they showed everyone -- themselves, the Bucks, the general NBA-watching public -- that they will be a problem when the real tournament,

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 28 points and Damian Lillard had 27, lifting the surging Milwaukee Bucks to a 128-107 win over the Detroit Pistons and into the NBA Cup quarterfinals.

The Bucks lost in last season’s semifinals to the Indiana Pacers, a memory that was fresh in the mind of Lillard. “We didn’t have the greatest of experience there last year,” the 34-year-old said after the victory. “So, I think all of us are thinking, going back and finishing what we started last year and doing it right this time.”