Milwaukee Bucks beat Kings despite quiet night from NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Kings held their own defensively against reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Milwaukee Bucks aren’t just a one-man band.
Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe combined for 51 points, leading the Bucks to a 127-106 victory over the Kings on Friday night at Golden 1 Center.
Middleton posted 27 points and 11 rebounds for the Bucks (34-6), who have the best record in the NBA. Bledsoe scored 24 points. Antetokounmpo had a season-low 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
De’Aaron Fox nearly posted a triple-double for the Kings (15-24), who had won three of their last four games. Fox finished with 19 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
Harrison Barnes scored 19 points before leaving the game with an apparent leg injury late in the fourth quarter. Buddy Hield added 16 points.
Milwaukee staged a 12-2 run to take a 22-14 lead in the opening quarter. The Bucks pushed the lead to 16 at the end of the first quarter and went up by 18 midway through the second as Sacramento missed 12 of its first 13 3-point attempts, but the Kings wouldn’t quit. They mounted a 13-2 run to get within six and trailed 53-44 at the half.
The Kings carried that momentum into the second half, outscoring the Bucks 8-2 to start the third quarter. They took a 61-60 lead on a left hook by Harry Giles III and went up by three on another basket by Giles, but then the Bucks regained control, outscoring the Kings 20-3 over a span of 3:32 to take a commanding 80-66 lead.
Still sidelined
Guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, forward Marvin Bagley III and center Richaun Holmes were all sidelined due to injuries again Friday.
Bogdanovic missed his fourth consecutive game due to right ankle soreness. Bagley has missed the past eight games with a sprained left foot. Holmes has missed the past two games with a strained right shoulder.
Giles started his second game in a row at center in place of Holmes. Dewayne Dedmon, who had fallen out of the rotation completely and recently requested a trade, came off the bench to log extended minutes again after posting a double-double in Tuesday’s win over the Phoenix Suns.
Bagley back soon
Kings coach Luke Walton said Bagley should be ready to return for Monday’s game against the Orlando Magic.
Bagley was a full participant in practice Thursday and went through 3-on-3 drills before Friday’s game, but the team’s medical staff ultimately ruled him out.
“I was waiting to hear from the training staff today and they just said, ‘It’s a no-go tonight,’” Walton said before the game. “… We have two practices coming up this weekend before we play again, so I would assume that (with) two solid practices he’ll be ready for Monday’s game.”
Kings upcoming schedule
Jan. 13 vs. Orlando, 7 p.m.
Jan. 15 vs. Dallas Mavericks
Jan. 18 at Utah, 6 p.m.
Jan. 20 at Miami, 2 p.m.
Jan. 22 at Detroit, 4 p.m.
This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 9:21 PM.
