Bucks at Kings
The pattern is several steps forward and several steps back for the Sacramento Kings, who are riding the downside of that wave at the moment. The Kings will try to turn things around at home and snap a four-game slide when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
Sacramento ripped off five straight wins to jump into the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference before the current slide, during which they are surrendering an average of 119 points. All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins was hobbled by an ankle injury in Saturday’s loss at Memphis, and his shooting touch seems to have abandoned him over the last three contests. The Bucks are not playing their best basketball of late as well - four losses in five games - and are opening a three-game road trip with the Kings. Milwaukee went 2-6 on the road in January and is 7-21 away from home on the season.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (20-29): Milwaukee can usually count on 21-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo to provide some highlights even in a losing effort, and the “Greek Freak” delivered 28 points, six assists, three steals and two blocks in Friday’s 107-103 loss to the Miami Heat. “My teammates and my coaches make me more comfortable every day,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “When I have a (good) game going, they’re always looking for me. I felt like I had a game going (on Friday) and I felt I could make plays.” Antetokounmpo is not immune to the inconsistencies all of his young teammates seem to face and posted that effort against the Heat after managing seven points on 2-of-10 shooting in a loss at Memphis on Thursday.
ABOUT THE KINGS (20-27): Cousins went 3-of-17 from the field on Saturday before leaving the game for good in the fourth quarter due to the ankle injury. Cousins went for a franchise-record 56 points in a 129-126 loss to Charlotte on Jan. 25 but followed that up with an average of 20 points on 29 percent shooting in the last three contests and lamented the whole team’s effort on Saturday. “We come out and the effort isn’t there, the energy isn’t there early in games.” Cousins, who is day-to-day, told reporters. “We kind of allow teams to do what they want throughout the game and then we realize we’re down 20 and try to turn it on.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Kings PG Rajon Rondo had a string of 14 straight games with at least 10 assists come to an end when he posted eight on Saturday.
2. Bucks C Greg Monroe has scored over 20 points in five straight games.
3. Rudy Gay put up 36 points to lead Sacramento to a 129-118 victory at Milwaukee in a game Cousins missed on Nov. 25.