Kings at Bucks
The Sacramento Kings are not off to a promising start on their five-game road trip and already guaranteed themselves a losing excursion by dropping the first three contests. The Kings will try to end the slide when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday in the first game of a back-to-back that finishes in Toronto on Sunday closing the trip.
Sacramento played six games in nine days to begin the regular season and is unable to get in much practice time with new coach Dave Joerger to correct some of the mistakes that keep cropping up. "I think it’s us (not) making simple plays,” Joerger told reporters. “You make the simple pass in the post, make a simple outlet, and the other team gets a dunk. There’s no reason to try for a home run play, and we continue to do that." The Kings are going to need to make some improvements on the defensive end during Friday's practice in order to keep up with the Bucks, who averaged 121 points in back-to-back wins. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way in both wins and continues to show off his wide range of talents.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN California (Sacramento), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE KINGS (2-4): DeMarcus Cousins remains a force in the middle and scored 33 points in Thursday's 102-94 loss at Orlando on 12-of-20 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the line. Cousins' most impressive feat was his ability to stay on the floor, only getting whistled for three personal fouls in the game after piling up 17 in the previous three contests. Cousins could use some help from the backcourt, specifically starting shooting guard Arron Afflalo, who managed three points on Thursday and scored in single digits in five of the first six contests.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (3-2): Antetokounmpo went for 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a 117-113 win at New Orleans on Tuesday and followed it up with 27 points, nine assists and seven boards in a 125-107 triumph over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. The "Greek Freak" is averaging 24 points on 53.3 percent shooting, 8.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists and two blocks in the first five contests. Antetokounmpo got more help on Thursday from another budding star in forward Jabari Parker, who scored a season-high 27 points and went 4-of-6 from 3-point range.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Kings PG Darren Collison will serve the final two games of his eight-game, league-imposed suspension this weekend and rejoin the team when it returns home on Tuesday.
2. Milwaukee C Greg Monroe posted his second double-double on Thursday with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
3. The teams took turns sweeping the two-game season series in recent years, with Sacramento taking both meetings last season.