Bucks at Kings
The Milwaukee Bucks are the owners of the best record in the NBA and a five-game winning streak as they get set to tackle the West Coast portion of a five-game road trip. The Bucks will begin their stretch of four games against Western Conference teams when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
Milwaukee earned a 117-106 victory at Chicago on Monday to begin the trip despite superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting out to rest a sore knee. "I've been saying it all year, we have a great team," guard Pat Connaughton told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I think some people overlook the amount of depth we have because they're not necessarily quote-unquote names. It's guys that are making names for themselves. If you look at our roster, I think everybody's contributed at some point in time to help us get to the best record in the NBA." The Kings are fighting for a playoff spot in the West and return home after going 1-3 on a four-game road trip, capped by a 112-105 setback at Minnesota on Monday. Sacramento fell to the top two teams in the west - Golden State and Denver - by a total of four points to begin the trip and knocked off third-place Oklahoma City before suffering a letdown against the Timberwolves.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), NBCS California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (46-14): Antetokounmpo, who averages 27.2 points on 58.1 percent shooting, 12.7 rebounds and six assists, is not expected to miss extended time and is traveling with the team. All-Star swingman Khris Middleton and guard Malcolm Brogdon each scored 22 points to lead the way on Monday while center Brook Lopez anchored the defensive end with five blocks. "It's all about feel," Brogdon told reporters. "Me and Khris started off slow, but we're guys that think the game first. We're just trying to figure out how we can get to our spots, how we can get each other going, but also how we can get ourselves going."
ABOUT THE KINGS (31-29): Shooting guard Buddy Hield leads the Kings in scoring at an average of 20.7 points and scored 34 to key the 119-116 win over the Thunder on Saturday but was left on the bench for the final five minutes of Monday's setback. "I'm a competitor. I always want to be on the court," Hield told reporters. "That's what I do, man. We all make mistakes out there. We aren't perfect. ... Everybody knows what I can do, and everybody knows what I bring to the table. Yeah, it's hard. I'm not going to lie to you. It's hard to watch." Coach Dave Joerger suggested that the benching had something to do with Hield's five turnovers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lopez is 9-of-46 from 3-point range over the last six games.
2. Sacramento rookie PF Marvin Bagley III recorded a double-double in each of the last three games.
3. Milwaukee stretched its winning streak in the series to five straight with a 144-109 home win on Nov. 4.