In perhaps their best showing of their early 2024-25 campaign, an electric Sacramento Kings offense sparked a 135-133 win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.Headed into Fiserv Forum on Sunday night with a 1-4 record, the Kings needed to regain their footing. There’s nothing quite like four players recording 20+ points in a win over an MVP candidate to do just that.Zach LaVine led all scorers with 31 points. DeMar DeRozan poured in 29 points. Domantas Sabonis and Dennis Schroder had a wide impact, but also added 24 points each.Thirty assists on 45 made baskets and 40 free-throw attempts were a tasty recipe for the Kings. Milwaukee going just 20/31 from the line certainly helped too.But overcoming an early deficit against a top-caliber team, and shooting 51.7 percent in the process, could bode well for this group’s confidence moving forward.Kings @ Bucks Game NotesStill without Keegan Murray, Kings head coach Doug Christie elected to roll out a larger starting lineup as undrafted rookie big Dylan Cardwell started alongside Domantas Sabonis.Milwaukee’s size, presumably, factored into the decision, as you may remember, previous coach Mike Brown started Alex Len alongside Sabonis against the Bucks.Cardwell was out there to protect the rim and put pressure on the glass, but their offense struggled early.Milwaukee’s home crowd was given plenty to cheer for early, as their team jumped out to a 15-2 start in a blink.Antetokounmpo saw double-teams, but Sacramento lacked urgency on their coverages and subsequent rotations, allowing the Bucks to begin the night 5/5 from the field with three triples.Halfway through the game, Christie subbed rookie for rookie as Maxime Raynaud replaced Cardwell for a brief stretch. Bobby Portis Jr. attacked the second-rounder seemingly every time down the floor.Portis and Sabonis got face-to-face in the opening quarter, with Portis being awarded a technical foul. A fan favorite with the Bucks, “Bobby” chants rang out, but the Kings were getting a necessary free throw and a moment to reset the momentum in their favor.By the time Antetokounmpo sat, his team held a 37-23 lead. But the Kings used that timing to recover their early deficit. A Taurean Prince triple at the buzzer left the scoreboard reading 47-36 Bucks at the end of one.Portis, Ryan Rollins, and Cole Anthony kept their side afloat, but the Kings found their way to the free-throw line at their highest rate of the season.Their paint touches also allowed sprays out to shooters, where they were knocking them down. Milwaukee’s scorching shooting start had halted, while LaVine, DeRozan, Schroder, and Westbrook never let off the gas.A catch-and-shoot triple from LaVine gave Sacramento its first tie since 0-0 with seconds remaining in the half. Trailing 72-70 after a 15-point deficit was encouraging for the Kings, showing the fight that Christie constantly preaches.DeRozan (19) and LaVine (18) combined for 37 points. The Kings assisted on 17 of their 26 field goals while managing 14/16 from the free-throw line.Headed into the third, Westbrook was featured in the first unit over Cardwell, who logged all of his five minutes in his opening stint.After trading blows to start, their offensive rhythm reappeared en route to a 13-0 run for Sacramento. It was some of the most cohesive basketball they’ve shown all season, consistently blowing by their perimeter defenders to generate paint touches.The “true point” role GM Scott Perry envisioned when signing the veteran this offseason was on full display. Sabonis can be a unique talent to play alongside, but he seems to have a growing chemistry with Sabonis (as does LaVine).Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers adjusted to a 2-3 zone, a defensive strategy that multiple teams have already employed against the subpar shooting Kings roster.Drew Eubanks was the backup center of choice as Westbrook generated rim finishes for him as the quarter wound down.LaVine (31), DeRozan (22), and Schroder (20) each tallied upward of 20 points by the conclusion of the third as they held a 108-102 lead.Facing Antetokounmpo, one of the best in the association, it wasn’t going to be an easy battle down the stretch.The benches battled early in the first frame, with Cole Anthony being ejected as a result of his second technical foul 90 seconds in.Powering through a few more minutes of rest for their star, Kyle Kuzma stepped up for the Bucks. Chaotically, he found ways to finish plays and attack the basket.Antetokounmpo re-entered down 120-113 with 7:38 left. His squad remained in their zone coverage as Schroder worked with Sabonis to find openings.Green and Trent Jr., who couldn’t miss early, struggled to capitalize on their catch-and-shoot looks while the Kings kept applying pressure.Christie’s closing group of Schroder, LaVine, DeRozan, Westbrook, and Sabonis was fighting. A possession that included multiple open threes, but ultimatley ended with a tip-in was a prime example.Four offensive rebounds led to that finish, giving the King a 126-118 win with 4:12 left.The zone defense disappeared, but Kuzma’s shotmaking remained.It felt like Sacramento managed to get to the free-throw line every other possession down the final stretch.Antetokounmpo found Turner for a clutch catch-and-shoot triple that cut Sacramento’s lead to one (133-132) with 50 seconds to go.Getting hounded, a Schroder turnover gave Fiserv Forum some life before Antetokounmpo gave it right back. A few free throws later, Sacramento denied the former MVP a final look and walked away with a 135-133 win in their most impressive game of the early season.Four Sacramento players recorded 20+ points. LaVine had 31 while DeRozan added 29. They combined for 18/20 on free throws. Sabonis and Schroder each added 24 of their own as the Kings assisted on 30 of their 45 made field goals.Thirty assists on 45 made baskets and 40 free-throw attempts were a tasty recipe for the Kings. Milwaukee going just 20/31 from the line certainly helped too.But overcoming an early deficit against a top-caliber team, and shooting 51.7 percent in the process, could bode well for this group’s confidence moving forward.Antetokounmpo ended the night with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 8/13 shooting — a tame night relative to his usual production.Sacramento improves to 2-4 with one game remaining on their road trip, a Monday night matchup against another MVP, Nikola Jokic, and the Nuggets.More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown SportsFive games into the Sacramento Kings’ 2025-26 NBA season, and some people are already ready to explore shaking things up.On Thursday’s edition of The Allen Stiles Show, NBA Insider for Clutch Points Brett Siegel joined to discuss the potential trade value of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, and others.Additionally, the team discussed what went wrong during their opening stretch. Having been competitive most nights, is it too early to be overly concerned?Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 seasonMonday, November 3rd – @ Denver Nuggets – 6:00 PM PTWednesday, November 5th – vs. Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PTFriday, November 7th – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – 7:00 PM PTSunday, November 9th – vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – 6:00 PM PTTuesday, November 11th – vs. Denver Nuggets – 8:00 PM PT This story first appeared on SactownSports.com.
In perhaps their best showing of their early 2024-25 campaign, an electric Sacramento Kings offense sparked a 135-133 win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
Headed into Fiserv Forum on Sunday night with a 1-4 record, the Kings needed to regain their footing. There’s nothing quite like four players recording 20+ points in a win over an MVP candidate to do just that.
Zach LaVine led all scorers with 31 points. DeMar DeRozan poured in 29 points. Domantas Sabonis and Dennis Schroder had a wide impact, but also added 24 points each.
Thirty assists on 45 made baskets and 40 free-throw attempts were a tasty recipe for the Kings. Milwaukee going just 20/31 from the line certainly helped too.
But overcoming an early deficit against a top-caliber team, and shooting 51.7 percent in the process, could bode well for this group’s confidence moving forward.
Kings @ Bucks Game Notes
Still without Keegan Murray, Kings head coach Doug Christie elected to roll out a larger starting lineup as undrafted rookie big Dylan Cardwell started alongside Domantas Sabonis.
Milwaukee’s size, presumably, factored into the decision, as you may remember, previous coach Mike Brown started Alex Len alongside Sabonis against the Bucks.
Cardwell was out there to protect the rim and put pressure on the glass, but their offense struggled early.
Milwaukee’s home crowd was given plenty to cheer for early, as their team jumped out to a 15-2 start in a blink.
Antetokounmpo saw double-teams, but Sacramento lacked urgency on their coverages and subsequent rotations, allowing the Bucks to begin the night 5/5 from the field with three triples.
Halfway through the game, Christie subbed rookie for rookie as Maxime Raynaud replaced Cardwell for a brief stretch. Bobby Portis Jr. attacked the second-rounder seemingly every time down the floor.
Portis and Sabonis got face-to-face in the opening quarter, with Portis being awarded a technical foul. A fan favorite with the Bucks, “Bobby” chants rang out, but the Kings were getting a necessary free throw and a moment to reset the momentum in their favor.
By the time Antetokounmpo sat, his team held a 37-23 lead. But the Kings used that timing to recover their early deficit. A Taurean Prince triple at the buzzer left the scoreboard reading 47-36 Bucks at the end of one.
Portis, Ryan Rollins, and Cole Anthony kept their side afloat, but the Kings found their way to the free-throw line at their highest rate of the season.
Their paint touches also allowed sprays out to shooters, where they were knocking them down. Milwaukee’s scorching shooting start had halted, while LaVine, DeRozan, Schroder, and Westbrook never let off the gas.
A catch-and-shoot triple from LaVine gave Sacramento its first tie since 0-0 with seconds remaining in the half. Trailing 72-70 after a 15-point deficit was encouraging for the Kings, showing the fight that Christie constantly preaches.
DeRozan (19) and LaVine (18) combined for 37 points. The Kings assisted on 17 of their 26 field goals while managing 14/16 from the free-throw line.
Headed into the third, Westbrook was featured in the first unit over Cardwell, who logged all of his five minutes in his opening stint.
After trading blows to start, their offensive rhythm reappeared en route to a 13-0 run for Sacramento. It was some of the most cohesive basketball they’ve shown all season, consistently blowing by their perimeter defenders to generate paint touches.
The “true point” role GM Scott Perry envisioned when signing the veteran this offseason was on full display. Sabonis can be a unique talent to play alongside, but he seems to have a growing chemistry with Sabonis (as does LaVine).
Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers adjusted to a 2-3 zone, a defensive strategy that multiple teams have already employed against the subpar shooting Kings roster.
Drew Eubanks was the backup center of choice as Westbrook generated rim finishes for him as the quarter wound down.
LaVine (31), DeRozan (22), and Schroder (20) each tallied upward of 20 points by the conclusion of the third as they held a 108-102 lead.
Facing Antetokounmpo, one of the best in the association, it wasn’t going to be an easy battle down the stretch.
The benches battled early in the first frame, with Cole Anthony being ejected as a result of his second technical foul 90 seconds in.
Powering through a few more minutes of rest for their star, Kyle Kuzma stepped up for the Bucks. Chaotically, he found ways to finish plays and attack the basket.
Antetokounmpo re-entered down 120-113 with 7:38 left. His squad remained in their zone coverage as Schroder worked with Sabonis to find openings.
Green and Trent Jr., who couldn’t miss early, struggled to capitalize on their catch-and-shoot looks while the Kings kept applying pressure.
Christie’s closing group of Schroder, LaVine, DeRozan, Westbrook, and Sabonis was fighting. A possession that included multiple open threes, but ultimatley ended with a tip-in was a prime example.
Four offensive rebounds led to that finish, giving the King a 126-118 win with 4:12 left.
The zone defense disappeared, but Kuzma’s shotmaking remained.
It felt like Sacramento managed to get to the free-throw line every other possession down the final stretch.
Antetokounmpo found Turner for a clutch catch-and-shoot triple that cut Sacramento’s lead to one (133-132) with 50 seconds to go.
Getting hounded, a Schroder turnover gave Fiserv Forum some life before Antetokounmpo gave it right back. A few free throws later, Sacramento denied the former MVP a final look and walked away with a 135-133 win in their most impressive game of the early season.
Four Sacramento players recorded 20+ points. LaVine had 31 while DeRozan added 29. They combined for 18/20 on free throws. Sabonis and Schroder each added 24 of their own as the Kings assisted on 30 of their 45 made field goals.
Thirty assists on 45 made baskets and 40 free-throw attempts were a tasty recipe for the Kings. Milwaukee going just 20/31 from the line certainly helped too.
But overcoming an early deficit against a top-caliber team, and shooting 51.7 percent in the process, could bode well for this group’s confidence moving forward.
Antetokounmpo ended the night with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 8/13 shooting — a tame night relative to his usual production.
Sacramento improves to 2-4 with one game remaining on their road trip, a Monday night matchup against another MVP, Nikola Jokic, and the Nuggets.
More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown Sports
Five games into the Sacramento Kings’ 2025-26 NBA season, and some people are already ready to explore shaking things up.
On Thursday’s edition of The Allen Stiles Show, NBA Insider for Clutch Points Brett Siegel joined to discuss the potential trade value of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, and others.
Additionally, the team discussed what went wrong during their opening stretch. Having been competitive most nights, is it too early to be overly concerned?
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 seasonMonday, November 3rd – @ Denver Nuggets – 6:00 PM PTWednesday, November 5th – vs. Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PTFriday, November 7th – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – 7:00 PM PTSunday, November 9th – vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – 6:00 PM PTTuesday, November 11th – vs. Denver Nuggets – 8:00 PM PT