The Sacramento Kings continued their amazing run with another offensive explosion, as they outscored the Milwaukee Bucks 126-117 for their seventh consecutive win.
Mitch Richmond and DeMarcus Cousins both scored 30 points for the Kings, who improved to 11-6. Richmond, who also had season highs of eight rebounds and seven assists, broke out of a mini-slump after scoring just 32 points in the previous three games, and scoring more than 20 for the first time in eight games. Cousins had 11 rebounds for his third straight double-double and 10th overall. Peja Stojakovic added 23 points and Nate Archibald had a season-high 10 assists.
The Bucks got 27 points from Terry Cummings, 21 from Giannis Antetokounmpo and 20 from Khris Middleton. Sacramento outshot Milwaukee 51.0% to 49.0% and sank 14 three-pointers to the Bucks’ five.
There were 18 lead changes in this game, but the Kings took control partway through the fourth quarter.
Everything went the Kings’ way over the first two minutes as they jumped out to an 8-0 lead. Antetokounmpo then had six as Milwaukee scored the next eight points. Cummings later had seven points in an 11-0 run that put the Bucks ahead 19-13. It was 28-19 Milwaukee after the first period.
The lead grew to 11 points at 36-25 early in the second quarter. Down 44-34, the Kings scored nine straight points, four by Richmond, to pull within one point. Sacramento finally took the lead back at 50-49. Several lead changes later, Milwaukee went into the half with a 65-64 advantage. The Kings outscored the Bucks 43-37 in the second quarter, with Cousins and Richmond scoring 15 apiece.
The teams went back-and-forth at the start of the third quarter, with nine more lead changes. The Kings led for a while, but Milwaukee regained the lead late and went into the final quarter with a 91-88 lead.
Ray Allen started the fourth quarter with a three-pointer that put the Bucks up by six, but the Kings scored the next six points to tie the contest. Trailing 98-97, Richmond hit back-to-back three-pointers to put the Kings up 103-98, and they wouldn’t trail again. That kicked off a 12-1 run, with Chris Webber getting the last two baskets, putting the Kings up by 10 at 109-99 with six minutes left. Three-pointers by Stojakovic and Cousins gave the Kings their largest lead of the game at 15 at 120-105 with three minutes left. Sacramento, which outscored Milwaukee 38-26 in the fourth quarter, cruised to the victory from there. Richmond had 15 fourth-quarter points.
Next up: the Minnesota Timberwolves.
ROGER SPORTS & GAMES 