Domantas Sabonis recorded the first triple-double of the season, but the Sacramento Kings lost the first contest of their six-game road trip, 125-117, to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Sabonis had team highs of 25 points and 17 rebounds to go with 10 assists. De’Aaron Fox had 24 points and 12 assists.
Jrue Holiday had 30 points and 12 assists to lead the Bucks, while Giannis Antetokounmpo provided 27 points and 15 rebounds.
Neither team shot particularly well — Milwaukee had the better of it, 42.3% to 40.9%. The Bucks also made an opponent season-high 21 three-pointers and grabbed 16 offensive rebounds to the Kings’ five.
The Kings (13-10) stayed close thanks to free throws (31-for-44) and the Bucks’ foul trouble, as most of their big men, including Antetokounmpo, sat for extended periods of time.
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The Kings had never trailed in their previous three games and they kept that streak going throughout the first quarter. Sacramento led by as many as nine at 26-17, though the Bucks would end up tying the game at 36 at the conclusion of the quarter.
The Bucks went ahead with the first points of the second quarter, and the Kings never led again. Holiday scored five straight points to give the Bucks their first double-digit lead at 56-45. It was 66-55 at halftime. The Kings had a dreadful quarter, making three of 17 shots en route to a 19-point performance.
The Kings tightened things up defensively in the third quarter, though it helped that some of the key Bucks went to the bench in foul trouble. Sacramento held Milwaukee to 17 points in the quarter on 5-for-17 shooting, though the Kings could only manage 24 of their own. The Bucks led by 15 early but the Kings cut it to one point on two occasions. Milwaukee led 83-79 heading into the final quarter.
Defense was optional in the final period as the Bucks went for 42 points and the Kings had 38. The Bucks took an 11-point lead at 104-93 with a little more than six minutes to go. Sacramento got within four points five times in the closing minutes, but Milwaukee responded with a basket at the other end each time.
This game was played with Highlight Maker Hoops Prime Time.
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