The Kings were without their star DeMarcus Cousins Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. They would need an exceptional effort from Rudy Gay in his absence and the forward would respond the call, leading the team to a 129-118 win.
Neither team has been impressive on the defensive end thus far this season, and the game would prove to be an offensive shootout.
Gay scored 22 points in the first half alone en route to a 36-point night.
“You go out there and desperately need a win so I had to do whatever I could to get it,” Gay told the Associated Press. “I got to the foul line early and that’s how I got my rhythm.”
The Bucks ranked last in the league in pace entering tonight’s matchup, while the Kings ranked first. A quick start would be critical for the Kings.
They got the quick start they needed as they shot 77 percent from the field, scoring 40 points in the first quarter alone. They would finish the half on 64 percent shooting from the field, while only committing four turnovers.
The efficient scoring and limitation of turnovers was a pleasant surprise since it has been a weakness for the Kings thus far.
The lack of defense however, was not. Although Sacramento managed to score 69 points in the first half, they gave up 66 to the Bucks and went into the half with only a three-point margin.
“Rudy carried us offensively but I thought the team played together and moved the ball, found the open man so consistently,” George Karl told the Associated Press.
The offensive eruption would continue for both teams throughout the third quarter.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the charge for the Bucks in the third quarter where he scored 10 points en route to a 21-point night. The 6-foot-11 forward’s length and hustle also posed a problem for the Kings for much of the game.
The Bucks had pulled within one point in the waning minutes of the third quarter before Marco Belinelli hit a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining to swell the lead to 96-92 going into the fourth quarter.
Midway through the fourth, John Henson committed a flagrant foul on Gay who would make both free throws. The following play, Darren Collison made a 30-foot 3-pointer to grow the late lead to eight points at 105-97.
Collison would increase that lead to nine points after adding another 3-pointer just a few plays later.
Although Gay had a great game, the story of the Kings’ offensive success was really the balance of their scoring, as six players finished with double-digit scoring.
With Cousins out, his running mates Kosta Koufos and Willie Cauley-Stein proved to be more than capable replacements.
Koufos put up 14 points and nine rebounds, while Cauley-Stein would only score seven points but played a large part on the defensive end.
With 3:49 left in the game, Antetokounmpo would score while drawing the foul on Gay. He would complete the three-point play to bring the Bucks within six points and the momentum noticeably took a turn for the Bucks.
Gay however, would return the favor by scoring a 3-pointer while drawing the foul on Antetokounmpo and go on to complete the four-point play at the free throw line.
The play would prove to be the nail in coffin for the Bucks, but not before their head coach Jason Kidd was ejected from the game. The Kings would hold on to win the game by 11 points.
The Kings earned a victory that was much needed coming off of the heartbreaking loss to the Hornets on Monday.
The Kings play next against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Sacramento on Friday night.
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