Milwaukee went 30-19 (17-8 home and 13-11 away) which resulted in the Greek freak losing his tenth game of the year due to right knee problems. Grayson Allen was also absent, Wesley Matthews injured his left knee at the end of the third period, initial assessments said it was a strain, but the champions still won the game in the battle for top spot in the Eastern District. Great match by Chris Middleton (34 points, 7/13 two points, 5/7 three points, 5/5 shots, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 errors), great match by Jro Holliday (26 points, 8/17 two points). , 2/3 three points, 4/4 shots, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 errors), with Dode DiVincenzo (20 points, 3/5 two points, 3/5 three points, 5/6 shots), George Hill (17 points, 1/1 two points, 3/6 three points, 6/6 shots, 4 rebounds) and Pat Conaton (15 points, 5/10 three points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals) put their little rock with above.

By the time the score was 6:30, the Kings, injured by Fox’s absence (an ankle problem knocked him out just before the Yambol) were fighting as hard as they could but didn’t have what it took to celebrate a really big doubles match at home the champions. Harrison Barnes (29 points, 8/12 two points, 3/6 three points, 4/6 shots, 6 rebounds, 3 assists), Terence Davis (22 points, 7 rebounds) and Tyrese Halibarton in front of his family and friends ( 24 points, 6 rebounds, 12 assists) were the three that stood out from Sacramento, who just didn’t have any solutions on the bench. Buddy Hilde finished the match with 2/11 three-pointers and this was a very important problem for Alvin Gentry that he never found a solution to.

Next game for the Bucks in the early hours of Thursday (2:00 a.m.) with the Cavaliers in Cleveland.

The race

The Bucks didn’t start well, they were down -7 (5-12) just into the fourth minute, but leveled the score with a quick 5-0 before Sacramento made a bigger difference. Something he did immediately after the game’s first timeout when he went to +11 (28-17) with a series of three-pointers, thanks largely to Halibarton’s exuberant play in execution and creation. The Bucks appeared to be significantly behind in terms of energy and intensity, and Noora hit in spurts off the bench to keep them at… reasonable distance (27-35) by the end of the first third.

With Sacramento already scoring from eight players, Milwaukee was looking for a small burst, a spark to ignite the wick. They found it from George Hill, who was injured early on, stayed in the game and reduced to the basket with back-to-back threes early in the second 12 minutes (35-37) before the Deer took the lead and built a five. Points lead (47-42) at halftime. A 22-7 was enough to give the match a… more logical shape, Nuora and DiVincenzo took the baton, Middleton set a three for 59-51, he wrote the same way and 62-53 just before halftime, who found the hosts in 10/20 shots from the periphery and the visitors in 6/18.

The Bucks held the lead early in the second half, with Portis-DiVincenzo scoring three points to make it 87-72 after Budenholzer previously had several strong complaints about his team’s defense. The Kings didn’t panic, they had a good reaction when everything seemed against them, they became more effective in defence, they gnawed at the difference and closed it at 8 at the end of the third to claim a little more in the fourth.

Buddy Hild reduced even more (94-89) early in the final 12 minutes, but Middleton responded with a goal foul for +8 when the Bucks announced Wesley Matthews would not be returning with a left knee injury. Middleton also wrote 99-89, he assisted Hill for +12 in the next phase, DiVincenzo and Conaton kept their opponents at bay (118-110) as Halibarton fought in front of about 60 of his own people to become the hero of the night and Milwaukee celebrated their 30th win of the year in 49 games.

THE TWELVE MINUTES: 27-35, 62-54, 94-86, 133-127

MILGUOKI BUKS (Mike Budenholzer): Middleton 34 (7/13 two points, 5/7 three points, 5/5 shots, 6 rebounds, 5 assists), Conaton 15 (5/10 three points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals), Portis 6 (1/5 deuces, 1/4 trebles, 1/2 shots, 12 rebounds, 3 assists), Holiday 26 (8/17 deuces, 2/3 trebles, 4/4 shots, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals) , Hill 17 (1/1 two points, 3/6 three points, 6/6 shots, 4 rebounds, 2 assists), DiVincenzo 20 (3/5 two points, 3/5 three points, 5/6 shots, 3 rebounds , 2 assists), Nuora 10 (2 3s, 5 rebounds), Matthews 1, Mamukelasville, Hood 4

SACRAMEDO KINGS (Alvin Gentry): Barnes 29 (8/12 two points, 3/6 three points, 4/6 shots, 6 rebounds, 3 assists), Bagley 13 (1), Holmes 17 (8/9 two points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists), Davis 22 (6/9 two points, 3/9 three points, 1/1 shot, 7 rebounds, 3 assists), Hallibarton 24 (3/6 two points, 5/8 three points, 3/5 shots , 6 rebounds, 12 assists), Hild 6 (2/11 shots), Jones 5 (4 rebounds, 5 assists), Meto 2, Mitchell 9 (1)

Milwaukee Bucks team stats: 24/49 two points, 21/42 three points, 22/25 shots, 46 rebounds, 19 assists, 12 steals, 7 errors, 14 fouls

Sacramento Kings team stats: 36/60 two points, 15/37 three points, 10/16 shots, 55 rebounds, 29 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 14 errors, 20 fouls