The Milwaukee Bucks face off against the Sacramento Kings this afternoon in a Sunday matinee. Milwaukee beat Sacramento in both matchups last season and has had the wood over them for the past few years.
Where We’re At
Things are going swimmingly in the Cream City, it’s fair to say, sitting at 4-1 with signature wins over the Knicks and Warriors in their last two games (along with a very close loss to the Cavs). The energy around the team seems to be the best it’s been in a few years, and the guys are really buying into their roles and contributing on both ends; this buy-in is reflected in the raw statistics, with the team ranking in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency thus far.
On the other hand, things are not going quite as well for the Kings, who sit at 1-4. This franchise has looked directionless for quite a while, and this team appears no different. There truly is a mishmash of randomly assorted guys on this squad, including but not limited to: superstars from yesteryear (Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan), helpful-but-maybe-past-it role players (Malik Monk and Dennis Schröder), and promising young guys who are sort of blocked from opportunities (Devin Carter and Keon Ellis). And yet, with all that said, this is still a team with lots of talent that can beat anyone on any given night (especially if Giannis doesn’t play).
Injury Report
For Milwaukee, Giannis is questionable to play (left patellar tendinopathy), while Kevin Porter Jr. remains out (right meniscus tear).
For Sacramento, Malik Monk (personal reasons) and Keegan Murray (left thumb UCL injury recovery) are out, while rookie Nique Clifford is questionable (right hamstring strain).
Player To Watch
With Ryan Rollins being the team’s presumed starting point guard (for the foreseeable future, at the very least), opposing teams will increasingly key in on his strengths and weaknesses. I think Rollins is one to watch now, coming off that explosive night against the Warriors. How much attention does he get from the Kings? Who do they put on him? Can he still get to those same looks? Rollins is no secret anymore, and now the real work starts.
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 4:00 p.m. CDT.
