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  • With four 20+ point scorers, Kings offense propels 135-132 win over Bucks

    In perhaps their best showing of their early 2024-25 campaign, an electric Sacramento Kings offense sparked a 135-133 win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.Headed into Fiserv Forum on Sunday night with a 1-4 record, the Kings needed to regain their footing. There’s nothing quite like four players recording 20+ points in a win over an MVP candidate to do just that.Zach LaVine led all scorers with 31 points. DeMar DeRozan poured in 29 points. Domantas Sabonis and Dennis Schroder had a wide impact, but also added 24 points each.Thirty assists on 45 made baskets and 40 free-throw attempts were a tasty recipe for the Kings. Milwaukee going just 20/31 from the line certainly helped too.But overcoming an early deficit against a top-caliber team, and shooting 51.7 percent in the process, could bode well for this group’s confidence moving forward.Kings @ Bucks Game NotesStill without Keegan Murray, Kings head coach Doug Christie elected to roll out a larger starting lineup as undrafted rookie big Dylan Cardwell started alongside Domantas Sabonis.Milwaukee’s size, presumably, factored into the decision, as you may remember, previous coach Mike Brown started Alex Len alongside Sabonis against the Bucks.Cardwell was out there to protect the rim and put pressure on the glass, but their offense struggled early.Milwaukee’s home crowd was given plenty to cheer for early, as their team jumped out to a 15-2 start in a blink.Antetokounmpo saw double-teams, but Sacramento lacked urgency on their coverages and subsequent rotations, allowing the Bucks to begin the night 5/5 from the field with three triples.Halfway through the game, Christie subbed rookie for rookie as Maxime Raynaud replaced Cardwell for a brief stretch. Bobby Portis Jr. attacked the second-rounder seemingly every time down the floor.Portis and Sabonis got face-to-face in the opening quarter, with Portis being awarded a technical foul. A fan favorite with the Bucks, “Bobby” chants rang out, but the Kings were getting a necessary free throw and a moment to reset the momentum in their favor.By the time Antetokounmpo sat, his team held a 37-23 lead. But the Kings used that timing to recover their early deficit. A Taurean Prince triple at the buzzer left the scoreboard reading 47-36 Bucks at the end of one.Portis, Ryan Rollins, and Cole Anthony kept their side afloat, but the Kings found their way to the free-throw line at their highest rate of the season.Their paint touches also allowed sprays out to shooters, where they were knocking them down. Milwaukee’s scorching shooting start had halted, while LaVine, DeRozan, Schroder, and Westbrook never let off the gas.A catch-and-shoot triple from LaVine gave Sacramento its first tie since 0-0 with seconds remaining in the half. Trailing 72-70 after a 15-point deficit was encouraging for the Kings, showing the fight that Christie constantly preaches.DeRozan (19) and LaVine (18) combined for 37 points. The Kings assisted on 17 of their 26 field goals while managing 14/16 from the free-throw line.Headed into the third, Westbrook was featured in the first unit over Cardwell, who logged all of his five minutes in his opening stint.After trading blows to start, their offensive rhythm reappeared en route to a 13-0 run for Sacramento. It was some of the most cohesive basketball they’ve shown all season, consistently blowing by their perimeter defenders to generate paint touches.The “true point” role GM Scott Perry envisioned when signing the veteran this offseason was on full display. Sabonis can be a unique talent to play alongside, but he seems to have a growing chemistry with Sabonis (as does LaVine).Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers adjusted to a 2-3 zone, a defensive strategy that multiple teams have already employed against the subpar shooting Kings roster.Drew Eubanks was the backup center of choice as Westbrook generated rim finishes for him as the quarter wound down.LaVine (31), DeRozan (22), and Schroder (20) each tallied upward of 20 points by the conclusion of the third as they held a 108-102 lead.Facing Antetokounmpo, one of the best in the association, it wasn’t going to be an easy battle down the stretch.The benches battled early in the first frame, with Cole Anthony being ejected as a result of his second technical foul 90 seconds in.Powering through a few more minutes of rest for their star, Kyle Kuzma stepped up for the Bucks. Chaotically, he found ways to finish plays and attack the basket.Antetokounmpo re-entered down 120-113 with 7:38 left. His squad remained in their zone coverage as Schroder worked with Sabonis to find openings.Green and Trent Jr., who couldn’t miss early, struggled to capitalize on their catch-and-shoot looks while the Kings kept applying pressure.Christie’s closing group of Schroder, LaVine, DeRozan, Westbrook, and Sabonis was fighting. A possession that included multiple open threes, but ultimatley ended with a tip-in was a prime example.Four offensive rebounds led to that finish, giving the King a 126-118 win with 4:12 left.The zone defense disappeared, but Kuzma’s shotmaking remained.It felt like Sacramento managed to get to the free-throw line every other possession down the final stretch.Antetokounmpo found Turner for a clutch catch-and-shoot triple that cut Sacramento’s lead to one (133-132) with 50 seconds to go.Getting hounded, a Schroder turnover gave Fiserv Forum some life before Antetokounmpo gave it right back. A few free throws later, Sacramento denied the former MVP a final look and walked away with a 135-133 win in their most impressive game of the early season.Four Sacramento players recorded 20+ points. LaVine had 31 while DeRozan added 29. They combined for 18/20 on free throws. Sabonis and Schroder each added 24 of their own as the Kings assisted on 30 of their 45 made field goals.Thirty assists on 45 made baskets and 40 free-throw attempts were a tasty recipe for the Kings. Milwaukee going just 20/31 from the line certainly helped too.But overcoming an early deficit against a top-caliber team, and shooting 51.7 percent in the process, could bode well for this group’s confidence moving forward.Antetokounmpo ended the night with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 8/13 shooting — a tame night relative to his usual production.Sacramento improves to 2-4 with one game remaining on their road trip, a Monday night matchup against another MVP, Nikola Jokic, and the Nuggets.More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown SportsFive games into the Sacramento Kings’ 2025-26 NBA season, and some people are already ready to explore shaking things up.On Thursday’s edition of The Allen Stiles Show, NBA Insider for Clutch Points Brett Siegel joined to discuss the potential trade value of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, and others.Additionally, the team discussed what went wrong during their opening stretch. Having been competitive most nights, is it too early to be overly concerned?Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 seasonMonday, November 3rd – @ Denver Nuggets – 6:00 PM PTWednesday, November 5th – vs. Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PTFriday, November 7th – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – 7:00 PM PTSunday, November 9th – vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – 6:00 PM PTTuesday, November 11th – vs. Denver Nuggets – 8:00 PM PT This story first appeared on SactownSports.com.

    In perhaps their best showing of their early 2024-25 campaign, an electric Sacramento Kings offense sparked a 135-133 win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.

    Headed into Fiserv Forum on Sunday night with a 1-4 record, the Kings needed to regain their footing. There’s nothing quite like four players recording 20+ points in a win over an MVP candidate to do just that.

    Zach LaVine led all scorers with 31 points. DeMar DeRozan poured in 29 points. Domantas Sabonis and Dennis Schroder had a wide impact, but also added 24 points each.

    Thirty assists on 45 made baskets and 40 free-throw attempts were a tasty recipe for the Kings. Milwaukee going just 20/31 from the line certainly helped too.

    But overcoming an early deficit against a top-caliber team, and shooting 51.7 percent in the process, could bode well for this group’s confidence moving forward.

    Kings @ Bucks Game Notes

    Still without Keegan Murray, Kings head coach Doug Christie elected to roll out a larger starting lineup as undrafted rookie big Dylan Cardwell started alongside Domantas Sabonis.

    Milwaukee’s size, presumably, factored into the decision, as you may remember, previous coach Mike Brown started Alex Len alongside Sabonis against the Bucks.

    Cardwell was out there to protect the rim and put pressure on the glass, but their offense struggled early.

    Milwaukee’s home crowd was given plenty to cheer for early, as their team jumped out to a 15-2 start in a blink.

    Antetokounmpo saw double-teams, but Sacramento lacked urgency on their coverages and subsequent rotations, allowing the Bucks to begin the night 5/5 from the field with three triples.

    Halfway through the game, Christie subbed rookie for rookie as Maxime Raynaud replaced Cardwell for a brief stretch. Bobby Portis Jr. attacked the second-rounder seemingly every time down the floor.

    Portis and Sabonis got face-to-face in the opening quarter, with Portis being awarded a technical foul. A fan favorite with the Bucks, “Bobby” chants rang out, but the Kings were getting a necessary free throw and a moment to reset the momentum in their favor.

    By the time Antetokounmpo sat, his team held a 37-23 lead. But the Kings used that timing to recover their early deficit. A Taurean Prince triple at the buzzer left the scoreboard reading 47-36 Bucks at the end of one.

    Portis, Ryan Rollins, and Cole Anthony kept their side afloat, but the Kings found their way to the free-throw line at their highest rate of the season.

    Their paint touches also allowed sprays out to shooters, where they were knocking them down. Milwaukee’s scorching shooting start had halted, while LaVine, DeRozan, Schroder, and Westbrook never let off the gas.

    A catch-and-shoot triple from LaVine gave Sacramento its first tie since 0-0 with seconds remaining in the half. Trailing 72-70 after a 15-point deficit was encouraging for the Kings, showing the fight that Christie constantly preaches.

    DeRozan (19) and LaVine (18) combined for 37 points. The Kings assisted on 17 of their 26 field goals while managing 14/16 from the free-throw line.

    Headed into the third, Westbrook was featured in the first unit over Cardwell, who logged all of his five minutes in his opening stint.

    After trading blows to start, their offensive rhythm reappeared en route to a 13-0 run for Sacramento. It was some of the most cohesive basketball they’ve shown all season, consistently blowing by their perimeter defenders to generate paint touches.

    The “true point” role GM Scott Perry envisioned when signing the veteran this offseason was on full display. Sabonis can be a unique talent to play alongside, but he seems to have a growing chemistry with Sabonis (as does LaVine).

    Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers adjusted to a 2-3 zone, a defensive strategy that multiple teams have already employed against the subpar shooting Kings roster.

    Drew Eubanks was the backup center of choice as Westbrook generated rim finishes for him as the quarter wound down.

    LaVine (31), DeRozan (22), and Schroder (20) each tallied upward of 20 points by the conclusion of the third as they held a 108-102 lead.

    Facing Antetokounmpo, one of the best in the association, it wasn’t going to be an easy battle down the stretch.

    The benches battled early in the first frame, with Cole Anthony being ejected as a result of his second technical foul 90 seconds in.

    Powering through a few more minutes of rest for their star, Kyle Kuzma stepped up for the Bucks. Chaotically, he found ways to finish plays and attack the basket.

    Antetokounmpo re-entered down 120-113 with 7:38 left. His squad remained in their zone coverage as Schroder worked with Sabonis to find openings.

    Green and Trent Jr., who couldn’t miss early, struggled to capitalize on their catch-and-shoot looks while the Kings kept applying pressure.

    Christie’s closing group of Schroder, LaVine, DeRozan, Westbrook, and Sabonis was fighting. A possession that included multiple open threes, but ultimatley ended with a tip-in was a prime example.

    Four offensive rebounds led to that finish, giving the King a 126-118 win with 4:12 left.

    The zone defense disappeared, but Kuzma’s shotmaking remained.

    It felt like Sacramento managed to get to the free-throw line every other possession down the final stretch.

    Antetokounmpo found Turner for a clutch catch-and-shoot triple that cut Sacramento’s lead to one (133-132) with 50 seconds to go.

    Getting hounded, a Schroder turnover gave Fiserv Forum some life before Antetokounmpo gave it right back. A few free throws later, Sacramento denied the former MVP a final look and walked away with a 135-133 win in their most impressive game of the early season.

    Four Sacramento players recorded 20+ points. LaVine had 31 while DeRozan added 29. They combined for 18/20 on free throws. Sabonis and Schroder each added 24 of their own as the Kings assisted on 30 of their 45 made field goals.

    Thirty assists on 45 made baskets and 40 free-throw attempts were a tasty recipe for the Kings. Milwaukee going just 20/31 from the line certainly helped too.

    But overcoming an early deficit against a top-caliber team, and shooting 51.7 percent in the process, could bode well for this group’s confidence moving forward.

    Antetokounmpo ended the night with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 8/13 shooting — a tame night relative to his usual production.

    Sacramento improves to 2-4 with one game remaining on their road trip, a Monday night matchup against another MVP, Nikola Jokic, and the Nuggets.

    More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown Sports

    Five games into the Sacramento Kings’ 2025-26 NBA season, and some people are already ready to explore shaking things up.

    On Thursday’s edition of The Allen Stiles Show, NBA Insider for Clutch Points Brett Siegel joined to discuss the potential trade value of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, and others.

    Additionally, the team discussed what went wrong during their opening stretch. Having been competitive most nights, is it too early to be overly concerned?

    Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season

    • Monday, November 3rd – @ Denver Nuggets – 6:00 PM PT
    • Wednesday, November 5th – vs. Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PT
    • Friday, November 7th – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – 7:00 PM PT
    • Sunday, November 9th – vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – 6:00 PM PT
    • Tuesday, November 11th – vs. Denver Nuggets – 8:00 PM PT

    This story first appeared on SactownSports.com.

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  • Quentin Grimes’ shooting skid continues: ‘Every shot I shoot probably weighs 100 pounds if I don’t make it’

    Quentin Grimes’ shooting skid continues: ‘Every shot I shoot probably weighs 100 pounds if I don’t make it’

    MILWAUKEE — Quentin Grimes says he needs more shots — and that he’s not going to be effective if he’s running up and down the floor and only touching the ball once or twice in a half.

    Grimes also said he doesn’t feel like he has any margin for error — that if he misses a shot, he’s going to get pulled from a game.

    “It feels like if I don’t hit the shot, I’m coming out,” he said in the locker room on Tuesday. “So every shot I shoot probably weighs like 100 pounds if I don’t make it, and our defense, it ain’t cutting it, so I know I ain’t going back in.”

    It’s the first time Grimes has spoken publicly since the onset of his shooting skid, which continued its downtrend in his 0-for-1 shooting performance in the Knicks’ loss to the Bucks on Tuesday.

    Grimes’ only shot attempt came in the third quarter, and it was generated on a Julius Randle drive to the rim that collapsed the Bucks’ defense, leaving the three-and-D wing wide-open in the corner.

    The open shot was a bit rushed and came up well short.

    Grimes has now missed 17 of his last 21 shots from downtown for a 19 percent three-point shooting clip over his last seven games. After starting the season as a 40 percent three-point shooter, Grimes’ efficiency has regressed below 35 percent.

    Head coach Tom Thibodeau said he’s not considering a lineup change, even though Grimes’ backup, Donte DiVincenzo, was shooting the lights out before his cold night against the Bucks.

    “I look at how the unit is functioning. And so, I would say tonight, we didn’t play well, and to put it on Quentin is not fair,” said Thibodeau. “I don’t think we really had anyone who played really well. So, we’re capable of a lot better. You win together; you lose together. Just focus on the improvement and getting ready for the next game.”

    Grimes aired his grievances in the locker room postgame, pointing to the Knicks’ offense which functions largely on the shoulders of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett.

    The third-year guard out of Houston ranks bottom-five among qualifying players in total touches this season. Dead-last on the list is Los Angeles Lakers forward Cam Reddish, who shared a similar frustration with his role during his time on the Knicks.

    “It’s just hard when you go the whole quarter without touching the ball, the whole second quarter without touching the ball, and then you get one shot and you got to make it,” Grimes said on Tuesday. “So it’s tough going out there and just standing in the corner the whole game. Then you got to make the shot when you shoot the ball one or two times per game. It is what it is. We’ll see.”

    Grimes said he doesn’t know how to find a rhythm in the current structure of the team’s offense because it takes shots to find a rhythm, and he hasn’t gotten many shots, let alone touches.

    He shot 39.7 percent from downtown from the beginning of the season through Nov. 16 but has since become a non-threat from behind the arc.

    “I feel like I just gotta get more shots. You can’t get out of a rhythm unless you shoot the ball,” he said. “So I feel like I’m coming in and I know I’m probably only gonna get one or two shots, and it’s gonna be tough because I’ve gotta make ‘em or I know I’m coming out.

    “So it’s tough like that, but you can’t let that dictate your whole game. I feel like I didn’t have to let that dictate my defense. So it’s tough but I know it won’t last forever.”

    Grimes said he had more opportunities to score and shoot last season because both Barrett and Brunson missed games for different reasons.

    “So I had the ball in my hands a little bit more — I knew I wasn’t coming out,” he said. “I knew I was going to be in there and get more shots, play the whole first quarter, the whole third quarter. I knew I had opportunities to get the ball and get my shots up. Now it’s just a matter if the ball come my way, really.”

    Brunson said it’s his job as the leader of the team to get Grimes in rhythm.

    “I think most importantly being a good teammate is the first thing I have to do. Just continue to encourage him, make sure he’s aggressive, keeps his confidence. And every player at some point goes through it,” he said on Tuesday. “I just think for us as teammates, we have to be on his side, tell him things are going to happen, continue to do what you do, do your routine, do all the stuff that helped you get here. Continue with your confidence.”

    Randle, who found Grimes for an open look he missed in the third quarter, agreed with Brunson.

    “Yeah. He has a hard job, a tough role,” he said after the game. “But we’ve gotta do a better job of trying to get him better looks, make him feel more included for sure.”

    Grimes said he’s not looking over his shoulder even though the Knicks signed DiVincenzo to a four-year, $47 million deal over the offseason. DiVincenzo has emerged as an impact player during Grimes’ shooting slump, though Grimes is undoubtedly the Knicks’ best defender.

    “You come in with a mindset that it’s a new game every time I step on the court, so you just try to have a positive mindset every time I step out there,” he said.

    Brunson reiterated it’s on the team to find ways to get Grimes involved. Josh Hart echoed a similar frustration with his role within the offense — that he was not touching the ball and asked to shoot while out of rhythm frequently — but erupted for two straight high-scoring games after sharing his frustrations with reporters.

    “Obviously, we have three players in the lineup who all go left, all do a lot of similar things,” said Brunson. “When it comes to Quentin, he’s had to keep with his confidence. He’s going to be open, he’s going to get to do stuff. He’s going to get the ball, so sometimes when the confidence is low it seems like the end of the world. But as teammates we need to pick him up and make sure he gets back on track.”

    Kristian Winfield

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  • Knicks declare In-Season Tournament a success after Friday’s victory over Heat: ‘It felt like a playoff game’

    Knicks declare In-Season Tournament a success after Friday’s victory over Heat: ‘It felt like a playoff game’

    After defeating the Miami Heat in miraculous, come-from-behind fashion on Friday, the Knicks now have a 2-1 record in In-Season Tournament play.

    They project to go 3-1 hosting the reeling Charlotte Hornets in their group stage finale at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

    The Knicks have played the Hornets twice this season and have defeated them by an average of 13 points.

    Point differential will be critical for the Knicks in their pursuit of the In-Season Tournament cup championship.

    There are still many hypotheticals determining whether or not the Knicks will advance to the knockout rounds in Las Vegas, but they did themselves a favor defeating the Heat on Friday.

    Here’s what you need to know:

    The Knicks can only secure an automatic In-Season Tournament berth under the following scenario: a Milwaukee Bucks loss to the Heat on Tuesday, with a Knicks blowout victory over the Hornets.

    The Bucks have a point differential of plus-39 to plus-18 for the Knicks. If Milwaukee were to lose to Miami by one, the Knicks would need to defeat the Hornets by 21 to win the point differential over the Bucks and leapfrog them in the Wild Card standings.

    The Indiana Pacers have clinched an automatic berth with an undefeated 4-0 record, the Bucks are 3-0 and can clinch with a victory in Miami over the Heat on Tuesday, and the Orlando Magic hold a 3-1 record after stunning the Boston Celtics on Friday.

    There is a five-way tie between the Celtics, Cavaliers, Nets, Heat and Knicks in the East among teams that aren’t on track to secure an automatic bid to Las Vegas.

    In the event of such a tie, point differential is used to determine which team will advance as a Wild Card in each conference.

    The Heat project as underdogs against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Bucks; the Cavaliers matchup against the Atlanta Hawks is a toss-up; the Nets will host the scrappy, athletic Toronto Raptors; and the Celtics, who have a point differential of zero, must blowout the Chicago Bulls by close to 30 points if the Knicks secure a double-digit victory over the Hornets on Tuesday.

    A Heat blowout over the Bucks and a Knicks blowout over the Hornets could position New York for an unlikely automatic berth for the knockout rounds in Las Vegas.

    WHAT ARE PLAYERS SAYING ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT

    If it looks, feels and sounds like a playoff game, the NBA might have a hit on its hands.

    Knicks star Julius Randle was complimentary of the league’s newest midseason wrinkle for the second time this season after Friday’s victory.

    “It was fun. I think the In-Season Tournament brings a little extra juice. I don’t know. It was fun, it was good to get a win. It was the first one for the in-season on our home court so it was cool,” he said postgame. “Yeah it felt like we was fighting for the playoffs, it was cool.”

    Immanuel Quickley, the game’s hero with 20 points off the bench, echoed Randle’s sentiment.

    “It felt like a playoff game. Felt like a playoff atmosphere,” he said. “Nothing like being in The Garden when The Garden is rocking like that. You get chills throughout the game and stuff like that. So, it’s great to be part of.”

    Knicks star RJ Barrett, who secured the game-winning stop on Jimmy Butler, said the tournament gives regular-season games more meaning.

    “Everyone’s fighting for something,” he said. “I think the In-Season Tournament has made, especially these games, a lot more competitive, and I’m happy to come out with the win.”

    Jalen Brunson said he’s excited there’s something else to win.

    “As a competitor, you always want to win whatever is in front of you. No matter what it is,” he said. “So, just another opportunity really. Put me anywhere, I’m playing whoever.

    “It was great. Court was better than I thought it would be. Fans were amazing as always. Happy they were behind me to get this win.”

    Kristian Winfield

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