The Milwaukee Bucks begin a crucial west coast road trip Monday night when they take on the Sacramento Kings. Rounding off the trip will be games against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah Jazz.
Having struggled on the road this year with a 7-21 record away from home, the Bucks are in need of a spark to turn their season around. The task will not be easy as all teams they will face this week have a winning record at home.
On top of that, the Bucks will be facing a Kings team that got the best of them earlier this season in Milwaukee. In a 129-118 home loss, the score was the least of their problems as multiple players were involved in a post-game altercation. It was reported players had met in the hallways and participated in heated words and exchanges after Bucks guard OJ Mayo confronted a sidelined DeMarcus Cousins to meet him after the game. Head coach Jason Kidd was also ejected from that game. Kidd had thought the game was being called unfairly and was stepping in to protect his players when he received a technical foul and thrown out for slapping the ball out of the referee’s hands.
This time around, both Mayo and Cousins will not play. Mayo will be out of Monday’s game with a hamstring injury while the Kings will be without Cousins, who has an ankle injury.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is coming off a 28-point performance against the Miami Heat, will have his hands full defending Rudy Gay, who dropped 36 points in their previous matchup.
John Henson (sore lower back) is questionable for tonight’s game vs. Sacramento. O.J. Mayo and Greivis Vasquez are out.
The Bucks and Kings tip off at 9:00 PM CT on Fox Sports Wisconsin.
Photo: AP