The Sacramento Kings (35-34, 30-38-1 ATS) host the Milwaukee Bucks (40-30, 34-35-1 ATS) in what should be an exciting cross-conference matchup Saturday night.
The Kings enter as slim 1-point favorites on their home court.
Want to catch all the action? You can watch the game for free through Jazz Sports’ live stream.
The teams tip off at 10 p.m. ET from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. You can also catch the game on NBA League Pass and NBA TV.
Both squads are dealing with some key injuries heading into this one.
The Bucks will likely have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Gary Trent Jr. available despite knee issues, but they’ll be missing Damian Lillard with a calf injury. Center Jericho Sims remains out with a thumb problem.
Sacramento has a major hole in their lineup with star center Domantas Sabonis sidelined indefinitely with an ankle injury.
The Kings have been struggling lately, going just 4-6 in their last 10 games. They’re putting up decent numbersโ115.4 points per game while shooting a solid 48.4% from the fieldโbut they haven’t been able to string together consistent wins.
Sacramento currently holds the ninth seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.
This game kicks off a brutal three-game stretch for the Kings, who’ll face the league-leading Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder next.
The Kings are now 2-1 on their current seven-game homestand after dropping a disappointing 128-116 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. Malik Monk was a bright spot with 34 points, but the team clearly missed Sabonis’s presence in the paint.
“There’s a lot there that’s unacceptable,” Kings coach Doug Christie didn’t mince words after the game. “You can’t just let people come into your house and do what they want. Super, super disappointed. And I told them this one should hurt. It should hurt if you care about it.”
The Bucks haven’t been great on the road this season, posting a 16-18 record away from home.
They’re also just 7-14 when playing as the underdogโa position they find themselves in tonight.
Milwaukee has been treading water lately, going 5-5 in their last 10 games while averaging 116.9 points and shooting a respectable 49% from the floor.
They currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with 13 games left to play.
This matchup is part of Milwaukee’s season-long five-game road trip. They started the journey with a disappointing 104-93 loss to the Warriors before bouncing back with a dominant 118-89 win over a short-handed Lakers team on Thursday.
Giannis looked like his usual dominant self in that win, dropping 28 points, while Gary Trent Jr. chipped in 23 against a Lakers squad missing most of their top scorers.
History favors the Bucks in this matchupโthey’ve won an incredible 16 of their last 17 games against Sacramento.
But the Kings have been pretty good at home on Saturdays lately, winning 6 of their last 9 weekend home games.
According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Sacramento has a 63.4% chance of winning tonight’s contest, despite their recent struggles and Sabonis’s absence.
