Gameday Recap
Box Score, Photos and Video
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) DeMarcus Cousins had 32 points and 12 rebounds and Isaiah Thomas had 30 points and eight assists in the Sacramento Kings' 124-107 victory Sunday that sent the Milwaukee Bucks to their seventh straight loss.
The Kings demonstrated early they would not be overlooking the struggling Bucks. Sacramento led by 23 points after one quarter, took a 70-44 lead into halftime, and were ahead by 34 points after three quarters.
Rudy Gay had 24 points and eight rebounds and Ben McLemore scored 15 points for the Kings, who had dropped four of their past five home games against the Bucks.
Cousins scored in a variety of ways and the Bucks were never able to contain the talented Kings center. He made 14 of 19 shots, four of six free throws and added four assists and two steals.
O.J. Mayo scored 21 points for Milwaukee, Ersan Ilyasova had 14 and Jeff Adrien and Ramon Sessions each added 13 for Milwaukee. The Bucks outscored the Kings 37-20 in the fourth quarter, but the effort was much too late.
Brandon Knight came in averaging 20.1 points in March. But the Milwaukee guard missed his first seven shots and finished 2-of-12 and had six points and seven assists.
Milwaukee has dropped 10 of 11 games overall. The Bucks have won only eight home games and have lost eight straight and 18 of 19 on the road, dating to Jan. 2. Their lone road win in that stretch was Feb. 24 against Philadelphia, another struggling team.
Milwaukee will need to reverse the losing trend if it hopes to avoid a franchise-worst season. The 1993-94 Bucks had a 20-62 record.
Thomas scored 14 points and Cousins had 11 in the third quarter. Sacramento went over the 100-point mark on Thomas' 3-pointer at the 2:35 mark and was in front 104-70 after three quarters.
The Kings came out a little sluggish in the third quarter, but seemed to get inspired after Cousins grabbed a rebound and dribbled the length of the court and finished with a resounding dunk. The basket ignited a 16-3 run that put the Kings ahead 90-57.
Sacramento had a double-digit lead midway through the period and closed with an 18-3 margin. Cousins had 14 points and the Kings shot 67 percent in taking a 39-16 lead into the second period.
Cousins had 21 points and eight rebounds in helping the Kings dominate the first half in building a 26-point lead.
NOTES: Bucks rookie guard Nate Wolters fractured his left hand Thursday against Golden State and will miss the final 13 games of the season. ... Kings reserve forward Quincy Acy is bothered by a sprained right ankle and missed his second straight game. ... The Bucks shot 27 percent in the opening quarter and 35 percent in the first half. ... Mayo had not played in the previous six games. ... Royce White played his second straight game for the Kings, getting in for the final 48 seconds.
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Bucks Head Coach Larry Drew
Tonight’s game…
“I think they all ruled that first half. First quarter we did not put up enough of a fight. I think we gave up 39 points in that first quarter. That’s very uncharacteristic of us. We just couldn’t stop them in the first quarter. They made some shots but we didn’t put up enough of a fight, I thought. That was kind of my message at halftime. Against a team that… first of all, we have a tough time matching up against that team. In the end you have to put up more of a fight I just thought that from a physical standpoint I just thought they played with much more physicality in the first half. Second half we were a little bit better but not good enough.”
Lack of effort…
“I thought that from a physical standpoint I thought that they took a lot out of us. That team is a big team. You know with Rudy (Gay) at the three, (Reggie) Evans at the four and (DeMarcus) Cousins at the five physically they wore us down. They wore us down very early but still from a competitor’s standpoint you have to compete.”
Chris Wright…
“I liked what I saw. We were just sitting in there talking about it. Watching Chris play he really gives us something that we don’t have. He’s got a little size to him, real bouncy, real athletic but I thought he did a really good job.”
Chris Wright
Playing against Rudy Gay…
“Especially me wanting to be a defensive stopper, defensive-type player to go up against Rudy that’s somebody that I’ve known for the past few years, someone that I’ve watched actually in college and in the pros. It’s kind of fun to be out there and to be able to guard someone like that, a potential All-Star who I feel is an All-Star. It was a great experience.”
End of 10-day contract…
“I’m not sure what they are going to do but whatever it is I can’t control the decision that they decide.”
O.J. Mayo
Getting back on the court…
“Just like getting on a bike baby. Going out there and playing ball.”
Energy…
“It felt good out there.”
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