Kings’ amazing first half propels them to 129-94 win vs Bucks

Harrison Barnes and Kevin Barnes spearheaded a first-half barrage of 3-pointers, guiding the Sacramento Kings to a resounding 129-94 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 29 points, supported by Malik Monk with 25 points and Domantas Sabonis with 22. The Kings, securing their third win in the last four games, held a 22-point lead in the second period.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Bucks. However, it wasn’t enough as the Bucks completed a 1-3 California tour, suffering their second 35-point loss in seven days.

In a high-scoring first half, Barnes and Huerter each made 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, while Monk contributed 2-for-4. The Kings exploded for 75 points in the first half, taking a commanding 75-56 lead at halftime. Fox was flawless, scoring 15 points on 6-for-6 shooting, while Sabonis facilitated the offense with seven of his eight assists.

Sacramento shot an impressive 66 percent in the first half, including 10-for-18 on 3-pointers. Despite Antetokounmpo’s 22 points on 8-for-10 shooting, the Bucks struggled from deep, going 3-for-15 on 3-pointers.

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The Bucks failed to mount a serious comeback in the second half, finishing the night 7-for-39 on 3-point attempts. The Kings dominated from beyond the arc, outscoring the Bucks 54-21 on 45 percent shooting (18-for-40). Barnes and Fox each made four 3-pointers, while Huerter and Monk contributed three each.

Sabonis had a team-high 11 rebounds but fell short of a triple-double by two assists. In the individual matchup, Fox outperformed Damian Lillard, outscoring him 29-10 and contributing seven assists, six rebounds, and two steals.

Barnes ended with 16 points, and Huerter added 11 as the Kings shot 53.3 percent. Antetokounmpo’s game-high point total included a 10-for-14 performance at the free-throw line. Lillard’s scoring largely came from the line, where he went 5-for-6. Bobby Portis and Malik Beasley contributed 11 points each off the Milwaukee bench.