The Milwaukee Bucks earned a massive win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, grabbing their second win in a row. Milwaukee was able to keep pace within the Eastern Conference standings with the victory and it was a solid night all around.
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Playing without star guard Damian Lillard, the Bucks were undermanned. But star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo wouldn't let his team fall short again.
Antetokounmpo put on a show, posting 32 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, one block, and one steal. It was a special night for the star and he had a perfect reaction to his outing after the game.
“I just said f— it,” Antetokounmpo said after the game. “I gotta be aggressive.”
The. Bucks star was special in the third quarter as he realized his team needed him to step up. Antetokounmpo dropped 22 points in the third to help pull the game toward Milwaukee.
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers spoke about his performance after the fact, in awe of what he witnessed.
“He was just dominant,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said after the game. “He wouldn’t be denied.”
But Antetokounmpo's teammates expect these types of performances from him. Kevin Porter Jr. said that Antetokounmpo helps the team with everything and is thankful for his leadership.
“I mean, honestly, his third quarter sets everything off,” Porter said. “His energy, him being a leader, coming out fast definitely got us up and elevated on the bench and ready to go and take it up a notch when he was ready to rest. So that’s what it was.
“We know as a bench unit, we gotta come out and be ready. Especially when the energy’s like that and it’s contagious, we can’t let it slow. We gotta stay a foot on the gas.”
For the Bucks to find success down the stretch of the season, they will need their star to continue playing at this level. Milwaukee has the tools to be very good and make noise in the postseason if they can show consistency on the court.
This game against the Kings was a massive win and showed what this team could be. But the real test will be coming soon and Milwaukee will need to answer the bell.
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