The Kings have four games remaining on their season-long seven-game homestand. The next three are against playoff teams, including two of the NBA’s top championship contenders.
The Kings will play host to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. They will entertain the Boston Celtics on Monday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday before concluding the homestand against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.
The Bucks will be missing nine-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA selection Damian Lillard, who has been ruled out due to right calf soreness. The Kings are missing three-time All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis, who is recovering from a right ankle sprain.
The Kings (35-34) are ninth in the Western Conference, a full 5 ½ games behind the Golden State Warriors for the No. 6 seed and the final automatic playoff berth with 13 games remaining. The Kings are now just two games ahead of the No. 10 Phoenix Suns and No. 11 Dallas Mavericks in the battle for the final play-in spot.
The Bucks (39-30) are fifth in the Eastern Conference. They are one game behind the Indiana Pacers for the No. 4 seed and homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Here are three things to watch in Saturday’s game.
Zach attack
The Kings need Zach LaVine to resume his season-long assault on opposing defenses.
LaVine, who came to Sacramento in the trade that sent De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, is averaging 23.3 points per game while shooting career highs of 51.3% from the field and 44.1% from 3-point range.
Over a recent seven-game stretch, the Kings went 5-2 with LaVine averaging 27.4 points while attempting 17.9 shots per game. That included a 42-point game against the Charlotte Hornets and a 36-point game against the San Antonio Spurs.
Over the last five games, LaVine has averaged 16.6 points while attempting only 9.8 shots per game.
Milwaukee’s injuries
Lillard will miss his second game in a row due to the calf injury. The Bucks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 118-89 on Thursday with Lillard out of the lineup.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is dealing with right patella tendinopathy and Gary Trent Jr. has left patella tendinopathy, but both are listed as probable for Saturday’s game.
Bucks forward Bobby Portis is serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
Sacramento’s 3-point shooting
The Kings were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league over the first 55 games, but they have moved up to 19th in the NBA after finding a rhythm over the past four weeks.
Sacramento was 25th at 34.5% before the All-Star break. Over the past 14 games, the Kings are No. 3 at 39.4%.
Bucks at Kings
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Golden 1 Center
TV: NBC Sports California, NBA TV
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Kings -1.5
Over/under: 228.5
Injury report
Bucks: PROBABLE — Giannis Antetokounmpo (patella); Gary Trent Jr. (patella). OUT — Jamaree Bouyea (G League); Damian Lillard (calf); Bobby Portis (league suspension); Jericho Sims (thumb); Stanley Umude (G League).
Kings: OUT — Mason Jones (G League); Domantas Sabonis (ankle).
