Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things to watch for in visit to Sacramento Kings

Don’t push it

One of the biggest stylistic differences involving the Kings this year versus last season is how much they’ve slowed down their pace of play under Walton compared to Joerger.

Last season, the Kings played at the third-highest pace of NBA teams where they averaged 103.8 possessions per game. This season under Walton, the Kings have decidedly gone the other way and play at a much slower pace where they rank 28th by averaging 98.3 possessions per game.

That precipitous drop has led to them falling in fast break points where they averaged 20.9 fast break points per game last season, good for the best mark in the NBA, to 23rd in the league with 11.7 fast break points per game. On the other side of the ball, though, Sacramento allows the second-fewest fast break points per game this year (11.3).

Of course, the Bucks have been consistent in pushing the limits and lead the league in both pace and fast break points per game this season (18.7).

From that standpoint, Friday night will make for an interesting clash of identities and philosophies and obviously, the Bucks’ ideologies have led to them establishing a better pattern for success compared to the Kings.

And it’s through that with which the Bucks could have a distinct advantage, that is if their offense is much sharper than what we’ve seen so far on this road trek.

The Bucks’ meeting with the Kings will tip off at 9 p.m. central time at the Golden 1 Center.