3 takeaways from the Milwaukee Bucks’ close win over Sacramento Kings

The Milwaukee Bucks turned up their intensity late to secure another clutch win

After a Serge Ibaka jump shot on the opening possession of the fourth quarter put Milwaukee up by 11 points, the Bucks matched their biggest lead of the game. However, from that point on, the Kings immediately battled back and made this game far more interesting. The two exchanged the lead multiple times down the stretch, with each team showing off some incredible shot-making. Thankfully, the Bucks tightened up just enough on defense and hit some tough shots to seal the deal to get the victory.

Milwaukee’s Big 3 was sensational throughout the final 12 minutes of this game, combining to score 27 points. Jrue Holiday led the way with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 3-of-3 from behind the arc. Though he had some head-scratching moments with two turnovers and a pair of missed free throws, Holiday once again stepped up down the stretch, hitting an array of difficult shots to keep Milwaukee within striking distance. While he has never been a stranger to making plays in the biggest moments, Holiday has seemingly kicked it into another gear in the fourth quarter since the All-Star break, which continued last night.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton followed Holiday with eight points apiece, with the pair hitting their own share of clutch shots. With the Bucks and Kings tied up at 123 with around two minutes left to play, Middleton buried his second 3-pointer of the period to give Milwaukee a three-point lead. Around a minute later and the Bucks still up by three, Antetokounmpo bullied his way inside and made a highly-contested hook shot to give his team a five-point lead. Shortly after that, he stepped to the free throw line and sunk two free throws to cement the win.

While these three were the driving force behind Milwaukee’s fourth-quarter comeback, one other Buck that needs their flowers is Matthews. With the score knotted at 126 and a tick over a minute and a half left to go, the veteran knocked down a clutch 3-pointer that was reminiscent of his late triple on Christmas Day against the Boston Celtics. Matthews continues closing games due to his robust defense, but he has also made some headlines due to his shot-making as well.

With the game hanging in the balance, it was beyond welcoming to see the defending champs find that next level and secure the victory.