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

The Milwaukee Bucks’ Big 3 was outright dominant in this one, taking over as the Sacramento Kings made things interesting

As just mentioned, Antetokounmpo, Holiday, and Middleton took this game over late, dominating in the clutch to keep Milwaukee’s win streak alive. The Bucks are now 32-9 when these three are all in the lineup, and it was clear to see why, as the trio all had outstanding all-around games.

Antetokounmpo led the way with another MVP-caliber performance by scoring 36 points on 52.2 percent shooting, imposing his will on Sacramento’s defenders. When his shot did not fall, Giannis was often headed to the free throw line, where he shot 12-of-16 (75 percent). Along with another top-tier scoring game, Antetokounmpo stuffed the stat sheet with 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one blocked shot to make an all-around impact. It was yet another jaw-dropping game for the Greek Freak, and his performance should bolster his stock in the ongoing MVP race.

While Antetokounmpo paved the way, last night was one of Middleton’s best games of the year as he nearly notched a triple-double with 32 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Middleton was in a groove offensively, shooting 10-of-20 from the floor, including a season-high seven 3-point makes in 10 attempts. Given how much Middleton has struggled with his three-ball this season, it was refreshing to see this outstanding shooting performance. Yet, Middleton did far more than just score last night as his facilitating was fantastic, aside from a few turnovers that could have been avoided. Nevertheless, Middleton was at his best last night, and hopefully that is a sign of things to come for the forward.

Last but not least, Holiday had another incredible game with 21 points, four rebounds, four steals, and three rebounds. Offensively, a sizeable chunk of Holiday’s production came in the final quarter, where he caught fire. Despite another 20-point game, it was the guard’s elite defense that caught some rightful attention in this one as he pestered Sacramento’s backcourt all night. When Holiday was the primary defender, De’Aaron Fox scored six points on 2-of-9 shooting, Donte DiVincenzo shot 1-of-4, and Davion Mitchell shot 0-of-1. The All-Defensive guard showcased why he should once again be a lock to earn the honors again this season, virtually taking them out of the game.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ Big 3 will look to keep the ball rolling as they conclude this West Coast trip on Saturday against the red-hot Minnesota Timberwolves. Be sure to catch the action at 4:00 p.m. CST on Bally Sports Wisconsin.