The Sacramento Kings (36-27) host the Milwaukee Bucks (42-23) tonight for a Tuesday night game. Both of these teams boast a winning record, and each has aspirations of making a playoff run this season. This will be the second game these two teams have played this season, the first being a January game in Milwaukee. In that game, defense was optional, and we got to watch what very well could be the game of the season. Both offenses battled back and forth, with a clutch bucket by De’Aaron Fox taking the game to overtime, where ultimately Damian Lillard put the game away with a buzzer-beater three-pointer to put the Bucks up 143-142.
We can only hope this game is as good as the first. However, a lot has changed about these two teams since that matchup two months ago. The Bucks have a new head coach. They have been the fifth-best defense in the league over the last 10 games. The Kings have been up and down recently, going 7-8 in their last 15 games.
Both of these teams can play with the best of them, but who will come out on top tonight?
Sacramento Kings vs Milwaukee Bucks Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | MoneyLine |
| Milwaukee | -2
-110 |
O 236
-108 |
-135 |
| Sacramento | +2
-110 |
U 236
-112 |
+114 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
Sacramento Kings vs Milwaukee Bucks Game Details
- Fixture: Milwaukee Bucks @ Sacramento Kings
- Date and Time: March 12, 2024 @ 10:00 pm EST
- Location: Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA
Apex Tale of the Tape
| Sacramento Kings | Vs. | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 36-27 | Record | 42-23 |
| 118.2 | Points Per Game | 120.9 |
| 48.4% | FG% | 49.1% |
| 36.7% | 3PT% | 37.6% |
| 51.6 | Rebounds Per Game | 52.4 |
| 117.9 | Points Allowed Per Game | 117.1 |
| 48.9% | Opponent FG% | 47.1% |
| 39.8% | Opponent 3PT% | 35.7% |
| 81.0% | Opponent FT% | 80.2% |
| 50.2 | Opponent Rebounds Per Game | 51.9 |
| 3-2 | Last 5 W-L | 3-2 |
| 103.8 | Team Pace | 104.3 |
Key Stats
Sacramento Kings
Sacramento has had no problem on the offensive end this season. However, if they want any chance of beating the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, they have to find a way to play defense. As I mentioned before, Sacramento gave up 143 points to Milwaukee in their first matchup. Milwaukee had 4 different 20-point scorers in that game.
Since the Sacramento Kings can’t rely on their defense, they are going to need to score and score well. Of the King’s 36 wins, they have scored 120+ points in 31 of them. Of their 27 losses, the Kings failed to reach 120 points in 23 of them. The Kings team total is set at 117.5 (-110) on DraftKings. They are going to have to surpass this line in order to have a good chance to beat Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks hired new head coach Doc Rivers mid-season. Since then, they have been trending up, winning 7 of their last 9. Their defense has improved monumentally since the hire. Before hiring Doc Rivers, Milwaukee allowed their opponents to score 120+ points in 23/46 games. In the 19 games Doc Rivers has been head coach, Milwaukee has averaged 109.8 opponent points per game. They have also only allowed 120+ points in 5/19 games while holding their opponent to under 100 points on 6 different occasions. Most notably, they held the reigning champion Denver Nuggets to only 95 points.
The Bucks’s path to victory here relies on that new and improved defense. As I mentioned before, the Kings do not win very often without scoring at least 120+ points. If Milwaukee’s defense, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, can keep this game low-scoring, I love their chances to win this one. However, even if they can’t stop Sacramento’s offense, the Bucks easily have enough offensive firepower to keep up. The dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and, again, Giannis Antetokounmpo, score 55.5 points per game for this team.
Game Prediction
I know the Kings are at home, and they always have a good crowd, but I think this new Bucks team is simply too good. Both the Bucks and the Kings have great offenses, but the defense of Milwaukee here is what is going to make a big difference. Milwaukee has held their opponent to under 120 points in 10 of their last 14 road games.
For the Kings to win, De’Aaron Fox is going to have to be incredible. Milwaukee allows the third-most points to opposing point guards on the season. Unfortunately, Milwaukee should focus all of its defensive attention on Fox. I think Milwaukee MoneyLine is a great play tonight.
Final Pick
Milwaukee Bucks MoneyLine
About the Author
Caden is a massive sports fan and has been following the professional leagues for as long as he can remember. His main sports are NFL and NBA, but he watches and can talk about all sports. If you want more great sports insight or are looking for sports betting advice, follow Caden on Twitter @CadenBahry. Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
