Sacramento Kings vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction & Match Preview - January 22nd, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

The visiting Kings will face the defending champions Bucks for the first time this season. [Photo: Sactown Royalty]

The reeling Sacramento Kings will start a brutal five-game East coast stretch with a matchup against defending champions Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Sacramento were stunned by the Detroit Pistons in their last game, and need to regroup before their tough road outings.

With a crucial part of the season starting, the Kings urgently need to revive their flagging campaign. They are currently in the thick of the fight for a play-in spot in the West, but have looked out of sorts in the last few weeks. The Kings need to drastically improve against the reigning champions at the Fiserv Forum.

Meanwhile, the Bucks will be playing the second night of a back-to-back. They are now on a two-game winning run after dispatching the sizzling Memphis Grizzlies 126-114 and undermanned Chicago Bulls 94-90. Giannis Antetokounmpo, as expected, has been at the forefront of the Bucks’ attack at both ends of the floor.

No Bull. https://t.co/mCmR2yLZBK

Despite a quick turnaround, the Bucks are still heavily favored against the Sacramento Kings. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday should provide more than enough support to the Greek Freak. The Bucks are 18-3 when all three have played together, which could spell doom for their lowly opponents.

Match Details

Fixture: Sacramento Kings vs Milwaukee Bucks | 2021-22 NBA season.

Date & Time: Saturday, January 22nd; 7:00 PM ET (Sunday, January 23rd; 5:30 AM IST).

Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI.

Sacramento Kings Preview

The Sacramento Kings have to drastically improve their defense to remain in play-in contention. [Photo: NBA.com]

With Tyrese Haliburton out, the Sacramento Kings were seemingly cruising to a win against the Detroit Pistons. Out of nowhere, the Pistons unleashed a demoralizing 11-0 run in the final few minutes of the game to hand the Kings a painfully humiliating loss.

If Haliburton, who has cleared the league’s health and safety protocols, is back against the Bucks, he will provide a boost on both sides of the ball. However, that may not be enough against the Bucks’ stifling defense.

The Sacramento Kings defense, meanwhile, has been a comedy of errors and miscommunication. It has doomed them all season long if their offense is not clicking. They are bound to have a long night if their toothless defense continues to prevail.

Key Player - De’Aaron Fox

De’Aaron Fox missed a potential game-tying step-back jumper against the Detroit Pistons. He had Pistons center Isaiah Stewart on his heels before his shot fell just an inch short. Despite the miss, he was brilliant yet again for the Kings.

Any potential deal around De’Aaron Fox for Domantas Sabonis will not happen, Kings sources tell @ShamsCharania.

The Kings remain active in trade conversations, informing teams that they want to build around Fox and Tyrese Haliburton.

More: theathletic.com/news/kings-cur… https://t.co/WgzXTHmGJv

Fox had a game that showed off his all-around skills. He finished with 27 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Without Haliburton, he was the focal point of his team’s defense, but still played like a true franchise player.

Despite trade rumors swirling around him, he continues to do his best to lead the Kings into play-in contention.

Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup

G - De’Aaron Fox | G - Terence Davis | F - Harrison Barnes | F - Marvin Bagley III | C - Richaun Holmes.

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Milwaukee Bucks Preview

The Milwaukee Bucks are always an elite team when healthy. [Photo: Behind the Buck Pass]

The Milwaukee Bucks are only 4-6 in their last ten games, having lost embarrassingly to the Detroit Pistons at the start of the year. However, they have shown in their last two wins that when they are near full strength, they are a tough team to beat.

More importantly for the Bucks, when their Big 3 is playing, they are near unbeatable. If they can sustain their effort and energy in the second game of a back-to-back, they should be fine against the reeling Kings.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been terrific all season long. Not many teams, including the Kings, seem to have an answer for him.

Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo had another MVP-level performance against the Chicago Bulls in the Milwaukee Bucks’ last win. He filled the stat sheet with 30 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocks.

The Bulls defense practically threw the kitchen sink at him, but Antetokounmpo still thrived. There’s a reason why he’s consistently near the top of the MVP ladder this season.

A win is a win. https://t.co/eHWm5yPFdX

The two-time MVP is in the top ten in both double-doubles and triple-doubles this season. In the Bucks’ last ten games, he has posted an average of 31.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.2 blocks. His aggressiveness has resulted in at least 12 free throw attempts in these games. It would be no surprise if the Kings put consistent double and triple teams at him.

Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup

G - George Hill | G - Wesley Matthews | F - Khris Middleton | F - Giannis Antetokounmpo | C - Bobby Portis.

Kings vs Bucks Match Prediction

The Bucks’ Big 3, if they execute their game plan, could be enough to beat the Kings.

Where to watch the Kings vs Bucks game?

The NBA League Pass will stream the game live. Local coverage of the matchup will be available via Bally Sports Wisconsin and NBC Sports California.