Bucks aim to keep 100-point streaks going against Kings
As sure as the sun rises every morning, it’s just as certain that the Milwaukee Bucks will score at least 100 points in a game.
Well, at least since last February (the Bucks and 100 points we mean, not the sun).
The Bucks have reached the century mark in points in 63 straight games, dating back to Feb. 23, 2019 when they beat Minnesota at home 140-128 (Milwaukee had 98 points in a win over Boston in its previous game and two 100-point outings before that).
The 100-point streak is tied for the 24th-best in NBA history and the longest in the league since Denver did it in 75 straight during the 1986-87 season and into the start of the 1987-88 season. By the way, the Nuggets had 100+ points in 81 of 82 games in 1986-87 with the exception a 131-99 loss to ... the Bucks).
Topping 100 on Friday against Sacramento would pass this edition of the Bucks past the Lakers (Jan. 29-Dec. 20, 1985) for sole possession of 24th place all-time. Reaching 65 games against Portland on Saturday would tie Boston (Jan. 1-Dec. 9, 1960), the Philadelphia Warriors (Dec. 4, 1961-Feb. 22, 1962) and Phoenix (March 8, 1970-Feb. 6, 1971) for 21st place.
We like Milwaukee’s chances to at least extend its streak to 64.
The Bucks have a 13-game 100+-point streak against the Kings, dating back to March 10, 2013, which is their longest such streak against any opponent in the league (next up is Brooklyn, 12 straight, then 11 vs. Chicago and 10 against Cleveland).
The last time the Bucks and Kings met was last Feb. 25 in Sacramento – a 141-140 Milwaukee win in overtime, the fifth-highest combined scoring game in Bucks history.
Giannis Antetokounmpo “only” had 17 points and seven rebounds in that game. That’s certainly not been his norm.
Following his 30-point, 13-rebound effort in Wednesday’s win at Golden State, Antetokounmpo now has 56 games with 30+ points and 10+ rebounds since the start of the 2017-18 season. That’s 10 more than anyone else. Over that span, the Lakers’ Anthony Davis has 46, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid 41, Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns 34 and Houston’s Russell Westbrook 26.
Other notes:
-- Milwaukee is 13-4 (.765) on the road against Pacific Division teams since 2016-17. Only Golden State (21-5, .808) has a better such record and of the top-five teams in that category, the Bucks are the only Eastern Conference team represented.
-- The Kings’ Buddy Hield has 103 games with 2+ made 3-pointers since the 2018-19 season. Only Houston’s James Harden, with 108, has more in that span.
-- Brook Lopez boasts a career-best 3.50 blocks per 36 minutes played, second in the NBA to only the Lakers’ JaVale McGee (3.65). Lopez’s previous season-best is 2.78, set last season.
Statistics courtesy Sportradar and basketball-reference.com
