SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Brandon Knight scored 20 points and the Milwaukee Bucks spoiled DeMarcus Cousins’ return to the struggling Sacramento Kings with a 108-107 victory Thursday night.

With their inside game lacking due to missing players, the Bucks shot well from the perimeter for much of the night in winning their third in four games. They went 10 of 14 from 3-point range in the first half and made 13 overall from beyond the arc.

O.J. Mayo and Jared Dudley added 19 points apiece for Milwaukee. Jerryd Bayless scored 17 and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 11 for the undersized Bucks, outscored 48-26 in the paint.

Playing for the first time in more than three weeks, Cousins looked fatigued at times but still had 27 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in nearly 33 minutes for the Kings.

He missed a jumper at the buzzer that would have won it.

Cousins missed 10 straight games with viral meningitis, and the Kings went 2-8 in his absence. He last played Nov. 26 at Houston.

Ben McLemore scored 22 points, Rudy Gay had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Darren Collison added 12 points.

Sacramento has dropped five straight and 10 of 12. The Kings were playing their second game since the surprise firing Sunday of coach Michael Malone, who was replaced by interim coach Tyrone Corbin.

Trying to play a more up-tempo game, the Kings were too sloppy and committed 21 turnovers that led to 17 Milwaukee points.

A goaltend by Cousins led to a three-point play by Dudley, putting the Bucks ahead 101-91 with 6:41 left. Two free throws by McLemore tied the game at 107, but Zaza Pachulia converted one of two free throws for a one-point Milwaukee lead with 6.8 seconds left.

Following a timeout, Cousins missed a 15-foot jumper at the horn.

Prized rookie Jabari Parker, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Monday and is out for the season, was among the missing Milwaukee players.

The Bucks also were missing center Larry Sanders, suspended one game by the NBA on Thursday for pushing Portland forward Nicolas Batum in the back as he elevated toward the basket Wednesday night.

Milwaukee dressed 10 players and also was without power forwards Ersan Ilyasova (nasal fracture) and John Henson (sprained left foot).



TIP-INS

Bucks: Mayo had it going early, scoring the team’s first 12 points. The Milwaukee guard, who entered averaging 10.9 points per game, made all three 3-point attempts in the opening quarter, when he scored 17 points.

Kings: Peja Stojakovic, who had his number retired Tuesday in a formal ceremony, watched from a courtside seat as his No. 16 jersey was hoisted to the rafters.

UP NEXT

The Bucks visit the Clippers on Saturday.

The Kings host the Lakers on Sunday.