Milwaukee, WI (My Sportsbook) - Richard Jefferson netted 20 points, as the Milwaukee Bucks downed the struggling Sacramento Kings, 106-104, at the Bradley Center.

Charlie Villanueva collected 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, who had dropped three of four coming in.

"I thought, especially in the first half, there was some hangover from last night. The guys were really embarrassed about last night," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said of the team's 30-point loss to the Hawks on Friday. "I thought that let us affect us a little bit. We were able to battle back and make big plays."

Francisco Elson posted season-highs in points (10), rebounds (12) and a career-high in steals (five), while Michael Redd and Ramon Sessions chipped in 14 points each.

Redd was forced from the game with 2:33 left in the third quarter with a left knee strain. He did not return and is scheduled for an MRI exam on Sunday.

Kevin Martin had 20 points and Francisco Garcia 19 to help pace Sacramento, which has yet to taste victory against the Eastern Conference this season, falling to 0-17.

"We came up short once again," Kings head coach Kenny Natt said. "I just told the guys, what I was most proud of was that they played with more effort and intensity tonight. There were key plays here and there and they (Milwaukee) were able to capitalize on that."

Brad Miller nearly notched a triple-double with 14 points, 13 boards and nine assists but missed Sacramento's last two shots of the game with a chance for a win or tie. Jason Thompson logged 16 points and nine rebounds as the Kings lost for the fourth straight game and for the 10th time in the last 12 games.

Villanueva broke a 99-all tie with a slam and followed with a jumper with just under 2 1/2 minutes to play.

Martin's layup got the Kings within two, 103-101, and after an Elson miss -- Garcia stroked a three-ball for a one-point edge with 1:24 on the clock. Luke Ridnour couldn't get a pair of running jumpers to go, and Sessions hit just 1-of-2 at the line to knot the score at 104 with 53.8 seconds to go.

Beno Udrih came down the floor but lost the ball to Ridnour -- and following a timeout -- John Salmons was called for a foul on Jefferson, who hit 1-of-2, giving the Bucks a 105-104 lead with 16.1 seconds left.

The Kings got the ball to Miller in the lane off a pick-and-roll, but he couldn't get the floater to fall. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute could only get one free throw to go, and Sacramento had a chance for the win or tie, down two, with 3.3 seconds to play.

Again, they got the ball to Miller for an intermediate jumper, but it caught only iron.

The Kings went up by 10 late in the opening quarter before the Bucks closed the deficit to three, 36-33, after 12 minutes of play. Milwaukee kept it close throughout the second and inched to within one, 63-62, following a pair of Redd free throws just before halftime.

Udrih and Thompson stroked back-to-back jumpers for an 80-77 advantage late in the third, but the Bucks scored the next seven points to take the lead. Spencer Hawes delivered two at the line and the Kings trailed by two, 84-82, heading to the final stanza.

Game Notes

Milwaukee snapped a three-game skid against the Kings with a 129-122 win in Sacramento on January 16...The Kings are still 12-4 in the past 16 matchups...The Bucks opened a quick two-game homestand Saturday and will face Minnesota Monday...Milwaukee improved to 13-7 as the host this season...The Kings kicked off a four-game road trip Saturday and will also face Toronto, Cleveland and Boston during the trek...Sacramento is a miserable 3-19 on the road this season...Mbah a Moute tallied 13 points and grabbed nine boards while Ridnour had seven points, eight assists and tied a career-high with three blocks for Milwaukee...Udrih logged 12 points and five assists for Sacramento.