SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Ron Artest scored 36 points and the Sacramento Kings led from the start in a 114-106 victory over the slumping Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

It was the second straight win for the Kings, who rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat New Jersey on Tuesday night. Sacramento, winner of three of its last four, begins a four-game road trip on Friday night against the Hornets in New Orleans.

Kevin Martin scored 18 points for the Kings, who led by as many as 16 points in the opening quarter. Brad Miller (news, bio, voting record) had 14 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, Kenny Thomas added 14 points and nine rebounds, and Mike Bibby had 11 points and eight assists.

The losing continues for the hard-luck Bucks, who have dropped five straight and 10 of 11. They were playing once again without injured starters Michael Redd, Charlie Villanueva and Mo Williams.

Milwaukee has dropped to 1-8 without Redd _ the NBA's sixth-leading scorer _ record and has fallen to last place in the Central Division. Redd scored 26 points and Villanueva had 25 in a November victory against the Kings.

Sacramento had difficulties containing crafty guard Earl Boykins, who made five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 36 points. Ruben Patterson had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Charlie Bell scored 18 and Ersan Illyasova had 13.

Scoring off steals, perimeter jumpers and muscling inside for baskets, Artest made 15 of 23 shots. He scored 18 points in the fourth quarter and finished with five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

It was a rare offensive output in the third quarter by Thomas that helped keep the Kings ahead. Scoring on easy opportunities inside against the Bucks shoddy defense, the veteran forward made all four shots and scored eight points in helping Sacramento take an 81-71 lead into the final period.

Artest scored 16 points and Martin had 13 for the Kings, who had a 12-0 run late in the second quarter to take a 58-47 halftime lead.