It’s hard to believe that the Sacramento Kings will have many easy games as part of this project, but they had one here as they romped over the Brooklyn Nets, 107-88. The Kings led by double-digits for almost the entirety of the second half and went up by as many as 22.
Five Kings scored in double-figures, led by DeMarcus Cousins’ 18 points. Domantas Sabonis (13 points, nine rebounds) and Chris Webber (eight points, 10 rebounds) narrowly missed double-doubles.
The Kings had an uncharacteristically great defensive game, holding the Nets to 32.1% shooting, including a 1-for-12 effort by Drazen Petrovic. Jason Kidd and Derrick Coleman scored 17 points apiece.
Cousins scored 10 of the Kings’ first 13 points, and helped Sacramento to a 28-19 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Kings would give up that entire nine-point lead during the second quarter thanks to the play of Kidd. His three-pointer closed the gap to two points at 29-27. A three-point play by Kidd tied it at 33, and another three-pointer by Kidd gave the Nets their first lead since 4-3 at 36-33. Down 37-35, Sacramento then went on an 11-0 run, with six points from Oscar Robertson, to go back up by nine at 46-37. It would be 49-40 at halftime.
The third quarter was the highest scoring one of the game — as well as the best-scoring quarter of the season for Sacramento — as the Kings outgunned the Nets 35-27. Brooklyn closed within six points at one point. Sacramento went back up by double-digits on a Peja Stojakovic three-pointer at 59-48. That was part of another 11-0 run that made it 65-48. A Sabonis basket put the Kings up by 20+ for the first time at 73-52. The biggest lead of the game was 22 at 76-54 after a three-point play by Mitch Richmond. It was 84-67 after the third period.
Brooklyn got no closer than 13 points in the fourth quarter. A Sabonis basket got the Kings to the century mark, making it 100-81. The Kings cleared the bench in the final four minutes and won by 19.
Next up: the Charlotte Hornets.
ROGER SPORTS & GAMES 