The Sacramento Kings played excellent defense in the fourth quarter and came away with a 113-106 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The Kings won for the third time in four games to even their gauntlet record at 6-6.
Six Kings scored between 14 and 20 points. DeMarcus Cousins had team highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds despite foul trouble. It was his sixth double-double of the season. Oscar Robertson narrowly missed a double-double with 16 points and a season-high nine assists.
The Pacers got big games from Paul George (32 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Reggie Miller (25 points) but only put four players in double-figures.
It was a close game throughout and the seven-point final margin was the largest of the contest.
Neither team led by more than four points in the first quarter and the Kings had a 27-24 lead at the break.
In the second quarter, a Peja Stojakovic three-pointer put Sacramento ahead by six at 32-26. The Pacers immediately went on a 9-0 run to go in front 35-32, and they took a six-point lead at 44-38 after Miller scored five straight points. Indiana led 58-55 at halftime.
Miller opened the third quarter with a three-pointer, matching Indiana’s largest lead of six points at 61-55. Trailing 68-66, the Kings went on a 7-0 run. A Vlade Divac three-point play made it 73-68 in Sacramento’s favor. The lead see-sawed back and forth a few times from there, and the Kings took a 90-89 lead after three quarters.
The Kings only allowed 17 points in the fourth quarter, holding the Pacers to 7 of 22 shooting. More importantly, Indiana didn’t get to the free throw line after making 21 free throws in the first three quarters. The Kings didn’t shoot well, hitting 6 of 18 shots, but went 10-for-11 from the foul line.
Indiana’s final lead came at 97-96 after a Danny Granger three-pointer with seven minutes left. Oscar Robertson scored the next four points to give the Kings back the lead. He had another four points in a 6-0 run that gave Sacramento its biggest lead of seven points at 106-99 with four minutes left. Indiana’s George McGinnis scored to make it 108-106 with a little more than minute to go. The Pacers wouldn’t score again and a Mitch Richmond three-point play helped put the game away.
Next up: the Los Angeles Clippers.
ROGER SPORTS & GAMES 