The Sacramento Kings got off to a great start, led for 47 minutes, nearly blew it, but got clutch plays from Peja Stojakovic and Oscar Robertson to pull out a dramatic 121-119 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Stojakovic hit a three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime. Tied at the end of OT, Stojakovic missed a shot but Robertson tipped in the miss for the game-winner at the buzzer.
Stojakovic had a team-high 23 points, while Domantas Sabonis scored 20. Robertson had his first point-rebound double-double of the gauntlet with 15 and 10, plus seven assists.
The Raptors’ Pascal Siakam led all players with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Four Raptors scored 20 or more, including Chris Bouncer with 23 and Vince Carter and DeMar DeRozan with 21 apiece.
The teams didn’t shoot well, with the Kings finishing at 41.3% from the field and the Raptors at 40.0%. Sacramento improved to 18-9 with two games to play.
The Kings got off to a terrific start, holding the Raptors to just one basket in the first six minutes and jumping out to a 13-2 lead. It was 26-13 at the end of the first quarter.
Sacramento scored the first two points of the second quarter to take what would be the Kings’ largest lead of the game at 15 points. Toronto closed within five points with three minutes left, and the Kings went into the break with a 53-47 lead.
Toronto finally tied the game at 65 after back-to-back three-pointers by Boucher with five minutes to go in the third quarter. but the Kings responded with a 13-0 run, with six different players scoring, to push the lead back up to 78-65 at the end of the third quarter.
The Raptors whittled away at the lead in the fourth quarter, eventually tying it at 91 and 93. They took their first lead of the game at 99-98 on a DeRozan basket with 59 seconds left. The Kings had to resort to fouling late. Toronto led 102-100 when Carter stepped to the line with 11 seconds left. He made just one of two, giving the Kings life. Stojakovic drilled a three-pointer with three seconds left to send the game to overtime, tied at 103.
It was a high-scoring overtime period. The Kings had a 115-111 lead, but Toronto ran off eight straight points to go up 119-115 with a minute left. Richmond made two free throws, and after a defensive stop, Robertson scored with 14 seconds left to tie the contest. Toronto’s Siakam went to the line with seven minutes to go, but he shockingly missed both free throws. The Kings had a chance to win at the other end and although Stojakovic misfired on a jumper, Robertson was there to tip it in at the buzzer for the win.
ROGER SPORTS & GAMES 