The Sacramento Kings blew an 18-point first-quarter lead, had one of their worst-shooting games of the season and ended up losing a close one at home to the Phoenix Suns, 115-112.
The Kings (10-9) have lost four in a row. They also lost this one in real life, so they still have the same 19-game record as then.
De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Kings, who shot just 36.6% from the field. Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 16 rebounds.
Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges both had 25 for the Suns, who shot 40.4%. Bridges (10 rebounds) and Deandre Ayton (14 points, 15 rebounds) had double-doubles.
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The Suns scored the first five points of the game, but the Kings then went on an 18-0 run. Kevin Huerter’s second three-pointer made it 18-5 just over five minutes into the contest. The Kings took their biggest lead of the game at 34-16 on two Domantas Sabonis free throws. It was 36-24 at the end of the first quarter.
Booker had five points in an 11-0 run that cut the Kings’ lead to four points at 45-41 midway through the second quarter. The game would remain in single-digits for the rest of the contest. Sacramento went up by eight a couple of times late in the period, and it was 60-54 at halftime.
The Suns scored the first six points of the third quarter to tie it. A Torrey Craig three-pointer gave Phoenix their first lead since the opening minutes at 63-62. There were eight lead changes and five ties in the third quarter, and other than the six-point margin at the start of the quarter, neither team led by four. Sacramento led 84-83 after three periods.
It was more of the same in the fourth quarter, although Booker scored the first six points to give the Suns an 89-84 lead, matching their largest of the game. After that, the largest lead for either team was three points. The fourth quarter had a total of 11 lead changes and four ties. The Kings’ final lead was at 112-111 with 1:30 left after Terence Davis made two free throws. Phoenix went back in front at 113-112 on two Damion Lee free throws with just over a minute to go. The Kings missed shots on their next two offensive possessions. Bridges scored with 11 seconds left to put the Suns up by three. Huerter had a three-point attempt to tie it at the buzzer, but he was well-defended and it was off the mark.
This game was played with Highlight Maker Hoops Prime Time.
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