The Sacramento Kings opened up a six-game homestand with a high-scoring 139-133 victory over the Charlotte Hornets behind De’Aaron Fox’s game-high 36 points.
Fox also had nine assists and eight rebounds. Malik Monk had 23 points off the bench, 15 of them via five three-pointers in the fourth quarter. Domantas Sabonis (25 points and 10 rebounds) and Keegan Murray (16 points and 10 rebounds) had double-doubles).
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 to lead the Hornets and Gordon Hayward had 26.
The Kings (17-12) won the game by being more efficient at the three-point line (20-for-37, 52.6% vs. 17-for-41, 41.5%) and at the foul line (25-for-33, 75.8% vs. 26-for-39, 66.7%).
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In a high-scoring first quarter, neither team led by more than four points. There were nine lead changes and five ties. Oubre had 17 first-quarter points and Sabonis had 12. The Kings led 41-37 at the end of the period, and they would hold onto that lead for the remainder of the game.
A 7-0 run gave the Kings their first double-digit lead of the contest and a 13-point lead at 62-49 with under four minutes to play in the second quarter. I t was 69-57 at halftime.
The Kings went up by 14 at 82-68 with under nine minutes to play in the third quarter after two straight three-pointers by Fox. Charlotte chipped away at the lead and got the deficit down to four points at 90-86. But the Kings would score the final eight points of the quarter, six of them by Murray, to go into the final period with a 98-86 lead.
Charlotte again made a run in the third quarter to get the deficit to five at 106-101 with eight minutes left. But the Kings again responded immediately, scoring the next six points to go back up by 11. Sacramento took its largest lead of the game of 16 points at 127-111 with under four minutes to play. Charlotte hit a bunch of three-pointers late to close the gap, but got no closer than five in the final minute.
This game was played with Highlight Maker Hoops Prime Time.
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