Sacramento Kings Halt Oklahoma City Thunder’s Offense In Victory
By Rafe Wong
The Sacramento Kings were in pursuit to end their losing streak against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Scroll down below to see if the purple and white were successful.
After seven straight games, the Sacramento Kings finally earned a victory as they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight by a score of 94-86.
Game Summary
The Kings again struggled early in the game as the starters had no answers in scoring the ball, resulting in the Kings to trail 25-10 after one. But with the help of the Buddy Hield, the Kings’ offense rallied back as they lead the Thunder 42-41 going into halftime.
For the second half, the Kings offense remained solid while their defense locked down on the Thunder’s Big Three. Because of these efforts, the Kings were in good position as they led by ten points going into the fourth quarter. In the final period, Oklahoma City threatened Sacramento as they fought back, but the Kings had enough left in the tank to keep the lead once the clock hit triple zeros.
Players of the Game
Top performers from Sacramento tonight were Zach Randolph who recorded 18 points and 8 rebounds, Justin Jackson who scored 16 points, and Buddy Hield who recorded 21 points and 7 rebounds.
Players who stood out for the Thunder were Russell Westbrook who recorded 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists, Carmelo Anthony who scored 16 points, and Steven Adams who recorded 14 points and 6 rebounds.
Final Thoughts
The Kings’ offense was decent tonight, but what made them victorious was due to their defensive efforts. Although I believe the Thunder’s offense was just bad tonight, Sacramento’s defense definitely played a part in their struggles. For the game, the Thunder as a collective whole shot 34% from the floor, 27% from the perimeter, and 78% from the free throw line.
Tonight’s win was huge for Sacramento. Not only were they able to snap their seven-game losing streak, but the young talent on the team was able to experience a win against a Thunder squad which contains multiple All-Star talents on their roster.
Hopefully, for the Kings and their fans, this victory will give the team some momentum going forward. Next time the Kings hit the hardwood will be against the Philadelphia 76ers next Thursday night.