Sacramento Kings Survive Nets’ Rally, Win Second Straight
By Rafe Wong
The Sacramento Kings got ahead early against the Brooklyn Nets tonight and carried that lead all the way to the final buzzer to win.
It did not come easy, but the Sacramento Kings defeated the Brooklyn Nets tonight by a score of 104-99. Tonight’s victory puts the Kings in the win column once again as they have won their second straight game. Their season record now stands at 11-20.
Game Summary
Tonight’s match could not have started better for the Kings. Straight out the gate, each player who repped “Kings” on the hardwood were on fire as they made their shots. Sacramento as a collective whole arguably had their best offensive quarter of the season as they led 36-20 while shooting 76% from the floor.
In the second quarter, the Kings returned from cloud nine. Their offense sizzled out a bit but was still able to get buckets as they recorded 28 points for the period. The offense remained to produce solid numbers, shooting 56% from the floor and 40% from three, which gave them the 64-47 lead going into halftime.
The Kings were sitting pretty going into the second half as they led by 17 points. But Kings fans should already know that no lead is safe for this team. In the third, the Nets found new life as they outplayed the purple and white on both ends of the floor, resulting in Sacramento’s lead to drop to 11 points.
The Nets then carried their new momentum into the fourth period as they were able to cut the Kings’ lead all the way down to two points. Fortunately, the Kings did just enough in the end as the clock expired with the scoreboard in their favor. Players who were big for the Kings during crunch time were Zach Randolph and George Hill as they made clutch shots and snatched down deciding rebounds.
Top Performers
George Hill: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
DeMarre Carroll: 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks
Zach Randolph: 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
Final Thoughts
The Kings did a nice job to start the game as their offense was scorching hot and their defense was active. Although their play declined as the game went on, probably due to playing Philadelphia the night before, the Kings made crucial baskets down the stretch and avoided what could have been a disappointing upset.
The Kings went undefeated in their back-to-back stretch and now have the chance to rest for the next couple of days. Hopefully, with these next two days off, they will be ready to play against the San Antonio Spurs when they visit the Golden 1 Center Saturday night.