Kings beat Heat after Fox forces overtime
SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings won for the third time in six games by overcoming a fourth-quarter collapse for a 123-119 overtime win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center.
The Kings (22-47), who led by as many as 16 points, were outscored 32-20 in the fourth. Thanks to Buddy Hield (24 points), Zach Randolph (22 points, nine rebounds) and De’Aaron Fox (20 points), Sacramento escaped with a win.
Fox hit a layup at the buzzer to tie the game at 111111 at the end of regulation. The Kings only needed two points to tie because Miami center Kelly Olynyk missed one of two free throws with three seconds left.
All-Star guard Goran Dragic led the Heat (36-33) with 33 points. Wayne Ellington scored 22 points and James Johnson had 18 points and seven assists.
Hassan Whiteside, Dwyane Wade and Josh Richardson were all out for Miami.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
Glass work — The Kings were outrebounded 53-43 and outscored 20-5 on secondchance points. That didn’t
cost the Kings, but giving up 15 offensive rebounds will be a problem on nights the team doesn’t shoot well.
On Wednesday, the Kings did shoot well at 51.1 percent, much better than the 41.4 percent the Heat finished with.
Defense from the bench — The Kings took control in the second quarter, when they used a lineup that turned up the intensity on defense.
Reserves Hield, Frank Mason III, Garrett Temple, Vince Carter and Kosta Koufos got the Kings off to a solid start in the quarter, and Sacramento held Miami to 21 points in the period.
It was the momentum swing the Kings needed. They trailed 31-24 after the first quarter.
Less power — With Skal Labissiere missing a third consecutive game with a bruised left hip, that kept Randolph in the starting lineup. Without Labissiere, the Kings do not have another power forward to use when Willie CauleyStein starts at center.
The Kings would love to be able to give Labissiere time to develop on the court, but if he’s out, Randolph is still a reliable option on offense and can rebound, too.
Dwyane Wade on Walkout Day: ‘It’s great to see our youth take a stand’
SACRAMENTO — If the goal from the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and those around the country is to inspire in the wake of the Feb. 14 Parkland shootings, then Dwyane Wade said the effort is resonating.
A week after meeting with students at Stoneman Douglas in the wake of the shooting that left 17 dead, Wade said he was in awe of Wednesday’s National Walkout Day.
“It’s great for all the kids to rally around what happened, but understanding that it’s in support of all the kids nationwide,” Wade said before sitting out Wednesday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center due to a lingering hamstring injury. “This is obviously led by Parkland 17, but it’s for all kids in all communities and they all are getting it and all are understanding the stronger they are together — and they all do things together,” he said. “It’s great to see our youth take a stand and do the things they feel is necessary.”
Beyond his surprise visit last Wednesday to Parkland on the first day students returned to classes, Wade and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union, have pledged $200,000 for students from his Chicago hometown to attend the March 24 “March For Our Lives” in Washington.