Bogdan, Kings beat Pelicans for first win in NBA bubble
A record-setting scoring barrage and a career day by Bogdan Bogdanovic helped the Kings earn their first win in the NBA bubble with a 140-125 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday at Walt Disney World Resort’s HP Field House.
Bogdanovic scored a careerhigh 35 points for the Kings (2939), who were desperate for a win after losing their first three seeding games. Bogdanovic made 13 of 20 from the field and 6 of 9 from 3-point range, bouncing back in a big way after enduring one of the worst shooting nights of his career in Tuesday’s overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
“Maybe that was driving me a little more and putting the pressure on me,” Bogdanovic said. “I like the pressure. When I have pressure, I think I react well.”
De’Aaron Fox recorded a double-double with 30 points and 10 assists for the Kings, who enjoyed their highest-scoring game of the season. Harrison Barnes added 22 points and six rebounds.
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram scored 24 points apiece for the Pelicans (29-39), who are now tied with the Kings in the race for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Williamson made 10 of 12 field-goal attempts, but he grabbed only two rebounds in 22 minutes.
The Kings shot 53.8% from the field and made 16 of 33 from 3-point range. The Pelicans shot 58% overall and 41.2% from long distance, but they committed 17 turnovers and got outrebounded 39-31.
“We know we are fighting with New Orleans and they know that, too,” Bogdanovic said. “So you can’t run from it. You’ve got to step up as a man and play the game.”
Sacramento and New Orleans are now tied for 12th in the West. They are 2 1/2 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies, who are 0-4 in the NBA bubble with remaining games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. The are a halfgame behind the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns. They were a full game behind the Portland Trail Blazers before the Blazers played the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
“We are still in it,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “You never know. We’ve got four more games and there’s a big group of teams right there, so we’re playing to win these (games) and trying to give ourselves the best chance to get into a playoff and I thought today was a good step forward.”
Fox agreed.
“We control our own fate, but we can’t worry about anybody but ourselves,” Fox said. “Knowing that we got this win, it throws us right back in contention for one of those last playoff spots.
“I think the pressure’s still on. We’re still a little bit behind. Obviously we know if we drop this game, it puts the Pelicans ahead of us and we just drop very far behind, so we knew this was a must win.”