Sabonis, Kings power past Spurs
SAN ANTONIO >> Domantas Sabonis scored a seasonhigh 34 points and had 11 rebounds and the Sacramento Kings beat San Antonio 119-109 on Wednesday night, handing the beleaguered Spurs their seventh straight loss.
“If they are going to be down there trying to guard him one-on-one, ‘Hey, yo, go score,’” Kings guard De’Aaron Fox said. “If you have to shoot the ball 10, 15 times in a row, do it.”
Sabonis finished 15 for 20 from the field.
Fox added 31 points, 10 assists and had just one turnover for Sacramento, which has won two straight and nine of 12 to remain atop the Pacific Division.
The Spurs, who have lost 12 of 13, were led by a seasonhigh 22 points from rookie Malaki Branham. But already without Devin Vassell, the Spurs lost starters Tre Jones and Jeremy Sochan to injury in the first quarter.
Even without three of its top six scorers, San Antonio kept pace with Sacramento’s league-leading offense for most of the game. Josh Richardson added 19 points for the Spurs in his return after missing three games with a sore left knee.
Sacramento, which matched its season average of 119.5 points per game, went on a 14-2 run in taking a 49-37 lead midway through the second quarter.
The Kings were 8 for 27 on 3-pointers, but compensated for the poor outside shooting with a season-high 74 points in the paint.
CELTICS 139, NETS 96 >> Jayson Tatum had 31 points and nine rebounds and NBA-leading Boston rolled to a victory over shorthanded Brooklyn.
76ERS 105, MAGIC 94 >> Joel Embiid had 28 points and 11 rebounds, James Harden added 26 points and 10 assists and Philadelphia beat Orlando.
TRAIL BLAZERS 122, GRIZZLIES 112 >> Damian Lillard had 42 points and 10 assists, Anfernee Simons added 26 points and Portland rallied to beat Memphis.
ROCKETS 112, THUNDER 106 >> Eric Gordon had a seasonhigh 25 points and rookie Tari Eason added careerhigh 20 with 13 rebounds to help Houston beat Oklahoma City.