NBA: Fox’s triple-double leads surging Kings.
De’Aaron Fox’s teammates made sure he knew he was close to his first career triple-double.
“They told me,” Fox said. “It was like, ‘Go get it.’ ”
He reached the milestone with 31 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds as Sacramento beat the Hawks 146-115 in Atlanta on Thursday for their fifth straight win.
The second-year guard’s previous career highs were 16 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
The Hawks, who have lost four straight, had no answer for Fox’s quickness and shooting. He went 3-for-4 from threepoint range.
“Fox is one of the, if not the, fastest guys in the league,” Atlanta head coach Lloyd Pierce said. “He’s got a different motor. He sets the pace for them at all times. When he’s hitting threes, he’s hard to stop.”
Fox and the Kings did not forget a 126-80 loss at Atlanta last November that was the Hawks’ most lopsided win in franchise history.
“This was a game that maybe meant a little more,” Sacramento head coach Dave Joerger said.
Still, Joerger said he wasn’t expecting to win by 31 points: “Nobody saw this coming.”
Last season’s game was a matchup of last-place teams. The Kings showed the difference one season can make.
“They went through struggles last year and you see what they’re able to do now,” said Atlanta rookie guard Trae Young, who went 0-for-1 from three-point range.
The Kings averaged 110.8 points over the first four games of the streak. They moved past that number with a full period remaining, carrying a 115-87 lead into the final quarter. 76ers 122, Clippers 113: Joel Embiid had 41 points and 13 rebounds, his sixth game this season with at least 30 points and 10 boards, as Philadelphia improved to 5-0 at home. Ben Simmons added 14 points and 11 assists, and Markelle Fultz finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Celtics scored 28, 117, making Bucks six 113: of Kyrie Boston’s Irving franchise-record 24 three-pointers, as host Boston handed Milwaukee its first loss of the season. Down 15 entering the fourth quarter, the Bucks made it a one-point game in the final minute, but the Celtics pulled out their fourth straight win. Thunder 111, Hornets 107: Russell Westbrook had 29 points, 10 assists and eight boards as visiting Oklahoma City erased a 19-point third-quarter deficit to win its third straight. Nuggets 110 , Cavaliers 91: Juancho Hernangomez scored 23 and visiting Denver improved to 7-1. Trail Blazers 132, Pelicans 119: Damian Lillard scored 26 for host Portland, which was swept by New Orleans in the first round of last season’s playoffs. Cavaliers’ Smith said he woes: wants Cleveland to be traded. guard J.R. Smith, one of three players left from the Cavaliers’ 2016 title team, has been dropped from Cleveland’s rotation as the team tries to rebuild. He said he has not formally requested a trade but that the front office knows how he feels. Already this year, the Cavs fired head coach Tyronn Lue and believed they were replacing him with assistant Larry Drew, but Drew said he didn’t want the “interim” tag unless he got some assurance of his long-term security from the front office. On Thursday, he said his agent has made progress in restructuring his contract. All-Star Kevin Love is also expected to miss weeks with a toe injury. On the bright side, the NBA awarded Cleveland the 2022 All-Star Game. It last hosted the game in 1997. Howard to return: Dwight Howard is scheduled to make his Washington debut against Oklahoma City on Friday. He missed all of training camp, the preseason and the first seven games of the regular season because of a sore backside.