Miami Herald (Sunday)

Pep talk from Fox works for Bjelica

- From Miami Herald Wire Services

De’Aaron Fox had to plead repeatedly with

Kings teammate Nemanja Bjelica to shoot the ball after Bjelica missed his only two attempts in the first quarter.

Once Bjelica got the message, Sacramento’s offense started to click.

Bjelica made three of his career high-tying six 3pointers in the fourth quarter and had a key block on John Wall late, and the host Kings beat the Washington Wizards 116-112 on Friday night.

“He just opens up everything,” Fox said. “European guys, they always want to make the right play so sometimes he doesn’t shoot it. I told him, ‘Shoot the ball. That’s why we brought [you] here.’ That’s what he started doing.”

Bjelica finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Buddy Hield scored 22 points and made three free throws over the final 20 seconds for the Kings.

“We got after them and we got our hands on a lot of basketball­s,” Sacramento coach Dave Joerger said. “We need that. That helps us play faster.”

Bjelica was scoreless in the first quarter but got going in the second when he scored seven consecutiv­e points.

After making back-toback 3s as part of an 11-0 run in the third, Bjelica made three more shots beyond the arc in the fourth, added a key assist to Hield with 2:45 remaining and then blocked

Wall’s shot moments later.

“Everything is about opportunit­y in this league,” Bjelica said. “I know that I can play like this but sometimes it’s hard because we are such a talented team and there are great players in this league. I’m not just a shooter.”

DAVIS SITS AGAIN

New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis was out of the lineup Saturday against Utah because of a right elbow sprain.

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said Davis hurt his elbow during Friday night’s 117-115 victory over Brooklyn. He played with the injury for the rest of the game, even making a victory-clinching steal of an inbounds pass in the final seconds. But lingering soreness led Davis to sit out again as the Pelicans try to improve on their 4-0 start to the season.

Davis has averaged 27.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocks through New Orleans’ first four games.

CAVS’ LOVE STILL OUT

Cavaliers forward Kevin Love was out for a second straight game because of a sore left foot when struggling Cleveland (0-5) hosted the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. Love didn’t play in Wednesday’s loss to Detroit and missed three of the Cavaliers’ four exhibition games because of the injury.

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