Domantas Sabonis, Kings hold off Pelicans

Field Level Media|published: Thu 12th December, 22:52 2024

Dec 12, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) secures a rebound against New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Domantas Sabonis had 32 points and 20 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan scored 16 of his 29 points in the third quarter and the visiting Sacramento Kings defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 111-109 on Thursday night.

DeAaron Fox and Keegan Murray scored 18 each for the Kings, who outscored the Pelicans 38-28 in the third quarter.

CJ McCollum scored a game-high 36 points, Trey Murphy III had 21 and Dejounte Murray added 20 to lead New Orleans.

Herbert Jones and Dejounte Murray made consecutive field goals to start the third-quarter scoring and increase the Pelicans' advantage to 59-53. DeRozan scored 14 points in a span of 2:14 to help the Kings take a 69-67 lead.

Yves Missi made a layup to tie the score before Sabonis sank a 3-pointer and added a three-point play to help Sacramento open a 79-73 lead.

McCollum later responded with a three-point play, but Keon Ellis made two free throws and Keegan Murray added a field goal to push the lead to 10. McCollum beat the buzzer with a basket that left the Kings with a 91-83 lead at the end of the third quarter.

After a McCollum 3-pointer, Sacramento scored seven straight points to take a 12-point lead, 98-86. McCollum scored 14 to help New Orleans get within two with 1:24 left.

The Pelicans had two chances to tie, but McCollum missed a shot and Malik Monk blocked Dejounte Murray's attempt.

Sabonis scored six points during a 14-0 run that gave Sacramento an early 16-7 lead. Murphy scored the final nine of his 16 points to pull the Pelicans within 28-26 at the end of the first quarter. Sabonis had 12 points and eight rebounds in the period.

Murphy didn't score in the second quarter, but two jumpers by Brandon Boston Jr. and a field goal by McCollum started the scoring in the period and gave New Orleans a four-point lead. The score was tied three times before Daniel Theis' 3-pointer gave the Pelicans their biggest lead of the half, 47-41.

Fox's layup created another tie before Dejounte Murray's basket gave New Orleans a 55-53 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media

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