Domantas Sabonis' triple-double carries Kings past Pistons

Field Level Media|published: Tue 9th January, 21:52 2024

Jan 9, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes (7) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. credits: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Domantas Sabonis notched a triple-double with 37 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds and the visiting Sacramento Kings pulled away to a 131-110 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.

Keegan Murray supplied 32 points and De'Aaron Fox had 26 for the Kings, who finished the game on a 30-9 run. Malik Monk sparked Sacramento off the bench with 20 points and nine assists.

Detroit, which has lost five straight, was playing for the first time since it learned that leading scorer Cade Cunningham would miss time with a left knee strain.

Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 26 points, while Jaden Ivey had 22 points and six assists. Jalen Duren added 16 points and 10 rebounds and Alec Burks chipped in 16 points off the bench.

The Pistons delivered their highest scoring quarter of the season to take a 47-29 lead after the first 12 minutes. Bogdanovic led the way with 13 points.

Sacramento had a 13-0 run during the second quarter to pull within 61-55. Before the break, the visitors completely erased the early deficit, as they scored the last 13 points of the first half to take a 68-65 lead into intermission.

Sabonis led Sacramento with 22 points and seven assists in the first half. The Kings made 28 of 33 2-point attempts during the half.

Sacramento carried that momentum into the third quarter, beginning it with a 15-3 burst to grab an 83-68 lead. Murray had a 3-pointer and a three-point play during that stretch, and Sabonis finished the run with a trey.

When Monk made a 3-pointer with 2:34 remaining in the quarter, the Kings' lead was 98-85. Burks put the Pistons on his back for the remainder of the frame, reeling off a personal 10-0 run to cut Sacramento's lead to three heading into the fourth.

Duren's basket with 9:34 remaining tied it at 101-all. The Kings responded with a 9-0 spurt that included seven points and an assist from Monk.

Fox's pull-up jumper gave Sacramento a 118-106 advantage with five minutes left, and Sacramento cruised from there.

—Field Level Media

Latest