Sabonis nets 30, Kings top Wizards for 7th straight road win
Sacramento has won 11 of its last 13 and seven straight on the road
Domantas Sabonis had 30 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, and Terence Davis II provided an early spark off the bench and added 21 points as the Sacramento Kings beat the Washington Wizards 132-118 Saturday night.
Six players scored in double figures for the Kings. Keegan Murray scored 19, Malik Monk added 17, De’Aaron Fox had 12 and Harrison Barnes 11. Sacramento shot 21 for 34 (61.8%) from 3-point range , with five each from Murray, Davis and Monk.
Sacramento has won 11 of its last 13 and seven straight on the road. The Kings are tied with the Grizzlies at 43-27, 3 1/2 games behind the Nuggets for the top spot in the Western Conference.
Kyle Kuzma scored 33 points and Bradley Beal added 20 for the Wizards, who have lost seven of their last nine games.
The Kings led 71-60 at the break behind 18 points from Sabonis and four 3-pointers by Davis.
Kessler Edwards, subbing for the injured Kevin Huerter, played tight defense on Beal, limiting the Wizards’ leading scorer to five points in the first half on 2-for-8 shooting while playing most of the second quarter with three fouls.
Kuzma scored 20 in the first half, despite having to leave the game for five minutes early in the first due to a leg injury.
Edwards made his first start with Sacramento and second overall this season, replacing Huerter, who was out with mild right leg muscle strain.
Coach Mike Brown likes Edwards youthful confidence on the floor: “His ability to offensive rebound, every possession he runs extremely hard, in transition with directions. For a young guy, he doesn’t seem to be afraid of the moment.”
Brown gave forward Trey Lyles a rest day because of right shoulder soreness. “It’s not bad,” Brown said. “If it were a playoff game, he most likely would play.”
Coach Wes Unseld Jr. said newly signed forward Xavier Cooks completed his first workout with the team Saturday morning. Cooks made his NBA debut in the fourth quarter, playing four minutes and grabbing one rebound. “Another guy with size, athleticism,” Unseld Jr. said. “He’s got the versatility to defend multiple positions.”
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