The Sacramento Kings won only their second game in the last seven games they have played. On the other hand, the Suns came into this game without their starting point guard Eric Bledsoe, while Rudy Gay missed the game for the Kings. DeMarcus Cousins scored a game-high 28 points and 12 boards for the Kings, while Isaiah Thomas, who replaced Bledsoe, scored 26 points for the Suns.
The Kings started the game aggressively and gained a quick 19-11 lead midway through the first period. They maintained that lead and ended the quarter leading the game, 26-18.
Both teams looked strong at the start of the second quarter. The Suns chipped in some quick points in the last few minutes of the first half, and the Kings lead was cut to just one point. The Kings were quick to fire back, scoring seven straight points. The period ended in favor of Sacramento, as they led, 48-42.
The third period started with the Kings dominating the Suns. They outscored the Suns, 25-17, in the third quarter and led by fourteen points at the end of the quarter.
Both teams were hot in the fourth and final period. The Suns opened the quarter scoring four straight points, cutting the Kings lead to ten. Phoenix kept playing aggressive basketball and took a 83-81 lead with just a minute left on the game clock. This was just the second lead change in the game.
Kings coach Tyrone Corbin then called for a timeout. Cousins made a quick layup coming out of the timeout, evening the game at 83. The Suns now had possession, but they couldn’t buy a bucket.
With 2.5 seconds left on the game clock, Kings called for time again. Coming out of the timeout, Cousins attempted a top-of-the-key jumper and got a friendly bounce to seal the game, 85-83. This marked the fourth time this season that the Phoenix Suns lost to a last second shot.
With the victory, the Sacramento Kings improved to a 18-32 record and are 12th in the West, while Phoenix Suns are still eighth in the West with a 29-record. The Kings and Suns will next play the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets, respectively, on Tuesday.