Kings set franchise record with 25 made 3’s during win over Nets
Dec 11, 2023, 9:37 PM | Updated: 10:44 pm
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
This season, it’s been a common occurrence when the Sacramento Kings attempt to shoot through three-point struggles.
If the shots aren’t falling early, do not fret, because Sacramento isn’t going to shy away from finding the bottom of the net–no matter the scenario or location.
On Monday night, there were no struggles to work through.
The Kings set a franchise record with 25 made triples during a 131-118 win over the Brooklyn Nets at Golden 1 Center, as Sacramento shook off a rusty second quarter and scored 77 points on 60 percent shooting during the second half.
Brooklyn entered play having won six of their past seven games, but there was no chance they were leaving Northern California with another win after allowing the Kings to shoot 25-of-45 (55%) from beyond the arc.
With the win, Sacramento (13-8) has won 11 of its past 15 games and has its best 21-game start since opening the 2004-05 season with a record of 15-6.
OMG KEEGAN 😳 pic.twitter.com/XLwo8iUdbP
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) December 12, 2023
Kings vs. Nets Takeaways
The 2nd Quarter Blues Continue
The second quarter has been a puzzling aspect of the Kings’ season thus far.
Sacramento entered play on Monday with a -3.4 point differential in the second quarter this season–placing them 28th in the NBA. It’s the only quarter that the Kings hold a negative point differential through 20 games.
Unfortunately, that trend continued against Brooklyn.
Thanks to solid play from the bench, including three made triples from Trey Lyles and an efficient start for Malik Monk, Sacramento pushed its lead to 15 points during the early minutes of the second quarter.
Two Lyles threes in less than 30 seconds 🔥 pic.twitter.com/FtYttZUrhV
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) December 12, 2023
Instead of continuing to build onto their lead, the Kings left the door open for the Nets as Brooklyn’s offense woke up following a brutal first quarter (18 points on 28% shooting from the field).
Sacramento squandered another big lead as the Nets trimmed a 15-point deficit to 54-48 heading into the break, while the Kings struggled to convert in the paint (two-of-11 during the quarter).
Fast starts from De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis were brought to a screeching half in the second after Fox went three-for-five from downtown during the first quarter and Sabonis pulled down six rebounds.
If Sacramento wanted to regain control, they would have to turn the page and open up the second half with a sense of urgency.
Attack From Deep
After struggling to generate consistent offense during the second, the Kings found a rhythm during the third quarter.
Keegan Murray, who has scored 27 points over the past two games combined, poured in 13 points during the third while shooting three-of-three from downtown. Murray, De’Aaron Fox, and Malik Monk paced a 14-5 run that put Sacramento back ahead by double-digits, and they didn’t stop there.
MALIK UNLEASHES A VICIOUS HAMMER 😱 pic.twitter.com/GifDK6u9Uu
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) December 12, 2023
The Kings exploded for 44 points during the third while shooting 65 percent from the field and a red-hot eight-of-13 (61%) from three-point land as they jumped back ahead 98-85 heading into the final period.
With 12 minutes left to play, Sacramento was just one shot shy of tying its season-high for made triples (20), a number that they would surpass during the fourth quarter off the hands of Trey Lyles, who drilled the Kings’ 21st triple of the night with 6:24 remaining in regulation.
Sacramento wouldn’t stop there, as Lyles, Keegan Murray, and Harrison Barnes pushed the Kings to 25 made triples on the night to set a new franchise record.
Barnes set the new record with his third triple of the night at the 4:36 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Kings set a new franchise record with 24 3-pointers made in a game ‼️ pic.twitter.com/FKcAOiCRMB
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) December 12, 2023
The Nets might have entered Monday’s game as the NBA’s top three-point shooting team, but it was Sacramento that emerged victorious thanks to a historic night from beyond the arc.
Ball movement had a huge hand in putting the Kings in a position to win this game, as Sacramento dished out a season-high 38 assists, with Domantas Sabonis (9), Monk (9), and Fox (8) leading the way in setting up teammates.
Monk, who was listed as questionable leading into Monday’s game due to a non-COVID illness, was huge during the win as the Sixth Man of the Year candidate added 21 points on four-of-seven shooting from deep to go along with his nine assists off the bench.
While the talented guard had several highlight reel plays, it was a missed 360 lay-in that nearly caused Golden 1 Center to blow its lid.
Mannnn if Malik Monk would’ve made this spinning layup… pic.twitter.com/tSUPJotb6t
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) December 12, 2023
Monk seemed unaffected by his illness, and his former college teammate in Fox also helped lift Sacramento to a second-straight win.
Fox continues to show that his three-point shooting is evolving from a weakness into a strength, as the All-Star knocked down five of his ten attempts from beyond the arc against Brooklyn. The five makes from deep mark the fourth time this year that Fox has made four or more triples, tying the guard’s career-high for most occurrences during a single season–over just 16 games, mind you.
The 25-year-old finished the night with a game-high 29 points on 10-of-22 shooting to go along with three rebounds and eight assists over 33 minutes.
Keegan Keeps It Going
It’s been a rough start to the season for Keegan Murray, who has dealt with lower back soreness and offensive struggles through the first 20 games of the 2023-24 campaign.
Over the last three games, Murray has looked like his normal self, with Monday’s game being the forward’s best game in nearly a month. The All-Rookie First Team member from last season, had scored 13+ points in consecutive games, but a matchup against the Nets had Murray looking at the top of his game.
Murray finished the win with 24 points on nine-of-13 shooting from the field and a perfect four-of-four from three-point land over 34 minutes in what was his highest-scoring game since November 13th vs. Cleveland (25 points).
“Keegan was great,” head coach Mike Brown said of Murray following the win. “He showed he can be a high-level two-way player. He’s guarding their best player on the perimeter. Heck of a job by him on both ends of the floor tonight.”
MURRRAAAY 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/BygwgwDKcN
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) December 12, 2023
While Murray was big for the Kings on both ends of the floor, Malik Monk joked that his poster jam on former Sacramento forward Harry Giles was “a three” on a scale of one-to-ten.
Murray also had jokes for his teammate during his postgame media availability: “He smoked a 360 layup, so he can’t really talk much.”
Notes
Domantas Sabonis has posted a double-double in 17 of his 21 appearances this season: 15 PTS | 16 REB | 9 AST
Trey Lyles scored a season-high 17 points on five-of-six shooting from three during the win.
Sacramento benefited from 43 bench points during the win.
Brooklyn leads the NBA in rebounds per game this season (48.0), but the Kings won the battle of the boards 43-41.
Harry Giles received a loud ovation from a packed Golden 1 Center crowd in his return to Sacramento;
What a moment for @HGiiizzle 🫶 pic.twitter.com/c8ggnKpcuJ
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 12, 2023
When is the next Sacramento Kings game?
We’ll see you tomorrow night!
The Kings will play their second game in as many nights on Tuesday when they face a Los Angeles Clippers team that will also be on the second night of a back-to-back.
Back on November 29th, Sacramento dropped a 131-117 loss to the Clippers as Kawhi Leonard (34 points) and James Harden (26 points) outlasted a 40-point effort from De’Aaron Fox.
Be sure to tune in right here on Sactown Sports 1140 for all of your Kings vs. Clippers coverage, beginning at 6:00 PM PST on Game Night before a 7:30 PM PST tip-off from downtown Los Angeles.
Upcoming Schedule
- Tuesday, December 12th – Sacramento Kings @ Los Angeles Clippers – 7:30 PM PST
- Thursday, December 14th – Sacramento Kings vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – 7:00 PM PST
- Saturday, December 16th – Sacramento Kings vs. Utah Jazz – 7:00 PM PST
- Monday, December 18th – Sacramento Kings vs. Washington Wizards – 7:00 PM PST
- Wednesday, December 20th – Sacramento Kings vs. Boston Celtics – 7:00 PM PST
Thank you for reading SactownSports.com. Follow us on Twitter and Google News, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
