Kings, Jazz face off in search of some momentum

Dec 8, 2024, 9:00 AM | Updated: 9:34 am

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 03: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles against the ...

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Sactown Sports

The Sacramento Kings and visiting Utah Jazz will each be seeking their second straight win when the teams face off Sunday.

The Kings have won two of their past three games, including a 140-113 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. Domantas Sabonis was the driving force in the victory, tallying 22 points and 16 rebounds, and Demar DeRozan added a team-high 23 points. Sacramento took a 10-point lead into halftime and outscored the Spurs by 17 in the second half to punctuate the blowout.

“Two out of our last three games, we’ve done a great job sharing the basketball,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “We had 33 assists on 51 made field goals. I thought our sprays were really, really good tonight to the guys along the three-point line. We touched the paint, we got it out.”

“I like the looks (we’ve gotten). The one thing that we have to continue trying to do is when we touch the paint, when there are shooters that are open, we have to trust our teammates and spray the basketball. When we do, it’s usually good results.”

Keon drains the corner trey 3️⃣

pic.twitter.com/FSdKQEx4pd

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) December 7, 2024

Preview: Kings vs. Jazz

De’Aaron Fox is averaging a team-best 26.6 points, which is eighth in the NBA before Saturday’s games, on 48.7 percent from the field. DeRozan is scoring 22.7 points and Sabonis is chipping in 20.9 points, 12.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. The Sacramento Kings are also getting 16.3 points from sixth man Malik Monk and 12.4 points from Keegan Murray.

The Jazz, who had lost nine of 10, ended a five-game skid Friday with their 141-99 win over the host Portland Trail Blazers. Nine players scored in double figures for Utah, led by Johnny Juzang, who finished with 22 points off the bench on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor. John Collins added 20 points for the Jazz, who shot a season-high 55.2 percent from the floor in the blowout win.

“There’s a lot to be learned from a game like this in terms of the connectivity of the group,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “That when we really do trust each other and the concepts, that everybody can be involved in the game, I think there’s a lot of guys tonight that will get on the bus feeling pretty good about themselves and how they played tonight.”

Five players average at least 15 points for the Jazz. Lauri Markannen is scoring 19.2 points and Collins is pouring in 17.9 per game. Colin Sexton is chipping in 16.9 points, Keyonte George is adding 15.5 and Jordan Clarkson is scoring 15 points. Walker Kessler is averaging 11.1 points and leads the team with 10.9 rebounds and 2.8 blocks.

–Field Level Media