Brutal first quarter ices Sacramento in loss to Utah

Mar 20, 2023, 9:23 PM | Updated: Mar 21, 2023, 8:19 am

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 20: Malik Monk #0 of the Sacramento Kings shoots against Walker Kessle...

(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings Beat Writer

Anything can happen in the NBA, and the Sacramento Kings got a reminder of that lesson on Monday night.

The Utah Jazz entered play against Sacramento without its top-three talents in Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, and Colin Sexton, but a supporting cast was able to defeat the Kings by a final of 128-120 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.

With the loss, the Kings (43-28) fell one game behind the Memphis Grizzlies in the race for the second seed in the Western Conference standings, but remain five games ahead of the fourth-seed Phoenix Suns and 5.5 games in front of the fifth-seed Los Angeles Clippers for home-court advantage in the NBA Playoffs.

Even after dropping Monday’s game, Sacramento will return home after posting a 3-1 record on the road-trip and an 11-3 record since the All-Star break (best in the NBA).

🧢 The Klynyk™ at work 🧢#TakeNote | @kellyolynyk pic.twitter.com/wVVxwnYncC

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 21, 2023

Those that expected Sacramento to pick apart a depleted Jazz team were quickly handed a wake-up call as the Jazz shredded through a weak Kings defense in the first quarter.

Not only did Utah score 40 points on 60 percent shooting from the field (50 percent from deep) while building a 21-point lead, but they did so while Sacramento’s offense struggled to a seven-of-28 (25%) start from their end of the floor. After scoring just a first-quarter-season-low 19 points in the first, all the Kings could do was hope to turn the page in the second period.

Once the Jazz increased its lead to a daunting 25 points, it seemed like it was curtains right then and there for Sacramento, but the Kings fought back.

De’Aaron Fox (14 points in the second) and Harrison Barnes (12 points in the second) helped trim Utah’s lead to 68-52 at the halftime break with plenty of basketball to play. After a brutal first quarter, Sacramento shot 56 percent from the field during the second (50 percent from deep) to keep themselves alive.

While showing signs of life during the second quarter was a positive development, it would take some serious second-half adjustments if the Kings wanted to leave Salt Lake City with a win.

From 25 points down …

IT’S A TIE GAME 😱 pic.twitter.com/i8QwWOpG6c

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 21, 2023

Adjustments were needed, and adjustments were made in the third quarter.

Sacramento opened up the second half with a 33-17 run to tie things up at 85-85 with just under four minutes remaining in the third quarter, erasing the 25-point deficit and giving themselves a chance to somehow win this game.

Keegan Murray erupted for 17 points on five-of-seven shooting from beyond the arc during the third, while Fox crossed the 30-point mark before the end of the period as momentum began to swing the Kings’ way.

After holding Utah to 39 percent shooting during the quarter, the Kings made its move by outscoring the Jazz 43-27 during the third to send the game into the fourth tied up at 95-95.

Sacramento’s momentum came to a head when they took their first lead of the game with nine minutes remaining, but from there, it would be tough for Fox and the Kings to find consistent looks on the offensive end.

While Fox and Murray torched Utah’s defense in the third, the Jazz locked in on Sacramento’s offense down the stretch as the Kings shot just nine-of-26 (35%) from the field in the fourth.

Jazz role players like Ochai Agbaji (career-high 27 points), Kelly Olynyk (19 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists), and Kris Dunn (18 points, 10 assists) were too much to handle for Sacramento’s weak defense, as Utah ended the night having shot 52 percent from the field and 16-of-36 (44%) from three-point range.

While Sacramento recovered from an abysmal start and outscored the Jazz 101-88 during the final three quarters, being outscored 40-19 during the first period dug a hole too deep to climb out of.

“We lost this game in the first quarter” — De’Aaron pic.twitter.com/8mZjLNKagz

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 21, 2023

“We lost this game in the first quarter,” Fox said postgame of what went wrong. “We fought back, but you don’t want to be in that type of position.”

Fox, who normally thrives in late-game situations, wasn’t able to get to his spots during the fourth as the Jazz held him to just five points over the final 12 minutes. The first-time All-Star scored 37 points (14-of-21 shooting) while hitting six of his nine attempts from beyond the three-point line, but the speedy guard needed help from his teammates.

Outside of Murray’s 22 points (six-of-14 from deep) and Harrison Barnes’ 16 points, the Kings struggled to find consistency on the offensive end.

Reigning Western Conference Player of the Week Domantas Sabonis had one of his toughest showings in quite some time as Jazz center Walker Kessler blocked five shots on Monday. Sabonis was frustrated late in the game as he voiced his displeasure to the officials, stating that he was taking contact in the post, but to no avail.

While the three-time All-Star ‘struggled’ by his standards, Sabonis still posted 11 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists on four-of-11 shooting from the field–his league-leading 58th double-double of the season.

One aspect of Monday’s loss was Sacramento’s rough bench play. Malik Monk struggled (three-of-12 from three-point land), while players like Trey Lyles (3 points) and Davion Mitchell (2 points) failed to get into a rhythm.

The Kings finished the night with just 28 bench points (on 23 percent shooting) while the Jazz got 50 points from its second unit, including 11 points from old friend Rudy Gay.

🎭 the @RudyGay way 🎭#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/KAJhwsTJ1v

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 21, 2023

Sacramento has been playing some great basketball since returning from the All-Star break, but Monday’s game against the Jazz was a stern reminder of what it’s like to fall flat against a short-handed opponent.

As good as this Kings team is, they still have a lot to learn.

With just three weeks to go in the regular season, Sacramento will hope to learn from its latest defeat as they hope to make some noise in the NBA Playoffs come mid-April.

Notes

De’Aaron Fox set a new career-high for made three-point field goals during a single season with his 108th long-ball.
The Kings fell to 9-1 this season when Murray scores 20+ points

Next Game

We’ll see you all tomorrow at Golden 1 Center for the second night of a back-to-back when Sacramento faces a dangerous Boston Celtics team that currently sits in a tie for the second seed in the Eastern Conference standings.

Be sure to get all of your Kings vs. Celtics coverage right here on Sactown Sports 1140 beginning at 5:30 PM PST on Game Night with Scott Marsh and Henry ‘The High Flyer’ Turner before a 7:00 PM PST tip-off from downtown Sacramento.