[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmcaZvttygQ]
PHOENIX — The Sacramento Kings couldnt have asked for an easier lead-in to a three-game Eastern swing.
Buddy Hield scored 20 points in 18 minutes and the Kings buried the Suns early on Tuesday night, outscoring Phoenix 36-9 in the first quarter as they cruised to a 122-105 victory.
DeAaron Fox had 16 points and seven assists. Seven players scored in double figures for Sacramento, including Bogdan Bogdanovic off the bench with 14 points, and no starter played more than 27 minutes.
Sacramento has won two straight after losing its previous three.
“I just found the right spots, right time and my teammates were able to hit me,” Hield said. “Everybody did a great job of spreading the ball around.”
Rookie DeAnthony Melton led Phoenix with a career-high 21 points. Trevor Ariza and Josh Jackson scored 14 each for the Suns, who have lost six straight and nine of 10.
Playing without leading scorer Devin Booker, who has missed two of the last three games, and forward TJ Warren, out for the third straight game with right ankle soreness, the Suns couldnt overcome 3-for-17 shooting in the first 12 minutes.
“This is the NBA. You get down that much, especially that early, theres no way youre getting back in the game.” — Deandre Ayton, whose #Suns were down 36-9 after 1 quarter. pic.twitter.com/56CQtymetR
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) December 5, 2018
“We lost the game in the first quarter, then from there it was just competing to show we had character, which we did in the second half,” Suns coach Igor Kokoskov said. “No excuses, the effort wasnt there.”
The Suns missed their first 12 3-point attempts. Sacramento center Willie Cauley-Stein had four steals in the games first four minutes.
“It was just the focus and the desire defensively to get after them,” Kimgs coach Dave Joerger said. “It was kind of our night and a lot of shots went down for us and we got off to a quick start, and that helped.”
The Kings ended the period on Bogdanovics layup with 1.4 seconds remaining. That brought boos from the crowd as the Suns set a season low for scoring in a quarter.
Fans cheered derisively when the Suns reached double figures at the 9:37 mark of the second period.
Hields third 3 of the first half gave the Kings a 46-13 lead at the eight-minute mark. Melton made the Suns first 3-pointer of the night with 6:20 left in the second quarter, and when Ariza flew in for a fast-break dunk with 4:42 to go in the half, the score was 53-24.
The Kings took a 68-40 lead into halftime, with Hields 18 points leading the way.
Tom Chambers used the following after the #Suns' 122-105 loss to the #Kings: "rolled on" and "brutal."
And on Deandre Ayton: "soft." pic.twitter.com/8MUZzjijN2
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) December 5, 2018
“It is really hard to play a game where we dont make shots. There are going to be times like that,” Jackson said. “Its basketball, but the times we dont make shots we have to make sure we play good defense and not let the other team score.”
Phoenix got as close as 22 points in the third quarter, 81-59, but the Kings responded with a 13-2 run and took a 99-67 lead into the fourth.
BAGLEY RULED OUT
A possible matchup between the top two picks in this years draft fizzled when Marvin Bagley III, chosen second overall by the Kings after Ayton was taken by the Suns, was ruled out for the second straight game with back spasms.
Joerger noted that NBA teams often play more games before Christmas than a college team plays in the entire season.
“Its a grind and he loves to play, so you love that part about him and he wants to be out there,” Joerger said of Bagley, who is from nearby Tempe. “Hell get back out there as soon as he is physically confident and so is our staff.”
With 21 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds (so far), rookie De'Anthony Melton has been a bright spot for the #Suns tonight. pic.twitter.com/8rKij96ryn
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) December 5, 2018
BAHAMA BALLERS
Ayton and Hield were born in The Bahamas, making Tuesdays game the first in NBA history to feature two players from the island nation. They are the fourth and fifth players from their country in NBA history, and five media members from The Bahamas were credentialed to cover the game.
TIP-INS
Booker was unable to play after injuring his hamstring Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers. … For the second time this season, the Suns started three rookies in Deandre Ayton, Elie Okobo and Mikal Bridges. … G Troy Daniels scored a season-high 13 points off the bench.
UP NEXT
Suns play at the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmcaZvttygQ]
PHOENIX — The Sacramento Kings couldnt have asked for an easier lead-in to a three-game Eastern swing.
Buddy Hield scored 20 points in 18 minutes and the Kings buried the Suns early on Tuesday night, outscoring Phoenix 36-9 in the first quarter as they cruised to a 122-105 victory.
DeAaron Fox had 16 points and seven assists. Seven players scored in double figures for Sacramento, including Bogdan Bogdanovic off the bench with 14 points, and no starter played more than 27 minutes.
Sacramento has won two straight after losing its previous three.
“I just found the right spots, right time and my teammates were able to hit me,” Hield said. “Everybody did a great job of spreading the ball around.”
Rookie DeAnthony Melton led Phoenix with a career-high 21 points. Trevor Ariza and Josh Jackson scored 14 each for the Suns, who have lost six straight and nine of 10.
Playing without leading scorer Devin Booker, who has missed two of the last three games, and forward TJ Warren, out for the third straight game with right ankle soreness, the Suns couldnt overcome 3-for-17 shooting in the first 12 minutes.
“This is the NBA. You get down that much, especially that early, theres no way youre getting back in the game.” — Deandre Ayton, whose #Suns were down 36-9 after 1 quarter. pic.twitter.com/56CQtymetR
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) December 5, 2018
“We lost the game in the first quarter, then from there it was just competing to show we had character, which we did in the second half,” Suns coach Igor Kokoskov said. “No excuses, the effort wasnt there.”
The Suns missed their first 12 3-point attempts. Sacramento center Willie Cauley-Stein had four steals in the games first four minutes.
“It was just the focus and the desire defensively to get after them,” Kimgs coach Dave Joerger said. “It was kind of our night and a lot of shots went down for us and we got off to a quick start, and that helped.”
The Kings ended the period on Bogdanovics layup with 1.4 seconds remaining. That brought boos from the crowd as the Suns set a season low for scoring in a quarter.
Fans cheered derisively when the Suns reached double figures at the 9:37 mark of the second period.
Hields third 3 of the first half gave the Kings a 46-13 lead at the eight-minute mark. Melton made the Suns first 3-pointer of the night with 6:20 left in the second quarter, and when Ariza flew in for a fast-break dunk with 4:42 to go in the half, the score was 53-24.
The Kings took a 68-40 lead into halftime, with Hields 18 points leading the way.
Tom Chambers used the following after the #Suns' 122-105 loss to the #Kings: "rolled on" and "brutal."
And on Deandre Ayton: "soft." pic.twitter.com/8MUZzjijN2
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) December 5, 2018
“It is really hard to play a game where we dont make shots. There are going to be times like that,” Jackson said. “Its basketball, but the times we dont make shots we have to make sure we play good defense and not let the other team score.”
Phoenix got as close as 22 points in the third quarter, 81-59, but the Kings responded with a 13-2 run and took a 99-67 lead into the fourth.
BAGLEY RULED OUT
A possible matchup between the top two picks in this years draft fizzled when Marvin Bagley III, chosen second overall by the Kings after Ayton was taken by the Suns, was ruled out for the second straight game with back spasms.
Joerger noted that NBA teams often play more games before Christmas than a college team plays in the entire season.
“Its a grind and he loves to play, so you love that part about him and he wants to be out there,” Joerger said of Bagley, who is from nearby Tempe. “Hell get back out there as soon as he is physically confident and so is our staff.”
With 21 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds (so far), rookie De'Anthony Melton has been a bright spot for the #Suns tonight. pic.twitter.com/8rKij96ryn
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) December 5, 2018
BAHAMA BALLERS
Ayton and Hield were born in The Bahamas, making Tuesdays game the first in NBA history to feature two players from the island nation. They are the fourth and fifth players from their country in NBA history, and five media members from The Bahamas were credentialed to cover the game.
TIP-INS
Booker was unable to play after injuring his hamstring Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers. … For the second time this season, the Suns started three rookies in Deandre Ayton, Elie Okobo and Mikal Bridges. … G Troy Daniels scored a season-high 13 points off the bench.
UP NEXT
Suns play at the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.
