Domantas Sabonis records another triple-double as Kings hold off Raptors 135-130
By Eric He, The Associated Press on January 5, 2024.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Domantas Sabonis had 24 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists for his second consecutive triple-double, and the Sacramento Kings held off the Toronto Raptors 135-130 on Friday night. De’Aaron Fox also scored 24 for the Kings, who have won four of five. Keegan Murray had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Harrison Barnes scored 16. Sabonis has eight triple-doubles this season and three in his last four games. He notched the latest one with an alley-oop pass to Malik Monk early in the fourth quarter. The Raptors, with a 40-point third quarter, cut their deficit to 10 to start the fourth and made it a two-point game with under three minutes to play on a 3-pointer by Immanuel Quickley. But with Toronto down by three with nine seconds to go, Quickley missed a long 3 and that sealed it for the Kings. Quickley and Scottie Barnes paced the Raptors with 20 points apiece. Dennis Schroder and Pascal Siakam both scored 18. All five starters on both teams finished in double figures. Sacramento outscored Toronto 42-15 from beyond the arc. Sacramento ended the first half on a 9-0 run to take a 20-point lead into halftime. Murray made back-to-back 3s, then Monk and Barnes hit consecutive 3s. Fox’s layup plus the foul put the Kings up 77-57 at the end of the first half. Sabonis scored 12 points in the first quarter to spark the Kings early. Toronto had won two straight since trading OG Anunoby to New York for Quickley and RJ Barrett, its first two-game win streak since November. The Raptors are on a six-game West Coast trip, and trade rumors continue to swirl with Siakam reportedly also on the market. Toronto was without Gary Trent Jr., who bruised his left quadriceps against Memphis on Wednesday. UP NEXT Raptors: Visit the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. Kings: Host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA 17-16
