Field Level Media
Dec 4, 2018
Buddy Hield had a dunk and a pair of 3-pointers in a game-opening 13-2 flurry, and the Sacramento Kings went on to lead by as many as 35 points en route to a 122-105 shellacking of the host Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
The Kings held the Suns to one field goal in the first 5 1/2 minutes and a total of nine points in the first quarter, taking a 36-9 lead after one period.
Sacramento was never challenged thereafter, leading 101-67 early in the fourth quarter before the Suns made the outcome somewhat respectable by scoring 38 of the game's final 59 points.
Hield finished with 20 points in 18 minutes to lead seven players in double figures for the Kings, who were opening a four-game trip.
De'Aaron Fox had 16 points and a team-high seven assists for Sacramento, while Bogdan Bogdanovic added 14 points, Harry Giles 13, Kosta Koufos and Troy Williams 11 apiece, and Justin Jackson 10.
The Kings shot 53.6 percent from the floor and 45.8 percent on 3-point attempts while winning their second game in a row after a three-game slide. Hield connected on three of Sacramento's 11 3-pointers.
Rookie De'Anthony Melton recorded a season-best 21 points for the Suns, who played without Devin Booker (strained hamstring) and T.J. Warren (sprained ankle).
Melton's previous high had been seven points, and he was averaging 2.2 points per game.
Trevor Ariza and Josh Jackson had 14 points apiece for Phoenix while Troy Daniels had 13 and Deandre Ayton and Richaun Holmes 10 each. Holmes completed a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds.
In losing their sixth straight, the last four by at least 14 points, the Suns shot 43.7 percent overall and 27.9 percent on 3-point tries.
--Field Level Media