SACRAMENTO, Calif. — De’Aaron Fox celebrated a significant milestone by scoring 24 points, bringing his career total to over 10,000, while DeMar DeRozan contributed 23 points to help the Sacramento Kings secure their first victory of the season against the Portland Trail Blazers, winning 111-98 on Monday night.
Fox achieved his impressive career milestone with a 3-pointer during the third quarter, making him the fifth player in the history of the Kings franchise to accomplish this feat. Throughout the game, the Kings maintained the lead, increasing a narrow 60-58 advantage in the third quarter to a dominant 26-point margin by the fourth quarter.
For the Trail Blazers, DeAndre Ayton delivered a solid performance with 20 points and 11 rebounds, marking his fourth consecutive double-double to start the season—a feat he shares in franchise history with Bill Walton.
DeRozan was instrumental in the first half, scoring 19 points, including making 9 of 10 free throw attempts. He capped off the half with a contested basket right before the buzzer, which extended the Kings’ lead to 51-43.
Sacramento’s performance at the free throw line was notably efficient, hitting 23 of their 25 attempts. Additionally, Domantas Sabonis added to the team’s success with his own stat line of 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Kevin Huerter chipped in with 18 points.
For the Trail Blazers, their three-point shooting fell short as they struggled, managing only 4 out of 22 attempts from beyond the arc on Monday. This performance came despite their recent success from deep, as they had shot 39% in their previous two games. Coach Chauncey Billups had commended the team for generating good offensive looks before the game.
On the other hand, the Kings were looking to bounce back after narrowly losing their first two games, which were decided by a total of only six points.
A critical moment in the match came in the third quarter when the Kings went on a significant run, closing the period with a 29-13 surge, allowing them to enter the fourth quarter with an 18-point lead. During this stretch, Malik Monk and Sabonis showcased their scoring ability, contributing to a 9-0 run that boosted the team’s momentum.
One noteworthy statistic from the game was that the Kings managed to keep the Blazers from scoring any fast-break points until late in the fourth quarter, demonstrating their effective defense.
Looking ahead, the Trail Blazers will face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, while the Kings will begin a four-game road trip starting with a game against Utah on Tuesday.