SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings secured a decisive 127-101 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, with standout performances from De’Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter. Fox delivered an impressive tally of 29 points and 10 assists, while Huerter contributed a season-high 22 points. Domantas Sabonis also played a key role, recording 11 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. This win marked the Kings’ second triumph over the Suns in just four days, although the Suns were missing star player Kevin Durant for the third consecutive game due to a calf strain.
For the Suns, Josh Okogie stood out with a season-high 25 points and eight rebounds, but the team also dealt with absences, including Bradley Beal, who is out due to a calf issue, and Grayson Allen, sidelined with a hamstring problem. Devin Booker managed to score 18 points, but his efforts weren’t enough to close the gap. Notably, DeMar DeRozan of the Kings did not return for the second half due to lower back tightness, which could be a concern moving forward.
At one point, the Kings held a commanding lead of 26 points. However, the Suns mounted a late surge in the fourth quarter, narrowing the score to 93-88 after a layup from Okogie with 10:22 remaining. Fox quickly answered back, stopping the Suns’ momentum with a mid-range jumper followed by a 3-pointer.
The game revealed some key insights: Despite playing a challenging back-to-back game, the Suns showed resilience, keeping the score competitive throughout. On the other hand, the Kings demonstrated marked improvement, particularly in their perimeter defense. After allowing the Suns to make 18 3-pointers just four days prior, Sacramento limited Phoenix to only 13 of 43 from beyond the arc in this matchup.
A pivotal moment came early in the third quarter when the Kings were relying heavily on mid-range shots. Fox ignited the team’s offense by driving into the paint past Mason Plumlee, scoring, and kicking off a 10-2 run that bolstered their lead.
On the statistical front, the Kings showed a significant uptick in their shooting accuracy from the perimeter. Just days after struggling with 11 of 37 from long range in Phoenix, they improved to 11 of 22 in this contest.
Looking ahead, the Suns will travel to Oklahoma City on Friday night, while the Kings are set to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on the same evening.