Domantas Sabonis has 19th triple-double to help Kings beat Spurs 127-122

By BEN ROSS
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had his NBA-leading 19th triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, De’Aaron Fox added 28 points and nine assists and the Sacramento Kings beat the San Antonio Spurs 127-122 on Thursday night.

Sabonis was a game-time decision due to illness, then ended up with his fourth triple-double in five games. He has had at least a double-double in 38 straight games.

“You don’t want to become numb to what he’s doing,” Fox said. “That’s not normal. It’s only been done a few times in this game.”

Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk each added 21 points.

“It’s really the home stretch,” Huerter said. “The rest of the season from here on out will fly by and we need every game. We’re in a dogfight here in the West. We can feel the urgency of every game.”

Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 32 points, and Victor Wembanyama had 19 points, 13 rebounds, five steals and four blocks. Keldon Johnson added 18 points, with 12 coming in the fourth quarter. The Spurs lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

“Our goal is obviously to get better, get some wins,” Vassell said. “That’s the main thing. That’s been the main thing since we started the season. Obviously, we haven’t been great at that. So just trying to turn this thing around these last 26 games now.”

The Kings outscored San Antonio 35-25 in the second quarter to build a 65-57 halftime lead.

Sacramento pushed the advantage to 87-76 in the third quarter, but the Spurs came back to take a 117-116 lead on a three-point play by Wembanyama with 2:53 remaining.

Vassell pushed the lead to four with a 3-pointer on the next possession. The Kings responded with a 9-0 spurt to put the game out of reach.

“Our guys just kind of found a way tonight,” Sacramento coach Mike Brown said. “It wasn’t pretty at all, and you give a lot of credit to San Antonio. They played a heck of a game.”

Sacramento shot 56% from the field, while San Antonio finished at 51%. The Spurs outscored the Kings in the paint 72-70, and each team had 42 rebounds.

“At this point in the season, obviously you want wins,” Fox said. “You don’t care how they come. … We were able to execute down the stretch, and that was big for us.”

UP NEXT

Spurs: At the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kings: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.

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