Fox puts Kings on his shoulder for 123-107 win over Clippers

In the absence of Paul George, the Sacramento Kings capitalized on De’Aaron Fox’s late-game resilience and Domantas Sabonis’s 20th triple-double of the season to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 123-107 on Sunday night.

Sabonis showcased his versatility with 17 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists, contributing to the Kings’ third consecutive win. His impressive triple-double marked him as only the sixth player in NBA history to achieve at least 20 in a single season. Norman Powell led the Kings with 21 points, while Kawhi Leonard and James Harden each added 20 for the Clippers.

Sacramento maintained the lead throughout the second half, although the Clippers closed the gap to 94-89. Fox responded to a technical foul by hitting a short jumper, causing a turnover that he converted into a layup, and tying up Harden for a jump ball. Malik Monk’s two free throws extended the Kings’ lead to 100-89 with 8:24 remaining.

Despite the Clippers attempting to narrow the gap to five on two occasions, the Kings pulled away for good. Fox, finishing with a game-high 33 points, contributed crucial points after his fourth-quarter technical foul. He also registered seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals.

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Harrison Barnes added 22 points, Kevin Huerter scored 15, Monk had 12, and Keegan Murray contributed 11 for the Kings. Sacramento outscored the Clippers 45-24 on 3-poInters, with Barnes, Huerter, and Murray combining for 10 of the team’s 15 treys.

Powell led the Clippers with 5-for-9 shooting from beyond the arc, but Harden (2-for-10) and Leonard (0-for-3) struggled, resulting in a team 3-point percentage of 29.6%. Leonard led the Clippers with eight rebounds and four steals, while Harden had eight assists and five rebounds. Ivica Zubac scored 16 points, and Terance Mann added 14 for the Clippers, who fell short in their quest for a third straight win over the Kings this season.