The Sacramento Kings delivered a much-needed win on Friday night, overwhelming the Charlotte Hornets 125-102 at Golden 1 Center to remain 10th in the Western Conference standings.
Zach LaVine led the Purple and Gold with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Domantas Sabonis added 24 points, 11 boards, and seven assists in just 26 minutes of action.
Sabonis exited the game with just under three minutes left in the third quarter after taking a knee to his right thigh, but no injury was officially announced.
The 28-year-old center was on track for his 68th career triple-double before being pulled from the game with Sacramento firmly in control.
DeMar DeRozan chipped in 22 points on 6-of-13 shooting, helping the Kings secure only their second win in their last nine contests.
Sacramento opened the game sluggishly, falling behind 10-4, but quickly turned the tide with a 22-8 run to close the first quarter.
The Kings built a 19-point halftime lead behind Sabonis, who had 18 points, eight rebounds, and six assists at the break.
The Hornets, already depleted by injuries, were without LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams, and Josh Green.
Miles Bridges paced Charlotte with 22 points, but needed 21 shots to get there as the visitors struggled to find rhythm.
Moussa Diabaté posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, but the Hornets were outmatched in nearly every facet.
Sacramento shot 49.5% from the field and connected on 16-of-36 attempts from beyond the arc.
LaVine hit four of his seven triples and continued to thrive in his new role since joining the Kings midseason.
The Hornets’ starting lineup combined to shoot just 5-of-24 from three-point range, including 2-of-11 from Bridges and 1-of-4 each from Jeffries, Curry, and Simpson.
Malik Monk scored 17 points off the bench against his former team, while Trey Lyles added 12 on 4-of-5 shooting.
The Kings outscored the Hornets in every quarter and led by as many as 28 in the second half.
Charlotte has now lost four straight and sits 14th in the Eastern Conference at 19-58 with only five games remaining.
Josh Okogie, acquired by Charlotte at the trade deadline, added six points and three rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench.
The Kings improved to 37-40 and kept their slim hold on the final Western Conference play-in spot, remaining a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns.
Keegan Murray struggled from the field, finishing with just five points on 2-of-8 shooting, but Sacramento’s depth helped carry the load.
Jonas Valanciunas added six points and seven rebounds in under 20 minutes, while rookie Devin Carter contributed a rebound and assist in 14 minutes of action.
Charlotte committed 12 turnovers and recorded just 17 assists as a team, compared to 26 dimes for Sacramento.
The Kings also won the fast break battle 20-9 and scored 50 points in the paint.
Jae Crowder and Doug McDermott each knocked down a three in limited minutes as Sacramento emptied its bench in the final quarter.
