Sacramento Kings head coach David Joerger gestures on the sideline during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

By: Ana Kieu

INDIANAPOLIS — Like the other day, the Sacramento Kings suffered a 101-83 blowout loss to the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Tuesday night.

The Kings went with a starting lineup of George Hill, Buddy Hield, Willie Cauley-Stein, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Zach Rudolph against the Pacers’ starters Darren Collison, Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, Bojan Bogdanovic and Thaddeus Young.

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The Pacers jumped out to an early 11-4 lead in the first quarter. Sabonis recorded six points and eight rebounds at the 7:16 mark.

On a positive note, Bogdanovic had a clever move and finish, reducing the Pacers’ lead to 17-8 with 3:14 left in the first quarter.

The Sac Kings trailed the Pacers 24-13 at the end of the first quarter.

The Pacers offense smothered the Kings defense in the second quarter. Indiana had eight unanswered points and led Sacramento by 20 (43-23) with 4:51 left in the second quarter.

The first 24 minutes of the game were terrible for the Kings, who trailed the Pacers 55-30 at the half. Both the Kings defense and offense looked lackluster. In terms of the Pacers, Sabonis got a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds) in the first half.

Despite the Pacers’ success on the court, Thaddeus Young didn’t take his team’s half-time lead over the Kings for granted. Young told Fox Sports Indiana, “They’re going to keep fighting, keep scratching and clawing.”

This was the second of back-to-back games for both the Kings and Pacers, but Indiana continued to dominate Sacramento in the second half. They led 69-48 after three quarters.

The Pacers chased down a rebound (sound the horn!) and the Kings’ three-game road trip began with an ominous start after they got blown out 101-83 for their fifth straight loss.

Notes
Kings exercised their 2018-19 options on Willie Cauley-Stein, Buddy Hield, Malachi Richardson, Skal Labissiere and Georgios Papagiannis.

Kings transferred JaKarr Simpson and Jack Cooley to the Reno Bighorns.

De’Aaron Fox scored double-digit points in five of his first seven games.

Up Next
The Kings (1-6) head to TD Garden to take on the Boston Celtics (5-2) Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EST on NBSB and NSCA.