Sacramento Kings Guard Terrence Davis (3) drives the ball to the hoop against the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Wed Oct 12, 2022 (@SacramentoKings photo)

By Daniel Dullum

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Sacramento held off a late Phoenix rally to defeat the Suns 105-104 Wednesday in NBA exhibition play at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix.

Sam Merrill sank a 25-foot 3-pointer from the left wing on an assist from Keon Ellis with 1:53 remaining in the fourth quarter, putting the Kings up 105-98.

After Merrill missed another three with 1:19 left, the Suns responded with a three-pointer Ish Wainright. An offensive foul on Neemias Queta turned the ball over to Phoenix with 36.7 seconds to play. Phoenix used a full time out, and 6.7 seconds later, Timothè Luwawu-Cabarrot made a 26-foot three-pointer, closing the Suns’ deficit to 105-104.

The Suns had another chance to take a lead when Duane Washington Jr. stole the ball from Quinn Cook with 7.7 seconds left. Washington missed a 14-foot jumper along the right baseline as time expired.

De’Aaron Fox was the top scorer for Sacramento with 15 points, followed by Kevin Huerter with 13, Harrison Barnes and Terence Davis with 12 points each and Cook with ten. Domantas Sabonis added nine points and ten rebounds for the Kings.

Washington, a free agent from Ohio State who spent last season with the Indiana Pacers, scored a game-high 31 points to lead the Suns. Also for Phoenix, Jock Landale had 17 points and eight rebounds, and Bismack Biyombo contributed 12 points and 12 boards.

None of the Suns’ projected starters played in the game. The Kings used 15 players.

The Kings are undefeated in three games and wrap up their exhibition slate when they return home to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Phoenix finished its exhibition schedule at 1-2.