Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By Mary Anne

The Sacramento Kings took on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. The Kings defeated the Jazz 130-114 at Delta Center. Sacramento improved to 1-0, while Utah fell to 1-0 to open the 2023-24 NBA season.

Harrison Barnes led the Kings with 33 points and four rebounds and was 11-for-16 from the field goal line. Domantas Sabonis recorded 22 points and 12 rebounds. De’Aaron Fox scored 18 points and six assists. Mailk Monk added ten points and seven assists.

The Kings’ starting lineup featured De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis. Fox got his first bucket of the season early in the first quarter. In addition, Sabonis capitalized on a three-pointer opportunity in the first. The Kings ended the first on a 12-4 run and led 32-24 over the Jazz.

The Kings continued to succeed in the second quarter. Chris Duarte made his first regular season bucket, Harrison Barnes poured in the points, and Sacramento went back-to-back from three-point land.

The Kings led the Jazz 72-58 at the end of the first half. Harrison Barnes had 27 points and four rebounds and 10-for-11 from the field goal line and 5-for-5 from the three-point line — the most points in a first half in the opening game of the season by a Kings player since the 1996-97 NBA season, passing Kevin Martin, who had 24 at the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 28, 2009.

The Kings reached the 100-point plateau in the third quarter. Malik Monk’s noteworthy dunk helped the Kings to a 20-point lead, 102-82, with 40 seconds left in the third. The Kings led the Jazz 105-87 after three quarters.

The Kings maintained composure in the fourth quarter. Domantas Sabonis waited patiently around three Jazz defenders to shoot his shot, which hit the rim, late in the fourth. The Kings beat the Jazz 130-114.

Notes
Kings’ injury update
Chris Duarte (left knee) is available, while Trey Lyles (left calf strain) and Jalen Slawson (illness) are out.

Up Next
The Kings will return home to host the Golden State Warriors on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Pacific.