The Phoenix Suns guard Seben Lee (38) blocks a Sacramento Kings De’Aaron Fox (5) shot in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento (AP News photo)

Friday, Dec. 22, 2023

Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California

Phoenix Suns 105 (14-14)

Sacramento Kings 120 (17-10)

By Stephen Ruderman

SACRAMENTO–De’Aaron Fox scored 23 points, and broke the Kings’ all-time assist record, as he led the way in Sacramento’s 120-105 win over the Phoenix Suns.

Coming off a loss Wednesday night to the Boston Celtics, the Kings were looking to bounce back against the Suns in the fifth game of their six-game homestand. It was a lively Friday night crowd at the Golden 1 Center, as the fans cheered on the Kings, and loudly booed the Suns, as they took the court.

The Suns won the opening tip, and got on the board right away, as Devin Booker alley-ooped to Drew Eubanks, who dunked it in to put Phoenix up 2-0. Domantas Sabonis responded with a pair of dunks to put the Kings up 4-2.

Grayson Allen hit a three-ball for the Suns to put Phoenix up 5-5, but that would prove to be their final lead of the night. The Kings maintained a steady lead throughout the remainder of the first quarter, but never led by more than nine points. The Kings would start to pull away a bit, but each time, the Suns would get back in it

Towards the end of the first quarter, the officials contacted the Replay Command Center, and even though the clock said there was a minute and 14 seconds remaining, it was determined that there were only 21 seconds remaining. The quarter, which was sarcastically described by Kings Public Address Announcer Scott Moak as the “longest quarter in NBA History,” ended with the Kings up 35-30.

The second quarter went mostly the same as the first. Sasha Vezenkov started the quarter with a three, and Fox followed it up with a jumper to put the Kings ahead 40-30. The Kings’ lead never fell below seven for the first half of the second quarter, but there was plenty of drama.

Following a dunk by Adoka Azubuike of the Suns with 6:47 remaining to make the score 47-40, Kevin Durant was called for a technical foul, and Booker was hit with a tech of his own as he argued Durant’s foul. Harrison Barnes shot both free throws from Sacramento, and hit them both.

Durant laid one in with 4:25 remaining to cut the Kings’ lead to 51-46, but from there, the Kings began to pull away, as they closed out the second quarter with a 14-8 run.

Suns Head Coach Frank Vogel was hit with the Suns’ third technical foul of the quarter after Durant was called for a backcourt violation with 18 seconds remaining. Durant was arguing as well, and had to be pulled away to prevent his second technical foul, which would have resulted in his ejection.

The Kings went into the half up 65-54, and then they hit the ground running in the third quarter, as they went on a 31-13 run to take a 96-67 lead with 5:54 remaining. During that run, Fox recorded his 1,581st-career assist to become the Kings’ all-time assists leader.

However, the Suns didn’t go down quietly, as they went on a 17-4 run to close the gap to 100-84. Barnes hit a fadeaway jumper, and hit a free throw after he was fouled on the play, and the Kings went into the fourth quarter up 103-84.

Despite the brief reprieve, the Suns kept their momentum going into the fourth quarter. Saben Lee laid one in, and Booker hit a jumper to cut the score to 103-88.

The Kings then regained control, as the teams traded points throughout the fourth quarter, and the Kings easily won by a final of 120-105.

Despite Fox’s strong performance and historic night, Domantas Sabonis led the Kings tonight with 28 points. Keegan Murray scored 21 points.

The Kings improve to 17-10, and they will welcome in the Minnesota Timberwolves to close out the homestand for a 7:00 tip Saturday night.