The Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren(right) drives on the Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis (left) at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Tue Apr 9, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After leading by as much as 20 points, the Sacramento Kings (45-33) lost to the OKC Thunder (53-25) 112-105. We have seen them blow hefty leads lately in the second half of games. De’Aaron Fox had a terrific game with 33 points but ugly play at the end of the game was the difference. Sacramento just could not finish this game.

Game recap: The Kings were still without Malik Monk who is still out with a sprained right MCL and from some reports is healing very well. Sacramento had a great opening quarter leading after 12 minutes 31-28 in this highly competitive contest.

The Kings continued to extend their lead in the second quarter and with 5:31 left in the first half led 51-34. So far in this game the Kings had played a quality first half of basketball. With 18.2 left in the first half, the Kings had their largest lead of the game 64-44. At the half Sacramento took a 64-45 lead into the locker room.

De’Aaron Fox had a banner first half with 21 points and was 5 of 10 from beyond the arc and Keon Ellis was having a stellar game with 20 points and was 6 of 8 from three-point-land. The Kings had 14 triples in the first half.

Points from beyond the arc we’re making a huge difference in this game. The Kings were shooting at 44% while the Thunder were struggling shooting 22%. The Kings needed to come out with the same energy in the second half.

They had recently squandered a 21 point to the Knicks ultimately losing the game and they can ill afford a repeat of that game. The second half would be two of the most important quarters they have played all season.

With all that was riding on this game, the Kings came out flat in the third quarter. The Thunder, who are one of the best third quarter teams in the league, cut the Kings 19 point lead to three points going into the fourth quarter 87-84 and it will all hinge on how Sacramento would respond in the final quarter.

The Thunder took a two-point lead to start the fourth quarter and history was rearing it’s ugly head for the Kings. It had been a disastrous third quarter for Sacramento; they looked like an entirely different team unable to hit a bucket.

They took five shots in a row in the early minutes of the fourth quarter missing every one of them. The Thunder took a four point lead but the Kings fought back regaining the lead and it was on as both teams traded the lead back and forth with 7:42 left in the game.

The three’s that were falling for Sacramento in the first half were missing in the second half. With 2:27 left in the game, the Kings had a one point lead 105-104. With 35.7 seconds left in the game the Kings had let this game slip right through their fingers. Ugly mistakes at the end of the game spelled doom for the Kings in the 112-105 loss to the Thunder.

The Kings finished this game with 20 shots from downtown. Fox had 33 points and 8 rebounds but despite the flurry of long balls and Fox’s offense the Kings still lost this game. The Thunder crushed them in the paint and Domantas Sabonis for the first time in forever did not come away with a double double breaking an incredible streak. This was the Kings last road game of the season. They will play their remaining three games at Golden 1.

Game notes: The Kings are currently sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference a half game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and one game behind the seventh place New Orleans Pelicans. Tuesday night they took on the Thunderwho are currently in third place in the Western Conference and only one game behind the first place Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves who are tied in the top spot. The Kings could not hold onto a 20 point lead and ended up dropping the lead and the game. The Kings have only three games left.

Thursday night the Kings will take on the New Orleans Pelicans in Sacramento with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM.