After losing a tough double-overtime heartbreaker to the world champions, the Sacramento Kings dominated the Orlando Magic. In the second-game of a back-to-back, they won handedly by a final of 125-101 in the Amway Center.
The Kings led by as many as 33 points, running the Magic out of their own gym. Marcus Thornton and John Salmons led the way for Sacramento, who had seven players score in double-figures.
Notes and Analysis
- John Salmons continued his run of incredible shooting from the perimeter. He scored 21 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the floor and 4-for-5 from 3-point range in just 22 minutes. Salmons has gone an incredible 15-for-20 from behind the arc in the Kings’ last four games.
- Tyreke Evans was a human highlight reel, scoring 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting and dishing out seven assists. Evans played just 26 minutes, but put on a show with his passing and fast break theatrics. He also finished with a game-high four steals, giving him nine takeaways in the last two games.
- The Kings didn’t need DeMarcus Cousins to have a great performance tonight, but he was very solid in every aspect of the game. Cousins finished with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists in the romp.
- Thornton backed up his big performance last night with 20 points and eight rebounds in Orlando. The Kings desperately need Thornton to find his game and return to last season’s form if they have any hope of making a run at 30 wins.
- After not playing last night in Miami, Jimmer Fredette scored 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting and added four assists in 28 minutes. Isaiah Thomas picked up two fouls in the game’s first two minutes, which opened the door for Jimmer who responded in a big way. Toney Douglas played 12 minutes off the Kings bench as well, finishing with eight points and four assists in the blowout.
- Patrick Patterson had his first solid game in a Kings’ uniform since coming from Houston in the Thomas Robinson trade. The third-year forward finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. Expect Patterson’s minutes to stay around the 26 mark as he acclimates to his new team.
- Stat of the Night: For the second night in a row, the Sacramento Kings put up more than 30 assists. They finished with 31 assists, including 22 in the first half.
Three answers to three questions pondered
1. How will Marcus Thornton follow-up his performance against the Heat last night?
For the second straight night, Thornton was the scorer that everyone remembered from a season ago. After leading the Kings in scoring during the 2011-12 season, Thornton came in averaging just 12 points per game. After dropping 38 last night in Miami, he backed that up with a solid 20-point, eight-rebound performance tonight in just 23 minutes.
2. How much effect will the Kings’ double-overtime loss in Miami have on tonight’s game in Orlando?
The Kings looked energized and fresh, running circles around Orlando on their way to their 20th win of the season. Jimmer led the way with 28 minutes played as the Kings ended this one early and coasted to the finish line.
3. Can the Kings contain Nikola Vucevic on the glass?
Vucevic was a non-factor tonight, grabbing just two boards in 22 minutes after finishing with 19 yesterday against Philadelphia. Cousins man-handled him early, but both centers sat for much of the game due to the score.
Statistical support provided by NBA.com.
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