Buddy Hield helps short-handed Kings down Spurs / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports Credit Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Buddy Hield poured in 29 points, 18 of them in the fourth quarter, as the COVID-ravaged Sacramento Kings defeated the visiting San Antonio Spurs 121-114 on Sunday.

Player of the Game EFF 29 Tyrese Haliburton Points 27 Accuracy 12-19 Rebounds 4 Assists 11

The Kings were without six players -- including Marvin Bagley III, De'Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell and Alex Len -- as well as interim coach Alvin Gentry and several staff members because of COVID. Richaun Holmes also missed his sixth straight game because of an eye injury.

None of that stopped Sacramento, which was in control for most of the game but finished things off in the fourth as Hield poured in four 3-pointers in the period.

The Kings also got 27 points and a career-high-tying 11 assists from Tyrese Haliburton and a career-best 23 points by Damian Jones. Harrison Barnes added 14 points in the win.

Dejounte Murray paced the Spurs with 25 points in the loss, with Lonnie Walker IV scoring 19 points, Bryn Forbes hitting for 18, Keldon Johnson racking up 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Devin Vassell tallying 11.

San Antonio has dropped two of its past three games while Sacramento has won two of three.

The Kings came out full of energy and led for the majority of the first half, building a 10-point advantage after one period and going up by as many as 12 on three different occasions in the second quarter. A 7-0 run by San Antonio cut the deficit to five points before two free throws by Jones with 3.3 seconds left granted Sacramento a 63-56 lead at intermission.

Walker led all scorers in the half with 16 points off the bench while Forbes added 10 for the Spurs.

Jones paced Sacramento with 14 first-half points. Haliburton scored 12 points and dished out 10 assists and Barnes added 11 points for the Kings over the first 24 minutes.

San Antonio surged into the lead, 72-71, after a 3-pointer by Forbes with 4:30 remaining in the third before the Kings answered behind Jones and Hield to go up 91-85 heading into the final period.

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