Kings fight back to move up in playoff race with first win in Portland since 2012
The Kings got pushed around on their home court the other night in a listless loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. This time, they pushed back.
The Kings needed a road win in the worst way Saturday night and they earned it with one of their finer performances of the season, blasting the Portland Trail Blazers 123-111 before a stunned crowd at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore.
Bogdan Bogdanovic had 27 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Kings (28-35), who moved a game ahead of the Blazers (28-37) for ninth in the Western Conference playoff race. The Kings are now 3 ½ games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth seed in the West.
The Kings caught the Blazers on the second night of a back-to-back after their starters logged heavy minutes in a road loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday. The Kings capitalized, running out to a 19-point lead in the opening period.
“Really pleased with the mindset and the focus level of the group as a whole tonight,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “We knew that they were on the back end of a back-to- back and played big minutes last night, so we wanted to make it a point to keep ourselves coming in and out and push and push and push.”
Buddy Hield came off the bench to score 22 points for Sacramento, which had lost 12 in a row in Portland dating back to Dec. 12, 2012. Hield made 6 of 9 from 3-point range.
“We knew this was a tough court and a tough crowd and they are an experienced team,” Bogdanovic said. “Obviously, we are both fighting for a playoff spot and we also know that they were coming off a back-to-back and realize that our previous game (against the 76ers) we didn’t play how we wanted to.”
Harrison Barnes scored 20 points. De’Aaron Fox had 14 points and 11 assists with only one turnover. Richaun Holmes returned after missing 25 games with a torn labrum, posting 10 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes. Holmes was cleared to play prior to the game. Walton said he would come off the bench with a minutes restriction.
“Very excited (to be back),” Holmes said. “The team has been playing well. Got a chance to go back out there and get back in rhythm to try and help push the team to more wins. I don’t take it lightly to be a part of a push like this. Very grateful and thank God to be a part of something like this. I’m looking forward to competing every night.”
CJ McCollum scored 19 points for the Blazers. Hassan Whiteside had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Star point guard Damian Lillard was held on 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting, including 2-of-10 shooting from 3-point range.
“Tough loss,” Lillard said. “A bad one, a bad one. That one hurt.”
The Kings carried a 77-54 lead into the halftime break after tying a franchise record with nine 3-pointers in the second quarter. They led by as many as 26 points. The Kings shot 48.2 percent from the field and made 21 of 39 (.538) from 3-point range, tying the franchise record they set earlier this season for 3-point goals in a game.
The Kings will return to Sacramento to play the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. They will get their first look at rookie phenom Zion Williamson when they play host to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday in another game with playoff implications.
The Kings have gone 13-6 since Jan. 24. They have won seven of nine and four of their last five.
“It is exciting, but there is no space for a lot of happiness and excitement at this moment because we have a back-to-back tomorrow, then we have New Orleans and ... a little road trip after that, so we have to be ready to lock in,” Bogdanovic said. “We’re in a good place. We’re where we want to be at this point after the All-Star (break). We lost a couple games where we shouldn’t, but that’s basketball (and) we’re in a good position right now.”
Tempers flare
Tempers flared in the third quarter when Kings center Alex Len set a physical screen on McCollum while running a pick-and-roll play with Fox. McCollum pushed Len. Len pushed back. The two of them squared off. Players and officials managed to separate them before any punches were thrown, but both combatants were assessed offsetting technical fouls.
Len has provided an element of toughness sine the Kings acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks on the eve of the trade deadline. He previously had an altercation with Montrezl Harrell when the Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 22.
“I think that’s Alex’s second scuffle already — what you would call a fight in today’s NBA,” Walton said. “We love it. We don’t want any fights. We don’t want anyone to ever get hurt, but you need to play with an edge. The only to play with an edge is to have guys with that in their makeup. We’ve only had him for a short time, but he’s definitely made us a more physical, tough team.”
Trade returns
In January, the Kings traded Trevor Ariza, Wenyen Gabriel and Caleb Swanigan to the Blazers for Kent Bazemore and Anthony Tolliver. The move has been good for both teams.
The Kings found a locker-room leader and sparkplug reserve in Bazemore. The 30-year-old guard has averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 19 games for Sacramento. He averaged 7.9 points while shooting just 34.7 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from 3-point range in 43 games for the Blazers, but he is shooting 41.4 percent overall and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc for the Kings.
The Blazers got a veteran forward in Ariza, who has seen a similar increase in his production since arriving in Portland. Ariza averaged just 6.0 points on 38.8-perent shooting from the field and 35.2-perent shooting from 3-point range in 32 games for the Kings. He has averaged 10.7 points while shooting 49.6 percent overall and 38.9 percent from long distance for the Blazers.
Bazemore had eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in Saturday’s win over the Blazers. Ariza had five points, seven rebounds and two assists.
Nurkic nearing return
Nearly a year after going down with a gruesome leg injury, Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic is nearing a return to help Portland’s playoff push.
Nurkic suffered a compound fracture to the tibia and fibula in his lower left leg last March in a game against the Brooklyn Nets. Nurkic told Yahoo Sports he plans to make his season debut against the Houston Rockets on March 15.
Nurkic averaged 15.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 72 games last season.
Injury report
Kings: OUT — Marvin Bagley III (foot).
Blazers: OUT — Jusuf Nurkic (leg); Zach Collins (shoulder); Rodney Hood (Achilles).
Kings upcoming schedule
March 8 vs. Toronto, 6 p.m.
March 11 vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.
March 15 vs. Brooklyn, 6 p.m.
March 17 vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.
March 19 at Houston, 5 p.m.
This story was originally published March 7, 2020 at 10:38 PM.
