PHOENIX, AZ –- The Kings trailed by seven points with 3:34 to go in the first overtime sans DeMarcus Cousins, but Sacramento responded in resounding fashion securing a 114-112 win in Phoenix in double OT for their fifth straight win of the young season.
Rudy Gay’s jumper with 1:07 to go in the second OT propelled the Kings to a 113-112 lead and after Darren Collison made one of two free throws to make it 114-112. Sacramento got the stop it desperately needed after P.J. Tucker missed a three and Marcus Morris’s jumper was no good off an offensive rebound.
The surprising start to Sacramento's season is significant: the Kings are 5-1 for the first time since 1999-00.
The last time Sacramento has won five straight games was the 2006-07 season.
The last time the Kings won their first three road games of the season was 1995-96.
The Kings looked like they were done, trailing 91-83 at the 9:58 mark of the fourth quarter, but outscored Phoenix 11-3 to tie the game at the 4:57 mark of the last stanza -- a run propelled by five points from Cousins and four by Collison.
After a wild rest of the quarter, Cousins fouled out on a moving screen with 34.7 seconds remaining in the fourth.
Tied at 99 with 34.7 seconds to go, the teams traded possessions and stops –- the Kings fortunate that Miles Plumlee mishandled an easy put-back opportunity.
Isaiah Thomas’s 3-pointer at the buzzer was no good, grazing the iron and missing an opportunity to slay his former team as regulation ended with the game tied at 99.
Then overtime ensued followed by yet another overtime session in the desert.
The first quarter was fruitful for the Suns, shooting 68 percent from the floor while getting 10 points from Goran Dragic to take a 36-25 lead over the Kings.
After Eric Bledsoe ripped the ball from the Kings in front of Sacramento’s bench for a steal and layup to extend Phoenix’s lead 52-42 with 3:36 remaining in the quarter, coach Michael Malone called a timeout.
The Kings responded with an 11-0 run which included six free throws by Cousins, a Gay 3-pointer, and a Jason Thompson jumper via a Nik Stauskas assist to cut the deficit to 52-51 with 1:41 to go.
However, Tucker was fouled on a made jumper by Stauskas, made the free throw and Morris electrified the US Airways Center crowd with a one-hand put-back dunk going on a modest 5-0 run and the Suns ultimately led 58-55 at the half.
After a slow start, Cousins responded with 13 points to lead Sacramento’s first-half scoring while Morris delivered 12 and Dragic and Tucker contributed 10 apiece for Phoenix.
The Suns outscored the Kings 15-9 to start the third quarter, fueled by nine points from Bledsoe to lead 73-64 with 5:43 to go in the third quarter.
However, Sacramento bounced back.
A Cousins layup, and two consecutive Collison driving layups caused Jeff Hornacek to take a timeout and the Kings cut the deficit to 73-70 with 4:22 left in the third.
Phoenix responded with a 15-7 run featuring a 3-pointer by former King Thomas and eight points from Dragic to extend the Phoenix lead to 88-77 as the third quarter horn sounded.
Then the wild ride began in earnest through the fourth quarter and two overtimes.
Bledsoe and Dragic led Phoenix with 23 and 22 points, respectively.
STANDOUT PERFORMER:
Notwithstanding 25 from Cousins, Collison went for 16 points, Ben McLemore poured in 15, and Carl Landry scored 12 as they were around for both overtimes.
TURNING POINT:
Gay’s jumper with 1:07 to go in the second OT propelled the Kings to a 113-112 lead.
INJURY REPORT:
Sacramento – No limiting injuries. Eric Moreland D-League assignment is inactive.
Phoenix – T.J. Warren is out (small crack in bone in left thumb).
For Sacramento, there were no injuries to report.
WHAT'S NEXT:
Game two of the Kings four-game road trip is Sunday at Oklahoma City, followed by Tuesday at Dallas, and Thursday at Memphis.
