The Sacramento Kings, who are fighting for their playoff lives got a big performance from Zach LaVine with a game-high 25 points to go with 10 rebounds and Domantas Sabonis racked up his patented double-double with 24 points and 11 boards to help the Kings snap a three-game losing streak by making quick work of the host Charlotte Hornets 125-102 on Friday night.
DeMar DeRozan’s 22 points for Sacramento included 9-for-10 from the charity strike.
It was a much-needed result for the Kings (37-40), who two nights earlier lost an embarrassing one to the lowly Washington Wizards, 115-111. Sacramento is fighting for a playoff position in the deep Western Conference.
Ex-Hornets guard Malik Monk had 17 points off the bench and reserve Trey Lyles added 12 points as Sacramento won for only the second time in their last nine games.
The Hornets (19-58) lost for the seventh time in their last eight games despite 22 points from Miles Bridges, who was 2-for-11 from 3-point range.
Moussa Diabate finished with a double, scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds, and KJ Simpson and Tidjane Salaun had 13 points each for Charlotte. The Hornets could not get into a rhythm all night long from distance and managed to shoot a dreadful 8-for-35, although 28-for-34 from the free-throw line helped.
Bridges was the only opening night starter still on the floor for Charlotte. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have already been ruled out for the season and were joined in street clothes on the bench by Mark Williams (thoracic muscle spasms) and Josh Green (shoulder soreness).
The Kings were up by 19, 68-49 at the break, shooting a blistering 49 percent from the field with three turnovers. They went on a heater, pouring in 19 points in the final 5 1/2 minutes of an explosive 42-point second quarter.
Sabonis took the Hornets to school, posting 18 points by halftime. Monk had three of Sacramento’s six first-half 3-point baskets.
The king of the midrange jump shot DeRozan scored the last eight points of the first quarter to give the Kings a 26-18 lead. It turned into a 13-0 surge for Sacramento by early in the second quarter after Monk’s 3-pointer.
The Hornets shot 3-for-19 on first-half 3-point attempts as part of their 34.8 percent shooting from the field.
A piece of good news from the Hornets perspective was the game marked the NBA debut for guard Jaylen Sims, who was signed by Charlotte earlier in the day to a 10-day contract after wrapping up the G League season with Greensboro. He scored seven points off the bench.
Both teams are in action Sunday with the Kings visiting Donvan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Hornets hosting Coby White and the Chicago Bulls.
