Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) is defended by Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Orlando, Wash. Florida (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
ORLANDO, Fla. — De’Aaron Fox made the game-tying free throw with 21.2 seconds left to finish with 31 points, and Keon Ellis added another free throw in the final seconds as the Sacramento Kings beat the Orlando Magic 109-107 on Saturday. night.
After Fox tied it at 107 and put the Kings ahead at 108-107, Ellis added another point with two seconds left and Sacramento ended Orlando’s five-game winning streak.
Paolo Banchero missed a long 3-point attempt at the buzzer for the Magic, who lost a similar game in double overtime in Sacramento on January 3.
“We’re trying to prove ourselves, just like them,” said Ellis, who grew up 30 miles down the road in Eustis, Florida. “So when we’re here, we try to earn everyone’s respect.”
De’Aaron Fox wouldn’t be denied on either side in Sacramento’s win at Orlando ????
31 points | 8 RECs | 3STL pic.twitter.com/Xk8enQdQEU
-NBA (@NBA) March 24, 2024
Ellis, who scored a career-high 19 points and added six assists, also hit a 22-footer that gave the Kings a five-point lead with 1:59 to play.
“Keon was huge. He was really phenomenal,” Sacramento coach Mike Brown said.
Domantas Sabonis had 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Kings. It was his 53rd consecutive double-double, matching Kevin Love’s streak in 2010-11, the longest since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.
“Obviously, it’s a really big accomplishment on Domas’ part,” Brown said. “But it’s like clockwork for him with his 14 rebounds and 21 points.”
Keegan Murray added 22 points for the Kings, who overcame 0-for-11 from Malik Monk.
Jonathan Isaac tied his career high with 25 points for the Magic.
Banchero finished with 22 points, Franz Wagner added 18 and Cole Anthony came off the bench with 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
“It’s a tough game, man,” Anthony said. “It’s a very good team, well trained. They have good players, but we had a chance to win a game. You can’t ask for more than that in the NBA.
Isaac received a standing ovation when he was taken out after an eight-minute stretch in the first half in which he produced 17 points, four rebounds and a block from Sabonis.
Sabonis scored five points during a 13-0 third-quarter run that gave the Kings a 74-65 lead, the largest lead of the game for either team.
“Nineteen lead changes, tied 13 times. I mean, that’s the battle we had with them,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “It was similar to the match there. … We’ll just have to keep watching these films and see how we can learn from these situations.
The Kings overcame a modest 43.7 percent shooting rate with just seven turnovers.
“We won the possession game while defending,” Brown said, “and that’s why we got a road win in a tough environment against a very good team.”
Caleb Houston started for the Magic, but left the game with an ankle injury in the first half.
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NEXT SCHEDULE
Kings: Host Philadelphia on Monday.
Magic: Host Golden State on Wednesday.
