SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Kings are off to a good start on their six-game homestand. The team knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers 115-108 on Saturday to make it 2-o. They play the San Antonio Spurs for the third installment on Feb. 4.
Buddy Hield led the Kings (27-25) with 34 points, making 7 of 13 shots from behind the 3-point line. He also had had six rebounds, and three assists in nearly 36 minutes. De’Aaron Fox added 19 points, eight assists, and three assists for the Kings.
Kings coach Dave Joerger said he is waiting “when Buddy gonna have 40 (points)” or “when is buddy gonna have a (50-point)’ night.”
“The other team tried to give him different looks and different combinations,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said of the 76ers defending Hield. “Obviously, people scout him and try to put a big body on him like Jimmy Butler. We just tried to get people off his body. He’s learning. There’s a lot to like about Buddy.”
Willie Cauley Stein had 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals while Marvin Bagley contributed 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The Kings have beaten the 76ers three consecutive times, their longest winning streak against the team since the team beat Philly nine-straight times since March 26, 2001 to March 2005.
“It was one of those games they kept throwing punches and we didn’t respond well to it,” said 76ers point guard Ben Simmons. Simmons had 22 points, eight rebounds, and four assists for Philly (34-19.
Joel Embiid scored 29 points, pulled down 17 rebounds, and blocked four shots. It took Embiid to put up 24 shots to get those 29 points. But he was 11 of 13 from the free-throw line. The 76ers beat the Golden State Warriors 113-104 in Oakland on Jan. 31.
The Kings victory over the 76ers gave them the sixth-consecutive homecourt win at Golden 1 Center. The Kings, 15-10 thus far at home this season, plays the San Antonio Spurs at 7:00 p.m., on Feb. 4, and Golden 1 Center.
By Antonio R. Harvey | OBSERVER Staff Writer