On March 26, Beijing time, the NBA regular season, the King defeated the Jazz 121-113 at home, giving his opponent a three-game losing streak. Both sides were absent in this game, with Kings guard Fox out due to a hamstring injury, and the Jazz side including Markkanen, Clarkson, Sexton and other main players were absent. The remaining Jazz played a pressing force in the first half to take a certain lead. The Kings hit a 35-17 single-quarter score in the third quarter to rally and widen the deficit.
Although Jazz rookie Kessler chipped in 31 points and 11 rebounds, setting a career high in scoring. However, the Kings still played as a six-man double-double, maintaining the lead in the final quarter and eventually winning the game. With the Kings just one step away from the playoffs, the Jazz remain 12th in the West, trailing the top eleven wins.
Statistics
Jazz: Kessler 31 points and 11 rebounds, Abaji 20 points and 4 assists, Olynyk 17 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists, substitute Brantley 13 points, Dunn 12 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists
Kings: Hult 27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, Murray 22 points, Barnes 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, Sabonis 16 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists, Mitchell 11 points, 6 assists and 4 steals, bench Lyles 10 points
Star of the field: Hult
Hult contributed 27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in the game, and used accurate shots to help the team open the point gap and lay the foundation for victory.
Race tidbits
Monk complained to the referee that he had been ejected for a technical foul
Highlight moments
Sabonis scored on two consecutive layups
Sabonis hit the ground and scored on a layup by Murray
Kessler with a tough block under the basket
Olynyk broke through and scored 2+1
Kessler double-handed buckles
Mitchell steals fast-attack and dunks with both hands
Match Review
At the start of the first quarter, Kessler made an empty layup and scored the first score for the Jazz. Sabonis broke through, Kessler made a backhand layup, Sabonis hit a jumper and Olynyk broke through. Hult turned and made a jumper, Murray hit a 3-pointer, Tucker scored a layup, and Sabonis and Mitchell scored back-to-back points. The Kings went on a 10-3 offensive run to take an eight-point lead. Juzan scored on a layup, Dunn snapped a jump shot, Murray hit a three-pointer, Abaji responded with a three-pointer, and Murray scored another three. Monk hooked the score, Lyles hit a three-pointer, and the Kings stretched the gap to double digits. The Jazz went on a 7-0 run, and Mitchell broke through for a layup. The first quarter ended with the Jazz trailing the Kings 26-32.
At the start of the second quarter, Brantley broke through for a layup and the Jazz scored five straight points in the opening game. Monk and Fontecchio went on to make a three-pointer, and Brantley hit a three-pointer to give the Jazz a comeback. Lyles hit two free throws, Brantley turned and hooked, Tucker hit a three-pointer, and Delavedova and Huert scored consecutive 3-pointers. Olynyk scored a 2+1, Delavidova made an empty layup, Huert hit two free throws, and Abaji broke through for a layup. Sabonis hit a layup, Kessler cut for a layup, Barnes hit 2 free throws, and Kessler scored on a layup. Hult scored a layup, Kessler hooked to score, Sabonis cut for a layup, and Kessler cut for a dunk. The Jazz put on a 7-0 offensive run to take a six-point lead heading into the second half. At halftime, the Jazz led the Kings 61-55.
Easy to fight again. Hult turned and jumped and scored five straight points. Abaji made an empty layup, Hult stopped a jumper, and Kessler cut a layup to score four straight points. Barnes broke through and scored as the Kings went on an 8-0 offensive run to take the lead. Abaji hooked to score, Barnes hit a three-pointer, Mitchell hooked and Kessler made an empty dunk. Barnes and Murray scored five straight points, Dunn broke through to score, Sabonis cut for an empty layup and Azubuik answered for a dunk. Brantley and Monk matched for a three-pointer, Edwards scored a layup and Lyles hit a three-pointer. The Kings went on an 8-0 run to stretch the gap to 12 points into the fourth quarter. The third quarter ended with the Jazz trailing the Kings 78-90.
At the start of the final quarter, Abaji hit a three-point shot, and Monk received a technical foul and was ejected. Hult scored a layup, Kessler added a layup, Olynyk broke through for a layup and Sabonis hit a three-pointer. Tucker broke through for a layup, Herter hit 2 free throws, Olynyk hit a back-up jumper, Kessler scored a layup, and the Jazz closed the gap to six points. Hult made a layup, Kessler took a dunk, and the Kings scored six straight points, and the gap between the two sides was still hovering around 10 points. Dunn hit a three-pointer, Hult cut for a layup, Abagie scored on a layup and Barnes made a free throw. Abaji hit a three-pointer, Mitchell hit a layup, Olynyk turned and hooked, Murray hit a three-pointer, and the Kings still led the Jazz by nine points. Dunn scored a 2+1 layup, but Abaji scored a subsequent basket without success and missed the opportunity to chase points. With Edwards making a free throw, the Kings won the game.
Both sides start
Jazz: Abaj, Horton-Tucker, Fontecchio, Olynyk, Kessler
Kings: Davion Mitchell, Hult, Barnes, Murray, Sabonis