Kings Snap 8-Game Losing Streak Against Wizards
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Beno Udrih scored 23 points, Jason Thompson had 22 points and 14 rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings snapped an eight-game losing streak by beating the Washington Wizards 116-91 on Wednesday night.
Wizards guard John Wall sat out with a sore foot. He was announced as a starter by the public address announcer but never left the bench.
That wiped out what was supposed to be the first NBA meeting between Wall and his college teammate at Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins. Wall was selected first overall in this year's draft, and Cousins went No. 5 to Sacramento. Both entered the draft after their freshman season.
Cousins started the game and finished with 10 points, five rebounds and five fouls in 24 minutes.
Pooh Jeter had 13 points and nine assists for Sacramento (5-15), which entered with the NBA's worst record. Donte Green and Omri Casspi each scored 12 for the Kings, who opened 3-1 before dropping 14 of their next 15 games.
Al Thornton had 20 points for Washington, Gilbert Arenas added 19 and Kirk Hinrich 18. The loss was the third straight and seventh in eight games for the Wizards, who are 0-11 on the road.
After Washington opened the fourth quarter with six straight points, the Kings scored 13 unanswered points. A fast-break dunk by Thompson gave the Kings a 105-76 lead midway through the quarter.
Wall was replaced in the starting lineup by Hinrich. It marked the fifth game this season Wall has missed due to foot problems.
Tyreke Evans concluded a very productive third quarter for the Kings by making a 3-pointer with 1 second left, giving Sacramento a 92-70 lead heading into the fourth.
The Kings have played some terrible third quarters this season, but that wasn't the case against Washington. They emerged from halftime and made 11 of their first 14 shots. Evans' jumper gave the Kings an 83-62 lead with 3:22 left in the third.
Udrih scored 19 first-half points for the Kings, who led 59-45 at the break. Trailing 34-32, Sacramento ran off 12 straight points in the second quarter to take the lead for good.
Hinrich scored 12 points in the first half for the Wizards.
NOTES: Kings center Samuel Dalembert did not return from Philadelphia in time for the game. He was there to attend 76ers beat writer Phil Jasner's funeral. Jasner passed away from complications of cancer. A defensive presence for the Kings, Dalembert is averaging 4.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.83 blocks per game this season. ... Kings radio man Gary Gerould was honored at halftime for announcing his 2,000th game. Udrih made two 3-pointers and scored 13 points in the first quarter. The Wizards shot 6 of 21 in the second quarter and were outscored 33-18. Evans has been bothered by plantar fasciitis this season, but the Kings have ruled out the possibility that the injury is a stress fracture. He will have an MRI on Thursday.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
