NBA Roundup: Domantas Sabonis Carries Kings to Victory in Debut

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) celebrates with guard Jeremy Lamb (26) in the final seconds of the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on Feb. 9, 2022. Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports via Field Level Media

Domantas Sabonis recorded 22 points and 14 rebounds in his Sacramento debut and Damion Mitchell broke the game’s final tie with a dunk with 4:13 remaining as the host Kings avenged a blowout loss the day before with a 132–119 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

Acquired on Tuesday but unavailable when the Kings were drubbed 134–114 by the Timberwolves that night in the opener of a two-day, two-game sequence, Sabonis arrived in time to help Sacramento win for the third time in its past five games.

Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday, also acquired in the six-player trade with the Indiana Pacers, combined for 20 points and nine assists for Sacramento. The Kings avoided a season-series sweep with their first win in three tries against Minnesota this season.

D'Angelo Russell produced 29 points and 10 assists, Anthony Edwards scored 26 and Karl-Anthony Towns put up 21 points for the Timberwolves, whose five-game winning streak ended.

Jazz 111, Warriors 85

Bojan Bogdanovic led six Utah players in double figures with 23 points as the Jazz snapped Golden State’s nine-game winning streak in Salt Lake City.

Donovan Mitchell finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for Utah, which earned its fourth consecutive win. Reserve center Hassan Whiteside totaled 17 rebounds, nine points and seven blocked shots.

Golden State’s Jordan Poole scored 18 points and Steph Curry added 16 points, but they shot a combined 10-for-27 from the field on a night the Warriors made just 35.9 percent of their shots.

Bulls 121, Hornets 109

DeMar DeRozan pumped in 36 points as visiting Chicago topped Charlotte.

Zach LaVine racked up 27 points in his second game since returning from a back injury, hitting five 3-point shots.Nikola Vucevic supplied 18 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists and Coby White notched 15 points for the Bulls, who won for just the second time in their last five games.

The Hornets endured their season-high sixth consecutive loss, with the last four of those coming in home games. Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball notched 33 points, but it took a 12-for-25 outing from the field.

Cavaliers 105, Spurs 92

All-Star guard Darius Garland made a triumphant return to the lineup with a game-high 27 points in host Cleveland’s victory over San Antonio.

Garland had missed the previous four games with soreness in his lower back. Guard Caris LeVert, acquired Monday from the Indiana Pacers, made his Cavs debut and finished with 11 points in Cleveland’s seventh consecutive win at home and 13th of their last 15.

Forwards Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell paced the Spurs with 18 points apiece and Derrick White added 17. All-Star Dejounte Murray worked hard for his 16 points, adding nine assists, and six rebounds.

Raptors 117, Thunder 98

Pascal Siakam had 27 points and 16 rebounds to lead Toronto past host Oklahoma.

The Raptors have won a season-high seven in a row, while the Thunder lost for the third consecutive game and the 15th time in their last 19 games. Siakam was 13 of 17 from the floor, improving to 64.8 percent from the field against the Thunder in his career.

All five starters for the Raptors had at least 15 points, with Scottie Barnes adding 17, Gary Trent Jr. 16 and OG Anunoby 15 points to go with 10 rebounds.

Trail Blazers 107, Lakers 105

Anfernee Simons scored 29 points and Jusuf Nurkic added 19 points with 12 rebounds as Portland found something to celebrate during a time of roster upheaval, ending a six-game losing streak with a victory over visiting Los Angeles.

Justise Winslow and Greg Brown III each had 11 points as the Trail Blazers won after the team made three trades in a span of six days in order to shape the roster for the future. Portland won for the first time since Jan. 28.

LeBron James scored 30 points and Anthony Davis added 17 for the Lakers, who lost for the sixth time in their last eight games. Los Angeles had just defeated Portland 99–94 at home last Wednesday.