DeMar DeRozan poured in nine of his game-high 30 points in the second overtime on Monday night (Tuesday, January 7, Manila time), helping the Sacramento Kings outlast the visiting Miami Heat 123-118 for a fifth straight win under interim coach Doug Christie.
After missed shots and free throws dominated the final seconds of regulation and the first overtime, the teams were still tied — at 117-all — in the second extra session before DeRozan hit three shots, the third an 18-footer that opened up a five-point lead with just 12.8 seconds to play.
Domantas Sabonis put up a triple-double for the Kings with 21 points, a game-high 18 rebounds and a game-high 11 assists to go along with three blocks.
Malik Monk finished with 23 points, Keon Ellis had 17 and Keegan Murray chipped in 14 for Sacramento, which improved to 5-1 since firing coach Mike Brown.
Murray also found time for 12 rebounds. Ellis grabbed eight boards and nabbed three steals and Monk dished out six assists for the Kings, who were playing without the injured De’Aaron Fox (glute).
Without Jimmy Butler (suspension) in the opener of a six-game Western Conference road trip, the Heat were led by Tyler Herro (26 points).
Bam Adebayo and Terry Rozier contributed 18 points apiece, Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 16, Haywood Highsmith posted 14 and Nikola Jovic totaled 12 for the Heat, who were playing the front end of a back-to-back. They will resurface on Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors.
Jaquez notched a triple-double of his own with a team-high 10 assists and 12 rebounds, which tied Adebayo for team-high honors. Jaquez also had five steals, while Adebayo snatched four.
Both teams had ample opportunities to win the game in regulation or the first overtime.
Neither team scored in the final 50 seconds of regulation, with Herro missing two shots for the Heat and DeRozan missing one for the Kings.
Up one, Miami seemed to have control late in the first overtime when Highsmith blocked a Monk jumper with 4.8 seconds left. The Kings were forced to foul Jaquez, who missed both ensuing free throws.
Sacramento then caught a break when Ellis was fouled with nine-tenths of a second left, but he made only the second of two foul shots, once again sending the game to another five minutes. – Rappler.com
