The Cavs had no defensive junkyard dogs tonight, as Cleveland gave up a shooting percentage of 59% to the Kings.
The Cavs, in particular, gave up multiple easy buckets throughout the night in the middle of the lane.
The third quarter cemented the Cavs’ fate on this Monday night, as the Kings outscored Cleveland by 12, extending the lead to 20 by the beginning of the fourth.
Caris LeVert did have a good game points-wise, as he had 21, making it three straight games in which LeVert has scored more than 20.
De’Aaron Fox marked his return from a two-week absence due to an ankle injury with an impressive performance, contributing 28 points and six assists. The Sacramento Kings secured a 132-120 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night, granting coach Mike Brown his 400th career win.
Alongside Fox, Domantas Sabonis posted notable stats with 23 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds, while Keegan Murray achieved a season-high 25 points, including five 3-pointers.
Despite a strong effort from Donovan Mitchell, who led the Cavs with 22 points, and contributions from Caris LeVert (21 points) and Max Strus (19 points), the Kings maintained control throughout the game.
Sacramento had six players reaching double figures, but the spotlight was on Fox, who received enthusiastic “MVP! MVP!” chants in the second half. Making an immediate impact, Fox scored the first points of the night with a driving layup and continued to contribute with a reverse and a 3-pointer, helping the Kings establish a 33-25 lead.
After a strong start in the second quarter, Fox reinvigorated Sacramento’s offense in the third quarter, finishing with eight points, including a powerful one-handed dunk off a bounce pass from Malik Monk.
Coach Mike Brown, who led the Kings to the 2023 playoffs in his first season, achieved his 400th coaching victory. This milestone win was particularly significant as it came against one of his former teams; Brown had previously coached the Cavaliers from 2005-10 and in the 2013-14 season.
Although Cleveland narrowed the gap to 126-115 in the fourth quarter, Fox’s three-point play with 1:26 remaining played a crucial role in securing the Kings’ victory.
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