Sacramento, CA – Tyreke Evans netted 23 points, including two critical three-pointers late in the fourth quarter, and the Sacramento Kings held on for a 107-100 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday at Sleep Train Arena.
DeMarcus Cousins put home 25 points and ripped down 13 rebounds, while Jason Thompson added 13 points on 6-of-11 from the field and 10 rebounds for the Kings, who put the brakes on a three-game slide.
"If Tyreke gets confidence in that shot he's going to be an incredible player," Cousins said.
John Salmons contributed 12 points and seven assists and Aaron Brooks gave 11 points in the triumph.
Kyle Lowry dropped in a game-high 34 points, including a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line, while Mickael Pietrus finished with 21 and six rebounds for the Raptors, losers in eight of their last nine contests. DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis donated 14 and 13 points, respectively, in the setback.
"They had their way with us in the paint," Toronto head coach Dwane Casey said. "Everybody's going to look at Tyreke Evans. He hit two threes and he hit six all season."
The Kings entered the final quarter leading, 78-76, and it was a one- possession game for most of the frame.
Lowry nailed an 11-foot jumper with 4:08 to go, putting Toronto ahead 93-91.
A driving layup by Evans on the ensuing Sacramento touch tied things at 93-93 before Cousins put in a layup with 2:46 to go, making it a 95-93 contest.
Lowry hit a pair from the line to again tie the game at 95-95, but then things turned in favor of the home side.
Evans then gave the Kings the separation they needed as the Memphis product drained 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to put the Kings up 101-95 with 1:43 to go.
Lowry hit two more from the charity stripe to cut the deficit to four with 1:06 left, but Thompson connected on a hook shot on the next Kings touch to make it a three-possession game and the hosts iced it with free throws down the stretch.
The contest remained tight early on as a three-point play by Thompson gave the Kings a 12-11 lead with 7:18 on the clock, but the Raptors responded with a 10-2 surge, capped by a Lowry trey, to build a 21-14 advantage with 5:03 left in the opening stanza.
The Kings stayed close and a Cousins slam with 49.1 seconds left put Sacramento in front, but Davis got the last laugh with a short jumper to tie things at 29-29 after one.
Andrea Bargnani nailed a 16-foot jumper with 5:51 to go before halftime, which tied the game at 41-41. But the Kings gave themselves some breathing room following the bucket with a 10-3 push, which made it a 51-44 game.
Pietrus drained a deep trey for the Raptors, which cut the deficit to four with 1:18 to go, but the Kings held a 55-47 advantage at the break.
Salmons hit a trey early in the third quarter to give the home side a 69-58 advantage, but the Raptors made a furious charge.
DeRozan nailed a pull-up jumper to start the visitors on an 18-7 surge and Pietrus capped the run with a run out flush to tie the game at 76-76. Sacramento led by a bucket heading to the fourth quarter.
Game Notes
The Raptors have not won in Sacramento since Dec. 26, 2008 ... Bargnani finished with eight points, three rebounds and three assists ... Sacramento shot 46.3 percent from the floor while holding the Raptors to 40,7 percent and 6-for-23 from beyond the arc.
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