There were a couple moments on Friday when Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown wishes he could have enjoyed being a part of the second-highest scoring game in NBA history as Malik Monk scored a career-high 45 points, while De’Aaron Fox had the go-ahead basket and finished with 42 as they outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers 176-175 in double overtime.
It is only the second time in the NBA’s 76-year history that both teams have scored at least 170 points.
The Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime on Dec. 13, 1983, in what remains the highest-scoring NBA game.
Photo: AFP
The Kings are third on the scoring list with the 176 points and the Clippers fourth. Teams have scored at least 170 points in a regular-season game only seven times.
“From a fan’s standpoint, I can see how this game would have been a lot of fun to watch,” Brown said. “There was unbelievable shot-making and great defense. There was high-level talent that was on display. Kudos to the players.”
Sacramento and Los Angeles also combined for 44 three-pointers, tied for the most in a game in NBA history.
Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY
Both teams also shot at least 58 percent from the field and were 80 percent or better from the foul line.
“I thought was a great game. A lot of momentum shifts,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.
The Clippers had a 175-169 advantage with 1 minute, 57 seconds remaining before the Kings scored the final seven points, including Fox’s jumper with 36.5 seconds remaining.
Photo: AP
The Clippers had the final shot, but Nico Batum missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
The Kings also overcame a 14-point deficit late in the fourth quarter and six-point deficits in both overtime periods.
“We just stuck with it. We got down 12 at one point, but just had our heads up. We knew they were going to let us back in,” Monk said.
It was the first time in franchise history that the Kings had two players score at least 40 points in a game. It is the second time it has happened in an NBA game this season after the Cleveland Cavalier’s Caris LeVert and Donovan Mitchell did it against the Boston Celtics.
Fox — who also had 12 assists and five steals — is just the 12th player since the 1973-1974 season with 40 points, 10 assists and five steals in a game. The previous player to do it was James Harden in 2019.
“We just had to grind this game out. We were on the second night of a back-to-back, but it is what it is. We have a younger team than them,” Fox said.
Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 44 points for Los Angeles and Paul George added 34. Leonard had 21 points in the third quarter, which tied his career high for points scored in a quarter.
“I thought he did a great job getting to a spot with the three-point shots and attacking the basket,” Lue said about Leonard.
Russell Westbrook started and made his Clippers debut after he cleared waivers on Wednesday. He had 17 points, 14 assists and five rebounds in 39 minutes before fouling out with 1 minute, 49 seconds remaining in the second overtime.
Los Angeles had a 145-131 advantage with 4 minutes, 25 seconds remaining before the Kings rallied back to force overtime with a 22-8 run. Monk forced the extra session with a three-pointer from the corner with 1.1 seconds remaining.
The Clippers had a 162-156 lead with 3 minutes, 4 seconds remaining in the first overtime before the Kings scored six straight to level the scores.
Monk hit a pair of free throws with 20.4 seconds remaining to tie it at 164.
Los Angeles had a chance to win it, but Leonard was unable to put in a tip-in at the buzzer.
It is the sixth 40-point game in Leonard’s 10-year career and his second since joining the Clippers in the summer of 2019. He was 16 of 22 from the field, including six three-pointers, in 46 minutes.
BUCKS 128, HEAT 99
Giannis Antetokounmpo left late in the first quarter with a right knee issue to spoil his rapid return from a sprained wrist, but Milwaukee still trounced Miami for their 13th consecutive victory.
Antetokounmpo was in the starting lineup just four days after heading to New York to have his right wrist examined.
He was on the floor late in the first quarter when he passed the ball and immediately motioned to the bench as the Bucks called a timeout to enable him to head to the locker room.
Bucks officials said in the second quarter that Antetokounmpo had knocked knees with an opponent and would not return to the game.
He had four points, four rebounds and four assists.
The Bucks still had no trouble extending the longest winning streak in the NBA this season. The Bucks pulled ahead for good four minutes into the game and rolled to their most lopsided victory of the season.
Elsewhere on Friday, it was:
‧ Bulls 131, Nets 87
‧ Hawks 136, Cavaliers 119
‧ Suns 124, Thunder 115
‧ T’wolves 113, Hornets 121
‧ Warriors 116, Rockets 101
‧ Wizards 109, Knicks 115
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