The Sacramento Kings and the Clippers are both in the thick of the race in the Western Conference and when they met up Friday night in Los Angeles, no one quite envisioned such a high-scoring affair.
The result was a 176-175 in double overtime victory for Sacramento, who are third in the Western Conference standings. The 351-point total was the second-highest in NBA history.
Malik Monk scored a career-high 45 points, De’Aaron Fox had 42 points, 12 assists and five steals, while Kawhi Leonard scored 44 in a losing effort for Los Angeles.
The Kings came back after trailing by 14 points in the fourth quarter and overcame six-point deficits in both overtimes.
What is the NBA record for combined points?
Follow every game: Latest NBA Scores and Schedules
The Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime on Dec. 13, 1983, combining for a record 370 points.
Ole’ defense
Friday’s game was the first in Kings history when two teammates scored 40 or more points. It has only happened one other time this season when Caris LeVert and Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off the feat against Boston.
There were 44 3-point makes in Friday’s game on 86 attempts. In the 1983 game, there were only four attempts, with two makes. Nuggets reserve Richard Anderson made one 3-pointer, and Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas made the other and finished with 47 points. Kiki Vandeweghe led the Nuggets with 51.
In what amounted to a lay-up line for Friday’s game, the Kings shot 59% while the Clippers hit 60% of their shots.
It was tied at 40 after the first quarter and Los Angeles led 80-76 at halftime. The score was tied at 153 after regulation and 164 after the first overtime.
Russell Westbrook’s Clippers debut
Nine-time All-Star made his Clippers debut Friday after being traded to the Utah Jazz from the Los Angeles Lakers. The Jazz bought out his contract, allowing Westbrook to join the Clippers.
Westbrook played 39 minutes, scoring 17 points with 14 assists.
They said it
“From a fan’s standpoint, I can see how this game would have been a lot of fun to watch,” Kings head coach Mike Brown said. “There was unbelievable shot making and great defense. There was high-level talent that was on display. Kudos to the players.’
“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.