Knicks 98, Kings 91: Brunson’s 42 spoils solid Kings’ defensive effort

SACRAMENTO — This one started extra “friendly”, when Isaiah Hartenstein took Domantas Sabonis to the ground early with an embrace, one that didn’t draw a whistle. It was a sign of things to come, as the Kings and Knicks battled in a physical affair Saturday night at the Golden1 Center.

“We knew that’s the style of play that they wanted, to play,” De’Aaron Fox said. “As best as we could, we tried to get out and run to negate that physicality, but we played right into their hands.”

Sabonis took the affection personally, scoring 13 points and grabbing five rebounds in the first quarter. Unfortunately for his team, players not in a number 10 jersey shot just 2-12 from the field with five turnovers as the Kings’ offense started slower than molasses against the physical Knicks. Fortunately, New York wasn’t much better, converting on just nine of their 21 first quarter attempts to trail Sacramento 22-21 after one.

“The game was a physical game,” Mike Brown said. “Their physicality, I thought, impacted us shooting the ball even when we were open. Because of how physical they are – they hit, they grab, they push you throughout the course of the game – it impacted how we shoot the ball.”

The second quarter was much of the same, though the bench finally got involved in the action. Sacramento shot just 39% from the field, and while the Knicks weren’t much better, Jalen Brunson did start to heat up, scoring 15 points in the frame, including a string of seven straight. After a scoreless first quarter, the Kings reserve managed 11 in the second, led by Malik Monk’s eight. Though the went into the locker room trailing 53-48, Sacramento had effectively matched New York’s physicality, and hadn’t let their struggles on offense dictate their effort on D.

“We were able to get to the free throw line, we just weren’t able to convert on the breaks that we had,” Fox said. “We got good looks, but a lot of it – we just didn’t make shots. That’s a good defensive team, so you have to be able to capitalize on your opportunities. We just didn’t do that.”

The highlight of the third quarter wasn’t a play on the court but a moment from the Knick’s bench; after Josh Hart hit Keegan Murray on the top of the head during a shot attempt, drawing a review, the jumbotron showed Brunson and Hart on the Knick’s bench. Brunson looked into the camera, pointed at Hart, gave a thumbs down and booed his teammate, drawing a good laugh from the crowd. The call sparked something in Sacramento, as Murray made the two free throws, Harrison Barnes converted on the extra possession, De’Aaron Fox converted a bad Hartenstein pass into two more points, and the Kings forced a shot clock violation the next time down to make it a three point game.

After Fox was called for a technical and Brunson made the free throw, Barnes connected from deep to draw the Kings within one. But the Knicks would create separation again as Brunson stayed hot. But, as has often been the case over the past several weeks, Keon Ellis and Davion Mitchell came up big, spurring a Sacramento run that saw them take the lead at 63-61 thanks to a Monk three and excellent defense by the guard duo. The teams would go back and forth the remainder of the quarter, combining for six lead changes and seven ties over the final 5:36 of the quarter as both teams kept the intensity ratcheted up.

“I knew [defensive intensity] would take some time, but I knew our guys were capable,” Brown said. “We just need to make sure we don’t lose our identity on offense. We’ve faced two physical defensive teams [in last two losses] and they dare you to spray the ball. And if you don’t it’s going to be a slugfest. If I was disappointed tonight, it was that we didn’t have enough sprays.” Brown went on to say that Sacramento was just 3-9 on sprayed threes after being around 50% on 20 attempts in their last two wins.

The fourth quarter was a tale of missed opportunities; the Kings had two chances on a fast break layup trailing 79-75 but Ellis missed the layup and Monk couldn’t convert the put back dunk attempt. With 8:30 remaining and the Kings up one, Sabonis missed two free throws, sparking a 6-0 Knicks run. After a Barnes three, Brunson went on a personal 5-0 run to put his team up seven, but the Kings would respond behind five straight from Monk to make it a four point game with 3:24 to play.

Needing a stop, the Kings couldn’t get one, as Hartenstein went right at Sabonis for a three point play to make it 94-87 Knicks with just over three minutes remaining. A Keon Ellis baseline jam would cut the lead to three with 2:25 to play, but back to back misses by Fox and Monk and a double dribble call against Sabonis – who was really trying to sell a foul call – preceded a Brunson floater that all but iced the game with 36.7 to play.

Brunson would finish with a game-high 42 points, his second straight game of cresting the 40 point mark.

“You’ve got to give a lot of credit to Jalen – he’s a hell of a player,” Brown said. “I don’t know if we’ve blitzed anyone – Steph maybe – we send two at him every time and he still had 42.”

After his strong start, Sabonis managed just three points in the second half thanks to a swarming Knicks paint defense that forced him into a 1-5 effort down the stretch. He did extend his double-double streak to 49 straight, grabbing 14 rebounds to go with his 21 points. Fox finished with 20 but was 5-19 from the floor and just 2-11 in the second half including 1-7 in the fourth. Barnes added 16, Murray 11, and Monk 18 off the bench.

Sacramento shot just 35% from the floor and were 10-37 from three, but held the free throw advantage (21-26) for the first time in the past several games. The Knicks defense also held the Kings to just nine fast break points on eight opportunities.

“I thought we tried to push the basketball,” Brown said. “We kept telling them get stops and get out and go. But I thought they did a hell of a job getting back in transition, too. We didn’t have any easy looks in transition when we tried to push the pace. But it was definitely an emphasis of ours to be who we are and push the pace.”

“Outside of JB [Jalen Brunson], we did a great job,” Fox said. “He had almost half their points – so we have to do a better job of guarding their star player – but as a whole defensively, we did a pretty good job. We have to be better on the offensive end – not many games you’re going to win shooting that low of percentages.”

“Defensively, we did enough to win the game, but offensively, we didn’t spray the ball.”

Sacramento will end their home stand with Memphis on Monday night before hitting the road for three straight.