Harrison Barnes put up 24 points and played a crucial role in a strong third-quarter surge for Sacramento, leading the Kings to a 127-106 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday night. Barnes stepped up on offense, especially in the third quarter, scoring 16 points during that period.
“We knew we had some different lineups out there,” Barnes said. “Coach told everyone they had the green light. Shoot and be aggressive. … I tried to shoot with confidence.”
Keegan Murray led the Kings with 25 points, while De’Aaron Fox contributed 24 points and 12 assists, and Domantas Sabonis secured his 57th consecutive double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. This victory marked the Kings’ first season sweep against the Jazz since 2001-02.
With this win, Sacramento moved into a tie for seventh place in the Western Conference with Phoenix, but they remain two games behind the sixth-place Dallas Mavericks in the race to avoid the play-in tournament.
For the Jazz, Brice Sensabaugh and Collin Sexton each scored 22 points. However, the Jazz suffered their ninth consecutive loss and their 11th consecutive loss on the road, highlighting defensive issues.
“We’ve got to continue to shore up our communication,” Hardy said. “All five people on the court have to do their job. Defense is hard in this league, but we had too many breakdowns in the half-court, where two or three guys would execute, and one person would be a little bit late. Against a good team like that, a very potent offense like that, they punish you.”
Both teams were missing key players, with Sacramento sidelined without guard Kevin Huerter and sixth man Malik Monk, while Utah was without Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, and John Collins.
The Kings did welcome back Trey Lyles and Sasha Vezenkov from injury. Although the Jazz kept the game close for a while, Sacramento’s dominant third-quarter run, fueled by Barnes and Murray, turned the tide in their favor, leading to a comfortable victory.
