NBA: Kings beat Jazz behind DeMar DeRozan's season-best effort

DeMar DeRozan delivered a dominant performance with season highs of 41 points and 11 assists to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 116-111 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Sacramento.

Precious Achiuwa added 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Killian Hayes finished with 16 points and eight assists as Sacramento secured its fourth victory in the last five games. Nique Clifford scored 10 points before fouling out, and reserve Daeqwon Plowden also contributed 10 points.

For Utah, Cody Williams delivered a standout performance with a career-high 34 points along with seven rebounds and seven assists. The Jazz have now dropped 11 of their last 13 contests.

Brice Sensabaugh added 22 points for Utah, while Isaiah Collier scored 21 and Elijah Harkless chipped in 13.

DeRozan went 18-for-21 from the free-throw line and recorded three steals. Hayes knocked down four three-pointers for the Kings, who were without Russell Westbrook due to a foot injury on the second night of a back-to-back.

Both teams played with just eight available players.

Sacramento shot 48.2 percent from the field and made 11 of 36 attempts from beyond the arc while holding a 50-40 advantage on the boards. Utah shot 47.7 percent overall and went 12 of 36 from three-point range.

The Kings opened the fourth quarter with a 10-2 run. Doug McDermott capped the surge with a three-pointer to give Sacramento a 99-90 lead with 10:24 remaining.

Sacramento later stretched the advantage to 110-99 after Plowden drilled a three-pointer with 4:46 left. Utah responded with a push as Bez Mbeng scored on a layup before Williams and Harkless hit three-pointers to trim the deficit to three with 3:19 remaining.

The Jazz closed within 113-111 on Williams’ basket with 2:01 left. Achiuwa answered with a key basket with 1:16 remaining to restore a four-point cushion, and DeRozan split a pair of free throws with 14.9 seconds to play to help seal the victory.

DeRozan scored 18 points in the first half as Sacramento held a 54-49 lead at halftime, while Williams paced Utah with 16 points before the break.

The Kings built momentum in the third quarter with an 11-1 run to take a 69-57 lead with 8:01 remaining. DeRozan capped the stretch with two free throws.

Utah rallied late in the period, and Andersson Garcia knocked down a three-pointer with 11.5 seconds left to pull the Jazz within 89-88 entering the fourth quarter. -Field Level Media/Reuters