Cousins leads Kings' comeback against 76ers

[March 25, 2015]  SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The message Sacramento coach George Karl delivered to his team at halftime Tuesday was pretty blunt. However, nobody on his club questioned whether his assessment of the Kings' first-half effort against the Philadelphia 76ers was accurate.

"I told them that we stunk," Karl said.

The stench dissipated considerably in the second half, thanks to center DeMarcus Cousins. The Kings' All-Star finished with 33 points and 17 rebounds, and he caused a turnover on Philadelphia's final possession to help Sacramento hold on for a 107-106 win at Sleep Train Arena.

"Cuz made some great plays, and had a great defensive stretch," Karl said. "People talk about his offense, but defensively, he makes a lot of big plays."

The biggest Tuesday came on the 76ers' final possession. Cousins stepped in front of a pass intended for Philadelphia forward Hollis Thompson and poked it away, allowing time to expire.

"I was just looking to crowd the paint," Cousins said. "Luckily, I got my hand on the ball."

Cousins' heroics on both ends allowed the Kings to escape with their third straight victory, matching their longest run of the season. Sacramento also won three in a row from Nov. 20-25, the last time it won consecutive games until victories over the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards earlier in the now-concluded homestand.

The Kings (25-45) won three of five during their stay at home, making it their most successful homestand of the season.

"The ship is headed in the right direction," forward Omri Casspi said. "We're just trying to finish strong."

Sacramento won despite giving up 70 points in the first half to the NBA's lowest-scoring team. The 76ers were averaging just 91 points per contest entering the game, but they shot 56.3 percent from the field in the first half and knocked down eight of 16 3-point atempts.

The Kings held them to just 14 points in the third quarter and 36 in the second half.

"I asked them, 'What do you want to do and how do you want to play?'" Karl said of his halftime message. "The one thing I said ... was attack the ball. We get stuck in this no man's land where we've not covering the ball -- we're not covering anybody."

Guard Ray McCallum put back Cousins' miss to give Sacramento a 107-105 lead with 48.7 seconds left.

Cousins' miss with 13 seconds left gave Philadelphia one final chance. After a timeout with 8.2 seconds left, 76ers guard Robert Covington tried to pass the ball to Thompson, but Cousins foiled the attempt, the last of 21 Philadelphia turnovers.

Sacramento also finished with a 20-7 edge on the offensive boards and converted 30 of 38 free-throw attempts. The 76ers made just 13 of 21 from the line.

"Those are big numbers against you," Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. "When you have all that, it's really hard to win on the road."

Covington finished with 21 points to lead the 76ers, and he produced 12 points in a 1:15 span to lead a fourth-quarter charge. Philadelphia (17-54) led 103-100 after an 11-2 run capped by Covington's 3-pointer with 6:11 left.

However, the 76ers did not make another field goal, and they converted just three free throws the rest of the way en route to their 16th consecutive road loss. The road skid is the second longest in franchise history, behind a 20-game road skid during the 1987-88 season.

Kings forward Rudy Gay added 21 points and eight rebounds, and McCallum scored 11 points.

Forward Thomas Robinson scored 16 points, and center Nerlens Noel added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers. Guards Ish Smith and Isaiah Canaan each finished with 13 points.

Cousins, averaging a team high 23.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game entering the contest, produced his 42nd double-double and needed just one half to do it. The Kings' lone All-Star had 21 points and 10 rebounds during the first 24 minutes.

NOTES: Philadelphia gave F Jason Richardson a night off to rest. The 14-year veteran averaged 9.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 13 games since returning from left knee surgery that cost him the entire 2013-14 season and the final 42 games of 2012-13. ... In the Kings' other five-game homestands this season, they went 1-4 twice and 2-3 once. ... Sixers F Thomas Robinson is on his fourth team since being drafted No. 1 by the Kings and fifth overall in the 2012 draft. ... Kings C DeMarcus Cousins is averaging 31 points and 16.8 rebounds in his past four games against Philadelphia. ... Kings F David Wear, signed to a 10-day contract Monday, was in uniform, but he didn't play.

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