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Caris LeVert scored 22 points and the Brooklyn
Nets clinched a playoff spot for the second straight season with
a 119-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings at The Arena near
Orlando on Friday.
The Nets (33-36) improved to 3-2 since the restart and rebounded
nicely from a 149-115 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday
night. Brooklyn is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, 1
1/2 games ahead of the Orlando Magic, whom they face Tuesday.
LeVert made 9 of 21 shots and also handed out seven assists as
the Nets shot 48.8 percent, made 17 3-pointers and handed out 30
assists. LeVert also had plenty of support as Brooklyn saw six
other players score in double figures and led for the final
32:09.
Joe Harris added 21 points and center Jarrett Allen nearly
posted a triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and a
career-high eight assists. Chris Chiozza and Tyler Johnson added
14 points apiece, Garrett Temple contributed 12 points, and
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot added 10.
The Kings (29-40) fell to 1-4 since the restart after going 10-5
in their final 15 games before the pause on March 11. Sacramento
dropped to 13th in the Western Conference, 3 1/2 games behind
eighth-place Memphis.
Bogdan Bogdanovic led Sacramento with 27 points on 11-of-19
shooting. De'Aaron Fox added 21, Harrison Barnes contributed 16
points and Buddy Hield came off the bench to score 17, but the
Kings shot 42.7 percent and committed 15 turnovers
Neither team shot well in a close opening quarter but the Kings
ended the period by hitting six free throws in a 10-4 spurt to
get a 27-24 advantage. The Nets took control midway through the
second and held a 63-49 cushion on a jumper by LeVert with 1:21
left. They maintained a 63-53 lead at halftime.
Brooklyn upped its lead to 78-62 on two free throws by Temple
with 7:39 remaining in the third but Sacramento held the Nets
scoreless for 3:22 and used a 12-0 run to get within 78-74 on a
layup by Barnes with 5:03 left. The Nets regained their footing
and took a 93-82 lead into the fourth on a 3-pointer by LeVert
with 11.7 seconds remaining.
Brooklyn iced the game midway through the fourth, taking a
103-86 lead on a layup by Allen with eight minutes remaining and
opened a 113-93 lead on a layup by Harris with 4:50 to go.
--Field Level Media
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