SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)—Deron Williams(notes) had 19 points and 11 assists and Paul Milsap added 19 points for the Utah Jazz in a 95-85 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night in the final preseason game for both teams.
Trailing throughout most of the game, the Kings got within 72-69 early in the fourth quarter, but rookie Eric Maynor(notes) hit a 3-pointer and the Jazz pulled away to their third straight game.
Maynor finished with 13 points and Wesley Matthews(notes) had 12 for Utah (6-2), which dressed only nine players because of injuries.
“It was weird, I got on the second bus (from the hotel) and there were only four of us on it,” Utah veteran Carlos Boozer(notes) said. “I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ Hopefully we’ll get back to full strength in a couple of weeks.”
Rookie guard Tyreke Evans(notes) had 21 points, five assists and five rebounds for the Kings (2-6), while Jason Thompson(notes) and Andres Nocioni(notes) both had 14 points and Omri Casspi(notes) added 13.
“Whoever guarded Evans for us had a tough matchup,” Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. “He’s a big strong player.”
The barrage of injuries have made the preseason lineup a nightly challenge for Sloan. Utah had to endure a rash of injuries last season when it finished eighth in the Western Conference.
This season Matt Harpring(notes) is out indefinitely with ankle and knee problems, thumb surgery will sideline CJ Miles(notes) for perhaps another month, and Kyle Korver(notes) has played in only one preseason game because of an inflamed left knee.
Also missing against the Kings were starting guard Ronnie Brewer(notes), who was back in Salt Lake City because of back spasms, and backup point guard Ronnie Price(notes), who sat out with a strained hamstring.
Kevin Martin(notes), the Kings’ leading scorer last season, sat out a second straight game with a left ankle sprain. A year ago, problems with his left ankle forced Martin to miss 30 games.
Trailing 48-34 at halftime, Thompson ignited the Kings in the third quarter when they nearly matched their first-half point total. Thompson scored nine points as Sacramento outscored Utah 33-23 to trail 71-65 entering the fourth.
“We showed a lot of heart, coming back from 14 points in the third, we could have just given up,” Thompson said. “We didn’t make our free throws down the stretch or we could have gotten a lot closer.”
NOTES: Before the game, a tearful Bobby Jackson(notes) announced his retirement. Jackson played six of his 12 seasons in Sacramento, where he was a beloved for his hustling style. Both teams open the regular season Wednesday. Utah is in Denver and the Kings visit Oklahoma City. Kings C Spencer Hawes(notes) had his worst game of the preseason, scoring one point. He missed all six shots and was 1 of 6 on free throws.
SLC Dunk
Sactown Royalty
3 Comments
1 - 3 of 3
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
2Q: Utah 26, Sacto 14 UT+12 Udrih looked like a guy who flew from Memphis w/o a plane
3Q: Utah 25, Sacto 29 UT -4
4Q: Utah 24, Sacto 22 UT +2
Neither team at full strength, Sacto played 22 hours before in Central time zone. Does this say anything, JC? I expect Jazz to have a good year,they have a legit shot to go deep in the playoffs, but let's see them not lead the West in personal fouls on the road this year. The Kings are young and playing with little expectations, and will shock the bubble teams.
Go, Ambassador BJaz.
Report Abuse
1 - 3 of 3