Kings 108, Heat 103 (OT)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Forward Rudy Gay and center DeMarcus Cousins helped the Sacramento Kings end a half-decade of frustration against the Miami Heat while proving forward LeBron James and the defending NBA champions aren't invincible against the Western Conference.
Cousins scored 25 points, Gay had 24 points and helped shut down James, the four-time league MVP, with smothering second-half defense as the Kings snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Heat with a 108-103 overtime victory on Friday night at Sleep Train Arena.
Guard Isaiah Thomas added 20 points and 11 assists as Sacramento beat the Heat for the first time since March 2, 2008. The victory also ended Miami's 19-game winning streak against Western Conference teams, the second-longest streak by an Eastern Conference team in NBA history.
Miami had a six-game overall winnings streak snapped.
James scored 30 points for the Heat, six on consecutive 3-pointers late in overtime after the Kings had built a 104-97 lead. He managed only five points combined in the the third and fourth quarters.
Gay's length seemed to frustrate James, who missed six of his first seven shots from the field in the second half and went for long stretches without touching the ball.
Center Chris Bosh scored 18 points for Miami. Point guard Norris Cole had 13 points in 38 minutes as the Heat played without guards Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen and forward Chris Andersen.
Initially, it appeared the Heat with have an easy time. Miami roared out to a 21-6 lead, highlighted by James' tomahawk one-handed dunk with no one around him. Chalmers stripped Kings guard Ben McLemore from behind on a 5-on-3 break and fed James for the most spectacular of his points.
NOTES: Heat G Dwyane Wade sat out as he continues to take at least one night off in back-to-back games because of balky knees. Wade, who has played 21 of the Heat's 29 games, is expected to play at Portland on Saturday. ... Heat G Ray Allen (sore right knee) missed his fourth game of the season and F-C Chris Andersen (back tightness) missed his second for Miami. .... The Kings played the first of consecutive games against last season's NBA finalists. They face the San Antonio Spurs in Texas on Sunday. The last time Sacramento faced the previous NBA finalists in two straight games was in 2005 when they played the Spurs and the Detroit Pistons. ... Sacramento G Isaiah Thomas made a 3-pointer in his 22nd consecutive game, the third-longest active streak in the NBA and the fourth longest in franchise history. ... The Kings gave up at least 28 points in the first quarter for the eighth consecutive game.
