Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) passes the ball as Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray)
Keegan Murray scored 26 points to lead seven Sacramento players in double figures as the Kings blasted the Utah Jazz 118-101 on Wednesday in the NBA.
Zach LaVine added 22 points and eight rebounds, DeMar DeRozan had 19 points and eight assists and Jonas Valanciunas contributed 15 points and seven boards off the bench in the rout.
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The Kings shot 52.9 percent from the field and made 15 of 36 3-point attempts (41.7 percent) en route to their fifth win in seven games. Sacramento was opening a four-game road trip.
Malik Monk chipped in with 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists, Domantas Sabonis added 12 points, nine boards and five assists, and Keon Ellis netted 11 points for Sacramento.
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Walker Kessler led Utah with 25 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, but the Jazz stumbled at home again and lost for the seventh time in nine outings overall. Utah fell to 2-4 on its nine-game homestand.
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KJ Martin scored 16 points, Brice Sensabaugh had 12 points and Keyonte George logged 11 points for the short-handed Jazz, who played without most of their key veterans.
The teams played to a 22-22 tie in the first quarter of a slow-starting contest. Utah briefly led, going up 7-2 after a Martin dunk and a Sensabaugh trey. The Kings soon responded with a 7-0 run.
LaVine went on a personal 8-0 run in the second quarter to help the Kings seize a 55-46 halftime lead.
Sensabaugh scored seven points as Utah opened the second half on a 13-5 run to pull within 60-59.
The Kings responded strongly, with Sabonis sparking a 7-0 surge by driving for a layup. LaVine hit two buckets in a row later in the quarter as Sacramento took a double-digit lead for good.
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DoRozan had two baskets in a 6-0 spurt early in the fourth quarter, and the Kings built their lead to as many as 22 points. –Field Level Media
