Randolph leads Kings past Pelicans in OT
Sacramento Kings forward Zach Randolph, right, drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Dec. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
NEW ORLEANS — DeMarcus Cousins looked like he was going to haunt his former team again. But the other main piece in the trade that brought Cousins to New Orleans ended up making the biggest play on Friday night.
Buddy Hield scored eight points down the stretch, including a 3-pointer with 34 seconds left that forced overtime, and the Sacramento Kings beat the Pelicans 116-109.
Zach Randolph made two of his career-high five 3-pointers to start overtime and finished with a season-high 35 points. He also had 13 rebounds.
“When you’re hot, you’re hot,” Kings guard De’Aaron Fox said. “(Randolph) hit corner 3s, off balance, getting fouled. They were going in. He just had one of those games.”
Hield finished with 18 points off the bench, Fox added 14 points and Frank Mason III scored 12 for the Kings, who won for just the fourth time in 15 road games this season.
Cousins led New Orleans with 38 points and 11 rebounds, but in the fourth quarter and overtime he had just five points, making 2 of 12 shots and missing all five 3-point attempts. Cousins had 41 points and 23 rebounds in a victory over the Kings in Sacramento in October.
“I don’t think we had a sense of urgency the entire night,” Cousins said. “We just kind of coasted through this game and we gave this team life. We had plenty of opportunities to put the game away and we just wouldn’t put our foot on the pedal full-throttle.”
Anthony Davis, returning from a three-game absence with an adductor strain, had 18 points. Ian Clark had a season-high 15 points in his first start, and Jrue Holiday scored 14.
Randolph made two 3-pointers to help give Sacramento a 110-105 lead with 3:13 left in overtime. The second 3-pointer came with the shot clock winding down and Randolph fading out of bounds while shooting over Jameer Nelson, who’s nine inches shorter than Randolph.
“I just saw the clock going down and tried to get my feet set,” Randolph said. “Jameer’s strong, but kind of short, so I was able to shoot over him.”
Holiday made a jumper, but Fox made two free throws and Mason scored on a drive for a seven-point lead with 58 seconds left.
“They outplayed us in every phase of the game,” New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said. “They outplayed us. They just kept playing and they played for the forty-eight minutes. They got it into overtime and they outplayed us.”
Cousins scored 15 points in the second quarter, and the Pelicans led by six at the half. Randolph scored 10 points as the Kings pulled even at 77 late in the third quarter.
The Pelicans went ahead by 10 early in the fourth as Clark and Darius Miller scored the first two baskets and Dante Cunningham added a 3-pointer.
Sacramento cut the lead to five midway through the quarter, but Davis answered with four consecutive points.
The Kings pulled within 100-99 on Randolph’s drive with 1:07 left.
Cousins got free for a dunk and a three-point lead with 49 seconds left before Hield tied it with his 3-pointer.
“I made some shots,” Hield said. “We all did our part. (Randolph) made plays. (Mason) made plays in the overtime. It was a great team effort.”
TIP-INS
Kings: Randolph missed a baseline jumper just before the final buzzer, and Vince Carter rebounded the miss and dunked just after the buzzer. … The Kings’ bench outscored the Pelicans’ bench, 53-16. … Sacramento finished its trip 2-2.
Pelicans: The Pelicans beat the Kings 114-106 on Oct. 26 in Sacramento as Cousins had 41 points and 23 rebounds. … New Orleans made 17 of 19 free throws. … The Pelicans had a 12-4 edge in fast-break points.
RONDO RESTS
Pelicans G Rajon Rondo sat out the game to rest. He missed the first 13 games of the season because of a core muscle injury. He had started the last 11 games at point guard. In those games, Holiday averaged 20 points while starting at shooting guard. Clark started in Rondo’s place.
UP NEXT
Kings: Return home to play Toronto on Sunday.
Pelicans: Host the 76ers on Sunday to conclude a four-game homestand.
