Malik Monk caps frantic comeback as Hornets stun Kings
Malik Monk #1 celebrates with LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets after Monk made a basket with one second left to tie their game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on February 28, 2021 in Sacramento, California. Monk was fouled on the play, and made the free throw for the winning point. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by EZRA SHAW / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Malik Monk converted a three-point play with 1.4 seconds remaining as the Charlotte Hornets rallied in the final minute to defeat the host Sacramento Kings 127-126 on Sunday night.
Monk finished with 21 points to go with P.J. Washington’s career-high 42 points.
MALIK MONK.
AND 1.
BALLGAME. #AllFly pic.twitter.com/DAarh2py6B
— NBA (@NBA) March 1, 2021
CAREER-HIGH 42 for @PJWashington, capped by a CLUTCH late three in the @hornets thrilling win! 🐝 pic.twitter.com/HxZNTxArt2
— NBA (@NBA) March 1, 2021
Buddy Hield scored 30 points for the Kings. Hield hit eight of 15 attempts from 3-point range. He eclipsed 1,000 made 3s for his career, doing so quicker than any player in NBA history as he appeared in his 350th game.
The Kings lost for the 10th time in their past 11 games. They missed five free throws in the last 70 seconds. Charlotte finished the game on a 15-5 run.
LaMelo Ball’s 24 points and 12 assists and Miles Bridges’ 13 points also were a boost for Charlotte, which is 2-2 on what’s scheduled to be a six-game road trip.
🔥 24 points
🔥 12 dimes (career-high)@MELOD1P double-double in the @hornets win! pic.twitter.com/ulmaM5ADX8— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) March 1, 2021
Harrison Barnes added 28 points and Marvin Bagley III posted 24 points and 10 rebounds, while the Kings were also aided by De’Aaron Fox’s 20 points and 14 assists and Richaun Holmes’ 13 points. Sacramento shot 10-for-17 on free throws.
The Kings missed five consecutive foul shots beginning at the 1:09 mark. Charlotte’s Terry Rozier made a 3-pointer and then converted all three attempts on a three-shot foul, pulling the Hornets within 123-121 with 33.7 seconds to play.
Fox scored on a short jumper before Washington’s 3 with 17 seconds to go. Hield then hit just one of two foul shots. Without a timeout, Monk drove into the lane and scored and then sank the winning free throw.
Hield had 11 points, buoyed by 3-for-3 shooting on 3s, in Sacramento’s 16-8 burst to begin the game.
Sacramento jumped out to a 14-point lead, but the Hornets went up 47-45 with just under nine minutes to play in the second quarter on Washington’s 3-pointer. On the Kings’ ensuing possession, they finally attempted their first free throws of the game.
Sacramento led 67-66 at halftime despite 22 points from Washington, who had matched his season-high total by that juncture.
Rookie Tyrese Haliburton of the Kings was out with a calf injury.
Charlotte played without Gordon Hayward (hand) and Cody Zeller (hip), who both were held out with what was described as day-to-day ailments.
