FILE – (R-L) RJ Barrett #9, Mitchell Robinson #23 and Quentin Grimes #6 of the New York Knicks walk to their bench during the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on November 20, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Knicks 116-95. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
RJ Barrett scored 27 points as the New York Knicks took control late in the first quarter and extended their season-high winning streak to four games with a 112-99 victory over the visiting Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.
Julius Randle scored all 27 of his points in the first half before getting ejected with 3:35 remaining in the third quarter. Jalen Brunson added 18 points but hobbled back to the locker room with a sprained right ankle early in the fourth.
Barrett made 9 of 21 shots and 7 of 9 free throws as the Knicks shot 44.9 percent overall, survived missing 27 of 35 3-point tries and made 24 of 27 free throws. Barrett also added nine rebounds, a season-high six assists and three steals.
Before fouling out in the fourth, Mitchell Robinson contributed 12 and nine rebounds to help the Knicks to a 55-41 margin on the glass. Reserve Immanuel Quickley finished with 12 points as New York held an opponent under 100 for the third time in four games.
Playing for each other 🤝 pic.twitter.com/xSUF7zOmch
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 12, 2022
The Kings entered as the NBA’s second-highest scoring team but were held to a season-low in points, shot 39.8 percent and missed 12 of 35 free throws while playing without De’Aaron Fox (sore right foot).
Domantas Sabonis paced Sacramento with 20 points and 12 rebounds while rookie Keegan Murray added 18 points. Kevin Huerter contributed 17 points as Sacramento lost for the fifth time in its past 16 games by also missing 29 of 39 3-point tries.
Randle scored 10 of his 17 first-quarter points in a 19-8 run over the final 5:09 of the opening period as the Knicks opened a 36-22 lead. Randle scored 10 more points in the second quarter as New York built a 66-50 lead by halftime.
With the Knicks holding an 85-70 lead, Randle was ejected by rookie official Robert Hussey after thinking that he was fouled by Sabonis on a layup try on the previous possession.
The Knicks held a 99-82 lead when Brunson exited holding his foot. He exited after falling out of bounds when Sacramento’s Davion Mitchell landed on his foot after missing a layup.