Sacramento, CA (Sports Network) - Tyreke Evans posted a game-high 22 points to lead the Kings in a 97-92 victory over the Clippers at Arco Arena.
Evans Game-High 22 Sparks Kings To 97-92 Win Over Clips
Carl Landry went for 18 points and eight rebounds, while Spencer Hawes added 16 and nine for Sacramento, which has won two straight on the heels of a five- game slide.
Chris Kaman led six Clippers in double-figures with 18 points to go with 11 rebounds. Drew Gooden donated 17 and eight for Los Angeles, which has lost two in a row.
The Clippers trailed the entire second half but pulled within 78-74 on Gooden’s three-point play early in the fourth.
After each team traded buckets, Francisco Garcia made a jumper and a three- pointer to push the Kings' lead to 85-76 with over nine minutes to play.
LA made a late run and got as close as one, 91-90, when Rasual Butler’s three- pointer capped a 9-2 spurt with 2:07 to play.
Landry then missed a baseline jumper and Kaman grabbed the rebound. Ime Udoka, though, stole Kaman’s outlet pass and saved it from going out of bounds. With the extended possession, Evans drove the lane for a layup and a three-point lead.
Evans then followed up Baron Davis’ missed three with another driving bucket with 42.9 seconds left. Davis made it a one-possession game when he cleaned up his own miss, but Evans tracked down a long rebound off a Hawes miss before Landry all but sealed the victory with two free throws.
The Kings scored the final 12 points of the first quarter to build a healthy lead, as Hawes beat the buzzer with a deep deuce for a 32-18 cushion.
It was still a 14-point difference at halftime, 56-42, and Sacramento stayed in front by double digits through most of the third.
However, the hosts made just one field goal over the final six minutes of the frame, which ended with the Kings holding a 76-68 lead.
LA has dropped its last four visits to Arco Arena...Omri Casspi recorded 12 points for the Kings, who made 43.2 percent from the field and held the Clippers to 37.3 percent shooting...Butler, Davis and Eric Gordon all scored 13 points for LA, which received an 11-point, eight-rebound effort from Travis Outlaw.
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