The Sacramento Kings have been drilled into the ground by self-mutilation all season, performing like toddlers in the fourth quarters, that is if they hadn't already taken enough bad shots to knock them out of contention. With just five wins in the season's first 28 games, and only two in their last 24, the Kings were closest thing to a dead team walking the NBA had this year.
NBA Scores And More: Tyreke Evans Hits Shot Of The Year, Lifts Kings Over Grizzlies
Tyreke Evans hit a 50-footer at the buzzer to lead the Kings to a sorely needed victory. Elsewhere, the Lakers get back on track and the Heat take 45 from Dwyane Wade to conquer the Rockets.
Tyreke Evans, the team's precocious star and reigning Rookie of the Year, has been a symptom and cause of the Kings' malaise, with plantar fasciitis limiting his explosiveness and a personal issue weighing down his confidence. But with one incredible, improbable shot, Evans lifted the weight, fought through the injury and gave the Kings as much life as they can handle.
O.J. Mayo hit a ridiculous 20-footer to give the Memphis Grizzlies a one-point lead, leaving just 1.5 seconds for a Kings team with no time-outs. Mayo sucked the air out of ARCO Arena. Evans pulled it back in with his response.
The Kings won 100-98. Evans’ shot is the longest NBA game-winner of the YouTube era, certainly, nudging Devin Harris’ midcourt runner from two seasons ago. Given the context -- Mayo’s shot, the state of the Kings, Evans’ current problems -- it might be considered the biggest regular season shot in years. Whatever the case, it was just an incredible moment, and I say that with 100 percent bias as a Kings fan.
The most underrated part of the closing sequence is that Kings forward Donte Greene runs onto the court to celebrate while the ball is still in mid-air. As some folks on Twitter have noted, there was no way for Greene to save face if the shot rimmed out. He went all-in on his instinctual belief the shot would fall, and he was handsomely rewarded with a hilarious and glorious celebration. Note that around the 28-second mark he joins Tyreke on the scorers' table. Donte Greene just wants to party, y'all.
Let us not forget that DeMarcus Cousins was a huge factor in the game, too, with 21 points and 16 rebounds off the bench. Paul Westphal, with whom Cousins has quarreled this season, went out of his way to commend Cousins in post-game interviews. It's amazing what a pick-me-up a win can be.
There is lots of discussion of and reaction to the game at Sactown Royalty.
In other action:
Heat 125, Rockets 119: Miami was tested by the better-than-you-think Rockets, with Dwyane Wade posting a vital (and season-high) 45 points. The amazing thing about Wade's performance is that he shot 17-24, or 70 percent. That's efficiency! The Heat have won 16 of 17.
Lakers 103, Hornets 88: On Tuesday in a loss to the Spurs, Kobe Bryant took 27 shots in 30 minutes, or one every one minute and six seconds. On Wednesday, he took 14 shots in 28 minutes, or one every two minutes. Progress! The bigger story long-term is that Andrew Bynum re-entered the starting line-up, and rewarded Phil Jackson with 18 points on 8-12 shooting. Lamar Odom kept on keepin' on off the bench with 24, and Marco Belinelli (4-16) and Marcus Thornton (2-11) shot New Orleans out of the game.
Pistons 104, Celtics 92: Boston lost the game, but more importantly lost Kevin Garnett to an injury in the first quarter.
Follow SBNation.com’s StoryStream on the injury for all the latest updates.
Tracy McGrady had 21 points and eight assists in a throwback game for the Pistons. Paul Pierce had 33 points, but didn't get too much help on offense, which is pretty understandable with Rajon Rondo and now KG out.
Jazz 103, Clippers 95: Utah was able to keep the Clips at arm's length once the Jazz took a decent lead in a brilliant third quarter. Rookie Gordon Hayward was electric with 17 points. Gordon Hayward was ... electric. Al Jefferson had 31 points and 10 rebounds; Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds.
76ers 123, Suns 110: You can give the Sixers four overtimes and they didn't shouldn't score 123 points. Alas, Philly needed just regulation to rack up that total in Phoenix. And the Sixers didn't even have Andre Iguodala!, still out with tendinitis. Jrue Holiday shredded Steve Nash for 23 points on 12-18 shooting, Andres Nocioni managed to score 22 points while only hitting one three-pointer, and Vince Carter shot 8-20 in his Suns debut. You know who's mad? Marcin Gortat is mad! From Brett Pollakoff at NBA FanHouse:
“It’s just a little bit frustrating when you come in the locker room and people are talking about the offense,” Gortat began. “That’s not the way you’re going to win NBA games. I don’t know if it’s just me, or maybe I’m just different, but I came from a team where everybody’s competing and trying to do the stuff that coach is saying. We’re just totally changing our rotations, changing our stuff that we set before the game. We’re not playing hard enough and I’ve just got to tell you, there’s a lot, a lot of work in front of us. The positive thing is? It can’t be worse.”
Ten days. Gortat lasted 10 days before publicly bemoaning the Suns’ lack of defensive intensity.
Hawks 103, Warriors 93: Larry Drew is apparently picking his starting lineup based on the match-up. I think I'm OK with that. The results are good: Atlanta's smaller line-up (Al Horford at center, Josh Smith at power forward) knocked off the Warriors with both Hawks big men handling business: Horford had 21 and 15, Smith had 22, 10 and five assists.
Wizards 104, Pacers 90: The 'Zards gave visiting SBNation.com editor Ryan Hudson a good show (much to my surprise!), with Nick Young and Andray Blatche uncorking inefficient but good-enough 25- and 22-point nights, respectively. Danny Granger shot just 7-18 against Rashard Lewis.
Bobcats 101, Cavaliers 92: Charlotte is undefeated since Paul Silas took over! That'd be 2-0 against the Pistons and Cavs, but whatever. Wins is wins. That's Stephen Jackson's motto, anyway, and since Stephen Jackson scored 38 points, we'll go with it. D.J. Augustin scored 28, and if he on the block, his value is shooting up.
Nuggets 119, Wolves 113: Denver was without three starters (Carmelo Anthony, Nene and Kenyon Martin). Chauncey Billups doesn't care, and 36 points, 18 of which came on perfect 6-6 shooting from long-range.
Thunder 114, Nets 93: The Nets have the No. 26 offense in the NBA; if the Basketball Gods want parity, the Basketball Gods will get 'Melo traded to New Jersey, even if it's against Chris Sheridan's wishes. I'm not sure how Troy Murphy went from double-double machine in Indiana to short-minutes blerbaderp in New Jersey, but it's not good.
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