By the Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Bogdan Bogdanovic had 25 points and 10 assists, Nemanja Bjelica added 19 points and 12 rebounds and the Sacramento Kings won in their first game since losing leading scorer De’Aaron Fox to an ankle injury, beating the slumping Portland Trail Blazers 107-99 on Tuesday night.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Kent Bazemore, left, and Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, right, scramble for the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019. The Kings won 107-99. (AP Photo / Rich Pedroncelli)
The Kings overcame a sloppy first half, made a big run in the third quarter, then pulled away in the fourth to end a two-game losing streak to the Blazers.
Fox suffered a Grade 3 sprain in his left ankle during practice Monday. The third-year point guard, who started 81 games last season, will be reevaluated in a few weeks.
Bjelica helped make up for the loss of Fox. He made eight of his 14 shots and set a season-high for rebounds in his first double-double of the season. Buddy Hield added 20 points.
Damian Lillard had 27 points and CJ McCollum added 24 for the Blazers (4-7), who have lost five of six.
The Kings led by 14 early in the fourth quarter before the Blazers chipped away and pulled within 98-93 on a 3-pointer from Anfernee Simons with 2:51 remaining.
Bjelica answered with a 3, and after McCollum scored for Portland, Cory Joseph added a 3-pointer that made it 104-95. Joseph, starting in place of Fox, missed his first five shots before that.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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