Just one night after scoring a franchise-record 60 points, Sacramento star De’Aaron Fox will aim for a different outcome when the Kings host the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
Fox was phenomenal, shooting 22 of 35 from the field and 6 of 10 from 3-point range in a 130-126 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. His performance surpassed Jack Twyman’s 59 points for the Cincinnati Royals on January 15, 1960, cementing his place in franchise history.
Despite facing a 20-point deficit in the third quarter and missing key players Malik Monk (right ankle) and DeMar DeRozan (lower back tightness), Fox led the Kings’ comeback, scoring 39 of his 60 points after halftime.
Domantas Sabonis also had a strong outing, recording his 12th consecutive double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Keegan Murray contributed with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Kings will look for their sixth straight win over the Jazz, having won the first meeting of the season on October 29, when Sabonis finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds in a 113-96 victory.
Utah has won three of its past five games, including a 115-113 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. John Collins led the Jazz with 28 points, while Jordan Clarkson added 20. The Jazz secured their first home win of the season after Collins scored with 6.4 seconds remaining.
Rookie Kyle Filipowski is quickly establishing himself as a key player for Utah. Drafted with the 32nd pick in this year’s NBA draft, Filipowski is expected to make his second straight start on Saturday, replacing Walker Kessler, who is out due to hip bursitis. Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is listed as questionable with an eye contusion.
Filipowski has been impressive, totaling 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the field over his past two games. Coach Hardy has been particularly pleased with Filipowski’s defense against Dallas star Luka Doncic on Thursday.
Hardy is also pleased with the play of John Collins, who is averaging 21 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in six games this month.
