Rookies Evans, Casspi help Kings hold on for 112-109 victory over Wizards

Evans, Casspi help Kings hold on to beat Wizards

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tyreke Evans scored 26 points, fellow rookie Omri Casspi had a season-high 22, and the Sacramento Kings held on for a 112-109 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

Gilbert Arenas scored 33 points and Antawn Jamison had 30 points and eight rebounds for Washington, which has lost six straight games, including the previous five by a combined 11 points.

Andres Nocioni scored 20 points and Jason Thompson had 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Kings, who had dropped eight straight games to Washington dating to Feb. 27, 2005.

Consecutive baskets by Arenas and a steal and dunk by Caron Butler rallied the Wizards within 109-108 with 18 seconds left. Fouled after the inbounds play, Beno Udrih made one of two free throws for a two-point lead with two seconds later.

But Evans was caught holding Arenas’ jersey on an inbounds play and Washington was awarded a free throw and the ball. Butler made the foul shot to cut the lead to one point, but Evans quickly made amends for his mistake, stealing the ball from Arenas.

Evans was fouled by Arenas and hit two free throws with 3.4 seconds left to give Sacramento a 112-109 lead. Butler missed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime.

A dollar beer promotion helped give the Kings a crowd of 16,579, their third-largest at home this season. Beer lines were long more than an hour before game time and probably played a factor in the crowd easily being the most boisterous to start a game this season.

Although the crowd noise continued in the second half, beer sales did not. No alcohol was sold after halftime.

Nocioni scored 10 points and Casspi had nine in the third quarter, when the Kings built a 89-80 entering the fourth. Despite being fouled on the play, Nocioni hit a 3-pointer and added a free throw for a rare four-point play that broke a 76-all tie and ignited a 13-4 run to end the period for the Kings, who never trailed again.

A basket and two free throws by Arenas cut the Kings’ lead to 95-88 with 7:09 remaining. But the Kings responded with Casspi’s two free throws and Nocioni’s 3-pointer to increase their lead to 100-88.

Thompson hit several perimeter shots and scored 14 points in the opening half, when the Kings shot 57 percent and led 59-54. Jamison had 16 of his 20 points in the first quarter and Arenas had 15.

NOTES: The game was broadcast on ESPN. The Kings last appeared in a nationally televised game on Nov. 9, 2007, in a 93-91 loss at Cleveland. Following a poor game Tuesday night in Portland, Kings starting center Spencer Hawes was benched and didn’t enter the game until 3:49 remaining in the third quarter. The Wizards have two games remaining on their four-game road trip. They are 3-9 on the road this season.