Kings surprise Jazz 103-99 to snap 5-game road losing streak

Kings surprise Jazz to snap 5-game skid

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Beno Udrih scored 25 points, Tyreke Evans had 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and the Sacramento Kings snapped a five-game losing streak with a 103-99 victory Friday night over the Utah Jazz.

The Kings survived a back-and-forth final quarter to win for only the fifth time in their last 28 games and snap Utah’s seven-game road winning streak.

Spencer Hawes had 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Carl Landry also scored 15 points for Sacramento.

Carlos Boozer had 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Jazz, who had won 18 of their previous 21 games. Andrei Kirilenko scored 16 points, and Deron Williams added 10 points and 13 assists.

Landry made two free throws to give the Kings the lead for good at 99-97 with 1:53 remaining. Evans followed with a free throw and made a short jumper in the lane over Williams to put Sacramento in front 102-97 with 14 seconds left.

Despite Boozer’s 11 points, the Jazz couldn’t pull away from the Kings in the third quarter. Andres Nocioni scored six points off the bench and reserve Sean May had five, helping the Kings stay even at 75-all heading into the fourth.

Hawes missed from close range, but grabbed the rebound in traffic and flipped in a shot from close range to give the Kings a 97-95 lead with 3:05 left.

Hawes was back in the starting lineup after watching the last game in street clothes for disciplinary reasons, according to coach Paul Westphal. Hawes had been critical in a story in Tuesday’s Sacramento Bee about how Westphal rotates players in and out of the lineup.

In an attempt to diffuse the situation, Westphal followed Hawes out on the court for pregame introductions and was very animated, chest-bumping and exchanging both high-and-low fives with his starting center.

Kirilenko scored 12 points and Boozer had nine in the opening half for Utah, which used a late second-quarter run to assume a 50-49 lead. Both Evans and Udrih had 10 points for the Kings.

NOTES: Kings starting forward Jason Thompson injured his lower back in Tuesday’s loss to Detroit and is expected to miss at least two weeks. Wes Matthews, a rookie from Marquette, played with both the Kings and Utah in the summer league. He eventually signed with the Jazz as a free agent and has started 24 games. The Kings opened the season winning 10 of 13 at home, but now own a 14-14 record.