Kings 114, 76ers 110
PHILADELPHIA -- Center DeMarcus Cousins scored 28 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 2:18 left, as the Sacramento Kings rallied for a 114-110 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, in the teams' final game before the All-Star break.
Reserve guard Darren Collison added 25 points, 19 in the final 13 minutes, and forward Rudy Gay had 22 for the Kings, who trailed by 17 points in the third quarter and by 11 with 9:44 remaining.
Cousins also grabbed 12 rebounds.
Guard Rajon Rondo had 14 points and 15 assists for the Kings, now 22-31 after snapping a four-game losing streak. It was just their second victory in 10 games.
Forward Robert Covington had a career-high 29 points and rookie center Jahlil Okafor matched his season high of 26 for the 76ers, who lost for the sixth time in seven games to fall to 8-45.
Okafor also had 10 rebounds, and guard Nik Stauskas, a former King, scored 16 points.
Philadelphia was without center/forward Nerlens Noel because of knee tendinitis.
The 76ers, up 92-81 after a basket by backup guard T.J. McConnell with 9:44 left, fended off a Sacramento charge to build a 102-95 lead on Covington's 3-pointer with 5:14 to play. The Kings then rattled off 13 of the next 16 points to go up 108-105.
Cousins' jumper from the left wing gave them the lead for good, 106-105.
Philadelphia closed the gap to 112-110 on a free throw by guard Ish Smith with 9.7 seconds left, but Collison connected twice at the line with 8.1 seconds left to ice the game.
The 76ers led most of the first half, but saw the Kings creep within a point, 42-41, midway through the second quarter. Cousins, amid a stretch in which he scored eight straight Sacramento points, became embroiled in a back-and-forth battle with Okafor.
At one point, Okafor scored inside, but the next time down was called for an offensive foul against Cousins. On the Kings' very next possession, Cousins stormed to the rim but had his dunk attempt blocked by Okafor, who then converted a three-point play at the other end.
By halftime, the Philadelphia lead was 63-48, as Stauskas nailed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The 76ers stretched their lead to 17 early in the third quarter on another 3-pointer by Stauskas, 73-56, and were up 87-75 by the end of the period.
Sacramento opened the fourth quarter on a 14-5 run featuring 3-pointers by Gay and Collison, cutting the gap to 92-89 with 7:40 remaining, but the 76ers extended their lead to seven a little over two minutes later.
NOTES: Sacramento coach George Karl was asked before the game about reports earlier in the week that he was about to be fired and subsequent reassurances from general manager Vlade Divac that he would be retained. "I can't control what other people think of me," Karl said, adding that he didn't think there was added pressure on him. "That's your world," he said to a group of reporters. "My world is basketball, the gym and players. Your world is interpretation, innuendo, gossip. I'm not into it." ... 76ers rookie C Jahlil Okafor, the subject of trade rumors, told ESPN.com he would prefer to remain in Philadelphia. "There's no doubt in my mind, we're going to be really good, really soon," he said.