Pistons at Kings
The Sacramento Kings capped a winning road trip with a big victory over one of the teams ahead of them in the Western Conference playoff race. Their reward is a stretch in which they play seven of eight games at home, beginning with a visit from the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
After losing a late lead at Oklahoma City on Thursday, the Kings were able to hang on for a 104-101 win at Memphis on Friday to finish the trip at 3-1 and move within three games of the eighth-place Grizzlies in the West entering Saturday. Guard De'Aaron Fox scored 25 points in the win after sitting out the previous contest due to abdominal tightness. "It's important for us right now," coach Luke Walton told reporters. "They are all important, but this one, to kind of finish off a good road trip, (Fox) showed a lot of leadership, and then went out and played at a high level." The Pistons will be wrapping up a four-game road trip of their own and were able to snap a seven-game losing streak with a 113-111 win at Phoenix on Friday.
TIME: 6 p.m. ET. TV: FS Detroit, NBCS California
ABOUT THE PISTONS (20-41): Veteran guard Derrick Rose, the one constant on a roster that has undergone a dramatic turnover due to injuries and transactions, is doing his best to focus on leading the way and his season-high 31 points at Phoenix was the latest example. "That's how the gods in this game work," Rose told reporters. "If you play hard the gods will reward you. Tonight, we were rewarded with a win." Forward Christian Wood contributed 19 points and nine rebounds and averaged 19.3 points and nine boards in February.
ABOUT THE KINGS (25-34): Fox, who was a game-time decision Friday, shot 10-of-19 from the floor and led his team with five assists while also dealing with a shoulder issue. "With that one, it's on my shooting arm," he told the media. "It's something that you move around a lot and get hit with a lot of screens. It's something that I feel most of the game, but I think I played pretty well, so it's alright." Harry Giles III chipped in 16 points Friday one night after scoring 19 - one point shy of his career high - in the loss at Oklahoma City.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pistons PG Brandon Knight scored 19 points in Friday's win and is averaging 16 in 23.3 minutes over his last three games.
2. Kings PF Nemanja Bjelica finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds at Memphis for his first double-double in an 18-game span.
3. Rose had 22 points and 11 assists in a 127-106 win over Sacramento at home earlier this season.