Kings 99, Knicks 97
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Center DeMarcus Cousins finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds, guard Rajon Rondo added 16 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings held off a furious rally by the New York Knicks for a 99-97 win at Sleep Train Arena on Thursday.
Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony finished with 23 points, his best output in four games, but he missed a 3-pointer from the top of the arc that would have won it for New York. Anthony appeared to be fouled on the play.
Rondo fell one rebound shy of his fifth triple-double on a night when former Kings forward Chris Webber was in the area serving as a color analyst for TNT's national broadcast. Rondo's four triple-doubles this season trail Webber's total of five in 1999-2000 for the most in a single season for Sacramento.
His dribble drive on the baseline for a dunk, and Cousins' layup from inside the key to help Sacramento (9-15) hold onto a 19-point lead and win for the sixth time in their past seven games at Sleep Train Arena.
Guard Darren Collison added 15 points off the bench, and Casspi scored 11 in his career-best eighth straight double-digit scoring game for Sacramento. Forward Rudy Gay scored 10 points but made just 4 of 16 shots.
Anthony made 8 of 21 shots and produced his highest-scoring since a 28-point effort against Brooklyn on Dec. 4. He scored at least 20 points for only the second time in his past seven games. Anthony also missed long on an open 3-pointer from near the top of the arc that would've put New York ahead with under a minute left. Casspi hit two free throws after being fouled at the other end to help the Kings hang on.
Guard Arron Afflalo scored 14 points, and forward Kristaps Porzingis added 13 for New York (10-14), which lost four in a row and eight of 10.
Knicks coach Derek Fisher kept his starting five together after hinting there would be changes after New York's 106-85 loss at Utah on Wednesday. But Anthony, Porzingis, C Robin Lopez, G Arron Afflalo and G Jose Calderon -- together, and they navigated the first 7 1/2 minutes with a 12-11 lead.
But Sacramento used a 13-4 run to end the period and eventually built a 41-29 lead in the first half. The Kings then built that lead -- mostly against New York's starters -- to 74-55 with 3:11 left in the third quarter. New York's furious final quarter rally got them within 88-85 with less than four minutes left.
NOTES: New York used just four starting lineups in its first 24 games, with C Robin Lopez, G Jose Calderon and rookie F Kristaps Porzingis starting each time. The Knicks haven't shaken up their starting five since Nov. 14, a string of 15 games. ... Sacramento started C DeMarcus Cousins, F Rudy Gay, F Omri Casspi, G Rajon Rondo and G Ben McLemore for the fourth consecutive contest, the longest stretch coach George Karl has used a single starting lineup. Casspi was inserted into the lineup after C Willie Cauley-Stein dislocated his right index finger against Boston on Dec. 3. ... Knicks general manager Steve Mills is traveling with the team on its three-game trip, fueling speculation that New York will make moves to shake up the roster before Tuesday's trade deadline. ... Six Kings players -- Cousins, Gay, Rondo, Casspi, G Darren Collison and F Marco Belinelli are averaging double digits in scoring.