76ers 110, Kings 105
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Guard Ish Smith hit two crucial jumpers and a free throw late in the fourth quarter as part of an 18-point night, and the Philadelphia 76ers never trailed in the second half en route to a 110-105 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Sleep Train Arena on Wednesday.
Forward Nerlens Noel scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and forward Jerami Grant added 16 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks for Philadelphia, which won for just the third time in 34 games this season but for the second time in three contests.
Smith canned a 17-footer from the wing with 2:01 left to extend Philadelphia's lead to 105-101, and Grant made his two free throws with 1:27 left to help the 76ers hold on.
Forward Marco Belinelli scored a season-high 26 points in 27 minutes but his turnover late in the fourth quarter helped Sacramento join the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns as the only teams to lose to the 76ers this season.
Center DeMarcus Cousins added 21 points and 11 rebounds after avoiding a suspension from the NBA in Sacramento's first contest since his ejection against the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.
Cousins fouled out with the Kings down 105-101 and 1:47 left in the final quarter after scrambling for a loose ball caused by Belinelli's soft entry pass.
Sacramento once against plagued itself with turnovers. Forward Omri Casspi's misfired pass to guard Rajon Rondo as the final seconds ticked away was the Kings' 22nd of the contest, and they were outscored 28-10 off turnovers.
The Kings also missed 16 of 41 free-throw attempts, with forward Rudy Gay clanking two with under 30 seconds left to seal the result.
Philadelphia forward Jahlil Okafor returned to the floor after missing two straight games with right knee soreness and had eight points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.
Guard Isaiah Canaan scored 15 points, and guard Hollis Thompson added 12 for the 76ers.
Sacramento's loss kept Kings coach George Karl at 1,154 victories, one behind Phil Jackson for fifth on the all-time list.
NOTES: Kings C DeMarcus Cousins, 25, the object of sharp criticism after his ejection against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, has been tossed from a game 10 times in his six professional seasons, the most in the NBA over that time. He also leads the league in technical fouls over that span with 79. Cousins' six technical fouls this season are one behind four other players. ... 76ers G Nik Stauskas, Sacramento's first pick in the 2014 draft, started the contest. He was averaging 7.1 points in 22.8 minutes in 13 starts for the 76ers, a year after putting up totals of 4.4 points and 15.4 minutes in 73 games and one start with Sacramento. ... Kings F Kosta Koufos returned after missing Monday's game with gastroenteritis, but rookie C Willie Cauley-Stein (dislocated right index finger) missed his 12th consecutive contest. ... C Nerlens Noel has started three consecutive games at the position for the 76ers but is expected to go back to his usual power forward spot when C Jahlil Okafor returns to the starting lineup.