SACRAMENTO (ABC4 Sports) – It was a career night for rookie Walker Kessler, but the Utah Jazz’ playoff hopes are starting to dwindle.
Kevin Huerter scored a team-high 27 points and the Sacramento Kings beat the Utah Jazz 121-113 on Saturday night.
Domantas Sabonis finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists for his NBA-leading 60th double-double of the season. Harrison Barnes added 18 points. Huerter added seven rebounds and four assists for the Kings (45-29).
Jazz rookie Walker Kessler scored a career-high 31 points for the Jazz (35-39), who remain in 12th place in the Western Conference with eight games left to play.
Kessler added 11 rebounds and finished 14 of 16 from the floor. Kelly Olynyk finished with 17 points and 10 assists, Ochai Agbaji scored 20 and Jarrell Brantley added 13 off the bench for Utah.
“We are all fighters,” Kessler said. “Going into this game, we knew that it was going to be a battle. We knew we weren’t going to quit regardless of who was sitting or not. I’m super proud of this team and how we played. Obviously disappointing that we didn’t get the win but it says a lot about the team.”
Keegan Murray scored 14 of his 22 total points in the first quarter and knocked down six three-pointers for the Kings. Murray is four three-pointers away from breaking Donovan Mitchell’s single-season record for three-pointers made in a rookie season.
“I think it’s great because it comes in the flow of our offense,” Murray said about the record. “I don’t do anything special. We have a lot of playmakers in our offense. I just knock down shots.”
Jazz guards Jordan Clarkson (left hand strain) Collin Sexton (left hamstring soreness), and forwards Rudy Gay (low back soreness) and Lauri Markkanen (left hand contusion) were ruled out before the game.
Sacramento All-Star De’Aaron Fox was ruled out of the game with right hamstring soreness.
Utah scored 70 points in the paint.
The Jazz now return home to host the Phoenix Suns on Monday.
