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Cousins lead Kings past Thunder
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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins had 33 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings took advantage of Kevin Durant being out of the lineup to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-104 on Monday night.

Durant missed the game with a sprained right big toe. His status is day-to-day, but coach Billy Donovan said before the game that he didn’t consider it serious.

Rajon Rondo had 13 points, 19 assists and nine rebounds, Marco Belinelli scored 21 points and Rudy Gay added 16 for Sacramento.

Russell Westbrook had 17 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds for Oklahoma City, but he made just 2 of 15 shots in the second half.

Serge Ibaka scored a season-high 25 points, Anthony Morrow had a season-high 20 points and Steven Adams added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder.

Cousins scored eight points during a 17-0 run late in the first half after falling behind 31-14.

Sacramento led 68-66 at halftime, and the Kings closed the third quarter on a 9-2 run to take a 90-82 lead.

Oklahoma City’s Nick Collison drew technical foul early in the fourth quarter after arguing a foul call against him, and the Kings made the free throw to go up 96-87. Morrow was called for a technical with 5:24 remaining, and it appeared the Thunder had unraveled for good.

Gay was called for a technical with 4:07 remaining, and the Thunder cut the deficit to eight after the free throw and two foul shots by Adams. But Gay regained control for the Kings when he scored on a fast break layup and was fouled. He made the free throw to put Sacramento up by 11 with 3:10 to play.

 

TIP-INS

Kings: Cousins had 10 points and seven rebounds in the first quarter. ... Outrebounded the Thunder 24-13 in the first half. ... Willie Cauley-Stein injured a finger on his right hand in the fourth quarter and did not return.

Thunder: Morrow got the start in Durant’s place and scored seven points in the game’s first four minutes. ... Westbrook had seven assists in the first quarter, the second-most he’s had in a quarter this season. His 11 assists in the first half were the second-most he’s had in a half in his career. ... Westbrook missed all eight of his shots in the third quarter.

 

UP NEXT

Kings: Play at Mavericks on Tuesday.

Thunder: Host Grizzlies on Wednesday.