There were a few moments Friday night when Sacramento coach Mike Brown wished he could have enjoyed being part of the second-highest scoring game in NBA history.
However, Brown and his Kings managed to enjoy something that is more important in the long run – a hard-fought victory.
Malik Monk scored 45 points, De’Aaron Fox scored 42 and Sacramento outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers 176-175 in double overtime.
It is just the second time in the 76-year history of the NBA that both teams have scored at least 170 points. Detroit beat Denver 186-184 in triple overtime on December 13, 1983, in what remains the highest scoring game in the NBA.
The Kings are third in the standings with 176 points and the Clippers are fourth. A team has scored 170 points in a regular season game only seven times.
“From a fan’s perspective, I can see how this game would be a lot of fun to watch,” Brown said. “There was incredible shooting and great defense. There was high level talent on display. Congratulations to the players.
Sacramento and Los Angeles also combined for 44 3-pointers, tied for the most in a single game in NBA history.
Both teams also shot at least 58% from the field and were 80% or better from the foul line.
“I thought it was a great game. A lot of momentum shifts,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.
The Clippers held a 175-169 advantage with 1:57 left before the Kings scored the final seven points, including Fox’s jumper with 36.5 seconds left. The Clippers had the final shot, but Nico Batum missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Kings also overcame a 14-point deficit late in the fourth quarter and six points in both overtime periods.
“We just stuck with it. At one point we were 12 down, but we kept our heads up. We knew they would allow us to come back,” Monk said.
It was the first time in franchise history that the Kings had two players score at least 40 points in a game. It’s the second time it’s happened in an NBA game this season, after Cleveland’s Caris LeVert and Donovan Mitchell did it against Boston.
Fox – who also had 12 assists and five steals – is just the 12th player since 1973-74 with 40 points, 10 assists and five steals in a game. The last to do so was James Harden in 2019.
“We just had to finish this game. We were on the second night of a back-to-back, but it is what it is. We have a younger group than them,” Fox said.
Kawhi Leonard scored 44 points for Los Angeles and Paul George added 34. Leonard had 21 points in the third quarter, which tied his career high for points scored in a quarter.
“I thought he did a great job of getting to the point with his three-point shots and attacking the basket,” Lue said of Leonard.
Russell Westbrook started and made his Clippers debut after clearing waivers on Wednesday. He had 17 points, 14 assists and five rebounds in 39 minutes before fouling out with 1:49 left in the second overtime.