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Evans leads Kings over Hornets

Jan 2, 2012 - 6:48 AM Sacramento, CA (Sports Network) - Tyreke Evans scored a game-high 27 points and the Sacramento Kings snapped a three-game losing streak Sunday night with a 96-80 win over the New Orleans Hornets.

Sacramento trailed by two points at halftime but took control of the game with a 30-18 third quarter, getting 13 points from Evans in the frame.

Marcus Thornton had 25 points and John Salmons scored 13 for the Kings, who salvaged a 1-2 homestand with their first win since beating the Lakers to open the season.

The Kings won despite shooting only 41.2 percent and being out-rebounded by New Orleans, 60-41. They were coming off a 114-92 loss to New York on Saturday.

"What a difference a day makes," said Kings head coach Paul Westphal. "The feeling here today and the feeling here last night -- that's why we play the games. You never know what's going to happen."

Trevor Ariza scored 17 to lead New Orleans while Chris Kaman added 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds off the bench. The Hornets shot 40.4 percent from the floor in their second straight loss.

"We have to keep grinding. We don't have three or four All-Stars on this team," Hornets forward Carl Landry said. "We have guys who are hungry and want to win. We have to do what's right on the defensive end."

The Kings shot 50 percent in the decisive third quarter, including 3-for-6 from three-point range.

Salmons made two of the long-distance shots and Evans had one, which sparked a 16-4 run that stretched Sacramento's lead from two points to 14. Salmons also hit both of his threes during the spurt and Evans had seven points, including a layup that made it 64-50.

The Kings carried a 68-58 lead into the fourth quarter and led by as many as 20 points down the stretch.

Both teams shot around 40 percent in the first quarter, with New Orleans clinging to a 22-21 at the buzzer. The Hornets held Sacramento to 21.7 percent shooting in the second quarter for a 40-38 lead at halftime.

Game Notes

The Kings said in a statement Sunday that former No. 5 draft pick DeMarcus Cousins has demanded to be traded and was told to stay home for the Hornets game. Westphal said afterward that he didn't want Cousins around if the second-year center didn't want to be around the team...The Hornets had won eight of the previous 10 meetings.