Jazz 92 - 101 Kings
Final
  for this game

Kings, Jazz duke it out in Sacramento

Dec 8, 2014 - 3:56 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Sacramento Kings will try to get over the .500 mark on Monday night when the struggling Utah Jazz pay a visit to Sleep Train Arena.

The Kings have been reeling since DeMarcus Cousins left the lineup with a viral infection which caused him to be hospitalized. He won't be back for Monday's matchup with the Jazz.

Sacramento has lost five of its last six, including a 105-96 home setback to the Orlando Magic on Saturday. The Kings are just 1-3 on this current homestand, which ends Monday.

Orlando polished off a 3-3 road trip thanks to its win in California's capital city.

"Give them credit, that's a hell of a road trip for them," said Kings head coach Mike Malone. "This is their fourth game in five nights, and you'd never be able to know it by the energy they played with tonight."

Darren Collison had 22 for the Kings to lead the way. Jason Thompson scored 18, followed by 16 from Rudy Gay, who also handed out six assists and grabbed five rebounds.

Derrick Williams chipped in 14 off the bench and Ramon Sessions added 10.

The Kings allowed the Magic to shoot 50.6 percent from the field.

The Jazz have dropped eight in a row. They haven't won since a home victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 18 and only two of the losses during this skid came on the road.

On Friday, the Jazz fell to the same Orlando team, 98-93.

Derrick Favors provided 21 points and 13 boards with Magic center Nikola Vucevic sidelined with a back injury, while Trey Burke added 13 points and 11 helpers for Utah.

Enes Kanter chipped in 16 points, while Rodney Hood, starting for the injured Alec Burks, had 15 points on 4-for-6 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from long range.

Despite shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the 3-point line, the Jazz let the Magic shoot 50 percent from the field.

And no matter how decently Utah shot the ball, it was still an eighth consecutive loss.

"Regardless of our long-term beliefs and commitment, there's an immediacy with losing that's difficult," explained head coach Quin Snyder. "We live here in the moment, and in the moment losing is no fun. At the same time, we can't hang our heads or feel sorry for ourselves because we're going to be in these situations and we've got to make them work to the best of our ability."

The Jazz took two of three from Sacramento last season, but the Kings have won four of six as the host in this series.






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