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Kings open preseason with win over Thunder

Oct 11, 2008 - 5:02 AM By Tom Galland PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) -- The youth movement was on full display as two rebuilding franchises met Friday at Arco Arena.

Rookie Bobby Brown scored a game-high 22 points as the Sacramento Kings posted a 94-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in a preseason contest.

A rookie out of Cal State-Fullerton who is hoping to make the final roster, Brown added four assists after starting in place of Beno Udrih, who sat out with a left hip strain.

Second-year center Spencer Hawes added 21 points for Sacramento in its preseason opener. The 20-year old Hawes, who left the University of Washington after his freshman year, connected on 8-of-10 shots in the first half to help the Kings race to a 55-39 advantage at the break.

John Salmons added 16 points for the Kings, who are looking to bounce back from a 38-44 mark last season.

Sacramento's Kevin Martin, the NBA's sixth leading scoring in 2007-08, saw his first action of the preseason and recorded eight points in 13 minutes.

Second-year forward Jeff Green scored 19 points off the bench while Damien Wilkins added 14 for Oklahoma City, which dropped to 0-2 in the preseason after posting a Western Conference-worst 20-62 record in their final campaign as the Seattle Supersonics in 2007-08.

Reigning Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant was rested by the Thunder after playing 28 minutes in a loss Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.