Sacramento Kings can’t complete comeback, losing second in a row to New Orleans Pelicans

The Sacramento Kings nearly turned an ugly performance into a spirited comeback, but they couldn’t close the deal late in the fourth quarter.

The New Orleans Pelicans held on for a 117-112 victory Wednesday at Smoothie King Center. The Kings suffered back-to-back losses in New Orleans after winning their previous six games.

It was a choppy game from start to finish. Both teams grew frustrated with the officiating throughout while they combined to shoot 72 free throws amid 53 foul calls. Sacramento struggled to contain the Pelicans from getting to the basket and allowed 62 points in the paint, where Zion Williamson scored the majority of his 25 points.

“Zion was a load for us,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “We did a little bit better job (than Monday), but not good enough to win.”

De’Aaron Fox didn’t score in the fourth quarter until he hit a bank shot with 0.8 seconds remaining and his team trailing by five. By then it was too late, despite Sacramento outscoring the home team by nine points in the fourth quarter. It was a frustrating night for the Kings, who were missing forward Keegan Murray and got little help from their bench for the first three quarters.

“I just have to be more aggressive,” Fox said. “Obviously, they were blitzing ball screens, trying to get the ball out of my hands, but at the end of the day, I still have to be aggressive regardless of what the defense is throwing at me.”

Brown echoed the sentiment of last year’s Jerry West Award winner, given to the NBA’s most clutch player. Fox, of course, led the league in clutch scoring last season.

“(Fox) is 100% correct,” Brown said. “He’s our guy and he’s got to be aggressive and he has to be more aggressive in a one- (or) two-possession ballgame going down the stretch, especially when we’re struggling to score.”

The Kings exploded out of the gates in the fourth quarter, getting off to a 16-4 start behind three 3-pointers from Trey Lyles, including a four-point play, and six quick points from Malik Monk. The lead was trimmed to two after Sacramento fell behind by as many as 17 in the first half.

Lyles finished with 12 points in his first action of the season following a preseason injury to his left calf. His rehab process took more than a month.

“It was a long process for me,” Lyles said. “I’m not very patient, especially wanting to get back out there playing. It was hard to sit back and go slow day to day. ... Everybody did a great job with me, bringing me along at the right pace and making sure that I wasn’t doing anything that was going to harm myself down the road.”

The Kings tied the game for the first time since their first-quarter lead on a Domantas Sabonis layup with 4:54 remaining, but they were outscored 10-5 the rest of the way.

Fox had 26 points and five assists for the Kings (8-6). Sabonis had 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists before going to the locker room in the final seconds after taking an elbow to the mouth on Brandon Ingram’s dunk with 16 seconds to play. Sabonis was seen leaving the arena and didn’t appear to be seriously hurt.

Harrison Barnes scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half. It was the first time Barnes eclipsed 20 points since scoring 33 in the Oct. 25 season opener.

The Pelicans (7-7) were again led by Williamson and Ingram. Williamson’s 25 points came on 10-of-16 shooting with five rebounds and six assists. Ingram had 23 points.

“I can’t tell you how many times Zion split (our double teams),” Brown said. “And not just smalls, they split our bigs. Trey’s guarding him, Domas comes over to help, and he goes through us and lays it up. So we gotta do a better job of trying to figure out how to close that gap no matter who it is.”

The Kings ran into foul trouble in the first half, committing 15 fouls in the first 24 minutes while the Pelicans scored 19 points at the free-throw line. New Orleans hit the break leading 64-50.

Lyles was called for four fouls in his first 16 minutes. Lyles’ fourth foul came with 1:07 left in the second quarter. Replays suggested it was a questionable call on an and-1 for Williamson. Lyles was given a technical for arguing. When asked about the sequence afterwards, Lyles smiled and didn’t offer comment. Fox was also called for a technical foul late in the first half.

The Kings began the game playing with pace offensively and shooting the ball well. They made five of their first eight 3-pointers while taking a 19-11 lead, but then they went ice cold for the remainder of the half, making just two of their next 16. New Orleans went on a 53-31 run into the break.

The game came two nights after the Kings were blown out on the same floor, 129-93, Sacramento’s most lopsided loss of the season. The Kings next play Friday night in Minnesota as a part of the in-season tournament to wrap up their six-game road trip.

The Timberwolves and Pelicans are similar in that they both have size, which the Kings will have to deal with again Friday night.

“Both teams are disruptive defensively,” Barnes said. “Both teams have good one-on-one players, so it’s the same principles of showing them a crowd, being physical and finishing possessions.”

Injury updates and notes

Fox took a fall in the third quarter and appeared to land awkwardly on his right leg, which is the same side he suffered an ankle injury that cost him five games earlier in the season.

Asked about it afterwards, Fox said: “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Wednesday marked the first game of the season for Lyles, who missed Sacramento’s first 13 games with a preseason calf strain.

Starting in Murray’s place was reserve guard Chris Duarte, who left Monday’s game against the Pelicans with a left hand injury. Duarte scored six points in 20 minutes. The team is hopeful Murray’s absence won’t be extended, but a time frame for his return is unknown. Keon Ellis missed his second game with an ankle injury.

Shooting guard Kevin Huerter, who finished with eight points on 2-of-10 shooting, received treatment during the team’s time in New Orleans on the left hand/finger injury that caused him to miss Sunday’s win over Dallas. Sasha Vezenkov returned to action after a sore thumb caused him to miss Monday’s game. Vezenkov finished with three points in just over 10 minutes.

Upcoming schedule

Nov. 24 at Minnesota Timberwolves

Nov. 28 vs. Golden State Warriors

Nov. 29 vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Dec. 2 vs. Denver Nuggets

Dec. 11 vs. Brooklyn Nets