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Kendra Andrews, ESPN
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kings guard De’Aaron Fox realized he was hot in the first quarter of a 121-117 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
He didn’t miss a shot in the first 12 minutes. And as he continued to come down and made some of his threes, he knew he was in a zone.
Fox scored 49 points. This occurs just one game – and one night – after scoring 60 points.
“I was a little tired coming in today, but I feel like when the game started I was fine,” Fox said. “I’m not going to say I’m not tired… but I can’t say that this back-to-back has left me more tired than any other game.” another consecutive match.”
Fox became the second Sacramento player to score at least 100 points in a two-game span, joining DeMarcus Cousins in 2016 when he scored 104. Fox is the third player in NBA history to score at least 109 points in two days, joining Kobe Bryant. (2007) and Wilt Chamberlain (17 times).
“Woah,” Kings coach Mike Brown said when he heard that statistic, with a big smile on his face. “The back-to-back, the overtime, he played 75 minutes last night… him coming to us without three of our top six guys, that’s what says okay, he’s DeAaron Fox and he did his job. Wilt, Kobe , Foxy.”
“No one can stop you from getting to your places when you want,” Brown continued. “He’s feeling it. Not only is he feeling it, he’s showing it.”
With the Kings without DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk, Fox has been operating with a heavier workload.
Brown said he didn’t need to have a conversation with Fox about taking over. It was already understood.
“When you have guys of their caliber, and I’ve been around the Stephs and the KDs and the Kobes and the LeBrons and the Tim Duncans… they get to their spots when they want to,” Brown said. “The biggest difference between those guys and other pretty good players is that they do it consistently. So no, I didn’t have to say anything to Fox. He knew… he had to support us.”
Fox tried not to approach the game with the mentality of needing to make up for the scoring lost by those three players, but instead focused on the scoring tactics he has been emphasizing all season.
He scored at every level on Saturday, hitting 16 of 30 from the floor, only three of which were 3-pointers, and 14 of 19 from the free throw line.
Against the Timberwolves the night before, Fox was 22 of 35 from the field, with six 3-pointers and 10 free throws.
“Being able to go down and touch the paint has done wonders,” Fox said. “As long as you can do that, you can one, get to the rim, two, get to the free throw line and three, you can still create for your teammates. I’m trying to make a point.
