LaVine and DeRozan combine for 80 points in Kings win over the Pistons
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) goes up to shoot in between Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren, left, and guard Cade Cunningham, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
DETROIT (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 43 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, and DeMar DeRozan added 37 as the Sacramento Kings rallied for a 127-117 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday to strengthen their bid for a first-round home game in the play-in tournament.
Domantas Sabonis had 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for the Kings, who have won three straight and have a one-game lead over Dallas for ninth in the Western Conference.
Cade Cunningham scored 35 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 for Detroit, which has lost four of its last five games.
The Pistons started out the second quarter with a 29-10 run to take a 66-48 lead. DeRozan scored eight of the Kings next 14 points to close the deficit to 72-62 at halftime.
Sacramento took its first lead of the second half, 97-94, when LaVine made a 3-pointer with less than a second left in the third quarter.
The Kings never relinquished the lead and the closest Detroit could get was 106-105 on Cunningham’s three-point play with 9:16 left in the game.
HEAT 117, 76ERS 105
MIAMI (AP) — Duncan Robinson scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, Tyler Herro scored 20 and Miami pulled away to beat Philadelphia.
Kel’el Ware had 19 points and 17 rebounds for the Heat, and Davion Mitchell had 12 points and nine assists.
Quentin Grimes and Lonnie Walker IV each scored 29 for Philadelphia, which lost its 12th straight. Adem Bona scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the 76ers.
Miami (36-43) is now a half-game back of Chicago (36-42) in the race for No. 9 in the East; those two teams meet on Wednesday. The Heat are 1 1/2 games behind No. 8 Atlanta (37-41) and 2 1/2 games behind No. 7 Orlando (38-40).