ORLANDO, FLORIDA (FIELD LEVEL MEDIA REUTERS) - Bogdan Bogdanovic scored a career-best 35 points as the Sacramento Kings got their first victory of the NBA restart, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 140-125 on Thursday afternoon (Aug 6) near Orlando.
De'Aaron Fox added 30 points and 10 assists, Harrison Barnes scored 22, Nemanja Bjelica had 11 and Cory Joseph 10 as the Kings (29-39) ended a three-game losing streak in the restart.
The Kings, who were outscored at the foul line by 31 points in an overtime loss to Dallas in their last game, outscored the Pelicans 24-17 at the line.
Zion Williamson scored 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting and Brandon Ingram also had 24, for the Pelicans (29-39), who dropped to 1-3 in the restart as they fell into a tie for 11th place with the Kings and Phoenix Suns.
JJ Redick scored 18 points, Jrue Holiday had 17 and Josh Hart 11 for New Orleans.
Bogdanovic was 13-of-20 shooting, including 6 of 9 from 3-point range for the Kings.
The Kings led by 10 twice in the third quarter before Redick's 3-pointer pulled the Pelicans within 97-95.
Joseph made two 3-pointers during a 20-8 run that gave Sacramento a 117-103 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The margin reached 19 points midway through the fourth quarter as the Kings evened the season series at one victory each. These teams will meet again Aug 11.
Sacramento scored 49 points in the first quarter and 40 in the third quarter as New Orleans' defence never got in gear.
The Kings made 11 of their first 12 shots to take an early 28-17 lead. They led by as many as 14 points before finishing with a 49-39 lead at the end of the first quarter.
That was the most points allowed by New Orleans in any quarter this season.
Sacramento rebuilt the lead to 14 early in the second quarter before the Pelicans made a run.
Hart's layup cut the margin to 59-56 midway through the period.
The Pelicans got within three points three more times, but didn't get any closer.
Fox's three-point play and Bogdanovic's 3-pointer helped the Kings take a 77-70 lead at halftime.
