Keeping up with the Brooklyn Nets is no small task. Even without Kevin Durant, they can score with the best of them and the Kings kept up for about 44 minutes Tuesday night at Barclays Center.
Unfortunately for the Kings, an NBA game is 48 minutes. Led by MVP candidate James Harden, Brooklyn punched the gas late, sending the Kings to their eighth straight loss by a final of 127-118.
Harden dropped in a big time triple-double and Bruce Brown torched the Kings for 29 points as the Nets stayed hot.
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Here are three takeaways as the Kings fell again to drop to 12-19 on the season.
Just the beginning
Tyrese Haliburton is special. The Kings rookie already took home one NBA Rookie of the Month trophy and he’s well on his way to a second one for the month of February.
On Tuesday night in Brooklyn, the 20-year-old put on a show against the star-studded Nets, dropping in 18 points in the first half en route to a career-high-tying 23.
The rising star knocked down 4-for-9 from long range, but he wasn’t done there. Haliburton handed out nine assists, grabbed five rebounds, picked up three steals and even blocked a shot.
Lob it up there
The Kings desperately missed Richaun Holmes when he sat out three games with knee soreness. Now healthy and back on the court, Holmes looks to be making up for lost time.
Holmes was active on both ends of the floor, turning defensive plays into offense on the other end.
Sacramento’s starting center finished with 18 points on 9-for-12 shooting to go with 11 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season. He was aggressive and lived above the rim against the Nets.
Not an All-Star, but close
As the Kings were preparing to take the court, the NBA announced the All-Star reserves and the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox was not amongst the group. In the fourth quarter, Fox showed why he should have been there.
Needing offense to keep up with the high-scoring Nets, Fox caught fire from long range in the fourth quarter, hitting four triples to stay close.
Fox finished with 27 points and eight assists in the loss. He also did a much better job of staying with Kyrie Irving than last time these two teams met.