SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Center DeMarcus Cousins scored 33 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, and his strip of Philadelphia forward Hollis Thompson as the final seconds ticked away lifted the Sacramento Kings to a 107-106 victory over the 76ers at Sleep Train Arena on Tuesday night.
The 76ers found themselves with one final chance after a Cousins miss with 13 seconds left. After a timeout with 8.2 seconds left, 76ers guard Robert Covington tried to pass the ball to Thompson. However, Cousins stepped in front of Thompson and forced him to lose the ball, sealing the Sacramento victory.
The Kings (25-45) won their third straight, matching their longest winning streak of the season. Sacramento also won three in a row from Nov. 20-25, the last time it won consecutive games until victories over the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards earlier in the now-concluded homestand.
Sacramento finished with three victories in five games on the homestand, making it the team’s most successful home stay of the season.
Kings forward Rudy Gay added 21 points and eight rebounds, and guard Ray McCallum scored 11 points.
Covington finished with 21 points to lead the 76ers (17-54). He hit a 3-pointer with 6:11 left in the contest to cap an 11-2 run that put Philadelphia ahead 103-100. However, the 76ers scored only once after that, and they lost their 16th consecutive road game.
Forward Thomas Robinson scored 16 points, and center Narlens Noel added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers. Guard Ish Smith and guard Isaiah Canaan each finished with 13 points.
The Kings took the lead when McCallum grabbed Cousins’ miss and put it in for a layup with 48 seconds left
Cousins, averaging a team high 23.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game entering the contest, produced his 42nd double-double and needed just one half to do it. The Kings’ lone All-Star had 21 points and 10 rebounds during the first 24 minutes.
NOTES: Philadelphia gave F Jason Richardson a night off to rest. The 14-year veteran averaged 9.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 13 games since returning from left knee surgery that cost him the entire 2013-14 season and the final 42 games of 2012-13. … The Kings closed a 3-2 homestand, their fourth homestand of at least five games this season. Sacramento went 1-4 twice and 2-3 once in their other five-game stays at home. … Sixers F Thomas Robinson, averaging 8.8 points and 8.4 rebounds before Tuesday, is on his fourth team since being drafted No. 1 by the Kings and fifth overall in the 2012 draft. … Kings C DeMarcus Cousins was averaging 30.3 points and 16.7 rebounds in his previous three games against Philadelphia. … Kings F David Wear, signed to a 10-day contract Monday, was in uniform, but he didn’t play.