This is the Tyreke Evans the Sacramento Kings have hoped for all
season. Evans looked a lot more like himself Friday night, scoring
a career-high 35 points. But it wasn’t enough as the Kings were
outscored 10-0 to start overtime and lost, 119-112, to the Golden
State Warriors on Friday night at Oracle Arena.
OAKLAND
This is the Tyreke Evans the Sacramento Kings have hoped for all season.
The Evans who had spring in his step and would carry the offense most nights hasn’t been on the floor much. Evans has been bothered by plantar fasciitis in his left foot most of the season.
Then Evans sprained his left ankle earlier this month. He has considered a laser procedure to deal with the plantar fasciitis, but has been able to play with the injury, missing one game all season because of it.
Evans looked a lot more like himself Friday night, scoring a career-high 35 points. But it wasn’t enough as the Kings were outscored 10-0 to start overtime and lost, 119-112, to the Golden State Warriors on Friday night at Oracle Arena.
It was the Kings’ second overtime game in a row. They lost to Portland in overtime Wednesday.
Evans gave the Kings a 101-99 lead on a jumper with 59 seconds left. But the Kings missed 3 of 6 free throws down the stretch.
Warriors guard Monta Ellis hit a jumper over Evans with 0.9 seconds left to tie the game at 104 and force overtime.
The loss had a familiar feel. The Kings lost to the Warriors last month at Arco Arena by blowing a late lead with mistakes and poor execution late.
Evans’ play was one of the bright spots in another late-game collapse.
The Kings led 99-90 with 3:03 left to play. DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson and Pooh Jeter each missed a free throw late that might have given the Kings enough space to win. Instead, the Kings dropped their fourth game in a row.
Evans said he hadn’t ruled out having a laser procedure done on his foot after the season. He said there are days when his foot feels fine. There are still some days where there’s enough discomfort to remind him that he hasn’t been 100 percent most of the season.
“I’m feeling better – better than I was at the beginning of the season,” Evans said before Friday night’s game. “The plantar fasciitis doesn’t bother me as much. The ankle is sore sometimes. Other than that, I’m feeling good.”
Evans missed three games earlier this month because of a sprained left ankle. Before the injury, he had begun to play more like himself.
Evans had 29 points and eight assists Jan. 4 in a loss to Atlanta. After the defeat, Kings coach Paul Westphal said Evans’ improved quickness was a positive.
Evans followed that game two days later with 27 points and 12 assists in a blowout win over Denver at Arco Arena.
That was also the game Evans sprained his ankle.
Evans sat out the next three games _ all losses by the Kings _at the start of their six-game road trip.
Evans returned last Friday at New York and was admittedly off, but the Kings won.
Friday’s effort was Evans’ best since he sprained his ankle Jan. 6.
The game also saw Cousins play his best game of late.
The rookie center was averaging 24 points in three home games before the team’s road trip that began Jan. 9 at Toronto. He’d scored 20 points or more just once in his next seven.
Cousins was coming off a particularly rough night. He was 2 for 11 for five points in Wednesday’s loss to Portland.
Cousins had only four rebounds that game, his lowest total since grabbing four rebounds Nov. 27 against Chicago.
Cousins finished with 21 points and eight rebounds.
— Story by Jason Jones, The Sacramento Bee
