MALINK Monk scored 19 points off the bench and the Sacramento Kings ended the longest playoff drought in NBA history with a 120-80 thumping of the host Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night (Thursday in Manila).
De’Aaron Fox scored 18 points, Kevin Huerter added 17 and Domantas Sabonis had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Kings (46-30), who missed the playoffs for 16 consecutive seasons since last qualifying during the 2005-06 campaign.
Sacramento had held the longest active playoff drought among the four major North American professional sports leagues. That dubious distinction now belongs to the New York Jets, who have gone 12 years without reaching the NFL postseason.
Kings forward Keegan Murray scored 13 points and made three 3-pointers to set the NBA rookie record with 188 treys in a season. Murray passed the mark set by Donovan Mitchell (187) in 2017-18 with the Utah Jazz.
Shaedon Sharpe scored a career-high 30 points and also had seven rebounds and seven assists for Portland, which lost for the 10th time in the past 11 games. Kevin Knox II had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Jabari Walker also scored 12 points for the Trail Blazers (32-44).
In other games, it was the Suns 107, Wolves 100; Bucks 149, Pacers 136; Jazz 128, Spurs 117; Clippers 141, Grizzlies 132; Thunder 107, Pistons 106; Nets 123, Rockets 114; Knicks 101, Heat 92; Sixers 116, Mavs 108; and Lakers 121, Bulls 110.
Suns 107, Wolves 100
Devin Booker scored 29 points and Phoenix celebrated Kevin Durant’s return to the lineup with its third straight win, beating visiting Minnesota.
Durant was back after missing 10 games due to a sprained ankle, and he logged 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 29 minutes while shooting 5-for-18 from the floor. Chris Paul scored 19 points and Cameron Payne added 11 for the Suns, while Deandre Ayton and Josh Okogie chipped in 10 apiece.
Anthony Edwards scored 31 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 25 for Minnesota, which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Naz Reid scored 15 points and Rudy Gobert had a game-high 15 rebounds.
