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It was always going to be tough for the Kings to come into Indiana and beat the Pacers, but the least we could have hoped for was that the team would be competitive. For much of the game, the Kings were able to hang on and keep it relatively close, but it got out of hand in the 4th quarter as Paul George caught fire. George led a balanced Pacers attack with 31 points on just 18 shots.
For Sacramento, all eyes were on how DeMarcus Cousins would play against Roy Hibbert, one of the best (if not the best) defensive big men in the game today. Cousins proved up to the challenge with 31 points (12-21 from the field) and 13 rebounds in just 30 minutes of action.
Cousins didn't get much help from any of his teammates though. Rudy Gay was the only other player in double digits but had just 12 points. Isaiah Thomas had one of his worst games of the season, tallying just 7 points and 1 assist to 3 turnovers. Jimmer Fredette and Derrick Williams both scored 9 points off the bench.
Michael Malone will be most upset about the lack of defense, as the Kings allowed the Pacers to score a season-high 116 points on 54.9% from the field.
Sacramento won't have long to linger on this game, as they look to bounce back tomorrow night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For the opposing perspective, visit Indy Cornrows