SACRAMENTO -- The long wait came to an end. Tyrese Haliburton, the former fan-favorite Kings guard, finally made his return back to Sacramento.
The reception for Haliburton was sweet. The result was sweeter.
On an emotional night at Golden 1 Center, the Kings edged the Pacers 137-114. Domantas Sabonis defeated his former team the first chance he got, coming up three assists short of a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in just 23 minutes.
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The Kings started out hot and led by as many as 17 points in the first half. Sacramento endured a couple of questionable calls and an Indiana run early in the third quarter, only to bury the Pacers with a 44-point third quarter to put the game on ice.
It got out of hand after that. "Light the beam" chants were echoing throughout Golden 1 Center with seven minutes to play in the game. The Kings outscored Indiana in fast break points 31-8 and shot 50.5 percent from the field.
Speculation about which team won the Sabonis-Haliburton blockbuster trade last February won't end anytime soon, but the Kings now lead the all-time Blockbuster Trade Series 1-0.
It’s your time to brag, Kings fans. Enjoy it.
NBA
Here are three observations from the clash Wednesday at Golden 1 Center:
Motivated Domas
Do you think this game meant something to Sabonis?
Sabonis downplayed his feelings about the game at Kings' shoot around Wednesday morning, but his energy was noticeable from the opening tip.
The former Pacers big man tallied seven points, six rebounds and four assists in his first eight minutes of action. Perhaps feeling a bit antsy, Sabonis even popped a pair of 3-point attempts in his first seven minutes on the floor.
Sabonis ran into foul trouble, but the Kings didn't need him for more than 23 minutes.
Old friends return
Haliburton was greeted by a rousing standing ovation when his name was announced as one of the Pacers’ five starters.
He struggled from the field, draining only 4 of 13 field-goal attempts, and finished with nine points, 10 assists and a plus/minus rating of minus-24 in 25 minutes.
Buddy Hield, who was playing his first game against the Kings since the trade, was booed by Sacramento fans nearly every time he touched the basketball, and Golden 1 Center erupted in applause every time he clanked a shot. Hield finished with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting and notched a minus-7.
Sixth Man Malik
Mike Brown began his pregame press conference by officially beginning a new campaign for Malik Monk.
“Malik Monk should get some mention for Sixth Man of the Year," Brown said. "Again, Malik Monk should get some mention for Sixth Man of the Year. I'm putting that out there."
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How did Monk respond? By coming off the bench and going off for 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting, six assists and four boards. It marked his fifth game with at least 20 points this season and third in the last four games.
Brown might be on to something here.