De’Aaron Fox scores 49 as the Sacramento Kings defeat the Utah Jazz

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Kings guard De’Aaron Fox could tell he was hot in the first quarter of Saturday night’s 121-117 win over the Utah Jazz.

He didn’t miss a shot in the first 12 minutes. And when he continued to get downhill, and also had a couple of his 3-pointers fall, he knew he was in a zone.

Fox scored 49 points. This comes just one game — and one night — after scoring 60 points.

“I was a little tired coming into today, but I feel like when the game started I felt fine,” Fox said. “I won’t say I’m not tired … but I can’t say this back-to-back has made me more tired than any other back-to-back.”

He became the second Sacramento player to score at least 100 points over two games, the other being DeMarcus Cousins ​​in 2016 when he scored 104. Fox is just the third player in NBA history to score at least 109 over two days, joining Kobe Bryant (2007) and Wilt Chamberlain (17 different times).

“Woah,” Kings coach Mike Brown said when he heard that stat, a big grin spreading across his face. “Back-to-back, the overtime game, he played 75 minutes last night … for him to come with us missing three of our top six guys, that’s what says OK, he’s DeAaron Fox and he did his job. Game, Kobe, Foxy.”

“No one can stop him from getting to his places when he wants to,” Brown continued. “He feels it. Not only does he feel it, but he shows it.”

With the Kings missing DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk, Fox has been working with a heavier workload.

Brown said he didn’t need to have a conversation with Fox about taking the plunge. It was already understood.

“When you have guys of his caliber — and I’ve been around the Stephs and the KDs and the Kobes and the LeBrons and the Tim Duncans … they get to their places when they want to,” Brown said. “The biggest difference between those guys and the other pretty good players is that they do it consistently. So no, I didn’t have to tell Fox. He knew … he had to carry us.”

Fox didn’t try to approach the game with the mindset of having to make up for the scores that the three players lost. But instead he is focusing on the scoring tactics he has emphasized all season.

Fox scored at every level Saturday, shooting 16-of-30 from the floor, only three of which were 3s. He also shot 14-of-16 from the free throw line — the two of which he missed, for which he apologized.

Against the Timberwolves the night before, Fox went 22-of-35 from the field, with six made 3s and 10 made free throws.

“Being able to get downhill and touch the paint has done wonders,” Fox said. “When you’re able to do that, you’re able to one, get to the rim, two, get to the free throw line and three, you’re still able to create for teammates. I try to put a point emphasis on that .”