{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
Sacramento 114, Oklahoma City 112
When: 10:30 PM ET, Saturday, April 9, 2016
Where: Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, California
Officials: #24 Mike Callahan, #26 Pat Fraher, #66 Haywoode Workman
Attendance: 17317

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Rudy Gay's two free throws with one second remaining may not go down in Sleep Train Arena lore in the same place as Mike Bibby's game-winning wing jumper during the 2001 Western Conference finals. But they won't go unforgotten by the Sacramento Kings faithful, either.

Gay's two free throws capped a 22-point night for the forward and allowed the Kings to leave their old home in style with a 114-112 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

"It felt great to get the win," Gay said. "It's kind of fitting I guess, since I put us in that position at the end of the game with the missed free throw. Luckily, things worked out."

Darren Collison, getting only his 15th start with NBA assists leader Rajon Rondo out to rest, scored 27 points to pace the Kings. He knocked down a tiebreaking 3-pointer from just to the left of the arc to make it 104-101 with just over two minutes left, and canned a long jumper with 34.3 seconds to go to put Sacramento ahead 108-103.

But it was Gay's free throws that sent the sellout crowd happy, not to mention the more than 50 guests brought in by the Kings to celebrate the final game in the 27-year-old building.

With Sacramento ahead 111-109, Gay missed one of two free throws with 11 seconds left, keeping the Thunder alive. Sacramento guard James Anderson subsequently tried to foul Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook on the floor from behind the arc, but officials after a review ruled it a continuation foul and gave Westbrook three free throws.

Westbrook made all three to tie the game.

Gay then received the ball at the top of the arc, drove the lane and was fouled by Serge Ibaka. His two free throws set off a celebration.

"They could've turned the lights off on this place without a win," Gay said. "That would not nearly have been as meaningful."

Kevin Durant scored 31 points for the Thunder (54-26), who are locked into the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference. Durant scored at least 20 points for the 63rd straight game, the longest streak for an NBA player since Kobe Bryant did the same thing from 2005-2007.

Westbrook added 24 points, 10 assists and five rebounds for Oklahoma City. With three games left, he has 17 triple-doubles this season and needs one more to move past Magic Johnson for the most since the 1985-86 season.

"This game was one that tested us," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "But at the end, we made a couple of mistakes, a couple of tough calls, and we came up short."

Seth Curry scored 20 points and made six 3-pointers for the Kings (32-48), who will move into the Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento next season. DeMarcus Cousins added 15 points for Sacramento. He played without the aid of Rondo, who was held out to rest for the second consecutive contest and the third time in four games.

Cousins, playing in his final contest this season, set a career high by averaging 26.9 points and grabbed 11.5 rebounds in 65 games despite persistent foot problems this season. He will sit out Sacramento's final two road contests and has told media outlets he'll have a procedure to alleviate tendinitis that has plagued him all season in an attempt to play for Team USA in the Rio Olympics.

The guests included original Sacramento Kings owner Gregg Lukenbill and Sacramento Monarchs captain and WNBA Finals MVP Yolanda Griffith. The Monarchs' championship in 2005 remain the only title for a Sacramento-based team. Coach Rick Adelman, who led the Kings to the Western Conference finals in 2002, also was in attendance.

"It was our playoffs," Gay said. "It's a great way to send it out."

NOTES: Among the tidbits of trivia left over from the final night at Sleep Train Arena, courtesy of the team's official website: It hosted 12 playoff series and had sellout streaks of 497 and 354 (each among the NBA's Top 10). C DeMarcus Cousins' 56-point effort against the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 25 was the most a Kings player scored in the building. ... A game after sitting starters SF Kevin Durant, PG Russell Westbrook, and PF Serge Ibaka, Thunder coach Billy Donovan used all three. Donovan said he wanted to use advantage of Oklahoma City's two days off leading into Saturday's contest, especially since the Thunder are locked into the third spot in the Western Conference. ... Despite his foot problems, Cousins played six more games this season than he did in 2014-15 for the Kings. Cousins missed 51 games over the past three seasons after missing 10 in his first three.
Top Game Performances
 
Oklahoma City   Sacramento
Kevin Durant 31 Scoring Darren Collison 27
Russell Westbrook 10 Assists Darren Collison 8
Steven Adams 8 Rebounds Quincy Acy 8
Russell Westbrook 9 Free Throws Made Rudy Gay 5
Serge Ibaka 2 Steals Rudy Gay 4
Andre Roberson 2 Blocks Rudy Gay 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Oklahoma City 112 48.1 13-32 21-28 24 44 5 6 21
Sacramento 114 47.9 13-32 11-20 22 40 4 12 11
Upcoming Games
  • Sacramento will play their next game on the road against Phoenix. The Kings have a W/L % of .375 after a win and .417 after a loss.
  • Oklahoma City will play their next game at home against L.A. Lakers. The Thunder have a W/L % of .691 after a win and .640 after a loss.