SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tyreke Evans
recorded his first career triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and
10 assists, leading the Sacramento Kings to a 113-90 victory over the
Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
With frequent chants of "ROY!" (Rookie
of the Year), Evans responded with a strong overall game that has
typified his season. Perhaps the leading candidate for the first-year
award, the point guard passed to Francisco Garcia for his 10th assist
late in the game and promptly went to the bench amid a chorus of cheers.
Beno Udrih had 24 points and eight
assists, and Carl Landry and Donte Greene both scored 15 points for the
Kings, who scored 43 points in the third quarter and snapped a
three-game losing streak.
Andrea Bargnani scored 20 points for
the Raptors, who have lost three straight and seven of eight games.
Chris Bosh, DeMar DeRozan and Jarrett Jack all had 14 points.
The loss dropped Toronto into a
seventh-place tie with Charlotte in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors
are only one game ahead of ninth-place Chicago.
In honor of Evans, the Kings
designated the game "Rally for Reke Roy Night." The Kings gave out
10,000 free "Reke Roy" T-shirts and 5,000 face-on-a-sticks which included
an image of Evans.
Perhaps fittingly, Evans converted the
game's most difficult shot attempt. Fouled on a baseline drive late in
the second quarter, Evans tossed up a floater from behind the backboard
that brought a sudden roar from the crowd when it went in.
It was Evans and Landry carrying the
scoring load early in the third quarter and Udrih taking over late.
Udrih scored nine points, including a short jumper at the buzzer to put
the Kings ahead 83-68.
Landry scored 10 points and Evans had
nine in the third period. The 43 points were the most in a quarter since
the Kings had 43 against Utah on Dec. 4, 2008.
Bargnani scored 11 points and Bosh
had eight for the Raptors in the opening half, when they led 45-40.
Udrih scored 13 points and Evans added eight for the Kings.
Notes
The Kings shot 18-of-24 in the
third quarter, matching the number of field goals they made in the
opening half, when they shot 39 percent. Toronto has lost four
consecutive road games and fell to 10-21. Bosh is 55 points away from
being the first Toronto player in franchise history to reach 10,000
points.