Sacramento Kings vs Oklahoma City Thunder Box Score on Feb 23, 2019

Buddy Hield scored 34 points to help the Sacramento Kings hold off the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-116 on the road Saturday night.

The Kings led for much of the way but had to hold on late, thanks to a couple of big shots by Russell Westbrook down the stretch.

A night after making a game-winner at the buzzer in double overtime against Utah, the Thunder's Paul George couldn't come up with the big shot for the second straight game. George's potential game-tying shot at the buzzer over Willie Cauley-Stein hit off the front of the rim to give the Kings the victory and the season series, 3-1.

It was the second consecutive big defensive play for Cauley-Stein, who took a charge on Westbrook with 11 seconds remaining that wiped out what appeared to be Westbrook's game-tying shot.

Westbrook finished with 41 points on 15-of-30 shooting with 10 rebounds. It was Westbrook's third consecutive game scoring 40 or more points.

The Kings led for much of the game before Westbrook's driving layup with just more than five minutes remaining put the Thunder ahead for the first time since midway through the first quarter -- with the help of a goaltending call on Cauley-Stein.

Earlier in the day, Hield was just down the road in Norman, where he watched his alma mater beat Texas before spending some time shooting in Oklahoma's practice gym. A few hours later, Hield turned in one of the best scoring games of his young career, going 12 of 22 from the field and 3 of 5 from behind the 3-point line.

Early on, Oklahoma City showed signs of fatigue following the double-overtime win the night before.

Sacramento took advantage by shooting the lights out early, building a 16-point first-half lead thanks to 50 percent shooting before the break. Hield was 8 of 12 from the field at half, scoring 18 points.

De'Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III finished with 19 each for the Kings.

George added 14 points for Oklahoma City but was just 4 of 19 from the field. He added 13 rebounds.

--Field Level Media