Inside job: Fox, Sabonis post 30-point double-doubles as Kings pound Spurs in the paint

The Kings have been a top-10 3-point shooting team most of the season, but they’ve struggled in that area to start their season-long seven-game road trip, forcing them to play a different brand of offense than they’re used to.

“I told them that the shots aren’t going to always fall,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “We can’t ... be a team that thinks we’re going to survive just scoring the basketball and shooting the basketball even though we have great shooters.”

Sacramento without that shooting on Wednesday got its offense elsewhere, scoring a season-high 74 points in the paint in a 119-109 victory over the lowly San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center.

Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox each had 30-point double-doubles for the second time since Dec. 28. They became the first Kings duo to do it in multiple games in the same season since Jerry Lucas and Oscar Robertson in 1967-68.

And it just so happens the NBA will announce All-Star reserves on Thursday.

Sabonis scored 21 of his season-high 34 in the first half, while Fox and Malik Monk each scored 10 points in the fourth quarter when Sacramento was able to pull away. The Kings shot just 8 of 27 from 3-point range, marking their third straight game on the road trip they shot 30% or worse from distance.

It was apparent early in the game the outside shots weren’t falling, so Fox and Sabonis began to attack the rim aggressively against San Antonio’s 30th-ranked defense. Fox said afterwards his teammates — the ones from the University of Kentucky, Monk and Trey Lyles — and assistant coach Luke Loucks have been egging him on to be more aggressive early in games, which he took to heart against the Spurs.

“I think that just causes teams to collapse,” Fox said of his drives and finding his spot for his mid-range floaters. “Obviously we didn’t make a lot of 3s today, but they’re good looks, and if we’re missing wide open shots and we lose, it’s just a bad day.”

Fox finished with 31 points, 10 assists and just one turnover.

The eight 3-pointers Sacramento made Wednesday marked their fewest of the season. That played a role in allowing the Spurs to hang around most of the game despite their own poor 3-point shooting (8 of 24).

“After last game,” Sabonis said, “I wasn’t happy with my performance, so I just wanted to come out and be bit more aggressive.”

Sabonis spent the night attacking Spurs big men Jakob Poeltl and Zach Collins to great success, driving into the lane to body defenders out of the way with his signature drop step or spin and finish off the glass with either hand.

Sabonis’ 15 made field goals and 20 attempts were both his most of the season.

“We’ve had a couple games that we haven’t shot the ball,” Sabonis said. “So just tried to change something up. I started the game like that and then Fox carried (the offense). He’s been doing that all year.”

Sabonis scored 17 points in the first quarter while Fox and Monk combined for 30 points in the second half.

Monk had a second strong game off the bench for Sacramento, scoring 22 points and reaching the 20-point mark for the first time since Dec. 28. He has averaged 14.8 points per game over his last five after going four consecutive games without getting to double digits.

Monk also earned his first defensive player of the game chain for deflecting passes and having two steals that went the other way for fast-break buckets.

Monk, Fox and Harrison Barnes (14 points, six rebounds, plus-20), played the entire fourth quarter. It marked the second straight game Monk has gotten crunch time minutes over starter Kevin Huerter, who had just five points after scoring three on Monday.

Monk’s scoring has often come in waves all season, making his contribution a welcome sight on Wednesday given Huerter’s two-game shooting slump. He nearly added two more points on a wild dunk attempt in which he spun, elevated and cocked the ball back with his right hand, but the ball clanged off the back rim as referees called a foul.

“The more time (Monk) gets, the more trust he gets from the coaching staff,” Sabonis said. “We’ve all been there. If the coaching staff trusts you, you feel better to play your game.”

The Kings (29-21) remain in the third spot in the Western Conference, 2 ½ games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 2 seed. They will play the fourth game of their road trip Friday night in Indianapolis, where Sabonis will make his return for the first time since being traded from the Pacers last February.