Kings pull off incredible 35-point comeback in Chicago

If you changed the channel after the Kings miserable start Monday night in Chicago, you’re probably kicking yourself. Trailing by 35 points with 8:50 left in the third quarter, Sacramento mounted the best comeback in franchise history, winning 102-98 and leaving fans of both teams stunned (mostly Bulls fans). It was an absolutely unbelievable turn of events for a team that looked dead in the water down 79-44.

1 – Coach Paul Westphal said the win wouldn’t have happened without Jon Brockman, and he was dead on. Brockman brings a different dynamic than Spencer Hawes. What he lacks in height, he more than makes up for in quickness, physicality and overall intelligence. A glance at his stat line does not tell the story: 0 points, 6 rebounds in 17 minutes. Brockman changed the game with his presence, fighting for loose balls and ripping down offensive rebounds at crucial times. He also finished with a team best +26 “+/-“ ratio.

2 – Yes, here comes more praise for Tyreke Evans. The rookie was a beast down the stretch, demanding the ball, taking it to the rack, burying jumpers and most importantly, leading the team to victory. Evans outscored the Bulls 9-3 in the final 2:13 of the game. What made Evans play down the stretch even more special was the fact that he struggled mightily in the early going. But with the Kings gaining steam and the Bulls lead shrinking, it was Evans who was leading the charge.

3 – If Brockman was the Kings MVP off the bench, Ime Udoka was a close second. Udoka has struggled to find his shot this season but he seemed to locate it in Chicago. With the Kings trailing by 10 and just 3:20 to go, Udoka knocked down back-to-back triples that proved to be vital. The shots pulled the Kings within 4 points and really got the team emotionally charged. Udoka finished the night with 17 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3-pt FG, 2-2 FT) in addition to smothering late-game defense on a host of Bulls players.

Quick hits – Check out Tyreke Evans’ swagger, claiming, “This is my house!” after a late game basket … Beno Udrih deserves huge praise not only for hitting two free throws to put the game away with 5 seconds left, but he also hit three 3-pointers in less than 2 minutes in the first half, proving to be one of the only Kings with a pulse at the time … Former Kings John Salmons and Brad Miller combined to shoot 25% (4-16).