Hawks rally but can't catch Kings

AP photo by John Amis / Sacramento Kings guard Cory Joseph passes while on his back during the second half of Friday night's game in Atlanta. The Kings beat the Hawks 121-109.
AP photo by John Amis / Sacramento Kings guard Cory Joseph passes while on his back during the second half of Friday night's game in Atlanta. The Kings beat the Hawks 121-109.

ATLANTA - Once Bogdan Bogdanovic and the Sacramento Kings started making 3-pointers, they didn't stop.

That's just what coach Luke Walton wants to see.

Bogdanovic scored 20 points and hit two of his five 3-pointers in a key fourth-quarter flurry Friday night as the Kings fought off the Atlanta Hawks' comeback attempt to win 121-109.

Sacramento led by 21 points in the second quarter before Trae Young, who had 30 points, led Atlanta's second-half rally. The Hawks cut the Kings' lead to 94-93 before Sacramento answered with a string of five 3-pointers, including the two by Bogdanovic.

The Kings shot 18-of-31 from 3-point range in the game.

"We have really good shooters on our team," Walton said. "We know that. When our guys are open, we want them letting it fly."

Buddy Hield led the Kings with 22 points, and De'Aaron Fox added 17 with nine assists.

Young scored 16 points in the third quarter, when the Hawks whittled away at the Kings' lead. Atlanta's comeback carried into the fourth as Young's steal set up a layup by Cam Reddish, trimming Sacramento's lead to a point.

Bogdanovic then sparked the Kings' flurry of 3-pointers that ended Atlanta's hope.

"I think we had to fight too much to get back in the game, and that's something we've got to get better at," Young said.

After opening the season with five straight losses, the Kings have won three of their past four games.

"Guys are shooting the ball and making shots at a high clip," Hield said.

Sacramento led 63-47 at halftime. The Kings' big first-half lead was 59-38.

Young had only eight points in the first half but scored Atlanta's first three baskets after the break.

"I was mad at the way I played," Young said of his quiet first half. "I wanted to come out and make a difference."

In a matchup of high-scoring former Oklahoma standouts, Hield scored 11 points in the third quarter. That helped the Kings overcome Young's hot streak. It also helped prevent Young from finally winning a matchup against his former teammate.

"Obviously I know Buddy," Young said. " I always try to win when I go up against him. I haven't done it yet."

Jabari Parker had 25 points and eight rebounds for Atlanta.

Young's 3-pointer trimmed the Kings' lead to 68-54. Sacramento led 72-54 before Atlanta's 12-0 run - capped by Damian Jones' dunk on a pass from Young - cut the lead to six points.

Atlanta's Kevin Huerter scored 17 points off the bench, shooting 4-for-7 behind the arc.

Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said an upcoming five-game road trip will be a good test for his young team. He wasn't happy with the way players responded to their first challenge of games on back-to-back nights, losing at home to Chicago on Wednesday after a win over San Antonio.

The Kings built their big first-half lead on 63.4% shooting (26-of-41), and they finished at 55.3% (42-of-76) overall and 58.1% on 3-point attempts.

The Hawks couldn't keep pace, shooting 9-of-28 behind the arc.

"We're getting 3s, but we're not getting the ones we want," Pierce said. "That will change."

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