Even in his 17th NBA season, Zach Randolph is full of surprises.
The Kings veteran turned back the clock on Friday night, scoring a remarkable 35 points and leading the charge in Sacramento’s 116-109 overtime win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Z-Bo showed out on offense with a variety of scoring methods, finishing strong in his trademark low-post game while also converting five of his nine attempts from beyond the arc. Perhaps none of his makes was as impressive or as crucial as this make in overtime.
Randolph would also tack on a game-high 13 rebounds on the contest, rounding out a standout night. This 35-point performance was Z-Bo’s highest scoring effort since he dropped 32 points back in 2014 with the Memphis Grizzlies. It was also the first time in the Sacramento era that a Kings player aged 35 years or older scored more than 30 points in a contest.
While Randolph set the tone, the younger members of Sactown stepped up in notable ways as well.
Buddy Hield tallied 18 points and seven rebounds, including one of the biggest shots of the game with a clutch three-pointer to tie the game with just 34.1 seconds remaining in regulation.
This capped off a late Sacramento run to erase an nine-point deficit that was facing the Kings with just over three minutes to go.
Frank Mason III came up big with his 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, making key plays in crunch time for the squad - including this hesitation that faked Jrue Holiday to help seal the victory in overtime.
This win gave Sactown a strong 2-2 finish to a four-game road stint as the Kings head home for a two-game swing, starting on Sunday when they host the Toronto Raptors.
In their last five road contests, Sacramento has notched wins in three, including the Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, and Friday’s triumph over New Orleans.