BBNBA: Malik Monk fills in for De'Aaron Fox nicely, scores 39 in OT win

No De’Aaron Fox? No problem for the Sacramento Kings. They simply relied on Fox’s former Kentucky backcourt running mate, Malik Monk. In an overtime win over the highly-favored Minnesota Timberwolves, Monk dropped a season-high 39 points off the bench. It may have taken him 29 shots to reach that feat, but he also accomplished it in just 33 minutes. Monk also chipped in four rebounds and four assists.

In true Malik Monk fashion, three of his five 3-point makes came in the final five minutes of regulation and overtime. Clutch, as the kids and NBA award presenters might say.

Monk plays a similar role to that of Rob Dillingham for the ‘Cats. Even though he is one of the best scorers on the team, he does not start in favor of providing a scoring threat off the bench. That’s what Rob does now and what he might continue to do in the NBA. And as Monk proved tonight, there’s no shame in that.

Malik Monk got BUCKETS tonight in the Kings OT win 😤🪣

39 PTS (season high)
16-29 FGM
5 3PM
4 AST pic.twitter.com/QrD0G1yvrl

— NBA (@NBA) March 2, 2024

Trey Lyles, the third head in the Sacramento Wildcat triumphant, contributed with a solitary 3-pointer on the night.

On the opposite side of the court, Lyles’ former teammate in Lexington, Karl-Anthony Towns, did not have his best shooting night. The big man scored 19 points but was just 1-7 from behind the arc. He also had six boards and five assists, however, it was not enough to get the best of Malik Monk and the Sacramento Kings.

Tyrese Maxey drops 33 in 76ers win

Malik Monk wasn’t the only former Wildcat to score 30-plus points on 29 shot attempts to help get his team the win on Friday night. Tyrese Maxey also accomplished these specific statistical heroics, dropping 33 in the Philadelphia 76ers win over the Charlotte Hornets.

This marked back-to-back 30-point games for Maxey, as he continues to carry the load for the Sixers with reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid sidelined with an injury. The former ‘Cat also had six rebounds and five assists on the night.

Meanwhile, Nick Richards kept up his perpetual growth for the Charlotte Hornets. The forever-high-potential basketball player has been seeing the proverbial light as of late and Friday was another step up the rungs to glory.

Richards finished with 19 points on 8-9 shooting and had two blocks in his 30 minutes on the floor in a starting role. The former Kentucky big man has now scored double figures in seven of his last 10 games and is making the executives in Charlotte immediately grateful they did not succumb to the allure of the trade deadline when it comes to Richards.

The Hornets may be in immediate tank mode, but they have found some long-term stability in Fourth Year Nick Richards.

Richards bringing down the hammer 🔨 @iamnickrichards | @drpepper pic.twitter.com/AmY1y0CvCA

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) March 2, 2024

Chris Livingston posterized a poor unfortunate soul

It may have happened in the G-League instead of the NBA, but Chris Livingston just put an unsuspecting victim in a body bag on Friday night. Playing alongside TyTy Washington and Wenyen Gabriel for the Wisconsin Herd, Livingston stole the inbounds pass, rose up, and dunked it in the inbounder’s face.

It is unclear what the defender (or the rim) did to him to deserve such violence.

As for the actual game, the Herd’s three former Kentucky players combined for 58 of the team’s 108 points. Livingston finished with 18 points and four steals, Washington had a double-double with 17 points and 11 assists, and Gabriel led the team in both scoring and rebounds with 23 and 12.

OMG, CHRIS LIVINGSTON JUST PUT HIS DEFENDER ON A POSTER! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/HfaWa3MUyX

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) March 2, 2024

Other BBNBA Notes:

• The New Orleans Pelicans blew out the Indiana Pacers out of the gate on Friday, and the early chaos begat more chaos. Oscar Tshiebwe may have only scored three points, but it was three more than All-Star Tyrese Haliburton for the Pacers. To add more insanity, Isaiah Jackson led the Pacers in scoring with 13.
• Coming off a 23-point game on Wednesday, his most as a Dallas Maverick, PJ Washington dropped 17 against the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately for the Mavs, the Celtics had their number all night and came away with a decisive win.
• Ashton Hagans leads the G-League in assists, but he led the Portland Trail Blazers in dimes on Friday night. The former Kentucky guard who has made a sudden resurgence in the NBA with Portland, had five assists, and a Reed Sheppard-like three blocks in Rip City’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies. He even has his own knock-off Stat Muse X account.

BBNBA Statistics for 3/1/2024

Player	Score	PTS	FG (3PT)	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	P/M	MIN
Malik Monk (SAC)	124-120 W vs. MIN	39	16-29 (5-8)	4	4	1	0	2	+1	33
Tyrese Maxey (PHI)	121-114 W vs. CHA	33	11-29 (5-10)	6	5	0	1	0	+19	39
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)	120-124 L vs. SAC	19	7-17 (1-6)	6	5	1	0	3	+1	37
Nick Richards (CHA)	114-121 L vs. PHI	19	8-9 (0-0)	4	1	0	2	0	-9	30
PJ Washington (DAL)	110-138 L vs. BOS	17	7-16 (3-9)	7	0	0	1	0	-22	35
Isaiah Jackson (IND)	102-129 L vs. NOP	13	6-9 (0-0)	11	1	2	0	2	+5	18
Immanuel Quickley (TOR)	105-120 L vs. GSW	12	4-15 (3-11)	5	11	1	1	3	-9	36
Brandon Boston Jr. (LAC)	140-115 W vs. WAS	7	3-4 (0-0)	0	0	0	0	0	+1	5
Ashton Hagans (POR)	122-92 W vs. POR	6	2-5 (0-0)	2	5	1	3	1	+22	24
Trey Lyles (SAC)	124-120 W vs. MIN	3	1-3 (0-2)	5	2	0	1	0	0	19
Oscar Tshiebwe (IND) [Two-way]	102-129 L vs. NOP	3	1-3 (0-0)	2	0	0	1	0	+8	5
De’Aaron Fox (SAC)	124-120 W vs. MIN	DNP-Knee
TyTy Washington (MIL)	113-97 W vs. CHI	DNP-G League
Chris Livingston (MIL)	113-97 W vs. CHI	DNP-G League
Shaedon Sharpe (POR)	122-92 W vs. MEM	DNP-Core

Today in the NBA

3:00: Hawks @ Nets
5:00 (NBA TV): Jazz @ Heat (Herro, Adebayo)
8:00: Trail Blazers (Sharpe: Out, Hagans) @ Grizzlies
8:30 (ABC): Nuggets (Murray) @ Lakers (Davis, Vanderbilt: out)
9:00: Rockets @ Suns (Booker)