The match resumes and goes on, and we are tied 63 everywhere when Hector comes back into play. Hector blocks a layup by Gobert.
Wharton thought about how to win this match and decided to take Hector out. He decides to talk to her because he does not want to demoralize the young Venezuelan:
"Listen, Hector. I have a mission for you in the last quarter. You will play then. Getting closer to painting makes sure to deter opponents from trying to layup. And don't shoot 3PT like you've been doing since the beginning. »
We enter the final quarter; the Kings lead by one point, 80-81. As promised, Holmes was replaced by Hector.
10:45 Hector blocks a Mitchell layup.
10:29 Hector makes an alley-oop dunk, Fox to the assist. Fox again puts him in a magnificent layup. The Kings are ahead 88-95.
Now he knows he must be careful. Hector grabbed two rebounds but also made two personal fouls. He is on his fourth foul.
Mitchell of the Jazz is a player of the same class as Fox. The Nuggets drafted him with pick 13 before being traded to the Utah Jazz. He's also a near-all-star shooting guard who averaged almost 24 points last season.
He put in a floating jump shot and made an assist for Conley at 3PT to bring the Jazz back to within 4 points. The score was 93-97.
Mitchell and Conley got free throws. The two put only one of the two.
After another midrange by Mitchell, the score is tied 97-97, with 1:44 left to play, and the Kings need to make a basket.
The Kings need a defensive stop with 58.0 remaining, less than a minute into play. Mitchell misses a 3PT. Hector recovers the rebound and gives the ball to Fox, who tries to penetrate under the basket. Seeing the path block, he sees Hector on the line of 3PT and makes the pass. Hector, who has not managed a 3PT so far, fired directly. 97-100.
Mitchell attempts a pick and rolls with Gobert and manages to give him an alley-oop pass, and Gobert dunks!
99-100!
The possession, according to Fox, missed his layup, and the Kings took a timeout.
Wharton asks his players to prevent the cost of shooting at 3PT. But Mitchell is an intelligent man 2 points are enough. He enters the critical zone, and seeing Hector, he shoots from the free throw line. 101-100!
Utah goes back in front. Sacramento has no choice; they bring their best shooters on the field. Bogdanovic, Bjelica and Hield return in place of Ariza, Joseph, and Holmes. There are only 10 seconds left to play, and they must score at all costs to win.
Hector makes the inbound pass to Fox, who is looking for a solution because he can't shoot. Bjelica managed to stand out but shot under pressure and missed his shot, but God decided otherwise.
Harrison Barnes scored on an offensive rebound with 2.9 seconds remaining after Nemanja Bjelica's missed 3-pointer, and the Sacramento Kings won their first game of the season, beating the Utah Jazz 102-101.
The Kings have finally won. Hector breathes a sigh of relief. It was tight; saying it is a miracle is not a lie. Who would have a bet to succeed in this way? All Kings players are relieved, and so is Wharton. Although he is not in an ejection seat, he should be wary.
Hector chatted with Gobert for a while and returned to the locker room with a light heart and victorious this time.