Kings clinch first winning season in 17 years, Pacers beat Bucks

MIAMI: The Sacramento Kings ensured their first winning season in 17 years with a 101-96 win at the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.

The Kings now have a 42-27 record, are second in the Western Conference and are on course for their first post-season appearance since 2006.

Domantas Sabonis had 24 points and 21 rebounds on a night when Sacramento’s defense delivered.

The Kings allowed the Nets zero fast break points and no second-chance points as they frustrated a Nets team that are now just a game and a half ahead of the seventh place Miami Heat in the East.

Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said his counterpart Mike Brown had done a remarkable job to turn around the franchise.

“I told him that he had my vote for coach of the year, he has done a heck of a job getting those dudes to the playoffs, 40 wins,” Vaughn said.

“To have that franchise where it is, he deserves a lot of credit,” he added.

The Indiana Pacers boosted their chances of making the play-in for the post-season with a 139-123 upset win at Eastern Conference leaders Milwaukee.

Andrew Nembard scored 24 points while Aaron Nesmith had 22, and Indiana had eight players make double figures.

The injury-depleted Pacers had to recover from a slow start when they trailed 16-5 but they tied the game up in the second quarter before going in 64-55 down at the break.

The Pacers outscored the Bucks 49-37 in the third and 35-22 in the fourth, and although Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 25 points, the All Star captain was left frustrated.

“It was a special second half, our levels of aggression and attitude were much, much better,” said Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle.

“It’s a great win.”

The Western Conference leaders, the Denver Nuggets, snapped a four-game losing streak in