Mikal Bridges tried to put the Nets on his back in the final minutes of Thursday’s game against the Kings.
The Nets attempted to come back from a 17-point second-half deficit and a nine-point hole with 5:14 left in the fourth quarter, and Bridges scored seven consecutive points to keep the Nets in the game.
But a Malik Monk 3-pointer and a De’Aaron Fox offensive rebound helped seal a 101-96 win for Sacramento.
After surviving a rough five-game road trip, the Nets returned to Brooklyn, where they faced another stiff test in the Kings.
They were prepared for the 1-2 punch of Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
Sabonis dominated for the first half, and Fox starred in the second in the Nets’ second straight loss.
It was a disappointing start to a four-game homestand for the Nets (39-31) against four teams that look to be bound for the postseason.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn said before the game he was wary of facing the Kings (42-27), who have the top offense in the league.
He was right to be concerned.
“They have two All-Stars [Sabonis and Fox], and they play like that every night,’’ Vaughn said. “Sabonis can dictate the offense and push it.”
He pushed around the undersized Nets and helped spark a 13-0 run at the end of the first half that broke open what had been a tie game.
The Nets got back into the game with 10 straight points to cut the deficit to six with 4:11 to go in the third.
Sacramento built another 13-point lead in the third, and the Nets cut it back to five with a Nic Claxton with 6:42 left.
Royce O’Neale missed a 3-pointer that would have made it a two-point game.
Bridges hit two straight jumpers and a free throw to get the Nets back to within five, and Cam Johnson’s 3-point attempt rimmed out with 3:42 left.
It came after the Nets faded in the second half of their last game on the trip in Oklahoma City.
The Nets opened up a nine-point lead in the first quarter, highlighted by 10 early points from Bridges.
But Bridges didn’t score again for the rest of the half and Sacramento went on a 10-0 run to take the lead, with Sabonis dominating inside.
Sabonis scored seven straight points for the Kings late in the second quarter, as Sacramento took the lead.
In the process, Nic Claxton picked up his third foul before the half.
It was part of another 13-0 run by Sacramento, as the Kings took a 54-41 lead into the second half, their largest advantage of the game.
The Nets were also outrebounded, 32-22, in the first half. Sabonis had 12 boards to go along with his 20 first-half points.
Fox heated up in the third quarter with a pair of quick 3-pointers.
The Nets have to recover quickly, with Denver — struggling, but still leading the Western Conference — coming to Brooklyn on Sunday.
Vaughn acknowledged how crucial this stretch of games is to the Nets, trying to stay out of the play-in round.
“It’s important with where we are in the season,’’ Vaughn said. “Each game, can we put four quarters together? Because if you don’t this week, you’ll definitely pay for it.”
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