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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Tyreke Evans scored a career-high 32 points and the Sacramento Kings held off the Utah Jazz for a 104-99 victory Saturday night in their first game without high-scoring guard Kevin Martin.
Evans, the fourth overall pick in the June draft, became the focal point of the Kings' offense in place of Martin, who averaged 30.6 points in the first five games. Martin will have surgery Monday to repair a fracture in his left wrist.
The Kings relied on Evans creating off the dribble along with drive-and-kicks to perimeter players standing ready to shoot at the 3-point line. Evans made 16 of 19 free throws as he repeatedly drew fouls on his way to the basket.
The Kings led by 20 points in the fourth quarter before Deron Williams' 3-pointer sparked a comeback attempt. Williams, who had 29 points and 15 assists, found Mehmet Okur for a 3-pointer to trim the lead to five at 97-92 with 58.6 seconds left.
But the Kings grabbed two offensive rebounds in the final minute and the Jazz ran out of time.
Evans scored just three of the Kings' 127 points earlier this week against Memphis in their only other win this season, but showed he has the offensive firepower to step into Martin's role while he is out six to eight weeks.
Beno Udrih got loose for two layups in the final 1:08 and finished with 15 points while Andres Nocioni added 14 for Sacramento. Nocioni had four 3-pointers as the Kings made 11 of 19 from beyond the arc.
Carlos Boozer had 16 points and 17 rebounds, and Okur added 16 points for the Jazz. Utah lost for the third time in the last four games.
After the Jazz scored the first five points of the second half, the Kings ran off 19 consecutive points, capped by a 3-pointer by Evans.
The Jazz finally ended their drought, which included 10 straight empty possessions, when Paul Millsap made a layup.
But the Kings weren't finished. Udrih made another 3-pointer to finish the astounding 26-2 run with 1:44 left in the third quarter.
The Jazz swept the Kings last season and seemed poised to hand them another blowout as Utah led by as many as 15 in the first half. But Sacramento closed the gap and the teams went into halftime knotted at 55.
NOTES: Evans went to the locker room briefly in the third quarter after Williams shoulder hit his jaw on a drive and left him with a bloody mouth. ... Evans' previous scoring high was 22 in the second game of the season at New Orleans. ... The Jazz outscored the Kings in the paint 50-32.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
