Trail Blazers Defeat Kings 115-106 to Stay Alive in NBA Cup

Deandre Ayton led Portland with 26 points, while Sacramento's injury struggles deepened in their third straight tournament loss.

Deandre Ayton scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds to power the Portland Trail Blazers to a key NBA Cup victory over the Sacramento Kings.
Portland improved to 2-1 in West Group A standings, staying in contention to advance, while Sacramento fell to 0-3 and was eliminated from the group stage.
The Kings were plagued by injuries, with DeMar DeRozan, Trey Lyles, and Kevin Huerter sidelined, the latter leaving the game early with a right ankle injury.
Domantas Sabonis recorded his fourth triple-double of the season with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, but Sacramento struggled with turnovers and points in the paint.
Portland's balanced offense included strong performances from Anfernee Simons, Deni Avdija, and Dalano Banton, who contributed 17 points and a career-high five steals off the bench.