Kings Simply Beasts for East

The Sacramento Kings built another big lead in coasting to their eighth consecutive victory.

Peja Stojakovic scored 25 points in Sacramento’s 105-92 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday night, the Kings’ 17th win in a row at home and 24th straight at Arco Arena against Eastern Conference teams.

Sacramento, 10-0 at home this season, led 60-28 at halftime, two nights after taking a 54-28 halftime lead over Houston en route to a 29-point victory.

“Obviously the first half we were just terrific at both ends of the court,” King Coach Rick Adelman said. “We passed the ball so well, and we were so unselfish. We really did a nice job defensively.”

The Kings haven’t lost to an Eastern Conference team at home since falling to Indiana on March 3, 2002.

“Eastern teams only come here once a year and don’t have a feel for playing here,” said Brad Miller, who came to Sacramento in an off-season trade with Indiana. “I think they get caught up in the crowd and the noise and just don’t play well.”

Miller certainly played well, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Vlade Divac had 15 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, Mike Bibby scored 14 points, and Doug Christie had 12.

Stojakovic made all three three-point attempts and scored 17 first-half points. New Jersey shot 29% (13 of 45) in the half and was outscored, 29-12, in the second period.

“I can’t explain how we came out,” Net Coach Byron Scott said.

“We didn’t have the type of energy that you would think that we would have at the beginning of the game. We played with no sense of urgency in the first half.”

Rodney Rogers led New Jersey with 23 points.

New Jersey cut the lead to 12 points several times in the fourth quarter but could get no closer in losing its second consecutive game.

The Nets outscored Sacramento, 38-27, in the third quarter but still trailed 87-66.

“The one thing you can pull from it was we didn’t throw in the towel,” Kidd said.