SALT LAKE CITY, March 31 (UPI) -- A free throw by DeMarcus Cousins with 4 seconds left gave Sacramento the lead Friday and the Kings held on to surprise Utah 104-103.
The Jazz suffered an ugly loss at home to the team with the second-worst record in the Western Conference. It was only the seventh Utah loss on its own court this season.
The setback dropped the Jazz a game behind Houston and Denver in the race for the final two playoff berths in the Western Conference.
It was a close game throughout and Utah took a two-point lead on Al Jefferson's layup with 1:17 to play. The Jazz did not score again.
Isaiah Thomas tied it by making two free throws with 31 seconds remaining and, after Utah's Alex Burks committed a turnover, Cousins was fouled by Earl Watson.
Cousins missed his first attempt but made the second to account for the final score.
Gordon Hayward then missed a contested layup for the Jazz and Derrick Favors failed on a tip-in try.
Sacramento had lost four in a row and won on the road for only the fifth time this season.
Cousins led the Kings with 27 points and Marcus Thornton had 26. Al Jefferson scored 27 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for Utah.
