Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis lead Kings to 128-107 win over Trail Blazers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 29 points and Domantas Sabonis finished with 22 points, 19 rebounds and six assists Thursday night to help the Sacramento Kings beat the Portland Trail Blazers 128-107 and snap a four-game skid.

LaVine made 13 of 18 from the field and Sabonis was 9-of-11 shooting for the Kings. DeMar DeRozan had 21 points and 10 assists, Keegan Murray scored 17 points and Malik Monk 16.

Deni Avdija had 24 points and nine rebounds, Shaedon Sharpe scored 22 points and Anfernee Simons had 20. Duop Reath scored a season-high 17.

Trail Blazers: Avdija, a 6-foot-9 forward acquired from the Washington Wizards last June in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, the 14th pick in the 2024 NBA draft (Bub Carrington) and a 2029 first-round pick, continued his stellar March. The 24-year-old is averaging nearly 23 points and more than 10 rebounds in 12 games this month while shooting nearly 50% from the field and better than 46% from 3-point range.

Kings: Sacramento moved a half-game ahead of the Dallas Mavericks into sole possession of ninth in the Western Conference standings with about 2 1/2 weeks left in the regular season. The Kings lead the 11th-place Phoenix Suns by a game.

Keon Ellis hit a 3-pointer and Monk made another in a 12-2 second-quarter run that gave the Kings a 45-29 lead and Portland trailed by at least nine points the rest of the way.

The Kings shot 64.9% (48 of 74) and scored 60 points in the paint, while the Trail Blazers made 35 of 88 (39.8%) from the field.

The Trail Blazers play the second of five consecutive road games when they take on the Knicks on Sunday. The Kings kick off a six-game road trip Saturday against the Orlando Magic.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) goes up for a shot as Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) drives to the basket as forward Domantas Sabonis (11) screens Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Sacramento Kings center Jonas Valanciunas (17) goes up for a layup over Portland Trail Blazers center Duop Reath, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) looks to pass around Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) drives to the basket around Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups walks on the court during a timeout in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan, right, drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) goes up for a dunk during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

The mortgage company Rocket is buying competitor Mr. Cooper in an all-stock deal valued at $9.4 billion, just weeks after acquiring real estate listing company Redfin.

Rocket Cos. said Monday that bringing Mr. Cooper Group Inc. into the fold will create a business representing one in every six mortgages in the United States and give it almost 7 million additional clients. The deal will boost loan volumes, the company said, while lowering client acquisition costs.

“By combining Mr. Cooper and Rocket, we will form the strongest mortgage company in the industry, offering an end-to-end homeownership experience backed by leading technology and grounded in customer care," Mr. Cooper Chairman and CEO Jay Bray, who will become president and CEO of Rocket Mortgage, said in a statement.

The U.S. housing market has been slumping for years with homebuyers, and sellers, buffeted by soaring mortgages rates and sky high prices that have put homes out of reach for many Americans.

Companies like Rocket, which is on an acquisition streak, are attempting to create more of a one-stop shopping experience for frazzled would-be homebuyers.

Bray will report to Rocket Cos. CEO Varun Krishna.

Mr. Cooper shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 11 Rocket shares for each share of Mr. Cooper common stock. Mr. Cooper is based in Coppell, Texas.

Rocket shareholders will own approximately 75% of the combined company, while Mr. Cooper stockholders will own about 25%. The combined company's board will have 11 members, with nine being from Rocket and two from Mr. Cooper.

Earlier this month Rocket, based in Detroit, announced that it was buying Redfin in an all-stock deal worth $1.75 billion.

Redfin, which was founded in 2004, has more than 1 million for sale and rental listings on its online platform.

The National Association of Realtors announced this month that existing home sales rose 4.2% in February from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.26 million units. That was in part thanks to easing mortgage rates and more properties on the market encouraging home shoppers.

The U.S. housing sales began to slump in 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.

FILE - A Rocket Companies sign is displayed on the exterior of the New York Stock Exchange, Aug. 6, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, file)

FILE - A for sale sign stands outside a single-family home Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)