De’Aaron Fox appeared to be headed for an unsatisfactory performance during Friday night’s game in Phoenix, Arizona.

The fourth quarter of the match then started.

During the last 12 minutes of a 114-106 victory over the Phoenix Suns, the NBA’s reigning Clutch Player of the Year put the Sacramento Kings on his back. Fox scored 23 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter—a career-high for points scored in a quarter—to lead his team to victory.

Fox was the driving force for Sacramento late in a night when the Kings offense had a rocky start. With his ninth 10+ point fourth quarter of the season, Fox tied for the NBA lead.

With the victory, Sacramento (12-8) overcame their loss to New Orleans in the NBA In-Season Tournament on Monday and achieved its best 20-game start since the Kings’ 14-6 campaign in 2004–05.

Although the game was close throughout the second half, Fox’s heroic performance in the last moments gave Sacramento a much-needed victory over the undermanned Suns club on Friday night.

Here’s how the Kings defeated Arizona to earn their 12th victory of the year.

Looking at Phoenix’s injury report for Friday, one may assume that the Kings would have an easy time winning because Kevin Durant (ankle sprain), Bradley Beal (lower back pain), and Grayson Allen (groin strain) are out.

It goes without saying that everyone who has followed Sacramento Kings basketball over the previous three to four seasons is aware of the team’s inability to win games against weaker opponents for whatever reason.

Devin Booker soon demonstrated that Phoenix wasn’t going to give the Kings an easy ride in this one, even though two of the Suns’ three stars were out.

The Suns led 59–50 at the half as Booker scored 18 points in the first half and assisted in a 15–3 surge that closed the half.

Three-point shooting hit Sacramento again during Monday’s loss to New Orleans, as the Kings finished the game seven of thirty (23%) from three points range after beginning the contest seven of eleven (63%) from three points range.

Sacramento’s problems started early, as the Kings ended the first half shooting six of 24 (or 25%) from beyond the arc.

Even though De’Aaron Fox was having trouble finding his offensive rhythm, the game was still in the balance at the half because to some impressive play from the bench, which included nine points from Sasha Vezenkov in the first half.

Phoenix had the Kings down nine points at the half thanks to the scoring prowess of Booker and veteran guard Eric Gordon (14 points in the first half). Sacramento kept trying, but to no avail, to shoot its way out of the difficulties.

You need only look to the third quarter to find out when the Kings offense will wake up.

Sacramento’s shooting started to pick up in the third quarter as they overcame a difficult start to the game by making four of their six three-point tries.

Malik Monk, backup guard Keon Ellis, and the Sacramento bench all contributed to the Kings’ 33–12 victory over the Suns in the third quarter, which saw them limit Phoenix to just six–of–23 (26%) field goal attempts.

After the third quarter concluded, the once listless Sacramento offense had taken an 83-71 advantage into the fourth quarter.

Even though the Kings had a strong finish to the third quarter, Booker and the Suns responded strongly to start the fourth.

With six minutes remaining in the quarter, Booker and Phoenix put pressure on Sacramento by cutting the lead to six points.

Fox made the decision to go all out and end the game as soon as the Suns were back within striking distance.

Fox scored seven straight points to give the Kings some breathing room after Phoenix narrowed the lead to 96-90. With a little over a minute remaining, Fox buried a three-pointer to give Sacramento a 112-98 lead, thereby ending that seven-point run.

When the game was close, Fox did what he does best—he gave the “Beam Team” the winning blow.

In addition to four rebounds and seven assists in 35 minutes, Fox completed the game with 34 points on 11 of 24 shooting, four of seven from three-point range, and eight of ten from the free-throw line.

The 25-year-old is becoming one of the NBA’s top scorers, and it’s the games like Friday that matter most—even when he can’t get the job done because the shots aren’t falling in early.