Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica demonstrated why he was the organization’s biggest offseason acquisition over a brief stretch of the second quarter in the preseason home opener against Maccabi Haifa, helping his team turn a lackluster start into a 132-100 victory Monday night at Golden 1 Center.
Bjelica started in his Kings debut after missing the first three preseason games with a sore knee, posting 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots in 18 minutes. He didn’t do much in the first quarter but returned to do a little bit of everything in the second period, making plays at both ends of the floor to spark a 20-5 run that gave the Kings a 19-point lead.