INDIANAPOLIS - The Sacramento Kings used free throws to survive a cold start until their shooting heated up and they put an end to their eight-game losing skid. Custom Toronto Raptors Jerseys .Rudy Gay led the way with 31 points, his second 30-plus total of the season, and a trio of 20-plus-point scorers helped the Kings hold off the late-charging Indiana Pacers 99-94 on Saturday night.We needed to get a win, a tough road win, Sacramento coach Tryrone Corbin said. We were able to stick it out at the end and get it.Darren Collison, who scored 12 points in the first quarter, finished with 23, and Cousins earned his 28th double-double of the season with 20 points and 19 rebounds despite fouling out late in the fourth quarter.The struggling Kings (17-29) needed their early dominance to fend off the Pacers.The Kings overcame a poor 1 of 7 shooting to open the game by driving the lane and drawing fouls. They were 6 of 6 from the line in the opening 12 minutes.Then they caught fire, finishing the quarter shooting 9-15 to build a 30-12 lead on a jumper from Gay with 1:53 to play.Sacramento outscored the Pacers 34-21 in the first and continued building the lead into the second. Midway through the period, DeMarcus Cousins made a pair of free throws to give the visitors a 55-32 lead, the largest of the game.Indiana eventually came charging back with some late free throws to cut the lead to 93-89. With less than 10 seconds to play, George Hill, who had 14 points, made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 97-94. But Gay sealed the win from the line.Pacers coach Frank Vogel has said Indiana would struggle against talented wing players without its top defender on the floor.(Gay) is just a great scorer, he said. This is one of those nights where we miss Paul George.George was lost in August when he broke his right leg during a pre-FIBA World Cup intrasquad exhibition game.What really helped set the tone was the three primary guys getting off to a good start, Cousins said. Then the guys took the lead behind that. Once we got going, everybody got into the flow.But, as the scoring margin began to narrow, the momentum seemed to be shifting to the Pacers.Hill came off the bench and scored seven points during a 12-2 run in the second quarter to help the Pacers cut into the 23-point deficit. From the start of the run to the games conclusion, the Pacers outscored the Kings 59-42.David West and Roy Hibbert were the lone starters to have much of a scoring impact. West finished with 17, and Hibbert, 11.Indiana held a 56-11 bench scoring advantage.But down the stretch, Sacramentos big three led the way, scoring 19 of the Kings 20 final points.I think we did a good job executing down the stretch and staying poised, Cousins said. We had a little adversity and we didnt get rattled and finished the game out strong.TIP-INSKings: The starting five from Saturdays game (Gay, Thompson, Cousins, McLemore, Collison) are now 13-14 overall and were 0-5 during the now shelved eight-game losing streak. Since Tyrone Corbin took over the head coaching duties on Dec. 15, the Kings are 6-16, using seven different lineups.Pacers: The injury bug strikes again as Vogel said during his pregame interview that Lavoy Allen would miss time due to a right knee strain. ... Vogel indicated that Saturdays game would likely be the last minute-restricted game for Hill, who is recovering from a sore left groin.THE REPLACEMENTThe NBA announced on Friday that Cousins will replace the injured Kobe Bryant on the Western Conference All-Star team. The four-year veteran will make his first All-Star Game appearance and it is the first time a Sacramento player will participate in one since 2004.UP NEXT:Kings: Host Warriors on TuesdayPacers: Host Pistons on Wednesday. Anthony Parker Jersey . The Union looked to have grabbed a big win in the 88th minute when Amobi Okugo finally put the hosts in front. But a terrible giveaway by Union goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi handed Earnshaw the equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time, keeping the Union two points back of fifth-place Red Bull New York for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Fake Raptors Jerseys . New York secured second place in the Metropolitan Division when the Philadelphia Flyers lost at Tampa Bay later Thursday. The Rangers will face either the Flyers or Columbus in the opening round of the post-season. The Rangers struggled throughout against the lowly Sabres and goalie Matt Hackett, who played in just his seventh NHL game of the season. https://www.cheapraptors.com/783a-shamorie-ponds-jersey-raptors.html . "Youre not really spending time to sit back and analyze what your competitions doing and things like that," Anthopoulos said. "Youre so focused on what were trying to get done." Ultimately, while the landscape around them changed with trades both major and minor, the Blue Jays did nothing before Thursdays non-waiver deadline.VANCOUVER -- Trevor Linden hadnt spoken to Jim Benning in 25 years before interviewing his former teammate for the Vancouver Canucks vacant general managers position. It didnt take long for the pair to realize they shared a blueprint for what it will take get the franchise back on track. In his first significant hire since being named the Canucks president of hockey operations last month, Linden officially introduced Benning as the teams 11th general manager on Friday, two days after the club announced the move. "I wanted a builder with similar views that could help us set up the Vancouver Canucks for the next decade and beyond," Linden said at a press conference at Rogers Arena. "What really became apparent during our interviews is how much we connected on our vision and our values and how we see winning organizations in the National Hockey League." Linden and Benning played together with the Canucks for two seasons when the former was just starting his career and the latter was seeing his wind down. "Trevor was a teammate 25 years ago, but when I interviewed with Trevor, I thought we shared the same values and principles," said Benning, who has spent the last seven seasons as an assistant GM with the Boston Bruins. "Hes cut from the same cloth I am. Hes going to work hard, hes going to do everything that he can do to make the organization successful, so I wanted to tie myself to somebody that had the same thoughts and beliefs that I did." The Canucks fired president and general manager Mike Gillis and head coach John Tortorella in the wake of a nightmarish 2013-14 season that saw the club tumble down the standings and miss the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. Tortorella spent just one campaign behind the bench after his puck-pressure, shot-blocking style woefully failed to mesh with a Vancouver roster that had been more free-wheeling under former head coach Alain Vigneault. Apart from preparing for the NHL draft where the Canucks hold the sixth pick at the end of June, Benning will be looking to hire a coach that shares his and Lindens thought process on how the game should be played. "This organization needs to play an up-tempo, fast-skating, skilled game," said the 51-year-old Edmonton native. "Before last season, this team had almost a relentless attitude about them that they were going to skate and to wear teams down and to score, and for whatever reason that didnt happen last year." Benning was one of the architects of a Bruins organization that defeated the Canucks in seven games in the 2011 Stanley Cup final. He said he had never heard of the "Boston model" in terms of building a team before arriving in Vancouver, but added that he wants the Canucks to incorporate younger players into the lineup with a level of both physicality and skill. "We want to become a four-line team," said Benning. "You watch the playoffs now, the final four teams that are playing, they have four lines that contribute. We want our third and fourth lines to have an important role in the team winning. "We have some work to do there in getting to that point, but we want to be a four-line, six-(defencemen) complete team." Tortorella leaned hard on Vancouvers top players and it cost the team in the second half of season when injuries and fatigue started to pile up. With that in mind, Benning said he specifically wants more out of the clubs bottom-six forwards. "Im not talking about fighting, but Im talking about between the whistles getting in on the forecheck, hitting, playing with a little bit more grit to take some of the heat off the first two liness," said Benning. Raptors Jerseys China. "Theyre skill guys and let them play, but when the third and fourth line plays, lets get some offensive zone time and spend some time in the other teams end." Tortorella criticized the Canucks roster as being "stale" and in need of new blood in his last press conference before getting axed by Linden, but Benning said that despite last seasons performance, he still believes the core group of veterans can be part of a quick turnaround. "Theyre high-character people. When Trevor did the exit meetings with them, they felt bad about what happened this last year," said Benning. "Were going to try and help them out by having more depth on our roster, playing four lines and (hiring the right coach). "Some of the players, for whatever reason, just didnt have a good year last year. Its a good team, its a talented team and I feel confident that these guys are going to have a good year next year." The Canucks have been criticized for a poor draft record in recent years, however Benning pointed to 2013 first-round pick Bo Horvat as an example of a player who might be ready to step in. "I think hes a player that is going to be an important guy around here for us going forward," said Benning. "Vancouver plays in maybe the toughest division in the league. To win our division and keep going, were going to have to go through the (L.A. Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks). "Theyre big heavy teams so when we talk to our scouting staff, one of our mandates is Lets try to get a little bit bigger, lets get a little more rugged so we can play both styles -- we can play a skilled skating style when need be, but when its a rugged physical game, we can play that game, too." Linden made a point of thanking the Bruins for allowing Benning to leave the club prior to the NHL draft, a situation that could have made for some uncomfortable conversations. "I was surprised that it wasnt a longer process. It actually moved quicker than I thought it would," said Linden. "I know it was not an easy situation to have someone knocking on your door wanting to talk to someone whos important to your organization." The Canucks job is Bennings first as a general manager and he said he has a type of coach in mind for his new team. While past success is key, experience in the league is not necessarily a prerequisite. "We want a coach thats firm but fair (and) has good communication skills so he can relate to the players," said Benning. "We want a coach thats going to play a structured style of game when we dont have the puck, but give the players the freedom to skate and create when they do have the puck." Meanwhile, a number of Canucks have no-movement clauses in their contracts, but Benning said those should not be an impediment to improving the roster. "Weve got to do whats right for the organization," said Benning. "If we feel that we need to approach a player about asking him to waive his no-trade clause, were willing to do that. "I want to do everything I can to make this team successful. Its a different style team than Boston, but that doesnt mean the recipe for building the teams going to be any different." Notes: Apart from helping to shape a Bruins Cup-winning team in 2011, Bennings managerial resume also includes 12 seasons with Buffalo Sabres, with eight of those spent as that clubs director of amateur scouting. ... Selected sixth overall by Toronto in the 1981 NHL draft, Benning played nine seasons with the Maple Leafs and Canucks, collecting 52 goals and 191 assists in 610 career games. ' ' '