Sacramento Kings

Mavs hold off Kings 102-100

2011-02-11T05:21:49Z

The Sacramento Kings hosted the streaking Dallas Mavericks, who were riding a 10-game winning streak going into Wednesday night's game.

The Kings fought valiantly to erase an 11-point deficit, but Jason Terry and José Barea helped spark the Mavs to an 11th straight victory, beating the Kings 102-100.

Terry stepped up off the bench in the wake of Dirk Nowitzki’s poor shooting night by scoring a game-high 20 points. Barea, who averages nine points per game from the bench, scored 15 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to help hold off the Kings.

“He’s one of the quickest players in the league,” Kings coach Paul Westphal said of Barea. “He can shoot. They set a lot of screens for him. He can get going like that sometimes.”

Both teams had great production from their bench. The Kings’ bench produced 42 points while Dallas’ bench had 58 points. Terry and Barea tied the point production from the Kings’ bench.

Kings guard Tyreke Evans was one assist shy of a triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds and a team-high nine assists. Samuel Dalembert finished with a team-high 20 points.

DeMarcus Cousins finished with 19 points and a team-high 15 rebounds, but he received the first ejection of his career. Cousins was tangled with Mavs center Tyson Chandler and became heated.

A double technical foul was assessed to both players for the altercation but it was second technical foul of the night and he was ejected. Cousins said that the officials did not explain why he was given the technical fouls.

“I didn’t say anything,” he said regarding the first technical foul. “I don’t know what I (did). I mean, if they felt it was a technical, then it was a technical.”

Since beating the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Hornets on back-to-back nights, the Kings lost four straight games at home to playoff-caliber teams, keeping the score close in three out of four games.

Dallas outscored the Kings by 17 points in the second quarter to take an eight-point lead into the half. The Kings had the chance to tie at 100 near the end of the game, but Evans’ contested lay-up didn’t fall.

Evans said he was fouled on the wrist by Chandler, but there was no call.

“How (the officials) look at us, we’ll never get those type of calls,” Evans said. “We’ve just got to get better and keep moving on.”

The Kings will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday before leaving on a three-game road trip leading into the All-Star break.

Kings announce 'Here We Rise' campaign

2010-09-16T22:31:35Z

The Sacramento Kings are looking to keep fans excited throughout the upcoming season by launching the season-long "Here We Rise" campaign Thursday afternoon.

Recently, they hung up the largest banner in the history of the Sacramento area on the side of the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) building in West Sacramento that can be seen from Interstate-5.

The 177-foot banner, which features last season's Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans and rookie DeMarcus Cousins, is part of the team's new campaign called.

"'Here We Rise' is a tribute to the Kings and the Sacramento Kings community coming together," Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof said in front of the CalSTRS building. "The team and the city have very bright futures, and we are thrilled to be a part of it. Our best days are definitely ahead of us."

Kings head coach Paul Westphal and President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie were also present for the announcement and shared their thoughts.

"We're looking forward to rising together with the community and bringing back the wildest arena in the NBA," Westphal said about bringing back fans to Arco Arena."

Petrie, who orchestrated the Kings drafting involving Cousins and Evans, talked about his players.

"Our guys have been in, working out consistently over the last couple weeks," he said. "We have a frontline that's bigger, badder and better. We definitely beieve that the seeds of revival have been sown here. We're going to be young, but we're going to be exciting and we're going to be committed."

The "Here We Rise" campaign has already seen online support. The Kings are encouraging fans to use #HereWeRise on Twitter to show their suport of the campaign.

The Kings are also supporting CalSTRS in another way, other than hanging up a nationally recognized banner on the side of the building. The Kings will have a "California Educators' Night" on Nov. 10 when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It should also be noted that the banner is lit by solar-powered lights for travelers to view at night.

The Kings also announced the "Here We Rise Full Season Pass," for $440, the lowest season ticket price in team history. There are only 500 of these passes available.

The team also announced that they'll once again host an open scrimmage on Oct. 3 and bring back "Kings Paint the Town." on Oct. 16 and 17, where fans can meet players at different locations.

In addition, there will be a Kings caravan that will cruise around Sacramento next month.

The Kings are doing a lot of work before the season begins, but they see a bright future ahead.

Kings invite pair of guards to camp

2010-09-04T01:59:31Z

According to a pair of reports from Yahoo! Sports writers Marc Spears and Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter, free agent shooting guards Luther Head and J.R. Giddens will be attending the Sacramento Kings training camp this fall.

Head, 27, is a 6-foot-3-inch, 185-pound guard who has spent five seasons with the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.

His sophomore season was his best, averaging 10.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and one steal per game during the 2006-07 season.

Last season, he played 47 games with the Pacers averaging 7.6 points on 43.8 percent shooting 17.3 minutes per game.

Giddens, 25, is a 6-foot-6-inch, 215-pound guard who spent one and a half seasons with the Boston Celtics before getting traded to the New York Knicks last season. He played only six games his rookie season with the Celtics.

In 11 games with the Knicks Giddens averaged 4.1 points on 48.7 percent shooting and 2.8 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game. He made 73.3 percent of his shots at the rim but missed almost all of his shots outside of the paint.

He also had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in February.

Head and Giddens will fight for the team's fifteenth and final roster spot but playing time won't come easy for either player who makes the roster. The Kings have capable shooting guards in Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih, Francisco García and Antoine Wright.

NBA suspends Evans for reckless driving

2010-08-27T18:54:28Z

The NBA has suspended Tyreke Evans for one game without pay for reckless driving after he was caught speeding up to 130 mph by the California Highway Patrol on Memorial Day.

Evans, who won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award last season, will miss the Kings' first game on Oct. 27 at Minnesota against the Timberwolves but will still be able to play in the preseason games.

Evans was sentenced to three years of informal probation, 80 hours of alternative sentencing and his driver's license was suspended for 30 days after pleading no contest to the offense.

He is also scheduled to appear in one more CHP Smart Start Driving class after participating in his first.

Photo by Vincent Fernandez.

Kings tweak uniforms

2010-08-18T00:06:49Z

Revealed by the NBA on Twitpic, the Sacramento Kings's uniforms will have a different look from the previous two seasons.

The picture shows Kings rookie big man DeMarcus Cousins wearing a Kings road uniform with the numbers centered and a different neck style from last season.

The new look slightly resembles the uniforms the Kings wore from 1995-2002, while keeping the same letter scheme that was used on the previous uniform.

According to Akis Yerocostas from Sactown Royalty, who received an e-mail in April from Kings New Media Manager Andrew Nicholson, the Kings will be participating in a Hardwood Classics night in the upcoming season and the team is working on creating an alternate jersey.

Sacramento is one of seven teams to either change or tweak their uniforms. The other six are the Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks.

Photo by Nathan Carter.

Three Kings preseason games announced

2010-08-07T20:50:35Z

Although the Sacramento Kings haven't announced their preseason schedule, three teams haven revealed their games against the Kings.

The Phoenix Suns will play against the Kings here in Sacramento on Oct. 5 at Arco Arena.

The Kings will travel to Las Vegas, where they will play the Los Angeles Lakers in their annual preseason game at the Thomas & Mack Center on Oct. 13.

The Utah Jazz will wrap up their preseason against the Kings in Salt Lake City on Oct. 22 at EnergySolutions Arena.

Breaking down the new Kings roster

2010-08-04T16:56:39Z

What a difference one off-season makes. In a span of three months, the Sacramento Kings lost six players from last season’s roster and gained seven new players.

It’s a welcome change for a team that’s trying to climb back into the NBA playoffs after being absent the last four years.

Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie and the rest of the staff were busy this summer what the team’s transactions looks like:

Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Samuel Dalembert.
Drafted DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside.
Signed undrafted guard Donald Sloan.
Signed-and-traded Jon Brockman to the Milwaukee Bucks for Darnell Jackson and a 2011 second-round pick.
Signed Antoine Wright and Pooh Jeter.
Did not re-sign Dominic McGuire, Sean May and Ime Udoka.

Overall, the Kings drafted two players, traded for two players and signed three players.

The Kings returning players include Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih, Francisco García, Donté Greene, Omri Casspi, Carl Landry and Jason Thompson.

Head coach Paul Westphal has a new team to work with. Here's an early look at the team's roster:

Key

Positions: PG = Point guard. SG = Shooting guard. G = Both guard positions. SF = Small forward. PF = Power forward. F = Both forward positions. C = Center.

Statistical Categories: PPG = Points per game. RPG = Rebounds per game. APG = Assists. SPG = Steals. BPG = Blocks. MPG = Minutes. (SL) = 2010 Summer League.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Tyreke Evans, G, 6 feet 6 inches, 220 pounds, second year, 20.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.5 SPG.

Evans had a phenomenal rookie season. Not only did he win the Rookie of the Year award, he became the fourth player to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in his first season.

Only 20 years old, he was able to take more shots at the rim per game than any player in the NBA, averaging 8.3 attempts. He averaged five made shots per game at the rim, tying LeBron James at first place.

What’s missing from his offensive repertoire is a jump shot, which is one of his focuses during the summer. If he develops a consistent jumper in his NBA career, he will be unguardable one on one.

An ankle injury knocked him out of contention for the Team USA roster for the FIBA World Championships in Turkey, but he will be ready to go when training camp begins.

Carl Landry, F, 6 feet 9 inches, 248 pounds, fourth year, 16.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG.

Traded to the Kings last season from the Houston Rockets, Landry, 26, is training this off-season to be able to defend the small forward position. At his height he may be an undersized power forward, but he’s proven to be an effective one.

He’s an efficient scorer who can finish at the rim with a dunk, a skill the Kings haven't had in a while. Landry's size and quickness enables him to get past defenders and to the basket.

He also has a good mid-range jump shot inside the arc. He doesn’t rebound the ball well, but the additions of Cousins and Dalembert well fill that void.

Landry is in the last year of his contract, so he should pick up his play like any player looking to land a big payday next summer. Living in a house instead of a hotel room should help too.

Beno Udrih, G, 6 feet 3 inches, 205 pounds, seventh year, 12.8 PPG, 4.6 APG, 1.1 SPG.

Udrih ,28, made an unbelievable 180-degree turn in his performance. He went from his worst season in 2008-09 to his best season in the next.

In the 2008-09 season, his scoring decreased and his turnovers increased, but he enjoyed a career year the season after. He also proved the he could stay healthy, missing only three games last season.

He shot well from just about everywhere on the court, shooting 49.3 percent from the field, tying the New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul for No. 3 in the NBA among guards.

He was also No. 4 in two-point field goal percentage among guards at 53 percent.

His shooting gives him the ability to play both guard positions while Evans is on the floor, and as he enters his third season, it would be a welcome sight for him to improve on his success.

Jason Thompson, PF/C, 6 feet 11 inches, 250 pounds, third year, 13.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1 BPG.

A surprise lottery pick in 2008 by the Kings, Thompson, 24, had a great first two months last season, averaging 15.3 PPG and 9.2 RPG. His play, however, became sporadic, averaging 10.6 PPG and 8 RPG the rest of the season.

Injuring his back and losing the starting power forward job to Landry didn't help either, but he's a potential double-double machine in the future.

Thompson has shown that he can score the ball and rebound and stay healthy throughout the season. He's only missed five games due to injury in his career. He played in all 82 games in his rookie season.

He rebounds the ball well and has a good mid-range jumper, but he needs to work on it from certain areas of the floor.

Through only two seasons, Thompson has shown that he can be an effective player in the NBA.

Omri Casspi, F, 6 feet 9 inches, 224 pounds, second season, 10.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG.

Casspi, 22, came in as a surprise in the NBA. He became the first Israeli to play in the league, the team's best small forward and a superstar back home.

Casspi has shown that he shoot from the wings beyond the arc and on the inside, although his shooting on the left of the basket needs help.

He had a hot start, but fatigue set in as the season progressed. Casspi will have to improve his conditioning to stay on the floor longer.

He’ll also have to improve his free throw shooting, which is odd considering he shoots well from everywhere else on the floor.

Casspi said he feels stronger, having gained 15 pounds, and now weighs 224 pounds, though he's listed at 225 pounds on the roster. His strength gain gives him confidence that he can even guard power forwards.

Recently, Casspi had a sensational game playing for the Israeli national team against Great Britain. He posted 27 points, five rebounds, four steals and five blocks in his team's 86-82 win.

Israel is trying to qualify for EuroBasket 2011.

Donté Greene, F, 6 feet 11 inches, 226 pounds, third season, 8.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.7 BPG.

Traded to the Kings in the summer of 2008 from the Houston Rockets, Greene, 22, has shown progress from his rookie season with the Kings. With the exception of free throw percentage, his stats went up across the board.

He also opted to shoot more shots inside the arc instead of catching and shooting for a three-pointer. He spent time at the shooting guard and power forward positions last season, but he's best suited to play at small forward.

His length and mobility allows him to guard those three positions. He's noticeably taller than the he was the season before as well.

Despite his height and athleticism, he rebounds the ball poorly, but the additions of Cousins and Dalembert will make his rebounding a non-priority.

He and Casspi will battle for the starting small forward job in training camp, but it's a battle that will be good for them and the team.

Francisco García, SG/SF, 6 feet 7 inches, 195 pounds, sixth season, 8.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG.

Drafted in 2005 by the Kings, García, 29, is the last player remaining from the 2006 playoff team, which shows how much the team has changed since he was a rookie.

In the 2009 preseason, he broke his right wrist in a freak weightlifting accident that limited him to 25 games last season. He's missed 74 games in the past two seasons.

Only time will tell if García can play like he did in the season before and be a valuable shooter off the bench.

He made a few key three-point shots in late-game situations in his breakout 2007-08 season and filled in well during the absence of Kevin Martin and Ron Artest.

Even during his own absence on the court last season, García was Casspi's mentor off the court and is known as a vocal leader on the team.

He'll be hoping to take his vocal skills next season not only in the locker room but on the court as well.

THE NEW GUYS

DeMarcus Cousins, C/PF, 6 feet 11 inches, 270 pounds, rookie, 14.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.2 BPG (SL).

There’s no other way to put it. Cousins was a beast in the Las Vegas Summer League.

He showed a variety of skills: scoring in the post, in multiple ways, and from mid-range, rebounding, defending, passing and running the floor. It's no wonder he likes how Pau Gasol plays.

He even hit a game-winning hook shot with 2.9 seconds left in his fourth game. His conditioning came into question after he was noticeably tired, and his performance faltered after playing six games in seven nights.

His on-court maturity has been brought up even before he was drafted, but most forget that he's only 19 years old, turning 20 this month.

His play earned him Rookie of the Month honors for the month of July and turned a lot of heads, including Nike. If he plays like he did in summer league, there no doubt that he will be in the running in the Rookie of the Year race.

Cousins made it clear that he wanted next year's ROY award, and he wants to help the Kings win. Luckily, he has Evans to learn from about the ROY race.

With Evans' ability to get to the basket and Cousins' size and skills around the rim, the duo could be a force in the NBA for a very long time.

Samuel Dalembert, C, 6 feet 11 inches, 250 pounds, ninth season, 8.1 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.8 BPG.

Dalembert, 29, is a big man who’s a defensive specialist. He is one of the best rebounders and shot blockers in the NBA, something the Kings needed the most.

His offensive game is limited to alley-oops and cleanup shots, but he said he was never called to do anything more. It's understandable while he was playing with scorers like Allen Iverson and Andre Iguodala and shooters like Kyle Korver his whole career.

For at least one season, he will have players like Evans and Landry to pick up the scoring load while he does what he does best - playing defense - because that's what he was brought in for.

It's what he's known for around the league.

Like Landry, Dalembert is in a contract year. His play should be at its peak this season to ensure himself that he gets one more big contract.

Antoine Wright, SF/SG, 6 feet 7 inches, 215 pounds, sixth season, 6.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG.

Wright, 26, was one of the last serviceable swingmen in free agency, signing a one-year deal. He can defend shooting guards and small forwards and can shoot the long-range two-pointer.

Basically, he’s Ime Udoka’s replacement, only six years younger.

Playing for a bad Toronto Raptors team, he shot 43 percent within 16-23 feet of the basket. While playing for the playoff-bound Dallas Mavericks the season before, he shot 48 percent from the same distance.

Wright is good insurance if a shooting guard or small forward goes down to injury. It's always good to fill out the positions on the roster. It's better to have an emergency kit you never use than to need one and not have it.

Hassan Whiteside, PF/C, 7 feet, 235 pounds, rookie, 6.8 PPG, 5 RPG, 2.3 BPG (SL).

Whiteside dropped to the Kings in the second round, where they took him at No. 33. A long, lean, athletic shot blocker, he’s a project player who's only 21 years old.

He’s shown athleticism and some offensive prowess on his post moves, which he has worked on with Hakeem Olajuwon, but he’ll need to gain some muscle to be an even more effective player.

However, gaining weight means that he may lose some athleticism.

He’s in trusted hands with coaches Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Truck Robinson and now Cousins' high school coach and the Kings' new assistant coach, Otis Hughley, to help guide him in his first NBA year.

If he adds muscle and polishes his offensive moves, he’ll be a valuable asset for the Kings moving forward

Pooh Jeter, PG, 5 feet 11 inches, 175 pounds, rookie, 14. PPG, 5.4 APG, 1 SPG (SL).

Jeter, 26, played well in Vegas with the Cleveland Cavaliers and previously played in Ukraine, Spain and Israel.

He hit the game-winning three-pointer with 6.9 seconds left against the Chicago Bulls, finishing with 20 points and 7 assists for the game.

While playing in Israel Jeter has shown to be a good on-ball defender, a good shooter and a good floor general. He needs to improve his close outs on shooters and his small size puts him and a disadvantage, but he's only a back-up point guard.

Jeter had played on the Kings’ preseason roster in 2006 and on their summer league team in 2007, but his play this year earned him a one-year deal with the Kings.

Donald Sloan, PG, 6 feet 3 inches, 205 pounds, rookie, 3 PPG, 1 APG (SL).

Although the Kings had interest in him before the draft and signed the 22-year-old to a one-year deal afterward, Sloan did little in summer league to convince the Kings he deserved it.

Sloan was unimpressive in Vegas but he could be on the training camp roster. Reportedly, only $10,000 of Sloan's contract is guaranteed. Maybe that’s why the team brought in Jeter.

The Kings have had mixed results bringing in undrafted point guards at the beginning of the season.

Although they brought in Ronnie Price, who has an established role with the Utah Jazz, Mustafa Shakur has had trouble staying and playing on rosters since they brought him in 2007, and Bobby Brown, who signed in 2008, has seen four teams in two seasons.

Sloan looks to be heading the way of Shakur.

Darnell Jackson, PF, 6 feet 9 inches, 253 pounds, third season, 0.8 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 4.4 MPG.

Jackson was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks for Jon Brockman. At 6 feet 9 inches, Jackson is an undersized power forward whose contract is completely non-guaranteed.

He could be waived by the team at any time for any reason, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he stuck around for training camp. After all, he did pick out No. 41 as his uniform number.

After being drafted by the Miami Heat and traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers the same day, Jackson has seen little floor time in his career. He only played one game for the Bucks after he signed with them.

Looking at all of the new players the Kings have acquired, it's a dramatic change from last season's team, especially from the team the Kings started with at the beginning of the season.

Kings Roster Early November 2009:

C - Spencer Hawes, Kenny Thomas

PF - Jason Thompson, Jon Brockman, Sean May

SF - Desmond Mason, Andres Nocioni, Omri Casspi, Donté Greene

SG - Kevin Martin, Francisco García

PG - Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih, Sergio Rodriguez

Kings' Roster May 2010:

C - Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson

PF - Carl Landry, Jon Brockman, Sean May

SF - Andres Nocioni, Omri Casspi, Donté Greene, Dominic McGuire

SG - Tyreke Evans, Ime Udoka, Francisco García

PG - Beno Udrih

Kings Roster August 2010:

C - Samuel Dalembert, DeMarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside

PF - Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Darnell Jackson

SF - Omri Casspi, Donté Greene

SG - Tyreke Evans, Francisco García, Antoine Wright

PG - Beno Udrih, Pooh Jeter, Donald Sloan

With this roster, the Kings most likely won't make the 2011 playoffs in the highly competitive Western Conference, but the team is taking a step in the right direction.

Ryan Thompson, Jason's younger brother, could be part of the roster too. He was invited to the Kings' training camp this fall, but he's still considering other options.

With a lot of cap space available and an impending lockout next summer, the Kings could be in position to makes some significant moves next summer.

The last time the Kings became competitive in the West was during the NBA Lockout of 1998, when they drafted Jason Williams, traded for Chris Webber and signed Vlade Divac.

After that, the Kings were pretty good and only got better.

Until they do become playoff contenders, the Kings have to build their team, but they've got some good pieces to start with.

Donté Greene photo by Johnathan Mendick.

Rest of the photos by Rob Small.

Kings sign Wright, Jeter

2010-07-24T01:58:58Z

Antoine Wright (above) signed a one-year contract with the Kings.

The Sacramento Kings didn't make a huge splash in the biggest free agent market in NBA history, but they brought in two guards.

First reported yesterday by Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News on his Twitter account, the Kings signed Antoine Wright to a one-year deal today.

The team also signed Eugene "Pooh" Jeter (pronounced Jetter), who played with the Kings summer league team in 2007.

“Antoine Wright and Pooh Jeter are two solid players at their respective positions who will add to our roster’s depth,” Kings’ Vice President of Basketball Operations Wayne Cooper said. “Wright has five years of NBA experience under his belt, and Jeter is coming off of a great summer league showing as he played for Cleveland’s team in Las Vegas.”

Wright, 26, recently played with the Toronto Raptors. He averaged 6.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per game last season.

A swingman listed at 6 feet 7 inches and 215 pounds, Wright was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in 2005 and traded with Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks two seasons later.

Although he's known as a defender and hasn't shot the ball well behind the three-point line, Wright made 46 percent of his two-pointers last season. He also made 45 percent of his long-range two-pointers, something the Kings lacked outside of guard Beno Udrih.

Wright did shoot three-pointers well from the wings, making more than 42 percent of his shots from those those areas.

Jeter, 26, played overseas the past four seasons. A 5-foot-11-eleven-inch, 175-pound point guard, he recently played on the Cleveland Cavaliers' Las Vegas Summer League team, where he averaged 14.8 points and 5.4 assists per game.

These two players are the second and third free agents signed by the Kings this season, but two of seven new players. The team signed undrafted point guard Donald Sloan, who had an unimpressive showcase in the Las Vegas Summer League.

They also traded for Samuel Dalembert from the Philadelphia 76ers and Darnell Jackson from the Milwaukee Bucks and drafted summer league standout DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside.

Here's a look at what the Kings' roster looks like now.

CENTERS: Samuel Dalembert, DeMarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside

POWER FORWARDS: Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Darnell Jackson

SMALL FORWARDS: Omri Casspi, Donte Greene

SHOOTING GUARDS: Tyreke Evans, Francisco Garcia, Antoine Wright

POINT GUARDS: Beno Udrih, Pooh Jeter, Donald Sloan

Kings-Bucks trade in the works

2010-07-20T01:39:45Z

First reported by Dave "Softy" Mahler of Sports Radio 950 KJR-Seattle, the Kings are on the verge of trading undersized power forward Jon Brockman to the Milwaukee Bucks.

According to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, the Kings would receive forward Darnell Jackson and a future second-round pick in return.

Brockman, 23, was extended a qualifying offer by the Kings, but he never signed the offer, missing all of the Kings' summer league action in Las Vegas. He was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers No. 36 overall and traded with Sergio Rodriguez to Sacramento.

Brockman was one of the NBA's most efficient rebounders last season. At six-feet-seven-inches he grabbed an average of 4.1 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per game. He also averaged 2.8 points per game on 53.4 percent shooting.

Given the nickname "The Brockness Monster," Brockman's hustle and scrappiness made him a fan favorite in Arco Arena.

Jackson, 24, was drafted No. 56 overall by the Miami Heat in 2008 and was traded on the same day to the Cleveland Cavaliers. After playing 78 games in two season with the Cavs, he was waived. He was claimed off waivers by the Bucks but only played one game.

Jackson is 6-feet-9-inches and has career averages of 1.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in seven minutes of play per game.

Kings hit Las Vegas for summer league

2010-07-12T06:04:32Z

The Sacramento Kings held its second day of summer league mini-camp Saturday; camp ended Sunday. The team is preparing to play in the Las Vegas Summer League

Omri Casspi, Donte Greene and newly signed Donald Sloan were the only players on the Kings’ regular season roster to participate in the first practice of the day.

Notably missing was the Kings No.1 pick, DeMarcus Cousins. He was hit by Steven Hill in training camp on Friday, resulting in a cracked tooth and a cut lip.

He showed up for practice later in the morning and worked on his shooting. Summer league head coach Mario Elie said that he Cousins would participate in the second practice on Saturday.

Wayne Chism didn’t practice either, because of an abdominal strain.

Although Sloan has a contract with the Kings, Devan Downey said he is glad to have a chance to showcase his skills for the Kings.

“I can show my speed and quickness,” he said. “My ability to shoot the ball, score the ball, be a pest on defense, but mostly just my speed and quickness.”

Sylven Landesberg, a 6-foot-6-inch guard, put his ball-handling skills on display when he switched from shooting guard to point guard.

He said that although he didn’t shoot the ball well, he was able to make good plays. He noted that the two guard positions are different.

“When you’re running shooting guard, you’re making plays from the wing,” he said. “Running the point guard, you have to see the whole court from the top of the key. You have to be more careful with the ball. Those little guards, they‘ll be pressuring you the whole way up.”

Landesberg will be one of eight players on the team competing not only for an invite to the Kings training camp this Fall, but for an invitation to any team.

Before the end of the Saturday, the Kings cut Hill, Tyren Johnson and Jason Ellis from the summer league roster. The roster now stands at 13 players. The team has its first game Monday against the Detroit Pistons.

Sacramento Kings summer league schedule

Kings draft DeMarcus Cousins

2010-06-25T13:33:02Z

The Sacramento Kings selected Kentucky's DeMarcus Cousins with the fifth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Cousins, a 6-foot-11-inch 290-pound center, spent only one year with the Wildcats averaging 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in 23.5 minutes per game. He was a first-team All-American, named to the John R. Wooden All-American team, and was named SEC Freshman of the Year.

Cousins had 20 double-doubles out of 38 games. His best game as a Wildcat came against Sam Houston State posting career highs of 27 points and 18 rebounds. He'll add size to the Kings, a team whose big men include Jason Thompson, Carl Landry, Jon Brockman and newly acquired Samuel Dalembert.

Cousins hopes he'll become a physical presence for his new team and hopes to be the 2010-11 NBA Rookie of the Year.

"I'm trying to bring the team back to (the) Chris Webber and Mike Bibby days," Cousins said on the phone from New York City. "I think I'll fit in pretty good."

He also said that he and Kings guard Tyreke Evans, who's college coach was John Calapari in Memphis, will make a great inside-outside combination. He's also glad that many of the fans want him in Sacramento.

"It feels great," Cousins said. "If the fans have your back, you got to have the fans back and try to come in and give them what they want."

The Kings also drafted Hassan Whiteside with the 33rd pick in the draft.

Whiteside, a 7-foot, 227-pound forward/center from Marshall University, was considered to be a lottery pick last month. Concerns of his maturity and Attention Deficit Disorder caused him to slip into the second round, where the Kings drafted him.

Whiteside averaged 13.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and an NCAA leading 5.4 blocks in 26.1 minutes per game. He also had the third highest maximum vertical reach in the draft, reaching 12-feet-one-half-inch.

Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, who trained Whiteside for a week, thinks he can pan out.

"He has all the tools, said Olajuwon. “If he gets the right coach that knows that he is a talent and will play him and encourage him, he can come along quickly.”

Kings work out final prospects

2010-06-24T01:32:32Z

As the 2010 NBA Draft approaches the Kings will have some decisions to make regarding who they will take with the fifth and the 33rd picks.

The team hosted Duke's Jon Scheyer, Notre Dame's Luke Harangody, USC's Mike Gerrity, Tulsa's Ben Uzoh, Arkansas' Michael Washington and Azusa Pacific's Dominique Johnson in this morning's workout. All of them were college seniors.

Scheyer played for this year's Duke team that won the 2010 NCAA National Championship. Last season he averaged 18.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

He missed his first workout with the Kings because he had strep throat but the 6-foot-six-inch 180 pound guard says that after his workout with the Phoenix Suns tomorrow, he'll have a total of 10 workouts. He also said that he can play both the point guard and shooting guard positions.

"I played point (guard) in the last two years," Scheyer said. "I feel comfortable playing both (positions) especially with the Kings. A guy like Tyreke Evans can play either spot. You just want to complement guys and play off the other guard, I feel I can do that."

Harangody spent all four years at Notre Dame as a power forward. He averaged 21.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game last season.

His workout with the Kings was his 11th and final workout. At six-foot-eight-inches and 240 pounds, Harangody says that teams say that he may have to play as a small forward at the NBA level. His height and build are considered undersized for the power forward position in the NBA.

Although he says he can play power forward in the league, he's ready to take on a new challenge.

"I feel very comfortable," he said about playing power forward in the NBA. "Obviously, there's going to be nights when there are match-ups are going to be harder than some, but I feel like I can work my way into anything."

Gerrity played under current Kings head coach Paul Westphal when he coached at Pepperdine during the 2005-06 college basketball season. He transferred to Charlotte and played for the team for the 2007-2008 season. He sat out next season after he transferred to USC, where he finished his college career last season.

Gerrity, a six-foot-one-inch 180 pound point guard, averaged 9.3 points and 3.6 assists per game in his one season at USC. He said that he liked reconnecting with his old coach in his only workout.

"It was awesome," he said. "It felt good to just talk to him, catch up and be able to at least have an opportunity to play in front of this organization."

Uzoh, a six-foot-three-inches 196 pound point guard, had his second workout with the Kings. In his senior season he averaged 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Washington, a six-foot-nine inch 239 pound forward, averaged 12.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game as a senior.

Johnson, a six-foot-three-inch 185 pound guard, averaged 17.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season.

As the draft workouts come to an end tomorrow, many players will feel what Scheyer says he will feel on draft night.

"I'll be a little nervous Thursday night," he said about waiting for his name to be called in the draft. "I think I'll get an opportunity and that's what matters most to me."

Kings trade Nocioni, Hawes for Sixers' Dalembert

2010-06-17T21:14:56Z

The Sacramento Kings have traded disgruntled forward Andres Nocioni and third-year center Spencer Hawes to the Philadelphia 76ers for center Samuel Dalembert.

Dalembert, an athletic center known for his rebounding and shot blocking, made NBA headlines this season after his native country of Haiti was struck by a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake in January.

He briefly left the Sixers to visit the country and donated $100,000 to UNICEF to aid relief efforts but he played all 82 games of the season as well as the previous three seasons

There were only two games he didn't start in over 328 games the past four seasons. Those games were the 2009-10 season.

Dalembert averaged 8.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game this season. His best year came during the 2007-08 season, when he averaged 10.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He is one of the league's best rebounders, finishing 12th in the league in rebounds.

He was set to make $12.9 million but will make $14.8 million because of a 15 percent trade kicker in the final year of his contract. He is currently the only Haitian-born player in the NBA.

Nocioni said recently that he won't return to the Kings on the Spanish language website Ole. He had the worst season of his career averaging 8.3 points on 39.9 percent field-goal shooting and three rebounds per game last season and expressed his desire to play for a contending team.

Nocioni was acquired from the Chicago Bulls along with Cedric Simmons in 2008 for Brad Miller and John Salmons. He is slated to make $13.4 million the next two years with a $7.5 million team option the Sixers can pick up in 2012, which is unlikely.

Hawes was drafted by the Kings in 2007 with the 10th pick in the draft at 19-years-old. His play regressed last season after showing promise the season before. He averaged 10 points and 6.1 rebounds per game compared to 11.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game the season before.

He will make nearly $3 million next season. He will also be a restricted free agent after next season and will have a qualifying offer of $4 million.

The Kings have lacked rebounding and shot blocking from their center and power forward position and fortunately, Dalembert can provide both. He has a nose for the ball when rebounding his own team's missed shots.

He finished 10th in the league in offensive rebounding with 2.9 offensive rebounds per game, three spots behind the Kings' Jason Thompson, who averaged 3 offensive rebounds per game.

The trade will instantly improve the Kings' defense in the aspects of rebounding and shot blocking. Dalembert may not score much but the Kings' undersized, yet efficient power forward Carl Landry can provide points for the frontline. He averaged 18 points per game in 28 games with the Kings.

Landry doesn't particularly rebound well for his position with 6.5 rebounds per game with the Kings but that's where Dalembert helps. Dalembert and Landry could very well complement each other.

Overall, the Kings got the better part of the deal in terms of immediate help. Hopefully, like Cornstein said, Dalembert will be a "perfect fit" for the Kings.

Kings get No.5 pick in the draft

2010-05-19T05:08:54Z

Despite appearances by former Sacramento King Bobby Jackson, the team’s co-owner Gavin Maloof and the team’s new sideline reporter Jim Gray, the NBA’s Greatest Draft Lottery Party hit a sour note when the Kings received the No.5 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

The Kings had the third best chance of receiving the No.1 overall pick after finishing with a record of 25-57 last season and sent NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans to represent the team at the NBA Draft Lottery in Secaucus, N.J.

The Washington Wizards received the first pick in the draft, followed by the Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves in that order.

The disappointment rang from New Jersey to Sacramento as Evans shook his head at the same time Kings fans were giving a collective groan at the block party.

Out of all of the NCAA college basketball players, Kentucky’s John Wall has been considered the consensus No.1 pick in the draft since last year.
Ohio State guard Evan Turner, Georgia Tech forward Derrick Favors, Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins, Syracuse forward Wesley Johnson and Wake Forest forward Al-Farouq Aminu are also considered as being top picks in the draft.

Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal has faith that they’ll still get a quality player in the draft.

“We got a good pick,” he said. “We’ll start doing our homework. There’re always good players to draft. I don‘t see any instant franchise changers out there, but there are very good players.”

Kings forward Donte Greene knows that choosing a high draft pick is critical for the team.

“We’re looking to get back into the playoffs,” he said. “We played so well last year. We’re trying to get back to that (and) bring life back to Sacramento. We got it (going) last year and try and get it going next year.”

The Kings are already hard at work looking at candidates for the No. 33 pick. Rider guard Ryan Thompson, brother of Kings big man Jason, Cal point guard Jerome Randle and Houston guard Aubrey Coleman, the nation’s leading scorer, were among 12 players hosted by the Kings so far.

Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie flew overseas to scout players in the Euroleague Final Four.

The 2010 NBA Draft Combine will take place in Chicago , Ill., where draft prospects will be weighed, measured by their height, reach and vertical leap and undergo various drills to test their skills.

After that, teams will continue to bring in draft prospects to determine which players are right for its team.

NBA Draft Lottery Order

Washington Wizards
Philadelphia 76ers
New Jersey Nets
Minnesota Timberwolves
Sacramento Kings
Golden State Warriors
Detroit Pistons
Los Angeles Clippers
Utah Jazz
Indiana Pacers
New Orleans Hornets
Memphis Grizzlies
Toronto Raptors
Houston Rockets

Kings host six draft prospects at practice facility

2010-05-14T05:13:41Z

The Sacramento Kings welcomed six college seniors hoping to make the jump into the NBA this summer.

Jerome Randle from UC Berkeley (Cal), Houston's Aubrey Coleman, Kansas State's Denis Clemente, South Carolina's Devan Downey, Tasmin Mitchell from LSU and Michighan State's Raymar Morgan are preparing for the 2010 NBA Draft, competing for a spot on one of the league's 30 team rosters.

Six other players, including the Kings' Jason Thompson's brother and Rider product Ryan and Seattle University's Charles Garcia, dropped by the practice facility on Tuesday.

Out of the six players who participated in today's workout, Randle, who played about 80 miles away from Sacramento, is the only player who is projected to be drafted in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft. The rest are projected to be undrafted.

Randle averaged 18.6 points and 4.3 assists per game last season. He played with current Magic forward Ryan Anderson. Anderson played at Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills two years ago. Although Randle said his role at Cal was to score, he wants to lead a team as a point guard.

"I'm really comfortable," the speedy guard said about being a leader on the court. "One thing is you have to take your time. A lot of people just want to speed up the game. If you just take your time and take it possession by possession, I feel like I'll be alright.”

Coleman led the nation in scoring, finished second in steals per game and shot an average of 15 free throws attempts last season. Although he's listed at six-feet-four-inches, he fits the mold of undersized shooting guards in the NBA like Eric Gordon of the L.A. Clippers, O.J. Mayo of the Memphis Grizzlies and Ben Gordon of the Detroit Pistons.

Coleman, however, was tired after flying from a workout with the Miami Heat across the country.

"The Heat, they really wanted to see if we were in shape," he said. "This workout was a little lighter than the Heat’s was."

Coleman was the top scorer in NCAA college basketball last season, scoring 25.6 points per game, and finished second in steals with 2.7 per game. He also rebounded the ball well for his height with 7.4 rebounds per game.

Although he was one of the best scorers in the nation, Coleman said he could set up his teammates as well and that he'd fit well with the Kings.

"I'm a playmaker when my shot's not falling," he said. "I lead the nation scoring and No.2 in steals, and I (rebound) too. I took a look at this team, and I think they could use a scorer."

Clemente, a Puerto Rican native, was the second-leading scorer for the Wildcats, averaging 16.6 points and 4.2 assists per game. He said he models his game like fellow Puerto Rican and Dallas Mavericks guard Jose Barea and Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis.

"I want to be there," Clemente said about making the NBA. "To be there, you've got to work, you've got to be dedicated to play basketball. I'm ready to be at this level."

Clemente is familiar with Kings swingman Francisco Garcia, who is from the Dominican Republic.

"That's an inspiration for me to see somebody who came from the (Caribbean islands) and play in the NBA," he said.

There are 450 roster spots in the NBA and most of them are already taken. If any prospects aren't drafted this summer, they still have a chance to make a roster by playing for a team in a summer league or surviving a training camp roster in the Fall. They can also try out for a National Basketball Developmental League team as well and hope to be called upon by its NBA affiliate.

Just because a player doesn't land on a roster before the season starts doesn't mean his career is over. Former King and current Chicago Bulls player Brad Miller was not drafted in the 1998 NBA Draft, and he played in Italy.

The Charlotte Hornets, now in New Orleans, picked him up as a free agent after the NBA season began. Later in his career, he became one of the only five undrafted players in history to play in the NBA All-Star Game. He played in back-to-back all-star games from 2003-04 with the Pacers and Kings, respectively.

Sacramento is one of many stops across the country for these prospects. Maybe one of them might be back to play at Arco Arena, right next door to the practice facility where they were trying to make that dream a reality.

Evans makes all-rookie team, Casspi gets votes

2010-04-30T18:53:34Z

Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans was a unanimous selection to the T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie First Team.

This news comes less than a day after he was presented his 2009-10 NBA Rookie of the Year award.

All 30 head coaches had five first team votes (worth two points each) and five second team votes (worth one point) to use. Coaches were not allowed to vote for a rookie on their team.

Evans, Golden State's Stephen Curry and Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings were unanimous choices for the first team, all three receiving 58 points. Kings rookie swingman Omri Casspi, the first Israeli-born player in the NBA, missed the second team, finishing with 13 points and three first place votes.

New Orleans' Darren Collison (46 points) and Chicago Bulls' Taj Gibson (41 points) were also chosen for the first team.

The NBA All-Rookie Second Team consists of New Orleans' Marcus Thornton (31 points) and San Antonio's DeJuan Blair (30 points). Oklahoma City's James Harden, Minnesota's Jonny Flynn and Detroit's Jonas Jerebko were all tied, receiving 22 points to finish the second team.

Evans averaged 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Casspi averaged 10.3 points 4.5 rebounds,1.2 assists and 0.7 steals per game.

Photo by Johnathan Mendick.

Kings introduce "Skater Night" ticket package

2010-04-03T02:43:15Z

Sacramento Kings fans can buy a package for "Skater Night" on April 10, promoting the Maloof Money Cup.

For $49, fans get two tickets worth $40.50 each to watch the Kings take on Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks, meet professional skaters Ryan Sheckler, Brandon Biebel and Steve Caballero, and the choice of a Biebel skteboard deck by GIRL or Maloof Money Cup hat by Neff.

Fans are invited to bring their skateboards to the outdoor miniskate park before the game, starting at 4 p.m. Skater-themed prizes will be awarded throughout the evening, including a trip to the Maloof Money Cup in Costa Mesa in August.

The Cup, created by Kings co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof, is an annual skateboarding festival that hosts the U.S. Pro Men's and Women's Street Championships, and the U.S. Pro Vert and Maloof Money Cup Amateur championships.

This year, the event will take place in Flushing Meadows in Queens, N.Y., on June 5 and 6 and Costa Mesa from August 4-8.

The event, which was started in 2008, will give out $450,000 in prize money, the biggest pot in professional skateboarding history.

The Maloofs also created the Maloof Skateboarding Assistance Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides monetary support for injured skateboarders and builds skate parks.

Tickets for Skater Night can be purchased at the Arco Arena box office or online at Ticketmaster.

Evans to miss Celtics and Cavs games

2010-03-25T22:08:22Z

Sacramento Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans will miss the next two games after complaining of a headache during today's practice in Boston.

Evans sustained a concussion last Friday at home when Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova hit him in the head with an elbow late in the fourth quarter.

Evans has missed three games so far and will miss tomorrow's game against the Boston Celtics and Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Swingman Francisco García has started in Evans place for the past three games.

The Kings are 1-2 since Evans was injured, including a loss to the New Jersey Nets, the team with an NBA-worst 8-63 record.

Blazers pummel Kings 110-94

2010-03-13T23:00:08Z

For a team that was on the second game of a back-to-back, the Portland Trail Blazers played like a fresh team.

After beating the Toronto Raptors and a day of rest, it was the Sacramento Kings that were shut down.

The Blazers defeated the Kings 110-94 in a game where turnovers made the difference.

After achieving a triple-double the game before, Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans had a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists.

Kings power forward Carl Landry had 18 points and 6 rebounds, while Francisco Garcia had 17 points off the bench.

Portland led by as many as 26 points and scored 21 points off of the Kings' 20 turnovers. Kings power forward Carl Landry said it was obvious to see how his team lost the game.

"You can look at the box score and see that," Landry said about turnovers costing the game. "That's what killed us."

Blazers guard Brandon Roy, who scored 41 points the night before, had 28 points while shooting 76.9 percent from the floor.

Portland's big man LaMarcus Aldridge scored 12 of his 18 points in the third quarter missing only one shot that quarter.

Not only that, the Blazers made 29 out of 32 free throws and its defense was consistent throughout the night.

"The Blazers' defense was very aggressive," Kings Head Coach Westphal said. "They took away a lot of our first options. We responded like a team that's been together for 11 games."

Since acquiring four new players in the past three weeks the Kings have a 4-8 record. Since the NBA All-Star Weekend, the Blazers, a team that is eighth place in the Western Conference, have a record of 9-4.

The Blazers were a more experienced team playing the least experienced team in the league.

"They ran their plays and we just fell apart," Evans said. "Brandon Roy got hot and Aldridge started hitting (shots). They never looked back."

Although the Kings fell to Portland, the team has shown that it can compete against playoff-bound teams in the past. Too many mistakes that led to turnovers cost the Kings the game.

"I think we can compete with anybody," Landry said. "They're a playoff team, but tonight it had nothing to do with them playing a back-to-back (game). It was us."

The Kings will try to regroup Sunday when the Minnesota Timberwolves come to Sacramento.

Kings introduce new season ticket package

2010-02-17T05:31:52Z

The Sacramento Kings organization unveiled its season ticket package for next season Tuesday.

Kings Season Ticket Holders will pay less for 99 percent of lower bowl seats in the 2010-11 season.

Ticket prices in the lower bowl will be reduced by six percent, while upper bowl prices will remain the same.

"We believe we created one of the best season ticket value packages in the NBA," Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof said in a press release. "Our commitment to our fans has never been stronger."

Prices for the lower bowl will range from $64-140, compared to $67.50-150 this season.

Fans who renew or purchase their season tickets by April 23 will get new incentives, which include free parking for 20 games and VIP lines at concessions.

While the Kings team improves, the organization still puts its fans as one of its top priorities.

"We are as excited about this team and direction of this franchise as we have ever been," Gavin's brother and co-owner Joe said in the release. "The future is indeed bright for the Kings and all of our great fans who have been with us through thick and thin."

Report: Casspi a participant in H.O.R.S.E. at All-Star weekend

2010-02-09T03:08:04Z

Sacramento Kings rookie swingman Omri Casspi will be a participant in H.O.R.S.E., presented by Geico at the NBA 2010 All-Star Weekend in Dallas on Saturday, according to a report by J.E. Skeets of Yahoo! Sports.

The event is this Saturday at 4 p.m. on TNT. The report also indicates that last year's H.O.R.S.E. champion, Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant, and Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo will also compete for the title.

Casspi has already been selected to the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, where he will play for the rookie team along with rookie teammate Tyreke Evans.

The game is this Friday at 6 p.m. on TNT.

Evans will also compete in the Haier Shooting Stars contest, representing Team Sacramento with former King Chris Webber and former Sacramento Monarchs forward Nicole Powell.

The contest starts at 5 p.m. on Satruday, also on TNT.

If Casspi is selected to play H.O.R.S.E. the Kings will be represented in three All-Star events this weekend. The last time the Kings were represented in an event was 2004 when Peja Stojakovic competed in the Three-Point Contest and Brad Miller played in the All-Star Game.

Evans hits game winner, propels Kings to 102-100 victory

2010-01-10T11:17:13Z

After blowing an 18-point lead and losing by seven points to the Golden State Warriors the previous night in Oakland, the Sacramento Kings made a comeback against the Denver Nuggets.

In the last few moments, Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups tied the game with a three-point field goal but Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans made the game-winning field goal with 0.7 seconds left. The basket lifted his team to a 102-100 victory and put a stop to a five-game losing streak.

Evans scored a game-high 27 points while fellow rookie Jon Brockman posted five points, a block and a career-high 12 rebounds in his first NBA start while defending against Kenyon Martin. Brockman is no stranger to Martin with a previous Nuggets defeat on Dec. 28.

"It's a challenge," Brockman said about defending Martin, the former all-star power forward. "He's an unbelievably athletic player, he's got a great touch, he's a fun guy to play against."

Martin finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two blocks while Billups finished with 27 points, shooting 40 percent from the field.

Billups missed the previous match-up against the Kings, but this time the Nuggets were playing without Carmelo Anthony, one of the NBA's leading scorers with 30 points per game.

Billups said he wants Anthony back on the court.

"He's the number one (scoring) option," Billups said about Anthony. "He does everything. I think teams play us differently when he's not playing because they know that they don't have (to guard) that one guy who can score 30, 40 points at any given time. It's a difference when you're playing without him."

The Kings trailed the Nuggets by as much as 13 points during the game, but the team found a way to win by learning from mistakes it made the night before.

"I just thought it was really interesting and gratifying how our players performed in the fourth quarter," Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal said. "Everything we did wrong last night, we corrected."

Despite shooting less than 36 percent from the field, rookie swingman Omri Casspi came up big for the Kings with 16 points, eight rebounds and a block, including a three-point field goal to give the Kings a 96-95 lead with 1:04 remaining.

"We lost a lot of other (close) games," Casspi said. "We're 15-21 now and it could easily be (the) opposite. I'm just happy that we won."

After the Kings face the Orlando Magic Tuesday, the team will leave for its longest road trip of the season, playing six games in nine nights. Every one of those games will be against an Eastern Conference opponent.

Kings have exceeded low expectations

2010-01-08T04:56:49Z

Before the NBA season started, many experts predicted the Sacramento Kings would be near the bottom of the league after finishing with a 17-65 record last season.

This prediction came before star guard Kevin Martin and last season's top bench scorer Francisco García went down with wrist injuries. Many also criticized the pick of rookie guard Tyreke Evans, citing that he was not the point guard that the Kings needed in a point guard-heavy draft. The Kings were bashed for hiring Paul Westphal as head coach, many critics saying that he hasn't coached an NBA game since 2000, when he coached the Seattle SuperSonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder).

It was supposed to be the perfect recipe for a team destined to be the league's worst. But that's not what happened.

With 48 games left the Kings have a record of 14-20, Evans has become an NBA star and a favorite for rookie of the year and Westphal has been mentioned as a coach of the year candidate.

The team overhauled the entire coaching staff, with the exception of Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Pete Carril, and hired four new assistant coaches: Jim Eyen, Bryan Gates, Mario Elie and Truck Robinson.

"They're brilliant," Martin said about the coaching staff before the season began. "They have coaches that have been there. (We) got a coach (Robinson) that led the league in rebounding who can teach Jason (Thompson) and (Spencer Hawes) how to do things like that."

"We have a very knowledgeable head coach that can teach even players like myself how to make the game a lot easier and lead this team," he said.

The Kings did not make a blockbuster trade or sign a big-name free agent over the summer. They traded the draft rights of Jeff Pendergraph to the Portland Trail Blazers for point guard Sergio Rodriguez and the draft rights of forward Jon Brockman.

The Kings also signed swingman Desmond Mason and big man Sean May. Mason was waived in favor of signing another swingman, Ime Udoka. May, after starting his first five games, hasn't played since Dec. 12.

They have been the surprise team of the season so far. They overcame a 35-point deficit in a game against the Chicago Bulls and have competed whole-heartedly against the league's elite instead of giving up.

The Kings enjoyed early success in the season because of the rookies' immediate contribution, the development of the young frontline of Hawes, Thompson and Donté Greene, Andres Nocioni's steady production and the re-emergence of veterans Beno Udrih and Kenny Thomas.

The Kings have played well at home and established themselves as one of the best teams in the NBA with an 11-8 record at ARCO Arena.

But the team still has improvements to make. The Kings' road record is 3-12 and they still needs to learn how to close out games against the league's elite teams.

"We want to get to the place the Lakers are," Westphal said after an emotional double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 26. "Where somehow, some way, you find a way to win those games, and we're working hard on it."

The Kings suffered another emotional loss to the same team in Los Angeles when superstar Kobe Bryant hit the game-winning three-point basket as time expired. The Kings blew a 20-point lead that game.

The emotions from the loss carried over to Sacramento the next night, when the Kings lost to a rested Dallas Mavericks team 99-91.

"We're going through some adversity right now," Thompson said after the loss to Dallas. "We've just got to learn from these games and go in and play better."

Even though the team is going through a rough patch right now, it has many positive things to look at early in the season.

The Kings top draft pick, Evans, has been spectacular for the whole season, averaging 20.3 points, 5.1 rebounds 4.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks per game.

He's impressed many players in the league and Bryant is no exception.

"Tyreke Evans is going to be a hell of a player," Bryant said after a 112-103 victory over the Kings. "I really love that pick-up. He was my sleeper in the draft. (The Kings start) with him, so he has a really bright future."

Evans has had help from fellow rookies Brockman and Omri Casspi.

Casspi, the first Israeli-born player in the NBA, has become one of the best three-point shooters in the league. Brockman, a former University of Washington teammate of Kings center Spencer Hawes, grabs four rebounds per game in 11 minutes per game.

Casspi has become one of the best shooters in the league while Brockman's work ethic and tenacity has frustrated opposing players. Both players aren't pushovers.

"When everyone's playing as tough as we are, it changes the rhythm of the game," Brockman said.

Last season, the Kings were seen around the league as a soft team, but the entire mentality of the team has changed. The toughness that the team plays with enables them to stay in games.

This season, they have been competitive to the end of games against the league's top teams, despite losing most of those games.

With Martin, the Kings' top scorer from last season, coming back next week and García returning after the all-star break in February, the Kings are looking to get better as the season approaches its midpoint.

Westphal, Bryant applaud Kings fans' support

2009-12-28T03:54:46Z

Inside an electrifying ARCO Arena reminiscent of 2002, the Sacramento Kings (13-16) battled the Los Angeles Lakers (24-15) in a thrilling double overtime game.

The arena was standing-room only for the Dec. 26 game. Lakers fans decked in purple and gold peppered the crowd of 17,345 that night.

After a long and hard fight, the Kings faltered in the end to the defending NBA champions, losing 112-103.

It was an emotional loss for fans and the players and Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal wore the team's emotions on his face.

"We wanted that game so bad," Westphal said somberly. "(The Kings) did everything but get the last rebound with four tenths of a second."

In the last seconds of the first overtime the Lakers kept the ball alive around the rim before it was finally tipped in by forward-center Pau Gasol.

Throughout the game, Kings fans were cheering their team on, chanting "Beat L.A.!" and mercilessly booing the Lakers' superstar Kobe Bryant.

Bryant, however, said he misses the feeling of being booed in Sacramento.

"There was no enthusiasm or passion in the crowd," Bryant said about ARCO Arena the past two years. "It felt like old times (tonight). There was a lot of energy in the crowd. It's good to see the city rallying behind this team."

Westphal said he was grateful to see a sold out game and passionate fans filling up the arena to capacity, and wants more of the same.

"It was wonderful to be in that building tonight," he said. "To have the support of this town rocking like that. Guys played their hearts out, it's so disappointing.

"We want to get to the place the Lakers are (how they win close games). We have a lot of the ingredients. We definitely have the heart and we will get there, particularly with support like that."

Bryant left with good impressions of the team and its fans and said he hopes it stays that way.

"It seems like they're getting behind this team...and what the young crew's doing over here," Bryant said about the Kings fans. "(It) felt good to come out here and get booed."

Kings will have another chance to face the Lakers in Los Angeles Saturday, Jan. 1.

A new game and a new year.

Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

Evans, Kings earn praise from Cavs‏

2009-12-26T22:36:36Z

The Sacramento Kings (13-15) may have lost to an eastern conference power in the Cleveland Cavaliers (23-8) on Wednesday night, but the team's rookie guard Tyreke Evans impressed all-stars LeBron James and Mo Williams.

Evans posted 28 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, a steal and a block in an 117-104 overtime loss to the Cavaliers.

"He's a terrific young player," Williams said, who defended Evans for much of the night. "Six-foot-six-inch point guard who can handle the ball...has a quick first-step. You know he's a match-up problem waiting to happen."

James always steps up to defend the opposing team's best player down the stretch, and Evans was no exception.

"Tyreke's going to be a great player," James said. "They got an unbelievable guy here in Sacramento. They should be really excited about him. He'll take them to a championship, definitely."

Evans wasn't the only player to impress the Cavaliers. Cleveland head coach Mike Brown said that the Kings played well as a whole, mentioning Jason Thompson, Spencer Hawes and Omri Casspi.

"It's a much improved team," Brown said. "Coach (Paul) Westphal has done a nice job with that group of guys. They have some nice young talent with height and athleticism. They play hard."

Williams agreed with his coach's statement.

"We expected them to come out with a lot of energy," Williams said about the Kings.

The Kings will have to exert the same energy against long-time division rival and defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers tonight.

The Lakers, who are tied with the Boston Celtics for the best record in the league (23-5), will play without former King Ron Artest, who injured himself tripping over a box and falling down a flight of stairs at home.

The team is also coming off a 102-87 loss against the Cavaliers on Christmas day.

Photo by Rob Small.

Kings shock Bulls after trailing by 35 points, win 102-98

2009-12-22T07:49:29Z

The Sacramento Kings trailed by a score of 79-46 points to the Chicago Bulls in the third quarter, Monday night.

Kings fans were most likely turning off their TVs and radios expecting the first blowout of the year.

A sold out United Center was celebrating what was supposed to be a surefire Bulls win.

The ending was the exact opposite.

The Kings mounted an incredible 58-19 run in the final 21 minutes as the team completed a seemingly impossible comeback, defeating the Bulls 102-98.

It was the biggest second-half comeback in NBA history and the second biggest comeback overall. The Utah Jazz had a 36-point comeback against the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 27, 1996.

Kings star rookie Tyreke Evans had 16 of his team-high 23 points in the final 14 minutes of the game and added another team-high of eight rebounds.

"It was amazing," Evans said after the game. "We never stopped fighting."

2009 NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose led the Bulls with 24 points, but shots didn't go in for him or his team in the second half.

"Some of our shots that weren’t falling are shots that we usually make," Rose said. "Sometimes it’s tough playing with a big lead."

Jon Brockman was a crucial part of the Kings' comeback. He had five rebounds in the last four minutes and 19 seconds of the game. Three of the rebounds were on the offensive side.

"The guy who turned the game around for us was Jon Brockman," Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal said. "He did everything out there and gave our offensive players a chance to score."

The rookie Brockman missed the first two games of the Kings road trip after injuring his back against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Ime Udoka scored 15 of his season-high 17 points in the fourth quarter. He made three 3-pointers in the game, doubling his season total.

Kings forward Andres Nocioni scored three points in his return to Chicago for the first time since being traded with Drew Gooden and Micael Ruffin to the Bulls for former Kings players Brad Miller and John Salmons.

The Kings will return home to ARCO Arena to play the Cleveland Caviliers on Wednesday.

Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images.