Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "demarcus cousins"

A packed house watches one last game (for now?)

2013-04-19T20:08:14Z

None of the sell-out crowd which packed Sleep Train Arena on Wednesday night knew precisely what was ending.

Was it simply the 2012-2013 season, which ended with a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers? Yes, but was it also the very existence of the Sacramento Kings? Possibly. We’ll find out next month when the NBA Board of Governors makes their decision on whether the Kings are sold to an investment group that intends to build a new arena and breathe life into the franchise, or whether the team is sold to a different group who intend to move the team to Seattle, Wash.; kill the franchise; and resurrect the Seattle SuperSonics.

The loss itself, 112-108, was relatively easy to take. The game was close and exciting, and the final score was almost an afterthought to the emotions of the event. With 2:31 to go in the game, the Kings held their last lead, a slim one point. They played lockdown defense on the Clippers’ next possession, and it seemed like the jubilant crowd would carry the Kings to victory. Then, at 2:08, with one second left on the shot clock, Jamal Crawford hit a fallaway three-pointer. The momentum switched, and that small gap lasted the rest of the game.

For the Clippers, the game meant that they would retain the important home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

For the Kings, the game meant that, despite playing without the recently injured Tyreke Evans, they were able to battle on even terms with the motivated, division-leading Clippers. Coach Keith Smart’s team has shown consistent improvement during the course of this season.

For the fans, the game was a chance to relive the old days. Mitch Richmond was there. Brad Miller was there. Cowbells were there. Chants of “Beat LA!” were there. The loud energy, which made Arco Arena famous and feared throughout the NBA, was generated from tip-off to final buzzer to — well, maybe, it’s still there. A large number of fans stayed in the arena and continued chanting and cheering as players like Travis Outlaw came out to mingle. In the parking lot after 11 p.m., crowds were still congregating and cheering.

Individual players had some noteworthy statistics.

All-Star Blake Griffin was held to seven points, four rebounds and four turnovers. Jimmer Fredette, among the league leaders in free-throw percentage, missed his only attempt, and is now two for his last 10, a percentage that even Dwight Howard would sneer at.

DeMarcus Cousins was DeMarcus Cousins. Big Cuz set career records in three categories: 36 points (leading scorer for the game and leading scorer for the team at 17.1), 22 rebounds (leading rebounder for the game and leading rebounder for the team at 9.9) and one technical foul (leading the league at 16).

Travis Outlaw (17 points and four assists) ended the season with three consecutive and powerful games, upping the chances that the Kings will opt to retain him, or that he will have no trouble finding a new home if the team does not.

The raucous crowd could not have asked for a more exciting game, just a less disappointing final score.

How did a Sacramento native Kings fan become a villain?

For some reason, Sacramento native Matt Barnes (who grew up loving the Kings and dreaming of joining his idols, and was terribly disappointed when the team traded him) was loudly booed.

There’s Donté!

Earlier this month, Sac Press asked “Where’s Donté?” and gave an update based on an exclusive interview with the popular former King. In it, he talked about his progress in recapturing his NBA shape and his hopes for the future.

Greene has just signed with the playoff-bound Memphis Grizzlies. Their first game is April 20 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Looking backward, looking forward

During Coach Keith Smart’s first full season, the Kings have certainly improved. They won the most games (28) and had the highest winning percentage (.341) since Reggie Theus coached the Kings during the 2007-2008 season.

Equally certain, improvement has been modest.

Nonetheless, “disappointment” is not the overriding emotion for Kings fans. Without a doubt, the season will be better remembered for the turmoil over relocation than for the Kings’ actual record.

A handful of fans were asked to describe, in one word, their feelings about the past season and the coming summer.

Looking backward, Bill Vannett of Sacramento said, “anxious,” because he is so worried about the team’s future.

Jackson Dwelley of Davis labeled the season “eventful,” while his emotions looking forward were “excited.” His sister, Madison, counts as a Kings fan despite sporting a shirt honoring Blake Griffin. Although he’s her favorite player, she said she would prefer watching the Kings win than watching Blake Griffin beat them on a last-second shot. Her emotions entering the summer are “hopeful.”

Bik Dosanjh and Peter Masih are from Yuba City. Dosanjh described the season as “exciting” and his emotions as “excited,” while Masih said the season was “shocking,” but he now feels “rejuvenated,” because the team won’t move, the Kings will get better, and Kevin Johnson has done everything possible to keep the team. He continued, “The Maloofs have been messing with our emotions the last couple of years, but enough is enough, let us keep our team. That’s why I feel it’s going to be rejuvenated.”

Sergio Armenta, of Sacramento, described the season as “unrealistic” because of the clash between two realities: the foreboding that “this will probably be our last game,” and the optimism over how “the city came together.” The net result is that he’s now “nervous.”

Armenta is married to Luis Delgado’s sister, and took his brother-in-law to the game. Armenta groomed Luis as a Kings fan all season (much to the chagrin of Luis’s sister who is a Laker fan).

Luis had a more youthful and upbeat perspective: The season was “great” and the summer will be “fantastic.”

Lili Solis’s family drove in from Winnemucca, NV. The 7-hour drive is a measure of the depth of their support for the Kings. Solis said the season was “good,” but looking ahead, she’s “scared.”

Lindsey Read, now 33, grew up using her family’s season tickets to watch the Kings. The season was “exciting,” and the future looks “hopeful.”

Brothers Stefan and Chris Falcon drove up from Stockton with their friend, Leroy Madarang. Stefan Falcon used “resilient” to describe the season, but “unknown” to describe the off-season. Chris Falcon said the season was “amazing” (“Every game I came to, it was great. It was crazy.”). Like Read, the future looks “hopeful” to him. Madarang said the season was “uncertain,” but looking forward, he’s “excited.”

When the game was over, the fans simply wouldn’t leave. Their overriding hope is that the Kings, too, simply won’t leave.

Note : Thanks to George Young for all his great photographs in this article and throughout the season.

Kings lose. Where's Donté?

2013-04-09T13:39:53Z

When the Memphis Grizzlies played the Sacramento Kings on Sunday afternoon, April 7, the game was meaningful, ugly, exciting and disappointing.

Meaningful: Hopelessly out of the playoffs, the Kings are desperate to solidify their recently improved play. Since the All-Star break, they went from 16th to first place in scoring and from near-the-bottom 29th place to 13th place in assists. The game was even more important to Memphis, who are currently seeded fifth for the Western Conference playoffs, but are only one game out of third place.

Ugly: At the half, the Kings were shooting 32 percent, had only one fewer turnovers than assists, and yet were leading the Grizzlies. Certainly, there were some defensive highlights, but there were also a good deal of squandered opportunities. The final box score had both teams with almost as many turnovers as assists.

Exciting: Although the Kings were down by 12 points during one possession in the second quarter, they were close behind or ahead for most of the game. After all, 2012 All-Star Marc Gasol normally shoots .548 and scores 18.3 a game, but was held to 15 points on .400 shooting. All-Star Zach Randolph, who averages 15 points on .522 shooting was held to nine points on .308 shooting. With 44 seconds left in the game, the Kings took their first lead of the fourth quarter.

Disappointing: In the final 30 seconds, DeMarcus Cousins missed a lay-up that would have regained the lead. Isaiah Thomas later completed a lay-up, but by then, the Kings needed a three-point basket to tie the game. With only five seconds left, Coach Keith Smart sent Jimmer Fredette, Marcus Thornton, Toney Douglas, Thomas, and Cousins on the court, needing a bucket to tie or a trey to win. Thornton’s three was stuffed by Gasol, the Grizzlies 12th block of the game The Kings lost 89-87.

Notes :

(1) Fredette scored 13 points in 15 minutes.

(2) Offensively, Jason Thompson (two points on one-for-five shooting), John Salmons (two points on one-for-four shooting), and Tyreke Evans (five points on one-for-seven shooting) all had off games.

(3) Patrick Patterson, who might have made the difference in a close game like this, had a sore lower back and did not suit up.

(4) Thanks to Ron Nabity for the action photos.

Where’s Donté?

Donté Greene was one of the most popular players for the Kings from 2008 to 2012. His energy and enthusiasm spawned the Goon Squad, still to be found jumping in the stands at the start of games.

Greene was not retained by the Kings this season and, just as he was about to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, he fractured his right ankle. Surgery and rehabilitation followed.

Though not yet back to his NBA form, Greene has fully recovered from the injury and is playing for Atléticos de San Germán in Puerto Rico. Things are “good, and getting better every day,” and he’s especially working on his low post game.

Greene’s engaging personality was always on display when he interacted with young fans. Indeed, one of the upsides to his injury has been the opportunity to spend more time with his two sons, first in their hometown of Baltimore, during rehabilitation, and now down in Puerto Rico.

Another aspect of his personality is his enthusiasm, which led naturally to his role as “chief dapper” when the starting five were introduced. Greene’s ebullient and encouraging fist dapping, flying butt bumps, etc. energized the team and the fans. (James Johnson assumed that role this year.)

Have you ever wondered about the routine of kisses and touches that Greene performed every time he entered the game? Greene shed light on his ritual, explaining that he has the names of various family members (his sons, his grandmothers, etc.) tattooed on his body and he is basically kissing and honoring all his family, ending with an outstretched arm to the Lord.

Greene does not get to follow the Kings much, but is up to date on the relocation issue and hopes the team stays in Sacramento, which he describes as “my second home.” He misses his friends and remains in consistent touch with his best friend on the Kings, Jason Thompson.

Greene also misses the fans, whom he describes as “some of the most passionate in the NBA,” and sends a special greeting to the Goon Squad.

The Goon Squad

It was Alan Edwards (Greene calls him “my guy!”) who first got the idea of jumping along with the Kings at the start of games. Other founding members of the Goon Squad are Edwards' wife, Tonette, and Mr. and Mrs. Sign Lady, who fortuitously have season tickets right in front of the Edwards.

Actually, Alan says that the first person to start jumping was Samuel Dalembert, who was simply impatient to get into the game.

Edwards felt, “well, if he’s going to jump the next game, we’re going to jump along with him. So, Donté started jumping and we started jumping and they just enjoyed the hell out of it.”

Their enthusiasm is infectious and fans, both surrounding them and around the arena, often join in. Edwards quotes Jason Thompson as crediting the Goon Squad with “bringing a college environment into the NBA that all the other teams are jealous of.”

The Sign Lady

The visual focal point for the Goon Squad is always The Sign Lady, with her creative and attractive signs.

Actually, she is Barbara Rust, a retired kindergarten teacher. She and her husband, Niko, have created about 325 colorful and sparkly signs. Obviously, they don’t bring all those signs to every game. Rather, they bring about 30 at a time, but at least one for each player.

The couple has a genuine affection for each Kings player, so they retain signs of players who are traded or otherwise leave the team. These former Kings “usually give me a smile or nod when they see their signs again,” Barbara explained. “It’s just my way of telling them we will always appreciate the time they played for the Kings.”

Although Barbara gets the most visibility, she confides that Niko is a full and equal partner in the conception, the design and the fabrication of the signs. He sometimes proudly sports a Kings jersey with “Mr. Sign Lady” on the back.

The couple’s love for the Kings is selfless. As Barbara Rust pointed out, they don’t ask for autographs, “because I see my role as giving support to the team, rather than asking them for things. However, I have been surprised by receiving several items from players over the years as their way of saying thank you, and these treasures are priceless to me. This goes with my personal philosophy of life that what you put out in the world will come back to you. That philosophy is also the reason that our signs are always positive because that's the energy we want to put into the arena for the team.”

One of the side benefits of being “The Sign Lady,” however, is that her visibility helps connect her to former students. She adds, “they know exactly where to find me. This has become a wonderful way to keep in touch with them. Many are adults, some live far away, and are home visiting when they come to a Kings game and find me. It really makes me happy when they tell me that even though they live in New York or wherever now, they are still Kings fans because I taught them to love the Kings in Kindergarten!”

Kings loss to Mavs on Friday illustrates season of discontent

2013-04-06T20:29:10Z

It’s frustrating when -

1. A player that averages 11.6 points per game scores 25 and has 12 boards.

The big scorer - Shawn Marion, a guy past his prime that rarely puts up those types of numbers anymore.

2. Your team shoots horrible from beyond the arc.

The big culprit - shooting 6-for-26 from three-point land, including Isaiah Thomas' 0-for-7.

Add it up and it’s not recipe for success - you probably lose that game nine times out of ten.

That’s exactly what happened on Friday evening at Sleep Train Arena when the Dallas Mavericks came to town and beat the Sacramento Kings 117-108 in a game that the home team had under control at the end of the first quarter.

“I knew we had to get a good pace in this basketball game and I thought our guys that started the game did a great job with that,” said Coach Smart from the podium in the press room after the game. “But then we had a big drop-off in the second - gave up 41 points in the second quarter.”

Boy, I’ll say!

But that’s a pattern in this Kings/Mavs rivalry this season.

On December 10, in the first meeting between the two teams this season, The Mavs outscored the Kings 29-14 in the second quarter. On January 10, it was a 33-23 besting in the final frame to tie the game eventually win it in overtime. Then, on February 13, in the second game in as many days, the Kings got blasted again in the second quarter 29-17.

Considering all those numbers, Coach Smart wasn’t surprised at all.

“We’ve had a hard time with this team all year,” said Coach Smart. “This team has done a number on us no matter how we’ve tried to play them.”

You still have to give the players some credit. Tyreke Evans and Isaiah Thomas knew that without DeMarcus Cousins starting (coaches decision) and also realizing one of their volume scorers - Marcus Thornton, would play less than six minutes.

Cousins played nine minutes in the second but never returned to the game.

When Smart was asked about his decision, he was short and to the point in his response.

“It was my decision, a coach’s decision,” said Smart.

Cousins didn’t have an answer either.

“It was his decision,” said Cousins.

Because of Smart’s decisions, Evans and Thomas probably felt like they had to do a little more to pull this one out.

Evans, who visited his brother Doc’s house in the morning to have some green tea as he was feeling a little sick, still put up 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting and had six assists and nine boards.

“Yeah, I’ve been a little under the weather,” said Evans. “I still managed to come out and play and try to help the team win. We had them in the beginning - we wanted to get out to a fast start and we did that, but we just couldn’t hold the lead.”

Thomas understands some of the criticism on the games where his assist total is not where some think it should be but on Friday, he knew he had to be aggressive to make up for the lack of scorers used in the game.

“I felt like I should be in attack mode today just knowing and seeing that DeMarcus wasn’t playing too much and Marcus Thornton wasn’t playing too much and those are our top scoring threats besides Tyreke, so I just felt like I needed to be in attack mode and be a little more aggressive to make plays.”

The Kings closed it to 94-90 Mavericks at the 10:23 mark of the final quarter but then gave up nine straight to put the game out of reach.

Frustrating? Yes.

But what has to get worked out prior to next season?

Either making sure everyone’s happy with the rotation and their role on the team or find players that will accept their position and work as one unit on the floor.

Evans was asked about the rotations and gave an honest answer.

“It’s a little frustrating, everybody’s frustrated,” said Evans. “For us, we have to be professional . . . When he (Smart) doesn’t make the right setup tonight, you can’t get mad. Whoever’s out there - you just gotta work.”

Evans is right.

Whatever the root of this season’s discontent, playing together and having each other’s backs is truely the answer.

KINGS NOTES: Jason Thompson had another solid game with 16 points and 16 rebounds . . . Toney Douglas added 14 off the bench . . . James Johnson saw his first action since missing almost a month for the birth of his son

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

GEORGE YOUNG

Thomas still working on weaknesses, has made great strides this season

2013-04-04T22:18:13Z

When asked at the beginning of the season who I thought should start at the point for your Sacramento Kings, I said Aaron Brooks, no questions asked. For me, starting Isaiah Thomas was not even an option.

Fast forward to the present and, not only have I softened my stance against “The Pizza Guy” starting, but am finally seeing the reasons Coach Keith Smart has stuck with him since inserting him into the starting lineup in the first week of the regular season.

Let’s be honest here. After watching Tyreke Evans run the show for SacTown for nearly three years, I really struggled watching ‘Reke play the small forward late last year. I got the concept, but didn’t think it was the best way to utilize Evans.

Enter Aaron Brooks.

So now I’m thinking that Brooks is the answer and Thomas would be a solid backup. Considering that the Kings also signed James Johnson, moving Tyreke to the two made sense.

After not getting off to the start Coach Smart wanted, he benched Brooks and inserted Thomas into the starting five.

Of course, Thomas brought the flair and excitement that made him a crowd favorite right away at Sleep Train Arena.

But I was reading between the lines, so to speak.

Think about this. This team went from the fans and the players thinking that Evans was the savior and leader to DeMarcus Cousins being the next big thing to the last pick in the draft - and maybe the shortest - Isaiah Thomas being the one to lead Sacramento to the promised land.

That’s not only a tough transition for the loyalists that follow the team, but for the players themselves. And I think that some of that animosity has shown itself on the court this season.

Nonetheless, things are starting to settle down at the old barn and Thomas is finding his way.

Early on, my biggest issue with the second year player out of Washington was that he was hunting for his shot before looking to include his teammates in the action. Exactly the opposite of a point guard’s job. There were many games in which Thomas had 15-20 points and barely registered an assist.

Then there was the Philly game on March 24. One look at Thomas’ line and you would immediately notice. The super sophomore put up 25 points and hit four triples along the way. Did you see the rest of his numbers? Zero assists and zero steals. On paper, one of the most selfish games a point guard could have.

But not so fast says Coach Keith Smart.

“When I went back through the film, there were several occasions where he dropped the pass off to a couple of guys under the basket and they didn’t finish plays,’ said Coach Smart. “He made the plays to a couple of guys at the perimeter and they didn’t make their shots. As you see, the stat sheet says zero, but he did have six or seven plays he made where guys just simply didn’t make their shot.”

“He had a couple of plays where Tyreke came off on a screen right toward the elbow - all he had to do was throw up a jump shot, he was wide open - but he caught it and put it down. A couple times he dropped a pas of to “Cuz but he caught it and put it down two times and went to the basket.

“He was making plays, but that donut just stood there.”

Since then, Thomas has been much more consistent with his assists totals and Smart knows why.

“I think it (the zero assist game) it really stood out to him,” said Smart. “I keep telling him, you’ve got to have a plan for your assists. Kidd, Stockton, Nash - they get out of the gates fast. They get five assists in the first quarter or the first half. Now your on track for ten.”

The issue at hand now seems to be the same issue I’ve ever had with Tyreke Evans. Trying to do too much on his own. Forcing his way into the paint - even attempting to barrel through three guys in the middle - with little to no success.

Thomas’ weakness is very similar in that at times he dribbles and dribbles and dribbles and dribbles and dribbles - you get my point? - until there are either five seconds left on the shot clock or he has it taken away by one of the big guys clogging the lane.

Both are unacceptable and kill the teams momentum every time.

Both Smart and Thomas are aware of this and Smart had a suggestion for the player.

“He has to keep understanding space is his best friend on the floor,” said Smart. “He has a high dribble and he has to get to that point to where he can control that dribble. When guys like Nash and Steph Curry get into tight spots, they get real, real low with the basketball. He’s still at that stage where he is a very high dribbler.”

Thomas, who has corrected or is working on fixing the earlier issues I’ve brought up, understands that this may be the one that puts him over the top.

“If I can get as low as I can get, they don;t want to get as low as they can get because I’m already lower to the ground than they can get,” said Thomas.

How hard will it be for Thomas to learn a shorter, lower to the ground dribble?

“It’s not going not be that much harder,” continued Thomas. “I just have to watch film and really work on it, especially when I’m in the paint. Staying low and finding the cuts and openings to so I can make plays for myself and my teammates.”

“Once the season’s over, I’m going to watch a lot of film and really try and work on it and come back next year even better.”

So for you Pizza Guy lovers, I get it. He is exciting to watch and brings a needed intensity to the club.

If Thomas can truly stop forcing the issue at times and keep all his teammates involved (and hopefully happy - not all on him), the next growth spurt Thomas makes will be one into the national spotlight.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

RON NABITY

http://www.nabityphotos.com/index.htm

Kings' DeMarcus Cousins not playing up to potential

2013-03-11T23:17:53Z

Kings' center DeMarcus Cousins isn’t helping his reputation. The 22-year-old center was ejected from Sunday night’s game as the Kings fell 115-113 to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The ejection marks a league-high fourth time the King’s big man has been sent to shower early.

Cousins got into an altercation with Milwaukee Bucks forward Mike Dunleavy, resulting in him being disqualified in the third quarter for the remainder of the game.

The young big man has built a reputation of being troubled and continues to hurt the Kings with technicals (12 this year) and early showers.

But the fact is the Kings need the talented center, and need him to be on the court.

With so many holes on the roster, the Kings need all the talent they can get and Cousins brings it. Cousins was having a monster game with 24 points and 10 rebounds before being ejected Sunday.

He’s averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds a game this season and has the potential to grow.

Cousins’ large frame and agility, along with the ability to hit the outside shot, gives the Kings much needed talent.

Having him on the floor disrupts the opponents’ defense as he has the potential to get right by them if they guard against his jump shot.

The combination of size and speed that Cousins possesses is difficult to find which is why the Kings must try and find a way to get the best out of their 6-foot-11, 270-pound center, and that means keeping him on the court.

Cousins has built himself a reputation of being immature and has found himself on the bench or even suspended by the team. The team was forced to suspend him earlier this season because of a reported argument with head coach Keith Smart.

Cousins has the potential to become one of the greatest big men in the league if he can get his head together, but based on his recent behavior, the Kings may never see him reach that potential.

Photos by Ron Nabity Photography

Patterson adds range and professionalism to new team

2013-03-11T18:05:55Z

He was supposed to be Buster the third.

I mean, everyone in the family expected it to happen once they found out Tywanna was having the baby.

That is, everyone but Tywanna.

“She refused for me to be another Buster,” Patterson said. “The whole family wanted me to be Buster, but they lost the argument.”

Patrick Patterson is the cornerstone in the trade that also brought Cole Aldrich and Toney Douglas to the Kings on February 20 of this year in exchange for Thomas Robinson, Francisco Garcia and Tyler Honeycutt.

In Patterson, the Kings get a more experienced power forward that can also spread the floor with his outside shooting ability.

For “P-Pat” - as he’s known - it was quite a benefit to be shipped to Sacramento along with Douglas as they had shared the floor on numerous occasions.

“It helps whenever you transition to a new team with a bunch of players in whom you’ve already been comfortable with in Toney (Douglas) and Cole (Aldrich),” Patterson said.

Besides that, Patterson feels close to many on the Kings roster.

“I’m definitely fortunate that I came into a team with players that I’ve already had friendships with like DeMarcus (Cousins), Marcus Thornton, Chuck Hayes, Isaiah (Thomas) and Tyreke (Evans). Just guys whom I’ve already had relationships with, guys I’ve already been around before, guys I pretty much know, so that transition made it a lot smoother and comfortable for myself.”

It’s great that Patterson already has a sense of comfort in the Sactown.

But also important is that in Patterson (and Douglas), Coach Smart sees a high basketball I.Q.

That basketball knowledge was on display immediately after their acquisition.

Smart had given both players a mini-playbook to digest quickly. But even a guy with high expectations like Coach Smart was impressed with how quickly the new guys picked up on it.

“The other night Golden State went into a zone,” Smart said, “and I instinctively called a play that we run against the zone. Both Douglas and Patterson jumped right into their spots. So obviously those guys had looked through their package a little bit, but that’s what pros do. Pros get information, they look at it, they pay attention to it and they try to apply it.”

Ah, if it’s one thing this team needs more of is pros - true professionals.

Some of the key things Patterson brings to this team are rebounding and his defense.

Jason Thompson loves the way he spreads the floor because the other team’s big men have to come out and guard him away from the basket.

“It opens the floor up for everybody and makes it tough on their defense,” Thompson said. “Any time a guy like that - a big guy - can hit some three’s like that, it’s only gonna help.”

Toney Douglas thinks the Kings have just started seeing what Patterson has to offer.

“Rebounding, his shot - he’s a pick and pop player, he’s a smart player, he can screen, knows when to screen and when to post up, great passer and he takes pride in everything he does out there on the floor,” Douglas said. “That’s all you can ask for in a guy like that.”

I guess you could have asked for him to be named Buster.

But then his mother wouldn’t have been happy. And a happy mother makes for a happy Patrick.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

GEORGE YOUNG

PHOTOS: Kings topple Suns in high-scoring affair - four players score 20+

2013-03-10T00:51:54Z

Patrick Patterson gives Kings a different look

2013-03-04T19:45:39Z

The Sacramento Kings returned home after a five-game road trip and defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 119-83 in Sunday, March 3's matinee rout.

“I thought we did a good job and did what we were supposed to do,” Kings head coach Keith Smart said of his team’s performance after the game. “We got home, played in front of our fans and played some pretty good basketball from a numbers standpoint.”

The trip home marked the first time for the newly acquired Kings to take the court in front of the home crowd.

Kings general manager Geoff Petrie completed a controversial trade in late February that sent Thomas Robinson, Francisco Garcia and the Kings second-round pick next year to Houston for Patrick Patterson, Cole Aldrich and Toney Douglas.

The biggest parts of the deal were definitely Robinson, who was the Kings fifth-overall draft pick just last year, and Patterson, who played with Kings center DeMarcus Cousins at the University of Kentucky.

Patterson finally returned to Sacramento on Sunday to make his home court debut, and though he finished with only five points on the day, the young forward was able to show some of what he brings to the team. Patterson scored both of his field goals with his picturesque jump shot, including one from behind the three-point arc to show his floor-spreading ability. Patterson was averaging just over 11 points a game on over 51 percent shooting from the field with the Rockets this season.

“I think one thing you see is he has the ability to spread the floor,” Smart said of his new player. “I like his awareness of where he needs to be on the floor. What he needs to do is keep space on the floor and rebounding. The guy has shown in the couple of days he’s been here, the way the guy sets screens.”

There’s no question that Patterson can spread the floor much greater than Robinson, who he is replacing on the roster. Robinson possesses more rebounding potential and the ability to get to the rim, but currently lacks Patterson’s outside shot.

Smart appreciates what he has seen from Patterson, but believes that he can get more out of the young forward in categories he has yet to excel at.

“He’s going to blossom into what we want him to do,” Smart said. “I think he’s still trying to understand like one team had him spacing. I’m trying to get him to where he can get to the basket on some occasions, post up wise. He understands defense very well.”

One of these aspects Patterson needs to improve at is his rebounding, an attribute for which he has been criticized in the past. Smart knows this and has emphasized the need for better rebounding since he first met his new forward on the Kings’ road trip.

“The challenge that I have for him when I talked to him in our meeting in New Orleans, I said ‘You know, you need to try every game to go get five rebounds,” Smart said. “That’s your focus right there. You should be a better rebounder, and if you focus on that, with everything else you do, it’s going to help your game.’ Because I think he can be a much better rebounder than what he has on his career so far.”

Patterson has averaged just 4.3 rebounds per game in his young career, considerably low for a power forward.

Patterson is excited to see what he can do for his new team, but believes he just needs to pick up where he left off during his time on the Houston Rockets.

“It’s not really starting over. It’s just coming to a new team, a new environment and just playing basketball,” Patterson said of switching teams midseason. “It’s not a new start, it’s not a new beginning, I just have to pick up where I left off in Houston. It’s just coming to a new team, learning a new system, getting offensive plays down, fitting in with the team and that’s it.”

Cousins joked around after the game about knowing Patterson, who he has reportedly remained friends with since they both left Kentucky.

“I think he’s going to have to shave down his mustache, besides that, he’s a pretty good teammate. I don’t know much about him though,” Cousins joked.

Kings' Isaiah Thomas verifying coach's decision

2013-02-11T20:52:03Z

Kings’ point guard Isaiah Thomas is taking advantage of his increased playing time, after spending much of the season in a three-man point guard rotation.

Earlier this month, Sacramento head coach Keith Smart made the decision to use primarily Thomas and Jimmer Fredette as his two point guards, fellow point guard Aaron Brooks to become an observer from the bench for the majority of the time. In fact, Brooks has tallied just 14 minutes of playing time in the last four games including three games where he did not see the floor at all.

Thomas has responded by producing the same types of plays that earned him the starting job last season after he was drafted 60th overall out of the University of Washington, the very last pick in the draft.

Since the start of the month, Thomas has averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.

Thomas’ play Sunday night in the Kings’ 117-111 win against the Houston Rockets was another reminder of the energy he brings to the team. Trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter, the “Hustling Husky,” as TV broadcaster Jerry Reynolds calls him, put the team on his back by slashing through the Houston defense and scoring 17 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter.

“I wanted to force the issue when I got back in the fourth quarter because I felt like the first three quarters I really wasn’t being aggressive, not just for myself but the [team], make plays for others,” Thomas said after the game. “I felt like there was no other time to do it than the fourth quarter. We were down when I came in and we had to push it so we did a good job of that and guys got some energy off of me just trying to be everywhere on the floor.”

On top of his 23 points, Thomas also racked up six assists, one rebound and two steals.

Thomas helped the team push the tempo in the fourth quarter, something that Smart wants to see more of with the rest of the season.

“He’s definitely pushing it. He’s definitely pushing the tempo. I see him pushing the ball, so that’s good for us. We are able to get the ball up and down the court,” Kings forward John Salmons said of the young point guard. “If he can continue to push the plays like he’s doing and getting us to run, we’ll play better basketball. We move the ball better when we run like that.”

Smart installed an 11-second shot clock for practices in an effort to get his team running the floor more.

Smart and his players know that they must play up-tempo, as it gives them the best chance to succeed with their young team.

“It’s hard for a team to stop us when Isaiah is playing like that,” Kings veteran Francisco Garcia said. “He runs the floor and was shooting the ball good tonight.”

Though Thomas has always been a scorer, averaging 16.4 points per game in college, he knows that as a point guard he needs to do what is best for the team at that time.

“Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m going to just try and make the right play each and every time,” Thomas said of his game. “If that’s to score, I’m going to do that. If that’s to assist somebody, I’m going to do that.”

Thomas’ play has earned him an appearance in the 2013 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, a game played in Houston on Friday with former players Shaquille O’Neal coaching one team and Charles Barkley on the other. Thomas was selected by Team Chuck.

For more photos from the game, click here!

Photos by Ron Nabity Photography

Kings fans make their voices heard during Here We Buy night

2013-02-10T20:45:13Z

Sacramento Kings fans showed up in full force as their team defeated the Utah Jazz 120-109 for what was dubbed, “Here We Buy” night, by local grassroot campaigns attempting to keep the team in Sacramento.

Kings head coach Keith Smart knew the atmosphere would be overwhelming before he even made it into the arena.

“To come in this building today and see the fans and the level of appreciation while they were out in the parking lot, that was a huge key for us as myself and everyone else coming into the arena, driving in here ready for a game, saw the fans in the parking lot first,” Smart said.

Fans kicked the night off with a planned tailgate in the parking lot prior to the game where fans of all ages joined the festivities while showing off their love for the Kings with jerseys, homemade shirts and signs while the familiar noise of cowbells filled the air.

A group of young boys from Sacramento set up a table with a sign saying, “Kids-4-Kings,” featuring lemonade for the fans attending the tailgate, while accepting donations to help keep the Kings in Sacramento.

“We are trying to raise money to save the Kings and the lemonade that we are selling is free but we accept anything because anything helps to save the Kings,” said Gil, Jack and Wyatt, ages 11, 10 and 7, respectively.

Those weren’t the only donations made for Here We Buy night. In an effort to fill Sleep Train Arena, fans that were unable to attend the game were able to donate money that would go towards buying tickets for other fans. In association with the Here We Stay group, former Sacramento King Donte Greene’s Circle of Success Foundation, 3Fold Communications and the Center for Fathers and Families helped give out over 600 tickets to local families and children.

While they did not succeed with creating a sellout, they certainly succeeded in creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the “Arco Thunder” of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Kings fans remained loud and into the game from the very start to the very end with their cowbells and coordinated chants.

The 16,193 fans bellowed chants of “SAC-RA-MEN-TO,” “Let us match” and “Here we stay” through the air anytime the Utah Jazz were at the free throw line. Fans topped it off by creating “the wave” that circled around the arena numerous times and even had the Kings bench participating.

“I’ve never had a chance to do the wave, so I made sure I included myself in that,” Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins said following the game. “It was an incredible experience. I got a little fatigued there at the end. I didn’t expect it to last that long, but it kinda did but I stuck through it.”

The Sacramento region quickly banded together after word got out that the team was being sold to a group with the intentions of moving the team to Seattle. With the sale announced and the Seattle group’s application for relocation already filed with the league office, Sacramento must hope for the league to not approve the sale or the relocation. A majority vote out of the remaining 29 NBA team owners is needed to approve the sale, whereas three-fourths is needed for relocation.

The team’s fans recognize that other aspects of this region will be impacted as well, should the team be cleared to relocate.

“It would be horrible. I mean, you’re talking a few hundred to a thousand full-time, permanent jobs gone, then you’ve got all the neighboring businesses, small businesses that will probably suffer greatly from not having the team be here in Natomas,” said 29-year-old Brandon Sanchez of Sacramento. “And then on a bigger scale, the Kings are our global identifier. You hear stories about people in China and Germany, people going overseas and being Kings fans. It’s Sacramento.“

Since the announcement of the sale, fans and team advocates have been doing what they can to show NBA Commissioner David Stern the team belongs in Sacramento, while mayor Kevin Johnson assembles his own group of potential buyers. One thing is clear: Sacramento and the region won’t back down as long as the deal is not finalized.

“I think it’s great, it just shows that almost anything is possible,” said 28-year-old Andrew Zaragoza who comes from Woodland to attend Kings games. “We haven’t quite finished the deal yet but I just feel like when the rest of the country says that no matter what we do doesn’t matter, we still don’t care. We’re still going to do it.”

The support and efforts to show NBA Commissioner Stern that the team belongs in Sacramento have been staggering, and Saturday night was further evidence for this region’s case.

“I think it says that we’re never going to stop fighting,” Sanchez said of Kings fans coming together to keep their team. “We are known for boxing, Tony Lopez and people like that, Urijah Faber. We’re never going to give up, it’s in our nature.

Photos by George Young

Inconsistent play keeps Kings winless after reported sale

2013-01-27T22:15:06Z

The Sacramento Kings remain winless since Monday when reports came out that the Sacramento Kings owners have entered a “binding agreement” with an equity group from Seattle that would send the team up to the Pacific Northwest.

Ironically, the Kings fell to Seattle’s former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder 105-95 at Sleep Train Arena to extend their losing streak to three games.

Players were reportedly distracted by the news on Monday as they attempted to practice, and that distraction may have carried over into the games this week.

Kings forward Jason Thompson has been with the team for five seasons now and this isn’t the first time he’s dealt with possible relocation, though it is the first time he’s seen the team actually sold. Thompson does admit that the Maloofs' business can be distracting at times.

“It is tough, every time you might have an appearance, it’s tough when people are always asking you, thinking that we are the reason and we want to move,” Thompson said. “Obviously we want to stay here and we love this city, it’s a tough city. Every year I’ve been here they’ve talked about us moving, from Anaheim to Virginia Beach.”

Kings head coach Keith Smart maintains that the losses are not a result of the team’s sale being a distraction, but merely a result of inconsistent play from his young team. Much of the Kings’ struggles this year have stemmed from the inability to maintain the same kind of ball movement and energy throughout a game.

“I thought we played a really good half of basketball the first half, except about three minutes of the first half,” Smart said following the game. “Just closing the quarter, it came down to the tail-end of each quarter, we didn’t close those the right way and you can’t make those mistakes. But I thought our guys did a good job but obviously came out very, very flat and turnover prone in the third quarter, and that’s where the game made a big turn in the third quarter.”

The Kings got off to a quick 23-9 lead against the Thunder, but then struggled in the third quarter as the game quickly got out of hand and the Thunder ran away with the win.

“We had so many miscues in that third quarter to start the third quarter,” Smart said. “I think if we could have capitalized on a couple of those points, I mean, you’re down seven points and you don’t score on six positions and they come down and score, now you have a 14-point lead, you have a 16-point lead. Any really good team can capitalize really quickly.”

Inconsistent play has been a problem for the Kings all year as they seem to always have at least one quarter in which they struggle and get outplayed. Against Phoenix on Wednesday it was the fourth quarter, getting outscored 32-19; against New Orleans, on the day the team found out about the sale, the Kings were outscored 64-39 in the first half.

Coming out flat forces the team to come from behind and puts a lot of pressure on a young team like the Kings.

Veteran forward John Salmons believes much of the problem with the team is they lose confidence when the opposing team makes a big run.

“I thought we went off on our own, and that’s what happens when you play these good teams. They go on a run and then I feel like we panic as a group and everyone tries to do it individually. Against a good team, a championship caliber team, it’s not going to work.”

Whether it is the distraction of the recent sale of the team or the team is just playing inconsistently, the team will need to get back on track as they head out on a tough six-game road trip starting with Denver on Saturday night.

Smart is not worried about his team’s mentality and the idea of this losing streak spiraling out of control with the road trip.

“You have to play every game one at a time first,” Smart said. “You can’t go into the whole road trip. You’ve got to go play some tough places and some tough travel venues, but you’ve got to play the game. You can’t escape it, you’ve got to play it. You never know what could happen, something can come together and we win a couple out there on the road, you can bounce back pretty quickly.”

In Kings victory, the issue of playing time starts to simmer

2013-01-18T04:04:34Z

When you’re the Sacramento Kings (15-24) and a team like the Washington Wizards (7-29) come to town, you really should be feeling like a win is in the near future.

Like now.

But if you look at the Kings’ wins this season, they have compiled up just as many wins against good teams - Lakers, Warriors, Blazers, Jazz and Knicks than they have against the bottom of the league - the Torontos, Orlandos, Clevelands and the Washingtons of the world. So gauging the meaning of a single victory is hard these days.

All Kings head honcho Keith Smart knows is that now is the time for W’s - wins to be chalked up onto the big board.

On Wednesday evening at Sleep Train Arena the home town put out the fire of another mediocre team’s attempt at a last-minute comeback win over them with a 95-94 win over the Wizards.

Tyreke Evans hit one-of-two free throws to give the Kings a one point lead with 11.4 seconds left on the clock and that was enough for the victory and to give Sacramento their fifteenth win of the nearly halfway gone season.

Sure, you had the usual suspects having a solid game as DeMarcus Cousins scored 21 points, had 16 boards, five assists and three steals. Also, a somewhat surprising John Salmons kept his high level of play by also scoring 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting.

But it’s the two guards that brought their “A” game to the floor on Wednesday that had me asking some important questions after the contest.

Evans scored 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting, had eight assists and eight boards to go along with three steals.

Jimmer Fredette also played well scoring 12 points, hit a couple of three’s and had two assists.

Face it. The facts are the facts. And its finally starting to rear its ugly head.

With Evans, Salmons, Thomas, Brooks, Thornton, Fredette and even throw Garcia in the mix, there are too many guards that can score on this team to (a) keep everyone happy and (b) form a solid rotation so Smart doesn’t have to answer the same question after every game.

“Why didn’t so-and-so start, or why didn’t so-and-so play more minutes" are inevitably the words that come out of some reporters mouth after each contest and rightly so!

After the win on Wednesday, upon seeing that Aaron Brooks and Marcus Thornton, two guys signed to bring the team more scoring and consistency, played only a total of 15:39, the question laid itself at Smart’s feet again.

“I was trying to maybe get certain guys in the game, but every possession was critical,” Smart said in the postgame presser. “I didn’t want a guy to be cold or not really into the game and I thought our bench did a decent job when they came in and played.”

On this night, Smart said he didn’t see enough energy from Isaiah Thomas and admitted that maybe he didn’t see enough off Brooks to judge him as well but was trying to get the floor spaced out wider and bringing in a solid long-range shooter like Jimmer Fredette does that exactly.

In doing so, Smart broke one of his own rules by letting a player play in the second half when he saw zero minutes in the first half.

This brings up probably the hardest thing for the players involved to swallow - limited playing time.

When Sean Cunningham of CBS 1140 Radio asked if Thornton was hurt or something, Smart let us behind the curtain, if ever so briefly.

“I was just focused on the game and I’ll deal with the issues I have to deal with tomorrow,” Smart said. “But, tonight, we won the game. We can get out of the building and get on the road and then I’ll face the issues that I have tomorrow. Tonight we won the game and we’ll work on that.”

That was clear enough for even Helen Keller to understand.

Guys that were brought into town to score are not going to be happy for too long if they don’t get whatever time they think they are due.

Evans looks better than ever after returning from his injury. His shooting percentage has improved, he’s not driving into a jungle of three or four players at the rim nearly as often and you can actually feel that he wants to be a part of running this team.

In Thornton, you got a guy that can score in bunches but when not hitting his shots, may be a liability on this team.

Salmons bring consistency - night in and night out.

Garcia will be fine in coming off the pine at this stage of his career.

Brooks brings instant energy and excitement. And he’s mastered those tough shots that Thomas is still working on.

Thomas is the gun-slinger of the bunch. Whenver he feels froggy, he’s gonna jump at a chance to shoot the ball. A little to loose with the ball if you ask me, but he’s making strides in his overall game.

And then there’s fan-favorite Jimmer Fredette. A guy that every time he comes into the game scores and then scores some more.

Too many players for the allotted time.

Who will be left without a chair in this sometimes painful and always confusing game of Kings Musical Chairs?

For fans, and I’m sure the players involved, let’s hope it’s not Game 82 until a logical, consistent rotation is finally formed when the music finally stops.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

RON NABITY

http://www.nabityphotos.com/index.htm

Jewish community watches Omri return...and the Kings win

2013-01-16T04:30:15Z

Monday night’s contest was a game that the Kings should have won. And, they did.

The opening quarter was tight, until Thomas Robinson scored as the buzzer sounded. Still, the Cleveland Caveliers never led by more than four points, and the Kings never trailed after tying the score five minutes into the game.

The bench played a key role, as three starters (Jason Thompson, John Salmons, and Tyreke Evans) entered the second quarter in foul trouble.

From the bench, Robinson had one of his best games, shooting 60 percent, scoring 12 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Jimmer Fredette was back in a groove of efficiency, scoring 16 points in 13 minutes. Marcus Thronton hit most of his field goal attempts, half of his three-point attempts, and tallied 20 points.

DeMarcus Cousins had, what some might say, a typical game. He led the Kings in scoring, rebounds, assists (tied with Isaiah Thomas), personal fouls, technical fouls, and flagrant fouls.

Don’t jump to conclusions. Big Cuz’s positive stats were because he is a great player. His negative stats were because he is under a microscope.

His “flagrant” foul seemed rather unflagrant. It was called when he swiped at a ball and, after hitting it, his arm continued around Tyler Zeller’s neck. It looked like Cousins pulled Zeller to the ground, but the truth is that Zeller had already lost his balance and Cousins tried to break his fall.

It was not revealed what Cousins might have said to earn his technical foul, but whatever it was, it was certainly brief, undemonstrative, and (judging from the way Cousins controlled himself throughout the game) probably nothing that referees wouldn’t tolerate from almost any other player.

The final score was 124 - 118.

Jewish community watches Omri return...and the Kings win

Jewish people excel in many areas. For example, no ethnic group has a higher percentage of Nobel Prize winners. A list of famous Jewish actors and comedians fills pages.

However, when Jews look with pride upon their famous athletes, they mostly have to look backward.

They have to go back to the 1960s to '70s to find Mark Spitz or the 1950s to '60s to find Sandy Koufax. (Actually, there is a recent resurgance of Jewish baseball players, including 2011 National League Most Valuable Player Ryan Braun.)

While there are accomplished Jewish basketball coaches, from Red Auerbach to Larry Brown, it has been a long time since Jews made an impact as basketball players.

It wasn’t always so. In the early days of the NBA, Jews were prominent. The early New York Knickerbockers were almost as Jewish then as they are African-American today.

“The First Basket” is an excellent movie about the history of Jews and basketball, and takes its title from what is considered the first score in NBA history, when Knickerbocker Ossie Schectman sank a shot against the Toronto Huskies in 1946.

“The First Basket” DVD is available to the public at the KOH Library and Cultural Center, at 2300 Sierra Blvd in Sacramento.

With this in mind, it is understandable that Jews all over the world were excited as the first Israeli basketball player to play in the NBA was drafted by the Sacramento Kings. Omri Casspi, who came to the Kings in 2009, was greeted by loud cheers and Israeli flags in virtually every city on the circuit.

When Casspi was traded to Cleveland in 2011, the Jewish community there embraced him with an intensity matched by the corresponding sadness among Sacramento’s Jews.

Monday night was Casspi’s first game at Sleep Train Arena in a Cavelier uniform. In addition to the Jewish fans who normally attend Kings games, about 150 Jews came specifically to see Casspi. He returned the favor with a “Meet and Greet” prior to the game.

Fans in that group talked about what it meant to them when Casspi was drafted.

Chris Beasley was “excited,” while his wife, Sharon, was “proud,” and their son, Jacob, thought “it was kind of cool. To know that there’s actually an NBA player that plays in Sacramento, that’s from Israel, it felt like something awesome. Not only people from different countries could play, but also from Israel.”

Carey Wolf “thought it was pretty cool. Since we’ve never had anybody from the state of Israel, the fact that Sacramento got the first one and we got to meet him through our community, it was very nice.”

David Long brought his whole family to the game.

“We thought it was great, because we were already Kings fans, and it was even cooler that it was a Jewish guy from Israel," Long said.

Harry and Jonathan Weinberg moved to Roseville from Florida about 4 1/2 years ago, switching allegiance from the Orlando Magic to the Kings. “It meant a lot, just to see someone from our own background.”

Lior feels that “For us, the Jewish community, we don’t have a lot of Jews here. When Omri came in, it motivated us to be more into basketball. He’s just such a good motivation, and it was really good having a new Jew in town.”

Nati is an Israeli who now lives in El Dorado Hills, and provides a unique perspective. When the Kings drafted Casspi, she was still living in Israel and observed that she and many Israelis immediately became Kings fans. Interestingly, she also said that when he was traded to Cleveland, her (and many of her friends') allegiance remained with the Kings.

Caren Zorman lives in Sacramento and is president of the Mosaic Law Congregation Board. On Casspi becoming a King, Zorman commented, “It was a very special treat to have the first Israeli play for us in the NBA. It meant a lot for the community. He played well for us, sometimes, and it was a joy for us to watch him put on the purple and black. I came tonight to cheer on the Kings. It’s nice to see Omri, but he’s wearing the wrong colors.

Wrong colors? This brings us to the next question — a dilemma, really. What does a Kings fan who loves Omri Casspi want in the following scenario: “There’s three seconds left in the game. The Kings are up by one point. Omri has the ball and shoots. Do you hope he makes the shot or do you hope the Kings win?”

Zorman declared, “I want the Kings to win. [Omri] needs to be on the winning team, not us watching him win.”

Larry Bronstein remarked that “Omri was famous in the Jewish community, and we all miss him.” Still, the dilemma did not faze him for a moment, and he didn’t hesitate to assert, “I hope the Kings win!”

Josh Taff, a former Sacramento resident who describes himself as “a huge Kings fan,” traveled from Los Angeles specifically for Casspi's homecoming game. Despite an affection strong enough to motivate all that traveling, he said “I hope the Kings win. I’m a Kings fan. I love Omri and I hope he gets ample time, but I will root for the Kings no matter what.” He added, “I root for them to stay in Sacramento, too.”

When posed with the buzzer-beater question, Harry and Jonathan Weinberg agreed “This is our home town, the Kings are our home team, and at the end of the day, [we] want the Kings to win the games.”

When the last-second shot dilemma was presented to the Long family, Dana and Max wanted Casspi to win the game, while David and Zach wanted the Kings to win.

The Wolf’s group was also divided. Carey and and his wife Nancy hoped Casspi would make the shot, while Stacy hoped he would miss it. Samuel wisely opined, “I hope [Omri] has a 30-point game...and [the Cavs} lose.”

If King Solomon were a Kings fan, he couldn’t have said it any better.

Jacob Beasley, though young and eager to support Casspi, looked to the future. He “would hope that [Casspi] misses to give the Kings a chance to actually stay in Sacramento instead of going to Seattle.”

Nati’s patriotic connection is strong. She confided, “I don’t want my son to hear it, but I want Omri to make that shot.”

Finally, Rabbi Taff of Mosaic law, was put on the spot. Kings fans might recall an Israeli flag that waved at Arco Arena whenever Casspi was the focus of attention. This flag was given by the Casspi family to Rabbi Taff in Israel prior to the newly drafted player’s arrival in Sacramento. That flag, by the way, was passed on to Cleveland’s Jewish community when Casspi was traded.

The rabbi gave a rabbinical response when asked his hopes should the game come down to a last second shot by Omri.

“For Omri, I just want success. He’s the first Israeli to play in the NBA. He’s had a little rough patch. I’d like to see him be fulfilled and find the success he deserves to have.”

The rabbi, who used to be a cantor and sang the national anthem before Monday’s game, implied that what his hopes for the hypothetical shot were irrelevant. With biblical certainty — and a wink in his eye — he declared that, if Omri takes that shot, “He makes it. That’s how optimistic I am. He makes it.”

It was Samuel who came closest to getting his wish. Omri did have a great game. In 11 minutes, he converted four of five field goal attempts, was perfect from the foul line, and pulled down four rebounds. Meanwhile, the Kings won.

Disclosure: Fred Hayward serves on Board of Directors of the KOH Library and Cultural Center.

Kings still lacking team identity, assists

2013-01-14T16:56:15Z

The Sacramento Kings took the court once again as their future in the state’s capital remains uncertain as prospective buyers continue to emerge.

With the team’s future still uncertain, the team’s identity on the hardwood has also remained inconsistent. They fell 128-99 to the NBA Champion Miami Heat on Saturday night.

The team’s frustration continues to build while the losses pile up, especially after four straight losses that include three 20-plus point losses.

“It shouldn’t matter what the team is, we should have an identity on the team like every other team has,” Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins said after the game. “Our problem is we switch up how we play and we can’t play that way.

“It is frustrating,” Cousin continued. “I know the way we can play and we aren’t playing that way.”

Sacramento struggled to find the correct ball movement once again against LeBron James and the Heat. They turned the ball over 17 times. The Kings currently hold a 1.5 assists-to-turnovers ratio, the sixth worst in the NBA.

Meanwhile, the Kings are only averaging 14.5 turnovers per game, ranking them in the better half of the league, meaning that it is their lack of assists that is causing them to struggle. The Kings are averaging just 19.8 assists per game, with forward John Salmons leading the team with just 3.3 assists per game.

Though the Kings were able to tally 23 assists in their contest on Saturday night, many of them occurred later in the game when the team found point guard Isaiah Thomas, who kept knocking down the shots en route to his career-high 34 points.

“My teammates found me when I was open and I knocked down the shots,” Thomas said. “It wasn’t nothing that I was trying to do, my teammates found me and I made the shots.”

Sacramento attempted to move the ball around early, but assist attempts turned into turnovers much like they have for most this young season. Head coach Keith Smart knows that his team needs to take better care of the ball if they want to accumulate more wins this season.

“[They] had 22 points off of turnovers in the first half,” Smart said. “The game is set and every possession for you is critical and we didn’t have what we needed and it’s unfortunate that we didn’t have that with a nice crowd here tonight, so I was embarrassed for our fans.”

Thomas knows that the Kings struggled in the beginning and got out of their own game plan that they strived to play after quickly falling behind.

“The way they played they kind of made us play at a tempo where we were out of control,” Thomas said. “We did miss about four or five layups in that first quarter, but other than that we had way too many turnovers and we were kind of playing to their tempo, which we didn’t want to do.

“Once we turned the ball over they got out in transition and they got easy baskets. It’s hard to come back from the deficit that we put ourselves in, especially against a championship caliber team.”

Much of the problem with the Kings’ lack of an identity is their lack of chemistry on the court due to injuries and what seems to be an ever-changing player rotation. Players with strong roles on the team such as Tyreke Evans have missed significant time this season, causing Smart to go to an impromptu lineup.

These injuries have forced the team to learn each other's strengths on the go and this has shown growing pains, even while the team tries to assimilate players back into the lineup.

“We are not clicking because our chemistry is not right, it’s being shifted,” Smart said. “We are incorporating guys back into a fold. And that happens. That happens on a team when you try and get guys back into it again and they’re not 100 percent yet and you try and get things moved around.”

The team is capable of accumulating the assists, as they have done so on occasions this year. It’s just a matter of finding that identity and keeping it consistent.

The Kings will have to find a way to get the ball movement going if they want to increase their winning through the second half of the season.

Photos by Darren Hally Photography

Did Kings Fans Get Spoiled?

2012-12-31T22:32:47Z

What a difference a year doesn’t make.

The Boston Celtics came to Sacramento last season. In that game, the Kings started John Salmons, Jason Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins. Marcus Thornton, and Isaiah Thomas. Tyreke Evans did not play because of an injury to his left leg (ankle). As the first quarter ended, the Kings enjoyed a six-point lead. They never faltered, winning by more than 20 points.

The Boston Celtics came to Sacramento last night. In that game, the Kings started John Salmons, Jason Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins. Marcus Thornton, and Isaiah Thomas. Tyreke Evans did not play because of an injury to his left leg (knee). As the first quarter ended, the Kings enjoyed a six-point lead. They never faltered, winning by more than 20 points.

State of the (Kings) Nation

Watching the Celtics brought back many memories. Before moving to Sacramento, I had lived in Boston and was, of course, a Celtics fan. Those were the days of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish. The Celtics were perennial contenders for the NBA championship, and life was good for Boston basketball fans.

I moved to Sacramento the same year that the Kings arrived and loyally embraced my new team. Nevertheless, rooting for cellar dwellers proved to be an adjustment. What surprised me most was an unexpected, emotional advantage to supporting a talent-challenged team.

Playoffs can be a month-long, virtual city-wide party, but I realized that my range of emotions during the regular season in Sacramento was actually, and unexpectedly, higher than my range of emotions in Boston.

In the glory days of the Celtics, a win was not terribly exciting. Wins were taken for granted. Losses, however, were depressing. Yet in the early and rather pathetic days of the Kings, it was losses which were not particularly disheartening. After all, losses were assumed. Victories, on the other hand, were so rare that they brought days of joy. Food does indeed taste better when you are hungry.

When Chris Weber, Vlade Divac, J. Will and Peja transformed the Kings into a championship caliber, Kings fans began to change. Victories became common and were no longer quite as special. Losses, which used to be taken with a grain of salt, became more annoying. Kings fans, in my mind, got spoiled.

There are many reasons why the Kings have lost some of the love (threats of relocation, for one) and many reasons why attendance has dropped (the Great Recession, for one). But comparing the sellouts-despite-losses of the old days, with empty seats during current losses, one wonders how much of this decline in love is attributable to fans being spoiled by previous success.

Some Kings fans at Sleep Train Arena reacted to this question before tipoff.

Kristin (Roseville), when asked if Kings fans got spoiled, immediately asserted, “Yes! Why not? Absolutely. Because we have high expectations.”

But it does not interfere with her enjoyment of Kings games, and she has “hopes for the future that someday they’ll get it together and it will be like that again.”

Her dad Larry (Davis) agreed that “you get used to [winning]. But now, we’re trying to catch up.” He believes that he would indeed enjoy the games more now if he weren’t spoiled.

Tom (Elverta), a long time fan who first bought season tickets in 1985, does not feel that the fans got spoiled because the glory days were too short.

As to the fans now, Tom added they are just hungry for it again. Most fans he knows are not impatient. They know that the Kings are young and are going through a growing process. In keeping with his embrace of youth and his anticipation of the future, Tom sported rookie Thomas Robinson's jersey.

Robert and Rhonda (Sacramento) believe that fans did get spoiled during the relatively brief time that they were among the elite, but the “true fans” are still supportive of the team. Rhonda blames the economy for a drop in attendance, but Robert conceded that, “if the team were better, there would be more fans here, for sure.”

Nick (Woodland) said “Yeah, I guess you can say [that fans got spoiled] but you can’t really blame the fans." His wife was more definite that fans got spoiled, but said, "true fans never stop coming.”

San (Sacramento) asserted that questions about the team leaving have hurt attendance, while Yvette suggested that a new and nicer arena might draw more fans. Fans might have gotten “a little bit” spoiled, but “die hard fans are still here.”

Dave and Loretta (Sacramento) were asked during half time if Kings fans got spoiled during the good years.

Dave was quick to respond, “Yes, absolutely.”

Loretta would not use the term “spoiled,” preferring to describe the fans as “treated to good basketball. We got used to it. That’s not spoiled. We got affected, though. We don’t necessarily expect that level, but we expect a good level.”

Now, it's your turn. What explains the contrast between the cheerful sellouts when the Kings were a poor team during their first decade in Sacramento, and the grumbling half-empty arenas of today? Did Kings fans get spoiled?

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Johnson hits game-winner versus Knicks in crazy game home game

2012-12-30T00:08:31Z

Amazing!

Incredible!

Unlikely?

Yeah, that’s it. Unlikely.

Of all the words you could use to describe the way Friday night’s Sacramento Kings game ended, unlikely probably suits it best.

In a game that saw the Kings get a 27-point lead, lose that lead and then have a guy hit his first three-pointer of the season just as time ran out for the win - yeah, very unlikely.

The Kings beat the visiting Knicks 106-105 on a buzzer-beating shot by James Johnson at Sleep Train Arena on Friday evening in a game that kept every fan on edge of their seats until the finals clicks on the clock ran dry.

“That’s all I’m rolling on right now is confidence,” Johnson said. “As long as I can continue working on my game and dropping shots, I think my confidence is going to keep getting bigger for this team.”

With the 21-8 New York Knicks in town, the home team was hitting on all cylinders in the first half and had forged their way to a huge lead at one time.

With all that said, this is the 2012-13 Kings we’re talking about and no lead is safe this season.

Everything they had built up in the first half came crumbling down like a house of cards in the second half as the Knicks shot 60 percent in the third and 50 in the fourth while the Kings shot 35 and 29.2 percent respectively.

Even though no one was quite fleeing towards the exits like a cattle stampede, you could feel the air start to leak out of the arena. Kings fans have seen this game way too many times in this and recent seasons.

With all that said, the man who has had the most controversy surrounding him this campaign, DeMarcus Cousins, made the defensive play of the day.

On the final offensive play by the Knicks, Jason Kidd held the ball far above the three-point line as Isaiah Thomas guarded him. Kidd waited until their was eight seconds left on the shot clock and made his move towards the key.

When Cousins came out to double - as Kidd had hoped - Kidd tried to dump a lob pass into Tyson Chandler who had peeled off of Cousins and was heading to the hoop.

Cousins saw this, backed up and jumped in time to intercept the ball and save the day.

With 15 clicks left on the clock, the Kings scrambled to the other end of the floor. Thomas missed the first attempt with nine seconds left, then grabbed a long rebound and found John Salmons in the corner for what looked like an open three attempt. Kidd covered the spot in time and Salmons was forced to toss it to Johnson who just did what he’s supposed to do - catch and shoot.

He did and the rest, as they say, is history.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

We here at the SacPress, in our third year covering the Kings, have tried to give you more than game stories this season.

I mean, you can read those on numerous sights these days, and besides, we think you want to know more about the players than the game itself.

You see, I decide who I’m going to write about way before the game even gets started.

On Friday, I got very lucky.

As I scurried through the Kings locker room before the game looking for an angle for my piece like a rat looking for cheese, I decided to highlight James Johnson because of all the hard work he’s put in lately in improving his shot.

And wouldn’t you know, all that hard work paid off as he hit the game-winner on his first three-ball of the season.

But let’s go back to when Johnson, who had come here trying to steady his career, was removed from the starting lineup and relegated to the bench only a handful of games into the season because of his lack of scoring.

“Just like you were saying, I wasn’t hitting my shot,” Johnson said. “This is a game of making shots. We were having a slow start in the first quarters, not getting past 25 points and Coach Smart thought I was one of the reasons why so I came out.”

Johnson never stopped working on his shot and grinding away at making himself more valuable to this team.

But it was when he took some extra time with Alex English and Bobby Jackson, two of the Kings assistant coaches, that he found what he was looking for - consistency.

“My shot has been looking good for me,” Johnson said. “When I get open, I’m gonna take the shots because I know that I have a great opportunity of making them. I’ve been working after practice every time with Bobby Jackson and (Alex) English with his expertise in scoring the ball. I’ve tried to take a little bit of that from him, but all-in-all, I’ve just been working on my game.”

English said that he didn’t have to do much to help Johnson, but he did bring up one key word - consistency.

“James has got a lot of skill,” English started out. “With his jump shot, it’s just a matter of being consistent with it and doing it one way all the time.”

English has worked with many guys on their shot and, it seems, everybody has a different idea of what the perfect jumper should look like. English denies this and says you can shoot it any way you want as long as you are, you guessed it, consistent.

“If you ever watched my shot, it’s not orthodox,” English said. “I kept working on it and working on it and that’s what I’ve tried to instill in him. You listen to all of these different things that people tell you what to do and you change your shot every two or three weeks. You can’t do that. Just do it! Shoot the shot. The only thing you have to do with your shot and doing it the same way every time is your follow through. Making sure you hold it up long enough for the ball to go through.”

If you watch Johnson lately, that’s exactly what he’s been trying to do. Shoot the shot without thinking about it and keep the same follow through each time.

Lately, Johnson has been seeing some quality time at the power forward position. Most times, coaches see the mismatches only one way. That is to say the coach is more worried about matching up to the opposing team instead of making the opposing team matchup to his lineup.

When you put Johnson out there at the four, it creates a great mismatch in which the Kings are starting to take advantage.

“I know that there are a lot of fours out there that have great footwork in the post, but at the same time, they have to come down and guard me on defense,” Johnson said.

Here’s to the hard work James Johnson has put in this season and to me getting lucky again during this Kings campaign!

AWESOME PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF:

DARREN HALL

http://www.darrenhallphotography.net/

https://www.facebook.com/DarrenHallPhotographynet

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Kings bench crucial to winning

2012-12-24T22:18:16Z

The Sacramento Kings bench came up big in the Kings 108-96 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Sleep Train Arena on Sunday night, Dec. 23.

With big man DeMarcus Cousins out, due to a team suspension, and guard Tyreke Evans still out with a knee injury, the bench scored 43 of the team’s points. The bench needs to have productive nights like this in order to keep winning.

The team was able to use solid ball movement all night in order to find the open man, something that the team has struggled with all season. Sacramento had a season-high 31 assists on this night.

“The number one thing was 31 assists, that tells the story right there,” Kings head coach Keith Smart said after the game. “Obviously making shots, but 31 assists for this group after everything we’ve been through the last couple of days, for them to pull together.”

In fact, it was the bench that got the Kings back into the game, after quickly falling into a 10-point deficit early in the second quarter. But it was the bench that went on a 16-0 run that gave the Kings the lead.

Former Trail Blazer Travis Outlaw was a big factor in the game, as he scored 15 points in just 16 points against his old team, 13 of which came in the second quarter when the Kings needed it most.

"I want to do well every night," Outlaw said. "I mean, it's nice going against your former team and playing well. You just got to be thankful for the opportunity you get and make the best of it and hope it leads to more.”

Smart joked after the game that Outlaw must hold a grudge against Portland since he always seems to produce against them.

“They must’ve done him real wrong,” Smart said while smiling. “They must’ve did him very bad in Portland. Obviously that young man is another guy on our team that works every day, doesn’t complain.”

The Kings need the same kind of production from their bench every night in order to keep obtaining wins.

The backcourt pairing of Jimmer Fredette and Isaiah Thomas has been clicking well as of late. Smart will need to make sure he finds a way to get the pair in the game at the same time, even when he gets bodies like Evans and Francisco Garcia back from injury.

Getting Fredette on the floor with Thomas gives the team an added ability to spread the floor with either guard, while having a big man in Chuck Hayes that has solid passing capabilities.

“It’s just all guys that can handle the basketball, pass it, shoot the ball, spread the floor, and we try to get up and down in transition as much as we can,” Fredette said. “We’ve been working really well together and that’s our jobs right now, to come off and give our team a lift.”

Should Smart decide to put Marcus Thornton back on the bench when Evans returns, the bench will have plenty of capable scorers; it’s just a matter of execution.

Players will always want to be in the starting lineup, but it’s more important to stick together as a team and understand everybody’s role until the time comes. The team needs to be urging each other on, no matter who is on the floor.

“It felt great, everybody was into the game, cheering for one another, and that’s what we need,” Thornton said following the game.

Photos by Darren Hall

A wild shoot-out at Sleep Train Arena

2012-12-21T00:00:33Z

What happens in a basketball game when each team makes 50 percent of its field goal attempts? And, each team sinks at least half its three-point attempts (all 45 of them)? And, each team converts at least 80 percent of its free throws? And, each team’s number of assists totals more than double its turnovers? Answer: you get a score like 131-127.

What happens when a team has the second-most road wins in the NBA (winning a higher percentage than the leader) and plays a road game so close to its own home that its fans sometimes drown out the locals? And, that team’s road percentage (.667) is higher than the home team’s home record (.462)? And, that team has the Western Conference Player of the Week? And, that team’s coach is the likely current frontrunner for Coach of the Year? And, that team is hot, winning eight of its last nine games, while it’s playing a discouraged team riding a five-game losing streak? Well, in the unpredictable world of the NBA, that team loses.

Yes, the Kings beat the Golden State Warriors in front of 12,885 fans packed into Sleep Train Arena on Tuesday night, Dec. 18.

Sacramento had a balanced attack. In contrast to the Warriors, whose top three scorers (Stephen Curry at 32, David Lee at 29 and Jarrett Jack at 28) scored 70 percent of their points, the Kings’ top three scorers (DeMarcus Cousins at 24, Aaron Brooks at 23 and Marcus Thornton at 19) only scored 50 percent of the Kings’ points. Coach Keith Smart happily pointed out that seven Kings players scored in double figures.

Unlike recent Kings losses, the Kings played a strong third quarter and did not squander the lead built up in the first half. That third quarter saw the Kings extend an eight-point halftime lead into a 99-88 score. Indeed, on their very first possession of the final period, the Kings broke the 100-point barrier.

The 11-point lead began to dwindle and halfway through the stanza, it disappeared completely. For the first time since two minutes into the game, the Kings had to catch up. As the Warriors surged, the tension mounted for Kings fans. Were they about to witness another collapse? The lead traded hands once, and then the Kings trailed for the next two minutes. The pattern was depressingly familiar.

But, no. The Warriors, who had been perfect from the charity stripe, draining 15 of 15, missed three of their last eight. The collapse never happened. The Kings retook the lead and closed out the game. Jimmer Fredette (who scored 15 points in 14 minutes) sank four of four free throws in the final 12 seconds to seal the deal.

The sort-of rivalry

Situated just 90 miles apart, the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors are natural candidates for a rivalry. Nevertheless, while each team seeks bragging rights for Northern California, the rivalry has never reached the intensity of, say, the Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Most likely, the lack of animosity is due to timing; at no time have both teams been good. The total number of playoff appearances for Sacramento’s Kings is 10. During the Sacramento era, the total number of playoff appearances for the Warriors is six. The total number of years when both teams made the playoffs is ... zero.

Warriors fan Jason was born in the Bay Area. Living here now, he comes often to Sleep Train Arena when the Warriors are in town. “We’ve sucked for so long, it’s not really a great rivalry,” he says. Beating the Kings is “nothing big.”

His friend, Colby, also originally from the Bay Area, agrees. Still, if the Warriors keep playing the way they have been lately (second place in the Pacific Division, five games ahead of the third-place Lakers), rivalries will develop.

Carlos was born in Oakland but now lives in Manteca. He thinks of Kings versus Warriors games as “a rivalry, but more so, a friendly rivalry.” Demonstrating the friendliness of it, he sat with two Kings fans - Isaias and Rory.

Robert and Pixie are both from the Bay Area, but live near Woodland now. They are lifelong Warriors fans who go to games both here and at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Robert does think of the two teams as rivals. “Both of them are usually in the lower rung, at least within the last six years, in the standings. So, being able to compete as close as they do is very intriguing.”

Savannah, Thuy and Vanna are from the Modesto-Stockton area. Savannah has always been a Kings fan, while her sister Vanna is a recent convert to the Warriors. They have mixed feelings about whether or not the two teams constitute a legitimate rivalry. Of course, by the time our conversation ended, the sisters were talking smack to each other.

Carl is originally from Sacramento, but married his Texan sweetheart Meg and lives in the Houston area. Surprisingly, Meg reveals she was a Kings fan even before they met. Carl does not rank the Kings and Warriors as a rivalry to the same degree as the Kings and Lakers. “The Warriors and Kings are more of a matchup now, but I hate the Lakers a lot more than I would hate the Warriors,” she says. Living in the Houston area, they wear their Kings jerseys to Rockets games when Sacramento plays in Texas.

On the other hand, Joel has known Carl as long as he can remember and does consider it a rivalry. “I think the Northern California rivalry definitely plays into it. I know that the teams have never been on the same page over the years. So now, I would say yes, but not in the same way that the Kings and the Lakers would be.”

Trisha has been a Curry fan ever since his college days at Davidson. Although from Sacramento, her devotion to Curry propelled her into Warriors fandom. An erstwhile Kings fan (she switched loyalties when the Kings failed to draft Curry), she does think of the two teams as a rivalry and often comes to Sleep Train Arena to cheer for her Warriors.

Tracy wore a Kings shirt and asserted that we are rivals “just because of the two different areas - we’re close, we’re neighbors, but not.”

The most aggressive fan was her friend Sandy, who also sported a King shirt. When asked if there was a rivalry, she replied, “Oh, my goodness, yes. And, I think (the Kings) are going to kick their butt in spite of everything. I think they’re going to come out strong, because we cannot let the Warriors beat us here.... They’re like the Lakers - we don’t want them winnin’ nothin’ in this house!” She proved prescient.

Player updates

Tyreke Evans did not dress for the game and was listed as inactive. Due to a knee injury, he has now missed seven of the last 11 games. Meanwhile, Thornton returned after a four-game absence (all Kings losses) to be home with his ailing mother. He is relieved to report that she is doing better.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

In his fifth year, Jason Thompson proves to be a model of consistency

2012-12-08T23:24:17Z

In a finally nearly filled Sleep Train Arena on Friday evening, the Sacramento Kings beat the visiting Orlando Magic 91-82 to win two games in a row for only the second time this frustrating season.

DeMarcus Cousins had a big night scoring 17 points, grabbing 14 boards and had three steals, two blocks and four assists. Not a bad night for the Kings’ big man. Four other players scored in double figures including Isaiah Thomas (17), Jimmer Fredette (15), Jason Thompson (12) and Aaron Brooks (11).

So far in the early going of the 2012-13 campaign, the Kings have not got the engine humming smoothly down the tracks.

The early culprits were trying to find the right combo at guard, the suspensions to both Cousins and Thomas Robinson and now the M.I.A. Tyreke Evans.

Evans has missed three of the last four games with a sore right knee, which he thinks he picked up when he banged knees against Andrei Kirilenko of the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 27. Evans had an MRI prior to the game on Friday with results coming back negative - no damage.

With all that is seemingly wrong with the Kings, the one constant bright spot is Jason Thompson.

Thompson has been a model of consistency early this season. Considering the team rarely runs plays his way, his numbers are very satisfying.

In 18 games, Thompson is averaging 11.1 points per game, 1.1 blocks, 7.2 rebounds and is shooting at a .506 clip. In 11 of the 18 games, he has scored in double figures. In three of the six wins he has nine or more rebounds also.

J.T., as he’s affectionately known, is all hustle. He’s the first one down the floor on a fast break. He often takes the ball out to start a possession and still not the last one down the floor and setting up for offense.

For those watching closely, and I have since I’ve been a big fan of him since he joined the team five years ago, even though he has been asked to do and has been used in so many different ways by his many different coaches, he still finds a way to improve each and every year.

The numbers may not show it just yet this season, but Thompson is really starting to reach his true potential.

“I think that it (his game) is coming along,” Thompson said. “I think that I can even be better. I think that I am my toughest critic. So I’m never satisfied at what is going on. The thing is to be consistent and stay healthy. I think I can still do more on the team like stay out of foul trouble and even take some more shots when I have them.”

Fouling out is a facet of the game in which Thompson has certainly improved. He has only gotten tagged with four fouls or more four times this season and only once has he fouled out.

“I’m just trying to improve and making sure that as much as I’m improving, that we can get some wins out of it as well.”

In the search for a vocal team leader, the names Evans and Cousins come up all the time. Sure, it’d be great if either of those guys would step to the plate and become the leader we as fans think they could become. But Evans may be too quiet of a guy and Cousins may not yet be consistent enough.

On the other hand, you’ve got guys like Aaron Brooks, Francisco Garcia, Chuck Hayes and John Salmons that either have the experience or have been on a playoff contender.

In Brooks and Salmons, both guys are more the quiet guys; the ones that show it on the court and not speak it in the locker room. In Garcia and Hayes, neither guy gets enough playing time to be considered a force to reckon with in the locker room.

Enter a guy like Thompson. Thompson is kind of in the middle stages now of becoming a true team leader. His experience level is almost what it needs to be and Thompson’s game is nearly there also.

Does Thompson think he can blossom into one of the voices the team tunes into?

“I think so,” Thompson said. “It’s one thing I can expand in my game. Like you said, with Chuck (Hayes) and ‘Cisco (Garcia) what makes or breaks them is obviously their longevity in the league and also that they’ve experienced the playoffs. For guys to be a voice in here, they really have to have experienced the playoffs and winning consistently.”

For Coach Smart, it’s a blessing to have such a receptive guy on his roster.

“I loved coaching him last year,” Smart said. “I saw him transition into a guy that goes out and plays - you don’t have to run plays for him, although he wants more. He does his job hard every single night. He practices at the same rate every single night, the same pace. And then just watching him stabilize his game.”

The stabilizer, this season, has been Kings big man coach Clifford Ray.

“Clifford Ray has done a great job with slowing his game down at little bit,” Smart continued. “We talked to him about not getting involved with officials or players from other teams that is going to pull his off of his game.”

“They see the guy works extremely hard,” Smart said. “He doesn’t complain. And that’s great for your team. That’s great for any team at whatever stage your team is in. If your in a developmental stage of trying to become a winner, in a team that is in the middle of the pack or a team that is eventually winning consistently.”

“He’s one of those guys fits every stage of a team as they try and become winners . . . He can stabilize all of those things.”

For DeMarcus Cousins, it mean almost more than he can put into word having a guy like J.T. on his team.

“I definitely lucky to have him on my team,” Cousins said. “J.T. Is probably one of the most unselfish players that I have eve played with. He accepts his role. He doesn’t mind playing that role. He goes out and does his job to the best of his ability every night. That’s definitely a player that you want on your team.”

“He’s always willing to play his role and be that catalyst on the team. That’s what every team needs!”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

DAVID ALVAREZ

Tyreke Evans excels in return to the court

2012-12-07T00:36:30Z

The Sacramento Kings returned home to defeat the struggling Toronto Raptors 107-100 on Wednesday night, Dec. 5, for just their fifth win of the season.

A big part of the victory was the return of Kings guard Tyreke Evans, who missed the previous two games due to a bruised left knee.

Evans returned to his starting shooting guard position and got off to a slow start, but quickly found himself as a key piece of the victory as the team pulled away late. The fourth-year guard scored 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, including two big three-point shots that put the Kings ahead for good.

“I was just trying to get a feel for it,” Evans said of his return to the court. “When you sit out for a long time like that, it’s always tough just trying to come in and play good, so I wasn’t trying to force it. I was trying to take what the defense was giving me, I was thinking too much. In the second half, I started being aggressive again and getting to the line.”

Kings head coach Keith Smart appreciated the aggressiveness they saw from Evans, as his effort assisted in the team’s 56 points in the paint against the Raptors. The ability to get into the paint with ease and then pass if needed was missed during Evans’ absence from the hardwood.

“We weren’t getting into the paint,” Smart said, following the game. “We weren’t getting the basketball in the paint. In the last couple of games, the guy that got into the paint to move the ball to other people was Jason Thompson, and he had 18 of those trips of getting into the paint and moving the basketball. I thought our guys did a great job and obviously Tyreke did a great job with getting into the paint with his penetration.”

Evans credits the Kings’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers to his motivation to be aggressive and try and get into the paint in order to force the defense to make a play.

“That’s one thing that I wanted to do tonight was drive the paint and draw the fouls and get into the paint,” Evans said. “When we played the Clippers, they got into the paint a lot so I just wanted to get into the paint a lot.”

Evans’ aggressiveness earned him a trip to the line 12 times, though he made just seven shots.

The guard’s biggest contribution toward the victory came when the game was tied 95-95, with just 2:16 remaining on the play clock for the game. Ironically, it was arguably Evans’ weakest part of his game that made the biggest difference.

Forward John Salmons drove the floor and kicked it out to Evans on the wing, who took the wide-open three and made it. The pair hooked up on the exact same play on the next drive, earning the same results to give the Kings a late six-point lead 101-95.

Afterward, Evans looked at the Raptors bench with something to say.

"They were just talking over there, you know. They said, ‘Leave him open,’ and I said, ‘Leave me open and I'm going to keep shooting it,’ and I just made the shots."

Evans also made his presence felt on the defensive side of the court as he came back down the floor to block a three-point attempt by Raptors guard Kyle Lowry as Toronto was attempting a late-game comeback.

Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins knows that Evans can be a dangerous player if he can consistently hit the outside shots.

“I just told him after the game, ‘That’s the first time since I’ve been in the league that I’ve seen you hit two threes in a row,’” Cousins said. “I’m happy for him, he’s been working his tail off, especially with his outside shooting. If he continues to get confidence in his jump shot he’ll be an incredible player.”

Smart has confidence in Evans’ spot shooting, just believes that he needs to be committed to it at times and not always put the ball on the floor to drive.

“He works at it,” Smart said. “We share with him, I share with him, and everyone else has said that ‘When you’re spot shooting, your percentage is very good. And when you’re spotted up there and shooting your three, it’s a good shot for you.’ He got there and made those two threes, and I was very happy with the way he hit those two shots. He didn’t have a thought of putting it down and driving in traffic.”

Evans, along with the play of Cousins, can be a dangerous tandem in the NBA when both are playing well.

“I think it starts with us two. DeMarcus in the post and me in the pick-and-rolls getting into the paint,” Evans said.

All Photos by Ron Nabity

From Russia with (Kevin) Love

2012-11-29T21:16:50Z

After beating the Los Angeles Lakers last week, Sacramento coach Keith Smart joked that he wished the Kings’ schedule were changed so that they only played upper-echelon teams. Those are the games where the Kings most consistently maintain their focus and intensity.

Coach Smart did not get his wish. The schedule was not changed. Instead, the Kings played the Minnesota Timberwolves, who rode a five-game losing streak into Sleep Train Arena. It was a game that the Kings probably should have won and, indeed, they were ahead from the opening tip until 11:59 of the first quarter. The Timberwolves earned a one-point lead with .9 seconds left in the opening period and never trailed again. The final score was 97-89.

Several factors stand out.

Timberwolves forward Kevin Love played without a protective glove for the first time since he broke his hand in October. His 23 points and 24 rebounds leave no doubt that his touch is back.

DeMarcus Cousins was limited to less than 28 minutes, due to foul trouble. Cousins’ rebounding prowess was especially missed. Arguably, being out-rebounded 51-36 was the central reason for the Kings’ loss.

A word to the wiseguys

Cousins, according to Charles Barkley, has the potential to be the best big man in the league. Currently, his only league-leading statistic is in the category of technical fouls (actually tied with Carmelo Anthony of the Knicks). Nevertheless, he does lead the Kings in points and rebounds, and is the favorite of many fans. A sampling of fans wearing his jersey commented on “Big Cuz.”

Patty, a sweet woman who exudes maternal instinct, said, “I love him. He’s my favorite. I wish I could be his grandmother … give him a little bit of advice and TLC. I just hope someone can help him to grow up.” What advice would she give him? “I would say, ‘Chill!’”

Joe is “happily representing DeMarcus Cousins,” and advised “DeMarcus, walk away from the refs. Other than that, play your game, man.” He added, “DeMarcus is actually a really good guy.” Joe’s young son, Jayden, believes his hero should be an All-Star and cautioned, “Don’t talk to the refs at all.”

Rita wants to tell Cousins, “Just keep on playing hard, and be patient with the referees.”

David was more blunt: “Grow up.” He added with a laugh, “But, it’s kind of hard when you’re 23. We remember what 23 was, don’t we?”

After driving in from Tracy, Larry offered this advice to his favorite player: “He’s got to control his temper. He’s got to quit getting the technicals. And, drive the paint. Make those other guys foul him.”

Al simply declared, “DeMarcus is DeMarcus.” His wife Bobbe feels, “DeMarcus needs to think of his teammates and the fans. If he hurts the team, he hurts the fans … Other teams know that they can agitate him and they’ll T him up.”

From Russia with (Kevin) Love

This isn't the first time we've seen a team on the floor that has significant representation from foreign lands. It happened when Coach Westphal put Beno Udrich from Slovenia, Sergio Rodriguez from Spain, Andres Nocioni from Argentina, Omri Casspi from Israel and Spencer Hawes from the U.S. on the floor against the Utah Jazz in 2009, and it happened last night in Sacramento.

During several stretches, the Timberwolves fielded Andrei Kirilenko and Alexey Shved (both from Russia) and Nicola Pekovic (from Montenegro), along with Americans Kevin Love and Luke Ridnour.

The Russian connection for the Timberwolves consists of two-thirds of the total number of Russian-born athletes in today’s NBA. Kirilenko is one of the most talented and athletic players, while rookie Shved scored 25 points to earn Russia’s first Olympic medal. Kirilenko scored 20 points in that game, and the two have been friends for a long time. Shved credits his compatriot with easing his transition into the NBA and life half a world away from his family.

Thanks to his initials, his uniform number and the famous Russian weapon, Kirilenko is known as AK-47. Interestingly, that wasn’t his first choice. His preferred number was 13, but when he came to the Utah Jazz as a rookie in 2001, a more senior player (John Amaechi) already had number 13. Someone else on the Jazz suggested he become AK-47, “The Russian Rifle.”

Shoutout to the IT Department

While Isaiah Thomas fans are generously scattered throughout the arena, Kelly organized the “IT Department,” which contained about six lovely women sporting Zeke shirts and signs. They might be happy to know that Thomas does see them and says, “I appreciate the thought … I can’t say enough about them.”

Best game this season for the Kings as they beat LA

2012-11-22T10:32:57Z

The Sacramento Kings, sporting the worst record in the Western Conference, battled the Los Angeles Lakers, who are the most All-Star laden team in the NBA on Wednesday evening. Had Laker point guard Steve Nash not missed the game due to injury, the Laker starting five alone would contain five All-Stars — compared to zero on the entire Kings roster.

But, Kings fans had hopes for a good game. As King fan Saul said, “If we play an A game and they play a B game, we're perfectly capable of taking this game.” We played our A game.

Laker Dwight Howard, arguably the best center in basketball, played twice as many minutes as foul-plagued DeMarcus Cousins, but Big Cuz equaled Howard’s point total, while gathering only one fewer rebound.

Kobe Bryant was “held” to only 38 points. What amazing is that John Salmons (called “the unsung hero” by Coach Smart in his post-game press conference) played as tight a defense on Bryant as anyone could do. Bryant was just that ridiculous.

Jason Thompson outscored and outrebounded Pau Gasol. Tyreke Evans had a solid, well-rounded game, and Marcus Thornton came off the bench to score 23 points in a 103 - 90.

Good News/Better News

The good news was that 15,249 fans showed up, and Sleep Train Arena was rocking. The better news was that Kings fans outnumbered and outcheered Laker fans. When Kobe stepped to the foul line, for example, he was greeted by Laker shouts of “MVP,” but boos from Kings fans drowned out the homage to Kobe. This dynamic was a welcome change from many recent games where Sacramento’s arena saw more yellow Laker jerseys than Kings purple.

Kings personnel dismiss the effect of hearing louder cheering for their opponents in their own arena. (Smart observed, “When you have a branded team like the Lakers, there’s nothing you can do about it.") Nevertheless, they are quick to credit the positive effect of hometown support, so it is hard to believe that there is no negative effect when their opponents get stronger support than they do in their own crib.

Family

It’s not often that a heterosexual male reporter walks into a Kings locker room, sees someone, and thinks, “Wow, he’s adorable!” Then again, it’s not often that you enter the Kings locker room and see a 5-year old boy shyly hiding behind his dad.

Thanksgiving is a family holiday, and Chuck Hayes began the celebration early by bringing his son to the game. The boy loves to watch his dad play and, fortunately, did not see the injury which sent Hayes to the locker room and receive five stitches above his right eye. Instead, he saw his dad step up when Cousins’s foul trouble forced him to the bench for most of the game. Hayes kept Howard in check and helped limit the big Laker center to a fraction of the 23 points and 18 rebounds he had totaled against the Kings 10 days ago.

Chuck Hayes exudes a calm maturity that few Kings have yet developed. His devotion as a father is evident every time he comments upon, or simply looks upon, his son. The highlight of Hayes’ summers is the quality time he gets to spend with his son, although even during the basketball season, they see each other almost every day. Hayes is a dad who enjoys “watching him play, teaching him, answering his questions” along with passing on the right values, and the boy is obviously following his dad’s footsteps toward an honorable manhood.

Metta World Peace/Ron Artest

When he was Ron Artest and playing for the Kings, Metta World Peace was famous as much for his legal and emotional problems as for his considerable basketball prowess.

Those who meet him, on the other hand, find a warmth and sincerity which is rarely seen in the facade that professional athletes usually maintain. World Peace’s twinkling eyes will look right at you and he speaks with a genuine smile.

World Peace maintains he has nothing but good thoughts about Sacramento and his tenure with the Kings, even though the Kings are now his opponents. He has fond memories, and maintains friendships with various Kings players (he mentioned fellow New Yorker Francisco Garcia) and the Maloofs.

Giving Thanks

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would like to thank Mark Needham, SacPress sports reporter, who was scheduled to cover this game but had to bow out. Because of Mark, I was able to enjoy a delicious dinner (highlights included tender prime rib, chicken cordon bleu, and red velvet cheese cake) followed by an unforgettable Kings victory. May you all have a Happy, Healthy, and Delicious Thanksgiving.

Opposite pattern, same result for The Sacramento Kings

2012-11-20T00:22:22Z

The Sacramento Kings reversed the disappointing tempo of their previous two games, both thorough defeats, when they played the Brooklyn Nets on the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 18.

The Kings had started erratically against the Portland Trailblazers last Tuesday, Nov. 13, and the Atlanta Hawks last Friday, Nov. 16, building up double-digit deficits by the end of the first quarter. On Sunday, however, they came within 23 seconds of finishing the first quarter with a lead.

In both previous games, they played strong second quarters and were able to end the half down by only a bucket or two. On Sunday, however, it was the opponents who played a fierce second quarter and left the Kings with a double-digit halftime deficit.

In both previous games the Kings fell apart in the third quarter, so that the game was virtually out of reach by the final stanza. In Sunday’s third quarter, however, the Kings outplayed the Nets and promised an exciting finale.

The Kings indeed started strong in the fourth quarter, closed the gap to two points and then floundered, ending the game with their fifth straight loss, 99 to 90. They are now solidly in last place in the Pacific Division.

Who boo?

For the third straight home game, the unwelcome sound of boos serenaded the Kings during some hapless stretches at Sleep Train Arena. After Friday’s loss to the Hawks, Coach Keith Smart excused the angry fan reaction and generously offered, "I would boo this team as well. Boo me as well.”

This is doubtful. He’s not the type. Neither, it turns out, are any of over a dozen fans interviewed on Sunday.

Typical were Rhonda (“I don’t boo....I think it’s not nice. There’s no need for it.”) and Kyle (“I’ll never boo my team.”).

James insisted, “No (booing the Kings]. Absolutely not.”

So, who does get their boos?

Norm from El Dorado Hills said, “I boo the referees once in awhile.” Tonette remarked, “You have to be a fan through thick or thin....I don’t usually boo the opposing team, but the refs I do boo often.”

Ethan, when asked about booing the Kings, replied “At the team? Probably, not. At the refs, maybe.”

Kathy asserted, “I don’t boo anyone,” paused, and then added “I boo the referee every once in awhile.”

Marcus reported, “No, I wasn’t booing....We’re still fans and we still love and support the team.” When asked if he booed the opponents, however, he admitted “Yes — and the officiating.”

Take heart, Kings. Those who boo you are just a vocal minority.

Leadership is as leadership does

By the end of the Hawks game, the Kings were seemingly on the verge of booing each other. The family that Coach Smart has worked so hard to create was in danger of splintering. Yet with DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans both expressing a need and desire to show leadership, and Isaiah Thomas exuding the charisma of a team leader despite his diminutive size and relative lack of experience - it was quiet John Salmons who stepped up and called a team meeting.

Salmons prefers to lead by quiet example. Nevertheless, he spoke up because someone had to, and it seems all were receptive. The team has certainly shown more cohesiveness, has repaired some of its chemistry and has displayed a much improved attitude and a better game (the loss to the Nets notwithstanding).

It's the little things

A good example of the way little mistakes plague the Kings was in the third quarter. The Kings were awarded a free throw after the Nets were called for a defensive three-seconds violation. A team can select any player to shoot a technical, and Coach Smart’s general rule is “The best free throw shooter goes there.”

On the court were DeMarcus Cousins (free throw average of .700), John Salmons (free throw average of .750), Tyreke Evans (free throw average of .800), Jason Thompson (free throw average of .813) — and Aaron Brooks (free throw average of only .333).

Who is the least logical choice to go to the foul line? Obviously, Aaron Brooks. Who went to the foul line? Aaron Brooks — who missed the shot. It was only one point, but it’s those little things that count. Coach Smart was “very disappointed with that....I was very disappointed they allowed that to happen.”

Voice of experience

When Nets guard and forward Jerry Stackhouse was drafted, Cousins was 4 years old. Stackhouse is literally old enough to be a father to some players and is in good enough shape to school them.

Stackhouse now embraces his role as a mentor, sharing his knowledge of the game and perhaps more importantly, his knowledge of the profession. Thirty-eight years old, without a thought of retirement, he is at peace with his place on the team. Generally averaging about 15 minutes a game, he came into Sacramento shooting .500 from the field and .455 from the three-point line.

Still, he feels he is there to do more than score points. He is there to teach players how to be winners, imparting on them (what a recent Newsday article called) “swagger.” It’s a necessary trait for any team to be successful on the road, and something the Kings could currently use.

Celebrity homey

Urijah Faber, former World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion and now fighting as a bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, was in attendance. Just back from a promotional tour which took him as far away as Singapore, the California Kid is a solid Kings fan. He declared he wouldn’t boo them, either.

Photo Credits : Darren Hall, today's photographer, has a website and is on Facebook.

Editor's Note: The sixth paragraph has been edited to reflect the new name of the arena.

Tyreke Evans on staying focused during tough times and finding his shot

2012-11-18T01:09:22Z

When the Sacramento Kings met up with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday at newly crowned Sleep Train Arena (sounds good to have Arena back in the name), a couple of goals must have been in mind.

First, play better than they did the week before and second, hope Tyreke’s jumper was coming into form.

I guess you could say they went one-for-two as they lost to the Hawks 112-96 in a game that had the loyal fans on their feet booing in the closing moments, but on the bright side, Tyreke Evans' shot is looking better one game at a time.

THE PLAY

Booing at the obvious lack of effort and an insufficient amount of offensive movement at times shows the fans in attendance (only 11,814 on a Friday) still care.

The question they must have been asking was, does the team care?

In short, they do.

After the game, Coach Keith Smart was in the media room earlier than usual and addressed the masses. It should have been a sign of what was to come. Once Smart was finished, the media throng headed towards the locker room as usual but was met by one of the media relations guys and told that the players weren’t done talking amongst themselves just yet.

Great! This team finally isn’t going to wait until the season is halfway over to focus on the issues at hand.

“We’re just tired of losing,” Evans said. “They just came in here and did whatever they wanted and got easy baskets. We just have to be better as a team. We work hard on defense in Colorado and then we come out here at home and lose by 20 or 15 every night. That’s not gonna get it for us. So we have to be better.”

A players only meeting. Frustration was the word on everyone’s mind after the loss.

Veterans like Chuck Hayes are “very frustrated” right now.

Evans said the fans aren’t the only disheartened folks in the building.

“It’s a little frustrating right now, but we just have to keep playing together as a team and try to figure it out,” Evans said. “We can’t keep coming in here at home and losing by 20. That’s not gonna get it! We have to be aggressive for 48 minutes.”

Evans is not the only one feeling the sense of urgency.

“Everybody is frustrated I think,” Evans said. “I don’t think it’s just me, it’s everybody. We know we’re a better team than that. This is my fourth year. A couple of others guys have been on the team for a long time and we are just tired of losing.”

Evans knows this could be a tipping point. It would be a shame to see the hard work they’ve put in during training camp and the teamwork focus that Coach Smart has tried to instill during that time amount to nothing.

“We have to keep focused,” Evans said. “That’s the main part (of it). Once we hang our heads and point fingers, that’s where we go bad. We have to just play. Other teams go out there and play. They don’t argue. They don’t fight with each other. We just have to be like that. Be a family. We say we’re a family, we gotta play as a family.”

Family. It was Coach Smart’s secret ingredient to success.

The time away from everybody and everything in Colorado prior to preseason starting was meant to be a fresh start, a new beginning.

In that time, the players swore to have each other’s backs and play like a team for an entire season and then judge their performance.

And it started with defense.

When Coach Smart was emphasizing defense during the entire training camp, he thought eventually the offense would catch up, so to speak.

So far this season, the offense has been missing in action.

“We are all having problems with it (offense) right now,” Evans continued. “Last year, we scored the ball so easy. Now this year, it’s a struggle for us. It’s still early, but we have to get it better in practice.”

Evans threw the gauntlet down during the closed door session.

“It starts with practice,” Evans finished. “(No more) joking around. We got to be serious every day from here on out. That’s what we talked about really. Just be serious in practice and it starts tomorrow!”

Part Two on Sunday as Evans and others discuss his effort in finding the perfect jump shot.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

DARREN HALL

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/DarrenHallPhotographynet
SITE: www.darrenhallphotography.net

Photos: Sacramento Kings fall to Atlanta Hawks, 112-96

2012-11-17T17:42:45Z

The Sacramento Kings lost to the Atlanta Hawks 112 to 96 in a home game Friday night. These photos come coutsey of Darren Hall Photography.

DeMarcus Cousins is kocked down, but no foul is called.

Tyreke Evans commits an offensive foul.

John Salmons gets an unlikely dunk.

Cousins face says it all.........it wasn't the Kings night!!

Josh Smith powers by James Johnson.

Jeff Teague on his way to the hoop despite Tyreke Evans trying to block.

Short-Handed Kings Fall Short

2012-11-14T23:38:05Z

The post-game locker room was somber. Players sat, staring into the distance. Asking them questions felt as awkward and inappropriate as hitting on women at a funeral.

Keith Smart, the normally ebullient coach of the Kings, gave a moribund press conference. Perhaps for the first time, he did not even open with a statement. Instead, the coach took the podium, looked dejectedly at the assembled reporters, and mumbled simply, “You got some questions?”

This was a game that might have been won. The Portland Trailblazers came to Power Balance Arena with the same 2 - 5 record as the Kings, but carried a four game losing streak. Their defense ranked near the bottom of the league, rarely holding opponents to less than 50% shooting. Yet, despite this being the second game of a back-to-back for the Blazers, it was the Kings who ran out of gas. (“Running out of gas” was a common phrase heard during post-game interviews.)

One excuse offered was that the Kings used up their energy coming back from an early 25 - 10 deficit. Another explanation is that the Kings were terribly shorthanded. Kings talented center, DeMarcus Cousins was finishing a two-game suspension for a hostile confrontation with Spurs color commentator Sean Elliot, while Isaiah Thomas was out due to a death in his family, Francisco Garcia was home with the flu, and Aaron Brooks injured an ankle only seven minutes into the game and did not return. The Kings were never in the game after a Blazer 20 - 4 run in the third quarter and lost 103 - 86.

Despite being shorthanded, the Kings let Travis Outlaw spend the game sitting on the bench. One wonders whether Outlaw might have been able to provide a badly needed boost, especially since athletes usually perform with extra energy when playing against former teams. (Outlaw was a Blazer for over six seasons.)

NO MARCUS SHOW

During two years, there was an enjoyable statistical anomaly during stretches of Kings - Blazers games when the court was 40% Marcus (Marcus Thornton, DeMarcus Cousins, Marcus Camby, and LaMarcus Aldridge). Marcus Camby now plays for the undefeated NY Knicks and DeMarcus Cousins was, well, unavailable.

OUR O

Thomas Robinson, wearing number 0, finished his two-game suspension for elbowing Pistons forward Jonas Jerebko in the throat. With Kings star center DeMarcus Cousins still serving his own two-game suspension, Robinson’s size, rebounding, and tenacity were welcomed back with open arms (and signs).

During a media interview after the suspension, Robinson took complete responsibility and expressed contrition. (“I was wrong. I was 100 percent at fault.”) But, what exactly did he mean by “It was a bad decision”? In a follow-up interview after the Blazer game, he was asked, “When you look back on that incident, do you back on it, like ‘That was a stupid foul’? Or, do you look back on it, like ‘Whether it was a foul or not, that [behavior] is just not me’?” He replied only, “It was a learning experience.” In the media interview, he offered, “If I could, I would apologize to [Jerebko].” But, when asked last night if he has contacted Jerebko to apologize, he answered “No, it’s in the past.”

THEIR O

There was little to enjoy for Kings fans. (Jimmer’s ten points and four assists sparked a 14-minute stretch that saw the Kings change a 15-point deficit into a two-point lead and reversed a pathertic turnover/assist ratio from 1:4 into 7:4.). Basketball fans, on the other hand, enjoyed watching Damian Lillard.

Wearing 0 (born and raised in Oakland, four years of college in Ogden, UT, and now playing in Oregon), Lillard is already a star. After the Kings picked Thomas Robinson in the 2012 draft at Number Five, Portland chose Lillard at Number Six.

An early leader in the Rookie of the Year category, Lillard’s debut (23 points and 11 assists against the Lakers) put him in a 20/10 Debut Game Club, whose only others member are Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas. Indeed, Robertson is the only other player who matched Lillard’s opening three-game streak of at least 20 points and at least 7 assists.

Against the Kings, he scored 22 points by shooting a remarkable .750 (including five of six from three-point range) and dished out nine assists (leading both teams in both categories). He is now averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists.

Lillard’s Weber State played Jimmer’s Brigham Young University three times while their college careers overlapped. When Lillard was a freshman and Fredette a sophomore, Fredette scored 18 points and a team high seven assists to Lillard’s two points and one assist. The following year, both Fredette and Lillard scored 23 (with Fredette making more assists at seven to three). Fans eagerly awaited their point guard matchup in Fredette’s senior year, but Lillard suffered a season-ending injury days before the game.

MEET THE SIGN LADY

is one of SacPress’s most misleading headline ever. (She’s the fan with the seemingly endless supply of glittery, colorful, and supportive signs, and no televised Kings game would be complete without a television camera focusing on her.) Despite an enjoyable conversation, her media debut must wait. The Kings will soon air a feature on her, so the curious will have to stay tuned.

Kings fans sellout home opener despite team's uncertain future

2012-11-06T22:59:52Z

Fans of the Sacramento Kings remained loyal to their team and sold out the “blackout” home opener victory Monday night despite the growing uncertainty that has surrounded the franchise in recent years.

The energetic home crowd helped the Kings defeat the Golden State Warriors 94-92 in the final seconds for their first victory of the season after going 0-3 on their season-opening road trip.

Optimism still remains amongst the team and its fans even after their rough beginning to the season.

“I would like to see them make the playoffs, it would be a long shot but I would like to see them be close to .500, I’d be happy with that,” said Rob Horton, a Kings fan of 25 years. “That would at least be a progression in the right direction, you can’t build a team overnight. They’ve got some studs on this team. DeMarcus Cousins is a superstar in the making.”

Since the arena deal between the Kings and the city of Sacramento fell through this summer, there has been much speculation about where the team will be located next. Among the possibilities that have been raised: moving to Anaheim next season, heading to Virginia Beach, and filling the void in Seattle left when the Seattle SuperSonics left for Oklahoma City to become the Thunder.

Many fans have grown frustrated with Kings ownership due to the lack of certainty over whether the team will remain in Sacramento, but so far, they have kept their frustration aimed at ownership.

“[We’re] not frustrated towards the team itself, but towards the owners, yeah,” said Vicki Burrell, whose family has been attending Kings games for the last 12 years from Applegate. “I guess we’re just not as confident or as sure that they really want to be here as much as we want them to be here.”

Even though the Maloofs have not announced anything concerning their intentions officially, many fans believe that this will be the team’s final season as the Sacramento Kings.

“Knowing that this is going to be the last year here, I’m not a fool, I’m not an idiot,” Horton said. “This arena is so old. I know they’re going to leave, this arena is too old. They had a downtown arena where they didn’t have to pay jack and they said it was a bad deal, that’s because they didn’t have any money.”

Kings fans made it evident that even if the Maloofs’ decisions have influenced their feelings towards the team, they will not give up on their team as they packed Sleep Train Arena with 17,317 fans.

“It does change my feelings but I’ve been a die-hard Kings fan since ’85 so I’m going to stick with them until the end,” said Jaime Juarez, a 36-year-old fan from Sacramento.

Fans attending the game were energetic as they showed up in forces to support their team. The Kings organization put on a special introduction in honor of the blackout during which the lights were turned off and fans stood on their feet, waving around glow-in-the-dark thunder sticks, and cheering as the team was introduced.

Throughout the game, fans filled the Sleep Train Arena with noise reminiscent of the “Arco Thunder” that was prevalent in the early 2000’s, when the arena was named Arco Arena.

Whether it was a made basket, a blown call from the refs, a big dunk, or a turnover from the Warriors, fans made their thoughts known with their voices. They even got a chance to let their wants known when, for the fourth time, a tarp fell from the scoreboard onto the court, stopping play. Fans began chanting “New Arena” as the ref dragged the tarp off the court.

The Warriors orchestrated a late-game comeback that got the Golden State fans into the game, but their efforts were quickly drowned out by the emphatic Kings fans who countered with a “Sac-ra-men-to” chant.

Though fans say they will continue to support the team while they remain in Sacramento, many are hesitant to support the same Kings team should they relocate to another city.

“I don’t like what the ownership has done but I do want to support the team,” said Dennis Johnson, a fan since 1986 and season ticket holder for 22 years. “When the Monarchs relocated, I didn’t follow them anymore and they all split up, so I doubt that I would follow them that much.”

While it remains to be seen how long it will last, the Kings players appreciate the continued support with the uncertainty that has gone on.

“To be honest with you, 0-3, I was surprised to see everybody there,” said backup Kings point guard Aaron Brooks. “We’ve been going through a lot the last couple years, and to see everybody still sticking with us even though we were 0-3 coming back home, it was cool.”

Photography by Ron Nabity Photography

Beyond the Castle Walls - Thomas or Brooks, who's the Smart choice?

2012-10-19T02:18:09Z

It was one of the ugliest starts I’ve ever seen in a Kings’ game—regular or preseason.

Less than five minutes into the game, the Kings’ starting center and point guard, DeMarcus Cousins and Aaron Brooks, had picked up two early fouls each that took the team completely out of their up-tempo game.

The Sacramento Kings never could recover from—at one point—a 15-point deficit, and lost to its rivals the Golden State Warriors 98-88 at Sleep Train Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 17, in front of 10,708 fans.

After closely watching the position battle at the small forward spot during the Monday, Oct. 15, contest against the Trailblazers, I thought I’d focus my attention toward what is quickly becoming the most talked-about and healthy battle of them all.

Who will open the season at starting point guard? Will it be Brooks or the super rookie Isaiah Thomas?

Surprisingly to some, Brooks got the start for the second game in a row for the Kings.

What was the reason?

“I just need a little more data on them,” Smart said. “I know (the way) Marcus, Tyreke and Isaiah (play) —I had 66 games with those guys last year. I need to see how Travis (Outlaw) responds, how he plays. You see how he responded in the third quarter after having a so-so first half, and I thought he did a good job. I wanted to get a better understanding of who Aaron Brooks is. I knew who he was a couple of years ago, but I want to get a feel for him, and you see some flashes there.”

Brooks put himself in a hole when he picked up his second foul less than five minutes into the game and had to be replaced by Thomas.

After the game, Brooks knew exactly what happened.

“I didn’t react to the way the game was being called,” Brooks said. “They were calling it pretty tight in the first half, and I was still playing ‘China’ basketball out there. They made some good calls, and it was just my fault for not adjusting well to it. We just got off to a bad start, period.”

He’s right. No one in the starting lineup seemed to be particularly fired-up to start the contest. It’s the main reason they found themselves down 10-1, 15-3 and finally 29-20 at the end of the first quarter.

When Thomas checked in less than halfway through the first, he immediately hit a three-pointer, then shortly into the second, he hit another. Besides that, Thomas was very quiet, even on defense.

Although Stephen Curry was held scoreless in the first, he and Jarrett Jack seemed to get to where they wanted to be on the floor very easily.

Jimmer Fredette replaced Thomas with seven minutes left in the first half. Fredette will probably only see point guard action in cases like this, which should be rare.

Even though he hit a runner at the rim and had another solid drive through the lane, which picked up a foul, the hard truth of the matter is that Fredette can’t guard anyone.

Several times Fredette’s man easily shook him and found himself open. Fredette’s other major issue is too often trying to take the ball into the forest of big men that are awaiting his arrival at the rim. What’s the outcome? Fredette is either on the floor or has his shot blocked. It’s a problem that doesn’t seem to bother Brooks or even Thomas that much, although Thomas does enter the lane too often when it’s all clogged with defenders.

Brooks seemed to be his old self once the second half began. The Kings opened the half behind by 14, but the energy of Brooks and the rest of the starters brought the team back to within six points. The Kings only found themselves down by seven entering the final quarter.

One reason is that Brooks stopped playing what he called “China” basketball. What is that?

“It’s not as physical in the NBA,” Brooks said. “It’s like playing football in China. A lot of stuff you get away with, such as grabbing and all that, and it doesn’t fly here. The guys are a lot quicker. I’m just making that adjustment. It’s like riding a bike once you get out there.”

Thomas was back in to start the fourth, but didn’t make some of the plays he should have. He made a bad pass almost right after checking in that almost resulted in a turnover, and then shot an ill-advised three when he had plenty of time on the 24-second shot clock.

Shortly after that, he was called for a travel that stopped what little momentum the Kings had rallied.

The offensive flow; that elusive fast-paced flow was missing on this day. Thomas talked about how hard it is to find your rhythm and get into the up-tempo game that Smart is looking at running.

“It is, especially when you’re not getting stops, it’s hard to get out on transition and be aggressive like that,” Thomas said. “It’s more of a half-court game when you’re not getting defensive stops. We just have to watch film and learn from it and move on.”

This is the position battle that, I believe, will come down to the last minute. It is the toughest decision he will make to open the season.

Do you start the guy that opened so many eyes last year while garnering several Rookie of the Month honors? Or do you let the more experienced guy, the guy who Geoff Petrie has wanted for several years, get the opening day nod?

LeBron James thought he had issues a couple of years ago with his "Decision."

It seems that this season, it’s Coach Smart that has a big decision to make. And he only has two weeks to figure it out.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

DAVID ALVAREZ

Can the Sacramento Kings make a playoff run this year?

2012-10-08T18:45:11Z

What has to happen for the Sacramento Kings to surprise everyone and make a playoff run this year?

Does Tyreke Evans need to have the breakout year that everyone's been waiting for? Does the new, in-shape DeMarcus Cousins need to show he's as mature as he is talented? Or does Thomas Robinson need to prove he was worth a fifth overall draft pick?

Perhaps all that, and a little something more.

James Ham, a Kings beat reporter with the blog Cowbell Kingdom, said he thinks a playoff run from the Kings is unlikely, but possible. He thinks the deciding factor will be whether the players can "put aside the egos," come together as a whole and get on board with Coach Keith Smart's vision for the team.

Here his take on that question during our Google Hangout on Monday:

The key quote:

"If this team can put the egos on the shelf and they can come in and try to make each other better, then they can rise much faster. Like I said, it's a team that has been disappointing. It's not a team that has been on the rise – it's a team that has been disappointing over the last couple of seasons, and if they can pull it all together and forget the individual statistics and the accolades and just play basketball together as a team, this team could rise really fast. I don't think any one player can make this team a playoff team or not a playoff team. I think the collective whole has to rise together. They have the potential to do that – they have Keith Smart who is such a good guy and really wants that for his team. He's trying to build this team the right way. It's just whether or not the players are listening and whether they're willing to buy in wholeheartedly and take it upon themselves to be teammates this season."

You can see the full conversation here.

To find out about Sacramento Press chats and even participate, follow us on Google Plus.

The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Jared Goyette is the editor of The Sacramento Press. Find him on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.

Sacramento Kings' Media Day 2012 - Coach Smart's life system at work

2012-10-02T02:27:46Z

Buckle up, ladies and gents, as it’s that time of the year again!

The time to cheer like madmen and madwomen for your purple-and-black court warriors is just around the corner.

The Kings kicked off their 27th season in Sacramento with their annual Media Day on Monday afternoon. The event saw many new faces in the royal purple, black and white, along with the returning core from last year, as they get ready for their second season under the leadership of head coach Keith Smart.

With the influx of several new players — Thomas Robinson (first-round draft pick), along with Aaron Brooks and James Johnson (free-agent signees) — comes the chance to change up the starting rotation, or find a puzzle piece that fits better into what the team is trying to do in their style of play.

Combine that with the fact that Coach Smart understands that the Kings are still building, and nothing is locked down as far as the position battles are concerned.

It’s a problem that Smart welcomes with open arms.

“Having good players at multiple positions is only going to push the next player to grow and get better,” said Smart. “I look forward to a camp that can possibly be real productive, because it’s going to be competitive. I’m going to share that with them. That I want them to compete against each other. At the same time, when we finish training camp, however the chips fall, I want them to know that we are all in this together. That’s our goal for this team.”

The most telling thing, Smart said, related to how determined he is to not trying, but actually turning this team.

“Until we get that five or eight guys every night for the next five years, that I can say every year they are coming back and I know who the one is, know who the two is, the three and so forth, that’s the approach I’m going to take during training camp.”

For a new guy like James Johnson (6 feet 9 inches tall and 248 lbs.), Media Day signals a fresh beginning for a guy that got off to a nice start in Toronto, but after a couple of years of admittedly realizing that you have to work harder to be someone in the NBA than you do in getting here, it seems like the light has finally kicked on the high beams for Johnson.

“I’m not going into camp trying to show them anything different than what they already have seen,” said Johnson. “They know I’m a hard worker. I know they know my play from last season. That’s all it is. It’s competition. We’ve been doing that our whole lives. We’ve been playing basketball and competing for a spot and I feel like it’s no different now.”

Keep checking in over the next couple of weeks, as I’ll have more interviews with the players and coaches of your Sacramento Kings as they open the 2012-13 season and try to make a push for the playoffs.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

RON NABITY
http://nabityphotos.com/

Donte Greene to host Goon Squad Classic II Aug. 10

2012-08-07T02:41:16Z

Former Sacramento King Donte Greene is set to hold the second annual Goon Squad Classic on Aug. 10 at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, Calif.

Although it appears that Greene will not be playing for the Kings again, Greene wanted to give the fans another chance to attend his charity basketball game, the Goon Squad Classic. The game started last season during the NBA’s holdout, prompting Greene to want to give basketball to the Sacramento region, and benefit numerous charities with the money raised.

“It was in high demand,” Greene said. “I got a great response from the fans, and they wanted me to do another game, and we planned it during the season to hold another one, thinking I will be back in Sacramento. But plans have changed, but I still wanted to hold the game for the fans.”

The game largely benefits Greene’s foundation, the Circle of Success foundation. Greene founded the Circle of Success in 2010 to give back to the community and help younger generations become successful.

“We have after school programs, we have mentor programs, I have a 14-under AAU team that I mentor. It’s to try and be a positive light on the community. I try to brighten people’s day and to hold good events,” says Greene.

The Goon Squad Classic benefits numerous other charities in addition to Greene’s, including Shriners Hospital for Children, Save Our Selves Breast Cancer Organization, Crocker Riverside 4th R after School Care, Jason Thompson Foundation and the American Diabetes Association.

Kings forward Jason Thompson played a part in putting together the game, just as he did last year. Thompson’s L.I.V.E Like JT foundation is holding a back-to-school drive in an effort to obtain school supplies for those that need them.

Kings players expected to participate include Jimmer Fredette, Tyreke Evans, Jason Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, Tyler Honeycutt and Darnell Jackson. Other NBA players participating in the event include Del Campo High School’s Matt Barnes, the Washington Wizards’ John Wall, Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford and others.

Tickets can be found at http://gsc2.eventbrite.com/. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the tip-off ocurrs at 6:30 p.m.

Those attending can expect more than just a basketball game, with plenty of side events for the fans.

“A lot of giveaways: autographs, tennis shoes, game basketballs, pictures and a lot of T-shirts,” Greene said. “There will be fan contests, free-throw contests. It is a good family environment and I want the kids to come out and have a good time and see some of the guys outside of the arenas.”

No matter how many fans show up, Greene promises to have a good time with those that do.

“I just want to have people come out and have a good time,” said Greene about the event. “Whether we have 50, or a couple thousand, we are going to go out and have a good time.”

Kings grab stud power forward, Thomas Robinson slips to the fifth pick

2012-06-30T01:18:49Z

As I sat in the Sacramento Kings media room at Power Balance Pavilion on Thursday afternoon, my heart sank when the Charlotte Bobcats took Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with the second overall pick of the 2012 NBA draft.

A small forward that can score at the rim is a burning need for the team and I was really looking forward to watching this kid’s defensive and rebounding skills along with the motor he brings to the table. Guys like him don’t lower their level of play — they make the other players on the team raise their collective enthusiasm and desire for the game.

But when Dion Waiters, a shooting guard out of Syracuse, was picked by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the fourth overall pick in the draft, the possibility of the Kings filling one of their greatest needs — a solid forward that can play right away — came true.

Boom!

The pick came in and Thomas Robinson, a power forward out of Kansas, fell right in their lap.

Robinson, who averaged 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game in his junior year and final year, unofficially became a Sacramento King.

“Thank God I’m here,” said Robinson, as he appeared to hold back tears when asked how it felt to be drafted after everything he’s been through in the past year.

Robinson lost his grandmother in December 2011, his grandfather in the middle of January of this year and then his mother less than a week later. All of them passed within three weeks of each other.

You could tell that he yearned for them to be there on this special night, as the young man was overcome with emotion.

“I don’t know where that came from. I worked hard to get here and I’m able to see it play right out in front of me and it really got emotional.”

Sacramento also picked Orlando Johnson with the 36th pick in the draft, but traded him to the Indiana Pacers for cash considerations.

As for Robinson, he wants to wear uniform number zero. By picking that specific number, it’s like he needs and wants to prove it to himself all over again.

“I want to bring my hard work and my ethic back there. The whole attitude of winning again. Just be who I am and that’s a hardworking person.”

Sacramento Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie was not expecting Robinson to fall all the way to the fifth pick.

“Even as of this morning, we were fairly sure that he wouldn’t be at five but that’s why the draft is the draft,” said Petrie. “We certainly have a need there with our depth up front. He’s going to bring a lot of competitive spirit. He’s a ferocious rebounder. He had a lot of quickness, a lot of speed and quick feet. I think he’ll be a great addition to the team.”

His hard work paid off for Kansas, as he earned his way into the starting rotation this season and never looked back. He already understands that this is the continuation of a voyage and not the end of one.

“My journey is not over. I’ve got to come in and work hard again and get back to the top.”

The 21-year-old from Washington, D.C., can’t wait to see what he brings to the dynamic duo of Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins.

“With Tyreke at the guard spot and DeMarcus down low, they are both tough kids and I just want to bring the same toughness to this club with rebounding and energy.”

He’s especially excited to be paired down low with The Big Cuz.

“My biggest thrill is playing besides someone that you know what kind of player they can be,” said Robinson. “In DeMarcus, he’s tough. He’s a young player. He’s gonna play hard. He’s going to help keep my intensity up with no problem because he’s gonna be going hard."

Keith Smart, in his first full season at the helm of the Kings, loves that Robinson has a “live body,” a motor already and some unique skills that made him a great pick.

But again, it was what Robinson has been through in the past six months that set him apart.

“(But) the maturity level that he has,” said Smart, “he’s faced so much already, it let us know that he’s a veteran so to speak coming into our basketball team who is already seasoned.”

Think about it. The kid needs no extra incentive to play his heart out as a pro, after all the loss he’s suffered at such a young age.

“It’s the only reason I’m here. It’s my motivation,” said Robinson.

When asked by NBA TV’s Craig Sager what he would tell his mother if she was there for that moment, Robinson simply said, as he was still visibly emotionally affected, that he had held up his end of the bargain.

“I kept my promise,” said Robinson. “I told her I was going to do it.”

Kings head into offseason with win over Lakers

2012-04-28T06:26:13Z

The Sacramento Kings defeated their Pacific Division rival the Los Angeles Lakers 113-96 at Power Balance Pavilion Thursday night in the final game of the season.

With the win, the Kings finished 22-44 for the season. The Kings were 16-17 at home and only 6-27 on the road, a number they will have to increase if they want to succeed in the NBA.

Prior to the start of the game, Kings star DeMarcus Cousins came to center court and thanked the fans for being a great sixth man all year long, which brought a loud applause from the 16,281 in attendance.

Though the Lakers sat all of their starters in anticipation for the beginning of the postseason on Saturday, the Kings began the game strong and gained the lead early and never looked back.

“I thought they played well,” Kings coach Keith Smart said after the game. “They came out and put on a nice show for our fans, and it’s a good way to close out on our season and transition into our next season, the summer workouts.”

Cousins led all scorers in the first quarter with nine points, also hauling in nine rebounds as the Kings took a 35-24 lead after one quarter. Cousins’ nine rebounds in the first tied the Kings season high for rebounds in a quarter.

Though the game was meaningless in terms of standings, both Lakers fans and Kings fans cheered as they watched their teams perform. No play drew a louder reaction than the monster dunk provided by Terrence Williams late in the first half.

The Kings big guys in the middle proved to be too much for the Lakers’ interior defense as they continuously ripped them apart. Jason Thompson finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Cousins finished with 23 points and grabbed every loose ball in sight, resulting in 19 rebounds. Overall, the Kings scored 66 points in the paint.

The Kings were able to build their lead to as many as 24 points, which proved too much for the depleted Lakers squad, with the Kings coasting in the second half to the 113-96 victory.

Lakers coach Mike Brown decided to leave his starters on the bench in order to give them some rest before their postseason opener against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. Kobe Bryant needed 38 points to win the scoring title instead of Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant, but he instead watched from the bench all game.

While the Lakers look ahead to their series with the Nuggets, the young Kings team looks ahead to an offseason to learn and become better.

“It’s all about this offseason now and working as hard as we can to get back and be better next year,” guard Jimmer Fredette said.

Rookie Isaiah Thomas believes that Smart is the right guy to turn the team into a better cohesive unit on the floor. Smart took over as interim head coach shortly after the beginning of the season, replacing Paul Westphal, before the front office decided to keep Smart around as head coach next year as well.

“I think with this summer and having a full season to really prepare and get us better as a group, I think the sky’s the limit for him,” Thomas said. “He’s a great coach. He’s really in on detail, percentage wise, on offense, defense, he’s going to have us ready. Especially come training camp, you got to be ready and be in shape. I believe in him just like he believes in us.”

Thompson, who is a free agent in this offseason, believes there are upsides to this team, the youngest in the NBA.

“You can definitely see some bright spots,” he said. “Most of our wins were against quality teams. We played to the level of competition.”

Photos by Darren Hall Photography

Like Darren Hall Photography on facebook here!

Kings lose 103-92 to Thunder as The Big Three prepare for playoff run

2012-04-22T00:41:13Z

If it wasn’t enough that it was Grateful Dead night and fans that bought the special ticket package got to talk to the legendary Bill Walton, members of the band and got a special T-shirt to mark the occasion. Then, the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season, former Kansas City Royal Oscar Robertson was being recognized. How about that it was Fan Appreciation Night at the ole barn and nearly half in attendance was rewarded with some kind of prize for being a loyal purple-wearing fan. And finally, outstanding Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Isaiah Thomas was honored as this year’s winner of the team’s Oscar Robertson Triple Double Award during the game.

Oh, did I mention that the Sacramento Kings had to play possibly the best team in the league - the Oklahoma City Thunder - on this very special evening?

In a tough battle, it seemed that every time the Kings got close, the Thunder would pull away. They worked hard to pull out a 103-92 victory over the Kings on Friday night at Power Balance Pavilion before continuing their road trip and heading down south to play the Lakers on Sunday.

Again, like in the past several games, the home team pulled out to an early lead and seemed to have some kind of control of the flow of the game.

But when you’re playing against three of the best players in the game today - Kevin Durant (29 points, 14 boards, 7 assists), Russell Westbrook (18 points) and, since he’s averaging 17 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game, James Harden (20 points, 6 boards), an early lead is never enough.

Oh yeah. Don’t forget the most intimidating shot blocking presence in the game today in Serge Ibaka (12 points, 6 boards, 8 blocks).

Yeah, the Thunder are for real.

The Kings had their biggest lead of the game - seven - at the halfway point of the first quarter. That’s all it took for the Thunder to put their collective foot down and say that’s enough.

From that point on, the Kings chances of pulling out a win faded slowly like a desert landscape in the rear view mirror.

One fantastic highlight for the Kings was about three minutes into the game when Tyreke Evans split two defenders on the way to the rack but picked up a third defender just as got close to the hoop. That third defender was Ibaka and Evans instinctively knew he was in trouble. As Ibaka jumped to block the shot he thought was coming, Evans spun to his left and found Jason Thompson, who was closing on the basket from the opposite side of the floor. Evans’ pass went between three players right into J.T.’s waiting hands for the two-handed stuff.

For Thompson (13 points, 8 boards, 2 blocks), this year’s journey was in some respects, much like ones of year’s past. The many coaching changes, getting yanked in and out of the starting lineup of the years and a different style of play every year.

In other ways, this has been Thompson’s breakout season. Although many of his numbers are down from a few years ago, his shooting percentage is up and something seemed to click about one-third of the way through the year.

Whether it was Clifford Ray, who was brought in to work with the big men, getting used to Keith Smart’s system or just finally growing into his body and honing his craft, something happened.

“Kind of being in a consistent situation,” started Thompson. “I’ve had four different coaches in four years. It’s tough to get into a certain type of rhythm. I think for the most part, being a starter and knowing my role for some time, it got me at more of a comfort level. I started to get into a groove.”

But it was really slowing his game down and learning not to rush things that have got to have the Kings’ brass thinking about resigning him in the off-season.

“Kind of playing slower,” said Thompson. “Making the game come to me. Using my ability to run the floor and trying to look for the basketball as much as I can. Then when I got the easier ones, the tougher ones get easier.”

You know how much Kings’ fans hate the Lakers and anything to do with them. That hatred was on full display when Derek Fisher entered the game in the first to a chorus of boos that reigned down upon him like rain in a tropical forest. Heavy.

Early in the second quarter, the Thunder threatened to runaway with it as they gained a 14-point lead, but the Kings rallied to close it to an eight-point lead at the half.

To say the officiating was bad on this night would be an understatement to say the least. Right before the end of the half, there was a sequence where several Kings thought they were being hacked under the basket, so much so, that Coach Smart picked up the technical as he almost exploded in his shoes because of the lack of a foul call after the sequence.

“We can’t let that get the best of us,” said Chuck Hayes. “You just have to keep playing. You keep going to the hole strong, looking for contact and just be physical. Eventually, they’re gonna come.”

DeMarcus Cousins (18 points, 9 boards) came out in the third quarter angry and looking to score. Cousins had eight in the quarter and was making an impact early, but the Thunder know how to wear a team down. Late in the quarter, they would push it to a 15-point lead and never look back.

The Kings went shot-for-shot with Oklahoma City in the final quarter but it wasn’t to pull out a win.

Francisco Garcia, who put a hard foul on Durant towards the end of the game, performed well on this night finishing with 11 points, six boards, four assists and, of course, his two obligatory blocks.

Garcia, now the team’s journeyman, hasn’t received consistent playing time this season, but always does his best to stay ready for the call.

“It felt good to be out there,” said the veteran from Louisville. “Like you said, just playing a certain amount of minutes. It felt good just to be out there.”

And what about Isaiah Thomas, the celebrated King of the evening? What did it mean to him to win the coveted organizational award?

“It meant a lot,” said the rookie. “Any award you win, means a lot. But the one from Oscar Robertson himself, it’s a blessing from God. I was surprised I won it.”

GAME NOTES: Kendrick Perkins had a quiet 10 points and seven boards for the Thunder . . . Jimmer Fredette had 11, but only hit one of his five three-point shots . . . Thomas had 12 points, three boards and four assists . . . Marcus Thornton did not play - sore knee . . . Hayes (7 points, 6 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals) had a solid game . . . The last home game of the year is Thursday against the rival Lakers

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

DARREN HALL

http://www.darrenhallphotography.net/

http://www.facebook.com/Darrenhallphotography

VIDEO: Kings' Cousins and Thompson talk about loss to San Antonio

2012-04-20T04:37:51Z

The Sacramento Kings lost a huge game to the San Antonio Spurs 127-102 Wednesday after falling aprt during the second half. Kings center DeMarcus Cousins fouled out of the game early in the fourth quarter and scored 18 points and nine rebounds and forward Jason Thompson scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds. In this video, they both talk about what went wrong in the game, the outlook on the rest of the season and the impressive play of the Spurs.

Kings fade in second half, Spurs play like champions without Duncan

2012-04-20T03:06:30Z

As the season winds down, the challenge becomes: How do you keep a 20-41 team still yearning for more wins and team cohesion?

How about play the San Antonio Spurs (45-16) in front of a nearly packed house and learn from the seemingly simple way the team from Texas goes about its everyday business?

The plan worked for 24 minutes. After halftime, the Spurs decided to lay the smackdown and really show the Sacramento Kings (20-42) how the formula translates on the floor by outscoring the home team 69-42 in the second half on way to a 127-102 rout at Power Balance Pavilion Wednesday evening.

The good news was that the Kings took an early 6-0 lead on the backs of Tyreke Evans and Jason Thompson scoring and rebounding.

The bad: That would be the biggest lead the home team would have the entire contest.

After the opening run by the Kings, the balance of the quarter was played very evenly.

For Sacramento, Marcus Thornton (20 points) was on fire. He hit six of seven shots, hit two from beyond the arc and finished the quarter with 14.

One amazing highlight from the first was when, with about eight minutes left, DeMarcus Cousins snatched a rebound and threw the ball more than half the distance of the court to a sprinting Isaiah Thomas, who was being shadowed by Danny Green. Already down on defense for the Spurs was Kawhi Leonard, so, even on the great pass from the Big Cuz, Thomas was essentially already double-teamed.

Luckily for Thomas (21 points, eight assists), Thornton was trailing the play. Without looking, Thomas jumped in the air and, with his back turned to Thornton, dumped an over-the-shoulder, one-handed pass into the waiting hands of Thornton, who made a sweet reverse lay-up for the bucket.

The final play of the quarter seemed to give the Kings a lift. Cousins, after missing a layup, grabbed the rebound and the bucket to give the Kings a 29-28 lead after one.

The second quarter was nearly identical to the first with the teams taking turns leading. At the midway point of the quarter, the Kings went on an 8-0 run, which was immediately followed by an 8-0 Spurs run.

About halfway through the second, “Magic” Cousins, as Jerry Reynolds like to call him on occasion, grabbed a rebound and went coast to coast for a driving layup that brought the crowd to its feet.

Even though the Kings found themselves down by one at the halfway point, it was a great game with both teams shooting over 50 percent. The only real noticeable difference was that the Spurs got to the line 21 times compared to only seven for the Kings.

As they have been lately, the Kings came out in the third trying to establish Cousins inside. Unfortunately, he missed his first four shots which helped the Spurs go on an early 13-4 run and acquire a 10-point lead.

The Spurs interior defense is stifling. Combine that with them shooting almost 64 percent in the third and nearly 59 percent for the game, and they are a tough team to beat.

You could just feel the air come out of the team once the fourth got going. The Spurs opened with a 13-4 run that doomed the home team’s chances of pulling out a win.

A scary situation for Thornton occurred when he banged knees with Manu Ginobili (13 points, five assists) late in the third and had to be helped off the court. It was almost the same spot he was hurt a few weeks back. Word spread that he wouldn’t return, but you can’t keep an angry man down. When will he return to the game?

“Right away, man, right away,” he said. “I’m a competitor first. Pete (Youngman) asked me if I wanted to sit out, and I said no. As it went on it started stiffening up, and they told me to ice it up and try to get ready for Friday.”

He joked that he told Kings trainer Youngman to “make him a whole body armor suit next time.”

Thornton expounded on why the Spurs are such a hard matchup for many teams in the league.

“They’re tough. They’re the best team,” he said. “They’ve got players at every position, and they can go out and be productive, not just on the offensive end but one the defensive end, too. That’s the mark of a great team.”

Playing defense in the paint against the Spurs is a tough challenge for any team, as witnessed by Cousins fouling out and Chuck Hayes picking up five himself. They run the same stuff repeatedly and do it so well, you can’t effectively stop it.

“They have great spacing,” Hayes said. “Everybody knows their roles, and we always got stuck in a position where we were always behind, and that’s how we got into foul trouble.”

Hayes says the Kings can learn from the way San Antonio spreads the floor and sticks with the plan.

“Run your stuff!” he said. “Don’t break the play. Don’t try to be a hero. Run your stuff. And that’s all they do. They don’t do nothing special. They don’t do nothing crazy. They run the play.That’s why they always say it’s boring basketball. But they win. That’s all that matters.”

GAME NOTES: Thomas was acknowledged for his fine play this season by Reebok handing out an autographed pair of shoes and an “I.T.” T-shirt to everyone in Kings Row One . . . Even though he fouled out halfway through the fourth, Cousins ended with 18 points and nine boards . . . Seven players scored in double figures for the Spurs, including Leonard (13 points), Green (11 points), Tony Parker (15 points, eight assists), Stephen Jackson (13 points), Gary Neal (17 points) and Tiago Splitter (17 points, seven boards).

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

NICK HUNTE and MARK NEEDHAM

Kings lack energy, lose to Rockets 104-87

2012-04-10T01:52:55Z

The Sacramento Kings dropped their fourth straight game as they fell to the Houston Rockets 104-87 at Power Balance Pavilion Sunday night.

Sacramento came out with little energy, and it showed as the Rockets jumped to a quick 10-2 lead and never trailed the rest of the game.

“We just didn’t have a lot of energy tonight, and that’s something we’ve got to work on,” Kings guard Jimmer Fredette said. “We’ve got to continue to get better at that and come bring it every single night so we are disappointed with ourselves.”

After scoring at least 99 points in their previous 12 games, the Kings have been held to under 85 points in their last three games.

Coach Keith Smart attributes this to the team not being at full strength right now with injuries to Marcus Thornton (calf), John Salmons (hip) and Francisco Garcia (concussion).

“I just think our team is not our team right now,” he said. “We are patching it up right now. We have guys that are normally rotation guys trying to come in and play frontline teams.”

But Kings veteran Chuck Hayes doesn’t believe the Kings should have any excuses this late in the season.

“Everybody should know each other’s sweet shot and their sweet spot where they want the ball and their most effective and so on and so forth,” he said. “We are still playing like it’s the beginning of the season. We are still trying to find ourselves, and we should have that figured out by now.”

With all the injuries, the Kings have failed to be the running team that Smart wants them to be, only scoring 12 fast-break points on Sunday.

“We haven’t run any more the last couple of games,” he said. “We are not getting up and down the floor, and we are not making the easy plays. We are trying to force something.”

Instead, it was the Rockets who continued to beat the Kings in transition as they took a 58-43 lead heading into halftime.

Smart then turned to his second unit in an attempt to get some more energy. The Kings bench was able to bring the deficit to just eight points when newly acquired Terrence Williams hit a jump shot to make the score 73-65.

But that was as close as the team would come, as the Rockets once again pulled away when Fredette missed a transition three and the Rockets capitalized with a lob to Rockets big man Samuel Dalembert.

From there the Kings were unable to stop the Rockets offense as they ran away with the game and captured the 104-87 win.

Williams, who was originally signed to a 10-day contract and then for the rest of the season, continued to be a bright spot for the Kings. Williams scored a season-high 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists. But he said going against his former team didn’t give him any added motivation.

“I really didn’t care,” he said. “It just so happened I scored whatever I scored and rebounded. I’m beyond payback with the Rockets. I don’t care for them. I wish I wished them well in the playoffs, but I really don’t. I have no thoughts for them. It’s all about Sacramento, and we need to grow as a young team.”

Even with Williams’ strong game, he sees room for improvement, especially in the turnover category, as he had five turnovers Sunday night.

“I can’t speak for everyone else, but you’re trying to do too much in one play,” Williams said. “You’re trying to get a point, a rebound and an assist on the same play. So sometimes you over dribble, turn the ball over. I definitely take blame for that. You just learn and move on.”

Williams’ teammates appreciate what he has brought to the team, including his ability to drive and get the ball to an open shooter.

“He does a good job finding everybody no matter whoever it is out there,” Fredette said. “He’s a good player and can pass the ball well and looks to throw it to you. He’s done a great job with that and he’s a great addition to the team.”

Sacramento hopes to get back to winning as they head out on a three-game road trip starting in Dallas against the Mavericks on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

Photos by Nick Hunte. Nick is also a freelance videographer. To check out more of his videos, visit his YouTube channel.

Kings lose a tough, physical game against the Clippers 93-85

2012-04-07T01:25:55Z

One would think, in a game billed as the “Throwdown Showdown,” a battle between a couple of the game’s best dunkers in Donte Greene and DeMarcus Cousins for the Kings and DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin for the visiting Clippers, that there would be a ton of action at the rim.

Not the case, as Sacramento’s front line did a solid job of protecting the paint against the bigs from Los Angeles.

Unfortunately, it was the guards of the Clippers who did the damage in the key on various drives to the basket by Chris Paul, Randy Foye, Nick Young and Eric Bledsoe. Each of them scored in double figures and constantly pushed the ball into the lane as the Kings lost 93-85 Thursday evening at Power Balance Pavilion.

Coach Keith Smart had Francisco Garcia starting in place of the injured Marcus Thornton. It was the third different starter Smart has used since having to replace Thornton, and Garcia had an immediate effect.

‘Cisco was all over the court early on, garnering two steals and a block in the opening quarter. His defensive presence, along with Cousins and Jason Thompson, filled the middle, keeping Griffin and Jordan from getting to the rim very many times.

Offensively, it was Thompson who led the way, scoring nine and picking up six boards in the opening period. He really performed like he was before he twisted his ankle a couple of weeks ago. Thompson finished with 15 points, 16 boards and a couple of blocks.

Trouble arose when Cousins acquired his fourth turnover late in the first quarter and then his fourth foul very early in the second and had to go to the bench for the rest of the first half. Several of the big man’s turnovers came from trying to put the ball on the floor too close to the basket and Clipper players guarding the paint. Cousins lost the ball several times, which led to him getting frustrated, thus picking up more fouls than usual.

In his absence, Chuck Hayes and Thompson did a great job of limiting the number of easy slams by Clipper big men by closing down the key and keeping them out of the lane.

But it was the “little” guys of Los Angeles that gave the Kings fits. Foye had 20 points, Paul 13 and even Bledsoe had 13 off the pine. It was the pesky Paul’s five steals that kept being the thorn in the collective sides of the guardians of the Kings' castle.

After finding themselves down by 10 with two minutes left in the third, Jimmer Fredette got the crowd back into the contest by nailing a three. The shot brought the 14,411 strong to their feet and started Sacramento on the comeback trail.

After a couple of hustle plays by Terrance Williams and Fredette, the team was down by three with 10:15 remaining in the game.

Isaiah Thomas (17 points, five boards, only one assist) gave the team its first lead since early in the first quarter.

After a Jimmer three and a Thomas jumper, the team stalled out. With a loud “Beat L.A.” chant going in the background, the last lead the Kings had was with 3:42 left on the clock.

Tyreke Evans had his shot with 45 seconds left that would have kept it a one-point game roll around and out. Thirty seconds later, Evans made it a one-point game again with 18 clicks left on the clock by sinking two free throws.

After Evans just missed a steal attempt on the inbounds pass, it was all trips to the line for the Clippers as they capped the victory from the charity stripe.

Just to show you that these teams are starting to not like each other, Kenyon Martin waited until the clock was about to strike zero before launching a long ball that went in as if to rub the Kings’ faces in the loss.

Evans explained after the game about how tough it was to guard the Clippers guards.

“Chris Paul, Foye and Bledsoe, they are all fast and good guards,” Evans said. “They attacked the basket off the break a lot, and they have some crafty guys that play defense. We just have to be better in the paint when we’re down there.”

It was a very physical game with lots of fouls that weren't called along with the ones that were. The uneven refereeing was a topic in the locker room after the game.

Griffin didn’t want to get into the topic, saying they would play again soon, but Cousins had no problem addressing the issue of the day.

“Of course, that’s what Blake is going to say,” Cousins quipped. “He’s in L.A. where actors belong. He’s an actor.”

Cousins also said that if the refs were going to let it be physical, then it’s usually that way on both ends.

Friday morning, Cousins was fined $25,000 for his post-game comments about the officiating.

The Kings play the Clippers Saturday in Los Angeles.

GAME NOTES: Even though the Kings had nine blocks and 10 steals, the assist-to-turnover ratio was poor with the team having 19 assists to 18 turnovers . . . Cousins only had eight points and three boards . . . Evans finished with 14 points, three boards, six assists and two blocked shots . . . Hayes had the second-most boards on the Kings with seven . . . Speaking with Thornton after the game, he said he’s unlikely for Saturday’s rematch with the Clippers.

Photo credit: David Alvarez

Kings falter late, lose to Phoenix Suns 109-100

2012-04-05T01:39:32Z

The Sacramento Kings were unable to achieve back-to-back wins as they fell to Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns for the third time this season Tuesday night at Power Balance Pavilion.

DeMarcus Cousins did all he could, leading all scorers with a career-high 41 points en route to the 109-100 loss. Cousins also hauled in 12 rebounds and shot 16-25 from the field.

“He had a career night taking advantage of their interior,” Kings coach Keith Smart said. “We had him posting up in different areas on the floor, so he had both baseline- and middle-drive. Then they started doubling, and that’s something that’s going to happen to him as he grows as a pro.”

But not even Cousins’ monster game could overcome Nash’s collected control of the game.

As he has done so many times throughout his 15-year career, Nash orchestrated the Suns offense nearly flawlessly and took over the game late when the Kings threatened to steal the victory.

“I believe tonight it was five against one,” Cousins said. “It was all five of us trying to guard Steve Nash. All the credit to Steve. He’s an incredible player, and he knows how to run his team — definitely a professional, and one of the best points (guards) to play this game. He’s a tough matchup, for anybody.”

Nash put on a clinic when running his pick-and-roll offense, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, a game-high 12 assists and only one turnover.

“In the pick and roll, he’s probably the best, along with Chris Paul, I think, in the NBA,” Kings forward Tyreke Evans said of Nash. “He dribbles the ball so much, then the guy cuts and he finds the open guys. He’s done it for years.”

The Kings started slow, falling behind by as many as 17 in the second quarter and trailing 59-51 at halftime.

Sacramento then came out and played solid defense in the third quarter to hold the Suns to only 20 points in the quarter, while the Kings offense connected to score 27. Newly acquired King Terrence Williams hit a jumper at the end of the quarter to bring the deficit to just one point at 79-78 heading into the fourth quarter.

Sacramento regained the lead on the first possession of the fourth quarter when forward Travis Outlaw hit two free throws to give the Kings an 80-79 lead. Sacramento's first and only other lead occured when they held a 10-9 lead early in the first quarter.

But then the veterans on the Suns took over. Veteran guard Michael Redd got the hot hand and scored six quick points to keep the Suns ahead, followed by Nash returning to the game to close out the Suns victory.

With the Kings deficit down to just four points with a little over five minutes remaining, Nash took advantage of two Kings mistakes, allowing him to hit a three followed by a running jump shot to extend the Suns lead 99-90. The lead proved to be too much for the Kings.

“Just a breakdown at the end,” Cousins said in the locker room. “We kind of broke down, took some steps back tonight. We just got to make plays down the stretch and finish the game strong. Once again, it’s the last couple of minutes that’s killing us, and it results in a loss.”

Despite the loss, Smart saw improvement in his team, the youngest in the NBA, and approved of their resilience.

“I thought our guys did a really good job,” he said. “I thought we played and managed to get ourselves back into the game from a 17-point deficit. They could have rolled over, but they did a good job and held their composure and chipped away at the score.”

The Kings struggled from the free-throw line, which once again contributed to their demise. Sacramento shot just 21-of-32 (65.6 percent) from the foul line, whereas the Suns shot 24-28 (85.7 percent).

“We have got to make our free throws,” Smart said. “In a close game, you have to knock those free throws down. We did a good job getting into the bonus (fouls), getting us to the line, but we just have to make those foul shots.”

Evans finished with only eight points, six rebounds and four assists. Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas added 25 points, three rebounds and seven assists to his outstanding rookie season. The Suns were led by center Marcin Gortat, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out late in the game.

The Kings will look to get back into the win column as they take on Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers at home on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Photos by Ron Nabity

"Well, at least, we beat Utah."

2012-04-02T00:11:59Z

GAME RECAP

At first glance, Saturday’s game between the Sacramento Kings and the New Jersey Nets was a match up between two equally struggling teams. The Nets carried an 18 - 35 (.340) record into Power Balance Pavilion, while the Kings, last in the Pacific Division, were 18 - 33 (.353). But, the Kings play better at home so, Advantage: Kings?

Not necessarily. The New Jersey Nets are one of only two teams to play better on the road than at home, and the only team to play substantially better. So it was that the Nets left town with a 111 - 91 win, and remained undefeated on their current swing west.

The home team started well. Playing crisply, the Kings led throughout the first quarter. With less than four minutes left in the quarter, the Kings enjoyed a 9-point lead, accumulating 7 assists marred by only one turnover .

Unfortunately, the rest of the game saw just 10 more assists, along with 17 turnovers. The Kings relinquished the lead for good with five minutes left in the half, although it was still close at the break (59 - 56).

The third quarter is when the Nets either stepped up their game or the Kings lost their energy. (In all fairness, the fans sounded as flat as the Kings looked.) New Jersey scored the first six points of the second half and were never seriously threatened after that. Their lead expanded to 14 points, but the Kings were able to close it to seven — before it ballooned again to 17 points just seconds before the quarter ended.

With seven minutes left in the game and the Kings trailing by 19, they made one more run. The 14,370 fans at Power Balance Pavilion came alive, and after Terrance Williams stole the ball and fed Francisco Garcia for a lay up, the Kings closed the gap to seven points (102 - 95) with four minutes left in the game. The chance to cut into the lead even further, however, was squandered by a bad pass. The Nets stole the ball, scored the next four points, and fans began to leave.

To the surprise of many observers, the starting five did not close out the game. Coach Smart commented later that he had hoped to find energy elsewhere. Williams, Garcia and Donte Greene were on the floor when the Kings made their final push, and all three remained to the end.

Noteworthy totals for the Kings include 23 points for Tyreke Evans, who also contributed five assists and four steals. Jason Thompson, who has been on a tear ever since he joined the starting five, tallied another double double (10 and 10). DeMarcus Cousins added 14 points, Marcus Thornton 13 points, and Isaiah Thomas 11 (with 6 assists).

For New Jersey, Gerald Wallace (whose introduction was loudly cheered by fans who remember his early years on the Kings) scored 18 points. Yet, the game’s leading scorer started the game sitting on the Nets bench. Anthony Morrow sank six of eleven three-point attempts and burned the Kings for 24 points.

KEEPING THE ENERGY

Coach Smart observed that “We didn’t have the energy we needed.” Indeed, teams often have a let down after an emotional win, such as the previous night’s victory in Salt Lake City. Only eight days after the Jazz had come here and beaten us on a basket with just a split second before the game ended, we had gone to Utah and beat them when their would-be winning basket was launched just a split second after the horn sounded.

Asked if that might have been a factor against the Nets, Coach Smart observed “It’s always hard. You’ve got an emotional game, a very big win, we came from behind and we won the game, you gotta travel back, you’ve got three games in four nights,...” But, the Nets had played the Warriors the night before. It was an emotional game, a very big win, they came from behind (19 points in the third quarter), they had to travel here, and this was their third game in four nights.

Smart did mention another difference: “They have a very, very top-level point guard that understood how to manage the game.” Coach was referring to Deron Williams, the Jazz point guard who scored 19 points and dealt 15 assists against the Kings.

Experience does matter. The Nets starting five averages about 6 years of NBA experience, while the Kings starting five totals only 8 years. Nevertheless, our rookie point guard has already outplayed such All-Stars as Rajon Rondo and Tony Parker. Coach Smart is confident that Thomas, already a team leader, as well as the team as a whole, will soon master these situations.

WHEN FEELING BLESSED IS NOT JUST A CLICHÉ

Professional athletes talk about “being blessed” almost as often as they talk about “playing one game at a time” and “giving 110%.” But, there’s one player for whom feeling blessed is not a cliché, and we’re lucky to have him in Sacramento.

Watch close-ups of players. Some of them seem to scowl disproportionately often. Some whine. Some have their mean “game faces.” One King, however, distinguishes himself by smiling — broadly, infectiously, and often. It’s Isaiah Thomas. When asked about it, he replied with obvious sincerity, “I’m blessed.”

DID WE BLOW IT WITH OMRI?

Omri Casspi, the first Israeli player in the NBA, was one of the most popular Sacramento Kings — in Sacramento and everywhere the Kings played. The Kings traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers for J.J. Hickson. It was supposed to be an upgrade, but Hickson proved a disappointment and was let go earlier this month. Did we give up a popular and promising player to get, ultimately, nothing in return?

It’s not that simple. For one thing, Casspi is having a disappointing season in Cleveland. All his numbers (points, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, free throw percentage, rebounds, and assists) are at career lows. More importantly, releasing Hickson left a gap that was filled with Terrance Williams, and in only 10 days, Williams has played his way into a crucial role on the Kings.

WILLIAMS TO STAY

Few players come in with 10-day contracts and fit in as quickly and as well as Terrance Williams. Having had a questionable record (let go by New Jersey, let go by Houston, hints of trouble with management), Williams agreed to the most tenuous of NBA contracts. Typically, these players are paid a pittance (at NBA standards) in order to fill a temporary gap or prove that they meet a minimal standard of production. If things work out well, they sign another 10-day contract. Then, the team must either sign the player for the remainder of the season, or be let go.

In that sense, Williams’ experience here is not “typical.” He immediately showed tremendous skills while focusing more on contributing to the team than on showcasing his talent. Within a couple of games, Coach Smart made it clear that Williams was to play an integral role, keeping him on the floor during critical moments. The team has signed him for the rest of the season.

Williams was “definitely surprised” that the team skipped the usual routine of a second 10-day contract before committing to the talented former first-round pick. He didn’t know much about the team or the city (“I thought everything closed at 10 o’clock.”) But, he’s already living in a condo and is happy to be playing for a coach who with faith and confidence in him.

YOUR TURN TO COMMENT

There was one Nets player who was booed every time he touched the ball. No, it was not Deron Williams, who has tormented the Kings throughout his stellar career. It was Kris Humphries, the newlywed groom and newly divorced husband of Kim Kardashian. Feel free to weigh in on why you hate (or don’t hate) Kris Humphries. Personally, I feel that, having been married to Ms. Kardashian, he has already suffered enough.

NOTE: Thanks to Darren Hall for the excellent photos. Check out more of his work at http://darrenhallphotography.net/

Kings lose to Utah Jazz in intensely close match up

2012-03-23T19:27:33Z

In a tit-for-tat, intense game, the Sacramento Kings lost on Thursday at Power Balance Pavilion by one point to the Utah Jazz with a final score of 103 to 102.

Both teams had won their last three games, so the pressure was on the Kings to keep it up.

After the game, Kings Head Coach Keith Smart said, “Overall I thought (the Kings) did a good job … (The Jazz is) a good quality team, good quality pro big men. They made some plays that they’re accustomed to making, but yet our group was right there, one rebound away from winning (the) game.”

Al Jefferson of the Jazz made the first two points, but Jason Thompson’s layup evened things out 30 seconds later.

The first quarter moved at this point-for-point pace and included a slam dunk by DeMarcus Cousins, assisted by John Salmons and another by Thompson, assisted by Isaiah Thomas.

The quarter ended, however, with and a score of 30-26 with the Jazz in the lead and with Tyreke Evans subbing in for Salmons with 9.9 seconds left.

The Kings trailed in points as the Jazz’s lead continued for the remainder of the second quarter, which ended with a score of 58-48.

After a disappointing second quarter, the Kings were ready to turn up the heat in the second half.

“We did a much better job professionally in the second half,” Smart said, reflecting on the last half after the game.

An intense scuffle on the Jazz end of the court had the Kings players passing and struggling to keep control of the ball. It culminated with Cousins scoring a layup.

The Jazz players fought ferociously to keep their lead. Every time the Kings scored, the Jazz was right there to keep a 10-point lead. The third quarter score was 77-87, Jazz, with both teams scoring an equal 29 points each.

The fourth quarter was, by far, the most energetic part of the game, for both the teams and the adamant fans who cheered vehemently for the Kings. The fans were going wild as Kings mascot Slamson encouraged the arena to make some noise and prompt the home team to even the score.

In the last six and a half minutes of the game, Hayes evened the score for the first time since the first quarter, which made the game tied at 91-91.

Evans, who scored 25 points over the course of the game, took a foul shot, and the Kings were brought into the lead for the first time since the first quarter with a score of 92-91.

“(The) young man had the right attitude the whole process,” Smart said, referring to Evans. “He’s a team player.”

The Jazz led with one minute left in the game. With 30 seconds on the clock, the crowd was on its feet in anticipation. After video replay of a controversial call, the Kings were in possession of the ball.

The Kings’ Marcus Thornton sank a three-point shot that brought the Kings into the lead with 100 points, but Utah was right there to bring the score back to 101-100 in its favor with eight seconds left in the game.

At four seconds to go, Thornton made another jump shot, bringing the Kings back in the lead at 102-101.

The crowd stood up and cheered.

With just four seconds remaining, the Kings focused on defense to keep the lead. The Jazz, however sank a two-point shot with less than a second left in the game.

Thompson’s intense dedication left him with a sprained left ankle, but it all wasn’t enough to win the game.

When asked if he was happy with how his team was responding to his techniques and requests, Smart gave a heartfelt response.

“Without a question. They’ve moved so fast ahead,” he said. “They’re moving so fast to where we want to be.”

The Kings will play against the Golden State Warriors in their next game at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Saturday.

Photos by Ron Nabity

Kings continue Smart play with help from Thornton, Cousins and J.T.

2012-03-22T00:48:27Z

In this year of ups and downs, consistency has been the Sacramento Kings missing piece.

After losing two games that the Kings should have won against lesser opponents last week, the team then beat two upper-echelon teams with relative ease. A win would give the team three in a row and would seem to have them on track in digesting and displaying coach Keith Smart’s system. A loss, and the roller coaster ride would continue.

So when the Memphis Grizzlies came to town Tuesday evening, the question was, which Kings team would show up?

The short answer: the good one.

The Kings took over in the first quarter by scoring 37 points and never looked back in downing the Grizzlies 119-110 at Power Balance Pavilion, winning three in a row for only the second time this shortened season.

The home team got out early behind the scoring of DeMarcus Cousins, Marcus Thornton and Isaiah Thomas, who collectively accounted for 31 of the team’s first 37 points.

Cousins’ footwork is improving every game as evidenced by his relentless scoring at the rim. Thomas is finding cutters and hitting his jumpers better and more often. And what can you say about Thornton?

Quite simply, he’s been doing it all.

In the last three wins, Thornton has had 36 against Boston, 24 in the Minnesota matchup and 31 against Memphis. Besides the scoring barrage he has been on, Thornton has been all over the court. Against Boston he had four boards, four assists and five steals. Versus the Timberwolves, he had five rebounds, four assists and four steals. And on this night, seven boards, six assists and three steals.

Marcus Thornton just plays angry.

“Yeah, I do,” Thornton immediately agreed. “When I’m out there on the court, there’s no friends. We can all talk after the game, but when I’m out there on the court, it’s all business.”

And on Tuesday, business was good.

Like in the past two wins, every time the visiting team made a run, the Kings came back with one of their own.

Just before the halftime break, with Memphis on a 13-2 run, the Kings only had a two-point lead. It was then that Cousins made a drive to the hoop and had a one-handed stuff that brought the faithful fans to their feet in roaring applause, so much so that the cheering lasted over a minute as the crowd stood in awe.

Memphis only scored two more in the half.

After taking a halftime lead of 10 to the locker room, it was more of the Thornton and Cousins show. Thornton had 11 in the third and the Big Cuz had nine.

The unsung hero in this current Kings run has to be Jason Thompson. Over the last three games, Thompson has averaged 18.3 points, 13.3 boards and is shooting 83 percent.

Against the Grizz, the Kings’ big man’s run continued. He had 14 points, 13 rebounds and four assists and, as always, was hustling up and down the court on every play. Thompson, after four years, is settling in and blossoming into the player he always thought he could become.

“One, it helps that I’m not in foul trouble”, Thompson said. “Two, that I’m consistently on the floor and that I’m picking and choosing my spots and running the floor. I’m just having fun out there and not worrying about things that I can’t control.”

What he and the other Kings bigs have been controlling has been the paint. The Kings out-rebounded the Celtics 45-28, had 42 boards versus the Timberwolves and garnered 10 more boards than the Grizzlies.

In the second half, Cousins left the floor twice, the second time from a bloody nose after getting smacked in the face hard by Dante Cunningham. While Cuz lay on the floor, he wondered if it was broken because, as he said, “I felt something pop.”

Cousins went to the back to make sure it wasn’t broken and returned in the final quarter.

But it was the unselfish Tyreke Evans, along with the rookie sensation Thomas, who controlled the fourth as they both scored nine points in the quarter to help mop up the Grizzlies.

When asked about why he told Smart to let John Salmons start, since the team seemed to be playing so well, Evans said the decision shows some real growth for this team.

“I want to be the leader of this team, so I have to step up and make decisions,” Evans said after the game. “That’s the decision I wanted to make to help us win more games and to keep John’s confidence going, because he’s been doing a great job.”

GAME NOTES: All five Memphis starters scored in double figures . . . Thomas finished with 18 points, five boards, seven assists and two steals . . . Evans had 13 off the bench on 6-of-11 shooting . . . The Kings assist to turnover ratio was solid again as they had 28 assists to only 13 turnovers . . . The team shot 53.4 percent . . . The Kings signed free agent guard/forward Terrance Williams to a 10-day contract.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

Steven Chea

http://www.stevenchea.com/index.html

The Kings beat up on the Celtics 120-95

2012-03-18T00:04:40Z

Kings lose focus, drop third straight game

2012-03-16T01:28:33Z

The Sacramento Kings ran out of gas as they fell to the Detroit Pistons 124-112 Wednesday night at Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings suffered another loss on the court, losing guard Tyreke Evans to an ankle sprain. Evans came down awkwardly on his ankle after making a layup late in the game. X-rays came up negative and Evans is listed day-to-day.

Following two losses in a row, struggling on both sides of the floor, the Kings came out with an intensity that allowed them to jump out to a big lead against the Pistons.

Forward Jason Thompson played great for the Kings, scoring 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting and grabbing 15 rebounds off the glass.

“Jason is the perfect guy for what we are doing,” coach Keith Smart said after the game. “He just goes out and works, and that’s what a power forward needs to do. Just go out and work and get your points by rebounding and running the floor, and that’s what he’s doing.”

Evans opened up the game aggressively, scoring six points in the first three minutes. His effort translated to points and a quick-paced game filled with high energy from the rest of the Kings.

Unlike the previous two losses, Sacramento was moving the ball well, finishing with nine assists in the first quarter and leading 32-25. Tuesday night, the Kings finished with just 11 assists total against the Warriors.

Sacramento continued its strong execution in the second quarter, building their lead up to 16 points at one point. But following a 9-0 run by the Pistons, Sacramento only had a 48-41 lead with a little over four minutes before halftime.

Detroit finished those four minutes strong, bringing the Kings lead to just one heading into the locker room.

Much like Tuesday night, the game got out of hand in the third quarter, with the Pistons able to score however they wished on the offensive side of the floor. The porous Kings defense gave up 40 points to Detroit in the third quarter alone.

Kings rookie guard Isaiah Thomas may have not been in the league too long but he knows that it's difficult to win games in the NBA while giving up so many points in one quarter.

"That third quarter opened it up, they had 40 points in that third quarter," Thomas said. "You're not going to win a game if you give up 40 points in a quarter."

The Pistons show 75 percent from the field and knocked down five three-pointers in the third quarter. Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey made four of those and finished 4-of-6 from three-point range and with a game-high 35 points and six assists. In all, Detroit’s offense was hitting on all cylinders.

“These guys came out and played well, shot well, turned the corner,” Smart said of the Pistons offense. “They come off real fast, they force you to over-help and they don’t waste much time to shoot the shots that they shot.”

With the game already out of hand, the Kings were unable to mount a comeback, eventually falling by a final score of 124-112. The 124 points given up to the Pistons were by far the most points Detroit has scored this season, as they were averaging just 89 points per game.

As bad as the loss was, Smart saw improvement in his team.

“I thought we made a step,” Smart said. “As bad as it is, there were a lot of things we did that were OK in this game.”

The players know it was a winnable game but remain optimistic that they will continue to grow together and get this team going in the right direction.

“This is one of the games we should have had,” Kings forward Thompson said. “We should have had one last night and should have had one tonight, but just gotta look at this and look at the film and get better.”

Kings fall to Warriors in 115-89 rout

2012-03-15T01:49:50Z

The Sacramento Kings lacked the energy necessary to win the game once again, as they fell to their Northern California rival Golden State Warriors 115-89 Tuesday night at Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings were unable to capitalize on the Warriors’ forced improvisation with their rotation following a trade made just before the game.

The Warriors decided to make a splash before the trade deadline by swapping out guard Monta Ellis, former first-overall pick Kwame Brown and second-year forward Ekpe Udoh in a five-player trade. In return from the Milwaukee Bucks: the injured Andrew Bogut and a disgruntled Stephen Jackson. Ellis was the Warriors’ leading scorer this season with 21.9 points and 6.0 assists per game. s coach Mark Jackson to insert rookie guard Klay Thompson into the starting lineup, alongside veteran Nate Robinson, who was playing for the injured Stephen Curry.

Golden State’s new rotation took advantage of the increased minutes on the floor by executing well on the offensive side of the floor while shooting 12-24 from the three-point line as well as 48 percent from the field.

Meanwhile, the Kings appeared as if they took the Warriors’ new rotation lightly, as they never seemed to have the energy needed for the game.

“Things that were taking place with their team, that’s all the whole chatter was in the locker room, and things just got crossed up from there. We weren’t the same team,” Kings coach Keith Smart said. “Somewhere in there, the mindset wasn’t there.”

Veteran big man Chuck Hayes saw the lack of effort and knows that you can’t win without the energy.

“Obviously we was more in tune to what they had going on in their locker room than we did ours,” Hayes said. “We deserved it. We deserved to get our butts kicked.”

The trade talk didn’t seem to affect Kings guard Tyreke Evans, who started off strong with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting to lead the Kings in the first quarter, but the Kings still trailed.

DeMarcus Cousins struggled much of the first quarter and didn’t score until almost eight minutes into the game with an emphatic slam dunk.

From there, Cousins began to carry the Kings on his back in the second quarter. With the rest of the team struggling for the most part, Cousins made his next three field goal attempts, including a dunk over Warriors forward Dominic McGuire after a quick spin move around David Lee. Cousins also made 5-of-6 free throws in the second quarter, scoring 10 of the team’s 25 points in the second. Cousins finished with a team-high 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Even with Cousins’ strong play in the second quarter, the Kings still found themselves down 49-54 heading into halftime.

The Warriors were able to increase that lead, dominating the third quarter. Every time the Kings were able to cut into the lead, the Warriors made a run of their own.

Kings rookie Isaiah Thomas brought the deficit to just four at 73-77, but Warriors guard Brandon Rush extended it back to 11 with two three-point shots late in the third quarter.

From there, the Warriors pulled away from the Kings with a 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter, causing Kings players to all but quit for the night.

Golden State outscored the Kings 31-16 in the final quarter for their 115-89 rout on a night they saw two of their key pieces traded away.

The young Kings squad seems to have a recurring problem of providing the energy needed to beat big teams but coming out flat against others, a problem Smart acknowledges.

“They got to grow up from that,” Smart said after the game. “They’re grown men when we play highlight teams, but for whatever reason, they can’t understand that these teams are just as important as highlight teams.”

But it’s not just Smart who recognizes the problem.

“We have to approach every game the same way,” Thomas said in the locker room. “Whether it’s the worst team in the NBA or the best team in the NBA, we have to approach it the same way. We have to succeed as a team and fail as a team.”

Photos courtesy of Ron Nabity

Kings rally falls short, lose to Hawks 106-99

2012-03-13T04:45:33Z

The Sacramento Kings were unable to continue their modest two-game win streak as the Kings fell 106-99 to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night at Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings returned to old habits with turnovers once again, finishing the game with 16 turnovers and only 19 assists. Despite a big game from DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings were unable to overcome the turnovers as the Hawks took advantage to leave Sacramento with the road win. Cousins finished with yet another double-double, this time with 28 points and 12 rebounds, even with fouling out of the game.

“I just thought we had too many mistakes we made,” Kings coach Keith Smart said following the game. “Based on how we had played the last couple of games with everything we had done, sharing the ball, moving the ball, we just didn’t play that way. We didn’t have the energy necessary from the first quarter.”

The Kings, the league's youngest team, defeated the world champion Dallas Mavericks on Friday but failed to come out with the same energy on Sunday evening.

“That’s what immature teams do,” Kings rookie point guard Isaiah Thomas said. “We are inconsistent. We only get up for the great games against big teams, but we need to get better and learn how to get up for every team. Once we do that and play at a consistent level, we will be a tough team to beat.”

Even with six of those turnovers in the first quarter, three in the first three minutes, the Kings were able to feed Cousins early. On one occasion, Cousins stole the ball and dribbled up the sideline through Hawks guard Jeff Teague’s legs en route to going coast to coast
and laying the ball in the hoop. In all, Cousins abused his defenders all quarter en route to leading all scorers after one with eight points to go along with four rebounds.

Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette has seen an increase in playing time as of late and has taken advantage of it. Sunday’s game was no exception, with starting rookie Thomas drawing two quick fouls and having to take a seat on the bench late in the first quarter.

Fredette came in aggressive and looking to score. With the clock running down, Fredette stepped up into his shot and pulled up over the defender to make a three-point shot for his first field goal of the game, giving the Kings a 24-23 lead after one quarter.

Sacramento was shooting the ball well through the first two quarters, shooting 53 percent from the field but being out rebounded by the Hawks 16-24, leading to a 52-51 lead at halftime for the Kings.

After zero turnovers in the second quarter, the plague once again hit the Kings during crucial minutes in the third quarter. While committing four more turnovers, the Kings’ shooting also dropped dramatically as the Kings were outscored 22-29 in the third, giving the Hawks a six-point lead heading into the final quarter.

With the Kings offense struggling, Smart turned to his bench in hopes of getting a spark. Sacramento was able to finally break through and score seven straight points to get to a five-point deficit at 89-94 with about three minutes remaining after Kings guard
Marcus Thornton made an angle three.

But with a chance to draw it to just three points with a little under two minutes remaining, Thornton’s driving layup was blocked by Hawks forward Josh Smith. After the Kings got the stop they needed, Thornton then missed a last-chance three that all but sealed the win for the Hawks.

“We started to come back a little bit,” Fredette said in the locker room. “I think we just didn’t make an opportune play to get it down to three or two. We just have be more efficient and try to execute.”

Atlanta’s Smith proved to be a mismatch for the Kings all night, finishing with 28 points on 13-23 shooting, six rebounds as well as three blocked shots. Nineteen of Smith’s points came in the second half.

“He’s a willing passer now, too,” Smart said of Smith. “So offensively, he’s a tough cover. He’s too big for a small forward, and he’s too quick sometimes for a power forward.”

Kings Tyreke Evans struggled from the field, shooting only 4-of-14 for eight points while Thornton also struggled giving the Kings 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Thomas finished with eight points on 2-of-7 shooting, no assists and three rebounds to go along with Fredette’s 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting and four assists.

Following such a convincing win against the defending-champion Mavericks, the Kings were disappointed with their play against the Hawks and recognized the necessity to bring their A-game every night.

“We are still a growing team, and we have a lot of work to do,” Cousins said. “We are still trying to find ourselves. We play well, and then we revert back to bad play. We need to try and make it consistent.”

Sacramento continues their nine-game home stand when they take on the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Nick Hunte. Nick is also a freelance videographer. To check out more of his videos, visit his YouTube channel.

Kings hit on all cylinders, outrun Mavericks on way to 110-97 blowout

2012-03-10T23:37:31Z

What a difference a couple of months make.

It was back on January 14 when the keepers of the castle were in Dallas and getting blown off the court. They only scored 23 points in the first half, 60 in the game and shot twenty-six percent in possibily the most disappointing performance of the season.

Fast forward to the present.

Coach Smart has had more quality time to spend with the team, thus the cohesion and his style of play are finally taking shape.

On Friday night at Power Balance Pavilion, the Kings put on display the collective knowledge that Smart has infused into the team as they put a whooping on the visiting Dallas Mavericks 110-97 in front of a nearly-packed house.

For the first time this season, almost everything seemed to go the Kings way. They shot over fifty percent, forty percent from beyond the arc, made all 13 free throws, had 25 assists and only 14 turnovers. A complete game in anyones book!

Early action had the game close, but the Kings were clearly setting the tempo.

On the back of what is becoming one of the most entertaining three-guard combos in the league - Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton and Isaiah Thomas - the home team acquired a 13-point lead several times in the opening quarter.

Every time in the first half the Mavs made a run, the boys from Sac Town pushed back as if to say 'not on this night.'

As the game kept moving along, the scenery stayed the same.

Jason Terry was doing everything he could to keep Dallas in the contest as he had 12 points, a couple of long-range bombs and two steals by halftime.

The Kings big men - especially Donte Greene, who got the start because of the Dirk Nowitzski matchup, kept the leagues former MVP under wraps most of the game. Nowitzki finished with only 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting and a lot of that credit goes to the coaching of Keith Smart, who kept putting guys in the right position to shut him down.

Whether it was Chuck Hayes, Jason Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins or Greene, the Kings frontline kept the first European to ever score 20,000 points in the NBA in check by staying in front of him and making him take shots from many different angles.

The Kings offense was running like a dream. It was like watching a hot Ginsu knife go through butter. Players that sliced through the lane were found by willing passers all game as witnessed by the teams 25 assists.

Coach Smart has done a great job in getting everybody involved as every player that hit the floor in the first half in a white and purple uniform scored. For the third game in a row, the team had over 20 dishes.

Each time the Mavs got close, the Kings turned up the speed of the game. The Kings would get up by 13, then Dallas would cut it to six, then back up to 10. It was like that until the halfway through the third when the Kings would push it to a 19-point lead and never look back.

With six minutes left in the game, Coach Rick Carlisle threw in the white towel as he took all five starters off the floor and let the bench clean up the mess.

All night long, the Kings made the Mavericks look old and slow. It was like they were moving through quicksand and the Kings were skating on ice.

Coach Smart talked about getting these players to think as a team instead of individuals.

“If I see that you are hunting, like we did earlier in the year, then this guy hunts and he goes for his shots and wants his numbers. He looks up at the scoreboard and sees he has eight points and decides he wants to score, I got to get him out of the game. But they understand that. But I think overall, what our guys are doing now is trusting each other and cutting hard.”

“I am proud of these guys because they are buying in to what we are trying to preach to them. When you have a game like this against a really good team, on the things that you are doing and preaching every day in practice, it works out.”

Donte Greene, who Smart started in place of Thompson because of the Nowitzski matchup, can feel this team starting to bond.

“Team chemistry man, just building that team chemistry,” said the 6’11” forward out of Syracuse. “A lot of guys really didn’t get a chance to hang out with each other during the lockout, so during the season (we’ve been) hanging out and learning each other’s games.”

Rookie point guard Isaiah Thomas sees things the same way. The guys are starting to click.

“We’re trusting each other,” said Thomas. “If we do that a lot more, we’ll be a better team. You guys see it. If we play together, hit the open guy and make the extra pass, we always play a lot better. That kinda motivates us to play even better defense. We’ve just got to be consistent with it and once we are a consistent team with the way we did today with our offense and our defense, we’ll be a pretty good team.”

GAME NOTES: Francisco Garcia (10 points, 2 3‘s, 3 steals and 2 blocks) was everywhere on the floor . . . Cousins, who was still a little sluggish from the food poisoning, had 5 assists to go along with 15 points . . . Evans was the teams leading rebounder with 9

Kings get first last second victory of the season, beat Hornets 99-98

2012-03-09T02:28:55Z

Unlikely.

If you would have asked almost any Kings fan before the game, they never would have used that word to describe the chances of a win against the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday evening at Power Balance Pavilion.

Not only likely, but darn well better win.

But when it came down to the final moments of the game, the chances of a home victory seemed very unlikely.

With the Kings trailing by one and 14.9 seconds left in the game, Marcus Thornton (25 points, four boards, four steals) missed a runner and the collective breath of the old barn let out a sigh. It seemed a loss was in the near future until an incredible steal from rookie point guard Isaiah Thomas, who then passed to John Salmons for the game-winning bucket as the Kings beat the Hornets 99-98 in a true nail-biter of a game.

The fun didn’t stop there as the Hornets still had 6.8 clicks left on the clock to beat Sacramento. On the final play, great defense by Tyreke Evans on Trevor Ariza made his shot fall short, and the Kings ran off the court victorious.

In a game that saw DeMarcus Cousins out due to food poisoning and J.J. Hickson still nursing his hip, it was last month’s Co-Rookie of the Month Thomas (12 points, two three-pointers) who provided the early spark by scoring seven of the first nine points for Sacramento.

Thomas picked up two early fouls and had to give way to Jimmer Fredette, who played well with 11 points and five assists.

The Kings gained a five-point lead several times in the first quarter only to have New Orleans get the game close every time.

Sloppy play in the second by the reserves gave the Hornets a chance to grab the lead before most of the Kings starters returned. Once they settled back in, the Kings took a 58-54 halftime lead.

By halftime, the difference in rebounding was increasingly noticeable. With Cousins out, the team was missing at least 12 to 15 rebounds per game. As the halftime stats would reveal, the Kings were out-rebounded 22-13.

In the third, the Hornets continued the hot shooting. They followed up their 64.7 percent shooting in the second quarter by shooting 52.6 percent in the third, giving the Kings all they could handle.

Curiously enough, after playing only 4:49 in the third, with no foul trouble, coach Keith Smart sat Thomas. At that point, the last pick in last year’s draft had 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting with two long-range bombs and seemed to be playing at a high level. Thomas did not return until there were 58 seconds left in the game.

Considering Thomas made the game-saving steal, it was the first question asked at the post-game press conference.

Why didn’t Thomas play in the fourth quarter until there were 57 seconds left in the game?

“Jarrett Jack is a powerful point guard,” Smart said. “I knew I had to buy some time right there, because he was doing an incredible job of trying to force his will to the basket, so I thought our bigger guards (would do a better job). I needed size on him first, and I thought Salmons did a great job on really defending him in the second half.”

Salmons looks to be settling into his role as the team’s point guard off the bench. Besides the game-winning layup, he had 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting.

Salmons admitted that, after disappointing losses to Phoenix and Denver on the road, this one would have been tough to swallow.

“In coming off of that Denver loss, the way we lost, I think it was good for the guys to get one like that,” he said.

Jack was killing it. He finished with 25 on 11-of-17 shooting and seemed to hit every crucial shot the Hornets needed.

The fourth quarter belonged to Thornton as he scored seven on 3-of-5 shooting. Even though he missed a jumper with 15 clicks left on the clock, he did score five of the last seven points.

When Thomas was asked if he though he could have guarded Jack more in the game, he quickly said yes, but that Salmons was doing a great job, and whatever the coach wants, the coach gets.

“Size isn’t a problem with me,” Thomas said. “I felt like I could have guarded him a little better than I did in the first half. I had two early fouls, so I was a little timid. Coach wanted Johnny and we got the win. You can’t be mad at that because he made a decision and we came out with the win, so I’m happy with it.”

GAME NOTES: Trevor Ariza (20 points, six assists) also had a good game . . . Chris Kaman posted a double double with 18 points and 11 boards and only needed two more assists for a triple double . . . The Kings only had 13 turnovers but had 20 assists . . . Jason Thompson had12 points and 8 boards

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

Ron Nabity Photography
http://nabityphotos.com

Kings let frustration affect game, lose to Clippers 108-100

2012-03-03T02:20:41Z

Playing against the “Lob City” crew and an arsenal of good long-range shooters, the Kings’ task at hand, on this Thursday night, was a tough one.

Add in Kenyon Martin, who just made it back from China, and the Clippers are finally a legitimate contending team in this shortened season.

With that said, the Sacramento Kings hung tough until a bad stretch in the fourth quarter that was initiated by some — as the venerable Bill Walton would say, “horrible” — calls and non-calls by the officials. In the end, the Kings fell too far back late in the game to mount a comeback and lost to the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 108-100.

After the Kings got out to a early 6-0 lead on shots from DeMarcus Cousins (23 points, 10 boards, three blocks) and Tyreke Evans (18 points, six boards), things started to even out over the next 10 minutes.

The Blake Griffin dunkfest was on display early as the Clippers big man had 10 points in the opening quarter. About half of those wouldn’t have ended up in dunks had it not been for some poor ball-handling and turnovers by the home team.

The Kings starters played the entire first quarter, as it looked like coach Keith Smart wanted to take advantage of a short window of time when the Clippers starters were resting. Maybe he thought the bench would have a hard time keeping up with the Clips starters.

Smart was right. Once the entire Kings starting five were replaced, Los Angeles mounted a 10-point lead early in the second and, for a minute, looked like they would rack up a huge lead. A three from Jimmer Fredette (11 points, three assists, three threes) got the rest of the team fired up and helped get them even. Add in a couple more long-range bombs for Fredette and one from Francisco Garcia, and the Kings pulled to an eight-point lead late in the first half.

Fredette’s second three blew the roof off the Pavilion and had every player on the Kings bench jumping up and down like madmen. Ex-King and Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro had to call a timeout just to quiet the crowd.

The Kings were outscored 13-4 in the final moments of the first half which pushed the game to a tie after two quarters.

At the half, the Clippers had 18 assists to only two turnovers compared to the Kings 10 assists and nine miscues, a statistic that haunted the Kings for the entire game.

The Kings came out flat in the third and fell behind by nine early. It wasn't until halfway through the third that they started to hit some shots and got the game tied at 72 a piece.

That was the last time Sacramento came close in the game.

“A top-level team made a lot of plays”, Smart said in his post-game presser. “They ratcheted their defense up a little bit. We turned the ball over. We had 18 turnovers that led to 27 points.”

Well said.

What coach didn’t say, and can’t without a hefty fine from the league, is that the officials in this game, particularly Bennie Adams, were terrible. They missed a goal-tend call and several hard fouls by the Clippers that would have at least led to some foul shots by the Kings.

They even let Del Negro walk halfway onto the court and yell at the officials without calling a technical!

The non-calls and turnovers were the catalyst for the wheels falling off as the frustration took the Kings completely out of their game.

Smart agreed but said that they would have to learn to overcome such issues.

“They’ve got to fight through that,” Smart said, admitting that the calls were getting to the team. “We’re not going to get the benefit of calls here and there. We’ve got to be strong with the ball, and we have to attack the basket with a serious purpose until we can establish ourselves as a team that can play physical back with another team.”

Late in the third, J.J. Hickson took a nasty fall while attempting a rebound. He had to go up at an angle to have a shot, and as he came down he skipped off a Clipper and fell about four feet right onto his keister. Hickson was helped off the floor and didn’t return. The media was told after the game that he injured his left hip. He was seen on crutches in the locker room in a lot of pain.

The final score was not indicative of how close the game was, as the Kings were down by 19 with 2:46 left in the game.

Cousins spoke about the Kings faltering down the stretch.

“A lot of open shots we gave up,” Cousins said. “Players that aren’t big pieces on the team, we let them make big plays tonight. That’s what really killed us. Just some mental breakdowns.”

GAME NOTES: Six Clipper players scored in double figures, including Caron Butler (13 points), Randy Foye (16 points and three threes), Chris Paul (22 points, nine assists), Mo Williams (18 points, four threes) and Bobby Simmons had 13 points . . . Marcus Thornton had 18 . . . Co-Rookie of the Month Isaiah Thomas had his worst game since becoming the starting point guard with only 10 points, four assists along with six turnovers . . . Good stat: King won rebounding battle 40-33 . . . Bad stat: Clippers had 30 assists to only 14 for the Kings.

Photos courtesy of Darren Hall, Darren Hall Photography

I went to a celebration and a basketball game broke out!

2012-03-01T02:58:31Z

In hockey, the joke is: I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out. At Power Balance Pavilion Tuesday night, there was a celebratory love fest with Gavin and Joe Maloof, Mayor Kevin Johnson, the Sacramento Kings, and about 14,000 fans. This was the first home game since a financing plan was announced for a new arena.

Along with the celebration, there was also a game.

Even Isaiah Thomas, whose 18 points and 8 assists helped defeat the Utah Jazz 103 - 96, was happy for Sacramento. Although one of the possible relocation destinations for the Kings was his native Seattle area (he grew up in Tacoma as a Laker fan), he also knows what it’s like for a city to lose its NBA team. Besides, he told me, he likes Sacramento — and there are no Jack’s Urban Eats in Seattle.

If Thomas was happy, Mayor Johnson and the Maloofs were absolutely beaming. Ovations began even before the game, as fans spontaneously applauded whenever Gavin Maloof happened to stroll past their section. During the first time out, the Maloofs were introduced to a standing ovation by the entire arena, while Mayor Johnson received another one when he arrived during a second quarter time out.

The game itself was icing on the cake. Sacramento had previously lost a close one in Salt Lake City exactly one month prior. A furious fourth quarter comeback had fallen just short when hometown favorite Jimmer Fredette missed a potential game-winner in the closing seconds. This game required another comeback, but nothing as daunting.

Both teams are hoping to turn a disappointing season around and used unorthodox starting lineups. The Kings relied on their three-guard offense while the Jazz used a three-forward offense.

The first quarter ended with the Kings trailing by two points, but the closely contested quarter saw seven lead changes and five ties. More importantly, DeMarcus Cousins played all 12 minutes, tallying eight points, four rebounds, and not one personal foul.

In the second quarter, the Kings never led. On the other hand, the biggest separation for the Jazz was only seven points, far fewer than the 13-point deficit the Kings tried to overcome in their first meeting. The game never seemed out of reach, and the Kings trailed by three at the half.

While DeMarcus continued to have a good game (10 rebounds and still only one foul by half-time), the Jazz struggled at the line. Missing seven free throws, they wasted a chance to build up a bigger lead.

It took the Kings a shade over two minutes to take the lead in the third quarter, as they began the second half with a 6-0 run. The period was tight with five ties, 11 lead changes, and no team establishing more than a 3-point lead. The Kings led by three going into the final stanza.

Noteworthy was the balance in scoring during the period (six for Thomas, seven for Tyreke Evans, eight for Cousins, and nine for Marcus Thornton). Hayward kept the Jazz in contention by hitting four of five attempts.

John Salmons, who did not attempt a basket until the fourth quarter, came alive offensively. Jason Thompson, whose hustling and rebounding were important factors prior to the quarter, poured in seven points. Thomas, whose hand is still swollen even after the six-day All Star break, added nine.

The game was closer than the seven-point differential (103-96) implies. With 24 seconds left and the Jazz trailing by two, Hayward almost gave the Jazz the lead with a wide open three-point attempt from the short corner. Hayward, who sank .437 of his three pointers last year, missed.

BEST BIG MAN IN THE NBA?

Cousins was the lone King to participate in the All Star Weekend. Though Charles Barkley drafted him to play on Team Chuck during the Rising Stars Challenge game and effused praise on the young center by saying he has the skills and body to be the best big man in the NBA, Cousins shrugs off the compliment. It wasn’t that long ago, Cousins reminded me, that Barkley labeled him “the worst thing that happened to Sacramento.”

SMART PLAYS IT SMART

I am not sure how many psychology courses Coach Smart took at Indiana University, but he seems a master at knowing how to treat his players. The difference in DeMarcus Cousins’ production under Paul Westphal and Smart is well known, as DeMarcus has risen from “problem child” to “All Star caliber center.”

But, Coach Smart also shows his uncanny empathy with players who have not yet blossomed. In talking with me about Jimmer Fredette, he made it clear that Jimmer has the skills to be a good player and has the intelligence to figure out how to overcome the swarming defenses that every team now throws at him. Smart does not want to tear down Jimmer through criticism, nor inhibit his instincts by overloading him with instructions. The coach has faith in Jimmer and, sometimes, that is the smartest thing a coach can do.

Disappointment Returns for the Kings

2012-02-14T00:52:20Z

Game Summary

Going into Saturday’s game against the Sacramento Kings, the Phoenix Suns had every reason to be confident. One of only five teams to have a better record on the road than at home, they had won three of their last four games, including two straight road games. Moreover, they had beaten the Kings in 17 of their last 22 encounters.

Having just stunned the "Best in the West" Oklahoma City Thunder, the Kings also had every reason to be confident. Sporting a 7 - 4 record at Power Balance Pavilion, they had won four of their last five games, while the three losses in the past seven games were by a combined total of a mere 8 points. Moreover, they had beaten the Suns in their most recent three meetings.

Phoenix left town with their confidence intact. Sacramento heads to Chicago with their confidence shaken. They next meet the Bulls, who are riding a five game winning streak, are 9 -1 at home, and own the best record in the NBA.

The Kings trailed the entire game, eventually losing 94 - 84. For Phoenix, who led 31 - 24 after the first quarter, the second quarter was crucial. Not only do the Suns rank 25th in the NBA in second quarter scoring, but they failed to score 20 points three times in the last week alone. The bad news for the Suns was that they scored just 22 points (their average) again. The bad news for the Kings was that they only managed 20. The Goon Squad just didn’t have it.

The Suns, who were 9 - 1 when they won the second quarter, were never threatened. By the end of the third quarter, the Kings trailed by 15 and any hopes of a 4th quarter comeback were dashed by registering 7 of their 16 turnovers in that final period.

DeMarcus Cousins was a bright spot for local fans, ending with 26 points and 9 rebounds. After taking only one shot in the first quarter, Marcus Thornton picked up his game and ended with 21. In contrast, Jason Thompson, whose strong play propelled him into the starting lineup, scored only 2 points. Meanwhile, John Salmons committed his second foul with 3:38 still left in the first quarter. Coach Keith Smart elected to keep him in the game, but Salmons was hit with his third foul just 35 seconds later. He left the game with 4 points, and never scored again. Tyreke Evans, who had averaged 21.4 points in the last 7 games, also finished with 4.

Coach Smart’s game plan was to make Steve Nash, the Suns All-Star point guard (for the 8th time!) work on defense. Defense is his weakest area and Smart’s hope was to tire out the 38-year old Nash. Coach Smart readily admitted that it didn’t work out that way. When the Kings drove the ball into the paint, the Suns made adjustments, ultimately blocking 11 shots (to the Kings’ 3). Nash ended with 15 assists (a mere one assist fewer than the entire Kings team). Even more embarrassing, the Kings used the entire game to gather their 16 assists, while Nash sat out the whole second quarter. Nash split his lower lip colliding with Isaiah Thomas, got stitched up, but played only 29 total minutes.

Speaking of Isaiah...

Isaiah Thomas, usually a spark plug for the reserves, had an off game. He sank only 2 of 9 shots, dished but 1 assist, yet did grab 6 rebounds. Nevertheless, he has become one of the Kings most popular players and received a huge ovation from the 16,964 fans. (The Kings have already matched last year’s total number of games that drew 16,000+ fans.)

A genuinely modest, sincere, and likable man, Thomas spoke about home and family with me. Sacramento is a bit larger than his hometown of Tacoma, while our greater metropolitan area is a bit smaller than his Seattle region. He likes that it’s a “low key city” with "not too much going on." (You can often find him at Jack’s Urban Eats.) And, he adds, the climate here is nicer.

Kings fans have no doubt noticed the ethereal portrait on Thomas’s left shoulder. The large tattoo is a likeness of his grandfather, who was close and supportive of Isaiah when he was growing up. Indeed, though he passed when Isaiah was in high school, his grandfather remains a strong influence in the point guard’s life.

16,000 Dirty Minds?

During one time out, the Kings entertained the crowd with a video of Donté Greene and Jimmer Fredette playing Password. If they team up on the court as well as they teamed up in Password, the Kings will make the playoffs. Greene got every one of Jimmer’s clues. Still, the highlight was Jimmer’s hint: “When you really like someone and really care about them, you BLANK them.” For some reason, 16,000 people burst out laughing. (The correct word — which Donté eventually identified, by the way — was LOVE.)

Note: Special thanks to Ron Nabity (http://nabityphotos.com/) for the photographs!

Disclosure: No connection.

Dr. Jekyll beats Mr. Hyde as Kings top Thunder in national TV game

2012-02-11T03:37:11Z

Plain and simple: It was one of the best, most exciting games ever played at the old barn.

With a national television audience watching on Thursday evening and the place filled to the rafters with ready-to-burst-with-applause black-adorned rabid fans, the Sacramento Kings pulled off the improbable and beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 106-101.

From the opening tip to the final buzzer, this game had it all.

Consider this. Kevin Durant, one of the league’s outstanding players, scored 27. Russell Westbrook had 33. And the Thunder had a franchise record 17 blocks, including 10 from Serge Ibaka.

Add that all up and, on a normal night, it would seem the home team was destined for doom.

Ah, but this was no normal evening.

From the moment the Kings took an early 6-0 lead, it was obvious to even Helen Keller that this was no ordinary contest.

The Kings got out to an early 11-2 lead before the Thunder came fighting back. But even though Oklahoma City took a brief lead in the opening quarter, the Kings held the advantage after the first 12 minutes.

DeMarcus Cousins came out on fire hitting his first four shots and ended the first quarter with eight points but also had three personal fouls. Even though Cousins had to come out and didn’t play a minute of the second quarter, he stayed positive and continued to support his teammates from the pine.

“My team is a lot better when I’m on the floor,” Cousins said on his way to the shower. “I got to find a way to stay out of foul trouble so I can help my team more.”

With the team’s big man on the bench and the starters needing some rest, it was up to the Kings reserves to keep the game tight.

The non-starters did their job and helped the Kings keep the advantage at the end of the first half by scoring all but eight of the 34 points the Kings scored in the second, with Chuck Hayes (eight points) and Donte Greene (six points) leading the way.

The third was all Westbrook as he lit it up for 16 points in the third on 7-of-11 shooting.

With eight minutes left, the “defense” chants from the home crowd were as loud as I’ve ever heard in that building.

Things started to get a little out of hand when the Thunder had a 95-87 lead with just under six minutes left in the game. Coach Keith Smart brought back Greene, Thornton and Evans while Isaiah Thomas, Hayes and Jimmer Fredette, who hit some key shots in the period, all headed back to the bench.

Once the changes were made, the Kings scored seven straight points and cut the lead to one point with 2:45 left.

After a couple of key turnovers by the Thunder, the Kings mounted their final comeback.

Thornton finally heated up with two critical long-range bombs, and Cousins and Evans hit some crucial free throws as the Kings held off the team with the best record in the league.

The Kings took the lead for good with 1:05 left in the game. Every foul shot by the home team brought incredible cheers and added enthusiasm to the arena. As Cousins, then Greene, then Evans, then Cousins and then Evans again made it to the line and made eight of ten of their final free throw attempts to ice the game.

The building was so packed with anticipation and excitement that many of the Kings faithful didn't want to leave or the fun to end.

For Cousins, growth is coming in buckets under Smart. How many previous games would he have three personal fouls by halftime and only pick up one more the entire game? Umm, like never!

Smart looks forward to next season when he can look back and tell Cousins how far he’s come.

“I don’t have to motivate him to play — he wants to play, and he wants to practice” Smart said. “This process as the year moves on and he grows, that’s a huge jump. What can you do if you get yourself in Dwight Howard type of conditioning and work on your post game this summer? Where can you go in the next three or four years? That’s the focus for him this summer.”

While Smart acknowledged that Cousins played a huge role in the win, he also called Tyreke Evans “the unsung hero” of the game for continuing to sacrifice his game for the betterment of the team.

Evans never let Ibaka coming in from nowhere to block his shot effect him. He just kept playing hard.

“I didn’t even see him half the time,” the Kings point guard said. “I’m thinking I got a layup, and he comes and swats the ball out of bounds. It was tough. They are a good team. We just went out there and played hard and showed what kind of team we could be.”

KING NOTES: James Harden had 17 off the bench for the Thunder . . . Every Kings player who hit the floor scored at least four points . . . The Kings had 21 assists and only 12 turnovers . . . Jason Thompson had another double-double with 11 points and 10 boards . . . The 10 blocks for Ibaka was a career high and an arena record . . . The Kings have won four out of their last five and play Phoenix at home Saturday at 7 p.m.

Kings take the game back and beat Warriors 114-106 in OT

2012-02-06T02:42:07Z

Sacramento Kings head coach Keith Smart led his team to victory against the Golden State Warriors at the Power Balance Pavilion on Saturday.

The Warriors started the first quarter off strong. Shooting guard Dorell Wright scored 14 points versus center DeMarcus Cousins’ and shooting guard Marcus Thornton’s eight points each.

By the end of the first half, the Warriors made eight of 12 3-pointers and maintained the lead at 54 points, putting them one point ahead of the Kings.

Thornton, who had trouble shooting in the first half, made his comeback in the third quarter. He made four 3-pointers and scored 18 of the Kings’ 34 points, putting his team eleven points ahead of the Golden State Warriors at 87-76.

At the end of the fourth quarter, the Kings had given up their lead and were trailing by three points, but point guard Tyreke Evans scored a three, his third that quarter, which tied the Kings with the Warriors.

“I got the ball and let it fly,” said Evans when asked about the shot. “It just went in.”

With only a second left in the fourth quarter, Evans missed his final shot within regulation and the game went into overtime.

Cousins pulled the Kings together before they went into overtime and told them that if they were going to win, they would have to play as a team. And that is just what they did.

“For him to step up after the game he’s having,” said Smart at the press conference after, “and pull the guys together and focus on not by themselves but team, that was huge.”

By overtime, the Kings’ defense had worn down the Warriors, who scored on one of nine shots. Evans made five of the Kings’ nine points in overtime, and personally made 26 points by the end of the game.

Cousins was a huge asset to the game, with 21 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in one game. Thornton, who scored 28 points, was the leading scorer for the game.

Wright scored 24 points for the Warriors and made his record-high 16 3-pointers.

This was the third time the Kings made it into the triple-digits and the second time they won consecutive games all season.

“We found the way to win the game,” said Smart. “And we gotta keep doing that.”

Photos courtesy of Darren Hall photography.

Comeback kids pull one out, Kings turn back Blazers 95-92

2012-02-04T02:01:42Z

Since Keith Smart took over coaching duties last month, the Kings have had very little practice time and never had everyone on the roster available for a game.

Things changed this week when the Kings were able to get more time in between games to work on their new game plans. Add that to a healthy Marcus Thornton returning to the lineup and, wham-o!, a team with real possibilities has emerged.

After being down at the half by nine and being throttled by LaMarcus Aldridge the entire time (19 points on 9-of-11 shooting with five rebounds), Smart changed up his formula in guarding the Blazers standout forward which led to a terrific third quarter as the Kings held on the beat the pesky Portland Trailblazers 95-92 on Thursday evening at Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings came out hustling, but some dumb fouls on the defensive end turned into easy points for the Blazers.

DeMarcus Cousins looked good early but got into foul trouble quickly and didn’t play most of the first quarter.

Aldridge has a great jump shot from inside the circle and put his skills on display early in this one. It didn’t matter who was matched up defensively against him. The way Portland was moving the ball around the court kept Kings players constantly chasing the ball, and Aldridge found himself more open than not for most of the half.

The lone bright spot in the first half for the home team was the ice-cold-as-of-late John Salmons. Salmons had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting that included two three-point bombs.

The wheels almost fell off in the second quarter as a bad mix of players had several defensive breakdowns. With J.J. Hickson, Isaiah Thomas, Travis Outlaw, Thornton and Chuck Hayes on the floor, it seemed that there wasn’t enough leadership or offensive firepower to keep up with Portland.

Smart noticed in time and stopped the bleeding by putting Cousins, Tyreke Evans and Jason Thompson back in the game with about 6:40 left in the second. Down by nine, that adjustment was enough to get Sacramento within three, until several Kings misses let the Blazers get the nine-point lead back before the buzzer.

The Kings scored six straight points as Evans and Cousins came out aggressive to open the third, until Cousins picked up two quick fouls that sent him to the pine early again.

With Cousins on the bench, it was time for Thompson to step up, and he did.

Thompson is having his best year to date and is a real force inside now for the Kings. Thompson finished with 13 points and 12 boards and was very active on the defensive end.

Thompson is fully aware of his improved play but doesn’t see it as a surprise. The way he tells it, if he didn’t have four different coaches in his four campaigns, things may be a little different for the man from Rider.

“It’s tough,” Thompson said after the contest. “Four different systems, and every coach wanted something differently out of me. For me, to keep my head and always staying ready for the future and being positive, then things can work out well.”

Good for J.T.! When you break it down, he’s been the most consistent player so far this season.

Once Evans slammed a ball home to tie the game at 63-63 late in the third, you could feel the momentum change. It seems that every time you just give the hometown faithful some hope, they jump out of their collective seats to show their support.

Thursday was no different.

The fans, who sat on their hands until this point, went crazy when Portland called a timeout to collect themselves.

When Salmons open the final stanza with a three, the fans stayed in the game the rest of the way.

Like the fans, Salmons has been waiting for his game to come around. Thursday, he had his best game of the season.

“It definitely feels good to hit shots,” he said. “When you’re not hitting shots like you’re supposed to, you get frustrated. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t frustrated. You just have to stick with it, keep going and try to continue to believe and keep working hard.”

The final moments saw rookie guard Isaiah Thomas get a jaw-dropping block and the Blazers miss two game-tying three-pointers.

Thornton had 20 in his return from a deep thigh contusion and said it’s hard to sit on the bench when you want to contribute so badly.

“It was very, very frustrating knowing I couldn’t get out there and help my team do anything,” he said. “It made me realize that me without basketball, I’m basically dead. Basketball is my life and has been my life since I was little, so I was just so happy to be out there with my teammates.”

KINGS NOTES: Evans had another solid all-around game with 18 points, five boards, five assists . . . Jimmer Fredette, Francisco Garcia and Donte Greene all had DNP-CDs (did not play - coach’s decision) . . . Chuck Hayes said he’s still being careful with his shoulder as any type of collision could dislocate it again . . . Former King Gerald Wallace was held in check and had only eight points and three boards.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

Darren Hall at www.darrenhallphotography.net/

Kings lose to Nuggets 122-93 in blowout, no one happy about effort

2012-01-27T02:49:13Z

The fans weren’t the only ones leaving the old barn early on Wednesday evening.

Quite honestly, they weren’t the only ones leaving embarrassed either.

By the time the press got into the Kings locker room after losing 122-93 in a blowout to the visiting Denver Nuggets, most of Sacramento’s players had left the arena also.

No Cousins, no Tyreke, not even Donte Greene hung out long enough to give their side of this ugly one-sided loss.

Keith Smart, the new coach of the 6-13 Kings, was alone at the podium to explain.

“Not what I expected,” Smart started his post-game press conference. “And I’m sure our fans didn’t expect that either. Kind of an embarrassing moment for our fans to watch us play that way.”

After pulling out to an early 7-3 lead behind a couple of Jimmer Fredette jumpers - who started in place of an banged up Marcus Thornton, the flood gates broke and the Kings end of the paint opened up like Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea.

Way too easy.

Drive after drive after drive after drive to the rack. The Nuggets kept coming like the incoming tide - relentlessly.

And the Kings didn’t even put up a temporary barrier to stop the avalanche.

By the end of the first quarter, the Nuggets already had 22 points in the paint on 11-of-17 shooting. And they weren’t done yet. They would finish with an incredible 92 points in the paint! This is the most since the NBA began keeping track of this statistic!

Wave after wave after wave of Denver big men and small reaching the rim with uncanny ease.

By halftime, Denver lead 66-43 and the boo birds could already be heard in the old Arco rafters.

Danilo Gallinari, Nene, Kosta Koufos, Andre Miller, Al Harrington and even Ty Lawson before he got hurt were slicing through the lane without facing stiff competition or even a good knock down.

By the half, the Nuggets were shooting almost 60 percent and the Kings were just over 42 percent from the floor.

It wasn’t that the Nuggets ran the Kings off the floor, that wasn’t it at all. It was just that it seemed almost every time a Nuggets player went into the paint, he either scored or another Nugget player grabbed the board and tired to score.

The only defense at the rim for the Kings came in the form of DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins ended up with 17 points and 15 boards. The only other King with more than five rebounds was Greene who had six.

The shocking stat of the night had to be that Evans, who is usually good for 4.8 boards a game came away with none. That’s right, a goose egg - zero rebounds.

Not the sign of a team that is throwing everything they have into trying to get a win.

Jason Thompson, one of the only ones left to speak after the tough loss, ended with nine points and five boards but knew much more was needed.

“It’s frustrating,” said Thompson from his space in front of his locker after the game. “We didn’t take care of business. We knew what the game plan was. From the start, usually come out to a good start but this time we just went against the odds. We weren’t rebounding and we weren’t playing unselfish basketball.”

That’s it! Straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

Thompson’s been here since the beginning. He’s unselfish to a fault most of the time and is finally having the kind of season the front office thought he could have when they drafted him four years ago.

Thompson knows the solution to what ails the team and holds out hope that the players can pull it off.

“We all got to look ourselves in the mirror and say how am I going to guard my man and how am I going to stop my man from scoring. At the end of the day, the great teams play team defense. But first you have to be able to stop your man and then worry about the help.”

The former Rutgers standout felt so strong about his case, he said it again.

“We all got to look ourselves in the mirror and not just worry about everyone getting buckets but worry about getting stops and rebounds and just let everything else come to us.”

KINGS NOTES: Fredette ended up with 19 points and had five three-pointers . . . The Nuggets had seven players in double figures scoring including Gallinari (23 points), Nene (16 points), Andre Miller (15 points, 10 assists), Al Harrington (10 points) and Corey Brewer (15 points) . . . Isaiah Thomas had ended with 16 points and had six assists . . . Ty Lawson hurt his foot or ankle and was seen leaving Power Balance Pavilion in a walking boot . . . To their credit, John Salmons, J.T., Thomas and Fredette were ready to answer questions from the media after the game . . . Thornton could miss another week or so with a deep bruise in his left thigh . . . Chuck Hayes should be on the floor again when the Kings travel to Utah to face the Jazz on Saturday

Resilient Kings rally back to defeat Pacers 92-88

2012-01-20T02:52:03Z

The Kings returned home after a tough five-game road trip to beat the Indiana Pacers 92-88 in a hard-fought battle at Power Balance Pavilion Wednesday night.

“I don’t know how, but somehow this group found a way,” Kings head coach Keith Smart said. “I don’t know how we did it, but this group has some resilience. They fought, they found a lineup that got us back into the game, and they closed it out. And that’s what I’m trying to get us to become: a team on any given night.”

On their eventful road trip, the Kings went 1-4 while earning their first road win, along with setting a new franchise record with only 23 points of the first half in a 99-60 rout by the Dallas Mavericks.

Sacramento came into Wednesday night with a 5-9 record, much due to their problem of making shots on the floor, and the league-worst shooting percentage at just 39.6 percent.

Despite their shooting woes continuing and only shooting 30.1 percent from the field against the Pacers, the Kings found a way to come back from a 14-point deficit going into the fourth quarter and come out with the victory.

Much of the win can be attributed to the zone defense that Smart turned to in the fourth, smothering the Pacers and only allowing eight points to be scored in the entire quarter.

“Our staff did a good job this morning in our meeting and saw that we could possibly play a zone,” Smart said after the game. “We were able to pull it out and get in the zone. The zone kind of kept them from posting our guys up, and it kept them from penetrating. It kept them on the perimeter. That’s what turned the game around.”

After trailing 80-66 after three quarters, the Kings eventually took an 88-87 lead when forward Francisco Garcia made two free throws with a little over two minutes remaining in the game.

Up by three at 90-87 with 5.6 seconds left to play, Smart decided to intentionally foul Pacers forward Danny Granger. Granger was called for a free throw violation while trying to intentionally miss the second attempt to get the ball back after making the first.

Garcia then made two free throws to seal the four-point victory for the Kings, ending their three-game losing streak.

Garcia and the rest of the Kings bench played a huge role in the victory, outscoring the Pacers bench 39-20. Garcia led the bench with 16 points, including 10 in the final quarter while rookie point guard Isaiah Thomas once again provided a spark while playing 20 minutes off the bench.

“They respect me. That’s the first and foremost,” Thomas said. “They respect me on and off the court. They know what I can bring, and I can’t let them down when I get in and get significant minutes.”

Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins recognizes the play of Thomas and understands the spark he provides the team every time he enters the game.

“Isaiah has been big for us all season,” Cousins said. “The more he plays, the more big plays he provides us.”

Thomas finished with eight points, one rebound, one assist and two steals. Five of Thomas’ eight points came in the fourth quarter.

Smart made a change in the starting roster, giving fourth-year forward Jason Thompson the nod instead of J.J. Hickson and was rewarded with Thompson’s hustle that provided nine points, nine rebounds and one assist in the first half. Thompson was only able to add one rebound to his numbers in the second half due to limited minutes.

“I’ve been very pleased with him,” Smart said of Thompson. “I’ve given him certain dynamic rules to follow, and he has been very, very good with what he’s doing, very patient. He’s being decisive. If he doesn’t have a move, he gets rid of the basketball and gets into the next play.”

Cousins once again dominated the boards, finishing with 13 points, 19 rebounds and two assists. En route to tying his career-high 19 rebounds, Cousins set a new franchise record for most offensive rebounds in a half with 10 hauled in during the first half.

“Once I’m zoned in, I’m going after everything,” Cousins said. “I’m not out there counting. I’m just trying to get everything that comes my way.”

In total, the Kings hauled in 30 offensive rebounds to go along with their 23 defensive rebounds. The Kings also made it to the free throw line 41 times but only made 68 percent from the line.

The Kings head back on the road for a three-game road trip starting with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. The team will return home to take on the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

Photos by John Hernandez

Kings late-game struggles lead to 104-97 loss to Magic

2012-01-09T23:09:19Z

The Sacramento Kings failed to close the game as they fell to the Orlando Magic 104-97 on Sunday at Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings were unable to capitalize on Magic big man Dwight Howard’s foul trouble. Howard started the game but was forced to leave the game at the 10:20 mark in the first quarter after two quick fouls on Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins.

Howard didn’t return until midway through the second but was quickly forced to leave the game once again as he was called for a bump foul on Cousins for his third foul of the night.

Howard only played 20 minutes all game and was held scoreless until he made a layup and made a free throw after the foul at 6:35 remaining in the game for his first points of the game. Howard also didn’t have his first rebound until there was 8:00 remaining in the game.

With Howard out, Cousins was able to make his mark on the court and give the Kings a 21-19 lead after the first quarter. Cousins finished 10 points, five rebounds and one block after the first quarter.

Cousins also found himself in foul trouble, getting called for his third foul with 1:42 remaining in the first half.

Kings fans also had a fright as they saw star point guard Tyreke Evans go to the floor in pain after coming down on his ankle. He was helped into the locker room with just under a minute remaining in the first half. Evans returned to start for the Kings in the second half and led the Kings in scoring with 28 points, eight assists and three assists.

Down 47-49, the Kings were still in the game even with guard Marcus Thornton not recording any points yet. Thornton didn’t make his first basket until the 10:35 mark in the third quarter. Thornton then hit the team’s first three of the night with 6:13 remaining in the third quarter, bringing the Magic’s lead to 65-61.

Thornton finished with 10 points in the third quarter, helping maintain just a two-point deficit as the Magic led 81-79 after three quarters of play.

Sacramento tied the game at 87-87 with 5:39 left in the game, but struggled defensively down the stretch, being outscored 17-10 the remainder of the game to lose 104-97.

“Late in the game we reverted to some bad basketball,” new Kings head coach Keith Smart said. “We stood on one side of the floor, and you can’t do that against good teams like this.”

Cousins also observed problems with how the Kings played late in the game and recognizes that they have some work to do but have already made progress during this young season.

“We have to get better at late-game situations, and keep our composure, and make some more moves,” Cousins said. “We are making a lot of strides. Just from the Knicks game to now, we are a whole different team. We just got to continue to work, and it’ll turn around.”

Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette finished with only two points, one rebound and one assist in 14 minutes of play.

Guard Jason Richardson led the Magic with 22 points, with Sacramento native Ryan Anderson contributing 19 points of his own. Anderson attended Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills, Calif. before going to the University of California, Berkeley.

Like Evans, Thornton also went down with an injury early in the fourth quarter but later returned down the stretch.

“That’s the uniqueness of this team,” Smart said. “Guys are hurt, and they want to play. These guys have a heart and a desire to make this franchise better. I commend those guys for being hurt and wanting to come back in and play.”

The Kings now head on the road for eight of their next nine games, including five consecutive games starting on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Kings are 0-3 on the road this season.

“Getting our first win on the road, getting that monkey off our back — we just got to just come back with positive plan and just get it done,” forward Jason Thompson said. “Just take it one game at a time. It’s going to be a long road trip.”

Photos by David Alvarez

#SmartBall helps Kings overcome 21-point gap, beat Bucks 103-100

2012-01-07T02:25:36Z

Unbelievable! Amazing! Jaw-dropping! Spectacular!

In sports writing, superlatives are greatly overused. Heck, even The Court Jester abuses the Queen’s English occasionally!

In this case, however, I think not!

After being down 58-37 at the half, being outshot from the floor 60.5 percent to 31.8 perccent in the first half and only scoring 12 points in the second quarter, it looked like another lackluster Kings performance would etch another loss in the standings Thursday evening.

Not so fast, my pretty!

After a day of showing Coach Paul Westphal the door, elevating assistant Keith Smart to the position full-time and holding a players-only film study session before the game, the Kings came out in the second half, scored 66 points and played great defense to pull off the improbable win against the Milwaukee Bucks 103-100 in what had to be the greatest home comeback victory in Sacramento Kings history.

Even though the Kings got out to a 13-6 lead, one could just feel that their recent poor play would be extended at least one more night. Eight turnovers in the first quarter and only shooting 25 percent in the second seemed like it would be enough to doom the Kings once again.

But here’s the thing.

The entire game, the Kings were moving the ball, driving to the basket and making the extra pass: everything Smart asked them to do in his first game as the man in charge. It’s just that the shots weren’t falling, and it seemed like every contested jumper by the Bucks was going through the net.

Tyreke Evans (26 points, 10 boards, 5 assists), Marcus Thornton (27 points, 5 boards) and DeMarcus Cousins (19 points, 15 boards, 2 steals) were the stars of the show.

Early in the game, it was Evans that gave the Kings even a small chance of pulling out a much-needed win by scoring 10 points in the first quarter. Other than that, Cousins was being aggressive, but his shots close to the rim were not going in.

The usually hot-starting Thornton was only one of eight from the field at the intermission. He was so displeased with his performance that he came out early from the halftime break and shot something like 30 three-point shots to try to find a rhythm.

It worked!

Thornton went nine of 15 and scored 25 of his 27 in the second half to help propel the comeback.

Even after the third quarter came to a close, the Kings still found themselves down 82-68.

Yet something was different. Was it just the Westphal firing that put extra energy into a team that was playing its third game in three nights and five in six nights?

I’ll let Cousins explain it to you.

“Everybody said it,” the Kings big man said. “You just felt free out there. You didn’t feel like you had 30-pound bags on your back. You felt good that we were having fun even though we were battling back the whole time. We were having fun working!”

Fun. A little three-letter word that might make all the difference in the world this lockout-shortened season for this team.

The fourth quarter was all Kings.

Despite Brandon Jennings killing it with 31 points and hitting six three-pointers along the way, the Kings pushed the ball hard and laid the smack down on defense. In the end, they outscored the Bucks in the fourth 35-18.

It was either Thornton hitting a jumper, Cousins taking it to the rack hard (and scoring) or Evans driving and getting to the free throw line that made the difference.

Sacramento closed the game on a 22-8 run but wouldn’t take their first lead since late in the first quarter until there was 18 seconds left in the game.

“I just told them to play hard,” Smart said in the post-game press conference. “Just play hard first, and after that your game will kick in. That’s all I said to them. I didn’t go in with a rah-rah speech. I just play hard, and things will start to happen.”

Evans agreed with Cousins in saying that things felt a little different against the Bucks.

“We were just out there playing free,” he said. “He’s a great coach. He’s putting in new things to help guys get looks at the rim and at the basket. We just have to work with him.”

It sounds like the start of a beautiful relationship.

Let’s hope the newly coined hash-tag for Twitter (#SmartBall) catches on in more ways than one! [You should explain this more. What does this have to do with the Kings?]

Kings notes: In the second quarter, Chuck Hayes suffered a dislocated left shoulder in a collision and is expected to be out three to four weeks . . . Despite the slow start and most of his jumpers falling short of the rim, John Salmons scored 13 and had six boards . . . J.J. Hickson had 11 rebounds and seven points . . . Kings went from shooting 31.8 percent shooting in the first half to 48.9 percent in the second half . . . Next game is at home versus the Orlando Magic on Sunday.

Kings defeat Hornets in second win of the season

2012-01-02T21:25:56Z

The Sacramento Kings ended a three-game losing streak Sunday night in a 96-80 win over the New Orleans Hornets.

Guard Tyreke Evans led the team with 27 points, scoring 13 points in the third quarter. Evans was also a force on the defense, and along with guard Marcus Thornton, who scored 25 points, helped the team dominate the second half of the game.

Noticeably absent from the court was center DeMarcus Cousins, who had been listed as a probable starter in the game. Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal issued a release before the game in which he said Cousins was asked to stay home after he demanded to be traded. Despite his absence, the Kings dominated the Hornets.

Westphal said he does not know if Cousins will make the road trip with the team.

The Kings were outscored by the Hornets in the first two periods and went into halftime down by 2 points. The team came back to the court in the third quarter to score 30 points to the Hornets’ 18 and kept the lead for the rest of the game.

Hornets center Emeka Okafor and forward Trevor Ariza each scored 6 points in the first quarter. They both continued to be productive on the court throughout the game, but their efforts were not enough to stop the Kings.

“What a difference a day makes,” said Westphal. “Even when we were missing shots, we were playing good basketball.”

The Kings went into the game shooting just 61 percent this season at the free throw line, but shot 86 percent Sunday night. The Kings barely edged the Hornets in field goals, shooting 41 percent to the Hornets’ 40. Still, it was enough to boost the team to a much needed win as they head out on the road.

The win improved the Kings’ record to 2-3, while the Hornets fell to .500 with a record of 2-2.

Forward Francisco Garcia made his first appearance of the season, and made back-to-back three point shots to start the final quarter of the game.

“I just feel good to be out there,” Garcia said. “I’m happy for my team. We work so hard every day.”

Westphal said he thought his team spaced the floor better, and that Evans and Thornton blended well together on the court.

“We did everything coach wanted us to do. We got to find a way to pull it together,” Evans said.

Evans had been struggling this season when he went into the game -- he was shooting just under 50 percent at the free throw line -- and was booed by fans in Saturday night’s game against the New York Knicks.

“You have to play this game with an attacking, light-hearted intensity,” Westphal said of Evans, adding that he told Evans to go out and have fun before the game.

The Kings play their next game against the Grizzlies in Memphis on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

To see a slideshow of the images from Sunday's game, click here.

Bulls defense holds strong as Kings rally falls short

2011-12-31T03:30:17Z

The Sacramento Kings suffered their second-straight loss as they fell to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night by 108-98.

Last season’s MVP Derrick Rose finished the game with 19 points, one rebound and eight assists while playing only 32 minutes due to foul trouble for much of the second half. During that time, backup point guard C.J. Watson contributed nicely with eight points, five rebounds and nine assists of his own.

The Kings were once again led by their backcourt Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton. Evans finished with 19 points, two rebounds and two assists, while Thornton finished with 20 points, five rebounds and one assist. Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds but fouled out in the fourth quarter.

Sacramento struggled to find their rhythm and stroke in the first quarter, allowing the Bulls to score 14 straight points and build a lead as great as 15 points, which the Kings cut down to six by the end of the quarter. In a theme that continued all night, the Kings were unable to defend in transition and allowed the Bulls to score 11 fast break points.

Down 15-30 with only 1:39 remaining in the first quarter, Kings guard Thornton started a late rally with a three-pointer. Following multiple misses by the Bulls, rookie Jimmer Fredette was able to hit on a step back jump shot, and J.J. Hickson added a couple more free throws to make the score 21-30 with only 23.7 seconds on the clock.

With the Kings defensive specialists in, Hickson stole Rose’s pass and sent it up court to rookie Isaiah Thomas who found Donte Greene for the layup to bring the score to 24-30 after one quarter of play.

But the Bulls’ lead proved to be too much for the Kings, as they were able to cut the lead to just one multiple times but were unable to ever take back the lead as the Bulls answered with runs of their own.

After trailing 60-53 at halftime, the Kings put on a 7-2 run early in the third quarter. Guard John Salmons hit a three, followed by layups by Cousins and Thornton to cut the lead to 62-60.

There, the Bulls again made a run of their own to extend their lead and keep the Kings behind. The Bulls ended the third quarter on a 11-2 run to lead the Kings 85-75 with just one quarter left to play.

“It was a great run for us,” Fredette said. “They’re a very good team. They know how to win basketball games. They won 62 of them last year. We wanted to take the lead, but they got a couple of easy baskets, a couple in transition and got it back up to 6 or 8, and we had to call a timeout. It’s up to us to get stops so that we can take the lead.”

The Kings missed an opportunity to apply pressure to the Bulls late in the fourth quarter when Salmons missed a three from the corner that would have made it a four-point game with 1:18 left. Instead, Thornton fouled Kings forward Luol Deng who made both free throws to give the Bulls a 105-96 lead with 1:16 remaining.

In the end, it was mostly free throws and transition defense that hurt the Kings once again.

The Kings got to the line 34 times but were only able to make 20 of those attempts — good enough for only 58.8 percent.

After struggling in transition defense against Portland on Tuesday, the Kings once again were tore up in transition by Rose and the Bulls offense. The Kings allowed a staggering 33 fast break points, which has proven to be a problem so far in this young season, causing concern with Kings head coach Paul Westphal.

“We have guys crashing the boards when they have no business doing so, we have guys not rotating back, we have guys going for steals in the back court,” Westphal said after the game. “The Bulls can run. Everybody knows that. We knew that, and we have to do a better job. If you want to win games, don’t give them layups. Make them run some offense.”

Veteran forward and Modesto native Chuck Hayes believes all the Kings had to do was be better in transition and the Kings would have won the game.

“If you get 20 fastbreak points, that’s impressive,” he said in the locker room after the game. “If you cut their 33 fastbreak points in half to 16 or 17, we win the game.”

The Kings are the youngest team in the NBA and currently have two new players in their starting rotation. Because of the lockout, the team has had limited time with each other thus far, a factor that some Kings believe has affected their ability to play together and will get better as the season proceeds.

“It’s just three games into the season and we are still getting a feel for each other,” Thornton said. “We are young, and as the season goes on we will get there.”

Westphal believes this Kings team has everything they need to become a winning team. They just need to commit to playing basketball as a team and not make costly mistakes.

“The guys in the locker room have to decide to go together into this incredibly difficult season that lies ahead, and then we will see how good we can be,” Westphal said. “I think we have everything we need to be a good team, and we should have won this game tonight. Our players need to decide if they’re going to be a good team or if they’re going to be a young team that uses that as their excuse.”

Photos by Ron Nabity

Thornton, Kings defeat rival Lakers in season debut

2011-12-28T02:15:43Z

Following a long eight-month hiatus, the Sacramento Kings finally returned to Power Balance Pavilion and provided a sellout crowd with a 100-91 win over the rival Los Angeles Lakers.

After almost seeing their team move to Anaheim last season followed by a labor disagreement that caused a delay to the start of the season, Kings fans filled the arena for the Kings “blackout” game and were rewarded with a hard-fought victory by their new-look Kings.

Fans were loud and into the game before the ball was even tipped off. With the lights off, fans were instructed to activate the purple light sticks that they were given at the door, and continued cheering through much of a tribute video that followed the history of the Kings franchise.

In a game reminiscent of the rivalry from the early 2000’s, the Kings started the game with energy that lasted the entire game, which proved to be too much for a Lakers team that suffered a last-minute loss to the Chicago Bulls the night before.

Kings guard Marcus Thornton and Lakers star Kobe Bryant came out quickly and tried to get their respective teams going, each at seven points in the first quarter.

Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette entered his first regular season NBA game with 6:06 remaining in the first quarter. On his first possession, Fredette double dribbled, turning the ball over, but later scored his first NBA points on a 15-foot fadeaway jump shot that helped give the Kings a 21-20 lead after the first quarter.

Many new members of the Kings team were able to get going in the second quarter and make plays that helped extend the Kings lead in the first half.

At the 8:08 mark of the second quarter, Kings rookie Isaiah Thomas scored his first points in the NBA with a three from the corner that caused the Lakers to call a timeout.

Shortly after, Modesto native and new Kings forward Chuck Hayes was able to find the also newly-acquired Travis Outlaw on a deep outlet pass for an easy layup by Outlaw, who had beaten the Lakers defense. The bucket gave the Kings a 39-33 lead.

With just 20 seconds remaining in the first half, Kings point guard Tyreke Evans took advantage of a missed shot by Bryant and took the ball down the court for a driving layup that gave the Kings a 49-40 lead heading into halftime.

Though the Kings would never relinquish that lead, the Lakers gave their best effort to steal the victory away late in the game.

Metta World Peace, whose name was formerly Ron Artest, scored two consecutive baskets that cut the Kings lead to three at 89-86, but following some costly mistakes by the Lakers and a missed three by World Peace, Thornton was able to come off of a screen and hit a two-point jumper that iced the game and gave the Kings the season-opening 100-91 victory.

The Lakers Kobe Bryant led the game with 29 points. Marcus Thornton led the Kings with 27 points of his own, to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Thornton was also 4-7 from the three point line.

Kings rookie Fredette finished with only six points, but knows that he must keep attacking the basket.

“It is just going out there and trying to be aggressive and looking for my shots or my opportunities,” said Fredette. “It was just a great team effort tonight and a great win.”

The Kings out shot the Lakers from the three-point line, tallying 50 percent efficiency in three-point shooting while the Lakers only made 6.3 percent of their three-point attempts.

Newly acquired King Chuck Hayes finished with seven points and nine rebounds while he provided a solid veteran presence to this young Kings squad.

“Chuck Hayes is the glue of this team. We knew he would be the glue when we signed him,” said Kings head coach Paul Westphal. “He shows it everyday, whether it was guarding Gasol some, Artest some. He gets our defense going and he gets our offense going. He gave us 27 phenomenal minutes.”

Not only does the coach notice the presence that Hayes makes on this team, but Thornton also realizes the importance of having Hayes on the squad.

“Chuck Hayes is every little bit of 6 foot 6 inches. To battle Gasol, seven feet, like he did is great. And that’s what he brings to the team,” said Thornton in the locker room after the game.

The Kings, both old and new players on the squad, were pleased to see a sold-out crowd decked out in black in honor of the Kings “Back in Black” motto this season.

“I’ve heard they’re the greatest fans in the NBA and they showed it tonight,” said Fredette. “It was really loud in there and they really supported us with a packed house for the first game. It was really exciting to be able to go out there and play for the fans and win.”

Coach Westphal hopes to be able to provide a team that can keep the arena full and provide a similar atmosphere throughout the season.

“That’s how it is supposed to be in basketball,” said Westphal. “That’s how it feels when your team has the support behind it and delivers solid basketball. That’s the feeling that this building has had more often than not in its history and we are trying to get that feeling back and we want it every night.”

All photos by Ron Nabity

Kings beat Warriors in last preseason tilt of the season, 95-91

2011-12-22T01:48:51Z

Twelve thousand plus in attendance for a preseason game told you that Kings head honcho Paul Westphal was right.

“It’s nice to have basketball back in this building, isn’t it?,” Westphal started his post game press conference.

It sure was!

A good crowd for the only home preseason game this season saw the Sacramento Kings tighten up the defense in the final minutes of the game and hold on to beat the Golden State Warriors 95-91 at Power Balance Pavilion on Tuesday evening.

Leading the way for the Kings was Marcus Thornton who had 21 points, seven boards and four assists and J.J. Hickson who scored 19 points and had nine rebounds.

Tyreke Evans scored the first basket of the new season on the home court with a net-ripping three to give the Kings an early 3-2 lead.

Tyler Honeycutt, the UCLA product that was one of the Kings second round picks, was hustling all over the court and making the Warriors take tougher shots in his first start as a King. Honeycutt got the start because John Salmons, the projected starter at small forward, is still nursing a thigh contusion.

Both teams love to run. In the first quarter alone, eight of the Warriors 19 points came off of the break.

David Lee was a thorn in the Kings side as the Warriors big man either finished with a dunk on the break or was hacked and sent to the line where he made four of his first five from the stripe. Lee finished with 30 points and 13 rebounds.

Thornton hit a couple of early long balls and a tough layup with two guys draped on him that helped give the Kings the lead after one quarter, 23-19.

With less than a minute to go in the first half, Warrior stud Stephen Curry rolled his ankle while trying to guard Jimmer Fredette. Fredette put a good move on the Warriors point guard and Curry couldn’t keep up and tweaked the same ankle that gave him trouble a good portion of last season. Curry would not return.

One highlight that Kings fans probably didn’t see coming was the two three-point bombs that newly acquired Travis Outlaw made in the second quarter. Outlaw, who is coming off of hand surgery, had a solid game considering he’s only attended a couple of Kings’ practices.

Another was watching Kings guard Isaiah Thomas sprint to the basket, beat two Warriors to the hoop and score on a sweet reverse lay in as the clock expired in the first half.

The second quarter was more of the same as the Kings would outscore the Warriors again by four points and lead at the half by eight, 49-41.

Sloppy play saw the Kings give away their eight point halftime lead in the third quarter. The Kings had 11 turnovers in the third, led by DeMarcus Cousins’ five giveaways.

Cousins has missed some practice time and it showed.

But when it really mattered, Cousins came through.

The second-year big man had a couple of steals and a crucial block in the last minute of the game that made a huge difference.

Cousins knew it was time to contribute in a different way.

“I’m really just trying to find a rhythm, it’s my first game back,” said Cousins after the game. “A tough game for me offensively, so I tried to do some key things on the defensive end to help the team win.”

Evans was another big reason the Kings held off the pesky Warriors. He had 10 points in the final period and, in general, just took over the game.

“It started with defense,” said Evans. I knew they were going to try and go to Monte (Ellis) a lot, so I took on the challenge and tried to make him take tough shots. I think that’s what we have to do to be a good team. We got to play good defense.”

With 27.1 seconds left, Thornton hit a three that blew the roof off of PBP and sealed the game for the Kings.

J.J. Hickson, who also hit seven of nine free throws, said he’s ready to do whatever the Kings need him to do. Whether it’s play the four or the five position, he can handle it.

“With me, I’m the type of player that is going to do whatever it takes to win,” said Hickson. “I’m not complaining what position I play, as long as we get it done. I don’t care who does what, as long as we get better individually and as a team, then that’s all we can ask for.”

KINGS NOTES: All three rookies scored in their home debut . . . Honeycutt had six, Fredette had 12 to accompany three boards and four assists and Thomas had eight points . . . Cousins had 10 boards and nine turnovers, mostly in that horrible third quarter . . . Francisco Garcia, Donte Greene and Hassan Whiteside all could have played but did not due to coach’s decision . . . The home opener is Monday against bitter rivals the Los Angeles Lakers

The Court Jester - Media Day musings, Cousins keeps 'em laughing

2011-12-16T04:47:25Z

With the season fast approaching, the Sacramento Kings held their annual Media Day on Thursday, December 15 at Power Balance Pavilion.

Every player had various duties on this busy day - multiple media obligations, shooting stand ups and bits for use in-game and even an open scrimmage, where fans across the valley will get their first chance at seeing this version of the new-look Kings.

With the addition of J.J. Hickson (via trade from Cleveland for Omri Casspi), the signing of free agent Chuck Hayes away from Houston and acquiring John Salmons via draft day trade involving Beno Udrih plus the drafting of three rookies in Jimmer Fredette, Isaiah Thomas and Tyler Honeycutt added to the three new assistant coaches added in the offseason. This could be the most changes that any one team has endured during one year.

Everyone that was anyone showed up at center court on the Kings home floor to get their time in front of someone's microphone.

The Court Jester was there and gathered these thoughts about the upcoming season, the new team chemistry and the how the Kings will play during this season.

Coach Westphal on expectations on the season - “We’re going to be better! I don’t have any hesitation in saying that. I like our team and I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

Coach Westphal on the shortened time allowed for camp and the effect of trying to put in his offensive and defensive sets - “There certainly is a lot to put in in a very short period of time. I think it’s important to us not to proceed as if we’re rushed. We need to put everything out there and be solid without rushing all the details. They way I’ve tried to do that is to put in the big picture first and then tweaked the details that need tweaking. If we had a summer and a pre-training camp time and then a month of training camp, we might start with the details and build outward. Now we’re starting with the big picture and building inward. We’re trying to do that so we don’t feel rushed and if we can stay healthy, I think it will work for us.”

Donte Greene on the emotions of the last game of the year last campaign - “A lot of emotions. I had a lot of fans coming up to me crying and saying they hope we stay. I was always one of the guys that was a front-runner for us staying here in Sacramento. I’ve been here going on four years, my family loves it here, it’s a beautiful city, so really wanted to stay. Now that we’re here, we need to make sure we stay here and make sure we start winning.”

Donte Greene on the black uniforms the team gets to sport for a few games this year - “The black uni’s are nice. I think we should have had them before. I ask for them in my second year in the league. We finally got them and I think it’s a perfect time for them.”

Donte Greene on coming into camp in better shape physically and more mature as a person - “Just being a professional athlete. That’s another part of me growing up. Last summer, we weren’t really on top of things, so summer I made sure I staying down on my weight and and in 20 pounds lighter than I did last year. Just trying to stay focused. I’m hungry and I’m trying to get another contract to stay in Sacramento. So hopefully that happens.”

Bobby Jackson on his new role as an assistant coach - “I look forward to it. It’s a learning process for me and I’m willing to learn for both of the Jims (Eyen and Todd), Keith Smart and Coach Paul. For me, I’m the new guy coming in and these guys have years of experience and that’s what I want to gain. Gain that experience, gain that knowledge and just learn from probably the best coaches in the league.”

Tyreke Evans on who has impressed him so far out of the news guys - “John (Salmons) is pretty good. I like the pickup when we got him. He’s a three man who can score the ball and play good defense. I think he is going be a great help to this team. Jimmer and the rookies have come in and played well. So I’m looking forward to see how they will play in a game.”

Tyreke Evans on the improvements the team has made in team speed and overall shooting - “I think that is going to be one of our main focuses this year is to try and run teams out of the gym. It’s a short season so I think the more we push the ball, the better chance we have to win.”

Francisco Garcia on his early training camp impressions - “We look pretty good in training camp. Everybody is in pretty good shape. We’re growing well together and think we are going to surprise a lot of people this year.”

Francisco Garcia on how good this year’s group of guys are - “This is the most talent we’ve ever had since I’ve been here. We have a lot of talent. We’re learning how to play together and are doing a pretty good job in training camp right now. We’re focussing a lot on defense.”

Jimmer Fredette on getting some early time to impress in the scrimmage and maybe the first preseason game after Tyreke slightly tweaked an ankle - “I’m just going to do whatever the coaches want me to do and I’ll just try and earn my spot with the playing time given by showing them that I can play with this team and do whatever it is that they want me to in order for this team to win.”

Jimmer Fredette on early comparisons to Tim Tebow - “I’ve heard comparisons, but I still haven’t stepped foot on an NBA floor. I did some good things in college and he did some great things in college as well. I think one thing that is a little bit similar is the naysayers saying what type of position we are. That we can’t do what we did in college in the NBA or the NFL. That remains to be seen from me, but he’s been proving that the last seven or eight weeks with what he’s been doing. I’m just trying to out there and play well, play me game and be a great player for this organization.”
J.J. Hickson on leadership - “I think I lead by example. I think I’m going to take it upon myself to be more vocal this year. Being that I played in the playoffs and got to the Eastern Conference finals, I know what it takes to be that type of team, to be a playoff team and to be a championship caliber type team. I’m in practice going hard in every drill, getting my shots up before and after practice and just doing things a leader is supposed to do.”

Marcus Thornton on the happiness he shared with his mom after signing the Kings offer - “Tears of joy, not that boo hoo crap. It’s great to have an organization that wants you for long term.”

Marcus Thornton on making a splash last year - “It was great timing. I just tried to sieze every moment of it. I just tried to go out there and play hard and to the best of my ability.”

Marcus Thornton on what he needs to improve in his game - “It’s going to start with my conditioning. Getting myself ready to play night in and night out. Getting my conditioning to where it needs to be. Playing against these guys in this league, there are no days off. I’m just going to get my conditioning better and things will fall into place after that.”

Chuck Hayes on showing the Kings players what it means to be tough - “It’s my will to win. I’m a competitive person and I try my best to teach these guys just the little things - the importance of them. We all have talent and can all play this game, but late in the game, our concentration and execution is going to help us win games and we have to make winning plays.”

Chuck Hayes on his game resembling Charles Barkley’s game - “Charles Barkley was my favorite basketball player. Every since I was younger, I was always built like him. I used to follow C-Webb a lot because I lived in Oakland when he was with the Warriors. Then when I moved to Modesto, he went to the Kings so it seemed like I followed his career as well. I’ve always been an undersized guy, a very powerful player - it’s just the way I am. I’ve played the big position since I was little and I’m going to finish playing this game by playing the big position.”

DeMarcus Cousins on, well, whatever he wanted to talk about. He opened the media session by cracking on the media guys and jokingly answering the early questions directed his way - “So, you gonna all stare at me or ask me questions?”

Someone asked him what the biggest difference between last year and this year has been - “We got black jerseys, hello?? Next question! You can’t scare no one with purple - running down the court looking all majestic.”

Once Cousins settled in, he was his typical charming self.

Cousins on differences between being a rookie and now - “Feels good. I don’t have to carry that pick bag anymore.” (referring to his pink Hollie Hobbie backpack) “We’ve got a talented group. We’ve got some veteran leadership. There is a lot of positive energy in the locker room and around the city, so it’s gonna be a new look, a new year for us.”

Cousins on how he tweak his ankle in practice the other day - “I stepped on the midget’s foot - Isaiah. He was definitely in the way,” he jokingly said.

Cousins on how he stayed in shape during the offseason - “Why would I tell you all my secrets? I’m in shape, that’s all that matters. We good!”

Every time he opens his mouth, the gathered masses are ready to burst out laughing. The guy is extremely funny and intelligent at the same time and a real treat to get to cover.

The Court Jester - Better late than never, training camp begins anew

2011-12-13T02:43:47Z

The long-awaited, lockout-shortened Kings’ season is finally underway as training camp has opened in Natomas at Sacramento’s training facility in the Power Balance Pavilion parking lot.

Here are some observations from the second and third day of the two-week training camp.

State of the Kings Address

Each training camp, Geoff Petrie, the Kings’ President of Basketball Operations, addresses the media to discuss the offseason and his early training camp observations. This year was a lot different for Petrie as he and the staff are having to cram over a months worth of moves, discussions and preparation for the upcoming season in a two-week period.

Here are Petrie’s comments regarding various items during his stand up before the gathered media.

On how he likes the current makeup of the team - “I think at the moment, we are happy where we are. The team has been reconfigured from the last season, so a new group with the potential for what we think is improvement. They all came into camp in pretty good shape considering what turned out to be a very lengthy offseason. They seem focused and energetic and everybody’s glad to be back playing basketball.”

On major differences from last year’s campaign - “I think we are going to be a better shooting team. We’re going to be a better passing team. And I think we will be better able to attack teams offensively in more ways than we were last year.”

On how much room does the team still have under the salary cap considering the signing of Marcus Thornton (4 years, $31 million) and Chuck Hayes (4 years, $21.3 million) as well as rookies Jimmer Fredette, Tyler Honeycutt and Isaiah Thomas to contracts - “We’re still about a million dollars and change away from the minimum salary.”

On how happy he was with the general shape the players came into camp in - “Yeah, I am. In general, there are probably a couple of guys that need to lose a little bit of weight, but overall DeMarcus is ten pounds lighter than he was at the beginning of training camp a year ago. Tyreke is in better shape than he was at the start of camp last year. Marcus is within a few pounds of his game weight. John (Salmons) is in terrific shape. Fredette and all the rookies are fine. Again, considering the amount of time, we are pretty good shape that way.”

Geoff Petrie also emphasized that the team has a couple of offers out there and wouldn’t be surprised if they added another piece or two to the puzzle. At this point, it seems a backup point guard and maybe another big man could be in the mix.

He also sees the amnesty dominos to fall slowly considering that many teams are waiting to see who drops who and what other late deals some teams may be able to throw together.

The Curtain Rises

At some point during each practice, the long canvas shade that keeps the media shielded from the team’s on-court activities rises to allow the gathered newsmen and women to gaze upon the balance of Coach Paul Westpahl’s training drills.

So far this season, the curtain has risen early to allow the media a long look at will be this year’s incarnation of the Sacramento Kings.

Once practice is over, Coach Westphal give his thoughts on the days workout. Here are some of those thoughts from the second and third days of training camp.

On a potential three-guard set with Jimmer, Tyreke and Marcus Thornton and how it’s looked in practice - “It really worked well. At one point, they ran off about 12 or 15 points in a row. We were picking up full court - we’ll be doing a lot more of that this year - and creating some turnovers and early shots and they got out and were explosive. So that’s a combination that can be real effective.”

On how the young guys have looks so far - “Probably the best of everybody. I thought Whiteside had his moments, and Jimmer, Isaiah and Tyler all were excellent.”

On what might be missing from last year that you’ll need this year’s team to step up and get done - “I just think we are trying to grow as a team. We’ve added some players with some experience and some versatility and ball-handling ability. We’ll be a better shooting team. Hopefully healthier and we’ll have a little more depth.”

On whether the Kings will be more of a running team the season - “I think our personnel dictates that can extend the defense a little more effectively and I think we’re doing to try and do that.”

On how John Salmons is fitting in so far - “I think he’s doing an outstanding job! He’s a real pro and he knows where he’s supposed to be and why and he’s helping the other guys. He’s been real good at both ends.”

On J.J. Hickson - “I see a real athletic, dynamic player. He’s still feeling his way with where he’s supposed to be and why, but I think he’s somebody who can bring an element of athleticism to the game every time he comes in.”

Words from the Crown Keepers

Here are some comment from various players after a couple of workouts under their belts.

Isaiah Thomas on being a leader in college and now learning from leaders in the pros - “Because (in college) I was always was the one to lead and was telling people what to do, but now they’re telling me what to do. At the same time, when I do tell them what to do, they are listening too so it’s a mutual thing with all of us. I’m just trying to learn on the flow and learn everything from the vets and the guys that have been here a while.”

Isaiah Thomas on what the coaches are looking for from him - “Just to play hard and come in and bring energy and that’s what I’m going to do whether it’s score for myself or make plays for my teammates, I’m gonna do whatever I can to help the team win and get more wins. That’s my job!”

Isaiah Thomas on getting acclimated to the Sacramento area - “I’m trying to get lost just to see if I can find my way back to the hotel and things like that. I’m just trying to get more comfortable on the court and off.”

John Salmons on his expected leadership role with the team - “I’m just being myself man. I’m not the real vocal type. I just try to come in and be a professional and lead by example. I try and come in everyday and work hard and play the right way.”

John Salmons on what has impressed him the most so far in camp - “They way they share the ball. They are all looking to find the open guy, hitting cutters. I’ve been surprised by that the most.”

John Salmons on having a former teammate - Bobby Jackson - as a coach now - “I guess the longer you play, the more ex-teammates you have as coaches (laughs). Bobby’s cool. Bobby was cool when I was here. We always got along well so we’ll get along well with him as a coach.”

J.J. Hickson on putting in extra time after practice working on his shot - “It’s very important. I’m trying to get better every day. I’m trying to get better with the team so I think it starts with the individual first. I’m gonna get my extra work in when I need to.”

J.J. Hickson on being traded from Cleveland - “I was real surprised. I started in Cleveland. They taught me everything I know up to now. I’m gonna try and come here and let my defensive principals from Mike Brown and Byron Scott roll over into this team.”

J.J. Hickson on what his best attributes are - “I think I’m best when I’m running the floor. Setting screens against the offense real quick. The scoring is icing on the cake but I’m going to do what I have to do to make me and my teammates better.”

Tyler Honeycutt on what he’s already picked up on from the veteran players - “The movement on the floor, reading screens, staying in space and running. (Francisco) Garcia’s been talking to me a lot so I’m listening to him.”

Tyler Honeycutt on Garcia’s mentorship - “He’s been kind of looking over me like a big brother telling me where to go and making sure I’m on the right spots on the floor.”

Tyler Honeycutt on the speed of the game - “It’s like going from high school to college, now it’s college to the big boys. Everybody’s taller, faster, stronger, smarter and more athletic so I’m just trying to get used to that. Getting in the weight room to get stronger.”

Jason Thompson on the new crop of talent and the future of the Kings - “It’s starting to be good. It’s good that everyone is here and healthy. We’re just getting the reps in and putting in the offense, getting used to our defensive principals and get some continuity.”

Jason Thompson on helping the young guys - “Everyone started mature. We’re easing into things with Jimmer and Tyler and Isaiah and just giving them tips and helping them out as we’re learning as well.”

Chuck Hayes on settling in - “There is a lot of energy in the building with the youth and the excitement. I’m learning. I feel like a rookie. I’m learning guys style of play. Learning where they like to shoot the ball, their strength, their weaknesses and trying to get some kind of chemistry with them on the court.”

Chuck Hayes on if he’s, at 6’6”, always played in the middle - “I’ve always been the center from elementary to junior high a little bit in high school and a little bit in college. So playing the position was never foreign to me. I’ve always been the big kid. If you asked to me play point guard, I’d look terrible, but playing center to me is something I’ve been doing my whole life.”

Chuck Hayes on his defensive mindset going against bigger guys night after night - “Every game is a marathon. It’s a 48-minute game. The point is I just try to outwork and outlast my opponent, my guy individually. I try and wear him down and make him uncomfortable. There will be some moments where he’ll get the best of me, but you got to expect that because everybody is a professional. But throughout the 48-minute game, I have to be able to outlast him when it matters.”

Jimmer Fredette on the rush to get ready - “It’s been really exciting to start my first training camp and to start with the team. Everything is pretty accelerated because our first exhibition game is coming up real soon, but we’re doing a great job of trying to stay focused, get the plays down and get our defensive scheme down and all the terminology. It’s a learning process right now, but it’s going well.”

Jimmer Fredette on what about his game will help this team and it’s cohesiveness - “The biggest thing is just to go out there and play my game. If you show them respect, they’ll show respect back to you. Get them the ball when they’re open and take your open shots and hopefully you make them. That’s how you gain respect by going out there and playing as hard as you can, making the right decisions and being a good teammate.”

Tomorrow in The Court Jester, a conversation with the former head honcho of the Golden State Warriors and new Kings' assistant Keith Smart.

Kings Donte Greene excites basketball fans with Goon Squad Classic

2011-11-24T07:07:56Z

With no end in sight to the NBA lockout, Sacramento Kings forward Donte Greene gave Kings and NBA fans something to cheer about on Sunday evening at the Pavilion at UC Davis as he hosted the Goon Squad Classic.

Greene came up with the name because him and fellow teammates Jason Thompson and Pooh Jeter are known as the “Goon Squad,” as they jump up and down before Kings games to help pump up the crowd.

Since there has not been a labor agreement between the players and the owners of the NBA, Greene decided to host the Goon Squad Classic, a charity game that benefited numerous charities both locally and nationally.

It was the first time that the Sacramento region had seen professional basketball since the Kings played their last game in April, which left fans in fear that their team would be heading down south to Anaheim.

Greene’s main goal when putting together the exhibition game was to give Sacramento basketball fans something to cheer about again, along with making money for a good cause. In association with Greene, the Circle of Success Foundation helped organize the game, along with fellow Sacramento King Jason Thompson.

Although stars such as Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant was not able to make it, and Washington Wizard John Wall was unable to play, the game featured many stars and solid lineups on both teams.

Greene was featured on the black squad, featuring players such as 76er’s big man and former King Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson and Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette.

This exhibition game marked the first time Kings fans were able to see their new rookie and 10th overall pick Fredette play in front of the hometown crowd, and he didn’t disappoint. Seemingly every time after he dribbled the ball over half court, the crowd shouted at him in an attempt to show off his “Jimmer range.” The rookie appeased the hometown crowd, draining numerous shots from well behind the three-point arc.

The purple team featured Kings Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside, rookie Isaiah Thomas and Los Angeles Laker Matt Barnes, who was greeted to an uproar of boos when he was introduced.

As expected, the exhibition game featured little defense but was a showcase of the players athleticism, featuring numerous alley-oops and long-distance threes that continued to draw “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd.

But Greene did not just give the fans an opportunity to watch basketball again — he also gave the crowd numerous free shirts, with players available for autographs after the game. Greene also took the three different pairs of shoes he wore during the game, signed them and also threw those into the crowd.

Following little defense, the game ended with Greene’s team on top 167-164 as Tyreke Evans failed to make a desperation three-point attempt that would have tied the game at the end of the first regulation.

In addition to benefiting the Circle of Success Foundation, a portion of the proceeds also benefited the Save Ourselves Foundation for Breast Cancer, Sacramento Food and Clothing Bank, Crocker Riverside 4th R and Shriners Hospital for Children.

Cousins, Kings fall to Oklahoma City Thunder

2011-04-13T01:07:31Z

The Sacramento Kings fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder by a final
score of 120-112 on Monday night at Power Balance Pavilion.

With the Maloofs' decision on a possible move to Anaheim looming, the
Kings came out and played hard for the 15,683 fans that came to show
support for their team. Throughout the game, fans could be heard
ringing their cowbells while chanting, “SA-CRA-MEN-TO!” and “No L.A.,
here we stay!”

Kings head coach Paul Westphal had positive things to say.

“I thought that was a great atmosphere and there was a lot of great
NBA basketball out there.”

The Kings jumped off to an 8-2 lead in the first couple of minutes of
the game, but the Oklahoma City Thunder would come back and take a
24-20 first quarter lead, commanded by Russell Westbrook, who had nine
first-quarter points.

Kings forward Jason Thompson provided a spark off the bench again,
scoring 14 of his 16 points in the third quarter. Sacramento scored 37
points in the second quarter and took a 57-51 lead into halftime.

Thompson has embraced his role as a bench player, averaging 13.2
points while grabbing 7.6 rebounds per game over the last five games
off the bench.

“I'm more healthy than I was in the beginning of the season. I've been
feeling more comfortable in the game. It's a different role for me,
and it took some time to get used to, but it's better now than later,”
Thompson said.

The Kings extended their lead to 10 points with a couple of steals,
making the score 61-51 after just a minute of play in the second half.
Just as they did before, the Thunder would storm back and take an
87-83 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Sacramento was able to cut the lead to just five, but the Thunder
would continue to make their shots, shooting 57 percent from the field
en route to the win. The Kings shot just 41 percent.

“We couldn't stop them from either shooting a high percentage or
getting to the free throw line. They just wore us down,” Westphal
said. “I was very proud of our effort. There's a feeling in the locker
room that not only we could have won that game, but we should have.”

Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant scored a game-high 32 points,
Thunder guard Russell Westbrook contributing 30 points of his own.

Kings guard Tyreke Evans was a game-time scratch with an ankle sprain.

Kings' Marcus Thornton finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists and six steals.Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings with 30 points and nine rebounds. Cousins also had 18 free throws on 21 free throw attempts, both setting Kings rookie records for the Sacramento era.

Cousins appreciated the atmosphere that Kings fans provided Monday night.

“Kings fans support us through thick and thin, no matter what. Even
though we aren't going to the playoffs, they're still here cheering us
on,” Cousins said. “[The move] isn't something I'm thinking about, I'm
a Sacramento King.”

The Kings will take on the rival Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday
night, in an attempt to give the Sacramento fans a win in what could
possibly be their last game in the city of Sacramento.

“It's one more game," Thompson said. “It's obviously going to be very
emotional and why not have it be against a rival team you have a lot
of history with. It'll be entertaining for us. It'll be entertaining
for the fans. It’s going to be a special night.”

Photos by Ron Nabity

Kings, Cousins take out Jazz, packed house enjoys 106-97 Kings win

2011-04-05T01:50:14Z

DeMarcus Cousins sat in front of his locker space exhausted, the effects of a long first season etched in his face and his left shoulder donned in black tape as if held on by Super Glue. At least he wasn’t bleeding this time.

After putting up 17 points, collecting nine rebounds, dealing out six assists and setting a personal high with five steals, it’s understandable why - nearing the end of his rookie campaign - Cousins could barely find the energy to speak to reporters after the game.

“Even though we are not having a great season and everyone knows we are not going to the playoffs, the fan support is unbelievable,” said a soft-spoken Cousins. “They stick with us through thick and thin and we love them for it.”

Cousins was right.

Considering that the long NBA season is coming to a close, combined with the uncertain future whereabouts of the only local major league sports team in the area, it was quite a surprise to see Power Balance Pavilion nearly packed and rocking like the good ole days.

Sunday afternoon, the fans never gave up and neither did the hometown Kings. Spurred on by the constant cheering and defense chants,
DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans and the rest of boys in purple took an early lead and rarely looked back in an 106-97 win over the stumbling Utah Jazz.

Evans, who has been moving well and looking like his old self since coming back from the treatment on his foot, had a great night. He put
up a double-double with 24 points and 10 assists, consistently blowing by the Jazz defenders on his way to the rack.

But, for the second straight game, it was Francisco Garcia that was the fire starter. Garcia’s aggressiveness and outside shooting helped
the Kings get out to a 26-19 lead after the first quarter. Garcia ended with 17 points, four boards, two steals and three bombs from
downtown.

The nearly sold out crowd almost lifted the roof off the antiquated building after an incredible behind the back pass from newcomer Marcus Thornton. The pass to Donte Greene for the one-handed stuff gave the Kings a 38-21 lead less than three minutes into the second period of play.

Coach Paul Westphal’s three guard combo of Beno Udrih, Thornton and Evans is starting to show some promise. They can trap the ball so quickly and pressure the ball handler so well that turnovers are created and fast breaks are run to perfection. Considering that all three can handle the ball, shoot well and deliver the pass, the ability to make the opposing team match up to them instead of the other way around will be a constant in this new-look version of the Kings.

It must be noted that reserve forward Darnell Jackson was the Kings leading scorer with 11 points with just over four minutes remaining in
the opening half. This game, he was able to get more minutes since Samuel Dalembert and Cousins had picked up their second foul and
Westphal wanted to make sure they were both available for unlimited minutes in the second half.

Sacramento would maintain a double-digit lead for most of the third. As soon as the Jazz pulled to within five points about four minutes
into the quarter, the Kings would make it a 15-point lead less than three minutes later as the swarming defense paid off.

The trend continued through the end of the game. Utah would never get closer than nine points again.

For the Jazz, Paul Milsap had 21 points and seven boards and Gordon Hayward set a personal high with 19 points on 8 of 14 shooting.

Another bright spot for the ailing Jazz was the performance of recent NBDL call-up Kyle Weaver. Weaver had 19 points off the bench, which included three from long range.

For Cousins and the rest of the Kings, it was another step in the maturation process, another game under their collective belts to
figure out how to play together and jell as a unit.

“Great defensive effort by the team tonight,” said Cousins. “We shared the ball good tonight and it resulted in a win. It was just a great
defensive effort tonight.”

Thornton has really found a niche on this team with Westphal’s newly envisioned three-guard offense and knows that it’s the defensive effort that always contributes to easy scores.

“Cisco, DeMarcus, Sammy - everyone played outstanding defense tonight and that is what got us the win,” said the second-year pro. “We were able to get out and get easy buckets. Against Utah, you need that because they play excellent half-court defense so you need easy
buckets against them.”

Coach Westphal must be, in some ways, sorry the season is coming to a close. In a crazy year that has been filled with the possibility of
the team leaving or not leaving, injuries and infighting, benchings and bloody noses - recently, things in SacTown have the look of a
brighter future. Coach Westphal is sad to see only a few games left on the schedule.

“We’re sorry that the season is coming to an end,” said Westphal. “We’re not just looking forward to the season ending; we want to go
out there and fight these teams and hopefully hurt some of their playoff chances.”

GAME NOTES: The Kings had six players who scored in double figures. Besides Garcia, Evans, Cousins and Jackson, Thornton had 15 points, 7 boards and 7 assists and Udrih pitched in with 12 of his own . . . The Kings ended with 29 assists to only 13 turnovers . . . Cousins and the rest of the Kings’ big men held Al Jefferson in check with only 11 points on 4 of 13 shooting . . . The Jazz were missing several regulars as Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, Raja Bell, Ronnie Price and Devin Harris are all out with injuries.

Kings lose rematch to Nuggets 99-90, Cousins keeps his cool - again

2011-04-03T01:41:41Z

In a rematch of a game in Denver just two days prior, the Kings were hoping that their newfound cohesiveness would be on full display in trying to get one back from the visiting team. No such luck as the Denver Nuggets pulled away in the second half and never looked back in their defeat of the Kings 99-90 in Sacramento on Friday evening.

Make no mistake about it. This was a physical contest. The Nuggets are known for playing that rough, in-your-face, stripping the ball type of irritating defense that tends to get on the opposing players nerves.

It was just after halfway through the first quarter when the Denver center Nene (12 points, 12 boards) pushed Tyreke Evan hard to the ground. Evans was making his first start since coming back from his foot procedure. The fall left Evans grabbing his back in pain for several minutes. It was the opening salvo to let the Kings know that Denver would not be pushed around on this night.

Even though the Kings were able to achieve a seven point lead after one, 28-21, all signs pointed towards the Nuggets keeping the game close. The swarming double teaming of the Kings’ ball handlers was in full effect, causing turnovers and interfering with good shots.

The Nuggets would fight back, as expected, and got the game close by halftime, trailing only by three, 51-48.

It must be pointed out that DeMarcus Cousins, in the last month alone, has incurred probably four bloody noses and several other incidents where he was bullied - I know that sounds kinda funny for a guy that is 6’11” and built like a Freightliner - but he didn’t even receive the benefit of a call in any of those cases. Against Denver, circumstances were no different. Another bloody nose and another foul not called.

A look at the second quarter shows the beginnings of the breakdown. The Kings shot 39% on 9 of 23 shooting, were 0 of 6 from the three-point line, missed 3 of 8 free throws and had five turnovers. As the esoteric Bill Walton would say, “Horrible!”

The third was no better for the home squad. Denver came out very aggressive on defense. The Kings again missed all six long-range bombs, made only two of six free throws and had four more turnovers. Sacramento only scored 16 points in the period.

On the strength of the good guard play late in the third and into the fourth quarter by Raymond Felton - 14 points in the fourth and 17 for the game - the Nuggets were able to pull to a 17 point lead with less than 10 minutes left in the game. Ty Lawson’s pressure on the ball and Felton’s aggressiveness off the bench and at the rack was a problem for the Kings.

About this point, Cousins grabbed his left shoulder and winced in pain from some more of the constant abuse he took in the game.

As the defense chants started to permeate Power Balance Pavilion, the Kings made a mini-run backed by Evans looking like his old self and trying to take over the game. Evans and the Kings cut the lead to six, trailing 90-84 before slowly fading away.

Shortly before the end of the game, Cousins took another blow to the mouth from Dario Gallinari, this one much more intentional. Gallinari swung his hand right under Cousins’s chin and if it wasn’t for Cousins being quick on his feet, the rookie would have been knock out cold. The fact that he didn’t go all Ron Artest on him says a lot.

Cousins talked about his path to maturity during those types of situations.

“I’m trying to show that I’m growing up and I can keep cool,” said Cousins. “I’m not the person everybody believes I am every time I get touched, like it’s going to be the end of the world or something. I was trying to win the game. I didn’t want to do anything like get a technical, ejection or something crazy to mess up the game. I was still trying to win the game and just play through it, but we just couldn't get the win.”

Cousins thinks that after taking the beating he has in the last month or so that maybe his nose is even broken. All he knows is that it’s swollen and it hurts.

“I don’t know what to do,” finished Cousins. “Hopefully, I can just have my nose at the end of the season. That’s what I pray for.”

Kenyon Martin, who finished with 14 points and four rebounds, was happy for the win and knows that Denver must win these types of games if they want to be a contender down the stretch.

Martin also knows what it’s like to be in Cousins’ shoes. In his first few years in the league, he was known as a “problem child”, a guy that would use the rough stuff and argue a lot with the refs and the opposing players.

Martin sees a bright future in the Kings big rookie and talked about what he sees in him and some of the advice he’s given Cousins.

“He’s a young great talent and a beast on the block if he can eliminate all the extra stuff,” said Martin on his way out of the arena. “He’s too good for that. I told him to just play basketball the way he knows how to. Just go out and keep playing hard. He’s young, gifted and he works hard, you can tell. His upside is great.”

“I know what it’s like to go out there and wear your emotions on your sleeve each and every day thinking everyone is out to get you but it’s all about basketball at the end of the day.”

Kings fall to Sixers' by 22 points

2011-03-21T06:06:26Z

In a slack game of basketball at Power Balance Pavilion, the Sacramento Kings lost to the Philadelphia 76ers Friday night, falling behind from the very to beginning to lose 80-102.

Within minutes of the opening toss-up it was obvious the Kings couldn't hit their stride as they moved the ball around with sloppy passes. It didn't take long for head coach Pete Westphal to call a timeout and break the Sixers’ small lead of 12-9. From that moment on, the Sixers were ahead the entire game.

Though the Kings weren't that far behind at the end of the first quarter, the Sixers pulled even farther ahead fairly swiftly and kept it that way.

The Kings had their moments in the second quarter. At times they showed some momentum with center DeMarcus Cousins and guard Beno Udrih stepping up to collect nearly 10 points each by the end of the second half.

At one point in the second half, the Sixers lead had grown to 28 points. Midway through the third quarter, the stands even booed the Kings after a series of missed breakaways.

Cousins was a stand out as he racked up 19 points to become the highest scorer from either team.

The Sixers matched every basket the Kings made in the fourth quarter to win by 22 points. Sacramento also committed 22 turnovers.

Power Balance Pavilion was fairly full with attendance being 15,373 fans. But despite the dance team, the mid-game antics of Slamson and hosts, there wasn't much energy to go home with. It wasn't necessarily a sad sight, just disappointing to see the Kings get beat so easily.

Kings lose battle of the cellar dwellers, Cavs win 97-93

2011-03-18T17:37:58Z

When looking at the Cavaliers roster, it’s hard to find a bunch of names that roll off the tongue as if you’ve heard of them many times before. On the other hand, just to make it to an NBA roster means you have special skills and should never be taken lightly.

In this case, I don’t think a team that has the second worst record in the Association - the Kings - would or could afford to take any team for granted. They didn’t, but still came up a little short.

In a battle of teams with the two worst records in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Sacramento Kings, 97-93, in a game the Kings should have won.

From the outset, the Kings cranked up the defensive pressure by constantly harassing the Cavs’ shooters. Francisco Garcia, who has been playing very well since returning from injury, was covering his man like a wet blanket and picked up two steals and a block in the opening quarter.

Although the Kings ended the first with three steals and two blocks, the Cavs still shot 53% from the field in the opening stanza.

Samuel Dalembert, who is contributing much more than most folks thought he would, continued his fine play as of late by scoring early and often and by using his incredible wingspan for swatting away shots near the rim. Dalembert was the Kings second leading scorer and finished with another double-double consisting of 16 points, 10 boards and two blocks.

Speaking of double-doubles, Cousins ended with 11 points, a game high 16 rebounds but it was his poor shooting percentage that came back to haunt the Kings. The rookie shot only 26% for the game on 5 of 19 shooting.

After getting off to a 28-18 lead after one, things started to turn sour for the home team.

Almost immediately after he came into the game, Luther Head left with calf tightness and was soon followed to the tunnel by Jason Thompson, who appeared to re-injure his ankle at the 7:28 mark of the second quarter.

Enter reserve forward Darnell Jackson.

Grant Napear is right about this guy. Even though used sparingly, Jackson, along with guys like Pooh Jeter and Omri Casspi, provide the spark and energy that the Kings need from their bench. He scored two quick hoops in the first 69 seconds he was in the game.

The Kings opened the second half leading 51-45, but quickly saw Cleveland get right back into the game and even surge ahead in less than four minutes to a 59-55 lead for the Cavs.

The Kings would not be down for long as the Kings rained down long-range bombs and hit four three-point shots in a five shot stretch - three of them by newcomer Marcus Thornton. Thornton would end up the high scorer for the Kings with 23 points.

The Kings would hold slim lead for much of the rest of the game until Cavalier forward J.J. Hickson got the Cavs the lead with 4:31 left in the game.

Now usually, the Kings bench plays a bigger part than it did in Wednesday’s game. But on this night, the bench clearly let the team down. Only the five starters were in double figures in scoring as the bench totaled only 15 points on 6 of 20 shooting for the evening.

“I thought when we went to the bench,” Coach Paul Westphal pointed out after the game, “we didn’t really come in with the same intensity and focus that the starters had and they (Cleveland) made a nice run”

It was a back and forth game down the stretch until the Ramon Sessions hit a shot with 18 seconds left to give the Cavs a slim two point lead. Sessions led the Cavs in scoring finishing with 20 points, five boards and six assists.

Westphal decided to run a play for Cousins and let the big man find a hole and attempt a drive to the rack. Cousins got his opening and made his way into the lane. It appeared that he could have been fouled by Cavs guard Alonzo Gee at the rim, but there was no call and Cousins shot hit off the backboard, then the front of the rim and bounced away essentially ending the game.

After saying that he felt they let this one get away, Westphal talked about the final play call.

“We cleared the right side for DeMarcus and he drove to the basket, got there and the ball didn’t go in.”

For Cousins, who picked up a bloody nose without the benefit of a foul call in the last minute of the game and is learning to not complain about things like that, took the responsibility himself.

“Coach wanted me to iso and drive to the basket and try to get a layup,” Cousins said while seated in front of his locker. “I had a good drive, just couldn’t finish the layup.”

When asked if he received the ball cleanly, did he think that maybe that had something to do with the missed shot, Cousins paused and admitted that maybe it did.

“Umm, yeah, I did kind of mess it up, but I still had a clean drive and just couldn’t finish the layup.”

The maturation process of the big rookie has been nothing short of amazing since the beginning of the year. He’s gone from at times not wanting to give Westphal a high five when being taken off the floor to coming over to the coach - on his own accord - and asking what he could or should be doing.

Let’s hope we here in Sacramento can watch him grow into his potential. It would be really worth buying a ticket to witness.

Kings take it to the Warriors.

2011-03-16T04:03:12Z

Your Sacramento Kings played host to the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, possibly for the final time.

In front of a raucous crowd of 14,243, the home team played inspired ball for three quarters and held off a furious fourth-quarter comeback by the Warriors' B team to win 129-119.

The Kings were led by Samuel Dalembert (27 points, 16 rebounds) and newcomer Marcus Thornton (42 points, 4 steals), who both went for career highs in points against the porous (sievelike? nonexistent?) Warriors D.

The Warriors drew first blood on a Dorrell Wright corner three. The Kings answered with a spectacular 19-0 run. In my mind, I heard "Sweet Georgia Brown" playing as the Kings made their NorCal rivals look Washington General-esque with a dizzying array of sweet takes, no-look passes, fake no-look passes, steals and all-around domination.

Following a timeout and mass substitution, the Warriors were able to slow the onslaught with their second-teamers on the floor and escape the first quarter down "just" 15, 35-20. It felt like it could have been more.

The few times the Warriors were able to put together a semblance of a run, the Kings had an answer. Marcus Thornton stopped a four-point mini-Warriors run with a fast break slam-dunk three-point play off a MADE basket. The Warriors couldn't get out of their own way.

The Warriors were able to keep it relatively close in the second quarter when Monte Ellis and Stephen Curry decided to join the game. Golden State trailed 47-23 when Stephen Curry hit a 20-foot jumper, giving the highest-scoring backcourt in the NBA its first two points of the evening, almost 15 minutes into the game. Ellis, Curry and Wright combined for 28 points in the quarter, and the visitors were able to cut the home team's lead to 12, 71-59, at the half.

At this point, Thornton already had 26 points, and Dalembert already had a double double (19 and 10).

The deluge continued in the third quarter as Demarcus Cousins (15 points, 9 boards, 4 assists) entered the fray in earnest after a relatively quiet first half. "Big Cuz" had 10 points and 2 assists in the quarter, including a ridiculous three-quarter-court outlet bounce pass to Francisco Garcia that extended the lead to 17 and sent the crowd into a tizzy.

By the end of the third, the Kings had extended the lead to 23 points, 107-84, and Warriors Coach Keith Smart had seen enough. The Warriors' starting five of Curry (19 points), Ellis (15 points), Wright (18 points), David Lee (8 points) and Andris Biedrins (0 points) were done for the evening. They would watch the rest of the game from the bench.

They had the best seats in the house to watch their backups (led by the Warriors' new Thornton, Al, who had 23 points) play an inspired fourth quarter, cutting the 23-point lead to just 9 with 2:14 to play.

The Kings were able to avoid a repeat of their epic collapse the last time the Warriors were in town, however. After Acie Law missed an open three-pointer that could have cut the lead to six with 90 seconds remaining, Garcia sealed the deal with a three of his own. Game, set, match.

"It's nice to get outscored 35-22 in the fourth and get a win" Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal opened at the postgame presser. "We did a lot of good things tonight."

They certainly did.

It bears noting that they did all this without star guard Tyreke Evans. Kings fans should be ecstatic at the prospect of Thornton (23 years old) teaming with Cousins (20) and Evans (21) in the years to come.

Or tormented by the prospect of it happening in Anaheim. I suppose it depends on your outlook.

See more photos at Darren Hall Photography

Kings put up a good fight, Magic prevails

2011-03-11T01:59:10Z

It was a close game for the Sacramento Kings ~~Thursday~~ Wednesday night, but they came up short in the end, losing to the Orlando Magic, 102-106 at the Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings shot 64 percent and led 33-29 at the end of the first quarter. Marcus Thornton led the Kings with 11 points and 4 rebounds, while Dwight Howard led the Magic with 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Early in the second quarter, DeMarcus Cousins made several jump shots and two free throws.

With seven tenths of a second left in the quarter, Jason Richardson made a three-point shot, bringing the Magic up to 56, with the Kings still leading at 59.

In the third quarter, the Kings made eight free throws. The Magic and the Kings both rallied at the end with 24.4 seconds left, with Howard making a slam dunk, Samuel Dalembert making a layup on an assist by Thornton, and Gilbert Arenas ending the quarter with a three-point shot.

The Kings had a small lead for most of the game, but in the final three minutes the Magic pulled ahead.

With 14.1 seconds left, the Kings were down 102-105 but gained possession of the ball and called a timeout.

A missed three-point shot attempt by Cousins within the last seconds of the game gave the Magic the edge to win.

It was the fourth straight loss for the Kings, bringing their record to 15-46.

Cousins (29 points, 2 assists) was the highest scorer of the night.

Cousins almost didn’t play due to an injury from practice the day before, according to Head Coach Paul Westphal. “I thought he played a fantastic game,” Westphal said.

Westphal said afterward in a press conference that the game came down to lack of focus on a couple of key plays. The Kings had a total of 21 turnovers.

“We’re not going to take the steps we want to take to the next level until we can do a better job … we’ve got to get better ball handling,” Westphal said. “It’s tough, but we played an excellent game.”

Despite the possibility of the Kings relocating, fans were supportive and cheered loudly for their players.

Fans Kevin Fippin and Curtis Corona acknowledged the growth the Kings are making.

“Kings played pretty good considering they played Orlando,” Fippin said.

“It’s good to see the Kings play good teams and get so close,” Corona said.

On Friday, the Kings will be away to battle the San Antonio Spurs at 5:30 p.m. The next home game will be Monday at 7 p.m. vs. the Golden State Warriors.

Photos by

Darren Hall Photography.net

Editorial Note: A correction has been made to this story after it was published. The incorrect information has been struck out and the correct information has been added.

Kings fall apart against Rockets 123-101, Cousins goes down late

2011-03-09T05:41:49Z

The Kings weren’t able to ground the Rockets Monday as Houston routed Sacramento 123-101 at the Power Balance Pavilion.

Sacramento got off to a decent start to the game, having a slight 30-29 lead to end the first quarter. The Kings then started to lose their lead during the second quarter, but the third was Sacramento’s worst, as they gave up 30 points and only answered with 16.

Power Balance Pavilion was not close to being filled, but the fans who were there showed as much support as they could for their Sacramento Kings despite the team’s struggles.

Forward DeMarcus Cousins scored 20 points and went 10 for 20 in field goals, tying the game-high with Houston forward Chase Budinger, who was 4 for 6 beyond the 3-point line. Cousins, however, had a collision with teammate Marcus Thornton in the fourth quarter when Thornton fell into Cousins' shin. He was able to walk off the court and said there could have been worse results.

“It felt like it was about to snap, so I just so happened to jump up,” Cousins said. “It scared me.”

Cousins said that his injury is not serious and he hopes that he can continue to play soon.

“It’s a big relief, but my adrenaline is gone, and the pain is starting to kick in,” Cousins said. “Hopefully I can go tomorrow.”

Forward Omri Casspi was also thankful that Cousins’ injury was not serious.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Casspi said. “Thank God nothing happened. He’s walking and smiling, and he’ll be ready for the game Wednesday.”

There were some familiar faces on Houston’s roster: former guard Kevin Martin, center Brad Miller and head coach Rick Adelman, who during his time in Sacramento, earned 395 victories, the most in Kings history.

Martin started for Houston and scored 15 points in 23:40 minutes but only shot 3 of 12 from the field. Miller scored seven points in 18:37 minutes of playing time.

Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal said after the game that the team did not have enough defense to help win the game.

“You’ve got to guard somebody – you can’t give up 30-point quarters every quarter and expect to win,” Westphal said. “Our defense was not good enough really ever to give us a chance to hang around in the game.”

Casspi, on the other hand, said that the team should emulate how Houston plays on offense as well.

“We just have to look at them and play the way they play,” Casspi said. “We have to watch the tape in front of us and learn the way they play.”

When asked if Houston changed its defense to stop Cousins, Westphal did not think that was the case.

“I think DeMarcus ran out of gas a little bit, and I think he was getting frustrated,” Westphal said. “I think that they continued to score every time down the floor, and it disrupted our flow."

Cousins also said that the team has a bad tendency to panic when losing a lead during games.

“We have a tendency to do that, when the lead gets out of hand and they make a run, we have a tendency to panic and then just try to do things on our own,” Cousins said. “We’ve got to play the whole game together, and we’ve got to play team together and hopefully we can change things around.”

Sacramento will stay in town and prepare to host the Orlando Magic Wednesday.

Thornton, Kings fall to Portland Trail Blazers

2011-03-04T01:57:33Z

The Sacramento Kings fell to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night by a final score of 107-102 in what is now called Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings looked to win their second game in a row and also win the first game under the arena's new name. On Tuesday, the arena formally changed its name to Power Balance Pavilion after being ARCO Arena since its inaugural game on Nov. 8, 1988.

The Kings started where they finished Monday night, playing solid basketball and shooting 55 percent from the field, but they found themselves down to the Trail Blazers 30-29 after the first quarter.

Newly acquired King Marcus Thornton again came into the game and provided a spark for the Kings off of the bench. Thornton came in with 2:52 remaining in the first quarter and quickly hit a three-point shot, followed up by an acrobatic layup to end the quarter.

Much to Kings head coach Paul Westphal’s delight, rookie big man DeMarcus Cousins followed Monday’s rough game by rediscovering his stroke and finishing the half with 13 points on 4 of 7 shooting and making all five free-throw attempts. Cousins shot 3 for 10 from the free throw on Monday night.

“It’s all a learning experience for (Cousins),” Westphal said. “It is a real credit to him how he has gone through a rough patch, and he can bounce back and play like he did tonight.”

With time running out in the first half, Thornton made another acrobatic layup to bring the Trail Blazers lead to eight, at 61-53. Thornton finished the half with 14 points.

The Kings were able to cut into the lead a little in the third quarter, making the score 79-73 after three quarters of play.

The Kings went on a run to start the fourth quarter and regained the lead with 6:19 remaining in the game when Jason Thompson hit a jump shot from the top of the key to give the Kings an 86-85 lead.

But the Kings faltered late in the game, having three turnovers and a missed field-goal attempt in a stretch of four possessions. Down 100-95 with 1:10 left, the Kings missed an opportunity by allowing former King Gerald Wallace to get an offensive rebound. This set up big man LaMarcus Aldridge for a jump shot with 51 seconds left, essentially sealing the game.

“I thought we played a lot of good basketball tonight,” Westphal said. “I think you can say that the difference came down to a few turnovers when we really needed a shot. I think this was an example of an experienced team jumping on the mistakes at an opportune time that an inexperienced team made.”

Cousins led the Kings with 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds, followed by Thornton who scored 26 on 11 of 18 shooting, including four three-pointers.

“That’s what I'm here for,” Thornton said. “I’m just trying to help this team win. I’m going to play hard. Whenever my team needs me to do something, I’m there.”

Thornton’s new teammates are appreciating the added scoring that he brings to the team.

“He’s incredible,” Cousins said. “He came in and was an automatic spark. He’s an incredible addition to this team, and he’s helped us out tremendously.”

Guard Wesley Matthews led the Trail Blazers with 21 points, while the Kings held Aldridge to just 9 of 27 shooting for 18 points.

The Kings will look to regain momentum on Saturday night as they take on the new-look Utah Jazz.

Photos by:
Marc McLaughlin

KINGS ARE HOME AGAIN...but for how long?

2011-03-02T02:26:27Z

It’s an enjoyable new tradition: on every February 28 during this decade (yes...both of them), the Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers. In 2010, it was by 97-92, while this time around, the final score was 105-99.

The event could well be called “Double Throwback Night,” or maybe “The Throwest Back Night Ever.” On one hand, it was Throwback Jersey Night, as the Kings wore uniforms honoring their previous incarnation as the Royals (Rochester Royals, and then Cincinnati ~~Kansas City~~ Royals). More important to the outcome of the game, if not the fate of the franchise itself, it also became Throwback Fan Night. Arco Arena was filled to the brim, just like in the old days, when loving fans packed the stands regardless of whether or not the Kings were playoff-bound.

Fans were amped even before entering. Impromptu rallies erupted outside. Once inside, people were treated to intense pre-game entertainment and promotions. A thick cloud of emotion enveloped the venue as this was to be the very last game at Arco Arena. Fans, staff and players all thought that the arena would become the Power Balance Pavilion on the following day. As it turned out, Power Balance has put a hold on their contract and is waiting until the Kings' future is more defined. Which brings us to the more poignant reason for the heavy emotion: the city might soon lose its team.

For readers living under a rock, the Maloof family, which owns majority interest in the Kings, have run out of patience waiting for an arena worthy of NBA standards. They are in negotiations to move the franchise to Anaheim. With Kings fans wanting to convince the Maloofs to stay, more than 17,300 of them packed the arena to send (scream) a clear message.

In front of a gaggle of Maloofs, all mayors who have ever starred in the NBA, and a sellout crowd, the Kings did not disappoint. The game was close and exciting from tip off to the final buzzer.

The Clippers might have entered with some confidence, since they were shooting for a season sweep of the Kings (having already beaten our local boys three times). Furthermore, the Kings are in trouble. Their leading scorer (Tyreke Evans) is injured, a roster shake-up is forcing them to integrate several new players, and their uncertain future in Sacramento is a major distraction.

On the other hand, the Clippers were also depleted. Eric Gordon, who torched the Kings for 28, 29, and 31 points during the three previous games, was out with an injured wrist. To make matters worse, the Clippers are coming off a brutal 11-game road trip, and were riding a four-game losing streak, having dropped eight of their last nine.

The game opened with a flourish. Samuel Dalembert tapped the ball to Beno Udrih, who fed Omri Casspi, who dropped a long bomb. Fifteen seconds into the game, the Kings were up 3-0. The game was close throughout, with the lead swaying gently from side to side, no team ever down by double digits.

Play featured spectacular drives by Udrih, and vicious dunks by soon-to-be-annointed Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin. DeMarcus Cousins seemed to have hit the rookie wall, as his recent play has slipped significantly. Against the Clippers, he had four unforced turnovers in his first 8:25 of play. Thanks to Cousins, the Kings only shot 68 percent from the foul line. Actually, the rest of the team shot a supurb 84 percent, but Cousins missed 7 of 10, and ended with only 5 points. Given Cousins’ abilities and learning curve, there is no reason to believe he will not soon smash through the rookie wall to fulfill his immense potential.

The Clippers stretched one lead to 9 points with two minutes left in the third quarter, but the Kings regained momentum. With 4:25 left in the game, the Kings led by 6 — and the momentum changed again. With just 49 seconds left, the Clippers trailed by a single point. Marcus Thornton then took over, scoring 6 of the last 7 points, and enabling the Kings to grab their eighth win at Arco and end a five-game home losing streak.

Frankly, it wasn’t the Kings alone who overcame a tense fourth quarter. The “Sixth Man” (the fans) were back. As Head Coach Westphal later observed, “It was loud....The fans were...really willing their team to win.....It makes a big difference.”

SOCIAL MEDIA DOES IT AGAIN

Fresh from tearing down dictatorships in Tunesia and Egypt, Facebook and Twitter combined forces again to sell out the arena. A full house packed Arco, armed with a pre-planned schedule of eight chants during the game. Also, outside Arco an hour before tip off, a crowd of painted fans carried signs and chanted “Here we stay! Not L.A.!” See facebook.com/herewestay and twitter@herewestay for more information about their continuing efforts. There are even “Here We Stay” T-shirts on sale to replace the now-too-embarrassing-to-wear “Here We Rise” T-shirts from earlier in the season.

WELCOME, MARCUS!

Marcus Thornton holds the New Orleans Hornets’ franchise record for most points scored in a single quarter (23). In his hometown debut, he showed what an exciting and prolific scorer he can be for the Kings. It was Thornton who won this game for the Kings, leading the team in scoring...off the bench, no less. His coolly sinking 4 for 4 from the line in the closing 17 seconds of the game sealed the deal.

Thornton was raised in Louisiana, schooled in Louisiana (LSU), and signed in Louisiana (New Orleans Hornets). But, you can erase any worries over his adjustment to moving away. Asked if it will be difficult to relocate across the country and live away from home for the first time, he laughed “It’s not too hard. Actually, I feel like I’ve been in Louisiana a little too long.” He’s already found his favorite restaurant: Chipotle. And, Sacramento may have found its favorite sparkplug off the bench: 29 points in 27 minutes.

YOU GOTTA LOVE SAMMY

Kings players, listing their own favorite NBA stars, all gave predictable combinations of Kobe, Shaq, Magic, Wilt, Dr. J, etc. Except Samuel Dalembert. His favorite players are Leandro Barbosa and Eduardo Najera. Go figure.

Kings, close but no cigar.

2011-02-14T03:40:17Z

The Sacramento Kings lost another heartbreaker Saturday night, falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder 99-97 in dramatic fashion.

After trailing by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter, and by 10 with less than three minutes to play, they charged back in the final minutes, nearly completing the dramatic comeback.

With 5.8 seconds left, Samuel Dalembert rebounded a Kevin Durant-missed free throw, and the Kings called a timeout, trailing by two with a chance to send it to overtime or win it with a three-pointer.

Off the inbounds, Tyreke Evans was a bit short on his three-point attempt, and Omri Casspi couldn't get his follow tip to fall.

It was their fifth straight loss, and they ended a brutal six-game homestand at 1-5. Each one of the teams that came into Arco (PowerBalance?) figures to make the playoffs. The worst record among them belongs to Utah, currently sitting at 31-24 and the seventh seed in the West.

They started the homestand with a victory over New Orleans (33-23, 5th W), but then fell to Boston (39-14, 1st seed in the East), San Antonio (45-9, best record in the NBA), the aforementioned Utah, Dallas (38-16, tied 2nd W), and last night to Oklahoma City (34-18, 4th W).

The San Antonio game was the only one of the five in which the Kings weren't highly competitive. The Spurs have a way of making teams look bad.

Saturday night’s game was the third in a row that came down to the final possession.

Of course, basketball being neither horseshoes nor hand grenades, a close loss is still just that: a loss.

Coach Paul Westphal began his postgame presser with a query for the assembled media: "We've been here before, haven't we?"

"We kept fighting back," Westphal said. "I’m proud of our team’s effort. I don’t want to be saying the same thing every time, but it’s true. We are getting close to being able to beat these great teams and we have not broken through yet."

In the end, it was just too much Kevin Durant (35 points, 6 boards, 2 assists, 2 blocks), too much Russell Westbrook (22 points, 5 boards, 7 assists), and way too many turnovers (19, resulting in 26 points).

Evans, for the most part, had a great game, collecting nine rebounds and doling out four assists to go along with his team-high 30 points. Unfortunately, he also led the team with six of those costly turnovers.

DeMarcus Cousins, too, had a solid game (14 points, 12 boards) but was forced to sit much of the third quarter after collecting three personal fouls in the first three minutes of the second half.

To make matters worse, the big rookie got into an altercation with Donte Green following the game, did not joint the team on its flight to Phoenix, and is facing the second suspension of his young career.

Apparently he was unhappy that Green didn't get the ball in to him in the post on the final play of the game. While you like to see that kind of competitive fire in your young star, you would prefer it not come to fisticuffs in the locker room

The Kings knew what they were getting when they drafted the mercurial Cousins, the most talented player in the 2010 draft, with the fifth pick. There's no way he would have fallen past the second pick if there hadn't been questions about his maturity and demeanor.

It doesn't get any easier for the boys in purple as they begin a seven-game road trip with a game today at Phoenix (26-25), followed by rematches with the Thunder and the Mavericks, then games at Miami (39-15, 2nd E) and Orlando (5th E).

No rest for the weary.

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 let struggling Jazz back in game, lose tough one, 107-104

2011-02-09T02:16:43Z

After starting out 2-0 during this tough stretch of games, the Kings are working their way through the home part of the journey hoping to rack up some good wins against good teams before going on the road again.

The Utah Jazz were in town with their 3-9 record in their last 12 games and appeared to be ripe for the picking. Unfortunately, it was the Jazz that did the harvesting, as they held on to upend the Kings 107-104 on the strength of Deron Williams’ court magic and Al Jefferson’s play around the rim.

Utah came out firing with Jefferson (23 points, 3 steals), the offensive powerhouse acquired in the offseason, was having his way with DeMarcus Cousins on the block. Jefferson’s great footwork and post moves to the basket were too much for the younger, less-experienced Cousins, who had picked up two early ticky-tack fouls in less than five minutes. The Jazz center seemed to score his 12 points in the opening quarter with ease.

Luckily, Samuel Dalembert (9 points, 11 boards) was up to the task of bodying up against Jefferson. Dalembert came in for an effective stretch as he started to make things more difficult for the Jazz center.

Tyreke Evans picked up his second personal foul at the end of the first to put the two most dynamic Kings players in early foul trouble. The uncommon pairing of reserve guards Pooh Jeter and Luther Head played well and helped the Kings stay close while the starters were out.

By the end of the first half, the Kings had 10 players who had scored.

The Udrih/Evans guard combo was working well, as they were constantly driving to the basket and kicking to open players on the wing or top of the key.

Watching Williams (21 points, 6 boards, 9 assists) play guard for the Jazz was a treat. His lay-ups off the glass were a thing of beauty. So high up on the Plexiglas – no one could even get a fingertip on them.

Which is why when Williams went to the bench with what looked like a wrist injury, it appeared the Kings would be poised for a run. The two young superstars for the Kings – Evans and Cousins – took full advantage of Williams’ wrist issue and dominated the floor. Evans led the way with 13 points and three blocks while Cousins had 11 points and eight boards in the period to help Sacramento get a 10-point lead at one juncture in the third.

So there we were again.

The Kings had a small lead, 87-80, after three quarters. Nobody was in foul trouble. Even Deron Williams was constantly grabbing at his wrist in pain.

The table was set. It looked like the Kings would be able to hold on.

In short, they didn’t. It only took four minutes for the Kings to give up the lead and let Utah back in the game.

With the game tied, the Kings pulled ahead 97-91 with just over half the quarter left. During that stretch, Cousins picked up his fourth and fifth fouls.

Yes, Dalembert played well, but Cousins (25 points, 14 boards) was the difference-maker. Cousins was the leading scorer in the final period with seven points as the rest of the boys in purple stalled out. Even Evans (21 points) had only two points in the quarter.

Turnovers doomed the Kings. Sacramento, which finished with 20 giveaways, was led by Evans’ six, while Thompson and Cousins had four each.

Almost as soon as Cousins was sent to the pine to await the call, Dalembert picked up his fifth foul and had to take a seat, bringing Cousins back in – and maybe a little too soon. With the Kings down 101-99, Cousins readied himself to re-enter the game.

The Kings were still down by one after Cousins made a basket and the foul shot before fouling out and Dalembert had to return.

The usually reliable Andre Kirilenko got to the line twice in the waning seconds, but only made one of two on two separate trips to the line, leaving the door open for the Kings to tie on a long-range bomb.

Coach Paul Westphal had all of his reliable three-point shooters on the floor for the final eight seconds of the game. The Kings’ last shot came from Casspi, whose apparently clear look at the rim wasn’t good enough, and his shot fell short.

Westphal talked about the final play.

“We wanted to get a three up,” said a clearly disappointed Westphal. “You can’t tell who is going to get it for sure – you space the floor, you try and make them make some decisions, and you attack and take whatever three you think you can get.”

After the game, the Kings’ locker room was semi-cleared out. Evans and Cousins, who are usually very open to interviews after a win or a loss, were nowhere to be found, as they had left before the media was allowed in.

Among Casspi’s supporters were Thompson, Landry, Jeter, Dalembert and Donte Greene, who stuck around as if to not let Casspi fall on the sword alone. Casspi, who sat in front of his locker space with his head in his hands for several minutes after his shower, stood tall to answer for the missed shot.

“All the pressure is on me now to make them (three-point shots),” said a frustrated Casspi. “I’m missing a lot of shots that, I don’t know, I don’t remember myself missing those kinds of shots. I’ve been working a lot in practice. I feel like I don’t have my legs under me for some reason.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

RON NABITY

http://nabityphotos.com/

Kings push Celtics to the brink but fall short, lose 95-90 at Arco

2011-02-03T05:30:47Z

Going into the game, Sacramento was missing a few big men: Jason Thompson (sprained ankle) and Hassan Whiteside (knee strain), and then Darnell Jackson right before halftime in a freak incident.

You would think the Kings would have had no chance in matching up with the daunting Boston Celtics, the team with the best record in the NBA.

You would be wrong, as for most of the game the Kings were in it and even pushed back almost every time the Celts pushed them. If it wasn’t for Ray Allen’s fiery halftime locker room speech, the Kings may have prevailed. In the end, in a tough, physical game, The C’s from Beantown got by the hometown Kings, 95-90.

It was the first time this tough season that the Arco Arena was really rockin’. I guess that shouldn’t have been a surprise since Boston is playing like world champions and the Kings have started to show they can win the tough games.

But what was an eye-opener was how many Boston fans were in the building. At times, it sounded like a third of the fans in attendance were cheering for the boys in green, a sound that only angered the loyalists in the facility as they pumped up the noise in their collective effort to drown out the fans wearing the green and white.

Even though the Kings blocked five shots in the first quarter, it was Sacramento’s poor shooting percentage in the period (28.6 percent) that hurt the team. Boston led after one, 27-20.

The game started to get chippy in the second as the Kings were not letting the semi-cheating little things that the Celtics are known for get to them. Even DeMarcus Cousins (20 points, 6 boards, 2 blocks) kept his cool after being shoved by Rajon Rondo during a break in the action. Much like when Cousins went over to Chris Paul after Paul threw Beno Udrih on the ground in the Charlotte game, Tyreke Evans (20 points, 4 boards, 4 assists, 2 blocks) got in Rondo’s face after the shove on Cousins. It’s great to see the Kings coming together though adversity.

Donte Greene (15 points, 2 boards), who’s been getting a lot more playing time with Francisco Garcia on injured reserve, scored 13 points in the stanza to help jump-start the home team. That, along with the fire and instant energy that reserve guard Pooh Jeter brings every time he hits the floor, pushed the Kings to a 54-45 lead at the half. Jeter (8 points, 3 assists) had six points and three assists in the quarter and took a critical charge late in the period.

In a scary scene at the end of the first half, as the Kings were walking off the floor, Darnell Jackson collapsed. After several minutes and what appeared to be something like smelling salts, Jackson was able to sit up and eventually walk off the court on his own accord. The word came down that Jackson was having shortness of breath and would not return to the contest.

Boston kept the intensity going in the fourth by again helping the Kings to six more turnovers in the final quarter. Glen Davis (14 points, 4 boards) had 10 in the period for the Celts by hitting several open jumpers. With all the great interior defense the Kings were playing, it came at the expense of not rotating out far enough to cover Boston’s big men on the outside. And Boston made them pay.

Along with Big Baby Davis, Allen (22 points, 6 boards) was a key factor for Boston. Allen hit four 3-pointers to go with 9-of-15 shooting from the field.

It appeared that Sacramento would have a chance at the end, but the Kings stopped running the ball across the half-court line with two minutes remaining in the game, a choice that would cost them.

“I just thought that if we could create a turnover, that might be a little better chance than hoping that Ray Allen missed a free throw,” Coach Paul Westphal said from the podium after the game.

Even though the Celtics beat the Kings, there’s been a lot of progress made in the last few weeks and the players are noticing.

“I think we are going to be OK from here on out,” Evans said from his space in the locker room. “We just need to keep playing the way we’ve been playing. Our confidence, our starting lineup out there — I think we bring a good effort. Then the bench comes in and they do a good job too.”

Jeter, who's turning into a big crowd favorite, added this on the way out of the arena.

“I’m just glad we had the effort. We’ve been showing in a lot of games that we can play. We played against a great team and I’m glad we didn’t give up.”

GAME NOTES: After having 10 blocks in the first half, the Kings finished with only 12 . . . Udrih had a poor shooting night going 2-of-10 from the field, but did have 6 boards and 6 assists . . . Samuel Dalembert had a good night with 5 blocks and 7 boards . . . Carl Landry only played 16 minutes as Westphal thought the match-ups and the way Dalembert was playing kept Landry from being on the floor more . . . A combination of Casspi and Greene did a good job on Paul Piece holding him to 15 points . . . The Kings play again on Friday at home against the San Antonio Spurs.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

JAMES K. LEASH

http://www.sharp-eyeimages.com/

Cousins, Kings snap Hornets' win streak

2011-01-30T19:15:23Z

Kings rookie DeMarcus Cousins engineered another solid game Saturday night in Arco Arena, leading the Sacramento Kings to a 102-96 victory over the red-hot New Orleans Hornets.

Cousins had 25 points, 12 rebounds and career-high seven assists as the Kings snapped the Hornets' 10-game win streak. The win gave the Kings their first consecutive game win streak since winning the home opener on Nov. 1.

The Kings got off to a quick start, shooting 55% from the field in the first quarter to take a 24-22 lead. Cousins and Kings guard Tyreke Evans led the Kings with 10 and nine points, respectively.

“Coach said 'we just came from beating the world champs', so we were trying to come out and jump on them early, and that's what we did,” said Evans, who finished with 18 points, two rebounds and six assists in limited minutes due to foul trouble.

The Hornets tied the game early in the second quarter, but the Kings countered with a 12-0 run en route to a 56-46 lead at halftime.

Kings head coach Paul Westphal had to turn to his bench when Evans picked up two quick fouls in the early goings of the third quarter. Guard Luther Head replaced Evans and gave the Kings some quality minutes while scoring five points and picking up an assist to give the Kings a 76-67 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The Hornets were able to cut the lead to just two when David West made a shot with 1:43 that made the score 96-94 with 1:43 remaining in the game.

The Kings responded and took a 100-96 lead when Kings guard Beno Udrih made two free throws after being tossed to the ground by Hornets guard Chris Paul with :31 seconds left. After seeing his teammate tossed to the ground, Cousins had a few words for Paul.

“I know I'm the rookie, but I can't sit there and let him hurt my point guard,” said Cousins about defending Udrih. “It's nothing against Chris Paul, I'm just being a teammate. I go to battle with these guys every night.”

Cousins was coming off of a strong effort in the Kings' win against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, where he finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Cousins has averaged 17.2 points and 7.75 rebounds per game in the month of January.

“We witnessed DeMarcus Cousins back-to-back now, really play dominant games. He was just fantastic tonight,” said Westphal after the game. “He is intelligent, he learns. I think he is learning what works and what doesn't. He has really been working and it shows.”

Cousins' teammates are also enjoying his elevated play, and are excited at what they see in the 20-year-old big man.

“He is being aggressive. He is making tough shots for us and that's what we have been missing,' says Evans. “I try to find him every chance I get. When he is at his best, I don't think he can be stopped.”

The Kings hope to continue their win streak on Feb. 1, when they take on the Boston Celtics for the second of their six-game home stand.

Photos by:
Marc McLaughlin

WINNING STREAK SNAPPED AT ONE

2011-01-26T22:57:03Z

WINNING STREAK SNAPPED AT ONE

Statistics predicting a Sacramento win against the visiting Charlotte Bobcats Tuesday night were overwhelming. Consider this season: the Kings had never lost a home game following a road win (such as Monday’s win in Portland), while the Bobcats had never won the first game of a road trip beginning on a Tuesday. How compelling is that!?!

Not very, as it turned out. Another statistic proved far more relevant: since their coaching change in December, the Bobcats were 8 - 6. Were that .541 winning percentage in our Pacific Division, they would trail only the Lakers.

The Kings lost by 5 points, 94 - 89. When one reporter asked Coach Paul Westphal after the game, “How disappointed are you...to not put forth a better effort tonight?”, he replied, “I disagree with you. I’m disappointed we lost. I don’t think we gave a bad effort.”

He’s right. The Kings fought and scrapped and closed the gap to 3 points with 8:20 left in the 4th quarter. Then, down by 10 points with under a minute left, Coach Westphal called a time out, and the Kings proved they still hadn’t surrendered. Within 15 seconds, they had closed the gap to a workable 5 points (two possessions).

No, the problem wasn’t effort. The shots, many of them good ones, just didn’t fall the Kings’ way.

How bad was the shooting?

It was so bad that, when Carl Landry (who shared Top Scoring Honors with Tyreke Evans at 19) threw his towel into a nearby pile of laundry, his shot was blocked by a 5-10 white guy (me...and I wasn’t even trying).

How bad was the shooting?

It was so bad that a fan named Jim, with the pressure of 14,000 people watching and a year’s worth of free Mercedes at stake, sank 3 of 10 three-point shots. The Kings as a team were only 1 for 12.

How bad was the shooting?

Tyreke Evans threw up two consecutive airballs on relatively open shots.

Despite woeful shooting, however, the Kings managed to stay in the game. Shooting only 27 percent in the first quarter, they trailed by just 2 points (thanks only to a couple of Bobcat free throws with 1.1 seconds left). Their shooting never improved by much: 36 percent in the second quarter, 33 percent in the third, and 36 percent for the game.

But always, they scrapped. They held the Bobcats to 0 assists in the first quarter. Gerald Wallace didn’t score his first bucket until 9:08 of the second quarter. The Kings outblocked the ball (5 to 1), outstole the ball (8 to 5), and outprotected the ball (only 9 turnovers).

In Westphal’s opinion, foul trouble disrupted the rotation and kept the Kings from finding a rhythm. Indeed, the foul rate kept players, coaches, and reporters scratching their heads in amazement. It took only 63 seconds for both teams to have two fouls each. It took only 212 seconds to put the Bobcats in the penalty situation. A minute later, the Kings joined them.

What probably did the Kings in, though, was the play of Bobcat center Kwame Brown. Brown had been considered a bust ever since he was Michael Jordan's Number One draft pick for Washington 10 years ago, and Jordan’s judgment was again questioned when he brought Brown to Charlotte. But, with Jordan sitting in Arco Arena, Brown’s 18 rebounds (11 in the third quarter alone) showed that, this season, he has finally found his niche.

For the Kings, the season goes on. Next up is a road game against the Lakers, who beat the Jazz by 29 points on the same evening that the Bobcats handed the Kings their 33rd loss in 43 games. Asked after the game when he would stop dwelling on the Bobcats and start focusing on the Lakers, Kings forward Jason Thompson assured me, “Probably tomorrow.”

SCOOP

I was looking forward to this game in order to interview Larry Brown, arguably the best teacher among NBA coaches. I used to watch him play when he was a star at my hometown high school, and was sure that our shared alma mater would give me access to a story on what he might emphasize if he coached the Kings, and how he might nurture the immense potential of DeMarcus Cousins.

Brown lost his coaching job with the Bobcats the day after I was assigned the game.

Now without a scoop, this will have to do: Bobcat Eduard Najera is the only Mexican in the NBA. What is his favorite restaurant in Sacramento? “El Centro,” he replied with an emphatic smile. “I always go there...had dinner there last night!”

Kings to Host First-Ever “Kings for the Community Night”

2011-01-06T18:49:47Z

Tonight's contest between the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets marks the first-ever “Kings for the Community Night,” as over 600 tickets to the game were donated by Kings players and the team’s basketball operations staff for local youth and special groups to enjoy the NBA experience. Throughout the 2010-11 regular season, more than 6,000 tickets will be donated to deserving children and groups in the Sacramento region through the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community” program, made possible by the Kings along with presenting partners Wells Fargo and U.S. Army.

Groups attending the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community Night” include: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Area, Foster Family Service, Institute for Advancing Unity, La Familia Counseling Center, Inc., North Roseville Recreation, Education and Creativity Center, Roberts Family Development Center, Sacramento Children’s Home, St. Francis Home for Children and the Wind Youth Center.

Introduced prior to the 2007-08 season, the “Kings for the Community” program was developed by Kings players and personnel as a way to give back to the community. In addition to the donation made by Kings players and personnel for the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community Night,” special groups and children have been attending Kings home games throughout the 2010-11 regular season courtesy of season tickets purchased by Kings players Beno Udrih, Francisco Garcia, Carl Landry, Donté Greene, Jason Thompson, Omri Casspi and Tyreke Evans. Kings players DeMarcus Cousins and Pooh Jeter purchased a significant number of group tickets for tonight's game as well.

“I will always remember my first NBA game,” said Cousins. “Being able to give the opportunity for kids to come out and have a good time feels pretty good, especially since they may not be able to attend a game otherwise.”

“I love playing in Sacramento,” said Jeter. “We live in an amazing community here and for us, it means so much to be able to give back to this community and help provide the NBA experience to others.”

"I want to congratulate our players and staff on their ongoing commitment to groups and people in need who live in our community,” said Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. “Cooperative acts of kindness such as these, many times, can lead to enjoyment and inspiration to those currently less fortunate."

All special groups in attendance at the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community Night” will also receive T-shirts, courtesy of Wells Fargo and U.S. Army.

Disclosure: Alexander Sigua is the Public Relations Manager for Maloof Sports & Entertainment.

Johnson/Crawford best Evans/Cousins' great night, Hawks down Kings

2011-01-06T01:33:51Z

With the worst record in the association, the Sacramento Kings were just looking for improvement in the showdown with the Atlanta Hawks.

There was improvement throughout the game in the team’s collective effort and hustle, coach Paul Westphal said afterward.

But even with Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins scoring 31 of the team’s 39 fourth quarter points, it was not enough to get a home win as the Kings fell to the Hawks, 108-102. The strength of Atlanta guards Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson, who combined to make 60 points in the game, was too much for the Kings.

Early on, it was the rebirth of longtime fan favorite Mike Bibby (9 points, 10 boards, 4 assists) as he easily found ways to get clear of Beno Udrih’s defensive attempts to nail two beyond-the-arc bombs and snatching up five rebounds.

Speaking of Udrih, it seems that 2011 has not been so kind so far. So far in the new year, he seems to be losing his man often on the defensive side of the ball, and his scoring numbers – eight points in three games on 3 of 17 shooting – are far below his 15.5 points per game average in December.

Even though the Kings were running better offense, the Hawks led after one quarter 27-23 on the strength of 5 of 7 shooting from the three-point line and Jamal Crawford’s impressive bench play. Crawford had eight points in less than six minutes in the first.

Pooh Jeter (4 points, 6 assists) entered the game in the second and turned it up a notch, getting Carl Landry (8 points) involved, and Landry payed him back my making two in a row.

The tempo change that Jeter always brings gave Sacramento the lead 31-30 with 9:22 left in the first half, but the Kings couldn’t get out of their own way the rest of the second quarter as Atlanta got several breakaways and Sacramento couldn’t finish shots.

Atlanta led at the halfway point, 54-40, as Crawford led the way with 15 points off the bench.

By the end of the first half, the Hawks had drained 7 of 11 three-point shots – a pace that the Kings wouldn’t be able to keep up with if continued.

Tyreke Evans (29 points, 4 boards, 8 assists, 5 steals) tried to take over, as he tends to do when the offense gets stagnant, and forced his way into the lane a couple of times for easy baskets.

Joe Johnson proved to be a tough matchup for Evans and the rest of the Sacramento backcourt as he had 11 of his team-high 29 points in the third and seemed to make every contested shot as well as the easy ones.

At the end of three, the Hawks led 77-63.

The guards of Atlanta were having their way with the Kings – pulling up for open jumpers all night long.

The combination of Bibby, Johnson and Crawford proved lethal for the home squad. If it wasn’t Bibby nailing a wide-open trey or Crawford blowing by the Kings’ porous defense, it was Johnson hitting, well, any shot he wanted. The trio combined for 69 points and hit seven threes along the way.

People started leaving the Arco at the 7:45 mark of the final period as the Hawks had acquired a 22-point lead, and it looked like there would be no miraculous comeback on the night.

The problem was, a couple of Kings in particular weren’t ready to call it an evening. Evans’ circus shots and DeMarcus Cousins’ forcefulness were the only offensive firepower the Kings could muster in the fourth. Cousins had 16, and Evans 15 in the final quarter.

Coach Paul Westphal reached deep into the bench looking for someone who could guard Jamal Crawford to cool his fourth-quarter rampage (10 points in the quarter) and pulled Donte Greene out of the bag. Crawford promptly came down and drained one in Greene’s face – like he did all night.

The Kings made a push, pulling to within 12 with 3:26 left in the affair, and Evans’ effort got the game even closer as the Kings only trailed by 9 with 2 minutes remaining.

Landry made two free throws that saw Sacramento close it to seven points with 1:40 remaining, and another amazing Evans’ steal got the Kings to within five as the fans still in the arena were in hopes of watching another improbable victory rally.

All hopes ended when Evans threw up a rushed longball that barely drew iron, and the Kings had to foul the rest of the game.

Even though Evans did everything he could to get the Kings within striking distance by game’s end, the Hawks won, 108-102.

Evans talked about finally getting into a smoother tempo.

“I just found a rhythm,” Evans said from his locker room chair. “We got some movement, and I got the ball off the screen, I’d shoot the ball going full speed and get a layup or an assist.”

As for Cousins, with another good game in the books, it appears the big man is finding himself and his place on this team.

“I became a better professional today,” said a calm Cousins after his shower, “playing through adversity in the first half and then coming out and trying to finish strong. So I believe I actually grew today.”

GAME NOTES:

Josh Smith had a double double with 14 points and 11 boards . . . Omri Casspi continued his consistent play, also having a double double with 10 points and 11 rebounds . . . Bibby was the second-leading rebounder for the Hawks with 10 . . . Bill Walton and Hawks announcer and former great Dominique Wilkins held a pow wow before the game with Kings rookie Cousins giving him some friendly big-man advice.

PHOTOS COURTESY of DARREN HALL
http://www.darrenhallphotography.net

2011 New Year's resolutions

2011-01-06T00:02:55Z

Sacramento starts 2011 with a new governor and many projects in the works. With the new year comes the opportunity for a fresh start, and many make New Year's resolutions to avoid past mistakes or better themselves in some way. We asked Sacramentans to share their resolutions with us. If you have one you'd like to share, add it to the comment thread below.

Janet Whalen Zeller, founder and co-director of Soil Born Farms:

"To remember, moment by moment, that the life I want to live is the life I am creating now. To create positive change in our community by participating in the creation of a local food system that makes healthy food accessible to all."

Gerald Celestine, (pictured right) neighborhood activist, Fremont Park

“Always put your best foot forward,” he said. “And even if you fail, you’ve done your best. May we all do better for 2011.”

Gina Knepp, 311 division manager

“I work too much,” she said. Knepp currently has more than 400 vacation hours on the books. But she’s already working on her resolution: Knepp said she will be on vacation in Brazil next week.

Tom Negrete, managing editor, Online at The Sacramento Bee

“I’ve learned that I can’t keep my resolutions, so I’ve stopped making them.”

Bob Graswich, special assistant to Mayor Kevin Johnson:

"Live within budget. Bike to work. Focus on greater good, not selfish pursuits. What I've found in the last year and a half since I entered the political world is people don't necessarily do things for the greater good.... if I can lead by example, I will make sure that everything I do – that we do here in this office – is not self-motivated or selfish, but is done with an eye on helping the largest amount of people or people that don't have a voice."

Bill Camp, executive secretary of the Sacramento Central Labor Council

“My New Year’s resolution is to actually learn how to count calories,” he said. “I just don’t seem to know how to do it.”

Tyreke Evans, Kings guard

“To get healthy and keep improving as a team. Get some wins.”

Elyssa Lee, president/co-editor-in-chief of Sactown magazine

“I wish I had something more exciting to say, like "run a marathon," but I'm not that physically ambitious. How about "eat fewer French fries"? Which, if you knew me and my love for spuds (my nephews don't call me Aunt Potato for nothing), you'd know that's the most ambitious resolution I could possibly make.”

Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership:

"We have a history, unfortunately, in Sacramento of, every year, coming up with a new list of shiny objects ... and then by February forgetting what they are. If nothing else, this year is a year we need to maintain a focus on our goals. From a downtown perspective, we need to not get so distracted but to focus on the synergy being developed in three spots (the 1000 block of K Street, the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street and Old Sacramento). We need to not take things halfway down the field and then switch tracks."

DeMarcus Cousins, Kings center

“I have life resolutions. I’m always trying to improve everything in my life, not just in the new year.”

Photos of Bob Graswich and Bill Camp by Kathleen Haley

Photos of Gerald Celestine, Gina Knepp, Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins by Brandon Darnell.

Photo of Michael Ault provided by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

Kings pull the shades down on the Suns, comeback and win 89-84

2011-01-04T01:20:08Z

It was the first home game of the new year. A fresh start. A new beginning. A chance to recapture the home team magic.

As the opponent was another revamped version of the run-and-gun Suns, the Kings would have their hands full trying to keep Phoenix's mad bombers at bay.

With some great defensive pressure in the final quarter and the outstanding play of rookie DeMarcus Cousins – playing like a larger version of last year’s rookie of the year, Tyreke Evans – the Kings provided another fantastic fourth-quarter comeback and held on to beat the Suns 89-84 at Arco Arena on Sunday evening.

It was a slow start for the Kings as the Suns’ Mickael Pietrus (7 points, 4 rebounds) and Steve Nash (20 points, 12 assists) were free to roam around the three-point arc and nail mid- and long-range jumpers the entire first quarter.

Add that to the poor shooting and turnover-ridden Kings, and the Suns led after one, 27-17.

The only real early spark plugs for the home team were Francisco Garcia and Jason Thompson. Garcia had two blocks and eight points in the opening quarter, and Thompson was near the rim early, snatching up rebounds.

The Kings opened the second with seven unanswered points before a foul-plagued Vince Carter (17 points, 5 fouls) scored to break the Kings momentum. The Kings grabbed the lead on a couple of Evans free throws but eventually gave way to the Suns, who finished the first half scoring eight straight points.

The Suns led at the half, 48-39.

As I sat in my upper perch, I kept wondering if the Kings would be able to stop the most basic play in basketball: The pick and roll.

Any time Steve Nash wanted it, it was open. He would just have Marcin Gortat set a pick on the top of the key, and then Gortat would slide off of Nash and roll to the basket as Nash was getting him the ball. An easy two points every time.

The Kings were torched on that same play way too many times in the first half as noted by Gortat, not one of the Suns’ leading scorers, having 11 points at the intermission.

Sacramento opened the second half with a little run to close to within four points at 50-46. But as he always seems to do, Nash, the two-time league MVP and 15-year veteran, did not let the Suns set quietly that night. Nash scored 10 of his team-high 20 points in the third, and the Suns led after three, 73-65.

Even though it appeared that DeMarcus Cousins was on his usual foul pace, the rookie kept his cool and played most of the fourth quarter with five fouls. He would not pick up his sixth.

Now that is the maturation the Kings have been waiting for.

As the Kings fell behind by 14 early in the fourth, the play and speed of Pooh Jeter started to become a problem for the Suns. Jeter, who replaced Beno Udrih on the floor because Udrih banged knees with Nash in the third, started to run circles around the Suns defense.

As noted by Garcia after the game, Jeter’s play and the defensive intensity provided the fire for the resurgence, and the Kings started their run.

Down by 10, Cousins just wouldn’t be denied. He muscled his way into the lane for some easy baskets as well as hitting some nice jumpers. The most exciting part of Cousins’ game is really starting to develop. The big man can pass the rock!

With the score getting close, the Kings heated up late on Jeter’s drives into the lane and guys started hitting open shots. Casspi and Garcia hit back-to-back jumpers to get the Kings within three, 87-84, with 3:30 left in the game.

The “defense” chants permeated the half-full Arco Arena as the fans hadn’t given up yet, and it payed off. The Suns didn’t score in the final 3:17 of the game.

After Cousins threw up a crazy Evans-like layup shot near the rim and it went in, he tied the game from the foul line at 89 with 1:45 to go.

Arco was rocking as Casspi nailed a cold-blooded three to put the Kings ahead with 25.6 seconds left in the game.

In a move that should show the bonding of this team to the naysayers, Coach Paul Westphal asked Evans after the Casspi three if he wanted to go back in the game for Jeter, and Evans clearly shook his head no. A classy move by both guys, and it shows the true cohesiveness of this season’s group.

“That’s team!,” said an excited Jeter. “He showed he’s a good teammate right there. That’s my brother – I love that dude! Everybody would do that on this team. I’m just happy he gave me that opportunity.”

The Kings won 89-84.

Cousins had a season-high 28 points to accompany his eight boards, six assists and was perfect from the free throw line going six of six. After the game, Cousins let the gathered masses take note that more good things are coming for this version of the Kings.

“We are making plays when we need to – down the stretch,” he said. “And we are (all) benefiting from it.”

GAME NOTES:

Kings out-rebounded the Suns 60-32, but the Suns took three more shots and had eight steals versus two for Sacramento . . . The Kings had three players with double-doubles – Garcia (20 points, 11 boards, 3 blocks), Casspi (14 points, 10 boards) and Carl Landry (11 points, 12 boards).

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEVEN CHEA, the best in the biz!

http://www.examiner.com/concert-photography-1-in-sacramento/steven-chea

or check out his SacPress splash page at:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/tag/stevenchea

Photos: Thrilling buzzer-beater by Evans gives Kings the win

2010-12-31T03:30:50Z

If you were at Arco Arena Wednesday night, you might have thought the Kings had just won a NBA Championship. A thrilling midcourt shot at the buzzer by Tyreke Evans sent the place into a massive frenzy, ending the Kings' eight-game skid with a 100-98 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

After strong showings by DeMarcus Cousins (21 points, 16 rebounds) and Beno Udrih (24 points, 4 rebounds), it looked like yet another disappointing fourth-quarter loss for the Kings. O.J. Mayo gave the Grizzlies a 98-97 lead with a difficult fadeaway jumper with 1.5 seconds remaining to seemingly seal the deal.

Then the impossible happened as Evans took the next inbound pass and raced to midcourt, jumping into the air and launching the ball seconds before time expired. The shot was reviewed by officials and upheld as Arco erupted, giving the Kings the much-needed win.

Top performer for Memphis (15-17) was Zach Randolph with a season-high 35 points and 17 rebounds.

Hopefully the win Wednesday night (the second in 18 games) breathes some life into the Kings, who improve their NBA-worst record to 6-23. They face Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets on Saturday in Denver.

Here are some shots from the game:

Tyreke Evans #13 attempts to score against three Memphis defenders.

Point guard Beno Udrih #19 drives the lane. Udrih scored a team-high 24 points.

Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal

Memphis guard Tony Allen #9 makes a driving dunk in the fourth quarter as DeMarcus Cousins #15 (right) watches.

Fans at Arco.

Omri Casspi #18

Tyreke Evans #13 makes a jumper as Memphis guard O.J. Mayo #32 attempts to block.

Kings power forward Carl Landry #24 drives to the basket against Grizzlies center Marc Gasol #33.

Pooh Jeter #5 takes it to the basket in the second quarter. Jeter finished with 6 points.

DeMarcus Cousins #15 at the free throw line. Cousins finished with 21 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.

Memphis' Rudy Gay #22 is cornered by Cousins #15 and Francisco Garcia #32.

Kings Media Relations Manager Devin Blankenship (left) and Evans #13 leave the floor after the Sacramento victory.

Photos by Steven Chea.

Kings get run over by reindeer in tough loss to Milwaukee

2010-12-25T01:37:28Z

Please don’t kill the messenger.

Yes, the story is one you’ve read before. One you’ve read way too often this hoops season.

The Sacramento Kings carry a lead into the final quarter and suddenly the offense stops moving and the team seemingly forgets it’s true mission: Beating a team they should beat on the home floor.

After a back and forth battle, the Kings give another game away as the offense stalls and the players look like they abruptly forget how to execute the essentials as they lose to the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 84-79 on Thursday night.

This was the first game for the team after Coach Westphal decided to start Samuel Dalembert instead of DeMarcus Cousins after the “choke signal incident” against the Warriors on Tuesday.

Dalembert (13 points, 12 boards, 2 blocks) seemed to come out with some extra hop in his step and scored a quick five points to help the Kings get out to an early 7-0 lead. After a Kings mid-period drought, Beno Udrih started to heat up and had nine points in the opening quarter.

Cousins (2 points, 5 rebounds) entered the game for the first time at the 4:15 mark of the first. About 75 seconds later, he picked up his second foul and had to be taken out of the game and was replaced by Darnell Jackson.

The second quarter was the ugliest 12 minutes of basketball played at the Arco in some time. The Kings only scored 14 and the Bucks answered with only 19 points in the stanza.

How about these numbers for the quarter: The Kings had five shots blocked, six turnovers and even a goaltending call go against them in the second twelve minutes of play. Not a recipe for success.

Add that to the fact that Tyreke Evans - zero points in the first half - hasn’t seemed to be himself in a while. A situation even noticed by Kings play-by-play announcer Grant Napear as he wondered aloud as a pass hit Evans in the back “Boy, is Tyreke even in the game?” More on this in a bit.

The wheels nearly fly off the axle of the Kings chariot as the first half ends with the Bucks up by four, 43-39.

Carl Landry, who seems to be coming out of his early season funk, kept the Kings in the game by scoring had eight points in the third. Landry finished nine points and a career high 12 rebounds.

The Bucks looked like they took a cat nap during halftime and continued their poor play scoring only 19 points in back-to-back quarters.

The Kings led after three, 64-62.

The defensive effort from Sacramento improved as the game went on - really picking up early in the final period, but mental lapses ended up costing the Kings.

Case in point: Pooh Jeter gets caught on a pick from covering Earl Boykins and no one finds Boykins as he gets all the way to the rim for an easy two points.

The Kings led 75-69 Kings with 8:24 left in the game. After that, the Kings went ice cold scoring only another four points the entire game. Four points in over eight minutes! Pitiful.

Finally, Evans scores his first basket of the game with 2:30 left and then scores again. It was too little and way too late.

It has become obvious that the honeymoon is over as the fans were ready to rip the roof off the Arco with the sound of boos as they watch the Kings falter down the stretch again - an all-too often occurrence this season.

A microcosm of the season occurred with nine seconds left in the game. The Kings break huddle and six Kings players headed on the court! Even in SacTown we still only play with five. It really looks like the team can’t even pull of the fundamentals of the game they love right now.

The Kings lose, 84-79.

For the heavily antlered deer that are the Milwaukee Bucks, Andrew Bogut was a constant with 15 points and 13 rebounds. He had help off the bench from Boykins who contributed 19 points as well who stepped it up in the absence of sophomore sensation Brandon Jennings, who is out recovering from left foot surgery.

During the postgame press conference, Westphal revealed that Evans had just told him in the locker room after the game that he was having some personal issues that are family related for about four months now that are keeping him from being fully-invested while out on the court.

“I got a lot on my mind,” said Evans after the game, “and I’m trying to find a way to get over it.”

Evans hopes that spending some quality time with his family and friends over the holidays will help him reemerge as the player he wants and knows he can be.

GAME NOTES

Evans would not elaborate on what is bothering him, just that it is family related . . . Ex-Kings John Salmons and Jon Brockman each received a nice round of applause when announced . . . After this loss, the rumor mill is swirling regarding Westphal’s and Geoff Petrie’s future with the club even though Westy was signed to a contract extension earlier this year . . . How about these team numbers for the Kings: They only had two players that scored in double figures - a season low, 25 turnovers, 36.5% shooting from the field, 66.7% from the line but a season high in rebounds with 57.

Believe it. That just happened.

2010-12-23T02:15:58Z

"If we didn't need that game so badly I could talk about what a great game it was, but I'm not going to do that," Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal, addressing the media following Tuesday night's game.

This is why we love sports.

Because at any given time, on any given night, you may witness something incredible.

A few years ago, the NBA had a slogan: "Where Amazing Happens."

Tuesday night, amazing happened, all over the Kings’ collective faces.

On Tuesday night, a bad (9-18 record coming in, having lost 14 of their last 16 games) and beat-up (missing their starters at point guard and center, Stephan Curry and Andres Biedrins) Golden State Warriors squad came to Arco for a tilt against your Sacramento Kings.

The Kings were less banged-up, missing only sometime-starting forward Jason Thompson, but they made up for their lack of injuries by being even more lackluster than their NorCal rivals (5-20 coming in, having lost, well, 20 of their last 25).

It had all the makings of an awful game, and for most of the night, it lived up to the billing. But thanks to a furious and totally improbable fourth quarter comeback by the visiting team (epic collapse by the home team?), it ended up being one of the most memorable games I've ever had the privilege of witnessing.

The Warriors trailed by 16 points with 9:20 left in the game.

They trailed by 5 points with 19.3 seconds left.

They trailed by 4 points with 3.4 seconds left.

Through all that, they ended up winning the game, 117-109 in overtime, as the Kings were unable to make any of those seemingly insurmountable leads hold up.

There was no inkling of the epic finish to come as the Kings struggled out of the gates. The Warriors shot 65 percent in the first quarter to jump out to a 26-18 lead over the ice-cold home team (29 percent). The only reason the Kings were able to stay within shouting distance was the inspired play of Beno Udrih, who had 12 points on 4 of 5 shooting, en route to a career-high 34-point night.

The Warriors kept the Kings at arm’s length for the first half the second quarter, maintaining an eight-point lead until Tyreke Evans finally broke through with his first field goal of the night (after an 0-for-6 start) with 5:11 left before halftime.

This seemed to spark the Kings, as they played out the half with a new level of intensity.

Carl Landry (13 points in the quarter) took over, scoring or assisting on each of the next five Kings baskets, but they could still pull no closer than six points until Donte Greene scored five straight in the final minute to cut the lead to one.

Following two free throws by Monte Ellis with 1.3 seconds remaining, Demarcus Cousins threw a perfect length-of-the court baseball pass to Tyreke, who made a touch pass to Pooh Jeter, who laid it in at the buzzer. It was beautiful basketball play to return the defecit to one, get the crowd on it's feet and give the home team the momentum going into the half.

The third quarter started with the Warriors scoring the first five points on jumpers by Ellis (36 points) and Reggie Williams (24 points). The Kings didn't make their first bucket of the quarter until Greene hit his second three-pointer of the night at the 10:04 mark.

That first bucket, however, was the start of a 36-16 run wherein they thoroughly outclassed the Warriors. It may have been the best 10-minute stretch of basketball that the Kings have played all season: crisp ball movement, attacking the basket, getting to the line, forcing turnovers . . . for a few fleeting moments the Kings looked like, *gasp*, a very good basketball team.

Of course, the Warriors have a knack for making other teams look good.

But, then again, so do the Kings.

The fourth quarter started with the teams trading buckets, and at 9:20, Landry (22 points) scored his last points of the night to put the Kings ahead 94-78.

They would not score again until Evans hit a layup with 4:21 to go. Luckily for them, the Warriors weren't exactly lighting it up, and despite being shut out for nearly five full minutes, they still held a 96-89 lead at the time. With 2:05 left, Ellis made a driving layup to make the score 98-93.

The two teams proceeded to trade turnovers, ill-advised three-point attempts and general poor play for the next 100 or so seconds.

Then it got ridiculous.

For some reason, Francisco Garcia took and missed a long three-pointer with 25 seconds left, despite having well over 10 seconds left on the shot clock and a five-point lead.

Egregious error No. 1.

David Lee rebounded the miss and pushed the ball to Reggie Williams, who got Udrih up in the air beyond the three-point line and drew the shooting foul with 19 seconds left.

Egregious error No. 2.

Williams missed the first free throw, made the second and missed the third. The Kings failed to box out, and Radmonovich got the rebound.

Egregious error No. 3.

Radmonovich swung the ball out to Dorrell Wright beyond the three-point line, and he got Landry off his feat and drew another shooting foul with 15 seconds left.

Egregious error No. 4.

Wright made two of three to make the score 98-96, and with 14 seconds, the Warriors sent Udrih to the line. He made both free throws. Kings 100, Warriors 96.
After Radmonovich hit a running hook shot with 10 seconds left, the Warriors again fouled Udrih, who again hit both free throws. Kings 102, Warriors 98.
Following a time-out, Ellis missed a three-pointer, but Williams got the rebound and was fouled on his follow with 3.4 seconds left.

Egregious error No. 5.

Williams made the first free throw, then missed the second. Cousins mishandled the rebound, and it squirted out of bounds.

Egregious error No. 6.

Wright was inbounding the ball down three with two seconds to play, and was left unfettered by the Kings defenders, which is fine, if you want an extra defender to keep the players on the court from getting open. But then they left Radmanovich unattended above the top of the key, Wright found him and he drained a 28-foot bomb as time expired.

Egregious error No. 7, all in the final 26 seconds.

Game tied at 102.

Kings announcer Grant Napear was nonplussed: "You know, honestly, if I wasn't sitting here watching this, I would not believe it . . . we're gonna go to overtime."

The Kings scored the first four points of overtime, but couldn't keep it up. Ellis ended up outscoring the Kings by himself in the extra period, 9-7.
Final score: Warriors 117, Kings 109.

I'll give the final word to Westphal: "Amazing things happened. How do you explain those? Nine-hundred ninety-nine times out of 1,000, the game is put away . . . There's crazy endings in the NBA, and we were the victim of one tonight."

Amazing.

All images are the fine work of the one and only David Alvarez.

Kings and Wells Fargo make surprise visit to Shriners Hospital for Children

2010-12-13T20:37:06Z

Young patients at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento received a King-sized holiday surprise Sunday afternoon from some special guests.

Kings players DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Carl Landry and Luther Head, Kings mascot Slamson, members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team, Regional Vice President of Wells Fargo and Kings Ambassador Chevo Ramirez and Wells Fargo Vice President of Marketing Rick Cwynar teamed up to visit children and families at the Shriners Hospital for Children and host a Kings Pizza Party.

Amidst the energetic music and festive atmosphere, the young patients received autographs, took photos and spent quality time socializing with their newfound friends from the Kings and Wells Fargo.

"It's very kind of them to visit because they've come to cheer us up," said Abigail Minnett, one of the many children enjoying Sunday's festivities. "It makes me feel very special."

The patients received goodie bags courtesy of the Kings and proud Kings partner Wells Fargo along with all the pizza they could eat courtesy of proud Kings partner Round Table Pizza.

"It definitely feels good to put a smile on these kids' faces," stated Landry. "The Sacramento Kings are a huge part of this community, a huge part of the city of Sacramento and the surrounding areas, so for us to have the opportunity to interact with our fans and give back to this hospital is great."

Supported by donations, Shriners Hospital for Children - Northern California is a regional pediatric medical center providing the gift of specialized pediatric care to children with orthopedic conditions, spinal cord injuries, burns and scars from any cause. Any child 18 years or younger is eligible for care, providing the child's condition is within the scope of services provided. Care is provided without financial obligation to patients or their families.

"For many children, the opportunity to meet a sports star is a dream come true," said Penny Lees, Manager of the Therapeutic Recreation/Child Life program at Shriners Hospital. "Sunday's event holds special meaning because some of our patients went on an outing to the Kings game earlier this week. At the pizza party, they have an opportunity to visit with players they saw at ARCO Arena."

"When you see the players walk into the room with the goodie bags, the kids' eyes just light up," said Cwynar. "They're just amazed by their size, they're so big, they watch them on TV all the time, they've been looking forward to seeing them all day and it's just a fantastic event. They can spend some time with the kids, sign some autographs, give out some goodie bags and share some pizza with them. It's a fantastic event and something we look forward to around the holidays."

Sunday's surprise visit was part of Maloof Sports & Entertainment's ninth annual "Season of Giving," which consists of a series of charitable events and projects as part of an ongoing effort to make a positive and meaningful difference in the lives of children and families in need. Kings players, members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team, Slamson and volunteers from Maloof Sports & Entertainment and Wells Fargo will participate in three weeks of charitable giving and holiday fun benefiting children and families throughout the Sacramento region.

Additional “Season of Giving” events this holiday season include the donation of a “Holiday in a Box” from Maloof Sports & Entertainment and Wells Fargo to 200 deserving families, a surprise donation of 100 bikes and helmets to local children from Tyreke Evans and Wells Fargo, Francisco Garcia’s donation of a “Holiday in a Box” to local deserving Latino families, a surprise visit by DeMarcus Cousins to the UC Davis Children’s Hospital and participation in the CHiPS for Kids Toy Drive at Cal Expo.

For more information about Shriners Hospital for Children - Northern California, please call 916-453-2000 or visit shrinershospitals.org.

Disclosure: Alexander Sigua is the Public Relations Manager for Maloof Sports & Entertainment.

Kings help South Sac school kids get healthy with "Get Fit with the Kings" program

2010-12-10T03:27:39Z

Sure, you see the Kings everywhere in the community donating either time, money or tickets to a future home game.

But this time it was different. And, according to Kings President of Business Operations Matina Kolokotronis, it was one of the most important community-minded event the Kings have ever had the chance in which to participate.

On Thursday, the Sacramento Kings, The California Endowment and the Sacramento City Unified School District gathered at Earl Warren Elementary School in South Sacramento to announce their partnership in creating the new “Get Fit with the Kings” program that is intended to boost the overall health of Sacramento-area youth.

On-hand for the festivities were a slew of Kings’ employees: players DeMarcus Cousins, Pooh Jeter and Francisco Garcia; Kings Ambassador Bobby Jackson; Kings Strength and Conditioning Coach Daniel Shapiro; the Sacramento Kings Dance Team; Slamson; the Kings Breakers and lots of Kings personnel.

The program is intended to support the work of South Sac’s “Building Healthy Communities,” a 10-year, $1 billion program of The California Endowment, by encouraging kids to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle and stay in school as a step to becoming engaged.

South Sacramento was one of 14 communities across the state to benefit from the 10-year commitment of The California Endowment. The three schools chosen, Earl Warren Elementary School, Will C. Wood Middle School and Hiram Johnson High School, will get help increasing their FITNESSGRAM scores - an annual statewide test given to the children.

Jim Keddy, the Director of Health and Communities for Northern California, said he thinks the importance of getting and helping keep kids healthy can’t be overlooked.

“It’s important because we have escalating rates of obesity in this country with children, which means escalating rates of diabetes,” Keddy said. “We are coming together to reverse that trend, and we’re doing it by working together and promoting physical education in schools and better school food.”

Keddy also spoke about why they choose the Kings as partners in this venture.

“The Kings are a powerful motivator,” Keedy said. “You can see what’s going on in the auditorium right now. The kids see the Kings players, the dance team and the kind of modeling they provide in terms of physical health and nutrition. It’s inspiring! It just adds electricity to what were trying to do.”

For Kings’ strength and conditioning coach Daniel Shapiro, it was a chance to share some of what he’s been doing all of his life.

“(When I was a kid), I was outside until the sun went down,” Shapiro said. “You didn’t play video games, and if you did, it was when you got inside. I think we’ve kind of lost that.

“The importance of having public schools with good P.E. programs, outdoor parks and just access to people and education to a healthy lifestyle is something that you can’t replace, because it pays off so much in the long run.”

The “Get Fit with the Kings” program will be a comprehensive plan of action including:

- Workshops for students, parents and teachers from Kings players and staff on the importance of exercise and how the school can better promote it

- A “Get Fit with the Kings” website that features nutrition tips, healthy recipes and an “Ask the Doctor” interactive feature

- Investments by the Kings to improve gyms, fields and fitness equipment at the schools

- Community rallies and health clinics at the schools featuring Kings players, staff, dance members and Kings Breakers

A familiar face at these community events has been Kings newcomer and rookie Pooh Jeter, who always seems to be in the mix.

Jeter said he is one who would love to give back to the community any chance he gets when he’s not wearing out the hardwood floors of the Kings’ training facility. He’s also very excited that The California Endowment stepped up for this incredible opportunity for the kids in this area.

“Whenever I have a chance to give back, that’s what I do, especially with kids,” said the 27-year old rookie. “I’m so happy they (The California Endowment) are doing this, because the kids need it. Health is part of life. I’m glad that we started with the kids so they can continue this process as they become adults.”

Photos by Mark Needham

Clock runs out on Kings, lose great game to Mavs 105-103

2010-12-06T03:38:13Z

Mama said there’d be days like this.

During the long NBA season, there are games where a team will come up short but still feel they’ve played a good game. Saturday’s Kings game against the Mavericks was one of those games. Close — oh so close — but no cigar.

In a game where the Sacramento Kings led most of the way until the final moments, the home team couldn’t get off the game-tying shot in time as they let a nine-point lead with 5:24 left in the game slowly disappear, and the Dallas Mavericks pulled out the win 105-103 at Arco Arena.

Tyreke Evans (25 points, five boards and eight assists) played possibly his best overall game of the young season by hitting open shots, including three long-range bombs, finding teammates in good spots on the floor and even going to his left for a sweet reverse layup in the second half.

Alas, it was not enough as the Mavericks answered the Kings big shots with big shots of their own. Dirk Nowitzki (25 points, five boards, five assists) and Jason Terry (23 points) consistently hit their outside shots.

The Kings got off to a good start early spreading the floor nicely. Evans shredded the Mavs defense by either driving to the rack and kicking it back out or draining his mid-range jumpers. His shot is looking so much better when he doesn’t fade backward as he shoots.

The first quarter ended with the Kings leading 37-28.

One great note of progress for the young rookie DeMarcus Cousins (17 points, 11 boards) was that he didn’t pick up his first foul until 8:23 left in the first half — definitely the longest he’s gone into a game before picking up a personal.

Another interesting note is that Coach Paul Westphal really tightened up the rotation for this game. The only subs in the first half were Carl Landry, Samuel Dalembert and Pooh Jeter, who looks to be the guard Westphal will bring in now to run the point when Evans or Beno Udrih need a breather.

The Mavs made a run late in the second quarter fueled by Nowitski’s 15 points that helped the bring the Mavericks back. As the teams headed into the locker room at the halftime break, the Kings led 55-54.

One concern for the Kings should be that since Landry has been relegated to coming off the bench, his offensive game has been nonexistent. Even though he played over 28 minutes, Landry only had four points on one-of-six shooting from the field along with zero rebounds and five fouls.

The Mavericks stood tall in the third and the game headed to the fourth tied at 80.

Francisco Garcia, who entered the game for the first time late in the third, started to heat things up for the Kings. He scored eight points in a two-minute span early in the final quarter to help push the Kings ahead of the Mavs 94-81.

With 5:24 left, the Kings still held a nine-point lead.

Suddenly, the ball stopped falling for the Kings. The Kings missed eight of their next nine attempts and found themselves behind 105-101 with 28 seconds left on the clock before they made their next attempt.

The Kings were down by two as backup guard Jose Juan Barea went to the line to finish off the home team, but Barea missed both chances.

The Kings were still alive.

The final play was to get Evans the ball for a mid-range jumper or other easy shot, but the Kings couldn’t get Evans open and never got him the ball. With the clock running down, Landry tossed a last-second pass to opposing Terry and the clock expired.

The Kings lost a tough fought battle that saw them play the way Westphal thinks they can on a regular basis. Westphal continues to stress that it’s the lack of collective composure that’s the main factor the Kings can’t tighten the noose around the neck of opposing teams once they have them down.

“The one thing more than anything that I emphasized at halftime and after the game: For us to take the next step, we’ve got to have poise,” he said. “You can’t let the last play affect what you do in the next play in a negative way. That happened to us too often tonight.”

GAME NOTES

The better the offense looks and the more Cousins can stay out of foul trouble, the more Samuel Dalembert doesn't seem to fit. Dalembert can be a black hole win not hitting his shots and played only 16 minutes while scoring five points to go along with four boards . . . Donte Greene played well scoring 19 points . . . Uidrih had 16 points before a rare foul out . . . The Kings had a season-high 11 three-pointers . . . Luther Head appears to be the new odd man out as Westphal reiterated after the game that Jeter will continue to get minutes.

Photos by Steven Chea.

Turnovers, missed free throws bury Kings

2010-11-22T23:40:43Z

On an afternoon mired in careless ball handling and poor shooting by both teams, the visiting New Orleans Hornets narrowly defeated the Sacramento Kings 75-71 in a Sunday matinée at Arco Arena.

Both teams started the game out slowly despite an 11-2 first-quarter run by the Kings led by Tyreke Evans’ six points and highlighted by an authoritative alley-oop dunk by Donte Green from Luther Head. However, Sacramento set a trend of turning over the ball early with five in the first quarter.

It appeared that Sacramento was poised to get some quality production off of the bench as Jason Thompson entered the game and quickly tacked on six points that included a slick turnaround jumper from seven feet inside the key.

Surprisingly, Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal elected to bench Thompson until in the last minutes of the fourth quarter. With Sacramento receiving little to no scoring from its big men, Westphal’s decision to leave Thompson on the bench for a majority of the game was perplexing.

After a relatively quiet first quarter, Hornets point guard Chris Paul led the way for his team in the second quarter with seven points and three assists.

Despite his contributions in the second quarter, Paul was noticeably reluctant to shoot the ball for a majority of the game, often electing to pass even when he was wide open on more than one occasion. Paul finished with only nine points, but he also added 14 assists and five steals.

Kings center DeMarcus Cousins had a considerably rough night in nearly every aspect of his
game.

The rookie had only three field goals in 11 chances and finished the day by fouling out in the fourth quarter.

After his promising first-quarter production, Evans all but disappeared in the remaining three quarters. The Kings’ leading scorer added only three more points in three quarters, finishing with nine on the afternoon despite grabbing seven rebounds and four steals.

Evans shot four for 12 from the field, a reflection of the Kings’ shooting issues throughout the day as they finished with a 38.7 percent when shooting field goals.

After both teams hit the locker rooms at the half tied at 39, the Hornets started to take advantage of the Kings’ poor shooting.

It started when the Kings’ interior defense shut down, leaving New Orleans center Emeka Okafor alone down low for an easy two-handed dunk.

Forward David West contributed seven points in the quarter while Paul seemed to be at the center of nearly every play, adding five assists and two steals as the Hornets took a three-point lead going into the fourth quarter at 59-56.

After replacing a struggling Omri Casspi last night in the starting lineup, Donte Green shouldered a bulk of the offensive load for Sacramento as he recorded a double-double that included 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. The highlight of Green’s day occurred on his second alley-oop dunk in the third quarter that seemed to give brief life to a largely quiet crowd of only 12,000.

The Hornets barely pulled away in the fourth quarter despite numerous second- and third-chance opportunities.

Shooting only 32.2 percent as a team on the day, the Hornets managed to take advantage of the Kings’ six turnovers in the fourth quarter. Sacramento turned the ball over 22 times on the day, which ultimately led to 23 New Orleans points.

At the midway point in the fourth quarter, point guard Luther Head nailed a big go-ahead three-pointer to put the Kings ahead 64-63, but Head immediately fouled Hornets backup center DJ Mbenga, who completed a three-point play to put New Orleans back on top 66-64.

Despite a three-point play of his own in the closing minutes of the game that brought the Kings within two points, Cousins’ struggles came to a head in the fourth quarter as he was picked down low on a baseline drive, then later elected to pass the ball with only four seconds on the shot clock, which ultimately led to a shot clock violation and yet another Kings turnover.

The Hornets then ran out the clock to win 75-71 and improved to 11-1 overall on the season. Free throws ended up being a big difference in the game for the Hornets as they went 93.8 percent from the charity stripe while the Kings shot a paltry 60 percent at the line.

Sacramento’s woes at home continued as the Kings dropped to 2-6 at Arco Arena and 4-8 on the season.

In the second quarter, the Kings paid tribute to Jerry Reynolds and his 25 years of service as the Kings’ local color commentator and analyst.

The Kings travel to Utah on Monday, where they will play the Jazz in Salt Lake City at 6 p.m.

Photographs by David Alvarez Photography

Losing Streak Over!

2010-11-20T23:40:43Z

►►► GAME COVERAGE ►►► FOLLOWED BY GAME NOTES ►►► FOLLOWED BY COMMENTARY

♦ THE GAME

The ordeal is over. The Kings finally won a game. Avenging their lone loss in the 3-game road trip that opened their season, the Kings beat the New Jersey Nets at Arco Friday night, 86 - 81.

The Kings had played New Jersey in the second game of the season. In that game, they had fallen behind by 18 points, but surged in the 3rd quarter and actually held an 8 point lead with less than 4 minutes to play. Sadly, New Jersey outscored the Kings 17 - 3 in the final 3:41, and won going away.

Having started the season by taking 2 out of 3 road games, the Kings had returned to Sacramento feeling confident. With the Lakers being the only elite opponent in Sacramento’s first 7 home games, expectations were high. Nevertheless, the Kings entered last night’s game sporting a 6-game losing streak.

As has happened all too often this season, the Kings started slowly. They looked lethargic and unfocused. Four and half minutes into the game, they were shooting only 14%, the Nets were shooting 56%, and the Kings owned the short end of a 10 - 4 score. Paul Westphal called a time out, and the game was never the same after that. The Kings were competitive to the very end.

Coach Westphal maintained that he simply said, “Get the ball to Carl [Landry]. Let’s go inside a little bit.” It worked.

In the next 90 seconds, Landry sank 3 jump shots and tied the score. Less than two minutes into the following quarter, the Kings held what was to be their largest lead of the game, 8 points. They maintained that lead for most of the quarter, but New Jersey stormed back and, with a little over a minute left in the half, the Nets enjoyed what was to be their own largest lead of the game, 7 points.

Tyreke found the range on his jump shot just in time to score 5 points in the closing minute, leaving the Kings trailing 46 - 43 at half time.

What really did the Kings in during their October meeting was the play of Devin Harris and Brook Lopez, who scored 21 and 29 respectively. So, it was unsettling to know that neither Harris nor Lopez had scored at all in the first quarter. In fact, Lopez’s first basket came with only 2 minutes left in the half, and both players entered their locker room having tallied just 4 points each. The worry was, if the Nets led without Harris and Lopez playing well, what would happen if either or both of these stars found their touch?

In the third quarter, the two teams played head-to-head. That 12-minute span saw 6 ties, and the teams were never separated by more than a bucket — a two-point bucket at that.

The Kings entered the fourth quarter with a one-point (64 - 63) lead. I could almost hear Grant Napear, TV voice of the Kings, informing viewers “When the Kings take a lead into the fourth quarter at home, they win X% of the time.” But, I didn’t have to wonder what percent it was. The sad is fact is, this year’s Kings had NEVER before taken a lead into the fourth quarter at home.

That uncharted territory proved exciting...and rewarding. The Kings lock down defense held the Nets to only 18 points, none coming on three-pointers. On the other hand, the Kings made shots when they needed to. A perfectly timed three-quarter court pass from Beno to Cisco on a fast break and a three-point basket by Beno to seal the deal were just two of the highlights. It was good to see Paul Westphal smiling at the end of a game.

♦ GAME NOTES

• Here’s a statistical anomaly. The Kings free throw percentage in tonight’s game, a shade under 70%, was even lower than their disappointing season average. In fact, of the 8 times they went to the line for two foul shots, they converted both opportunities only twice, missing one of two 75% of the time.

However, 5 of those 6 misses came on the second attempt. If a player only makes only one of his foul shots, that is the better permutation, because it leaves open the possibility of an offensive rebound. Indeed, twice those misses resulted in offensive rebounds and subsequent field goals.

The bottom line is that while they sank 16 of 23 foul shots (69.6%), those 23 foul shots resulted in 20 points. So, in a sense, it was equivalent to an astounding 87%!

• Breaking precedent, the Kings correctly spelled my name on the place card at my seat. I no longer have to pretend that I’m Frank Haywood.

• During half-time, I stumbled upon Slamson in one of his private moments. For the first time ever, I got to see the face behind the mask. My personal Journalistic Code of Ethics prevents me from any specific description, but I will tell you this: she’s drop-dead gorgeous.

Just kidding. Slamson is a man, and that’s all I’m going to say.

• Note to my editor: the Kings have won 100% of the games I have covered, a statistic you might want to consider when assigning future games. I’m just sayin’.

♦ COMMENTARY

I couldn’t help wondering what effect it had on the Kings to look out and see an arena that seemed only 1/5 full at tip-off. (Fans kept arriving and, by game’s end, the announced attendance reached 11,766.)

Kings players are too professional to admit that empty seats hurt their effort. When asked if it is harder to get energy, I got answers like, “No, you gotta come out ready to play regardless of it’s 2 people in the stands or 30,000,” and “No, not really,...we gotta play hard...we gotta go out there and play the game whether our fans are there or not.” They can’t publicly admit otherwise.

Still, when I reversed the question and asked if it would be easier to find the energy if the arena were full, I got smiles and subtle nods. Which brings us to the elephant which is missing from the room: us, the fans.

There is a reason why Kings supporters used to be called “The Greatest Fans in the NBA.” Even before the Webber/Divac era, when a home loss was a pleasant surprise, our fans were renowned. Yes, there’s a reason why fans are honored with a retired “Number 6” jersey in the rafters. Fan support became the Kings’ Sixth Man — not in the sense of a player sparking the team off the bench but, even better, an extra player who was on court all the time.

In other words, thanks to raucous and loving fan support when the Kings played at home, they essentially outnumbered their opponents 6 to 5. In that sense, the Kings have played the last few years “shorthanded.”

Why have the King slid into NBA oblivion? The loss of C-Webb's talent and star power is one easy answer. The loss of Vlade’s talent and influence is another. But, a more difficult answer for Sacramento to confront, spoiled by years of success, is the loss of our Sixth Man.

To this reporter, the loss was never better epitomized than by F.P. Santangelo, who was then one of KHTK’s “The Rise Guys.” He criticized the talent level of the Kings, complaining “We deserve better than that! We’re the best fans in the NBA!”

If those were not his exact words, they were close. The point is, once you attack your own team’s talent by saying “We deserve better than that,” you have already disqualified yourself from being “the best fans” anywhere. By definition, the best fans support their team. It’s what Sacramento did before the glory days, and there’s just no reason not to do it now.

Creative promotions make tickets surprisingly affordable. Would the Maloofs want you to pad their revenue by buying $100 worth of overpriced nachos and hot dogs? Sure. But, would the players want you just to be there cheering for them? Definitely! (And, if you’re hungry, I recommend the very reasonably priced roast turkey sandwiches. Tell them Fred sent you. No, better still, tell them not to forget the pickle.)

►► CREDITS: All photographs are by Steven Chea. Thanks, Steven, for providing a huge selection of great pictures to choose from!

Sacramento Kings remain cold at ARCO

2010-11-15T16:47:55Z

If you live, work, or play in Sacramento I’m sure you’ve seen the new Sacramento Kings billboards. There is one in particular right off of I-80 that reads “Bigger. Badder. Better.” One player who is pictured on that billboard, and a handful of other billboards around the area, is Kings Rookie DeMarcus Cousins. He and his teammates took on the Detroit Pistons in a matinee game Sunday at ARCO Arena, whether they lived up to the third and final word of the billboard is still yet to be determined.

The Detroit Pistons started the season off with five straight losses but won three of their last four before they suited up to play the Kings.

Sacramento, on the other hand, won two of their first three but have lost five straight counting tonight’s frustrating 96-100 loss. This being the fourth straight game the Kings were held under 100 after scoring over 100 in their first four games.

Although the Kings were able to take the lead early in the first quarter, something they weren’t able to do in the games they’ve won thus far, the Pistons took the lead midway through the first and didn’t look back.

“They had some big time shot makers making shots,” said coach Westphal. “Ben Gordon walked up with a coldblooded three and then hit that one from the corner. It was really contested. (Tayshuan) Prince made some huge plays and huge buckets. We didn’t quite get it done.”

While the Kings have struggled turning the ball over as of late, that wasn’t the reason they fell in this one. You can point the finger at the two most important lines on the court, the free-throw line and three-point line. The Kings shot 66 percent from the foul-line and 11 percent from the arc, making only 2 of 18 three-pointers. While the Pistons made one more three and shot half as many as the Kings. Detroit also made 15 of their 19 free throws.

“We’re getting the shots we want. As a team we just need to knock ‘em down,” said Luther Head after the game. “As shooters, we need to take it a little more personal than that, that’s what we’re here to do.”

Head scored 13 points off the bench, shooting five for eight and making one the teams two three-pointers. Jason Thompson was also strong off the bench, scoring 10 points and grabbing 5 boards in his 17 minutes of play. Tyreke Evans, who scored 20 points this afternoon, logged almost 40 minutes in on the floor but it was apparent that the nagging ankle injury is still with him.

A lot has been expected from “Boogie” Cousins and he knows it. He also knows that with being a rookie, he’s not going to get many calls his way.

“I can’t control the refs,” said Cousins, who had four fouls and picked up an early technical after voicing his opinion. “If I get the calls, I get them. If I don’t I just try to play through it, that’s basketball. That’s the way it is.”

Cousins, who was recently taken out of the starting lineup, came off the bench and had a rough night, turning the ball over six times. Although he did tally eight rebounds, he’s still got a lot to learn, and that will come in due time.

Unlike the Kings, the Pistons had bright spots throughout their box score. Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince combined for 27 points, making 13 of 23 shots. Young point guard Rodney Stuckey added 17 points and 7 assists on the afternoon as well.

The Kings will have some time to work on those not so “free” free-throws Monday and Tuesday before they host the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

The jury is still out on that billboard, but by the end of the year maybe, just maybe, the Kings will have us thinking that the third word on that billboard is the most accurate.

Photos courtesy of Steven Chea

Memphis' Gay and Kings' turnovers doom Sacramento, lose 100-91

2010-11-08T01:18:35Z

It seemed like a perfect opportunity for the Kings.

You know, take advantage of a tired, worn out Memphis team who were not only coming off a double-overtime loss the night before, but catch them on their fourth game in five nights.

Even though Sacramento head coach Paul Westphal told his team before the game that he didn't believe in that mumbo jumbo, the team from Tennessee grabbed an early lead and rarely looked back as the Kings lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 100-91.

“I never bought into that stuff,” Westphal said in the postgame press conference. “We won’t use that as an excuse if that happens to us, and it doesn’t mean we’re supposed to win because they played last night. This is the NBA.”

A standout performance by future all-star Rudy Gay propelled the Grizzlies to victory while only Tyreke Evans and Francisco Garcia held up their end of the offensive load for the Kings.

Early on, it was a seesaw affair as the Kings stayed even with the Grizzlies for the first six minutes of the opening quarter.

Evans, showing the driving skills that helped make him last year’s Rookie of the Year, had a stretch about midway through the period where he scored on three straight layups.

The game started turning early. Besides letting Zach Randolph (20 points, 11 rebounds) plant himself in the paint and caused chaos with his size, the Kings picked up seven of their 20 turnovers in the first while Memphis had only one. Sacramento had several early traveling calls. The Kings dug themselves a hole and, even though Omri Casspi made a crazy half-court shot at the buzzer, the Kings trailed after one, 30-24.

For the Grizzlies, Rudy Gay was consistently finding open spots on the floor. Gay, who finished with 32 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals, seemed to have an easy time finding shots while being guarded by Francisco Garcia and Casspi, even though he played 51 minutes in a taxing double-overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns the previous evening.

The Grizzlies started slow in the second, missing some shots, collecting fouls and, following the Kings lead, committing turnovers. After committing only one personal in the first, Memphis racked up seven in the second, opening the door for the Kings to get even.

The Kings were able to tie it up with 2:47 left on two Carl Landry free throws, his first points of the game, but finished the half down four, 53-49.

Landry (four points, zero boards) looked out-of-sorts all game. At times he was slow getting back on defense; other times just getting shoved out of the lane and closed off of the glass completely.

One of the downsides in the first half for the Kings was that rookie DeMarcus Cousins, even though now backing up Samuel Dalembert to solve the early foul trouble problem, picked up his third foul five minutes into the second quarter and was forced to sit the rest of the half.

It was a rough start for the Kings to start the second half as the Grizzlies went on a 14-4 tear with Gay leading the charge.

The Kings go cold and shoot 36.8 percent in the third while getting outscored 27-18. Evans forced the issue several times when wing players were open and was having a hard time guarding O.J. Mayo (14 points, four boards) in the third.

Evans (30 points, eight boards, five assists, four steals and five turnovers) and Garcia (21 points off the bench) led the comeback in the fourth combining for 22 points.

But as the Kings only had three players with double-digit scoring numbers — Casspi finished with 10 — it just wasn’t enough.

Gay (32 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals) felt they needed a break after losing a heart-breaker the night before.

“It was a must-win,” Gay said. “After last night, we wanted to come out here and prove ourselves early and make sure the outcome went our way.”

NOTES: Darnell Jackson had another good game off the bench, pitching in seven boards and locking down Randolph for stretches. Gay disclosed after the game that he was playing at about 60 percent because of an oblique strain. Donte Greene didn’t play again and is the 11th or 12th man off the bench for now. Dalembert had 12 rebounds along with seven points and five huge blocks. The Kings had 10 blocks in the contest.

PHOTO CREDIT:
Marc McLaughlin
www.marcmclaughlin.com

Kings beat Cavs and start season 2-1 for first time since 2003

2010-11-01T01:36:18Z

Coming off a tough loss, the Kings rolled into Cleveland (1-1) to face the Cavaliers hoping to salvage a winning road trip and start the season above .500 for the first time in a long time.

As the final whistle sounded, and even though the Kings stumbled at the finish line, Sacramento didn’t make the same mistakes as the night before and held onto their late-game lead to pull out the victory 107-104

The Kings started out nicely as Tyreke Evans made his presence felt early with one of those whirling dervish moves between three guys that only “Reke" can pull off. A few minutes later, he dropped a 26-foot three and the Kings took an early four-point lead at 11-7.

Trouble arose when Ramon Sessions scored eight of the first 18 points for the Cavs and was finding his way into the paint too easily.

With the Kings missing shots and doing a poor job maintaining possession — losing the ball three times within a three minute span — the Cavs pulled ahead by five on an Anderson Varejao mid-range jumper.

Things started to even out and the high-scoring first quarter ended with the game tied 34-34.

The Kings came out cold in the second quarter missing several shots and falling behind by 11 before Jason Thompson, who only played 12 minutes, sank a 10-footer to stop the bleeding. Seven more unanswered points by the Cavs put the lead at 16 with no end in sight.

It could have been much worse.

DeMarcus Cousins was not only playing like he was tired, by lagging up and down the floor, but by making rookie mistakes. But I guess we should expect some of that right now. It is only his third professional game after only one year of college.

As for the Cavs, they slowly capitalized on the Kings woes. Ryan Hollins, Jawad Williams, Sessions, J.J. Hickson and Anthony Parker all had Cavs second-quarter contributions.

Cleveland led at the half, 67-53.

Samuel Dalembert opened the second half as a starter and it paid off with a block and a couple of boards in the opening minutes of the half.

A quick sideline camera shot shows the rookie Cousins was not sporting his best smile.

About halfway through the third, the tide started to turn. The Kings finally showed some life.

Evans was either making jumpers or slashing into the lane and getting hacked on the way. He helped the Kings make a run and cut the lead to five before dropping a long-range three that cut it to two.

Moments later, Darnell Jackson sank a couple of foul shots and drained a long jumper that gave the Kings a 84-82 lead going into the final quarter.

Omri Casspi opened the fourth with another long-range bomb and was simply on fire.

The Kings led 92-86 with just over nine minutes remaining. It was starting to have the feel of the tough loss from the night before until Casspi kicked it up a notch.

To this point, Casspi had played like a man possessed. He drained another three and followed that with a sweet assist to Evans, who finished with solid numbers racking up 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Casspi's intense defense and scoring throughout the game was a main reason the Kings pulled this one out. He finished with 20 points, hitting five threes along with four boards and two steals, but it didn’t help the Kings guarantee the win as he missed both of his free throws with six seconds left in the game.

Even though Cousins made the heart stop again as he blew his chance to put the game out of reach, the clock expired on a wild length-of-the-court shot that fell short and wide, and the Kings won 107-104.

Coach Paul Westphal thought it was a good road trip for the Kings. While he couldn’t help but wonder if the team could really be 3-0, he realized that Sacramento was behind double digits in each of the three games so far, and just winning two of those games was quite an accomplishment.

As the press conference came to a close, Westphal couldn’t let the moment pass without complimenting the referees at the style of officiating he saw during the game, compared to the previous game’s constant whistle-blowing.

“We are not supposed to comment on the officials, but I think we can give them a compliment,” Westphal said. “It was a man’s game out there and that’s the way you like to see the game called.”

Kings let one drift away on the Jersey shore

2010-10-30T10:55:25Z

Could the Kings start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2000?

That was the question on every Kings fan’s mind entering the game in New Jersey as the Kings took on the Nets (1-0).

Unfortunately, the answer for those nonstop cheering Kings fans back home was no as the Kings faltered at the end by having too many big men in foul trouble and missing big shots. The Kings lost a close one 106-100.

Even though the Kings scored the first bucket, a long jumper by DeMarcus Cousins, it was the Nets who started the quarter hot as Carl Landry missed several shots and seemed out of sorts until he was substituted halfway through the quarter.

Brook Lopez, the young outstanding center for the Nets, started off quickly with 11 points in the opening quarter.

For the Kings, Omri Casspi led in scoring with five points, and Cousins, Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans each had four as the Kings trailed 29-21 after one.

Nothing changed early in the second as the Kings’ shooting remained frozen in time – just a carryover from quarter number one.

Udrih missed, Landry turned it over, Luther Head walked – it was like fingernails on a chalkboard: painful.

Before you knew it, it was 42-30 Nets, as Jordan Farmar, ex-Los Angeles Laker, racked up seven points early in the second and was joined in the scoring parade by Lopez and guard Devin Harris.

The only bright spot for the Kings was Cousins, who was perfect from the line in the quarter going six for six from the charity stripe.

Evans tried to take over the game late in the second with a flurry of activity, scoring 10 points. Darnell Jackson had five quick points near the end of the half with most coming from the line.

The Kings’ slight comeback, along with the Nets missing their last three shots, closed the first half having the Nets leading by eight at 61-53.

New Kings correspondent Jim Gray caught up with Evans at the halftime break.

“The refs are calling ticky-tack fouls,” Evans said, “but that can’t stop us from playing a good game.”

Sorry Tyreke, but come out and play well they did not.

After a couple of early Landry buckets, the Kings got stagnant. Even Udrih missed two free throws in a row.

The Kings didn’t have much to cheer about until late in the period when Jackson’s aggressive play earned him five points in a three-minute stretch and the team defense of the Kings held the Nets to 15 points in the third.

The third ended with the Kings trailing by one, 77-76.

The fouls were starting to catch up with the Kings. It wasn’t that they had a truckload – the teams were about even at this point – it’s just that the big men of the Kings were the ones picking up the fouls. They were also the ones scoring. Therein lied the rub.

Cousins (12 points, four rebounds), Landry (14 points) and Jason Thompson (two points, one rebound) were all being rotated because none of them could stay on the floor for any meaningful stretch of time. If fact, Thompson only played 14 minutes because of the situation.

Despite the circumstances, the Kings came out a little quicker than the Nets in the final stanza as several of the players hit jumpers. Garcia led the way with eight points in about eight minutes of play.

The Kings got out to an eight-point lead with 3:40 to go on a creative up and under by Evans.

That’s when the music stopped. And when it did, the Kings were left without a chair to sit in.

Sacramento missed six straight shots while New Jersey wasn’t missing much at all. New Jersey scored 14 unanswered points to essentially end the game.

Harris had nine of his 21 points in the fourth and finished with five boards and 10 assists, and Lopez scored consistently each quarter, finishing with 29 points and six rebounds while the Nets shot 52.5 percent from the field.

A late Garcia three-pointer cut it to two at 102-100 with 15 seconds left, but Farmar, who finished with 14 points off the bench, hit the free throws at the end as the Kings let this one slip away.

Kings standouts in the disappointing loss included Garcia with 18 points, three boards, two assists, two steals and a block; Udrih with 14 points, five boards and four assists; and Evans capped off a good first start of the season with 18 points, four boards and seven assists.

Afterward, Head Coach Paul Westphal said he thought they had a chance to win the game but had many shots go in and out while the competition's shots were sinking cleanly.

He also recognized that the foul trouble was a serious factor in the team not pulling out the win.

“That’s (missing shots) not the whole story of the game though,” said a disappointed Westphal. “We foul too much, and we have all our big guys sitting on the bench all the time – it’s hard to play.

“When you take 91 shots and the other team gets 63, you’re supposed to win the game.”

Garcia, Landry and Cousins shine as Kings win first game

2010-10-29T00:01:47Z

With two of last year’s promising rookies – Minnesota’s Jonny Flynn and last year’s Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans – not suited up, the first game of the season seemed to hinge on their replacements.

Francisco Garcia handled the shooting guard duties for the missing Evans and Luke Ridnour the point guard responsibilities for Flynn, who is recovering from hip surgery.

Even though both came through for their respective teams, it was the Kings who finished off the Timberwolves 117-116 to win a road game that went down to the wire.

Garcia finished with 22 points, three rebounds, four assists, three steals and hit both of his three attempts. Garcia had 21 of his 22 by the end of the third, and his pressure defense helped contain the outside game of the Wolves.

Ridnour had a great game himself finishing with 20 points, making him Minnesota's leading scorer with five boards and six assists to boot.

It was ironic that longtime disappointment Darko Milicic scored the first basket for the T-Wolves. Nevertheless, it was Ridnour that got off to the hot start scoring early and often and picking up nine points in the first by finding easy ways to cut into the defense of the
Kings and slashing through the lane.

Milicic, whom Wolves Coach Kurt Rambis is really counting on this season, did have four blocks, six points and four rebounds in his 24 minutes of action.

Beno Udrih, who finished with 18 points, six assists and three steals, had six in the opening 12 minutes and was a steadying force throughout the game.

Omri Casspi was very active early and was harassing the Wolves with his defense, which helped turn a Timberwolves four-point lead with four minutes left in the first into a four-point Kings lead by the end of the quarter. Casspi finished with 10 points.

Despite not scoring his first points until halfway through the second quarter, DeMarcus Cousins, the fifth pick of the draft his year, had a gratifying game in his first NBA start, finishing with 14 points, eight boards and five assists.

Udrih, Garcia and Carl Landry all scored in the second, but the Kings were outscored 35-26 in the period.

Landry had a monster stat night putting up 22 points, 11 boards (seven offensive) and three assists.

At the break, the Timberwolves led 58-53.

Garcia opened the third with back-to-back baskets, and the Kings led 62-60 in the third.

Cousins really started to assert himself in the third, taking a charge and handling a double miss by the Kings with a stuff back.

The Kings led after three 87-83.

For Minnesota, second-year player Kevin Love, who is expected to really pick up the numbers left behind by the departure of Al Jefferson, had 11 points and 10 boards but didn’t get much time in the second half as it was speculated that he was already in the coach's doghouse.

Off the bench for the Kings, Luther Head’s energy was a huge plus. Head finished with 14 points, three boards, three assists and two blocks.

The Wolves fought back with help from Sebastian Telfair and Michael Beasley to tie the game with 6:39 left. The game stayed nearly tied the rest of the way.

The turning point of the game could have been when, after fouling Cousins, Milicic batted the ball into the crowd and was awarded an automatic technical foul.

Along with Udrih’s four free throws to seal the deal at the end, the difference down the stretch was Landry and Cousins playing rough at the rim and hanging tough in the post. Both made tough shots around the basket and defended well as the clock ran out.

Cousins commented on the coach giving him the ball down the stretch.

“When the game is on the line, I want the ball,” Cousins said. “He believed in me. I wanted the ball, so give me the ball.”

Head Coach Paul Westphal praised the growth Cousins has shown in such a short time.

“Cousins has fantastic poise,” Westphal said. “The tougher it gets, the more faith I have in him. His mind wanders early in the game when he’s not challenged, but he really makes you play him when you need him the most.”

The Wolves had six players with double-digit scoring and did out-rebound the Kings by one despite the loss.

Even though it's early, the Kings take a share of the lead in the Pacific Division for the first time since 2003.

The Court Jester - A new dawn for the Kings

2010-10-27T07:54:23Z

The wait is over. The off-season is behind them. The up-and-coming Kings are primed and ready to pounce on opponents this season, giving weight to the slogan – Here We Rise.

The Sacramento Kings take to the hardwood Wednesday in their season opener as they travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves, embarking on a three-game road trip.

HERE – Sactown is their home

Even following year after year of speculation that the team will somehow abandon our little town for the riches of Las Vegas or the South Bay or even back to the familiar Kansas/Missouri border has never materialized, the arena situation and the current economic crunch continues to put the topic back in the spotlight and deters from what could be the bigger picture. The Kings are gearing up for a run at the playoffs.

Coming from a 17-win season in 2008-09 under Reggie Theus and Kenny Natt to a 25-win season under current leader Paul Westphal was considered a decent jump in wins, bearing in mind the coaching change and the addition of new leader and rookie sensation Tyreke Evans.

Even though Theus was able to help bring 38 wins to the River City just a couple of years ago, the town never really thought that the team was on the right track.

This year, by most expert accounts, Westphal’s group is poised to make another decent jump in the win column. Those with inside knowledge of all things NBA have put that number anywhere from the low 30s to low 40s.

If that happens, and the fans come out to support this retooled team, then the future looks brighter in Sacramento than it has since the days of C-Webb, Vlade, Christie and Bibby.

WE – The town and the team bonding as one

It takes two to tango, and the world of pro basketball is no different. Any great team requires great fans. Those great fans, in turn, deserve maximum effort on the court.

Kings fans have never been short of praise for their team. Sacramentans have been very patient watching their team work the draft and bring in help that will hopefully catapult the Kings into the uppe stratosphere of the Association.

For the community, it’s time to start climbing out of the Western Conference cellar and reach for the next rung – the playoffs.

As for the players, they have been out in the community either donating time or tickets or both to underprivileged and sick children and their families.

From Evans’ meeting sick children and handing out tickets at the Kiwanis Family House to Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih stopping by a youth center in West Sacramento and doing the same to newly acquired Samuel Dalembert rallying the troops to continue helping Haiti after their devastating earthquake, Kings’ players are always active in the community.

The Maloof family emphasizes and expects players to donate their time away from the court to help those who as not as fortunate.

RISE – The maturation process right in front of your eyes

With so many new faces and the minor injury situations that occurred during training camp, it will take some time to adjust to Westphal’s game plan and get everybody on the same page. Once these players get firing on all cylinders, there is no telling how far they can go.

In looking at the late addition last year of Carl Landry and this year’s acquisitions of Dalembert, Darnell Jackson, Antoine Wright and draft picks DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside, the current band of basket-makers has more size than any Kings team in the last 10 years or more.

Newly signed Pooh Jeter and Luther Head will help Evans and Udrih in the backcourt during the long season also.

The continued development of Omri Casspi, Donte Greene, Jason Thompson and last year’s rookie of the year, Evans, would all be signs of an improved team. When the Kings start to show some cohesiveness, at some point, sunglasses will be required.

The tagline fits. Here in the land of hopefulness, the slogan goes - Here We Rise.

Sacramento Kings to Host Community Book Drive as Part of 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service

2010-10-19T17:45:20Z

The Sacramento Kings will host a Community Book Drive at Natomas Pacific Pathways Preparatory School (NP3) - 3700 Del Paso Road, Sacramento, CA 95834, on Saturday, October 23 from 3–4:30 p.m. as part of the 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service and to celebrate the five-year anniversary of NBA Cares, which the league and its partners launched on Oct. 18, 2005. Through the NBA Cares program, the league and its teams and players have donated more than $145 million to charity, completed more than 1.4 million hours of community service and created more than 525 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.

Kings players DeMarcus Cousins, Donté Greene, Jason Thompson and Pooh Jeter will be on-hand at NP3 collecting books from Kings fans to help fill the empty bookshelves of the NP3 library. In addition, all fans who donate books will receive an exclusive opportunity to purchase specially-priced tickets to the Kings Home Opener for only $10 (estimated gate rate: $25.50).

Players will be available to greet and interact with fans. Additionally, the Kings Karavan, featuring Slamson and members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team and Kings Breakers, will be on display and exciting Kings prizes will be awarded to Kings fans on-site. Fans will also be treated to music and complimentary snacks. Fans are encouraged to check Kings.com for recommendations on book titles to be donated.

NP3 was created to offer students an enhanced educational experience including a four-year law curriculum exploring the foundations of our legal system, criminal law, Constitutional law and economics and civil law in addition to a college prep liberal arts curriculum.

Beginning Oct. 18 and continuing through Oct. 25, NBA teams and players will host a variety of hands-on service events in a continued effort to give back to children, families and the community, and to increase fan awareness about the importance of service. With assistance from community members and partners, the NBA family will support health, education and environmental-awareness efforts through several projects throughout the week.

To learn more about the 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service, please visit NBACares.com.

Disclosure: Alexander Sigua is the Public Relations Coordinator for Maloof Sports & Entertainment