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

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

For the second game in a row, Tyreke Evans was an integral part and the catalyst of two Kings comebacks that resulted in wins. On Thursday evening, March 21, at Sleep Train Arena, the Sacramento Kings toppled the Minnesota Timberwolves 101-98 in front of 12,176 riled up fans. Make no mistake about it. Ever since the Brothers Maloof’s secret sale became uncovered, the attendance at the ole barn has increased and the fans there are getting louder and louder with their collective “Sac-ra-men-to” and “Here we stay” chants at each game. With Evans’ contract running out at the end of the season - the club does have the right to match any offer for next season - there is lots of speculation a

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 benefi

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 fi

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 work

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 suspens

Although not on display Friday evening at Sleep Train Arena during the Kings/Pacers matchup (Tyreke Evans sat with a bruised left knee), the recent on-court pairing of Evans and Aaron Brooks seems to have helped Sacramento get it’s offense back on track. The win totals may not be piling up but it sure is promising to see the team score more points lately. The decision by Coach Keith Smart to insert Brooks into the starting point guard role to replace Isaiah Thomas coincided with the fact that Evans jumper was finding it’s mark. Since the change, Evans is averaging 21 points, 4.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds. Brooks’ average has also increased to 10.8 per game. I caught up with Coach Smart

THE SHOT By now, unless you’ve been living in a cave somewhere in the Maldives, you know that Tyreke Evans has spent countless hours during the offseason and into the season working on his jump shot. A shot, unless explained to you, you’d think Evans would or should have in his bag of tricks. Now here’s the explanation. Let’s, for a moment, compare Evans to another primary ball-handler from his college days, Jimmer Fredette. Fredette was in an offense that had him not only as the primary ball-handler, but as its main scorer too. His money shot was from the outside - a silky, smooth jumper - from anywhere on the court! Evans didn’t have to hone his jumper, as in college no one could kee

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

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

In the second preseason game of the 2012-13 year, the Sacramento Kings beat the visiting Portland Trailblazers 117-100. Behind 23 points from Marcus Thornton, DeMarcus Cousins putting up 20 along with seven boards and three assists and 16 from Aaron Brooks, the Kings beat up on the Blazers for most of three and a half quarters and won a game that means nothing in the standings. What really matters in these next six or seven games for the men in purple and black? As the Kings get a few preseason games under their collective belt, the battle for a couple of starting spots seems open for the first time in quite a while. There is a great competition going on for the starting point guard sp

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 pu

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 th

When I ran into Tyreke Evans and his brothers, Doc and Reggie last week, the burning question I had was whether ‘Reke was going to start the season at the one or the three position. More importantly, would "Team Tyreke," the group of family members and friends that watch over him and his career, be happy if the guy who fell in love with the way Derrick Rose handled the rock had to start the season at the small forward spot? “Do I think that it’s his natural position? No,” Doc Evans said. “Do I think that’s a position that he could play as a relief? Yes. But I prefer him to be at the one and sometimes the two, because with the ball in his hands, it creates a mismatch for smaller guards.”

Team Tyreke. No, this is not a basketball rec league you can join or Evans’ fantasy league team either. It’s the ultimate story of “it takes a village to raise a child.” It’s a group of mainly family members that put everything they have to offer into helping a young man focus solely on basketball and charity in a world that demands attention at every turn. Team Tyreke seems to have covered the bases and consists of several important folks. Reggie Evans, 40, who already had a successful career with Communication Test Design Inc., was the first one to bring up the idea of the family taking charge of their little brother’s career. He handles most of the managerial aspects of Tyreke’s lif

Not all the Kings players are out of town. Not only is Tyreke Evans in town, but he’s here doing two of his favorite things — working out and working with kids. On Thursday, June 14, Evans teamed up with VSP Vision Care at the Dr. Ephraim Williams Family Life Center in the Oak Park section of Sacramento for his second annual free basketball camp for students in need. The kids were selected by the Family Life Center as well as by VSP partners Asian Resources and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento. About 100 kids were able to shoot hoops, participate in a Q-and-A session and even get some classroom training alongside Evans and mentors from the Positive Coaching Alliance. Tomorr

For the never-say-die Kings fan, Jan. 9 was an important day. It was the premiere of Small Market, Big Heart at the historic Crest Theatre in Downtown Sacramento. A documentary designed, as their promo states, “to share the compelling 26-year story of the people of Sacramento and their battle to get and keep a professional sports franchise” The film played once more on January 21, on KXTL FOX 40, but then went silent. On Tuesday, May 15, the outstanding documentary and collective vision of producers James Ham and Blake Ellington as well as director Tobin Halsey, will finally be available across the nation by way of the Small Market, Big Heart website (www.smallmarketbigheart.com) for th

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,