Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "houston rockets"

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 shoot down Rockets, win 117-111

2013-02-11T20:31:17Z

The Sacramento Kings won their second consecutive home game Sunday night, beating the Houston Rockets 117-111.

After taking a four-point lead into the halftime break, the Kings quickly fell behind in the third period. The regained their momentum with All Star player Isaiah Thomas scoring 17 of his 23 points in the final quarter.

Photos by Ron Nabity

Kings prepare for Vegas Summer League

2010-07-10T04:33:21Z

Now that the LeBron talk has settled, and we know he isn’t coming to Sacramento, we can put all our attention and focus on the young group of guys we’ve got going into next year.

The Kings’ draft selections, DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside, stepped on the court Friday at the Kings practice facility to show the coaching staff what they have. Although Cousins and Whiteside showed in college that they’ve got the athleticism and talent to be drafted by an NBA team, many of the players at the practice facility are trying to prove their worth and find a spot on the Kings' roster.

Even though it isn’t mandatory that they play in the Summer League, Omri Casspi and Donte Greene joined the rookies before they head to Las Vegas.

“I’m a veteran now, so I just try to come out show some leadership,” said Greene. “I could have chosen to work out (during the summer) and not play, but I wanted to come out and show the coaches that I’m ready for the starting job and keep it for the whole season.”

Greene, who was drafted in 2008 by the Houston Rockets, stood out in the Summer League in his rookie season, averaging 22.6 points per game in Las Vegas and finishing the league second in scoring.

Although the players may be fighting for a spot, their performance in Sin City will be scouted by other teams as well. Greene played Summer League ball for Houston but a few months later was traded to Sacramento in a deal with Ron Artest. Last season, shooting guard Wesley Matthews had a spot on the Kings Summer League squad but got substantial minutes from the Utah Jazz during the season.

Casspi, who is petitioning for the same spot as Greene, started working out in Vegas on June 1. Casspi was trying to get bigger. It was obvious how hard he hit the dreaded "rookie wall" last year. How Omri and Greene play in Vegas may determine who will join Tyreke Evans and the rest of the starting five come fall.

Cousins may be another player contending for a starting spot. He was taken in the top five, but the opportunity for the 6-foot-11, 270-pounder to start in October is there. His first test will come Monday, when he goes up against live competition.

“All the talk, all the negative, that’s my fire,” said Cousins. “I think what we’re trying to focus on this year is being a lot tougher and more defensive.”

That mindset is a first for the Sacramento Kings. Adding Evans, Jon Brockman and Casspi in last year’s draft planted the idea that the Kings may become a stronger, meaner team. They drafted tougher and taller with this year’s picks of Cousins and Whiteside.

Both players displayed their ability to use their height, and Cousins, that he could use his weight. He showed everyone that he was the strongest player; he pushed other players around and got to the paint pretty easily.

Cousins also showcased a smooth stroke from 17 feet. Midway through practice, Whiteside exhibited his athleticism and 7-foot-8 arm span, when he pulled the ball from what seemed to be the rafters and dunked it hard. Whiteside did a good job of protecting the rim in drills, blocking shots in one-on-one drills and in the scrimmage.

Assistant Coach Mario Elie led the practice and will be head coach in Las Vegas.

“It was a great day today, we got a great group of kids,” he said after practice Friday morning. “What DeMarcus did was so impressive today with his rebounding, his passing, playing a scrimmage game, telling his coach that he wants the ball down the stretch, making plays. I’m real excited about having him this summer. I’m not saying that everyone else didn’t play well today, but DeMarcus really stood out in my eyes.”

Other players also stood out.

Lee Cummard, a 6-foot-7 guard/forward out of BYU,made a handful of threes in drills. Cummard also stayed a few minutes after the rest of the players went into the locker room, working on free throws.

Sylven Landesburg and Dionte Christmas didn’t play well early on, but looked a lot better in the second half of the morning practice. Landesburg showed an ability to get to the rim, similar to that of Tyreke, while Christmas showed his shooting ability by making a few long-distance jumpers. The chance for one of these players to make the roster is there but it is a spot that won’t come easy.

Ryan Thompson, brother of Kings forward Jason Thompson, was unable to practice because he left Friday morning from Orlando. Thompson is a step ahead of his teammates as he just finished Summer League play in Orlando for the Boston Celtics, where he averaged just over 9 points per game. He is another player who could be that last guard added to the Kings.

“We’ve got a pretty intelligent group. These guys are picking (the offensive and defensive schemes) up very quick. They know what’s at stake," Elie said. "We have roster spots, so they know we’re one of the teams that, if they have a good showing, they may get invited to training camp.”

20-5-and 5 for Evans; Are you happy?

2010-04-13T21:23:18Z

During an NBA season in which the positives for the Kings are more innate than tangible, rookie guard Tyreke Evans Monday night ensured his first professional season statistically will rank among the best in league history.

That it came during a 117-107 defeat by the Houston Rockets and former Kings guard Kevin Martin before a supportive crowd of 14,549 at Arco Arena clearly had become a secondary issue before the game ended.

Most of the fans came to cheer one of the few things enjoyable about the team's 25-56 mark with a season-ending game tonight in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

Evans struggled through fatigue and nerves, but eventually scored 24 points to assure season game averages of 20 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Only two Hall of Famers, Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan, as well as current star LeBron James, have had rookie campaigns as statistically strong as Evans.

The 6-foot-6 Evans entered the game needing 24 points to clinch the achievement - and scored 22 in the first half.

However, Evans missed nine straight field-goal attempts spanning the end of the second quarter through the early fourth before he made two free-throws with 6:46 left in the final quarter.

The crowd sighed, oohed and aahed every time Evans attempted a shot and exhaled disappointedly as the 220-pound rookie continued to miss shots withing five feet of the hoop.

The Kings front-office for months over-dramatized and promoted Evans quest for the statistical feat, but by the middle of the third quarter, it turned into an ordeal Evans couldn't wait to shed.

"Man, I was so tired, I couldn't make a lay-up," Evans said, still gasping for air 35 minutes after the game. "I'm so glad to get over that. It was hard. That was the hardest bucket I have ever had to score in my life. Coming into the game, I know everyone wanted me to break the record at home in front of my family and my friends.

"Trying to get that last bucket, it seemed like nothing would fall for me. I told the coach to take me out (in the third quarter), then put me back in."

Evans left the game with 3:43 remaining in the third and returned with 9:30 left in the fourth.

While he struggled during a scoreless third, the Kings were outscored, 26-18, and clearly this was not your average game.

Martin, in his first game at Arco since being traded to Houston Feb. 17, scored 37 of his 39 points during the first three quarters and received huge help from Trevor Ariza, who, in addition to playing solid defense on Evans, scored 19 of his 29 points in the second half.

Kings coach Paul Westphal admitted Evans attempting to reach the 24-point mark became a distraction, but also provided a bit of perspective about the achievement.

"There wasn't much defense being played out there (Monday night)," the coach said after his team's final home game of the season.

"There's no doubt about that. In fact, I do think that the accomplishment of Tyreke, even though it was a distraction to this individual game, can't be diminished when you look at the totality of this season.

"To be mentioned statistically, in the same breath as Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and LeBron James is a phenomenal thing."

In other news overshadowed by Evans' feat, the Kings picked up the option on Westphal's contract for the 2011-12 season.

TWO STORIES: TYREKE & KINGS MAKE HISTORY

2010-04-13T18:27:42Z

Tyreke Joins the Elite

Prior to the game, the conversational topic of choice was Tyreke's chase of the 20-5-5 title. (That is, he was on track to join Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Oscar Robertson as the only players ever to average at least 20 points/5 rebounds/5 assists per game in their rookie season.) He had already garnered enough rebounds and assists to guarantee the necessary minimum, so the remaining suspense was to score 24 more points before completing the trifecta.

We all hoped he would do it tonight, but no one had given any thought to his doing it before halftime. Yet, the first half played out more like a Hollywood script than an actual game.

There was Kevin Martin, returning to Sacramento for the first time since his trade to Houston. His loud and warm reception during introductions (a standing ovation for many) was infectious. Martin responded with 26 points in the amazing half, 39 for the game. Even Paul Westphal later admitted that, in conflict with his duties as Kings coach, his heart was happy for KMart.

There was Carl Landry, facing his own former mates for the first time on his new turf. As with Martin, the affectionate embraces with his ex-comrades added a poignant touch as the game was about to start. Landry responded with 13 points in that magical first half.

Martin and Landry warmed the heart, but it was Evans who made the heart flutter. With 3:27 left in the first half, he scored his 20th point, and the tension became palpable throughout Arco Arena. Only 4 points left, he’s racking up almost a point a minute, and 20-5-5 by half time became a realistic possibility.

At 3:06, Evans missed a jump shot, and the crowd groaned. At 2:01, he traveled, and the crowd booed (the refs). At 1:15, he sank two free throws, now needing just one more basket. He missed a jump shot, a lay-up, a jump shot. The half ended without the historic achievement, but with the Kings leading 67-62.

The wait became tormenting. As the second half progressed, the anticipation became a roar every time Evans touched the ball. The anxiety continued, as he missed four more shots, was taken out of the game to settle down, returned to the action at 9:30 of the final quarter, missed again, and then was fouled on a drive to the bucket at 6:46.

Oh, it would have been so much easier and quicker had he simply sunk a basket, rather than have to endure the extended torture of free throws. But with the crowd standing and cheering, Evans, his emotionless face masking a racing heart, rattled in the first, swished the second, and made history. He later confided to me that he couldn’t remember being more nervous than when he stood at the line.

The Kings never really recovered from that stretch of distraction, and went on to lose the game. For fuller coverage and additional insights into Tyreke's accomplishment, see Rob Small’s article. For a more detailed analysis of the entire game, see Marty McNeal’s column.

A SacPress Scoop!
Kings Make History

Unfortunately, I cannot confirm this. No statistics are kept on what you are about to read. But, after speaking with players, fans, and Coach Westphal, I am convinced that this never happened before.

It was earlier in the season last year. I believe it was November 7 against Utah, but I’m too old to trust my memory on the exact game. Coach Westphal matched Sergio Rodriguez (Spain) with Beno Udrich (Slovenia) at the guard position. Omri Casspi (Israel) and Andres Nocioni (Argentina) were at forward. Playing center was Spencer Hawes from a place called America. And, for the first time that anyone could remember, one NBA team was represented by five players from five different countries! You read it here first, at SacramentoPress.com.

Tyreke Tuesdays: Evans is still learning the game

2010-03-09T06:30:39Z

With four games played in March, Sacramento Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans is still producing, despite his team losing three of the last four games to playoff-bound teams.

Evans put up 17.5 points, 4.75 rebounds, 5.75 assists and 1.75 steals per game since March 2.

He had had a team-high 27 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that has the sixth-best record in the Western Conference. The Thunder's defense tightened up late in the game, securing a 113-107 home win over the Kings.

Oklahoma City's top two players, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, combined for 69 points.

The next night, the Kings were in Houston to play the Rockets in the second game of a back-to-back set.

Evans had nine points, eight rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block in an 84-81 win over the Houston Rockets. Shane Battier, one of the league's premier defensive players, defended Evans very well. Battier had a career-high seven blocks, blocking four of Evans' shots. Evans' 18.2 percent shooting that game was the worst of his rookie season.

Both teams had forgettable shooting nights. The Kings shot 32 percent from the field while the Rockets shot 39 percent. Carl Landry, playing his first game at Houston since being traded from the Rockets, had 22 points and 10 rebounds.

Evans had 20 points (nine in the fourth quarter) and six assists against the Dallas Mavericks, helping to cut a 15-point deficit to two points. Unfortunately, he had a crucial turnover before the Mavericks went on a 6-0 run to close out the game 108-100, winning its 10th-straight game.

Returning home to Sacramento, Evans had 24 points, four rebounds, seven assists and three steals in a 108-102 loss to the Thunder, which was similar to the loss in Dallas.

The road doesn't get that much easier for Evans. He will face three-time all-star for the Portland Trail Blazers Brandon Roy tonight at Portland and at home on Friday. After his second game against Roy a week from now, he'll face Kobe Bryant when the Los Angeles Lakers visit next Tuesday.

The RekeROY Rally, Evans' rally for NBA Rookie of the Year, will take place at ARCO Arena when the Toronto Raptors come in Wednesday night and the Minnesota Timberwolves will visit on Sunday.

Evans has shown this week that he makes mistakes like any other rookie. He's only 20 years old, and he'll still be learning to be a point guard, one of the most difficult positions in the NBA. It was a little more than a year ago when Memphis Tigers Head Coach John Calipari switched Evans to the point guard position after playing shooting guard.

He's shown that he can be a go-to player when a big shot is needed on more than one occasion – most recently against the Utah Jazz. He's also shown all season that he can be an all-around player for many years to come with superstar potential.

He's on pace to finish with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. The only other rookies who have finished with those numbers are LeBron James and hall-of-famers Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson.

By learning from the mistakes he makes, he'll make strides to propel the Kings to success in the future.

Tyreke Tuesdays: Late-game heroics highlight Evans' week

2010-03-02T06:54:49Z

Finishing out the month of February, rookie guard Tyreke Evans led the new-look Sacramento Kings to two straight wins against the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers.

He averaged 24.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.3 steals, leading the team to a 2-1 record for the week.

Although he scored 28 points and 13 assists with only two turnovers, the Kings were embarrassed by the Detroit Pistons at home, losing 101-89.

Although the Kings were down by as many as 30 points late in the third quarter, Evans scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to cut into the lead.

The team found out that it lost starting big man Jason Thompson to a back injury until mid-March.

The Kings took an entirely new identity when the Jazz came into town. Beno Udrih was inserted into the lineup, replacing Donté Greene. He and Evans would form a backcourt tandem in a highly competitive game.

Evans posted 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in an uplifting win against an elite team, beating the Jazz 103-99. He had a spectacular crossover dribble near the end of the game against all-star guard Deron Williams to seal the game.

Udrih worked well beside Evans, scoring 25 points and dishing four assists.

Two nights later, the Kings looked to even the season series against a Clippers team that had beat eight days earlier. Evans scored 22 points and notched five rebounds in the game, but he scored two crucial baskets to help the Kings stop the Clippers' rally, winning by a score of 97-92.

For the month of February, Evans has averaged 20.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, seven assists and 1.4 steals per game. It is his best statistical month of his rookie season, despite the Kings winning only four games last month.

Evans also disproved any belief that he can't be a point guard in the NBA. His feat of seven assists per game was ranked No. 12 in the month of February, beating out the Orlando Magic's Jameer Nelson and the Denver Nuggets' Chauncey Billups. Both players have been all-star point guards.

Now, Evans will face the Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook, Houston Rockets' Kevin Martin and Dallas Mavericks' new addition Caron Butler, on the upcoming road trip. The team will face the Thunder again when it returns home.

Each team is jockeying for position in the western conference playoff race.

Tyreke Tuesdays: Evans shines despite Kings' woes

2010-02-23T23:25:12Z

Despite the Sacramento Kings going 0-4 since the All-Star break, Tyreke Evans is performing consistently.

The rookie guard from the University of Memphis averaged 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and one steal per game since the break. For the week, his shooting percentage was 51.9 percent.

Evans is ranked first among rookies playing 36.9 minutes per game and is No. 24 in the NBA The year before at Memphis he was playing 29 minutes per game.

Having extended playing time isn't the only change Evans has encountered since joining the Kings. His body has taken a beating with injuries as well.

He's fought with a nagging ankle injury throughout the season and suffered a hard fall on his chest, sprained his finger and a hip injury more recently. So far, he's only missed five games and despite the injuries, has been the best rookie this season.

Evans outperformed Boston Celtics All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo with a near triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists - all that in 41 minutes, but the Kings still lost, 95-92.

The next night the Kings traveled to Oakland to play against the Golden State Warriors. Evans posted 17 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals, but the Kings were blown out, losing 130-98.

After the game, Evans' teammates Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong were traded to the Houston Rockets and Sergio Rodriguez was traded to the New York Knicks, just hours before the trade deadline.

In return, the Kings received Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey from the Houston Rockets, Larry Hughes from the New York Knicks and Dominic McGuire from the Washington Wizards. Kings forward Kenny Thomas was waived soon after, while Hughes remains on the east coast to rehabilitate his fractured left hand.

After the trade, the new-look Kings team traveled to Los Angeles to play the L.A. Clippers on Saturday for another back-to-back game.

Evans helped the Kings go on a 30-19 run in the second half to bring the team within five points of the Clippers. He scored 11 of his 21 points during that run and logged 40 minutes, but the Kings came up short again, losing 99-89.

The next night against the Phoenix Suns in Phoenix, Evans finished with 16 points and 6 assists, but all-star point guard Steve Nash was too much as he dished out 17 assists in the Suns' 104-88 win.

The Kings finished the road trip with a 18-38 win-loss record and Evans averaged four turnovers per game.

The team will have time to mesh with its new players with the next three games at home. They'll take on the Detroit Pistons today, followed by the Utah Jazz and the Clippers.

Tyreke Tuesdays: Evans, Casspi have an all-star weekend

2010-02-16T23:19:24Z

Sacramento Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans led the Rookies team to its first win in eight years, beating the Sophomores 140-128 on Feb. 12.

Evans earned the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge Most Valuable Player award, posting 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals.

Although fans voted Evans as the MVP, he didn't want to keep it for himself.

Evans shared the spotlight with San Antonio Spurs rookie big man DeJuan Blair, who finished with 22 points, a game-high 23 rebounds and 4 assists.

"I think we did a good job of getting the ball and pushing it," Evans said after the game. "But DeJuan Blair set the tone. He got the points and he got the rebounds. I'm (going to) share this MVP with him."

Oklahoma City Thunder sophomore guard Russell Westbrook scored a game-high 40 points to go with 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Kings rookie swingman Omri Casspi finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal.

The competitions for Evans and Casspi continued to Saturday.

Evans participated in the Haier Shooting Stars competition as part of Team Sacramento.

He, along with former Kings player Chris Webber and New York Liberty forward Nicole Powell (former Monarchs player), eliminated Team Atlanta from the competition by one second.

Team Texas, which also had former Kings player Kenny Smith, knocked Team Sacramento out of the competition in the same round and went on to beat Team Los Angeles in the final round.

Casspi competed in a H.O.R.S.E game against Oklahoma City Thunder forward and reigning champion Kevin Durant and Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo.

Casspi was the first to be eliminated as Durant won the title.