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 we

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

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 goa

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

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

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,

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 dou

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

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.”

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 po

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 Powe

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 Joh

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 t

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

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 Portl

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

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 ca

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 vari

At the 2011 NBA draft, Commissioner David Stern came to the microphone, during the ESPN televised event, to announce the 7th overall pick of the draft. Stern said, “With the 7th pick in the 2000 and 11 draft, the Sacramento Kings select Bizmac Binbo from the Democratic Republic of Congo.” The crowd reaction at Hacienda Del Rio in Folsom was mixed. Thursday night Hacienda restaurant on Sutter Street in Folsom hosted an NBA Draft viewing party. Before the draft Sacramento, Charlotte and Milwaukee had maneuvered a 3 team trade that many fans at the restaurant were not aware of. Here’s a summary of the pre-draft trade. The Charlotte Bobcats received the 7th (from the Kings) overall pick and