Tyreke Evans is the 2010 T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Year, a very different award than when Kings Vice President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie and coach Paul Westphal played in the '70s. "It was the can and string Rookie of the Year when we played," Westphal said. Yes, the world is different. The basketball world is different, but the game remains very much the same.  Petrie actually won the award (sharing it in 1970 with Boston's Dave Cowens) when there was no marketing arm attached to such things. Both Petrie and Cowens progressed to have solid NBA careers, although Petrie's career was cut short by knee problems. The level of hype with winning the award then is nothing like i

 It's Tuesday, April 27 and I don't know if Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans has been voted the 2009-10 Rookie of the Year. And I don't care. The announcement likely will come within the next few days. And then what? The state is no longer bankrupt? Thieves no longer will steal? The Kings no longer finished with 25 victories in 82 games? I don't think so. It's an individual award in a team game. It's so so-what. Yes, Tyreke Evans deserves the Rookie of the Year in my opinion. He's a bad boy who will turn 21 Sept. 19. That means he'll likely improve immeasurably over the next few years. So check him out four years from now when he matures into a 25-year old man. Imagine this young fella

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 average

The Dallas Mavericks began Saturday night's game with the ultimate mismatch in high-scoring 7-foot forward Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki scored what looked like an easy 39 points to befuddle the Kings during a 126-108 victory before a crowd of 15,247 at Arco Arena. The Kings rarely showed an ability to slow the Mavericks (53-27) offensively. Dallas' offense was orchestrated magnificently by maestro Jason Kidd, who earned his 105th career triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. Dallas jumped out to a 17-point lead in the first quarter to seize control of the game. Only briefly during the second quarter did the Kings show any sign of being able to compete. Sacramento (25-55)

It was Bobby Jackson night at Arco Arena, but that celebration wasn't enough to distract Manu Ginobili and the San Antonio Spurs. Ginobili struggled through three quarters and then scored 11 points during a five-minute fourth-quarter spurt to lead the Spurs to a 95-86 victory before a crowd of 11,732. The defeat was Sacramento's eight straight and fifth consecutive at home. Once again, the Kings (24-54) played well until the game was up for grabs. The score was tied at 79-79 midway through the fourth quarter until the Spurs ran off 12 straight points to take control of the game. Ginobili, who entered the fourth quarter having made one of six field-goal attempts and with just five points