by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings went into Cleveland looking for their first win of the shortened three game road trip. They did not get the win as the Cavaliers beat the Kings 101-90. For Cleveland (28-20), it was their ninth consecutive win. For Sacramento (16-29), it was their eighth consecutive loss.

Earlier in the day, it appeared that Cleveland would have to play without LeBron James who was nursing an injured right wrist. James was able to start the game but was obviously not playing at 100-percent. Even playing hurt, James was able to put up 19 points to go with three rebounds, seven assists, four steals and two blocked shots in 33 minutes of playing time.

The game opened with James creating a turnover and then going coast-to-coast for the first score of the contest.

The Kings were victimized by another stellar performance in a single quarter. This time it was Kevin Love who scored 16 points in the opening period on just nine shots. Love went for seven for nine from the field and two for three from beyond the 3-Point line. He finished the game with a double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds).

“It was like we were a step slow. They were aggressive,” said Kings Head Coach Tyrone Corbin. “They were doubling DeMarcus in the post early. We got a little impatient at times … turned the ball over. We never got a good rhythm offensively.”

The Kings turned the ball over 16 times allowing 18 points off of those miscues. As a team, Sacramento tallied only 15 assists. With that kind of assist to turnover ratio, a team cannot expect to record wins in the NBA.

Sacramento shot just 35.7-percent (30 for 84) from the floor. They were a pitiful three for 18 (16.7-percent) from beyond the 3-Point arc.

Newly minted All-Star DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings scoring with 21 points and 13 rebounds – his 27th double-double of the season. Rudy Gay put up 20 points, Darren Collison (11 points) and Ben McLemore (6 points) both had very quiet scoring nights. Omri Casspi led the scoring off the bench with 15 points against his former team.

Tyrone Corbin emptied his bench with 7:27 to go in the game. That unit made up of Ryan Hollins, Quincy Miller, Nik Stauskas, Ray McCallum and Casspi surprised the Cavs second unit closing the scoring gap and forcing Irving and James to reenter the contest to stop the Kings run.

“I thought that group at the end played with a lot of energy to give us a chance,” said Corbin of his substitutes.

The Cavaliers shot 47.5-percent (38 for 80) from the field and were 11 for 31 (35.5-percent) from 3-Point land. Cleveland did struggle from the free throw line going 14 for 24 (63.6-percent).

After the game, DeMarcus Cousins told reporters his team is having trouble adjusting to the pace of play. “Guys are lost,” said Cousins.

The Kings flew to Indianapolis after the game where they will play the Pacers on Saturday night. Cleveland will play Minnesota in Minneapolis tomorrow evening.

From the Notebook

DeMarcus Cousins was named to the Western Conference All-Star team by Commissioner Adam Silver. Cousins replaces the injured Kobe Bryant on the roster.

The Kings have signed forward Quincy Miller to a second 10 day contract. Miller comes to Sacramento from their D-League affiliate in Reno.