Author: Michael Martinez

Kings defeat Mavs, 112-98, thanks to Big 3

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by Michael Martinez

picture credit Google Images

SACRAMENTO- DeMarcus Cousins was listed as probable for the Kings heading into tonight’s ball game and as he started to warm up with the team, everyone seemed relieved. Averaging 27.9 points per game with 11.2 rebounds, Cousins presence was felt especially when the Kings needed him most. Rudy Gay also played well, as he did a good job of scoring the ball while Rajon Rondo seemed to get his redemption. After a fall out with the Mavs, Rondo looked to continue his tremendous play against his former team. The Kings (6-12) ball movement, defense and clutch shooting at the end of the game helped get them the 112-98 victory over the Mavericks at Sleep Train Arena.

When coach Rick Carlise was asked about Rondo he said “Rondo is having a great year like I expected. Anybody that knows him expected that.”

As the Kings started off the 1st quarter, DeMarcus Cousins got off to a bit of a slow start as he tried to shake off a little rust. Big Cous finished the quarter with 7 points on 3-7 shooting. The Kings first field goal came from Rajon Rondo who hit a 3 pointer. In the 1st, the Kings took 10 shots from behind the arc while only making 3 of those. For the quarter they shot 40%, 10-25 shooting. Rondo’s jumper looked solid, he went 3-6 from the field including a couple of 3 pointers to total 8 points. The Mavericks whole team did a good job of scoring with Chandler Parsons scoring a team high 7 points in the quarter, 2-4 from the field. Deron Williams was very impressive distributing the ball and getting good looks for his team. The Mavs shot very well, 61.1% from the field. The Mavs also got to the line 8 times, making 6 shots from the charity stripe while the Kings only got to the line once. As the Kings kept the game close, 25-23 late in the 1st, the Mavs finished the quarter on a 7-0 run which was capped off with Parsons making a 3 pointer with seconds left in the quarter. The Mavs led the Kings 32-23 at the end of the 1st.

With the 2nd quarter underway, the Mavs continued their run, 11-0 until Darren Collison got to the free throw line. Collison started attacking the hoop and getting to the line where he went 4-4 to stop the Mavs run. After a slow 1st quarter start, Rudy Gay found his rhythm in the Kings offense. Gay was able to score 8 points in the quarter for a total of 10 in the half. In the 2nd, Gay went 4-5 from the field, 5-8 for the half, adding a couple rebounds. Seth Curry checked in for the Kings early in the quarter and it paid dividends. Curry went 2-2 from 3 point range and added a pair of free throws, totaling 8 points for the quarter and the half. The Kings shooting was much improved, 58.8% in the quarter and 47.6% in two quarters of play. Rondo wound up with 10 points in the quarter and Hack-a-Rondo was in full effect, which paid off for the Mavs. Rondo went 2-6 in the quarter. The Kings defense slowed down the Mavs a bit as they shot 43.5%. Zaza Pachulia and DeMarcus Cousins were the top scorers of the half with 11 points. The Kings 3 point shot still struggled, 3-9 in the second alone and 6-19 for the half. The Kings also got a little careless with the ball totaling 10 turnovers to the Mavs 8. The Mavs were able to take the lead heading into the locker room, 58-54, however the Kings scored 18 points in the paint and played better defense to help boost their confidence.

When asked about the opportunity he was given, Curry said “It’s kind of what I’ve been waiting on – an opportunity to play some meaningful minutes, try to give us a little energy boost.”

Curry did just that for the Kings.

Down by 4 heading into the 3rd quarter, the Kings looked to keep their momentum going. Gay scored the first field goal for the Kings, hitting a 3 pointer. Cousins tried to do a bit too much on the offensive end and he went 0-3 from 3 point range, 1-7 in 3 quarters from 3 and 0-5 from the field in the 3rd. His 4 points for the quarter came from the foul line and both teams really had no offense whatsoever. After getting off to a hot start, the Mavs completely cooled down. Both teams shot atrociously and the Kings did do a much better job on the defensive end, but nonetheless neither team could buy a bucket. With that being said, the Kings caused the Mavs to turn the ball over 7 times. The Kings shot just 25%, 5-20 from the field, on the quarter and the Mavs shot 22.7%, 5-22. The Kings did a tremendous job of getting to the line, as 11 points came from the line on 18 attempts. The Mavs reverted to Hack-a-Rondo yet again, who went 2-4 from the line and totaled 6 points.. With the Kings doing a better job defensively, the Mavs scored a measly 13 points to the Kings 22. Dirk Nowitzki was the Mavs leading scorer in the quarter, with 6 points. With the third quarter in the books, the Kings took the lead 76-71.

Going into the 4th quarter with a lead, the Kings knew they had to pull out all the stops to finish the game strong. Cousins proved why he is an All Star center and so important to the Kings on both ends of the court. In the 4th, Cousins put up 16 points, 5-9 shooting, and made his presence felt in the paint. Cousins was able to go 6-6 from the free throw line and the Kings had 16 points in the paint, totaling 38 points in the paint on the night. Darren Collison also had a good 4th, adding 7 points in the quarter for a total of 15 on the night. Collison gave the Kings some great hustle and energy as he played the whole fourth quarter. The Kings took a 10-point lead with about 7 minutes remaining and never looked back. The defense was not quite there for the Kings, but the offense clicked and with a shooting percentage of 64.7%, the Mavs had no chance. As the Mavs used Hack-a-Rondo for a 3rd time, the strategy was halted when Rondo went 3-4 from the foul line. The Kings biggest lead of the game came in the fourth, when the Kings went up by 16, and finished the game up by 14. The final score, 112-98, led to a much needed Kings victory.

“Cousins is super skilled, he’s got basketball skills all over the place,” said  Coach George Karl when asked about Cousins and his 3 day lay off.

The Kings finished the night shooting 45.6% from the field while shooting 29% from 3 point range. The long ball was not there for the Kings, but the team went back to scoring in the paint, something they have done well all season. The big 3 stepped up tremendously as Cousins finished with 31 points, 10-24 from the field, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Cousins did go just 1-8 from 3 point range, which makes his shooting look a little worse than it really was. Gay finished the game with 20 points, 7-12 on field goals, while adding 7 rebounds. Rondo, not known for his scoring, added 21 points with 5 assists and 3 rebounds. Collision scored 15, Omri Casspi scored 10 and Curry finished with his 8 points from the 1st half. The Kings turned the ball over just 13 times and their 4th quarter play really put them over the top. This win should give the Kings a lot of momentum, beating a Dallas team who has struggled but came in as the 4th best team in the West.

The Kings will be heading to Mexico City to take on the Boston Celtics on Thursday, December 3rd, and all the momentum from this game will hopefully carry over with Isaiah Thomas getting ready to take on his former team.

No Boogie, No Problem as Kings defeat Bucks,129-118

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by Michael Martinez

photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

SACRAMENTO- For the 6th time this season, the Kings had to play without their All Star big man, Demarcus Cousins, who sat out with a lower back strain. Prior to tonight’s game, the Kings were 0-5 with Cousins and 11-39 in the 50 games Cousins has not suited up. Nonetheless, the Kings were able to put together an offensive showcase with smart, quick ball movement while shooting at a high percentage. Although all the Kings starters played well, namely Rudy Gay and Rajon Rondo, the bench made a large impact. The Kings (5-10) win over the Bucks (6-8), 129-118, was an overall team win and a huge boost of confidence to pick up the victory without one of their team leaders in Milwaukee at the Bradley Center.

The 1st quarter was an offensive flurry for both teams and Gay started off the game hot, which would continue for most of the game. Gay made the Kings first 6 points and finished the quarter with 14 points, going 6-7 from the field and adding 2 boards. The Kings started getting the ball moving early on and pushing the ball towards the hoop. The team had 26 points in the paint in the 1st quarter and Rondo’s 7 assists in the quarter helped the Kings on the offensive end and he totaled 6 points as well. The whole team did a good job of getting it inside especially to Kosta Koufos who had 8 points in the 1st. The Kings shot the ball at an incredible 77.3% in the first although their defense was not the best especially their transition defense. The 1st was very back and forth with little turnovers, but the Kings closed the quarter on a 14-7 run to take the leader, 40-33, heading into the 2nd quarter.

The Kings offense and lights out shooting slowed down  in the 2nd quarter, however the bench started to step up big. Omri Casspi shot the ball well and attacked the hoop. He was able to get to the line on 2 occasions, going 3-4 from the charity stripe, while shooting 2-3 from the field. Marco Belinelli put up 7 points in the quarter and although his 3 point shot was not quite there, he was able to still find some offensive rhythm. While Rondo got some well deserved rest throughout the 2nd, Darren Collison kept the ball moving with 3 assists in the 2nd and totaling 6 points on 2-3 shooting. The Bucks bench also did a good job of scoring and making the Kings defense work. The Bucks outscored the Kings, 33-29, and had a slightly higher shooting percentage, 52.4%-50%. George Karl picked up a technical foul in the quarter, but the Bucks missed the free shot. To end the quarter, Gay drove to the hoop and made a nice lay up, which was answered by Jarryd Bayless with a buzzer beating 3 pointer. The Kings still led heading into the locker room, 69-66, even after being out rebounded 22-17 especially on the offensive end, which allowed the Bucks to get 2nd chance opportunities.

Coming into the 2nd half, both teams picked up where they left off. The action was once again back and forth with Gay making it look easy. The 3rd quarter for the Kings was a huge team effort as they did a good job of finding the open man throughout the 3rd and the entire game. None of the Kings players put up double digits in the quarter, but everyone who played in the quarter scored. Gay continued his hot shooting, 3-6 in the quarter, with 6 points. The 3rd ended and Gay had 26 points, while Casspi and Belinelli had 14 points each. Casspi and Belinelli’s bench play helped the Kings stay ahead throughout and Rondo kept pushing the ball up court, adding 4 more assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo showed up in the 3rd quarter where he scored 10 points, 3-5 from the field. Khris Middleton did a good job of scoring, with 8 in the quarter and 15 at the end of the 3rd. Luckily for the Kings, Middleton got into early foul trouble in the quarter and the Bucks slowed down a little bit. As the clock was winding down, Belinelli was able to hit a buzzer beater from behind the arc to give the Kings the 96-92 lead at the end of the 3rd.

The Kings did a better job on the defensive end against the Bucks, while Gay’s stroke was still smooth as butter. Gay was able to get to the line and was flagrantly fouled early on, by John Henson as he attacked the hoop. Gay put up 10 points in the 4th quarter, which was matched by Darren Collison. Collision continued the theme of solid bench play in the 4th quarter with his hustle and dribbling ability helping him get to the basket. The Kings started to pull away from the Bucks towards the end of the 4th as they did a good job with their help defense and getting stops on that end of the court. The Kings held their biggest lead of the game, 12, in the quarter. Frustration poured over for the Bucks as Michael Carter-Williams picked  up a technical. That would not be the only tech, as the Bucks head coach Jason Kidd got furious over not getting foul calls. Kidd approached referee Zach Zarba, giving him an earful and swiped the ball out of Zarba’s hand. Kidd was immediately ejected from the game and had to be held back, leaving the court to a standing ovation from Bucks’ fans. The Kings’ offense was just too much for the Bucks and the Kings were able to get just enough stops to pull out the win, 129-118.

Without Cousins, who is averaging 27.9 points a game according to ESPN.com, the Kings needed players to step up on the offensive end. Overall, the Kings did just that with the whole team playing well. Although their defense is not quite where it needs to be, their 57.1 shooting percentage, 42 rebounds and 23 assists was just enough. Gay had a game high 36 points, 13-21, while Rondo was one rebound shy of yet another triple double. Rondo finished with 10 points, 9 rebounds, 13 assists as he continues to pass the ball on an incredible level. Rondo’s vision and patience allow him to see the play he wants to make ahead of time. Koufos benefitted from Rondo’s passing ability, totaling 14 points. Casspi scored 19 points and grabbed 7 boards, 6-9 on field goals. Belinelli posted 18 points, 5-10 from the field, 3-7 from downtown. Collision put up 18 points as well and finished with 3 assists. Those 3 were the only Kings bench players, but helped the bench total 55 points.

After a great team win, the Kings are now 6-10 and will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at home. Picking up their 2nd road win on the season, the Kings look to continue their hot shooting and hopefully can start causing more disturbance on defense as last year’s Rookie of the Year, Andrew Wiggins, and rookie Karl Anthony-Towns head to Sacramento.

Kings’ defense leads to loss, 116-109, in offensive shootout against Heat

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by: Michael Martinez

picture credit Google Images

SACRAMENTO-  Coming off a tough loss against the Hawks the night before, the Sacramento Kings (4-8) looked to continue their solid play against the Miami Heat (6-4). After notching another triple-double against the Hawks, his 4th of the season, Rajon Rondo looked to carry the Kings who were without Demarcus Cousins due to a 1 game after a hitting Al Horford in the face with a forearm. Rondo did all he could to lead the Kings and was one rebound shy of another triple-double, but the Kings lack of defensive effort and carelessness with the ball on the offensive end (18 turnovers) cost them the game. The Kings lost to the Heat, 116-109, in Miami at American Airlines Arena.

As the game got underway, the Heat got off to a slow start, while the Kings began to score points in the paint, per usual. As the quarter progressed, Heat big man Hassan Whiteside picked up 2 fouls within 4 minutes, forcing Amar’e Stoudemire to come in. The Kings had no answer for Stoudemire, who put up 10 points in the 1st quarter, shooting 4-5 from the field. The 1st quarter had little offense, but the Heat went on an 8-3 run and a 9-2 run later in the quarter, which gave them the lead. The Kings best offensive player was Rudy Gay who scored 7 points, 3-6, while adding 3 rebounds. Rondo did a good job of pushing the ball into the paint with 4 assists and kicking the ball out to Marco Belinelli who scored 6 points, 2-3 from behind the arc. The Kings collectively shot 52.9%, 9-17, with 10 points in the paint, however with the Heat ending the quarter on a run, they led 25-21 to end the 1st quarter.

Starting off the 2nd quarter, the Heat continued their run from the 1st quarter, making it a 14-2 run. Willie Cauley-Stein had a big block on the Heat rookie Justise Winslow and Belinelli stopped the run after he was fouled behind the 3 point line, sinking all 3 shots from the charity stripe. The Kings were able to flip the script and go on a 8-2 run, however their defense looked slow and lackluster. The Kings allowed the Heat to get into the paint much too often, 20 points in the paint in the 2nd quarter alone and 30 points for the half. Cousins’ presence as a big body in the paint was definitely missed throughout the night. On the offensive end, the Kings scored a little more, however their shooting percentage lowered. Ben McLemore put up 5 points on 2-4 shooting, with a field goal from behind the arc, finishing the game with 17 points on 7-12 shooting. Dwayne Wade was also an issue for the Kings by putting up 9 points in the 2nd quarter alone, 6-12 FG and 13 points for the half. Gay finished with 11 points to end the first half, 5-10 shooting, adding 8 rebounds. With the Heat’s offense getting easy buckets, they continued to hold their lead 56-46 going into the locker room.

The Kings looked to come out of the locker room with a vengeance as they went on a 15-4 scoring run, including the end of the 2nd quarter. After the Heat had seen enough, they wound up going on a run of their own. Whiteside brought unmatched energy and his blocking ability was unreal throughout the 3rd. Dwayne Wade started right where he left off and his shot looked really good. Rondo looked to help the Kings as he distributed the ball extremely well in the paint, especially to Cauley-Stein. Even though the Kings began to falter, Rondo’s play was keeping them in the game as he scored his first points of the quarter in the 3rd. Rondo only scored 4 points in the quarter, but notched 8 assists in the quarter alone. McLemore and Cauley-Stein benefitted from this, both scoring 7 points in the 3rd. The Kings were able to stick around by shooting 61.9% from the field, 66.7% from behind the arc in the 3rd alone, and shooting over 50% for the game. The Heat kept their lead, however, up 82-76 heading in the final 12 minutes of play.

The 4th quarter for the Kings was a lot of clawing and scratching, although at first the Kings let the Heat go up by 16 at one point. The defense was doing a terrible job of keeping defenders in front of them and keeping a hand in shooters’ faces at all times. The momentary lapses on defense crushed the Kings even though they started to come back. Rondo was a huge part of this by adding 10 points in the 4th, with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Rondo’s vision allowed him to get open looks for Belinelli who put up 10 in the 4th as well. Belinelli finished the game with a team high 23 points, shooting 5-11 from the field, 5-10 from 3 point range. Although the Kings tried to fight their way back into the game, Chris Bosh had himself a solid 4th. Bosh put up 13 points in the 4th, 23 for the game on 8-12 shooting and 11 rebounds to give himself a double-double. Wade finished with a game high 24 points. The Kings and Heat had a back and forth shootout, where both sides kept making three pointers. The Kings comeback attempt was hindered when Gay left early with a left shoulder strain. Rondo’s overall play, 14 points, the NBA’s season best 18 assists, and 9 rebounds was just not enough to get the victory. The absence of defensive stops gave the Heat the win over the Kings, 116-109.

After dropping their 2nd straight game in back to back night’s, the Kings are now 4-9 on the season. Minus Cousins and losing Gay in a close game hurt the Kings chances of defeating Miami. The loss is not one to dwell on completely as Rondo continues to play at an extremely high level and the Kings’ shooting percentage was 51.2% for the game, in part to Belinelli and McLemore’s shooting. With a slow start to the season. McLemore’s confidence looks much higher than it once was. The Kings will take on the Orlando Magic this Saturday and to get their first road win, they will have to take care of the ball and play much better defense.

 

 

Spurs hand Kings 6th straight loss, 106-88, after Sacrameto’s 4th quarter meltdown

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by Michael Martinez

picture credit Google Images

SACRAMENTO- On a night where the Kings celebrated women in sports, especially with Becky Hammon and Nancy Lieberman being the first opposing women coaches in NBA history to square off, the Kings looked to end their losing woes. Against one of the deepest teams in the NBA, the Kings knew they would have their hands full. While the Sacramento Kings continue to search for a way to stop their opponents on the defensive end, the San Antonio Spurs capitalized with offensive runs. As the Kings stuck around with the Spurs for the first 3 quarters, they collapsed on every end of the floor in the 4th, even with All Star Demarcus Cousins back in the lineup. Every ounce of hope the Kings had prior to the 4th quarter, was quickly lost when the Spurs outscored, out hustled and out played the Kings in all aspects of the game. The Spurs handed the Kings their 6th straight loss at Sleep Train Arena, defeating the Kings 106-88.

The Kings got their offense going in the 1st with a nice fast break push where Rudy Gay assisted Demarcus Cousins for a big jam. The 1st quarter was more about defense and the team’s willingness to hustle and put forth their best effort. The Kings held the Spurs to a shooting percentage of 37.5% from the field, 9-24. The Kings made sure to pressure the Spurs’ ball handlers at all times and kept a hand in their face. The team also did well crashing the glass, finishing the quarter with 15 rebounds. Most importantly, the Kings pushed the ball and had 14 points in the paint. As they pushed the ball around the perimeter, the team did a good job of getting the ball close to the hoop for easy looks. Cousins struggled early on, but finished the quarter with 8 points, shooting 3-8 from the field, adding 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Rajon Rondo matched Cousins with 8 points as well, shooting 4-4 from the field. Rondo’s jumper looked solid in the first quarter, which was important with Darren Collison inactive. Rondo played the whole quarter and with his efforts, the Kings held a lead over the Spurs 24-23 to end the 1st.

After a great 1st quarter, the Kings hoped to bring the same defensive effort to the 2nd quarter. Both teams started off slow, but Rondo quickly helped the Kings out with his passing ability. Rondo has great vision and he did a nice job of seeing Marco Belinelli coming off screens and anticipating when he would be open. The combination of the two helped the Kings score early on, but when Belinelli started missing the mark, the offense slowed down big time. As the offense slowed, the defensive end began to allow the Spurs to score and the Spurs went on an 8-0 run in the middle of the 2nd. Ben McLemore ended the run by driving to the hoop and scoring on a lay-up. The big blow to the Kings was their defense, allowing the Spurs to shoot 57.1% from the field in the 2nd. The Kings did not do enough to get to the paint and stop the Spurs in the paint. Rondo, who played the entire first half, finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Bellineli finished the half with 10 points, 4-7 from the field, 2-2 from behind the arc, with all points coming in the 2nd quarter. Cousins picked up a technical foul towards the end of the quarter and the Kings sloppy 2nd quarter, 5 turnovers, put them down 49-43 to end the first half.

After a disappointing 2nd quarter, the Kings looked to stay close with the Spurs. Gay started the quarter off strong, making all 6 of his points in the first 5 minutes. The Kings did a good job of scoring, but after tying the game at 55, the defense fell apart. Once the score was tied up, the Spurs went on an 11-0 run. The Kings defense was playing poorly, but once Kawhi Leonard came out of the game, the Kings began to find a bit of a rhythm. The Kings went on a 10-3 run late in the 3rd with Cousins getting to the foul line often. Cousins put up 13 points in the 3rd, going 9-12 from the free throw line. He shot 2-6 from the field and added 5 rebounds and 1 assist. To end the quarter, the Kings pushed the ball, playing to their up-tempo offense and were only down 72-69 to end the 3rd.

The Kings looked to make a stand and tried to pull out a win against the Spurs only down by 3. However, for the Kings, they allowed their opponents to score with ease. The Spurs began to pour it on when they went on a 22-0 run. Patty Mills contributed to this run by not only putting up 7 points while adding 6 assists in the 4th alone. Mills finished with 8 assists and 9 points. Omri Casspi was the little offense the Kings had, scoring 9 points on 4-6 shooting with 2 rebounds. All of the Kings star players, Gay, Rondo and Cousins did not do much on either end to help the Kings. With the Kings down, fans began to leave with 6:31 remaining in the game, as they were tired of watching the Kings get outrebounded and out hustled. The Kings’ players began to play selfishly and when the ball movement died down, the Kings did as well. The 4th quarter was the difference in the game as the Kings never found any moment on either end of the court, losing 106-88.

When asked about the 4th quarter, Coach George Karl said “Bad offense, creates bad defense.”

The Kings’ poor shot selection created easy opportunities for the Spurs to score.

In his first game back, Cousins was out of sync with his mid range jumper. Typically Cousins is money from mid range, but being a little rusty he shot 5-20 from the field. Cousins did a good job of getting contact at the rim and shot 11-15 from the charity stripe. Rondo played all 48 minutes and after a good scoring first quarter, he finished with the same 8 points and totaling 6 rebounds and 12 assists. The Kings shot 40.5% from the field for the game and 36.8% from behind the arc. The team was out played in the 4th quarter and hopefully the Kings can find a quick solution.

The solution might not be that easy though, as the Kings seem to have some issues in the locker room. Cousins told reporters that their would be a players only meeting and said “Just to make it clear, I believe in every single person in this room. We just got to stick together.”

Cousins reiterated this idea throughout the post game interview and it will be interesting to see if the Kings can figure it out at tomorrow’s practice.

I asked Gay if the difficultly of their schedule has played a factor in their 6 game losing streak.

“Not having a rhythm completely, and then playing against playoff teams, it doesn’t help,” said Gay.

The Kings will once again be tested by a good team as they take on the Pistons at home this Wednesday. The Kings will need to find an answer on the defensive end of the floor as newly crowned player of the week, Andre Drummond, looks to continue his domination.

Suns down Kings, 118-97, as Sacramento gives poor defensive effort

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by Michael Martinez

picture credit Google Images

SACRAMENTO- After a mediocre performance at home the night before, the Kings looked to pick up the slack from last night. The defense needed improvement and so did the offense. The offense did improve, but the defense was even more horrendous than the night before. With Demarcus Cousins out for the second consecutive game, the Kings hoped to fill his void with Rudy Gay and Rajon Rondo, but neither player truly stepped up. With some many open looks and letting the Suns shoot the ball at a high percentage, the Kings lost to the Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 118-97, never once holding the lead.

The Kings starting lineup added a couple of new members with Darren Collison and James Anderson. As the Kings have done a lot lately, they started the game down early as the Suns took a 9-2 lead with 9 minutes remaining. The Kings transition and perimeter defense looked poor from the start and was a trend throughout the game. Rondo had his hands full all night being asked to guard Eric Bledsoe who put up 10 points in the first quarter. The Kings kept allowing the Suns to get wide open looks although their defense started to improve towards the end of the 1st. On the offensive end of the court, the Kings did not do much with Rudy Gay having a rough night. Gay has been unable to fill the large hole the Kings are left, without All Star Demarcus Cousins. Kosta Koufos and Rondo were the only real offense in the 1st with a measly 4 points a piece. Phoenix took advantage of the Kings’ poor defense and shooting, 38.1% from the field, to take a 28-18 lead at the end of the 1st quarter.

With the Kings looking to turn things around, they started off the quarter with Omri Casspi missing 2 free throws. Missing free throws has become a trend for the Kings as of late who are the worst free throw shooting team in the league according to ESPN. The Kings were not careless with the ball, however their shot selection was poor and when driving to the hoop they were out of control. The Kings began to turn things around when they were able to attack the basket and get the ball in the paint to Koufos who put up 6 points in the 2nd quarter and shooting 5 for 6 with 6 rebounds at the end of the 1st half. Unfortunately, even with a little bit of better ball movement, the Kings could not stop the Suns on the defensive end. Most of the Suns players scored in the 2nd quarter to hold the lead, 49-40, at the end of the 1st half.

After a pretty effortless 1st half, the Kings came out with fire under their belts. James Anderson came out on fire as he hit 3 3 pointers quickly as the Kings went on a 15-6 run to start the 3rd quarter. The Kings did a good job of swinging the ball around the perimeter and pushing towards the hoop on fast breaks. The Kings almost matched their first quarter total of 18 points in less than 5 minutes and tied the game at 55 all. This caused the Suns to take a timeout and after the timeout, Phoenix never looked back. Brandon Knight, who had no points in the 1st half, came alive and found his stroke. Knight was 5-8 from the field, going 2-4 behind the arc, scoring 12 points in the 3rd alone. Koufos continued to help the Kings with his presence when he finished the 3rd with 14 points, yet the Kings could not find a way to get back in the game. The Suns went on a 26-14 run after the Kings tied the game. The score at the end of the quarter was 81-69, the Suns over the Kings.

If the Kings had any hopes of getting back into the ball game, they needed to step up their defense. Nonetheless, the Kings could not do so and the Suns shot 65.2% from the field in the 4th quarter and scored 37 points. Alex Len broke out big for the Suns as he scored 14 points in the fourth on 6-9 shooting. Len would finish the game with 16 points. Bledsoe had a game high of 19 points going 8-18 from the field and Knight finished with 17 points shooting 7-16. Even though the Kings left open way too many shooters and allowed easy finishes, Marco Bellineli did a good job of shooting the ball tonight. He scored 8 points in the fourth quarter, had 15 in the game on 6-11 shooting including 2-5 from beyond the arc. Koufos was the Kings best player tonight, finishing with 16 points going 8-11 from the field with 7 boards. Anderson finished the game with 15 points but on a poor 33% shooting percentage. The Kings finished the game shooting 47.6% from the field and 45.8% from downtown. The Suns held the lead the entire way by shooting 54.2% from the field and incredible 60.9% from 3 point range, giving them the victory over the Kings, 118-97.

As the Kings continue to play poorly, they really need to get effort from their big names, particularly Gay and Rondo. Without Cousins, the Kings seem to be lost and are not showing any reason why they should be a playoff contender. Hopefully for the Kings, Cousins will be able to play in their home game this Friday against the Rockets. The Kings will need to figure out how to stop shooters on the perimeter as James Harden comes to town, otherwise it is going to be another miserable night.

Kings look sloppy at home, lose to the Grizzlies, 103-89

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By Michael Martinez

picture credit Google Images

SACRAMENTO- Any team that has to play a playoff caliber team without their starting All Star center is going to struggle. Not only is it difficult to play without your only All Star, but when the team you are playing lost by 50 the night before, you know you could be in even more trouble. Without Demarcus Cousins, who is dealing with an achilles injury, the Kings looked lost and hopeless in many aspects. As nobody was able to step up to replace Cousins, the Kings ball movement was lifeless, the defense was filled with holes and the Grizzlies got an easy win at Sleep Train Arena, 103-89, boosting their morale after an embarrassing loss to the Warriors the night before.

For the Kings, the whole game was not a complete disaster as the 1st quarter went well. To start the 1st quarter, the Kings looked sluggish on the offensive and defensive end. They allowed the Grizzlies to take an early 7 point lead, but nevertheless the Kings came back swinging with a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 2. The Kings began to put themselves in a better position with good ball movement and Rudy Gay’s hustle really helped as well. When Gay was asked to guard Zach Randolph, he used his length to his advantage on the defensive end and his speed on the offensive end as well. Gay put up 8 points in the first quarter by attacking the rim and getting good looks from the field. Marco Belinelli also helped the Kings by finishing the quarter with 8 points on 2 for 2 shooting behind the arc. The Kings began to cause Memphis to turn the ball over and by shooting 58.8% from the field the Kings finished the quarter with a 29-25 lead.

Entering the 2nd quarter with a 4 point lead over the Grizzlies, the Kings looked to continue scoring on the offensive end. However, the second quarter was absolutely atrocious for the Kings in many ways. Nobody on the team could hit the broad side of the barn with their shots, including free throws. Free throws aka free points were more of a kryptonite for the Kings who finished the half shooting 57.1% from the charity stripe. Their field goal percentage also dropped 20% as they finished the quarter shooting 37.5% from the field. Gay looked to continue to step up but his shot was completely out of sync. The ball movement was stagnant as the Kings had 0 assists in the 2nd quarter. Sloppy play and being out rebounded, 27 to 16, caused the Kings to be outscored. Without Demarcus Cousins and with Kosta Koufos in foul trouble, it was to be expected but this hurt the Kings. Luckily the Grizzlies did not play well either, except they had a couple big put back jams from Jaymychal Green and Courtney Lee, which were the only real highlights of the quarter. The Grizzlies finished the quarter with a fast break lay up at the buzzer to take a 50-40 lead as they outscored the Kings 25-11.

After an awful second quarter, the Kings hoped to come out of the locker room with a vengeance. Unfortunately for the home team, their defense looked even sloppier than the quarter before. The Grizzlies continuously got wide open shots and were able to get easy hoops close to the basket. Randolph came out strong and had 8 points in the quarter. He finished the game with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Although the Kings scored more than they did in the second quarter, thanks to Gay and Darren Collison, their field goal percentage dropped to 37% for the game. The ball movement that helped the Kings play well in the preseason became nonexistent in the 3rd quarter. A lot of selfish play put the Kings in a bad position even though they put up 27 points in the 3rd. As the Kings’ defense failed to improve, the Grizzlies led 83-67 to end the 3rd.

With the Kings down by 16 to start the 4th, Cousins sat with his teammates on the bench to try and encourage a come back. The come back was not meant to be, as nobody on the team could get enough offense going to cut the Grizzlies lead. Belinelli had a nice pass to Willie Cauley-Stein for a big dunk, but once Coach George Karl saw the lead was too much, the bench players came in. For the Grizzlies, Brendan Wright did a good job in the 4th quarter off the bench. Wright finished with 10 points on 4 for 5 shooting, adding 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Although the Kings outscored the Grizzlies, 22-20 in the 4th, they simply could not shoot the ball all night. They finished the game with a 39.2 shooting percentage and shot 60% from the free throw line.

The only bright spots for the Kings, more like dim spots, was the scoring of Collison and Gay. Collison finished the game with 18 points, but uncharacteristically only had 1 assist. Gay finished the game with 19 points, adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists. The Kings biggest problem was that there was very little ball movement. After 7 assists in the 1st quarter, they finished the game with only 17 assists. Without the team’s best scorer and rebounder, the Kings are going to need Rajon Rondo to create open shots and the Kings’ shooters are going to need to hit open shots and get better looks. The Kings will take on the Phoenix Suns tomorrow night, where hopefully they can improve in every aspect as Cousins will be sitting out once again.

Kings defeat Lakers, 107-100, in Sin City

Published on by Michael MartinezLeave a comment

by Michael Martinez

picture credit Google Images

SACRAMENTO- Lady luck was on the Kings side tonight as they continued to show excellent team offense with 7 players in double figures while adding 26 teams assists, even with All Star Center Demarcus Cousins sitting out. The Kings’ passing and good shooting allowed them to hold a lead throughout the game. The Kings beat the Lakers, 107-100, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Kings started off slow in the 1st quarter as the Lakers lead for almost the first half of the quarter. However, Rajon Rondo once again stepped up for his team and showed that he is not only a passer. Rondo scored the ball well and the point guard known for horrible shooting, shot 3 for 5 from the field in the 1st quarter, scoring 7 points and adding 3 assists. He finished the game with 11 points, shooting 5 for 9 from the field, 1 for 4 behind the 3 point line, and added 6 assists in 25 minutes of play. Marco Belinelli also did a good job of scoring the ball for the Kings with 5 points, shooting 2 for 3 from the field. The free agent signings helped give the Kings a 31-27 lead heading into the 2nd quarter.

Again the Kings 2nd quarter woes continued, giving up a 5-0 run to start the quarter. The defense was lackluster until Eric Moreland came up big defensively with a couple blocks and added 6 points on the offensive end. Belinelli began to heat up again as he hit a couple of threes and Darren Collison continued that charge. The Kings got out on an 8-0 run until Lou Williams hit a pair of free throws. To finish out the half, Kosta Koufos, who replaced Cousins in the starting line up, tipped in a buzzer beater to give the Kings a 63-51 lead. At the end of the half, the Kings shot the ball 53.5% from the field with 15 assists.

To begin the 3rd quarter, Rondo made the first bucket of the half off an assist from Koufos. From there the Kings continued to push the ball around the perimeter while also getting the ball inside. Rondo assisted Rudy Gay who filled the lane in really well to give the Kings a 16 point lead. Gay finished the game with a double-double, 10 points with 11 rebounds in 24 minutes of play, although he shot 3 for 12 from the field. But the Kings defense struggled once more giving up a 7-0 run to the Lakers. Ben McLemore, who finished with 11 points on 3 for 9 shooting from the field, 2 for 5 behind the arc in 25 minutes, made a big 3 pointer to stop the Lakers in their tracks. Nonetheless, the offense for the Kings kept their lead to double digits. The big story of the 3rd quarter was Kobe Bryant leaving the quarter with a left leg contusion and sitting out for the rest of the game. Bryant finished with 10 points, going 4 for 12 from the field and his fadeaway jumper looked good early in the game. And Belinelli, the Kings top scorer of the night, once again shot the ball well to finish the first 3 quarters with 17 points, going 5 for 9 from the field and 3 for 5 on 3 point field goals in 23 minutes of play, shooting 50% from the field. The Kings lead to end the 3rd was 88-74, and their field goal percentage was 51.7%, with a 3 point field goal percentage of 40%.

As the 4th quarter got underway, Eric Moreland came up big with 2 more blocks and showed Coach Karl he is a huge asset on defense. The Kings held a lead throughout the 4th quarter, but let the Lakers make the game a little closer. Collison once again came up big and did a great job of scoring the ball while distributing to his teammates. Towards the end of the 4th, the reserves came in and D’Angelo Russell tried to make it interesting scoring 6 points in the final minute.

Collison finished the game with 16 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists. The final Kings player in double figures was Moreland who scored 10 points in 15 minutes going 5 for 6 from the field. Moreland also tallied 4 blocks with 5 rebounds and revitalized the Kings effortless defense.

The overall team effort, ultimately leading to a win, now puts the Kings at 4-1 during the 2015 preseason. The Kings’ offense looks sharp as they continue to swing the ball and push it inside or find the open man, finishing with a 45.6% field goal percentage with 38 points in the paint. If the Kings can get their defense on the right path and pass the ball as well as they have this entire preseason, the 2015-16 regular season could be an exciting one in the City of Trees.

Kings Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Night in preseason home opener with 95-92 team win over the Spurs

Published on by Michael MartinezLeave a comment

by Michael Martinez

photo credits google images

SACRAMENTO- On a night where the Sacramento Kings honored those effected by breast cancer, they kept all Kings fans happy defeating the San Antonio Spurs, 95-92 at Sleep Train Arena. The win can be attributed to the Kings big 3, Demarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo and Rudy Gay as well as Willie Cauley-Stein’s defense. The Kings ball movement was outstanding for most of the night and their defense showed signs of improvement as well.

For the Kings it was a tale of odds and evens as they played well in the 1st and 3rd quarters, however their play declined in the 2nd and 4th quarters. Although they started off slow in the 1st quarter, strong shooting by Rudy Gay allowed the Kings to take the lead, 19-14. Gay’s solid shooting, 10 for 13 from the field and 2 for 3 behind the arc in 30 minutes of play, allowed the Kings to hold a lead at the end of the 3rd quarter and maintain it in the 4th quarter even though Gay only played half of the 4th.

When asked about his hot shooting, Gay humbly said “I’ve just been practicing and shooting, doing what NBA players are doing.”

As the Kings played mostly reserves in the 2nd quarter, the Spurs cut into the lead with a 7-0 run after the 1st quarter break. The Kings were not closing out on their defenders and allowed Rasual Butler to score 7 points on 3 consecutive possessions and this allowed the Spurs to come back and tie the game at the half, 47-47.

The Kings came out of the 3rd quarter with fire under their belts and Rajon Rondo really had a chance to shine. After a good 1st quarter and playing very little in the 2nd, Rondo distributed the ball well and ran some uptempo offense in the 3rd that allowed the Kings to get easy points in the paint and open shots behind the three point line. Totaling 4 assists in the first half, Rondo added 6 assists in the 3rd quarter and wound up with 6 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds almost getting a triple double in almost 25 minutes of play. He also showed tremendous ball handling skills and tossed Gay a big alley-oop to get the crowd pumped up in the 3rd. Rondo rested in the 4th quarter as Coach George Karl decided to keep him off the court.

Gay was asked about Rondo heating up in the 3rd.

He confidently said “That’s what I know he can do, it’s just been a matter of time.”

Rondo was not in present in the locker room for comment.

Demarcus Cousins was the final offensive piece as he totaled a double-double scoring 17 points with 10 boards and 1 assist in 28 minutes of play. In the 3rd, Cousins did a good job of scoring the ball with his usual mid range jumper as he totaled 8 points in the 3rd. Cousins also sat out the 4th quarter as the Kings took an 11 point lead over the Spurs, 78-67.

The 4th quarter was mainly a quarter of reserves similar to the 2nd and it showed when the Kings let the Spurs go on a 10-0 run to start the quarter. The offense looked dormant as Dave Stockton could not move the ball nearly as well as Rondo. The Kings closed out the game after they took a time out following the Spurs big run and Willie Cauley-Stein subbed in helping protect the rim well and get rebounds when needed. Cauley-Stein’s defense was outstanding all night as he held LaMarcus Aldridge to 8 points on 3 of 10 shooting from the field. Cauley-Stein also helped win the game for the Kings with an offensive rebound and kick out to Marco Belinelli who found his shot late and sunk 2 free throws to ultimately give the Kings a W, winning 95-92.

Coach Karl praised Cauley-Stein’s effort when asked about his confidence in their 6th overall draft pick.

Karl said “He’s solid, he’s a good player.”

Even after a win against a playoff caliber team, minus Duncan, Ginobli, Parker, Diaw and Coach Popovich, the Kings can make improvements. The defense can close out even better and their 23 turnovers leading to 24 points may be a point of concern as the regular season approaches. Nonetheless, the win for the Kings is great heading into the regular season as they proved they can close out games and their defense has improved by only allowing 92 points tonight. The Kings are now 2-1 in the preseason.

I would like to finish this article by asking everyone to keep one of our staff members, Jeff Hall, in there thoughts and prayers as he continues to battle for his life in the hospital. We’re pulling for you Jeff and know you are strong.

Collison and Belinelli lead Kings to overtime win in preseason opener

Published on by Michael Martinez1 Comment

by Michael Martinez

photo credit google images Kings PG Darren Collison

SACRAMENTO- The Kings are coming into this season with some fresh new faces, but chemistry, or a lack thereof, seemed to be the key issue during the Kings’ first exhibition game. The lack of chemistry showed as the Kings poor perimeter defense and shot selection allowed the Trail Blazers to take a 21 point lead in the 2nd quarter. Although the Kings were down for most of the game, they were able to pull out an overtime victory on the road, 109-105, led by Darren Collison and Marco Belinelli.

At the end of the first half, the Kings were shooting the ball from behind the three point line at 7% and their overall field goal percentage was 36.6%. Rudy Gay struggled as he could not find his shot tonight. Gay who played tremendously in 3 games against Portland last year, shot 2 for 11 from the field and only scored 4 points. Demarcus Cousins was the only bright spot in the first half as he scored 14 points in the first two quarters and finished the game with 22 points and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes of play. Cousins was not a part of the Kings 4th quarter resurgence as he sat out the 4th quarter. The Kings poor play had them down 56-41 heading into halftime.

The Kings played a much better 3rd quarter as they outscored the Blazers, but the quarter ended with the Kings still down 68-82. The real come back came in the 4th quarter when the Kings outscored the Blazers, 29-15. Darren Collison began the charge as he not only distributed the ball well but he also shot the ball well. Collison finished the game with 21 points, 10 assists and 4 rebounds while shooting 6 for 10 in 36 minutes of play.

Marco Belinelli continued this come back and ultimately helped put the nail in the coffin to lead the Kings to victory. He shot extremely well, especially in the 4th quarter and the overtime period. Belinelli went 12/18 from the field, scoring 32 points and added 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Belinelli’s smooth shooting is a good sign for the Kings who acquired him in the offseason.

The Kings will take on the Phoenix Suns this Wednesday where hopefully they can fix the holes in their defense and get some better ball movement in order to take better shots. Collison and Belinelli had great games and it will be interesting to see who will get the start in Wednesday’s game. Although the Kings struggled most of the game, the come back victory is a good sign that they continue to compete to the end.