Author: Charlie O. Mallonee

I have been a sports reporter/broadcaster since 1976 which means ... I'm old and I love sports. I have done play-by-play for minor league baseball - including the infamous "Bad News Bees" - San Jose State football and football and high school sports in the Bay Area and on the Monterey Peninsula. I had the great privilege to host a weekly sports talk show on KNRY Radio Monterey/Salinas with my producer the late,great Gary Araki. I also hosted and produced "the Sports Fanatics" talk show on KSAC Radio in Sacramento. For the last 10 years, I have been a beat reporter covering the Oakland Athletics for Sports Radio Service. Three years ago, I became the senior reporter for our Sacramento Kings coverage. My goal is to bring you the news, views, fun and excitement of every event I am assigned to report on for Sports Radio Service.

Kings fall in Chicago 94-87

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Sacramento Kings 94-87 on Saturday night in Chicago. It was a game that featured daunting defense and lacked on solid offense from the opening tip to the final buzzer.

Both teams shot under 40 percent from the field. The Kings hit on 31 of 85 (.365) shots. They converted just 2 of 14 3-point opportunities. The Bulls shot .397 (31 of 78) and were 6 of 20 from beyond the 3-point line. Defense ruled the game.

The Kings out-rebounded the Bulls 55-40. Sacramento swept 19 balls off the glass to just 7 for Chicago. Even though they controlled the rebounding, it was not enough to give the Kings a win.

Sacramento really fell short in the assists category. They had just 12 assists for the game and had only 4 in the first half. Chicago recorded 21 assists.

Once again the Kings committed more turnovers than they had assists. They turned the ball over 16 times versus the Bulls.

Even with those less than spectacular statistics, the Kings were just 3 points down with 29 seconds left in the game. It was a battle of the defenses.

After the game, Kings’ coach Michael Malone said he was proud of how hard his team played and for keeping the game so competitive. He acknowledged there things that could have been down better, but Malone was happy with the way his team battled versus the Bulls.

Isaiah Thomas led all scorers in the game with 26 points. He also 5 assists. DeMarcus Cousins posted another double-double with 25 points and 14 rebounds despite being double-teamed by the Bulls all game.

Rudy Gay had a quiet game with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Gay is drawing the attention of opposing defenses and is having a tough time putting up the kind of numbers he was posting earlier in the season. The Kings need to make some adjustments to allow Gay to be productive on offense.

The Bulls were led by Joakim Noah with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. He also had 5 blocked shots and 3 steals.

Taj Gibson scored 19 points on just 9 shots. Mike Dunleavy put up 16 points and was 3 of 6 for 3-pointers.

The loss dropped the Kings record to 23-43 for the season. Chicago is now 37-29 and playoff bound in the Eastern Division.

The Kings wrap up the 7 game road trip on Sunday in Minnesota versus the Timberwolves.

Kings lose to Nets 104-89

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

For second consecutive game, the Sacramento Kings committed more turnovers (24) than they had assists (11). For the second consecutive game, the Kings lost. Sacramento lost to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday 104-89.

Another reason the Sacramento loss in Brooklyn was the play of former King Marcus Thornton. Thornton scored 27 points in just 27 minutes of playing time to be the Nets’ leading scorer of the game. More than half of his shots came from “3-point land” where he was 5 for 8 shooting. Every player who is traded wants to play well against his old team. Marcus Thornton was great versus the Kings.

The Nets’ bench outscored the Kings’ bench 59-19. Seven players scored off the bench for Brooklyn led by Thornton.

The Sacramento defense allowed Brooklyn to shoot .532 (41/77) from the field. The Nets shot .480 (12/25) from behind the 3-point line. The one weakness for the Nets was their poor performance from the free throw line (10/16 .625%).

The Kings shot just .444 (36/81) for field goals. They were a dismal 5 for 23 (.217) for 3-point shooting. Sacramento had one of its poorest performances of the season from the free throw line shooting 12 for 21 (.571).

Sacramento outrebounded Brooklyn 53-27, but they trailed the Nets in assists 25-11. The Nets recorded 14 steals to just three for the Kings.

The Kings squandered a great performance by DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins posted a double-double scoring 28 points and pulling down 20 rebounds.

Rudy Gay scored 20 points for the Kings. Isaiah Thomas had a very quiet game scoring just 10 points on 19 shots and hitting on just one of nine 3-point attempts.

Brooklyn outscored the Kings in every quarter except the second when both teams scored 21 points each.

The Kings are now 1-2 on their seven game road trip. Sacramento travelled to Detroit after the game to prepare for a Tuesday night contest with the Pistons. The Kings do not return to Sacramento until March 18 when they will host the Washington Wizards.

 

Kings lose Landry for rest of the season

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

If it were not for bad luck, Carl Landry would not have had any luck at all in the 2013-14 NBA season. Landry began the season with an injured left hip flexor that kept him in rehabilitation mode until mid-season. His return to the lineup was seen as a major positive for the struggling Kings.

Now, Landry faces a season ending injury. A MRI has revealed that he has a tear of the medial meniscus in his right knee. Landry has been shut down for the rest of the season and faces a surgery in the very near future.

The forward is a six year veteran of the NBA and is in his second stint as a member of the Kings. Landry played last season with the Golden State Warriors and signed with Sacramento as a free agent in the off season. He averaged 4.2 points (.517 FG%, .824 FT%) and 3.2 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game in his 18 appearances this season.

Kings sign Orlando Johnson to a second 10 day contract

The Kings have announced the signing of guard Orlando Johnson to a second 10 day contract. Sacramento signed him to the first 10 day commitment on February 26.

Johnson is averaging 1.8 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 9.0 minutes of playing time in five games coming off the bench. He began the season with the Indiana Pacers and was waived on February 20.

Kings Fall Hard In Toronto 99-87

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Kings committed 17 turnovers and recorded 14 assists versus the Raptors on Friday night. A NBA team cannot win a game posting those types of numbers. The Kings did not win. Toronto downed Sacramento 99-87.

Kings Head Coach Michael Malone said after the game, “I thought we were awful tonight.”

The Kings were in Toronto to play the second game of seven game road trip. The game marked Rudy Gay’s first return to Toronto since being traded by the Raptors to Sacramento. Most fans expected a big game from Gay.

Gay did not have a spectacular game. He scored 15 points but it took 13 shots to score those points. Gay had five rebounds, 1 assist, three steals and two turnovers for the game. It was a subpar performance for the former Raptor.

The Kings did not have a good night shooting. They shot 41.7% (30/72) overall and just 26.3% (5/19) from beyond the three point arc. Sacramento could not help themselves from the free throw line as they shot a dismal 59.5% (22/37) from the stripe.

The Kings’ bench was not a big help as they were outscored 31-18 by the Raptors.

DeMarcus Cousins led all scorers in the game with 24 points on just 12 shots. He recorded seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and five turnovers.

Isaiah Thomas and Ben McLemore scored 14 points each, but both guards shot under 40% for the game. Ray McCallum scored eight points in 24 minutes of playing time.

Terrance Ross led the scoring for the Raptors with 18 points. DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Patterson scored 15 points apiece. Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points for Toronto.

There was not a double-double recorded by either team in the game.

The Kings’ season record fell to 22-40 with the loss. The playoff bound Raptors improved to 34-26 with the win.

The Kings move on to Brooklyn where they will play the Nets on Sunday afternoon. The game is scheduled to get underway at 3:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time.

Timberwolves down the Kings 108-97

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Sacramento Kings 108-97 on Saturday night. The Kings lost because they played inconsistent defense and did not take care of the basketball.

DeMarcus Cousins returned to the Kings’ lineup after serving his one game suspension on Friday night. Cousins posted his 35th double-double of the season scoring 21 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Cousins’ outstanding performance was not enough to make up for the lack of defense.

Rudy Gay had two entirely different basketball games. In the first half, Gay scored 22 points to help give his team a 56-53 halftime lead. In the second half, he scored only two points. That lack of scoring by Gay did not help the Kings who struggled especially in the third quarter.

Isaiah Thomas put up 22 points and dished out eight assists. Down the stretch, Thomas played in the backcourt with Ray McCallum (nine points) running the point. The two guards worked well together.

“The big three” (Cousins, Gay and Thomas) were the only Kings to score in double figures.

Kevin Martin was the scoring leader for the Timberwolves with 26 points. Martin’s night was similar to Gay’s as he scored 19 in the first half and just seven points in the second half.

Kevin Love posted 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Love 12 for 14 from the free throw line.

Nikola Pekovic scored 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Corey Brewer scored 13 points.

Turnovers killed the Kings on Saturday night. Sacramento turned the ball over 19 times and that resulted in Minnesota scoring 27 points off those turnovers.

The other area that helped the Kings to lose was the lack of scoring in the third quarter. Sacramento was outscored 31-14 in the third period. A team cannot win in the NBA scoring 14 points in a quarter.

Despite the horrible third quarter, the Kings cut the Timberwolves lead to just two points with less than three minutes to play. Turnovers and poor fastbreak decisions allowed the Timberwolves to open up the eventual nine point lead.

After the game when asked why his team lost, Kings Head Coach Michael Malone said, “Turnovers – (we) continue to beat ourselves.” Malone cited inconsistent defense as another major contributor to his team’s loss.

With the win, Minnesota’s record improved to 29-29. The loss dropped the Kings record to 20-39 for the 2013-14 season. Sacramento has now lost three games in a row.

The Kings will have Sunday off and will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.

Lakers edge out the Kings 126-122

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

It was “old school” NBA at Staples Arena on Friday night as the Los Angeles Lakers downed the Sacramento Kings 126-122. If you love offense, you loved this game. Both teams shot better than 50% from the field. There were no defensive highlights. The game was all about 3-pointers, assists and fast breaks.

The Lakers shot 70.4% (19/27) from beyond the 3-point arc. That is not a misprint. Los Angeles shot 70.4% from 3-point land. The Lakers shot 60.0% (48/60) for the game, but it was their 3-point shooting that ultimately won the game.

The Kings shot 50.5% (47/93) overall in the contest. Sacramento shot a mere 33.3% (5/15) for 3-pointers. They shot 71.9% (23/32) from the free throw line.

With DeMarcus Cousins unavailable due to suspension, the Kings needed to play as a team and step up to the task of facing the Lakers. Rudy Gay led the charge scoring 30 points and shooting 50.0% from the field. Gay also pulled down seven rebounds, recorded 5 assists, two steals and one blocked shot.

Isaiah Thomas scored 26 points from the point guard position and shot 62.5% (10/16) for field goals. Thomas dished out eight assists. There have been those who questioned whether the Kings should re-sign Thomas. A better question is how can the Kings afford not to re-sign Thomas?

Derek Williams started at power forward and pumped in 26 points for Sacramento. Williams posted a double-double by also grabbing 12 rebounds. Jason Thompson scored 17 points and added 11 rebounds for a double-double of his own.

The Lakers were led by Jordan Farmar who scored a career high 30 points coming off the bench. The former UCLA star shot 80.0% (8/10) from beyond the 3-point line. His play is why Los Angeles came back in fourth period to win the game.

Marshon Brooks hit for 23 points. Pau Gasol and Jodie Meeks each tallied 22 points apiece versus the Kings. The Lakers bench scored 58 points in the game.

The Kings flew home after the game and will face the Minnesota Timberwolves at Sleep Train Arena on Saturday night.

Kings win big in Denver 109-95

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

As the Sacramento Kings prepared to play the Nuggets in Denver, there were a number of questions that needed to be answered. Would DeMarcus Cousins be able to play after tweaking is hip from carrying Kris Humphries on his back during the entire Boston game on Saturday? How would the play in the second game of a back-to-back in the high altitude and thin air of Denver? How would the Nuggets play with only 10 players available? Would any of this prove to be a factor in determining who won the game?

The Kings were able to overcome a four point halftime deficit by scoring 61 points in the second half to down the Nuggets 109-95. The win gave the Kings a two game winning streak and built momentum for Sacramento as they ready themselves for Houston on Tuesday at home.

DeMarcus Cousins was able to start the game and scored 11 points in nine plus minutes of playing time in the first quarter. After some rest on the bench, Cousins added four points in the second quarter for 15 points in the first half. Cousins did not let up in the second half and finished with 27 points while shooting 50% (8/16) from the field.

Rudy Gay posted a double-double for the Kings as he scored 32 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Isaiah Thomas put up 33 points and added six assist.

The Kings jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, but the Nuggets started using the fast break and pulled up even 27-27 after one quarter of play.

The Nuggets came out strong in the second quarter. After putting an 8-0 run, Denver was able to up its lead to 13 points before the Kings began to work their way back into the game. Sacramento used five rebounds by the newly acquired Reggie Evans and five quick points from Isaiah Thomas to close the scoring gap. At halftime, the Kings had reduced the Nuggets lead to just four points, 52-48.

The one glaring stat from the first half was Sacramento’s 12 turnovers. Coach Michael Malone has been calling on his team to reduce the turnovers and the points off turnovers.

The Kings came out after halftime ready to play. Sacramento went on an early 10-0 run, and it was off to the races. The Kings would go on to outscore the Nuggets 35-18 in the third quarter. It was the play of the big three – Cousins, Gay and Thomas – that was the key to opening the 17 point third quarter lead. Ben McLemore was not scoring but was hustling on defense and contributing to the game.

Denver played better ball in the fourth quarter as the Kings second unit saw more action, but it was too little, too late. The Nuggets outscored the Kings 25-22 in the fourth to make the final score Sacramento 109 Denver 95.

In the postgame press conference, Kings Head Coach Michael Malone was obviously happy with his team and with the win. The one point of emphasis on the negative side was the 21 points scored off 21 turnovers. Malone pointed out that his team would have to do better versus Houston on Tuesday in Sacramento.

Kings fight off the Celtics 105-98

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings defeated the Boston Celtics 105-98 Saturday night before a sellout crowd of 17,137 at Sleep Train Arena. There were no lead changes in the game and the contest was tied only once. That is not to say it was an easy win for the Kings.

The Celtics came in and played a very physical game and cut the Kings lead to just one point twice in the fourth quarter. After a slow start in the first quarter, Boston did not look like a team who had lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Even after shooting a horrible 34% in the first half, the Celtics would not give up.

The battle of the night was the match up of Kris Humphries and DeMarcus Cousins. Humphries just draped himself over Cousins, and the officials allowed him to do so until late in the game. Cousins scored just 13 points and grabbed just seven rebounds. The Kings center played the entire game in a state of controlled frustration with the lack of calls against Humphries.

Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas led the way for the Kings. Gay scored 22 points in the game after being held scoreless in the first quarter. Isaiah Thomas recorded a double-double scoring 21 points and dishing out 12 assists. But, the two Kings’ stars did not win the game on their own. Seven Kings scored in double figures versus Boston.

Jeff Green and Kris Humphries led the charge for the Celtics. Green led all scorers in the game with his 29 points. Humphries scored 19 shooting 9 for 15 from the field. Jerryd Bayless added 16 points for Boston off the bench.

The Kings shot very well versus the Celtics. Sacramento shot 52.1% (38 for 73) from the field. They shot 55.6% (5 for 9) from beyond the 3-point line. The Kings also helped themselves from the free throw line hitting 85.7% (24 for 28) of their opportunites. They were out rebounded 42-38 and turned the ball over 18 times to just 14 times for Boston.

The Kings played tough on defense as well. The Celtics shot just 39.1% (34 for 87) from the field. They shot just 28.6% (6 for 21) from 3-point land. Boston was a dismal 66.7% (24 for 36) from the free throw line.

“It was a weird game,” said Kings Head Coach Michael Malone. “We were trying to keep our composure out there. Obviously, we benefitted from Gerald Wallace and their coach thrown out at the end. It gave us a couple of extra free throws. It’s a physical game, and we can’t let people get under our skin and get in the way of what we’re trying to do. We defended at a fairly high level for most of the night, but we put them on the foul line way too many times. Once again, there were 18 turnovers for 19 points – that continues to be a problem for us. It was a great game for Isaiah Thomas – he tied his career high assists and only had four turnovers. We’ll take the win but we have to get a lot better.”

It was the new look Kings that won the game on Saturday night. Ben McLemore played 27 minutes and scored 11 points while shooting 44.4% from the field. Derrick Williams and Carl Landry each scored 10 points in their 24 minutes of playing time. Ray McCallum played 11 minutes as the second unit point guard. Expect to see more of the same over the next 27 games.

Newcomer Reggie Evans was on the bench but did not see any action.

Rajon Rondo was not with the Celtics in Sacramento. The team reported Rondo needed rest.

The Kings have no time to savor their victory. The have to play the second game of a back-to-back on Sunday afternoon in Denver  the against the Nuggets.

Kings execute trade with Brooklyn

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings and the Brooklyn Nets completed a trade on Wednesday that brings guard Jason Terry and forward Reggie Evans to the Kings in exchange for guard Marcus Thornton.

“Adding Jason and Reggie provides our roster with toughness and veteran leadership that will help this team continue to grow,” said D’Alessandro. “They bring a wealth of NBA experience to Sacramento that will undoubtedly make a positive impact on our younger players. We also thank Marcus for his contributions and wish him great success going forward.”

Terry is a 15 year veteran who has played with Atlanta, Dallas, Boston and Brooklyn. He was a member of the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks. Terry has averaged 4.5 points per game, 1.1 rebounds per game and 1.6 assists in a very limited role for the Nets.

Evans is a 12 year NBA veteran who has played in Seattle, Denver, Philadelphia, Toronto, Los Angeles (Clippers) and Brooklyn. He is known as a tenacious rebounder and as a player who hustles on the court. Evans has averaged 2.7 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game.

Thornton was in his fourth season as a King and was having a disappointing year. He was shooting under 40.0% from the field. Thornton is averaging 8.3 points per game.

The trade should create more playing time for Kings’ rookie guard Ben McLemore.

Ben McLemore headed to the Slam Dunk Contest

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings will have a representative at the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. Rookie guard Ben McLemore has been selected to participate in the Sprite Slam Dunk contest. The last Kings’ player to take part in the Slam Dunk contest was Gerald Wallace in 2002.

 McLemore will join Toronto guard and defending champion Terrence Ross, Indiana forward Paul George, Portland guard Damian Lillard, Washington guard John Wall and Golden State forward Harrison Barnes in the contest. The high profile event will give McLemore exposure to a national audience of NBA fans.

 McLemore, a 6-5 guard out of Kansas, has averaged 7.7 points in 23.5 minutes per game for the Kings. The rookie shooting guard has had moments of brillance and has had his struggles as you would expect from a first year player in “the Association”. McLemore has been very impressive when he drives the lane and attacks the basket.

 The Slam Dunk contest will be a part of the All-Star Saturday Night. The event will be televised nationally on the TNT.