Author: Sports Radio Service

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez: Flames break deadlock beat Sharks 3-2; San Jose’s second straight loss

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Calgary Flames Matt Coronato is at the doorstep as San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic defends in front of the net at the Scotiabank Bank Arena in Calgary (Photo by: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 Joel Farabee scored a short handed goal at 6:53 in the third period to break a 2-2 tie game which turned out to be the gamer to defeat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena.

#2 The Flames Morgan Frost and Matvei Gridin each scored their 12th goals this season and helped the Flames to a 3-2 win that snapped their five game losing streak.

#3 This was the second loss in a row for the Sharks who lost to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday by another one goal loss 3-2.

#4 San Jose’s Will Smith scored on a power play goal and Adam Gaudette scored but it wasn’t enough as the Sharks end the month of January 7-5-1. Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 39 Calgary shots.

#5 It’s off to Chicago and the Blackhawks at the United Center Monday night. The Blackhawks have done their own share of struggling losing five in a row as of Saturday night.

Join Lincoln Juarez for the San Jose Sharks podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsadioservice.com

San Jose Sharks podcast Mary Lisa: Sharks battle Flames in Calgary for Saturday matinee

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From left to right the San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini, Mario Ferrerao, and Collin Graf celebrate a goal in the first period at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Thu Jan 29, 2026 (Canadian Press via AP)

San Jose Sharks podcast Mary Lisa:

#1 Can Macklin Celebrini continue his offensive surge Saturday?

#2 How will Will Smith contribute to San Jose’s attack against the Flames’ defense?

#3 What kind of impact could William Eklund have on the scoreboard in this road game?

#4 Will the Sharks’ goaltending situation with Yaroslav Askarov be a difference-maker?

#5 Can Collin Graf continue to be a spark up front for San Jose?

Catch the San Jose Sharks podcasts with Mary Lisa Saturdays at ⁠http://www.sportsradioservice.com⁠

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey: Loosing streak reaches 8; Christie looks to snap skid in DC Sunday

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Sacramento Kings Isaiah Stevens gets the throw down against the Boston Celtics in the second half at TD Garden in Boston Fri Jan 30, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:

#1 How did Zach LaVine’s offensive aggressiveness and shot-making influence the Kings’ ability to stay competitive in the first half at Boston? (LaVine scored 17 points in the 112–93 loss. )

#2 In what ways did Nique Clifford’s contributions—whether scoring, defensive plays, or energy—affect Sacramento’s performance against the Celtics? (Clifford was among the scoring leaders for the Kings in the game. )

#3 How effectively did DeMar DeRozan try to assert himself offensively, and what adjustments could he make to better counter Boston’s defensive schemes? (DeRozan played and scored in the matchup. )

#4 What role did Dennis Schröder play in orchestrating the Kings’ offense and ball movement, especially during stretches when Sacramento cut into the Celtics’ lead? (Schröder logged meaningful minutes for Sacramento. )

#5 How important was Maxime Raynaud’s presence on the glass and defensive rotations in trying to limit Boston’s scoring opportunities?

Tony Harvey does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Kings Collide With Celtics Getting Punished by Boston 112-93; Loss is eight straight for Sacramento

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The Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard center drives past the Sacramento Kings defense at TD Garden in Boston on Fri Jan 30, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (12-38) have struggled all season trying to handle an extremely difficult game schedule, constant injury and this recent road trip was more of the same. Games against some of the best teams in the NBA, and Friday night’s matchup with the Boston Celtics (30-18) was no different.

Boston built an instant 15-point lead in the opening quarter and by the third quarter had close to a thirty point lead. The final was 112-93. The Kings did cut the 31 point lead to 19 points when all was said and done but the Celtics prevailed all evening. The high for the Kings was Zach LaVine who scored 17 points and Maxime Raynaud had a double double, 14 points and 14 rebounds. Raynaud had a terrific effort.

After getting edged Thursday night by the Philadelphia Sixers 113-111 the Kings traveled to Boston for a matchup with the Celtics Friday night. The Celtics remain in a second place tie with the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference.

Friday night Zach LaVine started and Malik Monk was back on the floor as Keegan Murray remains out with an ankle injury. Domantas Sabonis will be out and Russell Westbrook remains out with a foot injury.

The Celtics were short-handed due to an injury to two of their outstanding starters. Jalen Brown is out until February 1st with a hamstring injury and Jayson Tatum has a serious achilles injury keeping him sidelined until April.

Despite these losses the Celtics remain a huge threat and the struggling Kings couldn’t get the maximum effort from the starters to the bench to avoid their eighth loss in a row.

Sacramento got off to an awful start in this game. As the first quarter came to an end the Celtics had a 40-25 lead. The King had dug themselves into a deep hole that just got deeper as the second quarter concluded.

Boston had outscored the Kings 32-21 in the quarter and led at the half 72-46. Despite being without Jayson Tatum the entire season and Jalen Brown missing their last game Boston had built a huge lead in the first two quarters of the game.

Where were the starters in the first half of this game for Sacramento. LaVine finished the half with 13 points while the rest of the starters collectively scored ten points. The bench was slow to get started with Monk the high with eight points.

The Kings had a whole lot of work to do in the second half. The Celtics Payton Pritchard had it all going on with some great support from Baylor Scheierman and Neemias Queta. Boston had simply outplayed the Kings at every turn in the first half.

It was more of the same for the Kings in the third quarter as the Celtics continued to build on their lead with Boston closing in on a 30 point lead. The offensive effort from Sacramento remained stagnant as the quarter wore on. They never really got started and never recovered. The Kings outscored the Celtics in the third 20-17 but those three points made little difference in the 89-66 Boston lead.

The Kings cut the Celtics lead by a bit in the fourth quarter. The highest Boston lead in the game had been 31 points but Sacramento had cut it to 21 points.with 8:29 left in the game. That was about as much headway as the Kings were able to make. With under three minutes left on the clock and a 21-point lead this game was all but done. Sacramento had lost their eighth game in a row.

LaVine had the high for Sacramento with 17 points and off the bench Nique Clifford finished with 15 points. Raynaud had a double double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. The Kings did outscore the Celtics in the fourth quarter 27-23.

Sunday afternoon the Kings take on the Washington Wizards another struggling team. Both teams have similar records with Sacramento looking to put an end to an eight game losing streak. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 3:00 PM.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Detroit Pistons Get A Clutch Time Win Against Golden State Warriors, 131-124

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Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) dunks against Golden State Warriors center Al Horford (20) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (Photo Credits to AP photographer Jed Jacobsohn)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – On the last Friday night of January at Chase Center in San Francisco, the Detroit Pistons defeated the Golden State Warriors 131–124, ending a four-game losing streak and giving the Warriors an upsetting home loss.

Detroit entered the game as the best team in the Eastern Conference, boasting a 15–7 road record and a 7–3 streak over its last ten games. Meanwhile, Golden State was ranked eighth in the Western Conference and had a solid 17–7 home record.

Al Horford, Draymond Green, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and Stephen Curry made up the Warriors’ starting lineup. Curry, who led Golden State with 27.3 points and 4.9 assists per game, was just selected as a starter for the NBA All-Star Game, which will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. This will be the 75th NBA All-Star Game and the first to be held at the brand-new LA Clippers arena.

Detroit responded with a starting five of Tobias Harris, Duncan Robinson, Jalen Duren, Cade Cunningham, and birthday guard Ausar Thompson. Draymond Green, a native of Michigan born in Saginaw, attended Saginaw High School and spent four seasons at Michigan State, bringing symbolic meaning to the evening. A Michigan State University Draymond Green bobblehead was given to the first 10,000 fans in celebration of Green. The Golden State also had its Japanese Heritage Night inside Chase Center.

Curry, who made an early three-pointer and raised the streak to 88 straight games with a three-pointer, led the Warriors to an exciting start to the evening. After drawing a shooting foul on Detroit, Horford made two free throws, giving him an early 3-point play, which helped Golden State get off to a fast start.

The Pistons remained close to Golden State despite the team’s strong start. With six minutes left in the first quarter, Duncan Robinson made his fourth three-pointer and finished with 12 points, but 15 points for the night. Both teams had a strong offensive start, but Detroit took the lead by shooting 76 percent from the field in the first quarter.

Detroit finished the quarter with 15 team assists, including eight points and six assists from Cunningham. Detroit had a 45-37 lead at the end of the first quarter thanks to a late 8-3 scoring run. This was the most points the Pistons had scored in a single quarter this season.

Detroit continued to control the paint and went on a 9–6 scoring run to start the second quarter. Golden State had only eight points in the paint, while the Pistons had already scored 28, putting early pressure on the Warriors.

Draymond Green helped keep Golden State within striking distance, knocking down his fourth three-pointer of the half after hitting back-to-back pairs in each of the first two quarters. After an out-of-bounds call that initially ruled for the Pistons’ ball but was later challenged and overturned by the Warriors, Green received his tenth technical foul of the season.

Golden State started to rally after falling behind by up to 15 points, and because of a spark from its bench, the lead dropped to five points. Fan favorite Gui Santos energized the Chase Center crowd and the team with his effort and second-chance opportunities, scoring nine points in eight minutes.

Detroit scored 14 points off 10 Golden State turnovers, taking advantage of the Warriors’ mistakes. Both inside and on the fast break, the Pistons continued to dominate. Detroit regularly played well in transition and on pick-and-rolls, scoring 42 points in the paint by the half.

Cunningham led Detroit with 13 points, two rebounds, and seven assists at the half. Curry made his third three-pointer of the evening, while Green led Golden State with 15 points, three rebounds, and one assist. With a 77–64 lead, Detroit scored 42 points in the paint and 62 percent from the field on 31-of-50 shooting, which was the second-most amount of points the Pistons had scored in a half this season.

Detroit had a strong start to the second half. Cunningham made a dunk after the Pistons forced a steal on the first possession. Moses Moody fouled Jalen Duren, who then finished a three-point play shortly after.

Golden State began to show signs of mental exhaustion as the Pistons maintained their lead into the third quarter. Detroit was ahead 88-71 with eight minutes remaining. The Warriors went on a 13–5 scoring run as Curry sparked a response with a deep three-pointer and then a three-point play.

But Golden State’s turnover problems remained as they gave up 17 points, which Detroit turned into 29 points. Additionally, the Pistons outscored the Warriors 26–5 in fast-break points and 54–28 in paint points.

Detroit entered the fourth quarter in control with a 108–95 advantage, while both All-Star starting guards — Curry and Cunningham — had 23 points each, giving Bay Area fans a show on the last Friday of January.

Buddy Hield and Moses Moody made two three-pointers to start the fourth quarter for the Warriors, but Cunningham answered for Detroit. With ten minutes left in the game, Curry was ruled out due to right knee soreness.

With eight minutes to go, Detroit was ahead 117–106, but Hield made a crucial three-pointer that cut the lead to eight. Golden State was now within 117-112 when Gui Santos made a three-pointer to start an 11-2 run.

In the closing minutes, the game stayed close. Both sides were swapping baskets as the score stood at 122–116 with four minutes remaining. Detroit held a four-point lead at 126–122 late in the game. With an 8-foot fadeaway, Tobias Harris pushed the lead to six, but Melton responded by making both of his free throws, cutting the lead back to four.

The Pistons moved to 35–12 after defeating the Warriors 131–124. This ended a four-game losing streak for Detroit and was their first victory over Golden State since January 4, 2023.

Cade Cunningham led the Detroit Pistons with 29 points and 11 assists, leading the team’s attack and setting the game’s tempo. With 21 points and 13 rebounds, Jalen Duren had a fantastic evening as well. He dominated inside and helped Detroit keep a commanding lead in the paint. While Tobias Harris was perfect from the free-throw line, going 9-of-9, grabbing eight rebounds, and making big shots late in the fourth quarter, Duncan Robinson went 5-of-10 from three-point range (50%), stretching Golden State’s defense. Ausar Thompson contributed energy and defensive stops, especially during transition. Thompson also did his best trying to guard Stephen Curry, as he is one of the team’s toughest defenders.

De’Anthony Melton came up off the bench with 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists for the Warriors, while Stephen Curry led the team with 23 points before leaving in the fourth quarter due to knee soreness. Golden State was unable to get past the young and tough Pistons despite their best efforts, and the Warriors were unable to carry out their usual second-half comeback efforts.

On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the Golden State Warriors will meet the Philadelphia 76ers at Chase Center in San Francisco to return to play. The Warriors’ Black History Month will begin at 7 p.m., and fans will have another opportunity to watch Golden State play at home ,hopefully with a different outcome.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Giants and two other Teams sued for Junk Fees on tickets

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San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer hasn’t made a comment to the news media yet about the lawsuit against the Giants regarding junk fees by plaintiff Juan Flores. The Giants are one of three teams being sued regarding junk fees on inflated ticket prices. (San Francisco Chronicle file photo)

Giants and two other Teams sued for Junk Fees on tickets

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

With Spring Training ’26 around the corner, Major League Baseball made news in the litigation side of things when the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, and Washington Nationals all faced class-action lawsuits. Allegedly, these teams used hidden “junk fees” to inflate ticket prices.

These three teams are accused of misleading advertising tickets at lower prices when they are only for mandatory fees, such as processing and “facility fees”. It is called “drip pricing,” which, at checkout, often doubles the cost the fan/buyer was originally told it would be. Giants: A class action lawsuit (Flores v. San Francisco Baseball Associations LLC) was filed in Federal Court in San Francisco on January 26, 2026, by plaintiff Juan Flores, represented by Almeida Law Group LLC and Tycko & Zavareel LLP.

Alleges the Giants added mandatory “Service”, “Convenience”, and “Order Processing” fees at the last second, increasing the cost of the ticket by 45%. Cinics will say, “Hey It is San Francisco, one of the most expensive cities in the world”. That is true.

San Francisco is considered among the top five cities in the world with the highest cost of living. The San Francisco Giants have experienced a notable decline in attendance. From their winning/peak seasons, with average attendance falling from 3 million in 2016, when they had their best start in MLB through mid-season, they collapsed in the second half and made the postseason as a Wild Card, beating the Mets, but lost the NLDS to the Chicago Cubs.

Boston Red Sox: The plaintiff’s suit alleges the team used “bait-and-switch” tactics to add “junk fees” that ultimately increase ticket prices by as much as 150%. Washington Nationals: Their proposed class-action lawsuit is different from the Giants’ and Red Sox’s in scope, but also about tickets.

The Nationals are fighting a proposed class action lawsuit filed in September 2025 in a Washington, D.C., federal court by a consumer alleging the team charged similar hidden fees for years. Teams increase their ticket prices, for many reasons like high demand, rising players’ salaries, and special premium seating experiences .

The San Francisco Giants have experienced a notable decline in attendance from their peak seasons, with average attendance falling from over 3 million in 2016 to around 30,000–33,000 per game in recent years. Contributing factors include an “unexciting” on-field product, a lack of major, long-term player signings, high ticket/parking prices, and a significantly eroded season-ticket base, which dropped from nearly 30,000 in 2017 to roughly half that in 2022.

The fans want to be repaid for the extra fees that were not included in the initially advertised prices. The suit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, seeks to have the Giants repay fans who were charged extra fees not included in the initially advertised price, according to local reports.

Looks like a touch of greed from some owners who want a leg up before they lock out the players by December 2026, in what is expected to be a very tough situation for Major League Baseball. A “Battle Royale” when owners will demand a hard salary cap, and the players’ union will continue to oppose it. This could result in something “very malo para el baseball.”

Quote: On Economic Realities: “People don’t want to go to the stadium, pay a high ticket price, then get cleaned out when they go to the ballpark… Until you have more disposable income, pricing is going to be a problem.” — Michael Cramer, former president of the Texas Rangers.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874

From the second you step in the front door, the sounds of Latin America will gently seduce your ears and continue as you relax outdoors with your favorite cocktail enjoying the view. The wonderful flavors and aromas of our cuisine will not disappoint.

We use only the finest, freshest, local ingredients in every dish and every dish is prepared to order. Enjoy live mariachi music weekly and on special occasions, catch balet folklorico dance performances among other live entertainment. Come visit us and have a great time! Enjoy fast, friendly service, fantastic food & cocktails, music and allow us to share our beautiful Mexican heritage with you.

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

Barracuda get under Wranglers skin in 5-1 rout

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San Jose Barracuda defenseman Mattias Havelid (middle) congregates with his teammates Filip Bystedt (left) and Lucas Carlsson (right) during the Barracuda’s 5-1 win over the Calgary Wranglers at Tech CU Arena on Friday Jan 30, 2026. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Barracuda scored every which way but loose in a balanced scoring attack with their 5-1 victory over the Calgary Wranglers on Friday evening at Tech CU Arena

San Jose has won three out of its last four games. Calgary has lost eight out of its last nine games.

Calgary (16-17-8-2-42 points) drew first blood late in the first period. A shot from the point by Zayne Parekh was initially Barracuda goalie Laurent Brossoit but Sam Morton crashed the net and cleaned up the rebound for his seventh goal at the 16:19 mark.

San Jose (23-13-1-2-49 points) had trouble with their puck management in the opening 20 minutes as turnovers inside their own zone led to two quality chances by Calgary only to have Brossoit bail them up with saves on each chance.

The Cuda had two short-handed breakaway chances in the final minute of the period, one by Igor Chernyshov with 48 seconds left and one by Patrick Giles with 12 seconds remaining only to have Wranglers starting goalie Ivan Prosvetov stone away both shots.

Donovon Houle evened the scored early in the second period with an unassisted goal, his first of the season. Patrick Giles had the puck checked away from him along the right board. Houle, who played in his 100th game in a Cuda uniform, picked up the puck, made a move toward the net before unleashing a wrist shot top self at the 7:14 mark

San Jose gained its first lead in the middle frame with a power play goal. Luca Cagnoni found Filip Bystedt along the goal line. From a near impossible angle, Bystedt snuck a wrist shot behind Prosvetov into the back of the net for his 12th goal of the season at 11:48 mark.

Calgary took exception to Bystedt putting in his own rebound on the play as they created chaos behind the goal after the goal was scored with a bunch of pushing and shoving. They continued to muck up the play the rest of the contest as San Jose’s agitation was too tough for to handle.

The Barracuda scored an insurance goal short-handed to start the third period thanks for a gaffe by Calgary. While coming out of his own zone, Jeremie Poirier made a drop pass with no behind him. Anthony Vincent collected the puck in the middle of the ice and beat Prosvetov with a wrist shot to the glove side for just his second goal of the season at the 3:21 mark. It snapped a 32-game schneid for Vincent.

San Jose cashed in on their fifth power play opportunity with its second goal on the man advantage. Cam Lund picked up the puck along the right boards. Lund skated around back up to the slot before beating Prosvetov with a wrist shot to the far side for his eighth goal of the season at the 7:12 mark. Lund has scored a goal in three straight games.

The Cuda scored its fifth unanswered goal just 15 seconds later on the next shift. Nolan Allen scored his first goal in a Barracuda sweater when his slapshot from the left point found its way in for his third overall goal of the season.

Brossoit (6-4-0) finished the game stopping 22 of the 23 shots he faced to earn his sixth win with San Jose. Prosvetov made 37 saves on 42 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 2-for-5 on the power play. Calgary went 0-for-4.

Jack Thompson returned to the lineup since he suffered an injury back on December 31st, 2025.

Collin White celebrated his 29th birthday on the evening.

San Jose held its First Responders Night at The Reef.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Vincent 2) Bystedt 3) Lund.

UP NEXT: San Jose and Calgary conclude their two-game series on Saturday January 31st at 6:00pm at Tech CU Arena.

Hornets Win Big Sky Game Against Montana State, 83-80, at Hornet Pavilion

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Sacramento State guard #1 Mikey Williams shoots a midrange jumper to tie up the score, 69-69, against Montana State Bobcats on January 29th, 2026, at the Hornet Pavilion in Sacramento, CA. (Photo by Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

SACRAMENTO – In an exciting Big Sky Conference game on Thursday night at Hornet Pavilion, Sacramento State defeated Montana State 83-80 to begin its season-long four-game homestand. The Hornets defeated the Bobcats in the closing seconds of a tough game to improve to 7-1 at home and capture their seventh victory of the year. Fans were on the edge of their seats the entire time as Sacramento State used home-court energy, clutch plays, and key performances to win. The game had five lead changes and six ties.

Montana State was 13-8 overall and 7-1 in conference play going into the game, while the Hornets were 6-13 overall and 2-5 in Big Sky play. After a two-game losing run, Sacramento State returned home and used its home-court advantage and intensity to take control at key points, ending the Bobcats’ four-game winning streak. For a squad that had gone 49 days in a row without a home game earlier in the season, the win was very meaningful. The Hornets’ return to Hornet Pavilion and their eventual win were all the more meaningful during that time, which featured a seven-game road trip and the third-longest home-game break among Division I teams.

All 15 players on Sacramento State’s roster are new to the program this season, yet the Hornets showed unity and grit throughout the game. Mikey Williams, Jahni Summers, Shaqir O’Neal, Prophet Johnson, and Mark Lavrenov, their starting five, led the effort. Mark Lavrenov finished the game with a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds, anchoring the Hornets in the paint, while Prophet Johnson led the way with 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Williams helped Sacramento State keep control in the crucial closing minutes by contributing crucial scoring.

The leadership team at Sacramento State played a crucial role in directing the new roster. In his debut season, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was the general manager, and head coach Mike Bibby went back to his hometown. In a Big Sky Conference game, the two assisted in leading a newly formed squad to a big win at home. Sacramento State’s Sikh Night, which honored Sikh culture and showcased the team’s strong identity in the newly renovated Hornet Pavilion—a section of The WELL transformed into the program’s current home—marked the end of a 66-year tenure at The Nest.

Montana State selected a starting lineup with Chris Hodges, Christian King, Jed Miller, Davian Brown, and Patrick McMahon. Jed Miller led the way with 25 points as the Bobcats, who are renowned for their shooting, made nine three-pointers in the second half after making six in the first. Montana State was unable to overcome the Hornets’ home-court energy and clutch performance, even though they scored 42 points in the second half and kept the game close with several ties and lead changes.

The Hornets led 45-38 at the half after controlling the opening half. Christian King, forward for the Bobcats, opened the score early with a jumper following a Hornets turnover, but Sacramento State soon recovered. In the first 19 minutes, Mark Lavrenov scored 12 points on flawless 5-of-5 shooting and pulled down 5 rebounds, while Prophet Johnson scored 17 points with 3 rebounds and 4 assists. The Hornets’ excellent three-point shooting—more than 50% in the first half—along with Lavrenov’s tenacity and unrelenting hustle in the paint allowed Sacramento State take a 10-point lead, which was sealed by an important 7-0 scoring run.

Montana State was determined to recover from their shooting in the 1st half after halftime, and the Bobcats’ shooting allowed them to do so. However, Sacramento State remained calm, relying on solid performances from Johnson, Lavrenov, and Williams, as well as the passion of their home crowd, to overcome the Bobcats’ charge. The Hornets sealed the hard-fought 83-80 victory in the closing minutes by stopping Montana State’s comeback. Sacramento State was able to go on a 14-9 run in the final four minutes. Six of those points came from guard Mikey Williams.

Hornets Prophet Johnson, Mikey Williams, and Mark Lavrenov combined for 67 points to help Sacramento State secure this win. The Hornets also shot a season high 56% from the field while also hitting eight trey’s in 18 attempts going 44%. The Hornets showed their athleticism and toughness with having 24-2 fast break total points, along with having 40 of their 83 points in the paint.

The Hornets will try to build on this win in their upcoming home game against the University of Montana Grizzlies on January 31 at 7 p.m. at Hornet Pavilion in Sacramento, California.

Sixers Edge Kings 113-111 With Maxey Hitting Winning Layup; 76ers hand Sac their 7th straight loss

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Sacramento Kings Dennis Schroder (17) drives on the Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid (21) in the first half at the Xfinity Mobile Center in Philadelphia on Thu Jan 29, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (12-37 lost their seventh game in a row Thursday night to the Philadelphia Sixers (26-21) 113-111. They had an 11-point lead mid-way through the fourth quarter but allowed the Sixers back in the game. The game could not have been closer as the clock ran out on the Kings.

Game recap: The first two quarters were close with the Sixers outscoring the Kings in each of the first two quarters. After the first 12 minutes of play the Sixers had taken a three-point lead 28-15. The Sixers outscored Sacramento in the second quarter 32-29, another three points with Philadelphia taking a 60-54 at the half.

DeMar DeRozan had a great first half with 21 points and Dennis Schroeder, who started in this game, scored 15 points. Not much else was going on as far as scoring for Sacramento. Zach LaVine did start in the game playing off the bench scoring five points in the opening half. The Kings had remained close in the first half but were unable to get over the top.

The Kings got as close as two points in the third quarter at 6:59, 68-70 and tied up the game seconds later at 70 forcing the Sixers to take a timeout. Domantas Sabonis broke into double digits in the quarter finishing three quarters with 14 points. At 4:16 the Kings took a 77-75 lead. As the third quarter came to an end, the Kings had a 92-88 lead when Keon Ellis hit a 23-foot three pointer.

Going into the fourth quarter Sacramento had built momentum that had been missing in the first three quarters. The task at hand would be to grow that momentum through the quarter. The largest lead the Kings had in this game was six points when again Ellis made a running dunk giving Sacramento a 98-92 lead.

There were more timeouts for the Sixers when the Kings took a 100-92 lead at 8:13. The remainder of the game was a see-saw affair in which Sacramento got the short end of the deal losing 113-111. This was their seventh loss in a row, a major disappoint when they had taken a 11-point lead mid-way through the fourth.

Sacramento come so close but missed a lot of shots in the final minutes coupled with fouls and turnovers. The 17 turnovers in the game did the Kings no favors. They played the Sixers close for much of the game and very nearly pulled off an upset.

The Kings put up some good numbers with Dennis Schroeder finishing with 27 points the high for the Kings. DeRozan scored 25 points and Sabonis had 17. The Sacramento bench high score went to LaVine with 17 points and Ellis with 10 points. The Kings had 46 rebounds in the game to the Sixers 24 about as lopsided as you can get.

The Kings had their hands full trying to contain Tyrese Maxey who finished with the game high of 40 points. Right behind him was Joel Embiid with 37 points. The Sixers did just enough to get past the Kings for the win.

Game notes: Thursday the Kings lost to the Sixers playing the fourth game of their current road trip. Tuesday they suffered their sixth loss in a row losing to the New York Knicks 103-87 their third road loss on this road trip. They continued the loss streak with a discouraging loss Thursday night. Keegan Murray remains out with an ankle injury and an expected return date of Febraury 4th. Malik Monk is out with an ankle injury and Russell Westbrook out with a foot issue with both looking at a January 30th return against the Boston Celtics. Zach LaVine will be back on the court after it had been decided at game time that he would be able to play.

It doesn’t get any easier for Sacramento as they travel to Boston for a matchup with the second place Celtics led by Jalen Brown. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 4:30 PM at TD Garden.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings aim to end 6 game skid in Philadelphia tonight

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Sacramento Kings Precious Achiuwa (left) defends against the New York Knicks Karl Anthony Townes (right) at Madison Square Garden New York on Tue Jan 27, 2026 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 How will Domantas Sabonis’ matchup against the Sixers’ (25-21) interior defenders like Joel Embiid impact Sacramento’s (12-26) ability to control the boards and generate second-chance points?

#2 What kind of scoring and playmaking contribution can DeMar DeRozan provide, especially if the Kings fall behind early and need a veteran scoring lift?

#3 With Zach LaVine listed as a key scorer for the Kings this season, how might his outside shooting affect Sacramento’s spacing against Philly’s defense?

#4 Given his experience and ball-handling ability, what impact might Russell Westbrook have on the pace of play and the Kings’ transition offense?

#5 How will Dennis Schroder’s role in facilitating offense and defending Philadelphia’s guards influence Sacramento’s chances in a likely high-tempo game?

Join Jerremiah Salmonson for the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.