Category: NBA

Warriors Drop Second Game In a Row to Pelicans 101-96

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Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole lends a hand to guard Damion Lee in the first half of action against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans on Thu Jan 6, 2022 (AP News photo)

Warriors Drop Second Game In a Row to Pelicans 101-96

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors (29-9) are coming off of what is probably their worst game of the 2021-22 season. The entire roster struggled from the start of this game until the finish. It was just horrendous and it’s a game that was forgettable from the get go as the New Orleans Pelicans (14-25) defeated the Warriors 101-96.

Thursday night the team took on the Pelicans without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The Warriors are more than capable of winning this game without Curry and Green. Curry was resting a left quad injury and Green his sore hip.

The starting lineup for the game is notable with Otto Porter, Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II and Jordan Poole. On top of that the Warriors have an amazing bench with Andre Iguodala, Jonathan Kuminga, Damian Lee and Nemanja Bjelica.

Tonight’s roster is more than enough to get past the Pelicans after the fluke of a game we saw last night. Here’s hoping that the disaster we saw in Dallas was the last of it’s kind this season.

The Warriors got on track as the first quarter reached the mid-way point and Golden State had a 22-16 lead at quarters end. In the second quarter, it looked like Golden State was working well together and having a lot of fun and a lot of success until the final four minutes of the half.

The Pelicans really turned on their offense with Brandon Ingram unable to miss finishing with 19 points. New Orleans was getting the ball to Ingram every chance they got. The Pelicans took the lead as the second quarter came to an end 47-46.

The Warriors were having a very good defensive game with Porter, Looney, Moody and Kuminga accounting for 18 of their 23 rebounds. Both teams were shooting 44% in the first half. Wiggins had 11 points in the first half with the remainder of the starters only hitting seven points combined. The Warriors needed a lot more offense from a lot more players in the second half and they needed to shut Ingram down.

Five minutes into the third quarter Golden State took back the lead after trailing by six points 57-56. They got back in front from the free throw line. The lead was short-lived by the Warriors and the Pelicans led by 75-72 after three quarters. In the third quarter it was Andrew Wiggins and Damien Lee who were keeping Golden State in this game.

The Pelicans continued to dominate in the fourth quarter and led 90-82 with three minutes left in the game. Much as in the last game, the Warriors offense was killing them. Another subpar team was beating Golden State. The Warriors were 5 of 30 from downtown, not a winning formula. The only way to describe this game by the Warriors was an offensive power outage two games in a row.

The Warriors got something going but it was too little too late with less than a minute left in the game. New Orleans came away with the win 101-96 in another shocker. This is the first time this season that the lost Warriors two games in a row.

Mama said there’d be days like this and for the Warriors two days in a row like this. They now have two days off in a row to watch film and relax before they get back to work on Sunday.

The game that everyone has been anticipating for weeks now will be played on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. There will be a lengthy practice on Saturday and supposedly it will be after that practice that the starting roster will be determined. The Warriors will just have to wait and see how that roster looks on Sunday. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 PM

Warriors Offense Falls Short in Loss to Dallas 99-82

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The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry who desperately was reaching out for the ball was held to only 14 points against the Dallas Mavericks on Wed Jan 5, 2022 in Dallas (AP News photo)

Warriors Offense Falls Short in Loss to Dallas 99-82

By Barbara Mason

While it is near to impossible to ignore the excitement that is brewing in the land of the Warriors there are still two important games that have to be focused on right now. First up for Golden State (29-8) is the Dallas Mavericks (2-18). The major challenge for Golden State in this game would be the huge presence of Luca Doncic. The Warriors failed that challenge and took a 99-82 loss in Dallas on Wednesday night.

The first quarter of this game was about as tight a game as you could wish for as well as fairly low scoring; tied at 21. The second quarter began as much as the first had ended. The teams would trade baskets and remain within a point or two of each other until the final four minutes of the half. The Mavericks got their offense going and put a number of stops on the Warriors. At the half Dallas held a 50-39 lead.

The only player on the floor with double digits in the the first half was Luca Doncic with 15 points. The high score for the Warriors was Damien Lee with seven points off the bench.

This was a very ugly start for Golden State with ten turnovers and 1 of 15 from downtown. Doncic was able to do as he pleased in the first half. The Warriors would have to contain this guy in the second half and not let him dictate the game.

It was a sight for sore eyes when Stephen Curry opened the third quarter with a three. The Warriors came out with some much needed energy in the quarter. The Warriors had mounted a 19-3 run through the first ten minutes of play in the third. The Warriors had built a slim lead with four minutes left in the quarter 63-61. Although the Warriors outscored the Mavericks 28-20 in the third quarter they still trailed 70-67.

The Warriors would need all onboard in the fourth quarter to win this game and with four minutes left they were not getting it done. Golden State was holding the Mavericks to 36% shooting so the defense was getting the job done; it was the offense for the Warriors that was falling flat on their face.

This was probably one of the worst offensive showings of the season for Golden State. They couldn’t buy a basket despite getting a lot of good looks. Andrew Wiggins finished with 17 points and Curry with 14. This was just one of those nights when the entire team was off.

The team will now head to the Big Easy for a meeting with the New Orleans Pelicans. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

Huerter puts the hurt on Kings leads Hawks with 25 points in 108-102 win over Kings

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Atlanta Hawks guard Kevin Huerter (3) is blocked by Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield (24), Huerter went on to lead the Hawks with 25 points at the Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Jan 5, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–Tuesday review:The Sacramento Kings (16-24) were back in action on Wednesday evening in Sacramento. The Kings took a brief trip away from Golden One Center to play the Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. The Kings played hard against the Lakers, but ultimately, an unfortunate clock malfunction and error by De’Aaron Fox along with typical Lebron James scoring did in the Kings 122-114 on Tuesday night.

Wednesday night recap: On Wednesday, the Kings welcomed the Atlanta Hawks (17-20) to Golden One Center. The Kings fell to the Hawks 108-102 on Wednesday night at Golden One Center.

In the first quarter, the game was off to a slow start. The Kings and the Hawks were coming off a game the night before. The Kings played the night before in Los Angeles, and it showed in the first quarter.

The Kings defense looked tired as they were outscored by the Hawks 33-24 in the first quarter of action. The Hawks offense looked like it was firing on all cylinders, and the defense didn’t look bad either. The Kings would need to ramp up the intensity in the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Kings defense did a better containing the Hawks offense. The Kings held the Hawks to only 21 points in the second quarter. Unfortunately, the Kings couldn’t pick it up on the offensive end.

The Kings also scored 21 points in the second quarter to match the Hawks. The Kings were led in the first half by Buddy Hield, who scored 11 points. The Hawks were led in the first half by Delon right, who scored 11 points. The Kings would take a 54-45 deficit into the second half, looking to turn the tide in the third quarter.

In the third quarter, the Kings played their best quarter of the game. The Kings outscored the Hawks 30-24 as the Kings improved on the offensive end. Typically, the Kings collapse in the third quarter, but this one was different. The Kings showed an encouraging poise to cut into the deficit. Could the Kings complete the comeback in the final quarter? The Kings went into the fourth quarter down 78-75.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings played hard but ultimately fell short against the Hawks. Atlanta outscored the Kings 30-27 in the final quarter, and it was too much for the Kings to overcome. As a result, the Kings fell to the Hawks 108-102. The Kings as a unit struggled to score on Wednesday night. The best performances came from De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, who scored 30 and 24, respectively.

Buddy Hield scored 11 points on the night, but those all came in the first half; he went scoreless in the second half. Kevin Huerter led the way for the Hawks as he scored 25 points on the night. It was a disappointing loss for the Kings since they faced an undermanned Atlanta Hawks team. The Kings fell to 16-24, and the Hawks improved to 17-20 on the season.

Up Next: The Kings will travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Friday at 6 PM PST.

Fourth Quarter Comeback Beats Sacramento, Lakers defeat Kings 122-114

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Forward LeBron James (6) of the Los Angeles Lakers takes a fade away shot against the Sacramento Kings forward Maurice Harkless (8) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tue Jan 4, 2022 (AP News photo)

Fourth Quarter Comeback Beats Sacramento, Lakers defeat Kings122-114

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings played a tight game coming up short as the clock ran out. Despite the loss the Kings had some great play by Fox, Hield and Barnes.

Tuesday night the Sacramento Kings (16-23) traveled down south to take on the Los Angeles Lakers (20-19) at Crypto.com Arena. While the Lakers are favored in this matchup, the Kings are coming off a nice win over the Miami Heat last Sunday. The Lakers wound up with the win the final was 122-114 in Los Angeles.

The Kings have had their ups and downs all season but the win over the Heat could really go far in the confidence department for the team. They could really use a generous dose of confidence having lost their last four road games.

The Kings will be leaning heavily on DeA’aron Fox, Harrison Barnes, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Jones and Marvin Bagley along with bench standout Buddy Hield who had 26 against the Heat. This is an extremely talented roster that just has had a tough time this year.

Sacramento had a nice start in the first quarter of this game leading 31-26. The Lakers came back from their slow start in the first quarter to take the lead in the second quarter. The Kings refused to go away and at halftime had fought their way into the lead 59-57.

It was a wild back and forth game through the third quarter. The Lakers held a slim 85-83 lead going into the final quarter. Fox and Hield had been great for Sacramento in fact giving them a real chance to win this game.

The Kings had the lead going into the final four minutes of this game. The Lakers and the Kings began to trade shots in this see-saw game. Lebron James really got the Lakers going in the final two minutes dropping a couple of baskets and giving his team a 118-112 lead with 51 ticks left on the clock. LeBron finished as the top scorer of the game with 31 points.

It was a tough loss for the Kings after having led for much of the game. Fox finished with 30 points and off the bench Hield had 26. The Kings just were not able to close out this game.

Friday night the Kings will take on the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Tipoff is at 6:00 PM PT

Poole Leads Warriors To Win Over Heat 115-108

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Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Mon Jan 3, 2022 (AP News photo)

Poole Leads Warriors To Win Over Heat 115-108

By Barbara Mason

Just when we were all wondering when we would see Draymond Green back in the lineup, we got our answer Monday night when the Warriors (29-7) took on the Miami Heat (23-15). The Warriors would need him against a very tough Miami team .The Warriors would overcome, the final was 115-108.

Golden State would play a near perfect first quarter leading 33-25. They had shot 57% and had six from downtown. In the second quarter the Warriors led by as much as 13 points but the Heat would dissolve that lead and tie up the game mid-way through the quarter. Miami had scored nine unanswered points. After two quarters the Warriors took back the lead 59-54 at halftime.

Green was spectacular in the half with 10 assists. Andrew Wiggins led the pack with 16 points followed by Jordan Poole with 14 points. Golden State had 8 shots from downtown and only had four turnovers.

The Heat had a bit of a issue in the first quarter on defense. The most pressing issue for Miami were the turnovers which the Warriors took full advantage of. Some were uncharacteristic while some were due to the Warriors defense.

This is what hurt the Heat the most. What had kept them in this game was the play of Jimmy Butler who scored 12 points and Kyle Lowry with 11 points. The three point shooting really got on track for Miami in the second quarter. The Heat are also short-handed as are many teams across the league. They have five out with injury and five out on Covid protocol.

The Warriors would have a lot of work to do in the second half. As the third quarter began to wind down the Heat had a terrible loss as Jimmy Butler rolled his right ankle and was helped to the Miami locker room.

Butler was a huge part of keeping the Heat in this game and had shot 22 points just prior to his injury. After three quarters the Warriors led 89-82. With the Warriors doing so much so well it was a testament to the great play by the Heat to even stay close.

With 5:36 remaining in the fourth quarter the Warriors were holding onto a 106-100 lead trying to put away the Heat who had been stubborn all quarter in the absence of Butler and refused to go away. In the final four minutes of this game the Warriors kept coming up with stop after stop while the Golden State offense had come unglued. Poole had an amazing run with 32 points as they completely closed out the Heat.

The Warriors really cashed in by using Stephen Curry as a decoy in this game. Golden State has plenty of power when it comes to shooting from downtown so this strategy worked out well for the Warriors. The defense led by Green was superior and the offensive play of the Warriors was amazing. Poole with 32 points, Wiggins with 22, and Payton with 14 led the team.

The Warriors will be taking on the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday at Smoothie King Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

Kings deliver again edge Heat 115-113 at Golden One; Sac has won three of last four games

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Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) pushes the ball against the Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III (35) at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Sun Jan 2, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Sunday afternoon for the first game of 2022. The Kings last played on Friday afternoon as they took on the Dallas Mavericks at home. On Friday, the Kings played a terrible game against the Mavericks that saw them lose 112-96.

It was summed up post-game by Kings head coach Alvin Gentry who said, “If anyone needs me, I’ll be at home drinking.” It was a rough game that the Kings showed no effort. On Sunday, the Kings would look to clean up the action on the court as they welcomed in the Miami heat at 3 PM PST. The Kings defeated the Heat at home 115-113 on Sunday afternoon.

It was a weird first quarter in Sacramento. Neither team seemed like they could find a rhythm on the offensive end of the ball. However, the Kings did outscore the Heat 26-18 in the first quarter.

The Kings defense was playing well from the outset, and the Heat also were not hitting their shots. The Kings could take advantage of this in the first quarter and hoped to keep up the defensive pressure as the game continued.

In the second quarter, the defense crumbled. The Kings allowed the Heat to go off for 39 points in the second quarter and put the Kings lead in jeopardy. The Kings countered with 35 points of their own which preserved the lead.

It was a defensive nightmare for the Kings, almost giving up 40 points in a quarter. The saving grace for the Kings was that Miami didn’t play much defense either. The Kings would go into halftime with a 61-57 lead. Damian Jones led the way for the Kings in the first half with 14 points. Kyle Lowry led the Heat with 14 first-half points.

It wasn’t a complete meltdown for the Kings in the third quarter. Nonetheless, the third quarter was not kind to the Kings. While avoiding the breakdown, the Kings were outscored in the third quarter, 33-29.

However, the Kings went on a run towards the end of the quarter to avoid going into the fourth down. The score would be tied 90-90 going into the final 12 minutes of action against the Heat in Sacramento.

In the fourth quarter, the game was up for grabs. Both teams traded baskets until the score was 113-113 with 26.6 seconds to go. De’Aaron Fox would be fouled on a drive and make both of his free throws to make it 115-113.

The Heat had one final play with 6.2 seconds left. Jimmy Butler drove to the rim and missed his floater, and the Kings would win the game as time expired 115-113. It was a gritty win for the Kings, who had ample opportunity to implode.

Instead, they held their own and ended the Heat’s five-game winning streak. De’Aaron Fox played a significant role for the Kings down the stretch and finished the game with 24 points. Buddy Hield added 26 points for the Kings during the win. Tyler Herro led the way for the Heat in defeat as he scored 22 points along with Omer Yurtseven.

Up Next: The Kings will travel to Los Angeles on Tuesday to take on the Lakers at 7:30 PM PST.

Mavericks even the score take second game of series 112-96 at Golden One

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Dallas Mavericks forward Sterling Brown (0) drives towards to the hoop only to get fouled from behind by the Sacramento Kings center Damian Jones (30) at the Golden One Center in Sacramento on Fri Dec 31, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings (15-22) were back in action on Friday afternoon, the last day of 2021. The game was slated to take place at 3 PM PST against the Dallas Mavericks (17-18) The Kings last played on Wednesday when they also took on the Mavericks.

That game went in the Kings favor at the last second when Chimezie Metu hit the game-winning three-point shot as time expired. The Kings beat the Mavericks 95-94. The Kings and Mavericks played again on Friday, and the Mavericks trounced the Kings 112-96.

In the first quarter, the Kings got off to a hot start. The Kings outscored the Mavericks 39-34 in the first quarter. The offense hit all cylinders, and the Mavericks defense could not keep up. De’Aaron Fox led the attack that saw him be ultra-aggressive in the first quarter.

Unfortunately, the Mavericks also put the hurt on the Kings defense, scoring 34 points as neither team looked prepared for the other on the defensive end of the floor.

In the second quarter, not much went right for the Kings. The Mavericks offense continued to click, but the Kings offense fell dormant. The Mavericks scored 28 points in the second quarter, which was an improvement for the Kings defense.

However, the Kings offense fell by the wayside. The Kings only scored 17 points in the second, which put them in a hole going into halftime. The Kings trailed the Mavericks at halftime 62-56.

In the third quarter, the Kings began to implode. The Kings offense and defense simultaneously fell apart as the Kings were outscored 32-20 in the third quarter.

It was a baffling sight to behold. The Kings appeared to show good energy in the first half, but that is a familiar sight for the Kings only to see the meltdown in the fourth. The Kings would need a miracle on both ends of the floor to come back against the Mavs without Luka. The Kings entered the fourth quarter down 76-94.

The story doesn’t get any better for Kings fans in the fourth quarter. At one point, the Kings went 0-12 in a 7:29 stretch that sealed the deal for the Kings. The Kings did outscore the Mavs in the final quarter 20-18.

However, most of those points came in garbage time as both teams emptied the bench. Overall, the Kings lost the game 112-96 and snapped their two-game win streak. Notably for the Kings was the performance of De’Aaron Fox.

Fox scored 10 points in the first eight minutes of the game. Yet, he could not score any more points the rest of the game. Tyrese Haliburton led the Kings with 17 points in the losing effort. The most impressive performance for the Mavs came in the form of Jalen Brunson, who scored 23 points. It is time for the Kings to take stock in the team. The team needs to be rebuilt from the ground up—nothing anyone can do with this current group.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Miami Heat on Sunday at 3 PM PST inside Golden One Center.

Warriors, Nuggets Bit By the Covid Bug

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The Golden State Warriors Draymond Green (left) defends against the Sacramento Kings Buddy Hield (right) during contest at Chase Center San Francisco on Mon Dec 20, 2021. Green said there were Covid 19 protocol rules in place to prevent the postponement of Thu Dec 30, 2021 game in Denver against the Denver Nuggets (AP News photo)

Warriors, Nuggets Bit By the Covid Bug

By Barbara Mason

Tuesday night the Denver Nuggets barely beat the Golden State Warriors 89-86. The Warriors were at a significant disadvantage with a number of starters and bench players sitting this game out on covid protocol. The team was scheduled to play the Nuggets in Denver in a back-to-back Thursday night hoping to settle the score.

The Warriors had arrived in Denver and shortly before the game were advised that this game would have to be postponed due to covid. This was the second Denver game this season that has been postponed. The Nuggets have 7 players that are out (injury) and four that were questionable for tonight’s game. Also out were Head Coach Michael Malone as well as a number of staff members.

The Warriors were waiting to see if the questionable players would be able to go. It was finally decided that this game would not be played tonight.

It was a very frustrating waiting game for Golden State. Draymond Green was vocal on social media blasting the NBA. “How do you continue to cancel games when you’ve implemented rules to prevent this from happening?

Is that not a competitive advantage for other teams? The guys we didn’t have due to the protocol list played no role in Tuesday’s loss? Pick a side but don’t straddle the fence,” he said. The game that will have to be played at a later date will probably be a back-to-back for the Warriors which is another advantage for Denver. Another great point that Green expressed.

So the bottom line is that between the covid cases and the injuries on the Nugget roster the team was unable to put together the league minimum eight players available to start this game. It is what it is but it’s the Warriors that will potentially suffer when this game is finally played.

There was no date for the rescheduled game at the time of this posting. So this virus continues to run rampant across the league. There are currently about 120 players on covid protocol along with countless head coaches joining them on the protocol.

Besides the Nuggets Head Coach Michael Malone on the covid list, Doc Rivers (Philadelphia), Frank Vogel (Lakers), Billy Donovan ( Chicago), Monty Williams (Phoenix), Chauncey Billups (Portland) and Mark Daigneault (OKC) also join Malone in the protocol. Every head coach in the NBA has been fully vaccinated.

The next game for Warriors is scheduled for Saturday night against the Utah Jazz at 6:00 PM. This road game for the Warriors has the Jazz slightly favored to win. With all the disruptions that the Warriors have faced lately they will have to dig deep once again. They have faced adversity before, it is no stranger to the Warriors. They have handled it in the past and they will attempt to do it yet again in Utah.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings tip off against Mavericks Friday in second of 2 game series at Golden One

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The Sacramento Kings forward Chimzie Metu (7) can do it all he not only scored the game winner on a buzzer beater but earlier in the game snuffs a scoring attempt on the Dallas Mavericks Moses Brown (9) at the Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Dec 29, 2021 (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah, talk about the thriller that the Sacramento Kings (15-21) Chimzie Metu gave fans when he sunk a three point shot a buzzer beater for a Sacramento 95-94 cliff hanger to edge the Dallas Mavericks (16-18).

#2 I know Morris mentioned in his report that the Kings wanted desperately for a storyline and head coach Alvin Gentry wanted more passion and desire and got it from the players who hung with the Mavericks all game long something they weren’t getting last Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies.

#3 Gentry after that Memphis game Sunday said that in his over 30 years in the NBA that was the worst effort he ever saw. Since that game the Kings have won two straight on Tue 28th against the OKC Thunder and on Wednesday night against the Mavericks.

#4 Jeremiah, this is the first of a two game series against Dallas at Golden One the Kings match up against the Mavericks again Friday at 3:00pm. The Kings are hoping to pick up their third straight win while the Mavericks have won two of their last seven games.

#5 Wednesday was a solid team effort the Kings had six players in double figures with De’Aaron Fox leading in scoring with 16 followed up by Davion Mitchell and Harrison Barnes both who finished with 14.

Join Jeremiah with the Kings podcasts each Friday morning at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Metu, But Not For Two: Kings get three from an unlikely source at the horn to beat Dallas, 95-94

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By Morris Phillips

SACRAMENTO–Alvin Gentry wanted more passion and desire, Gentry’s players were desperate for a different storyline, and Kings’ fans demanded a win on a blustery, cold night.

And the key to pulling all these wishes together?

Trust your teammates. That’s exactly what De’Aaron Fox did with his decision to find a wide open Chimezie Metu with the game on the line.

“He turned the corner and went so quickly,” Gentry said of Fox’s decision. “He said, ‘I was either gonna dunk it and try to get to the line or if I saw them pull in so far I was going to try to hit the corner guy.'”

“It’s tough,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “Unfortunately if we give up a layup the game is tied, we go into overtime. But DP (Dwight Powell) went to help and they made a shot.”

Metu’s 3-pointer at the buzzer made the Kings winners, 95-94 over the shorthanded Dallas Mavericks, who were without superstar Luka Doncic for the ninth, consecutive game due to COVID protocols. The Kings found themselves in far more favorable circumstances regarding COVID with Davion Mitchell, Alex Len and Louis King gaining clearance for Wednesday’s game although only Mitchell saw playing time.

The Kings took control with a 35-13 second quarter only to see the Mavericks respond with a pair of significant runs in the third quarter, which set the scene for a tense, tight fourth quarter in which the Kings had just one lead, 92-90, until Metu’s final shot.

Gentry’s frustration with his club got the desired effect, as the Kings were better defensively. But at critical junctures, the hosts had no answers for the 1-2 punch of Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Brunson, who combined for 49 points to lead Dallas.

The Kings got efficient efforts from the rookie Mitchell and De’Aaron Fox who combined for 30 points. They were two of six Kings that scored in double figures, though none scored more than Fox’s 16.

The Kings satisfied Gentry’s desire for more focused play by shooting 38 percent from three along with a 46-40 edge in points in the paint. The Kings free throw shooting perked up as well with the team canning 13 of 15.

Defensively, the Kings were far from stout, but there was a competitiveness in their play, as they collapsed on drivers in the paint, and showed some resistance, especially with Dallas’ wings and their aggressive guards, particularly Brunson, who made tough shots throughout.

Wins on consecutive nights pulled the Kings within a half game of 10th place San Antonio in the densely packed Western Conference playoff race, and made it more likely that the club will look within for improvement as opposed to trying to orchestrate a high profile trade.

How unlikely was Metu’s decisive shot? The 6’9″ forward didn’t make a three in either of his first two seasons in San Antonio, and was shooting just 26 percent from three this season. But with game in the balance, Metu was composed and ready to shoot. His mean mug reaction to the game winner was priceless as well, as he never broke a smile even after his teammates mobbed him in celebration.

“It was a great moment,” he said. “Since I’ve been in the league, for sure one of the best moments I’ve had. For us to grind that one out, it felt good.”

The Kings again host Dallas on Friday night with the possibility that Doncic and some combination of seven other Mavericks in protocols could be cleared to play.

THE RETURN OF I.T.: Did anyone attend Wednesday’s game expecting to see Isaiah Thomas in uniform? Probably not, but Kings’ fans were ready with a hearty ovation when Thomas entered the game for Dallas in the second quarter. The 32-year old signed a 10-day deal with Dallas on Wednesday under a COVID hardship rule, and scored six points in 13 minutes. Thomas was originally drafted by Sacramento and played his first three seasons with the Kings.