Category: NBA

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Luke Walton’s hot seat cools off a bit after Kings win third straight game

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings lead scorer forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives the ball against the Toronto Raptors guard Terence Davis (0) during Fri Jan 29, 2021’s game in Tampa Bay (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah, The Kings struggled with an array of teams before they got on this current three game win streak, how important is this win streak for Kings head coach Luke Walton where it was said in the press that Walton was on the hot seat?

#2 The Kings got by with a two point 126-124 win against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. The Kings stayed with the Raptors for most of the game and it came right down to the wire for the Kings to come away with their second straight road win.

#3 The Kings certainly a team that has improved offensively they had six scorers that finished in double figures Friday night against the Raptors.

#4 Jeremiah, talk about the three leading high scorers for the Kings from Friday Harrison Barnes 26 points, De’Aaron Fox 24 points and Buddy Hield with 22 points they had to be the difference makers to win a close game against Toronto.

#5 The Kings play the third of this four game road trip tonight facing the Miami Heat. The Heat are a struggling bunch they have lost five straight games. The Kings had been that team before but now are on a three game win streak how do you like their chances in putting a fourth win together tonight in Miami?

Join Jeremiah Salmonson each Saturday for the Sacramento Kings podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings Barnes leads with 26 in 126-124 win over Toronto; Kings win third straight game

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield (24) who finsished with 22 points drives against the Toronto Raptors forward Yuta Wantanabe (18) during Fri Jan 29, 2021 game in Tampa Bay (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

The Sacramento Kings have been putting their losing ways behind them. The Kings, after losing five straight and getting two games postponed, have won their last two games. The Kings most recently defeated the Orlando Magic in Florida by a final of 121-107. The Kings are looking to turn the tide on the season. They still have time as the NBA season is long.

In Friday’s game, the Kings faced the Toronto Raptors and got a two point 126-124 win for their third straight win. The last time these two teams faced off it was ugly. The Raptors ended up getting the victory but neither team played any defense and at the time Toronto was 2-6 on the season. On Friday, the Raptors come in at a 7-11 record looking to improve on a rough opening month. The tip off was set for 4:30 PM PST in Toronto.

In the first half, the Kings played well! They managed to jump out to an early double digit lead outscoring the Raptors 36-24 in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Kings regressed a little bit. They were outscored 34-32 in the second quarter as the defense took a step back.

It was a worrying trend after what seems to be a daily occurrence of second half meltdowns for the Kings. However, the Kings still lead 68-58 heading into halftime feeling good about their chances. Up until this point Harrison Barnes had 15 points and Pascal Siakam had 17.

In the second half, the third quarter went according to the Kings plans. They could have performed better in the other defensive end but nonetheless outscored the Raptors 36-33. In the fourth, the Kings didn’t play well. They were outscored by the Raptors 33-22 in the final quarter.

However, the Kings managed to hold on and beat the Raptors despite having faltered in the final minutes. The defense didn’t it hold together, and they didn’t score at the clip they had earlier in the game. However, in the end they won and that’s something they can build on. The Kings were led by Harrison Barnes who scored 26 points in victory. In defeat, the Raptors were led by Pascal Siakam who had 32 points.

Up Next: The Kings make the flight to Miami to take on the Heat at 5 PM PST on Saturday evening. Charlie O will have coverage for us at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Warriors’ offense flounders in Phoenix, Suns win easily 114-93

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

Hoping to earn their first three-game winning streak this season, the Golden State Warriors failed to generate enough offense to beat the Phoenix Suns. The Warriors trailed Phoenix by five at the half 52-47. The Warriors usually play better in the second half, but not Thursday night, as the Suns won both the third and fourth quarters to win 114-93.

The Warriors’ Kelly Oubre, Jr, James Wiseman, and Damion Lee all performed well against Minnesota Wednesday night. Their performances on Thursday was the exact opposite. Oubre finished with four points. He was 1-for-11 from the floor and did not make a three in five tries. Wiseman, who scored 25 against Minnesota, had five points and was 2-for-9 from the field.

Damion Lee did not score. He had 17 against Minnesota. The Warriors had three players in double figures. Steph Curry 27, Andrew Wiggins 16, and Eric Pascall 12. Seven Suns’ player had more than 10 points in the game.

The Suns were playing the last game of a four-game homestand. The visiting teams won all three very closely contested games. The Suns lost one in overtime, one in double-overtime, and one in regulation. They needed to beat the Warriors. They were without the star backcourt ace, Devin Booker, out with a hamstring injury. Dario Saric was not available due to COVID-19 protocol. The Suns found a way to win. They got off to a good start and were able to break down the Warriors’ defense as they outscored Golden State 36-29. 

The Warriors slowed down the Phoenix offense in the second quarter. They held the Suns to 16 points. Typically, the Warriors would have grabbed the lead. Thursday was not a typical night. The Warriors knocked down 18 to finish the first half trailing by five, 52-47. Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins led the team with 13 and 12, respectively. Brad Wanamaker was third in scoring with six. 

Early in the third quarter, the Warriors closed to within one, 58-57. Phoenix went on an 11-0 run to make it 69-57. The Warriors could not generate any offense. They were toast. The Suns outscored them 33-24 to lead 85-71 after three quarters of play.

In the fourth quarter, Eric Paschall started making some baskets to keep the Warriors close. The Suns responded with an 11-2 run to lead 100-81. With five minutes left in the game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr inserted his bench players to finish the game. The Suns won 114-93.

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, the Warriors are 10-9 for the year. The Suns are now 9-8. 

The Warriors shot 38.9% from the floor. They made 11 threes in 38 tries. Phoenix shot 46.6% from the floor, and they made 11 threes in 32 attempts. 

Up Next: The Warriors return home to face the Detroit Pistons Saturday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 pm PT.

Hield scores season-best 29, Kings beat Magic 121-107 for solid road win

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @NBA

By Jeremiah Salmonson

The Sacramento Kings’ last two games had been postponed, but not on Wednesday night. The Kings defeated the Orlando Magic 121-107 at Golden 1 Center.

The Kings’ last game before Wednesday was against the New York Knicks last Friday at home. The Kings managed to take down the Knicks 103-94 to snap their four-game losing streak. The next two scheduled games were supposed to be played against the Memphis Grizzlies. 

However, due to COVID-19 protocols, the two games were postponed on Sunday and Monday. The Kings were not the source of the delay, but nonetheless, I’m sure they appreciated the extra time off. The Kings were set to be back in action on Wednesday taking on the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center.

In the first half, the Kings played well. The Kings outscored the Magic 32-23 getting back into the swing of things. In the second quarter, it was more for the same from the Kings. They managed to outscore the Magic 33-27 and build a 65-50 lead going into halftime. What was important for the Kings was to finish off the Magic. It has become a theme with this team the last few years to not finish off opponents.

In the second half, the Kings would look to do just that. The Kings started off strong. They outscored the Magic 31-27 in the third and looked poised to seal the deal and win their second game in a row. In the fourth quarter, they didn’t play as well, but still held onto the lead and managed to win the game. The Magic out scored the Kings 30-25 in the last quarter, but the Kings still managed to win the game 121-107.

Leading the way for the Kings (7-10) in victory was Buddy Hield, who had 29 points.

In contrast, the Magic (8-11) were led by Nikola Vucevic, who had 26 points. The Kings are now on a two-game winning streak and look to carry that momentum into their next contest. 

Up Next: The Kings will travel to Toronto and take on the Raptors on Friday night at 4:30 PM PST. 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria: Kings coming off win against Knicks face Magic in Orlando tonight

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Sacramento Kings Glen Robinson III (left) fouls the New York Knicks Julius Randall (right) in the first quarter of Fri Jan 22, 2021’s game at Golden One Center in Sacramento (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Tony R:

#1 Tony, the Kings (6-10) got a big win in their last game against the New York Knicks 103-94 after losing four straight games. How much of a morale booster is that for them starting out on the road trip tonight?

#2 The Knicks are not a slouch team by any means. They came into Sacramento last Friday with a four-game win streak, but the Kings wanted it more.

#3 The Kings Friday got offensive help from De’Aaron Fox, who led with 22 points and Harrison Barnes with 21.

#4 There’s been criticism regarding Kings head coach Luke Walton being one of the worse coaches in the NBA and that Walton has simply been out-coached this year. Is Walton’s job on shaky ground?

#5 The Kings had their game against the Memphis Grizzlies (7-6) postponed last Saturday due to the Grizzlies have COVID-19 protocol issues. The Kings are in Orlando tonight against the Magic. The Magic has lost eight of their last ten games and won in their last game defeating the Charlotte Hornets 117-108. How do you see the two teams tonight?

Join Tony for the Kings podcasts every other Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria Wed Jan 27, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors could take two game series Wednesday against Minnesota

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Golden State Warriors Andrew Wiggins (left) takes the ball in front of the Minnesota Timberwolves Jarrett Culver (right) during Mon Jan 25, 2021’s game at Chase Center in San Francisco in game 1 of the 2 game series (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with David:

#1 Dave, the Warriors had absolute control of the Minnesota Timberwolves and got top scoring from Andrew Wiggins with 23 points and Stephen Curry with 36.

#2 Talk about Kevon Looney taking James Wiseman’s place at center do you see this being a permanent line up change or until Wiseman learns the ropes a little more?

#3 The Timberwolves have lost six of their last seven games and are struggling and the Warriors have had some strong wins talk about how you see this match up Wednesday night for game two?

David Zizmor does the Warriors podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors down Timberwolves 130-108; Curry leads W’s offense with 36 points

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors led all scorers with 36 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Mon Jan 25, 2021 at Chase Center in San Francisco (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

 The Golden State Warriors bounced back after two straight losses to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 130-108. The Wolves did not have point guard D’Angelo Russell in the lineup Monday night.

Russell is recovering from a quadricep injury. He may be available Wednesday night when the two teams play again. The T-Wolves star center Karl-Anthony Towns was not available as he is under the NBA’s Covid-19 protocol. 

Having the most challenging schedule in the NBA for the first 16 games, the Warriors knew they had a chance to get back on the winning track Monday night. Head coach Steve Kerr wanted the team to get off to a good start against Minnesota.

They fell behind in the first quarter against the Knicks and the Jazz in the last two games, and it cost them as they lost both. Kerr tweaked the starting lineup by inserting Kevon Looney at the center slot instead of rookie James Wiseman.

The move paid off as the Warriors raced out to an early 19-4 advantage. The T-Wolves’ offense came to life, but they could not catch the Warriors. Golden State finished the first quarter 34-23.

Minnesota started the quarter with an 8-0 run. Behind Brad Wanamaker, Eric Paschall, and Kent Bazemore, the Warriors increased the lead to 46-33. The second unit played well, and the Warriors cruised to a 68-55 lead.

Although the Warriors led wire-to-wire, the T-Wolves made a run in the third quarter to cut the deficit to ten. They won the quarter 29-25 to make the game a little more interesting. The Warriors were able to maintain the lead, but Minnesota did not quit.

They kept playing hard. They ran the court, played defense to force turnovers, and the Warriors knew that Minnesota would be back in the game with one or two miscues. The Warriors, leading 93-83 at the start of the fourth quarter, saw Minnesota cut the lead to eight 103-95 with 6:45 to play.

 Curry re-entered the game at this point. Curry showed the T-Wolves and the NBA the reasons he was a two-time NBA MVP. Curry scored the Warriors’ next 12 points to put them ahead 115-101.

After a Brad Wanamaker’s bucket, Curry connected on another three to give Golden State a commanding lead 121-103. Curry scored 15 points in three minutes and 20 seconds of play. He was four for five and made three threes. The game was over as the Warriors cruised to a 130-108 win.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are 9-8 for the season. The T-Wolves are 4-12. 

The Warriors had five players in double figures Monday night. Curry led the team with 36 points, four rebounds, three assists. Curry made seven threes. Andrew Wiggins continued to play well at both ends of the court.

Wiggins, facing his former team since the trade last year, knocked down 23 points. He connected on two threes. Kelly Oubre, Jr. had 14, Draymond Green 10, and James Wiseman 13.

Minnesota’s offensive leader was Malik Beasley, with 30. Jarred Vanderbilt had 12, Naz Reid 11 points and ten rebounds, and Jordan McLaughlin 15. The T-Wolves star rookie, the number one pick in this year’s NBA draft, Anthony Edwards, tallied 15.

The same two teams meet Wednesday night again at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 pm.

Kings-Grizzlies game postponed due to Coronavirus protocols

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies game was announced postpone on Friday as the two clubs were scheduled to meet Sun Jan 24, 2021 at the empty Fed Ex Arena in Memphis (pinterest.com file photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

The Sacramento Kings have had many different turns to this season so far. Ups and downs have been common this year. The Kings last game was a glimmer of hope.

The Kings took on the New York Knicks on Friday night and were able to snap a five game losing streak as they defeated the Knicks 103-94. For the Kings is was important because they were able to hold a team below 100 points. The Kings defense has been atrocious and it will be the key going forward if they want any chance at making the playoffs.

The Kings will have to wait until Wednesday night for the next chance to take the court. Due to issues surrounding the Memphis Grizzlies and COVID 19 protocols the next two games for the Kings have been postponed. No make up dates have been set yet.

On Wednesday, the Kings will travel to Orlando to take on the Magic at 4 PM PST.

Jazz hit all the right notes blast Warriors 127-108; Third loss in five games for Golden State

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

The Utah Jazz Donavon Mitchell (45) is defended by the Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) on Sat Jan 23, 2021 in Salt Lake City (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Utah Jazz (12-4) sent a message to the Golden State Warriors (8-8) and the rest of the NBA that they are one of the elite teams in the Western Conference of the NBA. They entered the game with a seven-game winning streak and a record of 11-4. The Jazz improved on that streak extending it to eight with a convincing 127-198 win over the Warriors. 

Their roster includes the two-time defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert. The veteran Michael Conley and Donovan Mitchell form an outstanding backcourt. Royce O’Neale and sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic are the forwards. The Jazz has two outstanding reserves in Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson. 

The Warriors, smarting from the loss to the New York Knicks last Thursday, hoped to start well against Utah Saturday night. Alas, that did not happen. Utah jumped off to an early 14-0 lead. They increased the lead to 17, 19-2 before the Warriors could get the offense working.

The Warriors started putting points on the board. They scored 30 points in the quarter. Their problem was the Jazz scored 39. The Warriors started the second quarter, hoping to get back in the game.

The Jazz had other thoughts. They continued to make three-point shots while the Warriors’ offense floundered. The Jazz outscored the Dubs 38-119 to finish the first half with a 30-point advantage,77-47.

Steph Curry led the Warriors with 13 points and made three threes. Curry tied Reggie Miller for second place for most three is a career with 2560. His next three would put him into second place all by himself.

Curry’s first bucket of the third quarter was a three. He now has 2561 threes and is second place for most threes in a career. Ray Allen holds the record with 2973 threes. Curry is on track to break the record in the next two or three years. As for the game, things continued to head south for the Warriors. The Jazz continued to punish Golden State. The led 108-72 with 12 minutes left to play.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr chose to play his reserves for the entire fourth quarter. Utah coach Quin Snyder pulled his starters. The Warriors won the period 36-19, but it was too little, and too late. 

Game Notes and Stats:  Curry led the Warriors with 24 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. He made five threes in ten tries. James Wiseman had 15 points and five boards. Andrew Wiggins 13, Kelly Oubre, Jr. 5. Bench reserves Jordan Poole had 10, Nico Mannion eight, including two threes, and Damion Lee nine.

The Jazz had six players in double figures. Donovan Mitchell had 23, Michael Conley 17, Rudy Gobert 11 points and 14 rebounds, Bojan Bogdonavic14. Joe Ingles knocked down 13, and Jordan Clarkson added 14.

The Jazz connected on 23-point shots. The Warriors made 14. The Jazz outrebounded the Dubs 69-41. With the win, the Jazz are 12-4. The Lakers are 13-4, and the Clippers are 12-4. The Jazz are making a statement that they are to considered an elite team. Time will tell. 

The Warriors are now 8-8 for the year. The Warriors return home to play two games against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, January 23rd, and Wednesday the 25th. The game time will start at 7 pm at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings big surprise with win over Knicks; Now face struggling Magic in Orlando Wed

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Orlando Magic’s guard Evan Fournier (left) tries to defend the Indiana Pacers Malcolm Brogdon (right) during Fri Jan 22, 2021’s game in Indianapolis. The Magic will host the Sacramento Kings on Wed Jan 27, 2021 in Orlando (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah after four long games the Kings snap their long four game win streak beating the New York Knicks on Friday night 103-94.

#2 Just from the team morale standpoint what does this do for the Kings in getting a win over a Knicks team who came in with a four game win streak in their own right.

#3 In the third quarter the Kings held the Knicks to just 18 points which was major in holding the lead how much does that speak to their defense on Friday night.

#4 It was all hands on deck for the Kings six players finished in double figures and the Kings got scoring help from D’Aaron Fox 22 points and Harrison Barnes 21 in the Kings nine point win.

#5 Next up for the Kings they head to Orlando for a Wed Jan 27th tip off with the Magic (7-9). The Magic who have lost seven of their last eight games host the Kings who have just snapped their four game losing streak on Friday night how do you see this match up?

Join Jeremiah each Saturday for the Kings podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com