Category: NBA

Sacramento Kings Tuesday game wrap: Clippers hand Kings 8th straight loss 105-87

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@LAClippers photo: The Los Angeles Clippers dressed up in Buffalo Braves jerseys on throw back uniform night Tuesday at Golden One Center against the Sacramento Kings as Derrick Walton Jr (10) left congratulates Landry Shamet (20)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–It was a David and Goliath matchup at Golden One Center on Tuesday at 2 PM PST. The struggling Sacramento Kings who are 12-21 on the year, went up against the mighty LA Clippers who were 23-11 on the season. The vibes were nervous, to say the least at Golden One Center as the Kings prepared to take on the Clippers and try and snap the teams seven-game losing streak.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out a bit flat. They only managed 23 points on 41.2% shooting from the field. Buddy Hield was the lone bright spot for the Kings offense in the first who scored 12 points on 4-5 shooting. The Clippers also seemed a bit flat coming out for the 2 PM contest. The Clippers managed to score 28 points on 47.8% shooting with Kawhi Leonard leading the way with 5 points.

In the second quarter, the Clippers began to extend the lead. Paul George began hitting his shots to end the half with 11 points. The Clippers scored 29 in the second to take a 57-40 lead into halftime. The Kings, led by Buddy Hield who had 12 points, managed to score 40 points in the second.

The rest of the offense with the exclusion of Richuan Holmes struggled. Holmes dropped 14 points in the first half, but the rest of the Kings were all under four points. The Kings had a lot of work in front of them to come back from a 57-40 deficit in the second half.

In the third, the Kings bounced back. They outscored the Clippers 33-31 in the quarter to slightly cut into the deficit. The Kings played fast and were able to get some easy buckets against a great defensive team. Kawhi Leonard carried the Clippers in the third scoring 14 points. The Kings continued to get stellar play from Richuan Holmes. Holmes scored 6 more points in the third to lead the Kings.

In the fourth, the Clippers put the game away. Sacramento’s shot just would not fall in the last quarter. They had a number of good looks but were unable to convert. Both teams shot 41% from the field but the Clippers shot 33% from three compared to the Kings 29%.

The Kings shot a disappointing 68% from the free-throw line compared to the Clippers 95%. That right there was your game. The Kings dropped their eighth consecutive game and to 12-22 on the year. The leading scorers for the victorious Clippers were Kawhi Leonard and Paul George with 24 and 21 points respectively. Leading the Kings in defeat was Richaun Holmes who was spectacular. Holmes scored 22 points on 8-13 shooting.

In what has been a rough season so far for the Kings, we flip the calendar to 2020. Kings players and coaches inferred to that fact postgame. Head coach Luke Walton said postgame, “It’s going to be a better year, 2020.” Shooting guard Buddy Hield echoed those sentiments in the locker room saying, “It’s go time – it’s a new year.

Were [34] games in so we have about [48] left – it’s go time. We can’t wait anymore.” For Kings fans, they hope that is true. Kings fans hope that same urgency will carry over into the new year. 2019 turned out to be a very disappointing year for Kings. Unfortunately, Kings fans have been disappointed for all of the 2010s. Here’s to a more successful decade in Sacramento for Kings fans!

Up Next: Kings stay home to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday at 7 PM PST

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: The advantage Cal had playing in Santa Clara for the Red Box Bowl; Have Sharks snapped out of it?; plus more

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photo from sfgate.com: California quarterback Chase Garbers (7) scrabbles away from Illinois defensive lineman Ayo Shogbonyo (52) during the first half of the Redbox Bowl NCAA college football game Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, in Santa Clara, Calif

On Headline Sports with Barbara:

#1 How important, how big was it for Cal to get to the Red Box Bowl and get to stay in the Bay Area and play the game against the Illinois Illini as the Bears defeated the Illini 35-20.

#2 It has to be a relief for the San Jose Sharks to win a game after losing ten of their last 11 on Saturday they got to break the glass ceiling or ice below with a five goal 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers

#3 Talk about the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in a game that was built and called “The NFC West Championship” played on Sunday afternoon

#4 The Oakland Raiders on Sunday had to beat the Broncos, then the Texans needed to beat the Titans and the Ravens needed to beat the Steelers, and the Colts needed to beat the Jaguars, and a victory by at least one of these teams Bears, Lions, Chiefs or Patriots in order to make the AFC Wild Card Playoffs it was quite a bit to ask for wasn’t of the Raiders?

#5 The Sacramento Kings last two loses were narrow in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves they lost by just one in overtime but coughed up a lead in the 105-104 loss, then on Saturday they dropped another game at home by two 112-110 to the Phoenix Suns. The Kings have lost six straight games.

Join Barbara each Tuesday for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Will Walton hit the panic button as loses mount for Kings

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photo from sacbee.com: The Phoenix Suns Dario Saric pins the Sacramento Kings Yogi Ferrell in the second quarter of Saturday night’s game at Golden One Center in Sacramento

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Kings have lost six straight games where does it reach the point that Luke Walton hits that panic button and the juggling of the line up starts?

#2 The one player whose been playing consistent and that’s the Kings De’Aaron Fox but he’s suffered injuries how much has his absence impacted the Kings?

#3 Just taking the first quarter of Saturday’s game alone the Kings The Kings managed to put up 30 points on 48% shooting from the floor. Having struggled in his last few contests, Buddy Hield put up a team-leading 8 points in the first quarter. Do the Kings need to take more shots, distribute the ball, try to get in the paint more often where do the Kings from here.

#4 The Suns on Saturday were led by Kelly Oubre Jr. who had 15 points followed by Devin Booker who had 14 on defense is Oubre and Booker just difficult to defend for the Kings?

#5 You had a chance to cover the Kings in Denver on Sunday tell us if you saw anything different in this game compared to the say the last six games.

Charlie O is a Kings beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Dallas Mavericks behind Luca Doncic, snap Warriors four-game winning streak 141-121

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By Jerry Feitelberg

San Francisco- The Dallas Mavericks’ superstar, Luka Doncic, led the Mavs over the Warriors by a score of 141-121. The Warriors were hoping to pull off another upset Saturday night. The Mavs are the highest-scoring team in the NBA, and they lived up to their reputation.

The first two periods of the game were highly entertaining. Both teams were hitting three-point shots. In the first quarter alone, the Mavs made ten, and the W’s tied a franchise record with nine. The nineteen threes in the first quarter set an NBA record. D’Angelo Russell led the Warriors with 18 points, and he connected on four threes. Damion Lee hit three threes for nine points. The first period ended with the score tied 41-41.

The pace did not subside in the second quarter. The Warriors outscored the Mavs 33-31 to finish the first half leading 74-72. Russell led the W’s with 30 points. Lee and Marquese Chriss also had 9. Luka Doncic finished the first half with 25 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and five threes in six tries. Tim Hardaway, Jr. had 13, Seth Curry (Steph’s brother, 14, and big Ktristaps Porzingis had 9. The W’s shot 60.4% from the floor. Dallas shot 54.3%.

The second half was a different story. The Mavs continued their onslaught. They continued to make threes. The Warriors could not get their offense going. Things went south for the W’s when D’Angelo Russell ran into Luka Doncic’s hip and fell to the floor. Russell did not move for a few minutes. The paramedics brought out a stretcher, but Russell was able to get to his feet and was taken to the locker room to be examined. It was not known if Russell had suffered either a head or neck injury. The air came out of the W’s balloon. The Mavs went on to expand the lead to 117-98. The W’s defense was not able to stop the Mavs’ offense. They outscored the W’s 45-24 to put the game away. DeeLow returned to the bench late in the third quarter. He suffered a right shoulder contusion.

Russell started the fourth quarter but was not a factor. The W’s could not overcome the 19-point deficit. The Mavs won going away 141-121.

Game Notes and Stats. The Warriors dressed just 10 players for the game. Kevon Looney, Eric Paschall, and Omari Spellman were not available to play. Alen Smailagic, the 19-year old player from Serbia, played 20 minutes and kicked in with 5 points.

The Warriors had five players in double figures. Russell led the team with 35 points, 4 rebounds, and six assists. He made nine threes. Damion Lee had a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Alec Burks and Marquese Chriss each had 16. Draymond Green made two threes and finished with 10 for the night.

The Mavs also had five players in double figures. Doncic had a triple-double with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and 15 assists. He made 5 threes. Tim Hardaway, Jr (son of the former Warrior Tim Hardaway, finished with 25 points. Seth Curry had 14. Dwight Powell, who played his college ball at Stanford, had 12. Porzingis had 18 points, 7 boards, and the big man from Russia connected on 4 threes in nine tries.

After the game, W’s head coach Steve Kerr said this about Russell returning to the game and that the injury was not as bad as first thought: “It was the best news of the evening.” He also said that the team, with four wins in five games: “really had a good homestand.”

The Warriors travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs Tuesday night.

Kings hit rock bottom can’t stop Suns’ Booker in 112-110 loss

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azcentral.com photo: Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, center, is defended by the Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield, left, and Kings forward Richaun Holmes, right, during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019.

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings have hit rock bottom. In what was a season with such high expectations going in, the Kings have not impressed. Granted, the Kings have had a fair share of adversity this season. Early season injuries to Marvin Bagley and De’Aaron Fox have not made things easy for the Kings as the Kings have now lost six straight losing to Phoenix 112-110 Saturday night.

However, after spending a significant amount on players such as Harrison Barnes and Buddy Hied, Kings fans expect more. After a tough loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, the Kings would look to bounce back against the Phoenix Suns at 6 PM PST.

In the first, both teams were shooting the ball well. The Kings managed to put up 30 points on 48% shooting floor. Having struggled in his last few contests, Buddy Hield put up a team-leading 8 points in the first quarter. The Suns shot 57% in the first led by Kelly Oubre Jr. who had 9 points. The Kings would look to play a little more solid defense in the second to take the lead on the Suns. It was 31-30 Suns leading going into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the shot-making disappeared for the Kings. With 4:45 left in the second, the Kings had only scored 8 points in the quarter. Bad shot selection and the inability to hit shots. The Kings only managed to score 19 points as the Suns dropped 28 points on the Kings lacking defense. Leading the Kings in scoring through the first half was Corey Joseph who scored 10 first-half points.

The Suns were led by Kelly Oubre Jr. who had 15 points followed by Devin Booker who had 14. The Kings would go into the second half trailing the Suns 59-49 and in need of a comeback to snap the teams five-game losing streak.

In the third quarter, the Kings played better than the previous quarter but not well enough to take the lead. The Kings put 28 up on the scoreboard in the third compared to the Suns 22. Buddy Hield continued a good bounce-back night for the Kings ending the third with 19 points on 7-15 shooting. Devin Booker did what Devin Booker does in the first three quarters putting up 21 points on 9-15 from the field. In what has been a rough stretch for the Kings they looked to put a solid fourth-quarter together to snap the skid.

In the fourth, the Kings came storming back to tie the game at 81 with 10:48 left in the game. It was a new game and whichever team played better the rest of the way would win the game. The next five-plus minute’s teams would trade baskets back and forth. The game would come down to the final 30 seconds.

With 20.9 seconds left and the score 109-107 Suns ahead, Richaun holmes was fouled and made only 1 of his free throws to make it 109-108. The Suns had the ball with the shot clock off and took a timeout. Out of the timeout and with 18.9 seconds left, they inbounded to Devin Booker in the backcourt while leaving Aron Baynes wide open for a layup.

The score was 111-108. After a few fouls from both teams, the final possession would be the Kings down 112-110 and 5.9 seconds remaining. The Kings inbounded after the timeout to Buddy Hield who kicked to Harrison Barnes on the perimeter and missed the open three to end the game.

Up Next: The Kings travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Sunday at 5 PM PST. The Suns Travel to Portland to take on the Trailblazers on Monday night.

Warriors rally in fourth quarter for win 105-96 over Suns; Their fourth in a row

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sfgate.com photo: Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry playing the capacity of unofficial assistant coach gives the younger players tips and advice in the Warriors victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night at Chase Center in San Francisco

By Jerry Feitelberg

San Francisco- The Golden State Warriors won their fourth in a row coming back from a 12-point deficit at the end of three quarters beat the Phoenix Suns 105-96.

The Suns and the W’s were nip and tuck in the first period. The Warriors only lead came when rookie Alen Smailagic, making his NBA debut, made his second basket of the night to give the W’s a short-lived lead 23-22. The Suns outscored the W’s 7-2 to finish the quarter with a 29-25 advantage.

Devin Booker continued to lead the Suns in scoring. The Suns outscored the W’s 22-18 in the second quarter. The Warrior offense just could not get going. The W’s went cold for over three minutes late in the quarter. The Warriors defense forced 13 Phoenix turnovers, but the W’s could not take advantage. The Suns finished the first half leading 51-43.

The Suns shot 52.5% from the floor. The Warriors shot a miserable 35.4%. Booker led the Suns with 17. Dario Saric, Aron Baynes, and Ricky Rubio all had nine each. The only warrior in double figures was D’Angelo Russell, who had 11.

The Warriors continued to flounder in the third quarter. Alec Burks could not get anything going. Damion Lee and D’Angelo Russell were the only players putting points on the board. Alec Burks was cold all night long. He just couldn’t nake a bucket. The Suns finished the third period with a 12-point advantage 78-66.

In the long history of the NBA, many teams have come from behind to win. The fans in the stands did not have that feeling at the start of play for the last 12 minutes of the game. The Suns led 86-76 with 7 1/2 minutes left to play. The Warrior went on an 11-3 run to tie the game at 89. Alec Burks came to life with two baskets.

Russell made a three-pointer, and Will Cauley-Stein came through with a bucket and free throw to help tie the game. The momentum was clearly with the Warriors. The W’s added six more points to finish the now 19-3 run. The W’s led 95-89. Damion Lee, Alec Burks, Draymond Green, and Russell all scored to finish with the win 105-96.

Game Notes and Stats- The Warriors won their fourth in a row and are now 9-24 for the year. The Suns lost their eighth in a row, and they fell to 11-20.

The Warriors had four players in double figures. Russell led the team with 31 points. He connected on four threes in eleven tries. Damion Lee played well on both ends of the court. Lee knocked down 16 points to go along with 8 boards. Draymond added 11 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Draymond made two three-point shots in the fourth quarter to help the W’s comeback effort. Burks finished with 13.

The W’s 19-year-old rookie from Serbia, Alen Smailagic, played five minutes in the first quarter and made scored four points.

Devin Booker led the Suns with 34. The Warriors put the clamps on him in the final period. He was not a factor at all. Saric had 11, Rubio 11, Frank Kaminsky 10, Aron Baynes 9.

The Warriors moved the ball well and committed just 10 turnovers. The Suns, however, turned the ball over 27 times, and that led to 28 Warrior points. After the game, Warrior Head Coach Steve Kerr said: “We were solid defensively.” He also said this about the team’s fourth-quarter rally: “We now believe we can win down the stretch.”

The Warriors play Saturday night again against the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks beat the W’s by 48 points in the first meeting of the teams earlier in the season. The game will be played at the Chase Center Saturday night. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

 

Kings put up a pathetic showing bow to the Timberwolves 105-104; Skid hits five

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sacbee.com: Sacramento Kings De’Aaron Fox left Thursday night’s game at Golden One Center with back spasms and never returned, Fox had just recently returned after a previous injury. He’s day to day.

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–It’s been a rough month for the Kings. December has not treated them well. Going into this month, the Kings were looking at a break in the schedule. Instead, this has turned into a bit of a nightmare. The Kings were 4-8 in the month and they should be well over .500 in December if they hope to be a playoff team. Tonight was their shot. Their opponent, the Minnesota Timberwolves, were without their star Karl-Anthony Towns and still were able to win 105-104. The Kings were looking to get back on track against the Timberwolves at 7 PM PST.

In the first quarter, both teams started out slow. The Kings managed to put up 26 points in the quarter followed by Minnesota’s 21. The leading scorer in the game at this point was Marvin Bagley with nine points and teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic with eight. Robert Covington led the Timberwolves in the first with five points. Though the Kings were leading in the first, bad news loomed. Early in the first De’Aaron Fox came limping off the court in discomfort. It was later revealed he left the game with back spasms and would not return. Kings fans would hope for the best as Corey Joseph would run the point the rest of the game.

In the second, things did not get better for the Kings. They only managed to put up 22 points while the Timberwolves scored 29. This led to a 50-48 Timberwolves lead going into halftime. The Kings shooting was non-existent in the first half. They shot a combined 34.1% while shooting 23.5 from the long-range. The Timberwolves weren’t able to do much better. They shot a combined 40% and 22.7 from deep. The Kings have yet to play five games with all starters healthy, and it shows. The Kings are not able to find a rhythm on offense and the defense has also suffered of late. They would need to pick it up in the second half if they hoped to go home winners.

In the third, the Kings played better. They put up 31 points and held the Timberwolves offense to 21 points. Richaun Holmes and Harrison Barnes both added 8 points to their totals as Bogdan Bogdanovic was a steady force finishing the third with 15 points. The Kings would take a 79-71 lead into the final quarter.

Unfortunately for the Kings, the improved play didn’t last. The Kings disappeared in the fourth quarter. With 4:09 remaining in the quarter, the Kings had only scored seven points. It was a pathetic showing from a team that has been struggling to get an offensive rhythm all season. In the final minutes, the game didn’t get much better.

The Kings and Timberwolves continued to miss shots in an unimpressive game. At one point in the fourth, the Kings fans were so uninterested in the game they started doing the wave. The game would be tied 90-90 with 27.4 on the clock and Timberwolves ball. That possession would end with no points and a rebound. The game would go to overtime.

In overtime, both teams would trade shots. The game would be decided with 5.6 left in the game and Kings ball tied 97-97. That possession would end with a missed shot that went out of bounds with .5 remaining in the game. The Timberwolves had one last shot in overtime to go home with the win. They weren’t able to inbound as time expired and it was double overtime in Sacramento.

In double overtime, the Timberwolves went on a 6-0 run before Luke Walton called a timeout with 3:33 remaining in the game. From there, the Kings made it a game at the end. It was 104-105 and the Kings had the final possession with just over 10 seconds left. Buddy Hield dribbled on the perimeter and ultimately missed the final shot as the Kings lose 105-104. It was a rough game and the Kings were unable to pull it out. Richaun Holmes finished as the Kings leading scorer with 20 points. Gorgul Dieng led the Timberwolves with 21.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Pheonix Suns at 6 PM PST on Saturday. The Timberwolves go home to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday at 5 PM PST.

Warriors find good tidings under their tree shock Rockets 116-104

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espn.com photo: The Golden State Warriors Damon Lee (1) goes airborne to take a shot against the Houston Rockets Clint Capela (15) at Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Dec 25th

By Jerry Feitelberg

San Francisco- The Warriors met and defeated the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day by a score of 116-104. The game was on national television, and if the network executives had their way, they would have pulled it from the schedule.

The Warriors, who have been scuffling all season, won their third game in a row. On December 15th, the W’s were blown out by the Sacramento Kings. The W’s head coach Steve Kerr must have said something to the team as they have played well in their last four games. They gave Portland a tussle but lost.

They then beat New Orleans, Minnesota, and, now, the Rockets. It was a team effort. They played well on both ends of the court. They held the Rockets’ scoring machine, James Harden, to 24 points. They did not foul Harden either. Harden, the master of drawing fouls, had just one free throw, and he missed it.

The Warriors got off to a good start in the first quarter. They had an early 13-7 lead. The Rockets went ahead 16-15 about midway through the quarter. The Warriors were able to keep pace with the Rockets and finished the first period trailing by a point 29-28.

The Rockets appeared to have found their rhythm in the second quarter. Harden made 5 threes in seven tries to finish the first half with 19  points. Russell Westbrook added 18, and the Rockets led 68-64. The W’s Damion Lee led the W’s scoring with 17. D’Angelo Russell had 14, and Glenn Robinson added 10.

Willie Cauley-Stein scored the first bucket of the third quarter to cut the Warrior deficit to 68-66. The Rockets increased the lead to seven 75-68. The Warriors, behind Draymond Green and Damion Lee, tied the game at 78. The Rockets connected on a three to regain the lead. With the score 83-80, the Warriors went on a 12-4 run to finish the third quarter leading 92-87

The Warriors entered the fourth quarter, knowing they had to stop Harden And Westbrook. Harden loves to drive and pick up fouls. The W’s had not fouled him in the first three-quarters of play. Harden hit a three to put Houston back in the lead 97-96.

Harden was fouled on the play, and he missed the free throw. The W’s would not foul him again. The Warriors then went on a 17-2 run. Draymond Green and Glenn Robinson each made two 3-point shots. The Warriors defense stopped the Rockets attack cold. The W’s increased the lead to 115-99. The Rockets ran out of time, and the Warriors, with the fans on their feet, won the game.

Game Notes and Stats- With the win, The W’s improved to 8-24. The Rockets, leading the Southwest Division of the Western Conference, fell to 21-10.

The Warriors starters all finished in double figures Three players, Russell, Lee, and Green scored 20 or more points. Two players Lee and Green, had a double-double. Damion Lee led the team with 22 points and 15 rebounds, Draymond had 20 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists.

D’Angelo Russell knocked down 20, Willie Cauley-Stein 10, and Glenn Robinson had 18. Robinson made two three-point shots in the fourth quarter to help seal the Rockets’ doom/ Alec Burks, Jacob Evans, and Marquise Chriss, coming off the bench, had 8,8, and 6.

The Rockets were led by Russell Westbrook and James Harden, Each superstar had a double-double. Westbrook’s line was 30n points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. Harden’s numbers were 24 points, 6 boards, and 11 assists. Harden made six threes in 10 tries. Danue House, Jr. had 18, Clint Capela 10, and P.J.Tucker 7. The Rockets’ bench added 15 points.

The Warriors shot 47% from the floor, and their defense held the Rockets to 37%. The Rockets made 16 three in 51 tries. The Warriors had nine.

The Warriors outrebounded the Rockets 54-49. The W’s defense stole the ball 7 times to go along with 8 blocked shots.

The Warriors resume play Friday night against the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are 11-19 for the year. The Suns blew out the W’s earlier in the season. Steve Kerr’s troops have played well in the last four games, and Kerr will be hoping the team will continue to improve.

The game will be at the Chase Center and will start at 7:30 pm. The W’s then play again on Saturday night against the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs are in second place in the Southwest Division with a record of 19-10. The game will also be at the Chase Center and will start at 5:30 pm PT.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings fall short to Rockets 113-104; Fourth consecutive loss for Sacramento

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photo from sacbee.com: Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield (24) shoots over Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook (0) for three-points during a game at Golden 1 Center on Monday, Dec 23, 2019 in Sacramento

On the Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Coming off three straight road loses the Sacramento Kings (12-18) played host to the Houston Rockets (21-9) at Golden One Center in Sacramento and yet lost another game 113-104.

#2 The Rockets had 16 points to the Kings 25 in the fourth quarter and still the Kings never held the lead in the game and never got that burst on the scoreboard. The Kings are missing a number of their offensive plays to stay a step ahead of their opponents.

#3 The Rockets got top scoring from James Harden 34 pts and Russell Westbrook 28 pts who have pave the way to the win

#4 De Aaron Fox and Richaun Holmes led the Kings with scoring Fox with 31 and Holmes 12. Fox carried the weight of the team and the Kings fell nine points short.

#5 After their last win to the Golden State Warriors the Kings have now lost four straight and host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night

Join Charlie Tuesdays for the Kings podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

Another Night in Sacramento: Rockets race to big lead, then hold on to beat the Kings, 113-104

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By Morris Phillips

SACRAMENTO–You know the story: since the Kings’ last playoff appearance in the spring of 2006, they’ve accumulated 13 losing seasons, run through 10 coaches, two arenas and finished last in the Pacific Division five times.

But that’s just the surface. Below the surface–or below .500–the Kings’ story gains greater focus. Eliminating the first 10 games of each of the last 14 seasons, including the current one–a sample size of 956 games–the Kings have held a winning record just 66 times.

That’s a winning record 6.9 percent of the time in 13 plus seasons. The most significant Kings’ won-loss record since 2006? March 6 when the Kings were 33-32. They lost three of their next four games and haven’t been over .500 since.

51 of the 66 occasions with a winning record happened last season under coach Dave Joerger, but the occurrence wasn’t treated as an upswing. Joerger was fired by GM Vlade Divac after the season.

So Monday was business as usual: a new Kings’ coach, Luke Walton, a losing record, and a tough loss–113-104 to the Houston Rockets–at home. The Kings have dropped four straight, and are just 12-13 since their 0-5 start to the season that foreshadowed continued playoff irrelevance.

By one measure, the Kings put themselves in harm’s way on Monday by beating the Rockets 119-118 at the buzzer on Nemanja Bjelica’s 3-pointer December 9 in Houston. Since then the Rockets have won six of seven and seen the one-two punch of James Harden and Russell Westbrook grow more cohesive. The pair came into Monday’s contest averaging 62 plus points per game. They scored 62 Monday after combining for just five points in a first quarter in which the Rockets exploded to a 37-21 lead.

After leading by 16 points after a quarter and 86-63 with 4:34 remaining in the third quarter, the Rockets made it interesting. Houston clanked through a 16-point fourth while seeing their lead paired to 102-96 at one point. But that’s as close as it got: the Rockets responded with a pair of Clint Capela free throws then Westbrook’s 3-pointer that increased the lead to 107-96 with 4:13 remaining.

The Rockets shot 3 for 17 in their uncharacteristic fourth quarter, but all three of the makes were 3-pointers.

“You get up 18, 20 points and you start doing things that you weren’t doing to gain the lead,” Harden said. “It happens.”

De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 31 points, 19 of those in the fourth quarter. Fox didn’t get much help; starters Harrison Barnes and Buddy Hield missed 12 of their combined 13 3-point attempts and finished with nine and 10 points, respectively. The Kings outrebounded the Rockets, 49-39, but couldn’t fully take advantage of Houston’s smallish lineups with Capela the only player over 6’6″ to see action.

Hield, the Kings’ leading scorer, was a spectator in the fourth quarter as the Kings mounted their comeback. Walton explained afterwards.

“It wasn’t a punishment at all. It was more, `Look, we’re a team and we’re trying to win out here and if these guys are going well, well then we keep rolling with them,'” Walton said.

Bogdan Bogdanovich missed his second straight game with a sore ankle. Harry Giles continues to be out, he’s missed the last 13 games for the Kings.

Capela contributed 15 points, 14 rebounds in 41 minutes on an admittedly sore right heel. Harden played 38 minutes with a brace on his knee that coach Mike D’Antoni revealed was bothersome. Still, the NBA’s leading scorer put up 34 points, five assists with Westbrook adding 28.

The Rockets conclude their road swing in San Francisco in a meeting with the Warriors on Christmas Day.

The Kings host the reeling Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.