Category: NBA

Kings lose the final preseason game of the year to Portland, 118-115, but not ugly this time

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Por vs Sac

By Charlie O. Mallonee

After being blown out 132-93 by the Utah Jazz on Thursday night, the Sacramento Kings needed to bounce back in the second game of a back-to-back in Portland on Friday to prove that they are not a “walk-over team” in the 2018-19 season. The Kings did not win on Friday night, but they did not embarrass themselves either. Sacramento fought to the end but came up short losing to the Trail Blazers 118-115.

Sacramento did not go into the game with positive news. Point guard De’Aaron Fox and head coach Dave Joerger were both pregame scratches because of the stomach flu. That is not the way you want to start a game you need to win–no head coach and down one superstar.

The Kings fell behind 32-20 at the end of the first quarter, and it looked like it might be another ugly loss for Sacramento on the road. The Kings bounced back in the second quarter and outscored the Trail Blazers 35-25.

The Kings kept the game close and had a chance to win the contest right up to the end. With one-tenth of a second remaining, Frank Mason put up a 3-point shot that missed. Had that shot been good–the Kings would have won the game.

Por vs Sac2

Kings Performances

  • Buddy Hield was the Kings co-high scorer in the game with 19 points. Hield went a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. He also had four assists.
  • Yogi Ferrell also scored 19 points in the game. Ferrell shot 7-for-15 from the field. He also added five assists.
  • Marvin Bagley III–MBIII5 scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds. He shot 7-for-11 from the field.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein and Frank Mason each scored 14 points in the game.
  • Nemanja Bjelica put up 10 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

What the Trail Blazers did

  • CJ McCollum led the Trail Blazers scoring attack with 21 points. He also had nine rebounds and six assists.
  • Meyers Leonard added 17 points and nine rebounds.
  • Nik Stauskas (remember him?) recorded 15 points. He hit 4-of-7 from 3-point land.
  • Zach Collins scored 15 points in 31 minutes on the floor. He shot 7-of-12 from the floor.

Por Leonard

Team stats

  • SAC shot 42.2-percent from the floor (38-for-90).
  • The Kings hit 10-of-24 (41.7-percent) from 3-point land.
  • Sacramento went 29-for-33 (87.9-percent) from the free throw line.

Up next

The start of the 2018-19 regular season on Wednesday, October 17 versus the Utah Jazz at 7:00 pm PT inside the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

Lakers down the Warriors 119-105 to finish the preseason

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Photo credit: @Lakers

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN JOSE — The Los Angeles Lakers, who were without LeBron James, Brandon Ingram, and Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, rallied in the second half to down the Golden State Warriors 119-105 at SAP Center on Friday night.

The Warriors did not play Kevin Durant or Andre Iguodala. Steph Curry played the first period for Golden State and was done for the night. Klay Thompson did not play in the second half. Draymond Green, who had not played since September 29th, saw 14 minutes of action and scored just one point.

Curry played most of the first quarter and tallied 16 points, including four three-point shots. He looked as if he was in mid-season form. Thompson finished the night with 21, and he looked ready to go. The Warriors won the first half by 13 (67-54). Damian Jones had a good first half as he knocked down 15 and appears to be the starting center for the Warriors until DeMarcus Cousins is ready to play.

The second half belonged to the Lakers. Kyle Kuzma was on fire as he and Svi Mykhailuk led the Lakers to a comeback win as they outscored the Warriors 61-38. The Warriors used Draymond Green in the third quarter and Shaun Livingston in the fourth quarter. The rest of the players were trying to show the Warriors’ coaching staff that they belonged in the NBA. The Warriors will have to make decisions soon on which players will start the season in Oakland and who will be assigned to the G-League.

Game Notes: The Warriors still have not agreed to a contract with Patrick McCaw. McCaw would be starting his third season with the Warriors, and he could help this year’s edition. There are question marks regarding Damian Jones, Jordan Bell, Jacob Evans, Jonas Jerebko, and Marcus Derrickson.

The Big Four consisting of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green are set. Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, and Quinn Cook will make up the second unit.

Up Next: The Warriors open the season at Oracle Arena on Tuesday night at 7:30 pm PDT versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. Moreover, the Warriors’ championship banner will be unfurled, and the players will receive their championship rings.

Three takeaways from the Kings’ preseason loss to the Jazz

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Photo credit: Sports Radio Service

By: Ana Kieu

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings returned to familiar territory at Golden 1 Center, where they hosted a preseason game versus the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.

Did the Kings bounce back? Nope. The Kings barely won their first preseason game 106-102 over the Phoenix Suns at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and then lost their next three preseason games, including their most recent loss–a 132-93 blowout to the Utah Jazz, who went undefeated in the preseason.

Here are three takeaways from the Kings’ loss to the Jazz:

The Kings’ rookie factor
The Kings were the home team in this preseason game, but that didn’t mean the team–and the Golden 1 Center–left a lasting impression on their fanbase.

But if you could look past the low attendance numbers and lack of community spirit, you’ll find a few bright spots like rookie power forward Marvin Bagley III, whom the Kings selected with the second overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Bagley III posted 17 points, eight assists and one assist in 21 minutes of play. Moreover, Bagley III led all Kings in scoring, which was a great sight to see.

The Kings made a slightly controversial move when they initially selected Bagley III, a Duke product, when there was a franchise-changing young man in Deandre Ayton, who was preferred by the Phoenix Suns, but CBS Sports has reported that the Suns should’ve spent a little bit more time looking at him.

Of course, every rookie in NBA history likely has thought that he was the best player in the draft, but Bagley III has told CBS Sports that he’d embark on a long and fruitful NBA career. While it’s too early to predict Bagley III’s future, we can reassure you that he has been making headlines for the right reasons.

The Kings fall flat
Even if you didn’t watch the game, the final score should scream that the Kings fell flat and the Jazz had the upper hand.

Sacramento suffered from a complete lack of defense along with missed field goals, lay-ups and other point-blank attempts. Utah, on the other hand, excelled when it came to field goals. The Jazz converted 60 percent of their field goals, including 14 of their 30 three-point shots. The Jazz jumped out to a 39-10 lead in the first quarter and never looked back.

The Kings should take notes on the Jazz, who are an up-and-coming team with rookie shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, who’s arguably the future of the Jazz. Also, Utah’s leading scorer–Ruby Gobert–finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and one assist in 17 minutes of play, so keep an eye out for him. In addition, Utah big men Alec Burks, Grayson Allen, Derrick Favors and Jae Crowder deserve parts of your attention for their hard work.

Buddy Buckets
Kings shooting guard Buddy Hield recorded seven points, seven assists and five rebounds in 25 minutes of play. Obviously, those aren’t above average numbers, but Hield proved that he deserves the nickname “Buddy Buckets.”

Hield’s steal and slam in the second half was a noteworthy moment for the Kings, who qualified for a positive moment following the awful first half. Hield’s game has shown marginal improvements over time and Hield will likely become a regular starter again. Hield’s one of the Kings’ best players. Hield may not be the definite cure for the Kings’ issues, but it’s a start.

The Kings have nowhere to go, but up.

Kings Press Row Podcast: October 10, 2018

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

press row podcast

Hosts: Jordan “Chape” Chapin & Charlie O

  • Will the Kings make the playoffs?

  • How many games will the Kings win?

  • Is Dave Joerger’s job safe?

  • Is Vlade Divac’s job safe?

  • Will the uptempo style work for the Kings?

  • The answers to these questions and more on in less than 30 minutes!

LeBron James, Brandon Ingram lead the way over the Warriors 123-113

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Los Angeles Lakers were able to hold off the defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors 123-113 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. It was the Warriors’ third preseason game, and they suffered their second loss in a row. The Warriors were missing All-Star forward Draymond Green with a sore knee, and DeMarcus Cousins was not available as he recovers from an Achilles tendon injury.

The Warriors lost two big men over the off-season. Zaza Pachulia went to the Detroit Pistons, and JaVale McGee became an LA Laker. Head coach Steve Kerr has to hope that Damien Jones and Kevon Looney will be able to do the job until Cousins is ready to play.

With LeBron James on board, the Lakers will no longer be a pushover for the Warriors. LeBron played the first half and was in mid-season form as he scored 15 points and had 10 rebounds and five assists in the first half. The Warriors won the first quarter 34-31, but the Lakers outscored them 30-23 in the second period to finish the first half with a 61-57 lead. Steph Curry and Kevin Durant each scored 18 to pace the Warrior attack.

Curry,  Durant and Klay Thompson saw action in the third quarter, but left the game midway through the period. Kerr used his bench players the rest of the way, but they were not able to catch the Lakers. The Lakers were paced by Ingram in the third quarter, and he finished the night with26 points. The Lakers outscored Golden State 41-35 in the third period, and the Warriors won the fourth quarter 21-20.

Notes: Steph Curry was sharp as he netted 23 points and recorded five assists, but had five turnovers. Klay scored 18. Durant ended the night with 18. Durant also fouled out midway through the third quarter.

Brandon Ingram led the Lakers with 26. Kentavius Caldwell-Pope tallied 20. Kyle Kuzma, who came off the bench, knocked down 22 in 24 minutes. Lonzo Ball saw 23 minutes of action, but scored just seven points. Lance Stephenson helped out the Lakers with 12.

Up Next: The Warriors finish the preseason Friday night when they play the Lakers again. This time, the venue will be the SAP Center in San Jose.

The regular season starts on Tuesday, October 16th at Oracle Arena when the Warriors host the Oklahoma City Thunder. Game time will be at 7:30 pm PT.

 

Headline Sports with London Marq: Sox move onto ALCS; Does LeBron have a supporting cast?; Steelers’ latest distraction; What’s up with Carr?

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Photo credit: @TheClemReport

On the Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 The Boston Red Sox took three out of four from the New York Yankees in the ALDS to move onto the ALCS to face the Houston Astros.

#2 How effective do you think LeBron James will be for the Los Angeles Lakers and does he have the support around him?

#3 At 10:08 AM on April 24th, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Antonio Brown threw large items including two vases and furniture from 14 floors above nearly hitting a grandfather and his two-year grandson. Brown was upset that he was accused of stealing $80,000 and a gun. Brown said he has been followed by the fans and media since the incident as he currently faces two lawsuits for “‘damages in excess of $15,000,’ exclusive of’ attorney fees and interest.”

#4 The Oakland Raiders fell to 1-4 after a 26-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers threw for 339 yards along with 22-27 completed passes.

#5 Raiders quarterback Derek Carr got sacked three times and turned the ball over twice.

London Marq does the Headline Sports podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors fall 117-109 to the Suns in preseason game at Oracle Arena

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Photo credit: @warriors

By: Ana Kieu

Monday was game day for the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns at Oracle Arena. There was no reported cases of the Mondays in Oakland.

Prior to the game, Steph Curry spoke to the media on the support of Warriors fans, saying, “It’s a special place. The Bay has supported us. Oakland has supported us, and to know that these types of events, where you can bring some of these fans that might not get access to the games throughout the course of the season for whatever reason. You just want to enjoy that environment. You could see all the kids that came out, just going crazy for us just doing practice drills and what not and having some fun, bringing some kids on the court.”

The Warriors’ starters featured Kevin Durant, Kevon Looney, Damian Jones, Danuel House Jr. and Stephen Curry. The Warriors had their game faces on, but the final score–a 117-109 loss to the Suns–didn’t display that.

The Warriors made a statement in the first quarter with Curry’s three-pointers along with an astonishing moment where Curry refused to settle for three points and racked up a four-point play instead.

Despite Curry’s efforts, Golden State trailed Phoenix 40-32 at the end of the first.

Curry continued showing off his awesome skills in the second quarter, but Durant also shined as he moved without the ball with 5:18 left in the quarter. The Warriors merely outshot the Suns 25-21 in the quarter.

That being said, Golden State caught up, but they weren’t quite there yet, as they trailed Phoenix 61-57 at halftime.

Warriors’ second-year power forward and center Jordan Bell put in work in the third quarter. Bell attracted some attention to himself by putting some points and collecting some rebounds for the scoreboard. The Suns, however, poured in 38 points in the quarter, which seemed to perplex the Warriors, who were the home team tonight.

After three quarters, Golden State trailed Phoenix 99-87.

The Warriors outshot the Suns 22-18 in the fourth quarter, but Golden State’s attempts for a comeback fell short as Phoenix took the game 117-109. Curry led six Warriors in double-figures with 23 points and four assists. Durant had 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. Damian Jones and Kevon Looney each had 11 points in their starting assignments. Thompson, Green and Andre Iguodala all had the game off to rest.

The Warriors lost to the Suns, but there was a bright spot, as Golden State got a great glimpse at the 2018 No. 1 draft pick Deandre Ayton. Ayton put on an impressive show with a team-high 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds and two steals in 27 minutes.

Notes: Tonight’s giveaway was a Curry bobblehead that featured the former Davidson Wildcat in his outfit from the 2018 NBA Championship parade alongside the three Larry O’Brien trophies he has played a role in capturing.

This upcoming season will mark Steph Curry’s 10th season as a member of the Golden State Warriors. Curry reportedly seems to think that his previous injuries are now behind him.

“It’s probably one of the best summers I’ve had in terms of my prep work going into a year,” Curry told NBA.com. “So I’m excited about what that’ll mean on the court.”

Up Next: The Warriors head to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to take on the Lakers in a nationally televised game on Wednesday, October 10 at 7:30 pm PT on ESPN.

Are the Kings the NBA’s least appealing team?

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By Morris Phillips

SACRAMENTO — The Kings have the league’s shiniest arena, enthusiastic fans, promising, young talent, and they play a pleasing, break neck pace. What’s not to like?

According to ESPN NBA journalist Zach Lowe, a bunch. Simply based on their youthfulness, and lack of proven NBA performers, most prognosticators have pegged the Kings as the league’s 30th (out of 30) most talented team.  But that doesn’t make them the least appealing to watch as well, does it?

Lowe thinks so, right down to iconic broadcaster Jerry Reynolds stepping away from his position as television color analyst after 20 seasons, replaced by Doug Christie. Sacramento basketball without Reynolds’ folksy analysis? Not good, says Lowe.

In fact, according to Lowe, only one thing can save the Kings from such a lowly distinction: De’Aaron Fox flying up and down the court at warp speed gives Sacramento basketball one, pleasing dimension. And beyond that?

Well, the Kings have the intriguing duo of Marvin Bagley III and Harry Giles, the Duke big men that possess positionless attributes. Play the pair together, Lowe says, and the Kings might have something.

In fact, in the Kings’ 132-100 wipeout of Maccabi Haifa, Giles flashed into the lane, received a pass, and seamlessly laid a no-look, behind the back pass to Bagley for the dunk. The Golden 1 Center roared its approval at the sequence.

Willie Cauley-Stein is another piece the Kings possess with appeal. But could this be tatooed, big man’s last year in Sacramento? As a restricted free agent, Cauley-Stein could be more sought after by another team seeking his size and activity in the lane.

The Kings have committed fully to their youth movement, so George Hill, who often seemed disinterested, isn’t around to drag things down. And Zach Randolph is comfortably set in his player emeritus role, so the Kings’ ball movement among the youthful core should be fluid and in keeping with how the NBA does things these days.

Iman Shumpert hasn’t recovered from injuries that have shelved him since his acquisition from the Cavaliers mid-way through last season. But he’s a welcome presence for no other reason than his wife, Teyana Taylor, is hotter than any other player’s wife. Have you seen the video vixen’s explosive performance in Kanye West’s video for his song “Fade”? Can’t label that unappealing, that’s for sure.

Ultimately, what will make the Kings appealing is winning ballgames. Too often, last season, Sacramento games played out like exhibitions with the Kings falling behind, and playing little or no defense. Close, competitive games will make the Kings watchable without a doubt.

GAME NOTES: Buddy Hield led the Kings with 22 points in 27 minutes in their win over Maccabi Haifa. Seven Kings finished in double figures with Giles (16 points, seven rebounds) and Justin Jackson (18 points) the next, most prolific performers. The Kings’ issues with opponents’ physicality disappeared for a night as Sacramento outrebounded Maccabi Haifa 47-36 while totaling a whopping 64 points in the paint.

Maccabi Haifa was paced by former Stanford star and Atlanta Hawk Josh Childress, who had 18 points. Kennedy Meeks (North Carolina) and Scott Machado (Iona) chipped in 17 and 15 points, respectively.

UP NEXT: The Kings wrap up pre-season action with Thursday’s home game against the Utah Jazz at 7:00 pm PT followed by a trip to Portland to face the Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on Friday at 7:00 pm PT.

Th Kings’ regular season opener is set for October 17 at 7:00 pm PT against the Jazz at the Golden 1 Center.

Kings get crushed by the Warriors in Seattle 122-94

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SEA BUDDY
Hield moves the ball while KD can only watch Photo: @SacramentoKings

By Charlie O. Mallonee

There are many things that can be said about the Kings’ 122-94 loss to the Warriors on Friday night in Seattle. It was the second game of a back-to-back schedule on the road. Sacramento went from playing “King James” and the Lakers on Thursday to having to face the World Champion Golden State Warriors on Friday night. The team didn’t even get to check into the hotel in Seattle until 3:00 AM on Friday morning.

That is a rough schedule. Welcome to the NBA, men. None of that is an excuse for losing–let alone for getting blown out and having the game’s outcome be decided by the end of the first half.

Klay Thompson was the slayer of the Kings in the game. Thompson put up 19 points on Sacramento in the first quarter. He connected on 5-of-8 shots from behind the arc. He  would finish with 30 points for the game.

Preseason games are never known for their defense but giving up 74 points in the first half is unacceptable no matter when it happens. The Warriors shot 51.6-percent (47/91) for the game. The Warriors’ 3-point shooting did slow down and they finished with a 35.5-shooting percentage.

The Kings next practice will no doubt emphasize the defensive elements of the game.

How did they perform?

  • Harry Giles III lead the Kings in scoring with 17 points in just over 20 minutes of playing time. He also pulled down five rebounds.
  • Skal Labissiere had a better game on Friday night. He scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds and added two assists in his 26-plus minutes on the floor.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein also dropped in 10 points and cleaned seven rebounds off the glass.
  • Frank Mason scored 10 points and added seven assists in his 19 minutes of action.
  • Justin Jackson had a better night on offense as he recorded eight points. Marvin Bagley III also added eight points plus nine rebounds.
  • Buddy Hield, De’Aaron Fox and Ben McLemore scored seven points apiece.
  • The Kings shot 34.7-percent (34/98) from the field for the game. They did shoot a very decent 45.8-percent (11/24) from 3-point range. Sacramento went to the free throw line 21 times and converted 15 of those opportunities.

Up Next

The Kings will return to action on Monday night in Sacramento when they will play their annual preseason game with Maccabi Haifa. That game is scheduled for a 7:00 PM tipoff.

SEA
Key Arena will be gutted and completely remodeled Photo: @SacramentoKings

Warriors rout the Kings 122-94 for preseason win in Seattle

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Photo credit: @warriors

By: Ana Kieu

The Golden State Warriors returned to the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington for the first time since 2007. It was a long time coming for the Warriors, who took on the Sacramento Kings in a preseason game in the Emerald City. There was a sellout crowd, and that wasn’t the only thing that got the Warriors fired up. Warriors star Kevin Durant recently said that Seattle is a basketball city that deserves an NBA team. In case you need a refresher, Durant was selected second overall by the ex-Seattle SuperSonics and spent the 2007-08 NBA season with the SuperSonics.

The Warriors tweaked their starters with Tyler Ulis, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Marcus Derrickson and Damian Jones. All these five starters made a positive impact on the court.

Just moments after the tip-off, Thompson opened the scoring with a 3-pointer that sparked Golden State’s 10-0 run early in the first quarter. Durant picked up where he left off. Other players like Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell added some points to the scoreboard. The Warriors led the Kings 39-18 at the end of the first.

Golden State resumed their 3-pointer streak in the second quarter. In other news, Shaun Livingston picked up a dime and handed it to Jonas Jerebko, who threw it down, late in the second. Durant then got the slam before the buzzer to close out the first half. The Warriors brought a 74-44 lead to the locker room at halftime.

Thompson and Durant continued to dominate to kick things off in the third quarter. Durant also notched the alley and Damian Jones collected the oop. Durant later knocked down yet another 3-pointer to give himself 26 points on the night, The Warriors put the game out of reach with a 102-69 lead over the Kings at the end of the third.

Bell made plenty of jumpers in the fourth quarter. Also, Thompson refused to back down as he threw down more 3-pointers late in the fourth. The Warriors had this preseason game from start to finish and downed the Kings 122-94.

Durant proved to the critics that he was still a big deal in Seattle. Durant finished with 26 points, six rebounds ans assists. Moreover, Thompson was just as a big deal as he recorded 30 points, 10-for-15 field goals and 6-for-10 3-point field goals.

Notes
According to the NBA GMs, the title of best pure shooter in the league came down to four NBA players. Three of them were Warriors players.

Up Next
The Warriors return home to host the Phoenix Suns in a preseason game on Monday, October 8 at 7:30 pm PT on NBA TV.