Category: NBA
Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: After dropping three of last five and Green day to day Warriors aren’t worried
Photo credit: @NBAUK
On the Golden State Warriors podcast with David:
#1 Golden State’s Big Three are out with injuries: Stephen Curry (tweaked right ankle), Klay Thompson (fractured right thumb), Kevin Durant (fractured rib). They take on the Atlanta Hawks on Friday and a lot now rides on Draymond Green.
#2 The Warriors have struggled and lost to the Sacramento Kings on their home floor on Friday, but came right back with a win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. Which team will show up on Friday night against the Atlanta Hawks?
David Zizmor does the Warriors podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Kings find schedule unrelenting, drop home game to the reeling Pistons
By Morris Phillips
SACRAMENTO–Saturday, the Kings drew praise from the NBA’s hottest team in a narrow loss at Salt Lake City.
Back in Sacramento Monday, the Kings let the struggling Pistons capture just their second road win of 2018, losing 106-90 at Golden 1 Center.
And the moral of that story? The NBA schedule is unrelenting, and a sixth game in nine days will blunt the progress of any youthful squad otherwise in the process of a significant growth spurt.
The Pistons got back-to-back baskets from Blake Griffin to break a 57-57 tie midway through the third quarter and never trailed again, breaking their 12-game road, losing streak. Griffin led the way for Detroit with 26 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
The Pistons hadn’t won on the road since beating the Nets in Brooklyn on January 10.
“This time of year, you’ll take it any way you can get it, but you get one on the road after being on the road for eight nights already — it’s always great,” Griffin said. “We took care of business and we have to go and do it again.”
The Kings failed to win for the fourth time in their last five home games in large part due to their deficiencies beyond the arc and at the free throw line. The Kings missed 17 of their 23 three-point attempts and made just four free throws (in nine attempts) in the game. The Pistons, with Griffin and Andre Drummond leading the way, held a slight edge on the glass (44-39) along with significant advantages in made threes (14) and free throws (18 for 22).
The unrelenting schedule affected the Kings down the stretch on Saturday night against Utah when the Jazz pulled away for a 103-97 win, their 20th in their last 22 games. Afterwards, the Jazz complimented the Kings for their offensive tenacity and their ability to fashion several runs when Utah threatened to pull away. Against the Pistons, the Kings missed injured facilitator Bogdan Bogdanovich, and failed to capture any offensive flow.
“We talked about it this morning that it had a high probability of being a letdown game but it was a tough game for us,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said. “It’s that type of game we (have to) let roll off of us.”
Surprisingly, the Kings’ veterans put up far inferior numbers than their youthful teammates. The trio of Zach Randoloh, Garrett Temple and Kosta Koufos combined to miss 18 of 21 shots. Sacramento’s two rookie starters, Justin Jackson and De’Andre Fox, combined to make 15 of their 20 shots from the floor.
The Kings take a much-needed two days off before facing the Hawks on Thursday at Golden 1 Center.
Injury jinx continues to haunt Warriors as Draymond Green gets hurt and they lose to Spurs 89-75
Photo credit: @CaseyPrattABC7
By Jerry Feitelberg
There is an old saying: “when it rains, it pours.” That is exactly was is happening to the injury-ravaged Golden State Warriors, who managed to rout the Phoenix Suns 124-109 Saturday night behind Draymond Green’s big night.
The Warriors were hoping to beat the San Antonio Spurs Monday night, but a win was not in the cards for the Warriors as Green had to leave the game in the second quarter when he hit in the groin by Danny Green’s knee as he was steaming toward the basket.
The Warriors fell behind by 16, but were actually able to regain the lead in the third quarter as they held the Spurs to just 12 points. The Warriors ran out of gas in the fourth quarter and were outscored 28-12 and they lost by a final score of 89-75.
The Spurs relied upon up their big man, LaMarcus Aldridge, to win the game. Aldridge finished the night with 33 points and 12 rebounds. He scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to help finish off the Warriors. With the win, the Spurs moved into fifth place in the Western Conference. Patty Mills had 12 and Danny Green added 11.
The Warriors offense was led by guard Quinn Cook. Cook recorded 20 points, but made just two 3-point shots in eight attempts. Nick Young added 10, but he was 0-for-5 in 3-point tries. Kevon Looney helped out with 13 and Andre Iguodala had 10. The highest amount of points scored in a quarter by the Warriors was 22.
Game Notes and Stats: Steph Curry’s ankle will be re-evaluated Tuesday, and hopefully, he will be cleared to play against Atlanta. Klay Thompson’s thumb will be checked out Thursday and he may ready for Friday, too. Kevin Durant, who has fractured rib cartilage will be examined sometime next week. Omri Casspi’s ankle sprain doesn’t appear to be too serious and he may be back in 7 to 10 days. Draymond Green’s injury does not appear to be serious either and since the Warriors are off until Friday, the injured players will get an extra day of rest.
Up Next: The Warriors host the Atlanta Hawks this Friday at 7:30 pm PST.
Kings give maximum effort on the road but come up short to Jazz 103-97
by Charlie O. Mallonee
The Sacramento Kings ended a nightmare five games in seven nights stretch with a “Battle Royale” versus the playoff bound Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Saturday night. The Kings played a very competitive game for a full 48-minutes but came up just short losing to the Jazz 103-97.
The Kings had to battle the talent of the Jazz, the fatigue of having played at Golden State on Friday night and playing at altitude – SLC sits 4226 feet above sea level. Sacramento played those five games in five different cities – only the Miami game was played in SAC. They also played in three different time zones. Even under those adverse conditions, the Kings finished this punishing part of their schedule with two wins and three loses.
Despite not arriving in Utah until 2 am, Sacramento showed no fatigue starting the game fast and with high energy. The team continued to play hard in the second quarter and took a 54-50 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Kings 3-point shooting helped to carrying them in the first half as they 8-of-11 (72.7-percent) from behind the arc in the opening 24-minutes. Buddy Hield came off the bench to lead the scoring for Sacramento with 10 points while Rudy Gobert was the top scorer for the Jazz with 13.
The Kings have battled third-quarter let downs all season long but managed to avoid that problem in this game. They did fall behind by 10 points in the period but rebounded late in the quarter and trailed the Jazz by just one – 80 to 79 – after three quarters.
In the final period, the score seesawed back and forth with neither team able to take control of the game. The game was tied at 94-all with 40-seconds remaining. Joe Ingles hit two free throws to give Utah the lead then Ricky Rubio hit two from the charity stripe to give the Jazz a four-point lead 24-seconds to go.
The Kings had to foul to stop the clock and keep the game close. They fouled Gobert who converted two free throws to make it six-point game. Garrett Temple hit a 3-pointer to bring the Kings back within three-points then they had to foul Ingles again. Ingles hit the first free throw but missed the second. Gobert grabbed the rebound slammed the ball home to give the Jazz a 103-97 lead which would be the final score.
Top Performances
Kings
- Buddy Hield came off the bench to be the leading scorer for his team with 23-points. “Buddy Buckets” shot 9-for-15 for the game and hit 5-of-8 3-point attempts. Hield also led his team with six assists.
- Bogdan Bogdanovic posted 12 points but had a tough night shooting. He hit just 5-of-17 shots overall and was 2-for-3 from long-range.
- Fox scored 11-points, grabbed four rebounds, made four steals and handed out two assists but also struggled from the field hitting just 4-of-13 attempts.
- Garrett Temple had a good game coming off the bench to score 11-points. He shot 4-for-7 and was a perfect 3-for-3 from downtown.
- Other Sac contributors: Cauley-Stein 9-points, Koufos and Mason III 8 each, Labissiere 7, Sampson 6, Jackson 2.
Jazz
- Rookie of the year candidate Donovan Mitchell was the high-scorer for the game with 28-points. Mitchell shot 11-for-21 from the field but was an awful 1-for-8 from 3-point land. He hit 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
- Rudy Gobert recorded a double-double scoring 22 points and hauling in 13 rebounds.
- Ricky Rubio was expected to miss the game after being injured in the Suns game on Thursday, but he did make the start. The point guard scored 14-points, recorded nine rebounds and dished out five dimes.
- Joe Ingles posted 14 points, seven rebounds and a game-high nine assists.
By the Numbers
Sacramento (23-48)
- The Kings bench outscored the Utah reserves 56-15. Dave Joerger would like to have that kind of bench production every game.
- SAC was hot from behind the arc as they hit 14-of-21 (66.7-percent) from 3-point range versus the Jazz.
- The team shot an acceptable 43-percent (37-for-86) for the game.
- The Kings recorded 33 rebounds versus 48 for the Jazz.
- Sacramento scored 20 points off 16 Utah turnovers.
- SAC dished out 23 assists versus 14 turnovers.
- The Kings went to the free throw line just 14 times while Utah went to the stripe 38 times.
Utah (40-30)
- Second chance points may have been the key to the Jazz win Saturday night. Utah scored eight second chance points to just three for the Kings.
- Success at the free throw line was also a major contributing factor in Jazz win. They converted 31-of-38 opportunities from line. Sacramento went 9-for-14 shooting free throws.
- UTA dominated the battle in the paint outscoring SAC 46-30 down low.
- Utah shot 44.6-percent (33-for-74) for the contest.
- They did not have a great not from downtown hitting just 6-of-24 (25-percent) from 3-point range.
Up Next
Kings
SAC opens a six-game homestand with the Detroit Pistons on Monday night at the Golden 1 Center. The Pistons made a big trade for Blake Griffin to make a drive for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference but are now six games out of contention for the eighth and final postseason spot.
Jazz
UTA will stay in Salt Lake City and prepare for the “tanking” Atlanta Hawks who will come to town on Tuesday night. The Hawks occupy last place in the NBA East. Atlanta will continue their road trip on Thursday night in Sacramento.
Warriors remain without Big Three, but manage to get it going as they rout Suns 124-109
Photo credit: @warriors
By Jerry Feitelberg
The Golden State Warriors, still smarting from the loss to Sacramento Friday night, downed the Phoenix Suns 124-109 at the Talking Stick Resort Arena on Saturday night.
The Warriors were again without the Big Three of Steph Curry (ankle), Klay Thompson (thumb), and Kevin Durant (fractured rib). However, it didn’t matter as the Warriors regained their form and played championship-caliber basketball.
Granted, it was the lowly Suns, but the Warriors had to find a way to get the 73 points that the Big Three averaged each night. They found a way as they were led by All-Star forward Draymond Green, who had a season-high 25 points and almost had a triple-double as he had eight assists and 11 rebounds to go with his 25 points.
Quinn Cook, who had a career-high game with 25 against Sacramento, set a new season-high with 28. Cook also knocked down five 3-point shots.
Nick Young–aka Swaggy P–tallied 20 points, including 3 three-point shots.
After falling behind 6-0 early in the first period, the Suns led most of the way in the first half. They led the Dubs 34-30 after the first 12 minutes of the game and outscored them by four to finish the first half with an eight-point lead of 60-52.
Again, the third quarter belonged to Golden State. They outscored the Suns 42-25 to finish the third period with a nine-point lead. Cook scored 16 of his 28 points in the third quarter. He made all six of his shots, including three 3-pointers.
The Warriors’ defense held the Suns to 24 in the fourth quarter, and the offense put 30 on the board to give the Warriors the win 124-109.
Game Notes and Stats: Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had to be pleased with the play of Draymond Green and Quinn Cook. Cook has been impressive in the last two games, and that bodes well for him being a Warrior in the future.
However, since Cook is a two-way player (plays with the Santa Cruz and Golden State Warriors), he will not be eligible for the playoffs.
Draymond Green has asserted himself as the team leader in Curry’s absence, and Kerr had this to say about Draymond: “Without our other three All-Stars, he’s taking on a different look and playing a different position, running different plays from those positions … Draymond likes to be challenged intellectually in this game, and I think this stretch right now, he’s energized because he’s doing something different.”
Green had also worked to encourage his teammates more, which was evident in the third quarter, when the Warriors outscored the Suns, 42-25.
“I think it’s important to not get frustrated and continue to encourage them,” Green said. “Guys are already out of their comfort zone.”
The Warriors had six players in double figures. Green 25, Cook 28, Young 20, Shaun Livingston 11, Andre Iguodala 11, David West 10, and Kevon Looney had a career-high 13.
The Suns were led by Josh Johnson who poured in 36, Troy Daniels 18 including three 3-point shots, Elfrid Payton 11 and Marquese Chriss 10. The Suns’ rising star player, Devin Booker, did not play due to sprained right hand.
Warriors’ forward Omri Casspi did not play, and his return to action is uncertain.
Up Next: The Warriors face the Spurs Monday night at 6:30 pm PST.
Kings beat the Warriors at Oracle 98-93
by Charlie O. Mallonee
The Sacramento Kings won in Oakland for the second time this season as they defeated the World Champion Golden State Warriors 98-93 on Friday night. Yes, the Warriors were shorthanded as Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant were all on the bench in street clothes due to injury but that is exactly when a team must take advantage of an opponent. “Kick ’em when they’re down” is the motto of successful teams.
The Golden State bench is also better than many of the starting lineups for non-playoff teams in the NBA. A team does not win a championship without having a very strong second unit and bench. The Warriors certainly meet those requirements.
Two Kings players who did not have terrific performances early in the contest came up big late in the game. De’Aaron Fox scored four of his six points in the final two minutes and forty-seconds of the game. Willie Cauley-Stein took a charge and then blocked a 3-point attempt by Nick Young that led to a game punctuating slam dunk that would seal the win for Sacramento.
Top Performances
Kings
- Buddy Hield not only led the Kings in scoring with 22 points but he provided a scoring punch that kept his team in the game when Warriors threatened to runaway with the contest. Hield not only led his team in scoring but he pulled down seven rebounds and distributed seven assists in just over 30 minutes of playing time.
- Skal Labissiere returned to the floor after being out with a bruised hip that he suffered in a hard fall under the basket. The second-year power forward put up 15 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists. Labisissiere hit 3-of-4 attempts from 3-point land. He played just over 25 minutes in his return to action.
- Kosta Koufos continued to be an impact player for the Kings as he scored five points and more importantly hauled in game-high 12 rebounds. Five of his rebounds came on offense which led to second chance scoring opportunities.
- Other Kings scorers: Bogdanovic 11 points, Cauley-Stein 9, Mason 9, Jackson 8, Temple 8, Fox 6 and Randolph 5.
Warriors
- Two-way player, point guard Quinn Cook made a real case that he should be playing in the NBA full-time next season by leading the Warriors with 25 points versus the Kings. Cook shot 10-for-13 overall and hit 5-of-7 from behind the 3-point arc.
- Nick “Swaggy P” Young recorded 16 points but shot just 5-for-15 from the field and 3-for-8 from downtown.
- Draymond Green recorded a double-double scoring 14 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. He also led GSW with seven assists.
- Andre Iguodala added 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
- Former King Omri Casspi started the game strong with six points but had to leave the floor after playing just over six-minutes when came down on the foot of teammate’s foot and twisted his ankle.
By the Numbers
Sacramento (23-47)
- The Kings shot 43.4-percent (36-for-43) from the floor. They converted 14-of-31 (45.2-percent) from 3-point range.
- SAC went to the free throw line 17 times and hit 12 of those opportunities (70.6-percent).
- Sacramento out-rebounded the Warriors 47-40 in the game. They grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and 36 rebounds on defense. The scored 16 second chance points (7-for-15) in the game.
- The Kings recorded 25 assists and 14 turnovers. The TOVs resulted in 17 GSW points.
Golden State (52-17)
- This loss dropped the Warriors two and one-half games behind the Western Conference leading Houston Rockets. If the season ended tonight, Golden State’s first round playoff opponent would be the Utah Jazz.
- GSW shot 42-percent (34-for-81) for the game. They hit 12-of-26 (46.2-percent) 3-point shots.
- They converted 13-of-18 (72.2-percent) chances from the free throw line.
- The Warriors had 21 assists and committed 12 turnovers which became 17 Sacramento points.
Up Next
Kings
SAC will be back in action tomorrow night in Salt Lake City as they face the Utah Jazz in back end of of back-to-back road set. Ricky Rubio will not play after being injured in the Suns game on Thursday. They will have to face former King and Reno Big Horn David Stockton who has been signed by the Jazz to a 10-day contract.
Warriors
GSW will also complete a back-to-back set on Saturday night in Phoenix versus the Suns. The Warriors are hoping that their game will not be as physical as the Suns versus the Jazz game was on Thursday night.
Warriors were missing the Big Three and ended up falling to Kings 98-93
Photo credit: @warriors
By Jerry Feitelberg
The Golden State Warriors received bad news Friday when it was announced that Kevin Durant suffered a broken rib in the game against the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday.
Durant joined Steph Curry and Klay Thompson on the sidelines as the Warriors had to face the young Sacramento Kings. The Kings were hoping to beat the Warriors at Oracle for the second time this season, and that was exactly what happened as they went on a 9-3 run late in the fourth quarter to win 98-93 on Friday night.
Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr shuffled his starting lineup once again. Quinn Cook and Nick Young started in the backcourt for the second game in a row. Andre Iguodala started at forward in place of Durant, and Draymond Green returned from a shoulder injury to resume his usual spot at the other forward position. Kerr chose to start Zaza Pachulia at center Friday night.
The two teams played a very up-tempo first quarter. The Warriors got off to a good start, and they finished the period leading 36-29. Cook scored 10 points to lead the Warrior attack.
The Warriors increased the lead to 50-39, but things went south as the went over five minutes without a bucket and at one point committed five turnovers in six possessions. Sacramento went on a 12-0 run to regain the lead.
The Warrior offense woke up late in the period, but they were outscored 28-23 and finished the first half with a 59-57 advantage. Cook led the Warriors with 18, and Andre Iguodala added 10.
Buddy Hield led the Kings with 14 points. The Warriors’ Omri Casspi suffered a right ankle sprain in the period, and he did not return.
The Warriors could not get anything going in the second half. The Kings weren’t much better, but they were able to outscore the Warriors 18-16, and the game was knotted up at 75 after three quarters of play.
The game was nip and tuck the rest of the way. The biggest lead the Warriors had was by three points after Cook sank a trey to lead 90-87. It was at this point when Sacramento went on a 9-3 run to win it.
The Kings led 93-90 until Green nailed a three-pointer to tie the game. It was all Kings after that as they scored the last five points in the game to seal the victory.
Game Notes and Stats: Cook had the best game of his NBA career. He scored 25 points. He made five three-point shots in seven attempts.
Green has a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He blocked two shots.
Nick Young helped out with 16 and Iguodala finished with 11. Buddy Hield led Sacramento with 22. Hield made five 3-point shots in 10 attempts.
Bogdan Bogdanovic was the only Kings starter in double figures with 11. Usually, the starters on a team led the club in scoring. The Warriors’ starters outscored the Kings’ starters 70-39, but the Sacramento bench blasted the depleted Golden State bench 59-23.
The Warriors made announcement on the Big Three’s injuries. Durant will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Curry will be checked out on Tuesday–and if his ankle is healed–he may return to action sometime next week.
Thompson will see the doctors on Thursday, and they will check out his fractured thumb.
There was no news on the severity of Casspi’s sprain, and it is unknown how long he will be out.
West and Green returned to action after missing some time due to injury.
The Warriors drop to 52-16 while the Kings improve to 23-47.
Up Next: The Warriors play in Phoenix this Saturday and San Antonio next Monday.
Warriors are missing three All-Stars, but have enough firepower to defeat Lakers 117-106
Photo credit: @warriors
By Jerry Feitelberg
The Golden State Warriors faced a daunting task Wednesday night at Oracle Arena as they were facing the rapidly improving Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had won 20 out of the last 29 games played and are on the upswing. The Lakers’ Isaiah Thomas made his first start at guard since being acquired at the trade deadline.
The Warriors were missing Steph Curry (sprained ankle), Draymond Green (shoulder injury), Klay Thompson (fractured right thumb), David West (infected cyst), and Patrick McCaw (broken wrist). Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr had his work cut out for to send out a revamped lineup to deal with the Lakers.
The Warriors responded as they had seven players in double figures and their bench outscored the Laker bench 39-22 as they beat the Lakers 117-106.
The Warriors started Kevin Durant, Zaza Pachulia, Quinn Cook, Nick Young, and Kevon Looney. The Lakers countered with Lonzo Ball, Thomas, Julius Randle, Brook Lopez, and Kentavius Caldwell-Pope. The two teams played a very competitive first half. The Laker Attack was led by Thomas with 15, Randle 13, and Brook Look Lopez added 15. Kevin Durant paced the Warriors with 16. Pachulia had eight, and Shaun Livingston picked up the slack with 11. Quinn Cook and Omri Casspi each had six, and Nick Young did not score at all.
The Warriors won the first quarter 26-23, but were outscored 32-29 in the second as the half ended with an even score of 55-55.
The Warriors came out smoking hot in the third quarter. The Lakers held Durant to just one bucket and three free throws, but Young and Cook led the Warriors on a 12-0 run to lead 70-59.
Pachulia, Looney, Iguodala, and Livingston paced the attack, and the Warriors finished the third period leading 89-82. The Warriors refused to let the Lakers get back in the game. The Lakers cut the deficit to five early in the fourth quarter, but Young, Casspi, Looney, and Durant were unstoppable, and the Warriors were able to win by a final score of 117-106.
Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors had seven players in double figures. Kevin Durant finished with 26 points. Durant, however, made just one 3-point shot in seven attempts.
Kevon Looney had a career high with 11 points.
Zaza Pachulia had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Pachulia also had five assists in his first start since the All-Star break.
Quinn Cook finished the night with 13.
Nick Young, aka Swaggy P, scored all 18 of his points in the second half. Young made three 3-pointers.
Omri Casspi tallied 15, and Shaun Livington finished with 13.
The Warriors brought up Damien Jones and Chris Boucher from the G-League’s Santa Cruz Warriors. Boucher made his NBA debut late in the fourth quarter.
The Warrior shot 55% from the floor, but made just six threes in 20 attempts. They outrebounded the Lakers 50-33 as they made good use of all the big men on the team.
Both teams had 25 assists, and the Warriors defense made eight steals and had six blocked shots.
The Warriors committed 22 turnovers in the game, and they were fortunate as they do not have a good record when they commit 16 or more turnovers in a game.
Andre Iguodala and Jordan Bell returned to action Wednesday night.
The Warriors were 0-3 in games played with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson before the win Wednesday.
The Warriors announced that Curry will miss three or four more games, Thompson will be resting his thumb until March 22, David West is expected to return Friday night, and it is not known how long Draymond Green will be out.
The Warriors are now 52-16, while the Lakers drop to 31-37.
Up Next: The Warriors host the Sacramento Kings Friday night at 7:30 pm PT in Oracle Arena.
Fox shines at the buzzer, Kings outlast Heat 123-119 in OT
Photo credit: @NBA
By: Jeremiah Salmonson
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Kings hosted the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. The Heat came into the game having lost their last game, 115-99, to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Kings also lost their last game to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 106-101. The Kings and Heat are having very different seasons. The Kings had a record of 21-47. The Heat had a record of 36-32. Tip off was set for 7:00 pm PST with the Kings and Heat going head-to-head in Sacramento.
The first quarter would start off with a fairly mellow tempo. Neither team came out of the gate looking more dominant than the other. With 4:59 to play in the first quarter, the Kings trailed the Heat by only two points, 16-14. Vince Carter entered the game and fouled James Johnson. The Kings would add a few more points with time running out in the first quarter. It was over yet though as Buddy Hield would toss up a four foot floater to make a buzzer-beating two. The Kings would go into the second quarter down 31-24.
The Kings would come out in the second with full force. They scored the first seven points in the second and pulled within two at 31-33. They didn’t stop there. After the Heat added a two, the Kings were right back at it. The Kings added 10 points to make it 43-38 Kings on top with 6:21 in the second. Between that and with 3:15 to play the Kings would extend that advantage to 49-43. The Kings showed some real heart in the second. For what appeared to be a game favoring the Heat, the Kings battled back and went into the locker at halftime up 59-52.
In the third quarter, both teams came out looking like they did in the first half. The Heat looking for a go-to scorer, and the Kings looking to keep rolling. Both teams would bounce back and forth with the score being 82-73 Sacramento with 3:35 to play in the third. The Kings would add nine more with a minute left to make it 91-76. Frank Mason would attempt to hit a long-range three at the buzzer, but to no avail. The Kings would lead, 91-79, going into the fourth quarter.
In the final quarter, the Kings would get on the board first. Those points scored on a floater by Kosta Koufos. Mason would be fouled and he made both his shots to make it 95-79. At this point, the game looked as if it were heavily in Sacramento’s favor. This narrative would then continue. With eight minutes to play, the Kings led the game 97-84.
The Heat and Kings got in a little scuffle around the seven-minute mark. Two technical fouls were charged. The first went to Koufos and the second to Goran Dragic. At the five-minute mark, the Heat started to put a little pressure on the Kings. So if anyone thought this was over, think again. De’Aaron Fox was charged with a controversial call that put the Kings in the penalty. From all angles, it appeared that Fox made no contact with Dragic, who would make both his shots. That coupled with a three from Dragic to make the game, 104-102, in favor of the Kings. The Heat would storm back and take a 110-106 lead with only 49.6 seconds to play and the Kings had a possession as Hield countered with a long-range three to make it 110-109. As if we haven’t seen Fox come up clutch all year, he showed us again. Fox hit a buzzer beating layup to tie the game at 111 apiece. These two teams headed to overtime!
In overtime, the script was simple. Both teams battled hard! Bogdan Bogdanovic hit a long-range jumper to make it 119-115. The Heat answered back with a two, but Hield was fouled and made both free throws. Hield was fouled again and made both shots to set the stage for the Kings’ victory. With the crowd at Golden 1 Center going crazy, the Kings defeated the Heat 123-119 in OT.
What’s Next?
The Kings head down to the Bay Area, where they will face the Warriors on Friday at 7:30 pm PST.
The Heat stay on the road and go to Los Angeles to face the Lakers Friday at 7:30 pm PST.
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