Sacramento Kings Drew Eubanks is in a pickle being defended by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell second to right during the first half at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Fri Nov 7, 2025 (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:
#1 It wasn’t even a close contest at Golden One Center on Friday night as the Oklahoma City Thunder (9-1) took care of business with a 30 point 132-101 win over the Sacramento Kings (3-6).
#2 Not enough offense some lapses in the outside shot and too much Thunder defense in the paint for the Kings to try and keep up.
#3 Thunder top scorers Isaiah Hartenstein with 33 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 30 points there was very little the Kings could do to stop both of them.
#4 The Kings got lots of scoring help with ten players in double figures, Russell Westbrook led with 24 points but it wasn’t enough to get the job done against OKC who dominated with a 30 point win.
#5 Up next for the Kings the Minnesota Timberwolves (5-4) Sun Nov 9th. The Wolves who picked up their fifth win of the season over the Utah Jazz (3-6) at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City rather handedly 137-97 in a 40 point win on Friday night. How do you see this match between the Jazz and Kings this Sunday?
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (left) takes a jump shot against the Sacramento Kings forward Drew Eubanks (right) in the first half at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Fri Nov 7, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
SACRAMENTO–After their win on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors, the Kings looked to make it a streak on Friday as they welcomed the Oklahoma City Thunder to town for a 7 p.m. start. The Kings were unable to calm the Thunder as they were defeated 132-101.
In the first quarter, Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk led the Kings to an early lead in the game as they scored 11 and nine, respectively. The Kings defense struggled to contain the Thunder in the early minutes of the game but settled in and pressured the Thunder to 43% shooting in the first quarter. The Kings shot an even 50% from the field in the first quarter as they outscored the Thunder 32-30 in the opening 12 minutes of action.
In the second quarter, the Kings defense again tried to keep the Thunder at bay, but it proved too much. The Thunder outscored the Kings in dramatic 40-24 fashion to take the commanding 70-56 lead going into halftime.
The Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein led all scorers in the game at halftime with 20 points as he positioned himself well to eclipse his career high (24). The Kings shot 45% in the second compared to the Thunder’s 64%. The Kings were led in scoring in the first half by Russell Westbrook, who scored 16.
In the third quarter, the Kings and Thunder traded baskets as the Thunder narrowly outscored the Kings 28-27. The Kings trailed 98-83 going into the final quarter and would need a miracle to come back in their first NBA Cup game of the season.
No such comeback was in order as the Kings were outscored in the fourth quarter 34-18 as Oklahoma City ran away with the game. The Kings shot 41% in the loss compared to the Thunder’s 53% from the field in the game.
Hartenstein did indeed reach his new career high as he dropped 33 points for the Thunder in the victory as he led all scorers. Westbrook led the Kings in scoring with 24 points in the contest following his triple double against the Warriors on Wednesday. The Kings fell to the Thunder 132-101 on Friday night at the Golden 1 Center.
The Kings lost the battle in the paint 60-34, which was disastrous to say the least.
“I think there’s a ton of things,” Maxime Raynaud said after the game about improving the points in the paint disparity. “Obviously, we can’t get blown by on drives. Obviously, we can’t let the roller get behind us for LOBs; we can’t leave that many offensive rebounds…”
The Kings were frustrated after the loss with their lack of defending their home court. Yet, they will get another chance on Sunday as they welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to town for a 6 p.m. PST tip-off.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder (17) takes a shot over the Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) in the first half at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Nov 5, 2025 (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:
#1 How did Russell Westbrook contribute to the Kings’ win in terms of points, rebounds and assists?
#2 Westbrook was key in Kings in scoring with 23 points to help lead the Kings to victory.
#3 With the Warriors missing stars Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, which rookie for Golden State stepped into a starting role and what was his point total?
#4 DeMar DeRozan led in scoring for the Kings with 25 points talk about how important his offense was?
#5 No doubt with DeRozan, Westbrook, and Nique Clifford the top three scorers for Sacramento their contribution made all the difference in this win.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) makes a three point shot against the Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) in the first half at Golden One Center in Sacramento (AP News photo)
Kings crack the code late and close out the Warriors 121 to 116
By Mauricio Segura
There is a particular kind of poise that shows up only when a seven point cushion shrinks into a one possession fight. The Sacramento Kings lived on that edge all night and survived the Golden State Warriors’ last push, 121-116, by answering every swing with something cleaner, calmer, and more deliberate in the final minutes.
Golden State opened with verve. Moses Moody streaked in for the first bucket, then the Warriors spread the floor and sprinted to a 32-20 advantage late in the first after Buddy Hield knifed backdoor for a layup. Sacramento prevented a full on avalanche by leaning on veteran traits.
DeMar DeRozan’s soft mid range touch and Russell Westbrook’s straight line drives steadied the group while the Kings trimmed their early turnovers. Malik Monk’s step back three, Raynaud’s trips to the line, and a handful of timely stops kept the game within reach. By halftime, Sacramento had taken the Warriors’ best burst and trailed only 62-57, which felt like a win given the way the quarter had tilted.
The third quarter became the hinge. DeRozan’s free throws to begin the half cut it to 62-59, Clifford’s wing three turned it into a one possession game, and Westbrook’s pair at 9:22 brought the scoreboard to 66 all. Sacramento even nudged in front when Clifford split at the line for 67-66, but Moody fired back with a 27 footer for 69-67.
The tug of war carried on until Monk and the Kings finally carved out daylight. Monk attacked for 79-76 with 4:55 left, then Sacramento layered in defense at the rim, including two important swats from Post that changed the temperature of the period. When the horn sounded, the Kings had authored a 92-85 lead and the building felt different.
Predictably, Golden State charged. Moody buried another deep ball at 9:39 of the fourth, and his and one at 7:34 trimmed it to 100-98. DeRozan answered from 12 feet, Podziemski replied from mid range, and Richard splashed a transition three at 6:45 to give the Warriors a 103-102 edge.
Sacramento held its nerve. Westbrook slashed for a go ahead layup to make it 104-103 Kings, and after a brief exchange that included a technical free throw for Moody to tie it, Dennis Schröder seized control of the closing script.
Schröder rose into a rhythm three from the left slot at 5:34 for 107-104. Westbrook crashed and tipped in a miss at 5:09 for 109-104. Schröder then stepped into another long ball at 4:31, 112-104, and a third at 3:27 for 115-104.
That trio of makes put real stress on the Warriors’ defense and bought Sacramento the cushion that would matter at the end. Golden State still had life, with Richard’s late three at 2:43 cutting it to 115-109 and Podziemski’s deep make at 0:57 trimming it further to 117-114, but the Kings closed like a team that has learned from painful finishes.
With 17 seconds left, Moody’s foul put Schröder on the line, and he calmly dropped both for 119-114. DeRozan added four perfect free throws inside the last seven seconds to place the final stitch.
The Warriors’ young core was excellent. Richard poured in 30, including the last second layup, and kept finding seams for timely threes and cuts. Moody stacked 28 with a full menu of attacks, pull ups, and catch and shoot threes, plus a technical free throw that briefly leveled the fourth.
Jonathan Kuminga showed force at the rim and touch from deep, and Brandin Podziemski’s feel as a connector popped in real time with nine assists and the late 29 foot strike that made it a one shot game.
Sacramento countered with collective maturity. DeRozan’s 25 came with well chosen shots and late game composure. Westbrook shifted tempo on command, piled up rebounds in traffic, and reached double digit assists, including the find that freed Schröder for one of his fourth quarter threes.
Monk’s burst in the third gave the Kings the separation they would need later. Post’s rim protection in the middle quarters tilted possessions in subtle ways, and Clifford’s steals and cuts kept Golden State honest. Most of all, Schröder’s shot diet in the final six minutes, pull up threes taken in rhythm and free throws made without a hint of doubt, translated poise into points.
Strip away the noise and the film says something simple. The Kings bent without breaking in the first, won the opening six minutes out of halftime, and executed with clarity when the clock turned heavy. Against a rival that fired real shots, Sacramento’s veterans measured the moment and made just enough of them.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) looks to pass the ball against the Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (left) and guard Tim Hardaway Jr who defend in the first half at Ball Arena in Denver on Mon Nov 3, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
The Sacramento Kings (2-5) hung around all night as they faced the Denver Nuggets (4-2). They got to within two points in the first half but were unable to take the lead for the entire game in the 130-124 loss.
Every starter for the Kings finished in double figures with Russell Westbrook finishing with the team high of 25. Denver’s Nikola Jokic had the game high of 34 points with 14 assists. Sacramento put up a good fight but was unable to contain Jokic and they were simply outplayed all night long. The Joker finished with 34 points and 14 rebounds. The Nuggets have now beat the Kings six straight times.
Monday night the Kings lost to the Nuggets finishing off a lengthy road trip and head back to Sacramento and their home court at Golden 1 Arena. After a great win over the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday night, the Kings were happy to get their first road trip in the books.
It has been grueling and has resulted in a string of losses for the Kings. Monday night the Kings faced another tough opponent as they faced Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray and company. Not a three-point shooting team the Kings they tried to force the long shots and they faced the task of containing Jokic it was not an easy assignment.
Game recap: After the first12 minutes of play the Denver Nuggets had a 39-30 lead. The Kings got a bit of a handle on the game in the second quarter. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the first half the Kings trailed by two points 54-52.
This ray of hope was extinguished by the Nuggets pushing their lead back out to 12, 68-56 with just under two minutes left to play. As the clock ran out, each team had scored 33 points in the second quarter and Denver had taken a 72-63 lead into the locker room. Sacramento had played hard and matched the Nuggets for much of the quarter but were unable climb over the top.
Jokic finished the first half with 18 points, three rebounds and six assists. Gordon had 15 points and five rebounds. The Denver bench had a cumulative 18 points. Three starters for Sacramento had double digits.
Russell Westbrook finished with the half high of 16 points and five rebounds. Domantas Sabonis was flirting with a double double hitting 11 points and rebounds. DeMar DeRozan had 15 points and three rebounds.
Zach LaVine had a quiet first half and the team would need more from him in the second half. Sacramento had seven turnovers in the half. From the field the two teams were shooting at 50% but the Nuggets were having more success from beyond the arc.
Sacramento while not a three-point shooting team had 32 points in the paint to the Nuggets 24. The Kings were certainly able to keep pace with the Nuggets for much of the first half but had not been able to take the lead.
The third quarter did not get off to a great start for the Kings. Three plus minutes into the third quarter the Nuggets had extended their lead to 84-69. Minutes later the Kings had cut the Nugget’s 15 point lead to ten 84-74.
The Kings were getting stops but not turning those stops into points. Every time Sacramento made a move, the Nuggets had the answer maintaining a double digit lead throughout the quarter.
The Kings had been unable to contain Jokic who finished the quarter having shot for 25 points with 11 assists. After three quarters every player for Sacramento was in double digits with Russell Westbrook leading the way with 20 points eight rebounds and five assists. The high-scoring Nuggets led after three quarters 104-93.
Several minutes into the fourth quarter the Kings had cut the Nugget lead to six points 108-102. The Sacramento starters came back into the game early in the fourth quarter looking to cut the Denver six-point lead even further.
There was a lot of time left in this game and Denver was forced to put their starters back in early as well. Sacramento was hanging around but could not make a dent in the score as Jokic continued to soar and there was no stopping him. Denver won their fourth game of the season.
The Kings put up a fight but really struggled with trying to contain Jokic. Every starter for the Kings finished with double digits. Westbrook had a double double and the team high with 26 points and 12 rebounds.
Sabonis also had a double double with 13 points and 16 rebounds. They both played hard all night. DeRozan finished with 19 points and Dennis Schroeder with 18. LaVine had 15 points and off the bench Keon Ellis had a nice game with 15 points.
The Kings will now head home to Golden 1 Arena and get ready for another tough matchup with Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento Kings DeMar DeRozan takes a shot against the Milwaukee Bucks Kyle Kuzma in the first half on Sat Nov 1, 2025 at Fiserv Arena in Milwaukee (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason:
#1 With the Denver Nuggets having won their last five head-to-head matchups against Sacramento, what adjustments must the Kings make to turn the tide?
#2 How will Sacramento cope with key absences of Keegan Murray and Malik Monk, and can those gaps give Denver an edge?
#3 Given Denver’s potent offense but more modest defensive numbers, can Sacramento exploit their defense especially from three-point range to stay competitive?
#4 With the game taking place at Denver’s home venue, how much does home-court advantage matter in this pairing and how might it shift the dynamics?
#5 Which match-up or player duel could be decisive — for example, can Sacramento’s interior presence challenge the dominance of Nikola Jokić for Denver, or will Jokić control the game?
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Milwaukee Bucks Kyle Kuzma (18) commits a foul on the Sacramento Kings Zach LaVine (8) in first half action at Fiserv Arena in Milwaukee on Sat Nov 1, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
The Sacramento Kings (2-4) played a miserable first quarter trailing 47-36 before turning this game completely around outscoring the Milwaukee Bucks (4-2) in the second and third quarters before tucking this game away in a nail-biter in the fourth quarter 135-133.
This was the Bucks first home loss of the season. The Kings had four of their starters finishing with 20+ points with Zach LaVine leading the way with 31 points.
Game recap: Unlike every game played this season so far, the Kings had a horrible start falling behind 15-2 early in the first quarter. The largest lead for the Bucks was 15 as Sacramento struggled throughout the entire opening quarter.
The Bucks were shooting over 70% from the field and they were seven of ten from beyond the arc for 70%. As the first 12 minutes of play came to an end the Kings trailed 47-36. The Kings were shooting almost 54% from the field but were getting stomped from outside. They had only hit a single three while the Bucks finished the quarter eight of 13. Sacramento had a single turnover in the game in the first quarter.
The Kings had a better start in the second quarter pulling to within six points 49-43 early in the quarter. The Bucks turned that around pulling back ahead by double figures and again the Kings continued to get outplayed trailing 59-45 at the eight minute mark.
The Kings made a push with 4:34 left in the quarter trailing by three points 57-60. Sacramento had really turned things around displaying a lot of confidence going on a nice run and cutting a significant deficit.
The Kings had made defensive adjustments and made this a highly competitive game. Had it not been for some sloppy ill-timed turnovers by Sacramento this game could have been even closer with Sacramento taking the lead into the locker room at the half.
Despite that the Kings had really pulled it all together as the score at the half had Sacramento trailing by a single point 71-70. They had outscored the Bucks in the second quarter 34-24 after getting scorched in the first.
The Kings got the third quarter underway taking their first lead of the game after trailing by as much as 15 points. The Bucks long shots had cooled off and the Kings began to hit shots from beyond the arc.
At 9:45 in the quarter this game was tied at 78. At 8:01 the game remained a tie now at 81. At the seven minute mark the Kings took their largest lead of the game 86-83. This game took an unexpected turn when at 4:07 the Kings had a 97-87 lead.
They had gone on a 10-0 run playing at a high offensive level. Doc Rivers took the second timeout of the quarter trying to re-group and put the stops on the surging Kings. Sacramento went on to outscore the Bucks in the third quarter 38-31 leading after three 108-102.
The question now remained, can the Sacramento Kings finish this game? The Kings have seen themselves self-destruct in the final minutes of numerous games this season. After starting this game in terrible fashion they would need to finish the game on a high note, the fourth quarter would be a battle.
Sacramento had led by double figures in much of the third quarter but the Bucks had begun to creep into the fourth trailing by single digits. With 3:54 left in the game, the Kings called a time-out looking to protect their 126-119 lead.
The Kings called another time-out with three minutes left in the game and a slim 128-123 lead. With just over two minutes left on the clock the wheels began to come off for the Kings. They were able to deny the Milwaukee push and were able to finish the game.
The Sacramento Kings held on to win the game 135-133 for their second win this season and it was a great win for the team after so many close games and disappointing fourth quarters.
Domantas Sabonis had a season high 24 points and 13 rebounds, a double double. Zach LaVine had the team high of 31 points and DeMar DeRozan finished with 29 points. Dennis Schroeder had 24 points in a game in which the Bucks shot around 60%.
The Kings had ten turnovers and shot 87% from the line. This was certainly a ray of hope for Sacramento playing three amazing quarters after opening the game on such a sour note. They fought to the end, finished the game and were rewarded with the win despite being the underdogs.
Game notes: The Kings have had a rough start this season. They were in the middle of a challenging road trip taking on the elite teams in the NBA but the win against the Bucks on this trip after losing in Chicago Wednesday was a game where they met the challenge.
They have had hot starts in most of these games, they have led deep into the fourth quarter on occasion but have been unable to finish as their season record indicates. They have a core of seasoned veterans that can get the job done but they have fallen just short in every game they have played with the exception of their one win over the Utah Jazz.
Saturday they took on another of the league’s best, the Bucks at Fiserv Forum and came away with a two point win handing the Bucks their first loss on their home floor. The Bucks are smart, efficient and were highly favored in this game but in the end they couldn’t hold on.
This had been a brutal stretch for the Kings who lost the first two games to start the trip and there are more bumps in the road as this road trip continues but the win against the Bucks was a sweet win for the Kings who never gave up.
Unfortunately for Sacramento Malik Monk will missed Saturday’s game with a personal issue. The Kings leaned on Russell Westbrook, Keon Ellis and Devin Carter in his absence.
Monday night the Kings will finish off this demanding road trip taking on the Denver Nuggets. They will be looking to take the energy and confidence from this win into Ball Arena. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 6:00 PM.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento Kings forward/center Drew Eubanks (19) has the ball rebounded away from him by the Chicago Bulls forward/guard Isaac Okoro in the first half at the United Center in Chicago on Wed Oct 29, 2025. The Kings tip off against the Milwaukee Bucks Sat Nov 1, 2025 (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:
#1 How will Zach LaVine’s scoring ability impact the Kings’ chance to challenge the Bucks’ defense?
#2 With DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis both in the frontcourt, can Sacramento win the rebound and interior-play battle against Milwaukee?
#3 Given that Keegan Murray is out of the line up against the Bucks today how will his absence impact the Kings?
#4 What role will Dennis Schröder play in orchestrating the offense, and how might his playmaking affect the Kings’ ability to generate quality shots?
#5 With the Kings looking to improve their road performance, how significant is it that they play at Milwaukee’s home court, and which Sacramento players will need to step up under that pressure?
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Former Chicago Bull and current Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan drives to the basket against the Bulls forward /center Jalen Smith (left) and guard/forward and former King Kevin Huerter at the United Center in Chicago on Wed Oct 29, 2025 (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:
#1 How did Zach LaVine’s scoring and shot-selection impact Sacramento’s effort in the game?
#2 What difference did DeMar DeRozan make in the mid-range and veteran leadership roles, and was it enough to lift the team late?
#3 How did Domantas Sabonis perform on the glass and in facilitating the offense, and could his influence have been greater in the outcome?
#4 In light of the team’s injury list (for example, Keegan Murray being out with a thumb injury) what effect did his absence have on the Kings’ depth and rotation?
#5 Considering the Kings’ recurring difficulty in closing out games and defending late crunch-time possessions (as indicated in recent previews), how well did they manage the final minutes — and which Kings player(s) stepped up or struggled most in that stretch?
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups who was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame on Sun Oct 12, 2024 at Uncasville Conn. Will his Hall of Fame status be under threat if found to have been fixing NBA games? (AP News photo)
Mafia-NBA Gambling investigation -Gambino family mobster revealed
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
Amaury Pi-González
Angelo Ruggiero Jr., a member of the Gambino crime family, is implicated in a recent NBA gambling scandal that involves rigging illegal high-stakes poker games . Federal prosecutors allege that he and other mob associates used these games to defraud wealthy participants, which included current and former NBA players.
He is the son of the deceased Gambino captain, Angelo “Quack Quack” Ruggiero Sr., a close associate of mob boss John Gotti. Ruggiero Jr. is accused of receiving proceeds from the rigged poker games, which allegedly used sophisticated technology like rigged shuffling machines, marked cards, and hidden cameras to cheat players out of millions of dollars a judge recently denied Ruggiero Jr.’s bail request, citing his prior conviction for witness tampering and ruling that he posed a significant risk to witnesses in the current case.
During that previous incident, Ruggiero Jr. allegedly pointed his hand like a gun at a witness in his jail cell and said, “You know how we take care of rats, we get up-close and personal”. The Mafia-NBA investigation by the Justice Department includes an illegal poker ring as part of a larger investigation into illegal sports betting involving several mob families and prominent figures, including NBA coach Chauncey Billups and player/guard Terry Rozier.
These investigations have been going on for a while. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department Organized Crime Control Bureau’s Joint Organized Crime Task Force began investigating individuals associated with the NBA for illegal gambling in 2023.
The bureau was alerted to unusual betting activity involving Rozier in March 2023. As the investigation continues, there will be more revelations, although I have to say, there is a better than 50-50 chance the Department of Justice knows much more that they will not reveal, for obvious reasons.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
Sports Radio Service 