Category: NBA

Sports Headlines with London Marq: Posey’s .320 clip got him 4th silver slugger; Mattingly survives Jeter’s house cleaning in Miami; How James Harden held off the Cavs

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LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 23: San Francisco Giants Catcher Buster Posey (28) at bat during an MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 23, 2017 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

On the Sports Headlines with London Marq:

No one really knows how things are going to end up with Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton next season but one things for sure manager Don Mattingly got a contract extension from the Marlins from team president of operations Michael Hill. Stanton no matter where he winds up will get more than his current $25 million salary from the Derek Jeter ownership group.

San Francisco Giant catcher Buster Posey got his fourth silver bat with a high performance at the plate despite the Giants nearly losing 100 game last season. Posey hit .320 with a .462 slugging percentage, 34 doubles, but hit a low for homers with 12.

Houston Rockets James Harden can do it all as he took it to the Cleveland Cavaliers Thursday night it was “Fear the Beard Night” for the Cavaliers. Harden triple doubled and hit 35 points. The Rockets Clint Capela came away with 19 points and Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said he was excited about what Capela can do. The Rockets won the it 117-113. LeBron James tallied 33 points with Jeff Green behind with 27 for Cleveland.

There much more on the Sports Headlines podcast with London tune in below and each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Sportstalk remote podcast at Palomino’s Restaurant downtown San Francisco Thu Nov 9, 2017

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photo from Yelp.com: Interior photo of Palomino Restaurant on the Embarcadero downtown San Francisco

Cast: David Zizmor (host), Jeremy Kahn (Oakland Raiders reporter), Morris Phillips (Cal Bears reporter), and Lee Leonard (producer)

Podcasting from Palomino’s at 345 Spear Street downtown San Francisco on the Embarcadero a beautiful location just two stops away on the Muni Metro line from AT&T Park and one stop away from the Embarcadero BART station.

Our thanks to our hosts Sarper Oztemiz General Manager, restaurant managers Angelina Schneider, Tina Pham, and server Maribel. Palomino is your local European inspired restaurant and bar with Italian, Spanish, and Mediterranean cuisine influences.

If you find yourself craving artisan wood fired pizza, rustic locally sourced pasta with homemade sauces, upscale seafood and steaks or just want to savor a variety of craft cocktails or wine at the bar with friends and family, we would love to serve you.

We source a number of ingredients for our fresh made-to-order fare from local sources, and offer a number of convenient ways to dine. If you’re looking for a fast and casual option, order a selection of favorite dishes on UberEATS. Plan a group dining experience with our event coordinator if you’re in the mood to party! Make a reservation in our dining room for a romantic dinner.

 

A Sweet One Point Win Kings get by Sixers 109-108; Sac Town grabs second straight win

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Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, center, shoots the game-winning basket over Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington, right, in the Kings’ 109-108 win in an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

By Tony Renteria

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings (2-8) hosted the visiting Philadelphia 76ers (6-4) on the first raining night in Capitol city as the country looked forward to celebrating Veterans day, as the Kings squeak out a one point victory 109-108.

The Kings may be on turning point as they won their second game in a row, while two wins may not seem impressive  but stack that against up against the overall record it may be a boost to the young roster that Kings seem to betting on.

The Kings were lead by Zach Randolph and his 20 points and seven rebounds.  Justin Jackson also chipped in 19 points.  The mixed of veterans and young players seems to be taking root in Sacramento as the youth movement maybe gaining momentum.

The Sixers were paced by forward Robert Covington who put in team high 24 points in slightly over 35 minutes of work.  The Sixers maybe the Houston Astros of the NBA as they have suffered for several seasons to ensure they had the high draft picks to start to assemble a rock star squad.   As the Kings are turning a corner it appears the Sixers are slightly ahead in the rebuild race.

The Kings travel to New York to play the Knicks on Saturday and the Sixers continue this west coast road swing as the take on the Warriors on the same day in Oakland.

 

 

 

Kings Press Row Podcast November 8th 2017

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

1-skal emoji

host Lee Leonard with Charlie O. Mallonee

  • What is happening in week 4 of the NBA?

  • Skal Labissiere is having an impact on the Kings but has recently seen reduced playing time – what is happening with him?

  • The NBA-G League is underway – what influence will it have on “the Association”?

  • What’s coming up for the Kings?

 

Kings storm back to beat the Thunder for their second win of the season, 94-86

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AP17312214510217
Sacramento Kings forward Zach Randolph, second from left, goes to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Andre Roberson, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. The Kings won 94-86. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

By Morris Phillips

SACRAMENTO–The Kings’ desperately sought second win of the season came Tuesday night– 18 long days after the first–at Golden One Center against Western Conference heavyweight Oklahoma City. That’s the headline. But to be fair, the subtext would have to be how poorly the star-laden Thunder played–and how disinterested they looked after tripling up Sacramento in an impressive, first quarter start.

The Kings would have preferred it be about them, but it wasn’t.  At least it wasn’t after the first 12 minutes. After scoring just 10 points in the opening period–and trailing by as many as 17 points–the Kings responded, gaining the lead before halftime, and maintaining it throughout the second half in a 94-86 win.

“We beat a good team with good players, good coaching and a great front office and everybody had a part in it,” Coach Dave Joerger said. “I’d love to give a bunch of `Atta boys’ out but that was a total team effort.”

Zach Randolph led the Kings with all 18 of his points coming after the half, as Sacramento built on its slim, one point-lead at the break. Randolph’s willingness to play center in a smaller lineup keyed the resurgence as the team’s ball movement improved, and the shots began to drop.

“I’m drawing so much attention from the defense, so somebody’s open,” Randolph said. “There’s always a double team, always a man coming over so I can move the ball and get that open shot for my teammate.”

 

 

Warriors don’t score 100 points but are able to grind out a win over Miami 97-80

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Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant celebrates after hitting a three-point basket against the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in Denver. (Photo by Jack Dempsey)

by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland — The Warriors won their seventh game in their last eight starts. It was not easy or pretty, but they still prevailed over the Miami Heat, 97-80. The Heat, coached by Erik Spoelstra, played tough defense and did their best to keep the Warriors from running the court. The Heat loves to play a grind-it-out style of play similar to the one used by the Memphis Grizzlies. They do not run the fast break. They use up as much of the 34-second clock as possible before taking a shot and make the opposition work hard to take a three-point shot.

The Warriors were hoping to get off to a fast start in the first quarter. Miami had other ideas as neither team to get any offense going. The defense was a strong suit for both clubs as the game was tied at 15 late in the quarter. Miami went on a 6-0 run to take a 21-15 lead, but the Warriors came back to finish the first 12 minutes of play with a 7-0 run and ended with the lead 22-21. Miami continued to use the clock and brought the game to a crawl The Dubs led 36-34 with 3:17 left in the first half. It was at this point that the Warriors put it together and went on a 14-2 run to take a 50-37 advantage at the end of the first half. Kevin Durant and Draymond Green led the Warriors in scoring with 14 for KD and 13 for Green. The Heat held Steph Curry to four and Klay Thompson to seven.  Goran Dragovic and James Johnson each had 10 for Miami.

The second half was more of the same. The Heat continued to slow the game down, but the Warriors were able to meet the challenge. They increased the lead to 60-40. Curry and Thompson each knocked down a three-point shot and the Warriors were able to finish the third quarter with an 18-point lead, 75-57.  The Heat went on a 9-2 run to begin the fourth quarter as they reduced the lead to 12. Durant and Curry took over, and the Warrior defense held the Heat offense at bay as they won 97-80

Game notes and stats — Steve Kerr gave David West the night off, and Jordan Bell and Kevon Looney took up the slack and played very well, especially on defense. Green had this to say about the Heat: “They’re gonna drive, they’re gonna hold. It wasn’t pretty. We couldn’t make shots.” Steve Kerr said this: ” I thought it was our best defensive effort of the year…We made really good decisions out there. I liked the way we stayed with it against a good team…It was a grind out game.” The Warriors were very good, indeed, on defense. They outrebounded the Heat, 51-44. They had 12 steals and 19 blocks.  The Warriors’ offense recorded just 20 assists as the Heat really smothered the Warriors’ offense for most of the game.

Leading scorers for the Warriors were Durant with 21. Green knocked down 18. Curry had 16 and Thompson finished with 13. On defense, Durant And Kevon Looney each blocked three shots and Thompson had two. Dragovic tallied 19 for Miami and James Johnson, coming off the bench, poured in 21. The only other Heat player in double figures was Kelly Olynyk with 10.

The Warriors improve to 8-3, and the Heat drops to 4-6.

The Warriors meet the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday night at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

Kings play better in the Motor City but lose to Pistons 108-99

Published on by Charlie O. Mallonee2 Comments

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Pistons Little Caesars
The new Little Caesar’s Arena in downtown Detroit*

The Sacramento Kings played their best game of the three-game road trip on Saturday night in Detroit even though they lost the game 108-99. The Pistons (7-3) went on a 16-5 scoring run late in the third quarter and the Kings (1-8) were unable to close the gap after that run losing their seventh consecutive game. Sacramento finished 0-3 on the road trip.

The Kings played their best basketball against the most physical team they had to face on the road trip. Maybe the most important accomplishment was scoring more than 86 points in a game which they had not done in their last four contests. There are no moral victories but there are games where a team can show improvement. That is what the Kings showed on Saturday night. They showed improvement.

Dave Joerger went with a starting five consisting of veterans and youth. Zach Randolph and Garrett Temple were the vets who started. Third- year man Willie Cauley-Stein got the start at center while rookies Bogdan Bogdanovic and De’Aaron Fox were also in the starting five. Fox started at point guard because George Hill was not with the team due to personal reasons.

Joerger would also use a 12 man rotation versus the Pistons. Everyone on the Kings bench except Papagiannis played in the game.

The Kings managed to take the lead in this game. Their biggest lead was only one point but in was a lead. They stayed within three to four points of the lead for much of game.

Top Performers

Kings

Pistons Boggy
Bogdanovic drives the lane in Detroit*
  • Zach Randolph led the Kings in scoring with 19 points shooting 8-for-14 (57.1-percent) from the floor. Z-Bo also hit 2-of-3 from behind the 3-point line. Randolph played almost 30-minutes in the game.
  • Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 14 points against the Pistons hitting 6-of-7 shots from the field (85.7-percent). He was a perfect 2-for-2 from 3-point land. As usual, Bogdanovic played very strong defense as well.
  • De’Aaron Fox also posted 14 points but seven of those points came in the fourth quarter when the game was really out of reach. He dished out four assists in his 26-minutes on the floor.
  • Buddy Hield — who was nursing a sore ankle from the Boston game — put 13 up points and grabbed eight rebounds.
  • Garrett Temple had a very solid game with 10 points, three rebounds, three steals and one assist.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein who struggled in the first half really improved in the second half scoring eight points to go with three rebounds, four assists and two steals.
  • Frank Mason played an important role as the point guard for the second unit in the game. Mason played 21-minutes scoring seven points and distributing six assists.

Pistons

Pistons Drummond
Andre Drummond posted a double-double in the game*
  •  Avery Bradley led the way for the victorious Pistons with 24 points. He hit 10-of-15 shots from the floor (66.7-percent). Bradley played 32-minutes for Detroit versus the Kings.
  • Power Forward Tobias Harris scored 20 points, hauled in five rebounds, added five assists, had one steal and one block in the game.
  • Big man Andre Drummond posted another double-double scoring 16 points and grabbing 19 rebounds. He also had four assists, three steals and one block.
  • Point guard Reggie Jackson — who was the subject of trade rumors earlier in the week- scored 15 and dished out seven assists.
  • Former King Anthony Tolliver scored 10 points against his former team.

Team numbers

Sacramento

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  • The Kings shot an impressive 52.6-percent (40-for-76) from the field. They hit 10-of-21 (47.6-percent) of their 3-point attempts.
  • The Kings still did not make it to the free throw line enough on Saturday night. They made 9-of-13 opportunities. Sacramento needs to bring that free throw attempted number up to 20-plus.
  • Sac pulled down 32 total rebounds (3 off/ 29 def) which is on the low side and could be of concern if those numbers continue to be low.
  • The Kings had 24 assists and committed 18 turnovers which resulted in 18 Piston points. The assist to turnover ratio is well below the goal of 2-to-1.

Detroit

Pistons logo

  • The Pistons also shot over 50-percent from the floor as they hit 40 of their 79 field goal attempts.
  • Detroit was on fire from “downtown” as they connected on 13-of-24 (54.2-percent) of their shots from behind the 3-point arc.
  • They hit 15-of-22 attempts from the charity stripe.
  •   It was a low rebounding game for both teams as the Pistons hauled in 35 (8 off/ 27 def) rebounds.
  • Detroit came close to the 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio as they posted 28 assists versus 15 turnovers. Their turnovers turned into nine Sacramento points.
  • The Pistons had 10 steals against Sacramento Saturday night.

Up next on the schedule

The Kings flew home after the game and will be off until Tuesday when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden 1 Center. Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony should provide quite a challenge for the Kings.

The Pistons stay in Detroit and will return to action on Wednesday when the Indiana Pacers visit Little Caesar’s Arena.

*Photos by USA Today Sports

Warriors conclude three-game road trip with win in Denver 127-108

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors started strong, faltered a bit in the second quarter, then broke the game open in the third period as they cruised to victory by beating the Denver Nuggets 127-108 Saturday night in the Mile-High city.

The Warriors came out firing as they sprinted to an early 36-23 lead after the first twelve minutes of play. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson led the Warriors in the early going. Klay made three 3-point shots in the quarter. Late in the quarter, JaVale McGee, with assists from Steph Curry, made four baskets as it appeared the Warriors were on their way to another blowout win.

The Nuggets, to their credit, did not back down from the Warrior onslaught. They scored the first fifteen points in the second quarter to take the lead 38-36. The Warriors failed to score in the first four minutes of play in the second period. Denver went on a 21-3 to lead 44-41 before the Warriors got untracked. The Dubs scored nine of the last thirteen points in the period and led 60-55 at the half.

After the intermission, the Warriors came out firing on all cylinders and, as they have done so many times in the past, owned the third quarter. Led by Kevin Durant, the Warriors poured in 43 points, and the defense held the Nuggets to just 21 as they finished the third quarter leading by 27 103-76.

Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr used his second unit players for the entire fourth quarter. Patrick McCaw, Nick Young, Omri Casspi, Kevon Looney, and Jordan Bell daw significant minutes as the Warriors won 127-108.

Game Notes and stats- After the game, Kerr remarked this about the game:”We came out firing in the third. I’m really pleased. We played three tough teams (LA Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, And Denver Nuggets) and we turned a corner on this trip,” Kevin Durant said this about his teammates:”I thought everybody came out with great energy.”

The Warriors have now won six of the last seven games and are 7-3 for the year. Kerr was worried about the team’s conditioning a couple of games ago. They seem to be playing like the champions that they are. Denver drops to 5-5.

Four of the five Warrior starters were in double figures, and not a single Nugget starter was in double figures. KD led the Warriors with 25 points, 7 assists, and seven rebounds. Steph Curry scored 22 and had a double-double with 11 assists. Draymond and Klay had 15 each, and Zaza Pachulia knocked down 8.  JaVale McGee led the bench with 11. David West, Andre Iguodala, Omri Casspi, Patrick McCaw, and Nick Young all contributed to the Warrior win. Leading scorers for Denver were Will Barton 21, Emmanuel Mudiay 15, and Trey Lyles with 11.

Shaun Livingston did not play as Steve Kerr gave him the night off.

The Warriors shot 54.9% from the floor and the defense held Denver to 46%. The Warriors made 18 3-point shots while Denver made just six. The Warriors moved the ball well and recorded 37 assists in the game. The defense had 13 steals and four blocks, and they committed 15 turnovers.

The Warriors return home to face the Miami Heat Monday night at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

Kings Press Row Podcast NBA Week 3 : The Key Phrase is “Player Development”

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

Podcast host Charlie O. Mallonee

1-alt kings

 

  • Welcome to Week 3 of the NBA

  • The phrase that pays in 2017-18 is “Player Development”

  • The Kings need to score more points – seriously

  • The free throw line could be Sac’s best friend

  • What is coming up in NBA Week 4?

Warriors start slowly but comeback in the second half to defeat Spurs 112-92

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates with his team during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

by Jerry Feitelberg

San Antonio, Texas – The San Antonio Spurs took it the Warriors in the first quarter to earn a 19-point lead. The Spurs were making three-point shots, rebounding, and shooting well as they appeared to be ready to blow out the Warriors. The Spurs were without the services of Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, and they wanted to send the message to the Warriors that they could win without those two stars. The Spurs also knew that they usually beat the Warriors at home. That did not happen as the Warriors righted the ship late in the second quarter and shut the Spurs attack down in the second half to win by twenty (112-92).

The Spurs held a slight 10-9 lead in the first quarter. They went on a 21-3 run to lead 31-12. The Warriors ended the quarter on a 12-2 run to close the gap to 33-24. Steph Curry and Draymond Green led the charge. The Warriors tried to close the gap, but the Spurs were double-teaming Kevin Durant every time he touched the ball, and at one point, KD missed all of his first eight shots. The Warriors started to play better defense and kept chipping away at the lead. The Warriors offense was led by Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. The Warriors finished the first half trailing by five (55-50).

The Warriors, as they have done so many times, won the third quarter as they outscored the Spurs 34-23. They took the lead 60-57 for the first time early in the quarter. The Spurs and Warriors exchanged buckets, and the game was tied at 63. The Warriors took over and did not relinquish the lead. Kevin Durant started to make baskets, Steph Curry, who had to leave the game in the second quarter as he tweaked his knee, returned to lead the club to an 84-78 advantage after three periods of play. The Warriors shut down the Spurs offense in the fourth quarter. They outscored them 28-14 to win 112-92.

Game Notes – Spurs’ coach Gregg Popovich left the game in the fourth quarter when he was charged with a double technical.

The Warriors did not allow the Spurs to make a three-point shot in the second half. The Spurs made seven in the first half. The Warriors were led by Klay Thompson’s 27 points. Klay mad five threes. Steph Curry tallied 21, and he had four assists and eight rebounds. Durant, who had just five points in the first half, ended with 24. KD had five assists, eight boards, and three blocks. The Warriors shot 51.8% from the floor, made fourteen threes, had 30 assists, 11 steals, and 11 blocks. They committed nine turnovers in the first half, but just five in the second.

After the game, coach Steve Kerr said the Warriors had a “great response to the early shock we took. We weren’t ready for battle early, that’s why we fell behind. We started competing, running, and passing the ball.” Kerr also remarked this about the Warriors’ defense: “The last two games have been our best defensive efforts.”

Curry was asked how the Warriors rebounded from the big first-quarter deficit and he said that the team was “sticking with the program.” He also said the team was “starting to gel.” Curry left the game with a slight knee injury in the second quarter, but he came back to play in the third quarter. Curry said it was “a little scary, but I got out all right.” The Warriors coaching staff, players, and fans let out a collective sigh of relief when he came back into the game.

The Spurs’ offense was led by LaMarcus Aldridge, Kyle Anderson, Pau Gasol, and Rudy Gay. The Spurs lost their fourth consecutive game in a row and are now 4-4 for the season. The Warriors improved to 6-3 and have won five of the last six games. The Warriors travel to Denver to face the Nuggets Saturday night. Game time is at 5:30.