Category: NBA

Kings Go 0-5 In Pre-Season Play Losing To Los Angeles Clippers 113-91

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Oct 17, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Miller (11) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the second quarter of NBA preseason game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn ImagesKiyoshi Mio

By Barbara Mason

Thursday night the Sacramento Kings (0-5) lost their final pre-season game to the Los Angeles Clippers (4-1) 113-91. The Kings have lost every pre-season game as they continue to work to get ready for the 2024-25 season.

Sacramento’s newest acquisition DeMar DeRozan is working hard to complete the starting roster for the Kings. Sacramento now has a week of hard practice ahead of them as they prepare to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves to open the season at Golden 1 Center.

Thursday evening the Kings finished up their pre-season losing to the Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The Kings have lost all of their pre-season games and they are focused on working DeMar DeRozan into the starting lineup.

They did improve ball protection in their last game and continue to work hard as they prepare for the start of the regular season which gets underway on October 24 when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Sacramento.

Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk, Orlando Robinson, Trey Lyles and De’Aaron Fox were all listed GTD with a return date of October 24th. James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Derrick Jones did not play for the Clippers.

The Clippers got on top as the opening quarter wore down leading 30-20 after the first twelve minutes of play. The first quarter was sloppy at best for the Kings with 9 turnovers, shooting at 18% from downtown with only 30 % from the field.

Los Angeles continued to extend their lead in the second quarter and with 6:31 left in the first half the Clippers had a 28-48 lead. The Sacramento bench saw some action in the second quarter although Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Keegan Murray did play play in the quarter.

The Kings continue to push through the pre-season in an effort to get this lineup ready for the regular season. The Clippers took a 65-38 lead into halftime. They had outscored Sacramento 35-18 in the second quarter. The Kings finished the half with 13 turnovers, shooting 14% from downtown and 28% from the field. The Clippers were shooting nearly 60% from the field in this lopsided game.

The Kings made a rally attempt in the third quarter after trailing by as much as 27 points. They were able to pull to within 14 points before the Clippers pushed back holding onto a comfortable lead for the rest of the quarter. After three quarters Los Angeles had an 85-69 lead. The Kings were able to outscore the Clippers in the quarter 31-20.

The Clippers went on to win the fourth quarter 28-22 and the game 113-91. Domantas Sabonis finished with the high for the Kings with 24 points and 9 rebounds just shy of another double double. Keegan Murray had 11 points and 7 rebounds in the loss. Sacramento will now head back to Golden 1 Center to prepare for the start of the season next week.

The Kings will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first game of the 2024-25 season with the tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Despite Better Effort Kings Drop Their Fourth Pre-Season Game to Jazz 117-114

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Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) runs up the court to prepare to defend with the Utah Jazz John Collins (20) in the foreground with basketball at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Tue Oct 15, 2024 (Getty photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (0-4) made some vast improvement in their matchup with the Utah Jazz (4-1) despite losing 117-114. They finished the game with only 11 turnovers a far cry from the 27 they had last Sunday.

They had a better effort from beyond the arc. The first half was back and forth with 13 lead changes but the second half saw the Jazz take the lead for much of the third and fourth quarters. The high for the Kings was Domantas Sabonis with another double double. He finished the game with 29 points, 8 assists and 13 rebounds.

Game recap: As this game got underway, it could not have been closer. After the first 12 minutes of play, the Kings trailed 30-31. There were lead changes throughout not only the first quarter but the second quarter as well.

Utah won the second quarter by a single point 27-26 and led at the half 58-56. Domantas Sabonis was having a great game scoring 23 points with nine rebounds on the edge of another double double.

De’Aaron Fox and DeMar DeRozan would be looking for more offense in the second half. Each of them had seven points in the first half. Sacramento had really cleaned up the turnovers in the first half with only six to Utah’s 15. This was a vast improvement over their last game against Portland and they were looking for more of the same in the second half.

The Jazz began to build a lead in the third quarter and at 5:42 led 77-68. The Kings head coach Mike Brown wasted no time calling a timeout when the team began to fall further and further behind not liking at all what he was seeing.

Sacramento would pull to within four points but by quarters end, the Jazz pushed back taking the lead 85-76 with under two minutes left in the third. After three quarters the Jazz had a 87-83 lead. De’Aaron Fox hit a 50-foot jumper at the buzzer to close out the third.

Less than two minutes into the fourth quarter the Kings trailed by two points 87-89. At 9:26, this game was tied at 92. Down the stretch at 6:31, the Jazz had a 98-97 lead and this game was up for grabs.

The game was again tied at 105 with 4:21 left on the clock. With under a minute left in the game the Jazz were clinging to a one-point lead 113-112. This game was going down to the wire. The Kings just could not get over the top losing to Utah 117-114 for their fourth pre-season loss.

Domantas Sabonis had the high for the Kings with 29 points, eight assists and 16 rebounds for another double double. DeAaron Fox finished with 22 points and seven rebounds which included the 50-ft shot at the third quarter buzzer.

Keegan Murray had 21 points and five rebounds. The Kings ball protection was great with only 11 turnovers much improved over previous games.

Keyonte George was the high for the Jazz with 24 points .

Game notes: Sunday the Kings got blown out of the water by the Trail Blazers 105-85. They had 27 turnovers and struggled defensively. Tuesday night the Kings lost to Utah (4-1) and failed to pick up their first win of the pre-season.

They were also looking for much improved ball protection as well as better offense and defense. It was a rough game for the Sacramento starters Sunday and they didn’t get much production Tuesday in Utah. When you see that starting lineup scoring barely ten points apiece you have to scratch your head. Curious. With all the turnovers, this team was not playing as a unit and Tuesday night they played a lot closer game with the Jazz but again lost and fell three points short.

The Kings will play their final pre-season game Thursday night taking on the Los Angeles Clippers looking for their first win of the pre-season. They played a far improved game Tuesday and they are moving in the right direction with the season a little over a week away. Tipoff for Thursday is scheduled for 7:30 PM PT at Crypto.com Arena.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Kings drop to 0-3 after getting nailed by Trail Blazers 105-85

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Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) drives the basketball against the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Sun Oct 13, 2024 (Sacramento Kings X photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Barbara,The Sacramento Kings hosted the Portland Trail Blazers in the third Preseason game Sunday at the Golden One Center losing 105-85.

#2 The Kings are still working on the new starting rotation with the new addition Demar DeRozan and Keon Ellis filling in for an injured Kevin Huerter and it showed as they had 26 turnovers.

#3 Kings turnovers and the Trail Blazers three point shooting put the Kings in a very deep hole as Portland Took a nine point lead into the half.

#4 Kings head coach Mike Brown is still working on this line up and hopefully it will perform better by the season opener than they did Sunday. 

#5  The Kings travel to Utah to play the Jazz for their final preseason game on October 15th. They play their last pre season against Thu Oct 17 against the Los Angeles Clippers in the Southland.

Join Barbara Mason for the Sacramento Kings podcast Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings Preseason Struggles Highlighted In Loss 105-85

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Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown hopes the Kings can win their last pre season game Tue Oct 15th at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City as the Kings are 0-3 in pre season (AP file photo)

By Tony Renteria

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings hosted the Portland Trail Blazers in the third Preseason game Sunday at the Golden One Center losing 105-85. The Kings are still working on the new starting rotation with the new addition Demar DeRozan and Keon Ellis filling in for an injured Kevin Huerter and it showed as they had 26 turnovers.

Kings turnovers and the Trail Blazers three point shooting put the Kings in a very deep hole as Portland Took a seven point lead into the half. Portland out scored the Kings 35-24 in the second quarter behind great play from Scoot Henderson who finished with 17 points in only 25 minutes of play.

DeRozan who the Kings brought in to to help them get past the first round of the playoffs is still finding his footing with his new teammates and new head coach Mike Brown. General Manager Monte McNair brought DeRozan in fill a need of veteran leadership and the steady hand of Experience.

DeRozan only scored eight points on 4 for 10 shooting. His teammates did not fair much better De”Aaron Fox only had 11 points himself to show for his 28 minutes worth of playing time. Domantas Sabonis is working on adding a three point shot into his offensive repertoire but was only zero for three from past the three point line.

Brown is still working on this line up and hopefully it will perform better by the season opener than they did Sunday. The Kings travel to Los Angeles to play the Clippers for their final preseason game on October 17th. They open with season a week later by hosting the Timberwolves a week later on the 24th.

Kings Drop Second Pre-Season Game To Golden State 109-106

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Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) drives past Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) during the first quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Oct 10, 2024. photo Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (0-2) led for much of their pre-season game Friday night with the Golden State Warriors (3-0) but it all fell apart in the final minutes of the fourth quarter as the Kings lost in their second meeting with Golden State 109-106.
The Kings De’Aaron Fox had the high for the team with 19 points. Off the bench Boogie Ellis was solid with 11 points. These guys still have a lot to work on as the regular season approaches. These pre-season games will go far in preparation for a solid start to the 2024-25 season.

Game recap: All eyes remain focused on the King’s acquisition DeMar DeRozan who had the high score in Wednesday’s game. How this guy will settle into the starting rotation remains the question that everyone is asking. He is looking forward to the season and giving the Kings the boost that they are needing for a successful season. The Warriors are also dealing with changes on their team as are so many teams across the league. This is why the pre-season is so very important.

The opening quarter went to the Warriors who led after the first 12 minutes of play 34-30. The second quarter was also a close one with the Kings leading by as much as four points in a half with constant lead changes and ties. At the half the Kings had a slim lead 58-55.

De’Aaron Fox and DeRozan had the highs in the first half with each player shooting for 14 points. Domantas Sabonis had a double double with ten points and ten rebounds. Keegan Murray finished the half with 12 points. It was a solid start for the Sacramento starters in their second pre-season game.

Sacramento’s Keon Ellis found his stride in the third quarter and joined the rest of the starters shooting double digits. With 3:54 left in the quarter the Kings had taken a 82-70 lead. The Kings only had eight turnovers through almost three quarters while the Warriors were struggling with 18 turnovers.

Both teams were shooting at 42% but the Kings were protecting the ball at a much higher level. With one minute left in the third quarter, the Kings 12 point lead had been cut in half and when the clock ran out on the quarter Sacramento was hanging onto a 3 point lead 84-81.

While fans love winning whether it be pre-season or regular season, the purpose of the pre-season is not about winning; it is about getting teams rosters set up and their players ready for the regular season honing their skills and playing as a unit.

Sacramento pushed their lead back out in the fourth quarter. At 8:29 in the quarter, the Kings had taken a 91-83 lead. The Kings starters had taken the bench and their bench players entered the game. Alex Len had four rebounds as he prepares to back up Domantas Sabonis in the absence of Orlando Robinson but had failed to score at all in the game.

The Warriors pulled to within three points but once again Sacramento pushed the lead back out to 99-91. The Warriors pushed back and it was a battle between the two benches. With 2:24 left in the game it was all tied up at 102.

With under a minute left in the game it was a one point game 107-106 in favor of Golden State. The Warriors would prevail 109-106 in the second of these two pre-season games between the two Northern California rivals.

Fox had the high for the Kings with 19 points in 26 minutes of play. Boogie Ellis had 11 points, the high off the bench. He played for ten minutes. The Kings finished the game with 13 turnovers.

Game notes: The 2024-25 NBA regular season is right around the corner as the pre-season has already gotten underway. Teams are making decisions right now as to what they want their starting rosters to look like and working players new to the team into their rotations. The Kings lost to the Warriors Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center and Friday night the Kings lost another one to the Warriors at Golden State, this time at Chase Center.

Sunday afternoon, the Kings will be back at Golden 1 Center to take on the Portland Trail Blazers looking for their first pre-season win. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 3:00 PM.

Warriors Showcase depth and Versatility in Preseason Victory Over Kings 122-112

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The Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) gets some hang time against Golden State Warriors forward Kyle Anderson (1) at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Oct 9, 2024 (photo by Mauricio Segura Golden Bay Times and Sports Radio Service)

By Mauricio Segura

SACRAMENTO–The Golden State Warriors are off to an impressive start in their preseason, offering a glimpse of what could be a thrilling regular season ahead. Wednesday night they slipped past the Sacramento Kings with a 122-112 win in the state capital.

The Warriors rolled out a fresh starting lineup featuring Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney.

Although Andrew Wiggins remained sidelined, the Warriors faced a strong challenge from the Sacramento Kings, with DeMar DeRozan putting up a perfect shooting performance, scoring 15 points without a miss. Early struggles in both offense and defense had the Warriors on their heels.

Things started to turn around once the Warriors went to their bench, closing the first quarter with a 31-27 lead. The second quarter saw them find their rhythm from beyond the arc, as Curry took charge and even Green knocked down a pair of threes.

Buddy Hield also heated up, hitting all four of his three-point attempts in the first half. Despite their efforts, the Kings held a narrow 68-66 lead at the break.

The second half brought more energy, with Curry, Green, and Looney resting while Hield, Kuminga, Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Trayce Jackson-Davis picked up the pace. Their collective effort helped the Warriors build a seven-point lead, thanks to a flurry of three-pointers, ending the third quarter up 100-91.

Though the Kings’ bench made a final push in the fourth, narrowing the lead to 109-106, a well-timed timeout by coach Steve Kerr sparked a 13-0 Warriors run that secured the win and preserved their unbeaten preseason record.

Hield was a standout with 22 points, hitting six of seven from deep. De’Anthony Melton impressed with 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists, shooting 4-of-9 from three-point range. Kuminga matched Melton’s 16 points, shooting efficiently at 6-of-11 overall and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.

Curry chipped in 13 points, while Green contributed 10 points and five assists. Podziemski had an all-around performance with eight points, four rebounds, eight assists, and two steals, while Jackson-Davis recorded a +22 rating with eight points and six rebounds.

As the Warriors continue to build momentum, their depth and versatility are beginning to shine, making them a team to watch as the regular season approaches.

Mauricio Segura is owner/writer/photographer for Golden Bay Times and a reporter at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Robinson out a month for knee injury, GM McNair says DeRozan will be big help on defense

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Sacramento Kings center Orlando Robinson will be on the shelf for four weeks following an MRI indicating he sprained his MCL in his left knee. (NBA.com photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast on Barbara Mason:

#1 Injuries don’t take long to make themselves and in an NBA camp there is no exception as the Sacramento Kings center Orlando Robinson will be out for a month due to a knee injury he sustained on practice.

#2 The injury happened during practice last Thursday when Robinson hurt the knee in training camp at the Golden One Center. After tests from an MRI revealed he had sprained an MCL in his left knee. He’s been shelved and will be evaluated in four weeks.

#3 The Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair said that he believes in the defense and that McNair believed that the Kings lacked the defense to be competitive. After acquiring DeMar DeRozan from the Chicago Bulls believes that DeRozan can be a defensive presence as well.

#4 This season coming in Domantas Sabonis has been a force and the Kings will rely on his offense scoring this season as well. Last season during the 2024-25 campaign Sabonis scored 19.4 points, 13.7 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and had a 59.4% field goal average.

#5 De’Aaron Fox is someone the Kings are looking forward to in getting help with ball distribution, scoring and getting the ball either to Fox or dishing it off to someone who will score. Fox last season averaged 26.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and shot 46.5% from the field.

Join Barbara for the Sacramento Kings podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Stephen Ruderman: Murray will get lots of looks this season; Mason Jones glad to join Kings

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Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) scores over Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji (right) during NBA game on Sat Dec 16, 2024 at Golden One Center in Sacramento. Murray talked about getting the opportunity to take shots as his teammates have confidence in his scoring abilities while meeting the press on media day in Sacramento on Mon Sep 30, 2024 (AP file photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Stephen:

#1 The Sacramento Kings have exercised the four year option Keegan Murray’s contract. Murray was a key offensive component for the Kings last season averaging 15.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 77 games.

#2 Murray spoke with the media and is noted for being a quiet type and said he’s just being himself. No doubt his playing does the talking.

#3 Murray says he gets a lot of passes and that his teammates realize he’s on a roll with his ability to score.

#4 Mason Jones who played last season in Europe now with the Kings for this season said it was something that he needed to experience. Jones said it was something God was showing him that one year can change his life.

#5 The Kings open the pre season Wed Oct 9 against the Golden State Warriors. It’s time as a team the Kings look forward to getting the pre season started.

Stephen is filling for Jeremiah Salmonson on the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Dikembe Mutombo podcast with David Zizmor: Hall of Famer and the ever popular Dikembe Mutombo passes away from brain cancer at 58

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Former Houston Rocket Dikembe Mutombo seen here facing the Denver Nuggets on Apr 13, 2008 passed away on Mon Sep 30, 2024 from brain cancer (AP file photo)

On the Dikembe Mutombo podcast with David Zizmor:

#1 Dikembe Mutombo a 2015 Hall of Famer who is remember for his finger wagging played center. Mutombo who passed away on Monday at age 58 of brain cancer and is a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mutombo played in the NBA for 18 seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets.

#2 Mutombo had three All Star NBA selections and played in eight All Star games, Mutombo is 20th in rebounds with 12,359, and has 3289 blocks only second to former Rocket Hakeem Olajuwon.

#3 Mutombo worked hard and extensively for charitable and humanitarian causes and he was well remembered for those efforts.

David Zizmor is an NBA analysist for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: How Derozan compliments Kings and coach Brown’s plans to raise the Kings position for the post season

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Former Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan leaping on the right with ball in hands during contest with the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on Wed Mar 6, 2024 is expected to add power to the Sacramento Kings line up for the 2024-25 season (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara:

#1 Barbara how important is it for the Sacramento Kings to get to 50 wins at a minimum for this season. The Kings last season they were 43-36.

#2 Barbara, how important is it for the Kings to get off to a fast start not by going 2-4 but winning 5-1 or 4-2.

#3 The Kings acquired DeMar Derozan from the Chicago Bulls in the off season and people questioned how he will fit in. Head coach Mike Brown said Derozan will be a huge compliment for the Kings offense this seaon.

#4 One of the advantages that the Kings have is they have so many guys returning from last season who compliment the team chemistry, this is coach Browns third year back, Domantas Sobonis, De’Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray, Malik Monk to name a few.

#5 One thing about the Western Conference is that with this group the Kings could go that 4-2 and win three of five games either at home and on the road. They were an over .500 team last season finished ninth in the Western Conference can they improve their position for a better seeded spot in the battle of making post season.

Join Barbara Mason Mondays for the Sacramento Kings podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com