Category: Sacramento Kings

Kings Battle, But Can’t Overcome LeBron As The Cavs Win 101-95

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James celebrates after scoring in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 101-95. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

The Sacramento Kings came into the Cleveland Cavaliers’ territory looking to rebound after a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks 104-109 on Sunday.

Neither the Cavs nor the Kings impressed in the first quarter. Nonetheless, the Kings led 22-19 going into the second quarter. Lebron James took only one shot in the first and was a non-factor. Zach Randolph proved to be a force in the first, scoring the most points for the Kings.

Heading into the second quarter, the Kings had to be feeling good about themselves staying competitive with the Cavs. That good feeling continued as the Kings and Cavs went head-to-head in the second. This possibly happened because of the lackluster first half from James. As a spectator, you could tell he had not put all his legs in the first half. Randolph continued to push forward and dominate the floor on the Kings’ end. At the end of the first half, the Kings led 57-48.

The Kings were efficient in limiting the damage after small mistakes and turnovers. Keeping James contained coupled with a 12-3 run going into the second half led to a 57-48 first half Kings lead.

Going into the third quarter, the Kings felt in control. They led by 17 at one point, but then James began to heat up. He ended the third with his points in the game, reaching 25.

Kevin Love also had 18 points by the time the third came to an end. The Kings still led going into the fourth, but you could feel it dwindling. The third quarter would end 78-73 in favor of Kings.

Kyle Korver and the Cavs opened the fourth quarter on a 9-1 run, thanks to Korver’s three three-point shots. The game in the fourth would prove to be competitive though as the Kings came back to even things out. With 6:20 to go in the game, the Kings committed their 12th turnover and it led to them losing the lead 89-91 to the Cavs. JaKarr Sampson set a career high in rebounds, taking 16 from the Cavs. The game would go back and forth until a shot clock turnover with 1:02 to go, and the Kings trailing 95-97. It was a huge blow that the Kings ultimately could not overcome. James proceeded to hit a jumper beyond the arc and sent the Kings home losers for the 17th time 95-101.

It was a thrilling game, but ultimately the Kings lost, and I’m sure Dave Jaeger was not happy. However, I think the Kings are right on the edge of being more competitive. They held one of the best teams in the NBA down and should hold their heads high after this game. Ultimately, a future Hall Of Famer, James, beat them.

Kings make a huge comeback in Milwaukee but lose to Bucks 109-104

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
z-bo vs bucks
Randolph drives on the basket Photo USA Today Sports

by Charlie O. Mallonee with Jordan Chapin

If you turned off the Kings – Bucks game after watching for just four-minutes and 15-seconds, you know the score was Milwaukee 14 and Sacramento 0. The Kings entire starting lineup had not scored a point and were sent to the bench after just three-minutes and 10-seconds of playing time. So, to see the final score be Milwaukee 109 to 104 for Sacramento must come as a great shock to you.

Even more shocking to you who turned off the game may be the fact the Kings cut the Bucks lead to just one-point with 1:43 to go in the game. The Kings never held the lead in the contest but they had a legitimate chance to win the game with under two minutes remaining to play.

The Game Summary

The Kings starting five did not score a point in the opening quarter of the game. They scored just 16-points in the first-half which is lowest scoring total for a starting five in the NBA since 2014. Buddy Hield scored 13-points for the second-unit and Zach Randolph put up 12-points to help keep the Kings in the game.  Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 19 points, Eric Bledsoe put 16 in the books and  Khris Middleton scored 14 points to lead the Bucks to a 63 – 52 lead at half-time.

The Kings had to start the third quarter without Willie Cauley-Stein who strained his lower back. The injury was not deemed serious but the team wanted to be cautious and sat him on the bench for the second-half.

The Bucks came out in the third-period and caught fire just like they had at the beginning of the game. They opened up a 20-point lead twice in the quarter with eight-points from “the Freak”, five put up by Middleton and five recorded by Brogdon in just over three-minutes on the floor. At the end of three-quarters, the Bucks held an 88-76 lead.

In the final period, it was all about the second-unit for the Kings once again. The Kings were led by Bogdon Bogdanovic who led the Sacramento scoring with nine-points. “Bogi” showed the world he is not afraid to take charge when the pressure is on. Buddy Hield added six-points while Frank Mason III and Z-Bo each put up four-points.

The Kings outscored the Bucks 28-21 in the final quarter but the opening runs by Milwaukee in the first and third periods proved to be too much and the Bucks won the game 109-104.

The Kings made a great comeback but it was not enough for Coach Joerger

Outstanding performers

Kings

Mason vs Bucks
Mason III played strong for the Kings on Saturday night Photo USA Today Sports
  • Zach Randolph led the Kings scoring attack against the Bucks with 22-points. He went 10-for-15 from the floor.
  • Buddy Hield jumped back in the scorebook in a big way with 19-points. He shot 6-for-12 from the field and hit 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point line. Hield also grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists.
  • De’Aaron Fox overcame a poor early start to record 14-points. He shot 5-for-10 from the floor while hauling in six rebounds and distributing three assists.
  • Frank Mason III had another amazing game. The second-round draft pick showed again why many thought he would go late in the first-round. He put up 13-points and added three assists in the effort to overcome the Bucks early onslaught.

Bucks

freak to hoop
“The Freak” put up 33-points for the Bucks vs the Kings Photo USA Today Sports
  • “The Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo was the game’s leading scorer with 33-points, 13-rebounds and five assists. The 22-year old is simply amazing.
  • Khris Middleton recorded 25-points hitting 9-of-15 shots from the floor. He went 3-for-5 from 3-point land.
  • Eric Bledsoe – who has found new life in Milwaukee since his trade from Phoenix – scored 19-points while converting 9-of-10 opportunities from the free throw lines.

Team Stats

Sacramento (7-16)

  • SAC hit 37-of-77 attempts from the floor for 48.1-percent field goal shooting (which would usually mean a win)
  • The Kings went 11-for-24 (45.8-percent) from behind the 3-point line. Again that percentage would normally be associated with a win.
  • The team converted 19-of-21 (90.5-percent) chances from the charity stripe. See the Bucks stats to realize why those numbers are not that impressive.
  • The Kings had 20 assists and 15 turnovers. That is far below the desired 2:1 assists to turnover ratio that is the goal in the NBA.

Milwaukee (12-9)

  • The Bucks shot 49.3-percent from the field (34-for-69). They hit just 6-of-19 (31.6-percent) from behind the 3-point line.
  • The Bucks really helped themselves from the free throw line. They hit 35-of-42 chances from the stripe in the game.
  • The Bucks use the Fast Break to perfection as they outscored the Kings 13-2 on the break in the game.

Up Next

Kings

The team flew home after the game and will head back on the road on Tuesday when they will travel to Cleveland to get ready for a game of Wednesday with the Cavaliers.

Bucks

Milwaukee will return to action on Monday night in Boston versus the Celtics.

One last note

Justin Jackson who is on assignment with the Reno Bighorns of the G-League scored 26-points, grabbed six rebounds and added three assists on Saturday night.

Randolph shines, leading Kings to 107-106 victory over Bulls

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings forward Zach Randolph (50) shoots between Chicago Bulls forward Paul Zipser (16) and center Robin Lopez (42) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)

By: Peter Elliott

CHICAGO, IL. — It was the Zach Randolph show on Friday night at the United Center.

The 36-year-old veteran big man yet again proved his worth, leading the Sacramento Kings (7-15) to a 107-106 victory over the Chicago Bulls (3-18). Randolph earned his first double-double of the season, as he notched a season-high in points with 25 while grabbing 13 rebounds in 32 minutes of action.

Although Randolph’s star shined the brightest, the Kings also received important contributions from role players like Bogdan Bogdanović, Garrett Temple, and Willie Cauley-Stein, who combined for 42 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds.

Bogdanović, a first-year shooting guard from Serbia also achieved his season-high in points with 19 on 6-12 shooting from the field and six made free throws in 30 minutes, the most action he has seen so far this season.

Buddy Hield struggled once more in his seven minutes of playing time, as the second-year shooting guard failed to connect on his two shots and played lackluster defense, good for a plus-minus differential of -8.

Neither of the teams that took the floor at the United Center on Friday night appear poised to contend for the Larry O’Brien trophy this summer. However, both teams made it competitive throughout, with the biggest point margin being just seven points in the third quarter.

The Bulls, who are now losers of 13 of their last 14 games turned in a solid showing for a three-win team, but it was their bench that shined. Sacramento had trouble shutting down a seat-warming trio of Paul Zipser, Cristiano Felicio, and Jerian Grant, who combined for a whopping 55 points, four more than the starters’ total of 51.

What’s Next: The Kings will head north into Milwaukee on Saturday night, seeking revenge for 112-87 blowout loss at the hands of the Bucks just a mere four days ago. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 PT/7:30 CT p.m. on NBC Sports California.

Kings Press Row Podcast Week 7 in the NBA

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

press row podcast

hosts Charlie O Mallonee & Jordan Chapin

  • Week 7 in the NBA brings some interesting match ups for us to watch on NBA TV

  • The Kings send three players to Reno to get some playing time

  • SAC wins 2 and loses 2 in week 7

  • Week 8 brings a brutal 4 game trip to the schedule for the Kings

  • Charlie O and the Chap break it all down for you

Kings Suffer Hangover From Win Over Warriors As Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Scores 32 In 112-87 Romp

Published on by tonyrenteriaLeave a comment

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton, left, congratulates teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo after he scored during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. The Bucks won 112-87. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

by Tony Renteria

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings (6-14) came off a great over over the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors. Tonight, the Kings hosted the Milwaukee Bucks (9-9) and looked as if the team bus never arrived from Oakland as they fell embarrassingly 112-87 in front of the Purple and Black faithful.

When the Kings brought in Dave Joerger to coach the team two seasons ago, it was the hope he could bring life into a somewhat experienced group of seasoned NBA players. The squad he has now with Rookies and second year players getting many minutes, he has his hands full. This young squad is capable of a great win against the NBA elite in the Warriors, but also landing on a sour note against a mediocre Bucks squad.

The Kings were outscored 29 to 11 in the second quarter, and the Bucks cruised to an easy road win. It’s the type of loss that’s hard to swallow and forget, but that’s exactly what the Kings need to do as they start a road trip in Chicago on Friday as they take on the Bulls.

The Bucks were led by forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 32 points in just 26 minutes.  He also added five rebounds and assists. The Bucks needed this win as they tried to keep pace in a tough Central Division as they try to move up from fourth place.

The Kings, who are in last place in the Pacific Division, fall father back on what looks to be another very long year for this organization. A bright spot tonight was Garret Temple, who scored 18 points,  Temple has had two back-to-back games with solid production as he chipped in 14 points against the Warriors yesterday.

The Bucks face the Utah Jazz on Thursday before heading home to host the Kings on Saturday as the Kings look for some payback in Milwaukee.

Sacramento Kings post game wrap: Kings Humiliate Warriors With 110-106 Win In Front Of Sellout Crowd At Oracle Arena

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings’ Bogdan Bogdanovic (8) celebrates a score in the final seconds of an NBA basketball against the Golden State Warriors with Garrett Temple, left, and Frank Mason III (10) on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. Sacramento won 110-106. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By: Ana Kieu

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings humiliated the Golden State Warriors with a 110-106 win in front of a sellout crowd of 19,596 at Oracle Arena Monday night.

The Kings had a goal in mind to snap the Warriors’ two-game win streak in order to avoid a two-game losing skid on the road.

Nick Young hit a three-pointer to put the Warriors up 25-20 with 2:26 left in the first quarter. However, Buddy Hield made a statement after getting off the bench in the second quarter. Hield hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 25 with 1:31 left in the first.

The Kings and Warriors were tied at 27 after the first quarter of the regional rivalry game.

Zach Randolph completed a set of free throws with 21.5 seconds left in the second quarter. Garrett Temple then attempted a three-pointer, but it missed the net. The Kings trailed the Warriors by two (55-53) at the half.

The Kings and Warriors continued to compete in the second half.

As usual, the Kings’ Twitter account had some fun, which sparked some outrage among Kings fans and #BasketballTwitter in general.

The Kings and Warriors went back-and-forth in the third quarter. The Kings put Frank Mason III in for Fox with 2:52 left in the third. Warriors’ JaVale McGee committed an offensive charge foul. After the replay review, the officials announced a support ruling. Andre Iguodala hit a three-pointer and McGee picked up the assist, but Vince Carter shot a driving reverse layup to put the Kings ahead 82-76 with 1:36 left in the third. That’s the reason why Kings fans call Carter “Vinsanity” for a reason.

The Kings took a 83-82 lead over the Warriors after the third quarter.

The Kings weren’t expecting any surprises, but the Warriors were without Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, so they weren’t at the top of their game tonight. Willie Cauley-Stein shot a driving dunk to tie the score at 98 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter.

However, the Kings started to fall behind, and that wasn’t what they wanted. As a result, Cauley-Stein came to the rescue and shot an alley-oop dunk to tie the score at 106 with 1:46 left in the fourth.

The Kings had no more timeouts, so they had to hang on late in the game. Bogdan Bogdanovic made a driving floating bank jump shot to give the Kings a 108-106 lead with 12.6 seconds left. Bogdanovic added two free throws, and the Kings (6-14) ended a nine-game road losing streak and dealt a humiliating setback to the defending champion Warriors (15-6) with a 110-106 win on the road.

Notes
Kings’ Starters
De’Aaron Fox, George Hill, Garrett Temple, Skal Labissiere and Zach Randolph.

Injuries

Kings: Harry Giles (bi-lateral knee rehabilitation) is out.
Warriors: Steph Curry (right hand contusion) and Kevin Durant (sprained left ankle) are out. Andre Iguodala (sore left knee) is doubtful. Draymond Green (right foot contusion) is available to play. Damian Jones is on a G-League assignment.

Team leaders
Kings

Points: Randolph (13.2)

Rebounds: Koufos (6.2)

Assists: Fox (4.5)

Warriors

Points: Curry (26)

Rebounds: Green (7.4)

Assists: Green (6.7)

Up Next
The Warriors take on the Lakers on Wednesday, November 29 at 7:30 pm PST.

The Kings host the Bucks on Tuesday, November 28 at 7 pm PST.

Third quarter collapse costs Kings the game as Clippers win 97-95

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
Z-Bo vs DeAndre Jordan
Two heavyweights face off: Zach Randolph and DeAndre Jordan photo: USA Today Sports

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Sacramento – The Sacramento Kings played great basketball for 36-minutes on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. Unfortunately for the Kings, the 12-minutes they did not play well in the third quarter cost them the game as they lost to LAC 97-95.

The Kings went on a 6-0 run with 1:20 remaining in the game to the tie the score at 95-95 with 15.6-seconds to go on the game clock. The Clippers called a timeout with 14.8-seconds to go to draw up a play.

The Clippers put the ball into the hands of their leading scorer Blake Griffin who made a fadeaway jump shot from the left side of the floor to give his team a two-point lead with 3.7-seconds remaining in the game. LAC head coach Doc Rivers would later say he was not happy because his team took that shot too early leaving the Kings too much time on the clock.

Buddy Hield put up a desperation floating jump shot at the buzzer but it was no good. The Clippers (7-11) won their second game in row downing the Kings (5-14) by just two points.

The 3rd Quarter was a nightmare for Sacramento

The Kings scored only 10 points in the third quarter versus the Clippers after posting 61 points in the first half. LAC came out with a defensive mindset and dominated SAC.

The Kings shot 45.8-percent for the game but shot only 21.1-percent (4-for-19) in the disastrous quarter. They converted 11-of-21 three-point attempts for the game but went 0-for-4 in the third quarter.

Sacramento had one assist while they turned the ball over eight times which resulted in seven points for the Clippers.

Ten Kings players saw action in the third quarter, but only four of them scored points. All 10 players had a minus number on their +/- stat for the quarter.

Blake Griffin and Lou Williams led the scoring for the Clippers with 12 points each. Los Angeles shot 55.6-percent (10-for-18) from the field and hit on 6-of-8 (75-percent) 3-point attempts in the third period.

The Kings outscored the Clippers in every quarter except the third when LAC recorded 29 points to just 10 for SAC.

Dave Joerger was not happy with the loss but he knows it is part of player development

“Buddy Buckets” leads the Kings in scoring

Buddy Hield had an exceptional game for Sacramento coming off the bench scoring 27 points in just under 26-minutes of playing time. The second-year shooting guard hit 10-of-18 shots from the floor. Nine of those shots were taken behind the 3-point line and Hield hit seven of those attempts for 21 of his 27 points. His back-to-back 3-pointers in the last 1:20 of the game put the Kings in a position to possibly win the contest.

One of the criticisms of Hield coming out of Oklahoma was that he would not be able to convert the longer 3-point shot in the NBA. It certainly appears to have proved those critics were wrong. Hield has adjusted just fine to the deeper 3-point zone in “the Association”.

Zach Randolph drew the very tough assignment of matching up with Clippers big, tough center DeAndre Jordan. Not only did Z-Bo play Jordan tough – he held the center to five points. Jordan did haul in a game-high 16 rebounds.  Z-Bo put up 17 points shooting 7-for-14 in the game. Randolph also added seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in his 30-plus minutes of playing time.

Bogdan Bogdanovic posted 10-points on Saturday night. He shot 50-percent hitting on 4-of-8 shots from the field. He was 1-for-2 from 3-point land.

George Hill also scored 10 points against the Clippers on Saturday night. He went 4-for-7 shooting from the floor and hit 1-of-2 attempts from 3-point territory. Hill also dished out three assists.

SAC had some impressive team numbers

The Kings shot 33-for-83 (45.8-percent) from the floor versus the Clippers. They shot an impressive 52.4-percent (11-for-21) from downtown. SAC converted 8-of-9 free throw opportunities (88.9-percent). The nine free throw attempts number is too low.

Sacramento recorded 37 rebounds (eight offensive) to go with 19 assists, nine steals and eight blocked shots. The Kings committed 18 turnovers which resulted in 15 Clipper points.

Doc Rivers was happy to see his team pick up its second consecutive win

Blake Griffin played like an All-Star

The veteran forward scored a game-high 33-points in his 38-plus minutes on the floor. Griffin shot 13-for-25 from the field but was just 2-for-7 from behind the 3-point line. He recorded five assists and had four rebounds.

Lou Williams scored 10 of his 18 points in the second-half. He shot 4-for-8 from the floor. All four of his baskets were 3-point buckets. His other six-points came two 2-point baskets and at the free throw line. Williams also posted five assists and had three steals.

Up Next

Sacramento

Life does not get any easier for the Kings as on Monday night they have to travel to the Bay Area to take on the Defending NBA World Champion Golden Warriors (15-5).

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers will also return to action on Monday night when they will host the guys who use the locker room on the other side of the Staples Center – the Los Angeles Lakers.

 

Kings defeat rival Lakers, 113-102, Cauley-Stein records season-high 26 points

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By London Marq

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — All eyes were on the rookies for tonight’s matchup in Sacramento, California at the Golden 1 Center. This year’s fifth pick in the draft De’Aaron Fox and the No. 2 pick Lonzo Ball, squared to face-off for the first of four times this season in a highly anticipated matchup.  Though Ball was selected three spots earlier, he has played better through the early stage of the season and it has become a hot topic to debate. Only exacerbated by the fact that Fox outplayed and beat Ball in the last NCAA tournament this past March. The Kings enter play trying to find any trace of consistency in their play. Going against their arch-rival Lakers that are also trying to maximize young assets. The Kings had a lot of motivation to win tonight.

When the Kings have played at their best this season, they played lockdown defense. That was how the night started for Sacramento. They opened the first quarter in impressive defensive fashion keeping Los Angeles to just 19 points in the quarter. Zach Randolph led an efficient offense early, pouring in 11 points, helping the Kings gain a 31-19 advantage after one quarter.

In the second quarter, the Kings kept the ball rolling on both ends of the court, outscoring the Lakers 23-22. This would maximize Sacramento’s lead and they would take a 13-point advantage going into halftime.  The Lakers ended up having a decent night offensively. Six players scored double digits and Ball had a double-double with 11 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Fox’s stat line was not as flashy with 13 points, three assists, and four rebounds, but he played a crucial role in getting a much-needed Kings win. Especially considering a win over the Lakers always counts for more in Sacramento.

The Lakers gained a bit of momentum in the third quarter, but they would end up allowing 37 points in the fourth quarter. Willie Cauley-Stein had a great game off the bench scoring a season-high 26 points. The game’s final score was Sacramento defeating Los Angeles 113-102.

“I’m thankful for beating the Lakers,” Cauley-Stein said after the game. This was definitely a sentiment that was sure to be felt throughout the locker room tonight.

Kings Press Row Podcast: Week 6 in the NBA

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

press row podcast

hosts Lee Leonard and Charlie O. Mallonee

  • What’s happening in Week 6 in the NBA?

  • The Kings were blown out in Atlanta – how did they respond when they came home to face the Trail Blazers?

  • Sacramento lost to Denver – is that a cause for concern?

  • What’s coming up for the Kings? (hint: the battle of the rookie point guards!)

LonzoLV FOX

Coach suspended? Down two starters? Nuggets win in Sacramento regardless

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment
AP17325151609105
Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) dries around Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Nov. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

By Morris Phillips

SACRAMENTO–A big second half propelled the short-handed Nuggets past the Kings at Golden 1 Center on Monday night, 114-98.  Will Barton and Gary Harris combined for 45 points as Denver’s offense hummed after the game was tied at the half.

Nine of Denver’s 15 made threes but only two of their 13 turnovers came after the break as the Nuggets led by double digits throughout the fourth quarter despite being without suspended coach Mike Malone and starters Paul Millsap and Wilson Chandler.

“The first half, we were sloppy with the ball at times and we allowed them to kind of stick around,” interim coach Wes Unseld Jr. said of the Nuggets. “We took care of it, continued to share the ball and we got great looks down the stretch.”

The Kings were led by George Hill and Kousta Koufos with 16 points apiece, and Zach Randolph and De’Aaron Fox with 12 each. The Kings allowed a huge disparity on the glass (49-34) and made just eight free throws, highlighting the two most glaring differences statistically.

“We’ve got to be more physical,” Coach Dave Joerger said of his Kings. “We were a step slow in the second half.”

The Kings had won three straight at home, but fell to a Nuggets team that was embarassed by the Lakers the previous night in Los Angeles. Overall, the Kings have lost five of six. Denver has won five of seven, and seven of 10.

Malone, the former Kings coach, was ejected on Sunday arguing a non-foul call in the loss to the Lakers. The Nuggets went on to lose 127-108. Millsap sprained his wrist in the loss, and Chandler was scratched due to lower back pain.