Category: Sacramento Kings

Sac Kings arena report: Sac environmentalists get shut down again as arena construction continues

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by Jerry Feitelberg

SACRAMENTO–The opposition keeps trying and trying but they keep getting blocked in Sacramento Superior Court in their attempts to try and stop construction on the Sacramento Kings new arena. Opponents have tried everything to stop the $477 million project by using the California Environmental Quality Act or CEQA stating that there are issues of noise, pollution, traffic, riots after games, and unruly drunk fans to name a few issues raised.

A dozen Sacramento residents tried to seek an injunction that would halt further construction of the arena which is now underway at the eastern end of the Downtown Plaza. Adrianna Saltonstall who is a retired Caltrans director and her group are saying that their argument has teeth saying the SB 743 which is a one year old law that can establish roadblocks and stop the arena opponents based on the group’s environmental arguments.

The group would like those roadblocks to be removed but the court is favoring the continuation of the project because there has not really been a strong argument that shows the court that an environmental issue has been established to stop construction. The SB 743 law makes it extremely difficult for opponents like Saltonstall to get a court injunction to stop construction of the arena.

SB 743 also states that any opposition to the arena through the CQEA must be completed in 270 days but the court has not enforced a set date on the 270 days for Saltonstall’s group to complete the litigation for an arena injunction. The Sacramento Court of Appeals said that the California Legislature was perfectly legitimate in saying the law was constitutional to the opponents objections.

SB 743 was written by former Pro Tem Senate President Tom Derrell Steinberg and this legislation further was co-authored by Associate Justice Andrea Hoch and California justices George Nicholson and Louis Mauro. Steinberg and the justices had in mind that time is of the essence and they had to get this piece of legislation in motion as the NBA has made it clear to the city and to the Kings that if the arena is not ready by October 2017 when the NBA preseason opens then the NBA has the right to sell and move the team.

The latter is something the Kings and the City won’t have to worry about as long as the Superior Court continues to stop the opposition with the SB 743 law. It was with that in mind that brought SB 743 into law. The Kings are expected to have the arena ready by October 2016 one year earlier than the 2017 NBA set deadline. Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said that he fully expects the arena to be on schedule and that the contractors have already knocked out all the retail space and have the hole in the ground ready to start building the arena at Downtown Plaza.

With that in mind however the opponents are not giving up, Saltonstall is arguing for more expounding on the CEQA laws that would stop the construction siting issues with pollution, traffic, intoxicated fans, and rioting. Another group is setting up to fight the arena stating that the $255 million share from the city that was borrowed from the general fund which the city is banking on paying back the fund from parking revenues and sales tax on each ticket sold at the new arena was an illegal subsidy. Opponents argue that the venture should have never been used from public tax payer funds.

Jerry Feitelberg is covering the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors new arena developments for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings: DeMarcus Cousins Update

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

Kings center DeMarcus Cousins has undergone additional evaluation as he tries to recover from a viral infection. The infection has kept him out of three games to date.

Dr. Jason Brayley of Kaiser Permanente, the team’s lead physician, has admitted Cousins to the hospital for treatment and rest. Per the doctors, Cousins’ condition is improving daily and they expect him to make a full recovery.

Cousins will not play this weekend versus Indiana and Orlando. Doctors anticipate Cousins being able to return to play next week.

Sloppy play and Poor defense Cost the Kings

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By Jeff Hall

SACRAMENTO –

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Sacramento Kings 117-109 in front of 15,522 fans at Sleep Train Arena.

The Kings fell behind early, the team is a shell of a team without their star player DeMarcus Cousins who was unable to play because of an illness (virus). Sloppy play by the kings starters led to 6 turnovers at the beginning of play where the Raptors converted those turnovers to 8 points, the Raptors took a 15 point lead over the Kings in the first quarter. The Raptors struggled with ball handling in the second quarter and allowed the Kings back into the game and pull within 2 points at the end of the first half.

The win for the Raptors was only the team’s third victory in Sacramento.

Guard Kyle Lowry led the scoring for the Raptors with 27 points and 13 assists.

With the loss the Kings record is now .500 at 9-9. The Raptors improved to 14-4 snapping a 2 game losing streak. With the Win the Raptors held onto the lead in the Atlantic Division.

Toronto was also without their leading scorer DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan suffered a torn tendon in his left groin in the raptors loss to Dallas last Friday.

“It’s tough when you lose you All-Star guard, but injuries are a big part of the NBA, so you’ve got to deal with it and adapt.” Said Raptors Head Coach Dwane Casey. It’s safe to say the Kings did not adapt. Poor shooting (Kings shot 38 percent from the field) and 16 turnovers knocked the Kings out of the game.

Up next, the Kings take on the Indiana Pacers at Sleep Train Arena on Friday.

No Cousins, 23 turnovers leads to Kings loss versus Memphis 97-85

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 97-85 on Sunday. The Grizzlies came into the game with the best record in the league at 14-2. The Kings started the game with record of 9-7 but had to play Memphis without their star center DeMarcus Cousins who was scratched due to a virus.

It was a tale of two halves for the Kings against Memphis on Sunday in Sacramento. In the first half, Sacramento turned the ball over 13 times and those mistakes were good for 18 Grizzlies’ points. Couple the turnovers with a lack of defense that allowed Memphis to shoot 56.5-percent from the field and it was no wonder the Grizzlies lead the Kings 58-42 at the half.

The Kings started the second half with a Ben McLemore nine foot jumper and it felt like a different team was on the floor for Sacramento. Then at the 10:51 mark of the third quarter, center Ryan Hollins was called for a personal foul and picked up his second technical foul of the game that came with an automatic ejection. With the Kings already without Cousins, it felt as if the team had been dealt a death-blow.

The Kings did not give into despair. Instead, they stepped up their game behind the inspired play of Reggie Evans and reduced their turnovers to just four to crawl back into the game trailing the Grizzlies 74-65 at the end of the third. Twice in the quarter the Kings cut the Memphis lead to just seven points. Sacramento shot just 36.8-percent in the quarter but they held the Grizzlies to just 33.3-percent from the field. The Kings outscored the Memphis 23-16 in the quarter.

The Kings cut the Memphis lead to just three points off a Carl Landry jump hook off a rebound with 9:12 to go in the game. The Grizzlies upped their lead to six points and the Kings cut it back to three points off a McLemore one footer with an assist from Landry. From that point, the Kings suffered from poor shooting and  four additional turnovers as Memphis upped its lead for an eventual 12 point victory.

After the game, Kings Head Coach Michael Malone said,”The play of Mike Conley and Tony Allen took the Kings out of their offense early in the game. Turnovers kept coming from over-dribbling. I’m happy we got back into the game.” It was obvious that he was unhappy his team had lost the game.

As a team, the Kings shot 47.1-percent from the field but they allowed Memphis to shoot 48.1-percent. The Kings shot just 09.1-percent (1 for 11) from beyond the 3-Point line. Some well timed 3-Point baskets would have helped the Kings in the second half. The Kings shot just 66.7-percent (18-27) from the free throw line. You cannot miss free throws when your team is trying to come back from a 16 point deficit.

Rudy Gay lead the Kings with 20 points. Reggie Evans scored 17 points and hauled in 20 rebounds in his role off the bench. Ben McLemore posted 18 points while Darren Collison added 16. Omri Casspi and Carl Landry had six points each.

Memphis was lead in scoring by forward Zach Randolph who scored 15 of his 22 points in the first half to go with 12 rebounds. Marc Gasol added 18 while Tony Allen had 13 points. The Memphis starting five all scored in double figures.

Michael Malone said he told his team, “… walk out of here understanding that we have a lot of work to do, but being 9-8 and having played the toughest schedule and the most road games in the NBA – we have a lot things to feel good about. We’ve only played one game against the Eastern Conference. That’s not trying to give them a false sense of security or accomplishment, but they’re 9-8 against the schedule that we played, which shows that they do deserve some credit.”

The Kings return to action on Tuesday night when they host the Toronto Raptors.

Parker leads Spurs past Kings 112-104

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

There were too many 3-Pointers, too much dribble penetration and too much Tony Parker for the Kings on Friday night in San Antonio as the Spurs downed the Kings 112-104.

The Kings entered the game at a great disadvantage with DeMarcus Cousins out due to a virus and with Rudy Gay and Darren Collison playing at less than 100-percent. Gay (Right Achilles Tendinitis) and Collison (Left Quadriceps Contusion/Strain)  had missed the games in Houston and New Orleans.

The lack of Cousins and the lack of defense was the story of why the Kings lost. Without Cousins to fill the lane on defense, the Spurs controlled the paint scoring 56 points in high percentage territory. The Kings allowed San Antonio to shoot 51.2-percent (42 for 82) from the field and 50.0-percent (12 for 24) from beyond the 3-Point arc. Sacramento gave up 35 points to the Spurs in the second quarter.

The Kings tried to make up for their lack of defense by playing offense with reckless abandon. Sacramento shot a 50.7- field goal percentage (38 for 75). They shot a season-high 60.0-percent (6 for 10) from 3-Point land. The Kings were very productive from the free throw line hitting on 22 of 26 (84.6-percent) attempts. Even with those incredible stats, the Kings could not overtake the Spurs.

Rudy Gay lead the Kings with 28 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and one steal. Ryan Hollins scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds as he filled in for Cousins at center. Darren Collison posted 15 points but had just two assists and turned the ball over three times in his 34 minutes on the floor. It was apparent that Collison was not playing at 100-percent.

Ben McLemore came alive for the Kings in the third quarter and finished with 14 points. Carl Landry recorded a double-double coming off the bench with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

“Turnovers and no defense is the reason we lost,” said Kings Head Coach Michael Malone. Malone pointed out that the Spurs connected on 12 3-Pointers mostly off relentless dribble penetration. He also was concerned about the 20 points San Antonio scored off of the Kings’ 15 turnovers. Referring to his team’s lack of defense Malone said, “(I) never know which team is going to show up.”

Malone did mention Ryan Hollins and said he was proud of Hollins’ effort in the game.

Tony Parker lead the attack for San Antonio with 27 points and eight assists. He shot 10 for 17 from the field in his 38 minutes on the floor. Tim Duncan dropped in 18 points along with eight rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Kawhi Leonard put up 19 points and was four for six from downtown.

The Kings finished the four game road trip with a record of 2-2. Sacramento now comes home and will play 10 of their next 11 games on their home floor. They have just four games on the road in the month of December.

The Kings will play the Memphis Grizzlies at home in Sacramento on Sunday afternoon. The Kings will be seeking revenge for the stinging 111-110 loss to the Grizzlies back on November 13.

Kings Notes: Protest denied; Cousins out?

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

Protest Denied

The NBA has denied the protest filed by the Sacramento Kings about their 111-110 loss to the Memphis Grizzles on November 13, 2014.

The Kings protested the outcome claiming that Courtney Lee’s game winning shot should not have counted because it was made after time had expired. Both teams were allowed to submit evidence in support of their positions on the decision to count the basket and award the win to Memphis.

Per the league office, “The Commissioner determined that the game officials’ call that Lee’s shot was timely was within their judgement and not a misapplication of the playing rules. Sacramento’s protest therefore did not justify the extraordinary remedy of overturning the games’ result.”

Cousins out versus the Spurs?

The Kings have released the injury report for tonight’s game in San Antonio and the news is not good for Sacramento fans. DeMarcus Cousins has a virus and is listed as doubtful to play in the game. By NBA definitions, that means there is only a 25-percent chance that Cousins will appear in the contest.

Rudy Gay and Darren Collison who have missed the last two games due to injury are listed as questionable. That means the team feels there is a 50- percent chance they will be available for the game in San Antonio.

A game without Cousins, Gay and Collison would make a win for the Kings in San Antonio a real long shot.

Houston Stave Off Kings Comeback, Win 102-89

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By Shawn Whelchel

The Sacramento Kings tried to fight through tired legs on their second game of a back-to-back matchup on Wednesday, but ran out of steam as the Houston Rockets earned a 102-89 victory.

Sacramento dug themselves an early hole, as a lack of scoring and easy offense by Houston gave them as large as a 22-point lead in the first half of play. The Kings continued to find their rhythm on offense while pulling to within striking range of the James Harden lead Rockets, but ultimately stalled short of amassing a comeback as a 16-point fourth quarter sealed their fate.

With center Dwight Howard sitting out tonight’s contest with a knee injury, shooting guard James Harden was able to let loose, heaving 31-shots for 26-points on the night to lead his team in scoring. Without their down-low presence, the Rockets lived behind the arc, connecting on 12-of-25 attempts with guard Isaiah Canaan earning 18 of his 24 points from three point range.

On the other side of the court, big man DeMarcus Cousins kept the Kings in the game with 29-points on 9-of-18 shooting while Sacramento was forced to play without starters Rudy Gay and Darren Collison for the second straight game, as they continue to be plagued by injuries.

While the Kings managed to scrap their way to just a one-point deficit in the third quarter, their sloppy play proved too much to overcome, as Houston benefited from 21 Sacramento turnovers on the night, which they converted into 32 points to back their winning effort.

After jumping out to a hot start, the loss drops the now 9-6 Kings to fourth place in the Pacific division, ahead only of the bottom-dwelling Los Angeles Lakers who sit with a 3-12 record on the season. The Kings will look to bounce back on Friday, as they hit the road to take on the San Antonio Spurs

Kings Win Third Straight

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By Jeff Hall

NEW ORLEANS ­–

Rudy Gay was out of the Kings lineup but Omri Casspi stepped into the starting role and scored 22 points filling in the necessary role for the Kings to lead the Kings to their third victory in a a row with A 99-89 win over the New Orleans Pelicans

Michael Malone was ejected in the second quarter after coming to mid-court to argue with official Eric Lewis. It was the first time Malone was ejected as a Kings head coach. The last Kings coach to be ejected from a game was Rick Adelman in the 2003 season

Former Kings player Tyreke Evans had 22 points, seven rebounds and five assist for New Orleans.

It was another strong defensive game for the Kings which was a primary key that led the Kings to victory.

New Orleans turned the ball over 11 times that the Kings turned into 17 points

It was another great game for Kings Center DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins scored 22 points and collected 12 rebounds.

Rudy Gay was held out because he I still struggling with a right Achilles tendon injury.

Next up, The Kings will be in Houston Wednesday to take on the Rockets.

DeMarcus Cousins: NBA Western Conference Player of the Week

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings has been named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week. Cousins lead the Kings to a 2-1 record for the week averaging 25.7 points, 16.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 blocks in 31.7 minutes of playing time. He recorded a double-double in all three contests.

Cousins is leading the NBA in rebounds with 12.3 per game. He is averaging 23.2 points per game. Cousins is second in double-doubles with 10 so far this season.

This is the second time Cousins has been named Player of the Week. He was granted the honor for the week of January 13, 2014.

Kings down the T-Wolves 113-101 on the road.

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings opened a four game road trip with a 113-101 victory over the Timberwolves in the Twin Cities on Saturday night. It was a game that featured two distinctively different Kings teams on the court.

The pregame hype had this slated as a relatively easy road game for the Kings. The T-Wolves have been decimated by injuries early in the season. The only problem for Sacramento was there are no easy games on the road in “the Association”. The Timberwolves proved that by their play in the game.

The Kings came out in the first half playing as if it was going to be an easy game that would not require them to play with intensity. The Wolves played with determination on offense and used a tough zone defense down low to tie up Cousins and to dare the Kings to take outside shots. The Kings hit on just two of 12 3-Point opportunities in the first half. Sacramento turned the ball over 10 times. The lack of defense allowed Minnesota to take a 52-48 lead into the locker room at halftime.

After the game, Ben McLemore said, “We came out not ready to play basketball”. Kings Head Coach Michael Malone indicated he was worried about his team’s attitude before the game started.

“I challenged our guards at halftime,” said Malone. The guards responded. The entire Kings team responded.

Sacramento came out in third quarter ready to play. The Kings outscored the T-Wolves 36-25 in the quarter. The guards stepped up and started hitting outside shots. The defense kept the T-Wolves off balance. Sacramento led 84-77 at the end of three quarters.

The Timberwolves cut the Kings lead to just four points early in the fourth quarter led by some inspired play from rookie forward Andrew Wiggins. Sacramento continued to play tough defense and scored 29 points in the quarter to walkaway with their eighth victory of the season.

DeMarcus Cousins posted another double-double putting up 31 points and pulling down 18 rebounds while being double and triple teamed all game. Ben McLemore put up 22 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 40 minutes of playing time . McLemore hit on four of nine 3-Point attempts.

Darren Collison scored 19 points to with seven assists and two rebounds. Derrick Williams put up 12 points including a key 3-Point bucket late in the fourth quarter to help preserve the win. Rudy Gay had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Kings.

Sacramento shot 49.4-percent (40 for 81) from the floor. They shot eight for 26 (30.8-percent) from 3-Point land. The Kings hit 25 of 30 (83.3-percent) from the free throw line. They outrebounded the Wolves 50-37. Turnovers were too high with 18 charged to the Kings.

Minnesota was led by rookie Andrew Wiggins who put up a career high 29 points to go with five rebounds, four steals, two assists and one blocked shot. The T-Wolves’ starting five all scored in double figures. The Timberwolves shot just 41.1-percent (37 for 90) from the field.

The Kings will return to action Tuesday night versus the Pelicans in New Orleans.