Category: Sacramento Kings

By George Devine, Sr.

The difference in tonight’s score at Minnesota was only that of a three-pointer, and the Kings had one more than the home team. But it was tense coming down to the wire. With 19.5 seconds to go, Sacramento high scorer Rudy Gay hit a 26 footer from the left, making it 107-102 in the visitors’ favor, but at 17.4 Kevin Love hit one from 27 feet on the right. It was that kind of game in a dynamic fourth quarter in which the T’Wolves outscored the Kings, 35-28. essentially balancing the second period in which Sacramento dominated, 34-24. The other two frames had scoring totals a point apart.

Gay, who has been scoring about 20 in most games since joining the Kings, exploded this time for 33, also contributing 5 rebounds and 6 assists. DeMarcus Cousins trailed him with 20 points and had 11 boards. Isaiah Thomas had 26 points and 7 assists. Derrick Williams came off the bench to score 16 and had 5 rebounds, in his first game at Minnesota since that team traded him to Sacramento.

For Minnesota, Love hit 17 points, had 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Kevin Martin, J.J. Barea and Nikola Pekovic each scored 14. Ricky Rubio committed 5 turnovers.

By George Devine, Sr.

The Pacers hosted the Kings, or more accurately roasted them, in a 116-92 romp. The home team led in every quarter excepting the third, when Sacramento outscored Indiana 29-27, including 19 from DeMarcus Cousins, and actually led for a brief while. But in the final frame, the Pacers had a 16-2 run early in the quarter and dominated, 30-18, coming up with their highest score of the season. With this game Indiana is the first team in the East to win 30, and Sacramento has now seen the end of their 3-game streak. It is the first game in a dozen where the Kings have scored under 100 points.

Cousins — player of the week in the western conference — had another night as high scorer for Sacramento, and his 31 points (12-21), combined with 13 rebounds, would seem to destine him for the All-Star Game. Rudy Gay fell below his usual pace with 12 points. Derrick Williams and Jimmie Fredette each had 9, with the latter contributing 4 assists.

Paul George had 31 points for Indiana, going 4-7 from beyond the 3-point line. David West had 16 points and 8 boards. Lance Stephenson scored 3; Roy Hibbert and C.J. Watson had 10 apiece.

by Ken Gimblin

SACRAMENTO–George Speir an attorney from Chicago representing U.S.Bank partner of the Macy’s building ownership. Macy’s is located at the west end of Westfield Mall downtown plaza. Speir has objected to eminent domain reasons given by the Sacramento city council to force emient domain and for U.S. Bank to sell it’s share of the former department store building to the city.

The city council enforced emient domain through a 7-2 vote on Tuesday that will force U.S.Bank and CalPERS to sell their shares of the property to allow the Sacramento Kings to build their training facilities near the new arena at the mall.

Speir argues that the U.S.Bank has niether received an offer from the city for the property and Speir wrote that the “public interest and necessity do not require the project.” The city council said eminent domain could be enforced if it benefits the region economically and brings jobs to Sacramento.

Does this mean that U.S.Bank will hold out for more, Spier says the bank has not received an offersheet since the last bid that was made on the property last year when the Kings wanted to buy the Macys building but withdrew after the Kings nearly moved to Seattle. The NBA later ruled in favor of Sacramento to keep the Kings and fast forward to today the city and the Kings are asking U.S. Bank and CalPERS to sell or face emient domain.

Once it was decided to keep the Kings in Sacramento the city has been trying to negotiate with the building owners but neither side has been able to settle on final sale price. Speir is the only hold out at this point as CalPERS is on board with selling their share to the city in statement from CalPERS spokesman Brad Pacheco, “CalPERS has no objection to the city’s right to acquire the property through eminent domain, we recognize the significance of the city’s downtown redevelopment efforts and are eager to find a resolution that is in the best interests of everyone involved including our members, the city of Sacramento and the tenant of the property.”

Sacramento city attorney James Sanchez said that the city did forward an offersheet for the property to U.S.Bank last September. Speir says that he nor U.S.Bank received an offersheet from the city. There had been talks through the summer between U.S.Bank and the city about purchasing the property and sources tell Sportstalk that the city nor U.S. Bank can come to an agreement on a price. U.S.Bank is not satisfied with the amount being held in escrow by the city which came from the Kings at $4.3 million.

The city is holding the money also as part of a pre construction agreement that was made at the time of new owners purchase of the team regarding construction budgeting. The city which is also facing an anti arena group Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork or STOP who are trying to put an initiative on the ballot that asks voters to approve public monies for all facilities built for sports or entertainment.

The eminent domain legal costs are not part of the $258 million city contribution for the $448 million new arena costs. The $4.3 million came from the Kings to be held in escrow for the property purchase which U.S.Bank says they need to see a new offersheet.

The city now must present the eminent domain case in front of judge, the city must prove that the city would benefit economically in order to force the sale and a move on the building owners. City Council members who voted for the arena say that the property is necessary for the completion of the new arena and training facility for the Kings.

The two council members Darrell Fong and Kevin McCarty voted against the eminent domain proposal and Fong said that the arena doesn’t “cross the threshold” for eminent domain.

Ken Gimblin is covering the new arena proposals for both the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors for Sportstalk Radio

By George Devine, Sr.

Despite a 41-point night by Damian Lillard, the Kings won out over the Portland Trailblazers, 123-119 in a hard-fought game at Sacramento. The visitors actually led in the first and fourth quarters, but a 25-13 advantage in the third gave the Kings the edge they would come to need as Lillard poured in one three-pointer after another — one from 28 feet out — late in the final period. He had 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Also a high scorer for Portland was LaMarcus Aldredge with 24 points, 6 boards and 5 assists.

For Sacramento, DeMarcus Cousins played true to form, contributing 35 points with 13 rebounds. Rudy Gay had 32, with 5 rebounds and 4 assists. This is in keeping with his pattern of scoring at least 20 in most of the games he has played since coming to Sacramento. Isaiah Thomas scored 22 points and had 7 rebounds.

This makes for two losses in a row for the Trailblazers, and breaks a 2-game losing streak for the Kings.

By George Devine, Sr.

The Kings won their last game of 2013 and hoped to do the same with their first of the new year. It was not to be, as the Philadelphia 76ers rolled into Sacramento with two wins under their belt, after dropping a baker’s dozen, and added a third victory. The visitors took charge early in the second quarter and led the scoring for each period except the third. The Kings committed 22 turnovers, telling the tale of the game.

Key scorers were Thaddeus Young with 28 points, Lavoy Allen and Spencer Hawes had 10 each. Coming off the bench, guard Tony Wroten poured in 21. Young also had a career evening with six steals. Evan Turner scored 24 points, adding 6 assists and 10 boards.

For the Kings, DeMarcus Cousins scored early and often, with 32 points in the first half and only one after. Isaiah Thomas scored 23 and Rudy Gay 18, down a bit from his typical 20.