Category: Sacramento Kings

Kings Overcome Slow Start to Secure Gritty Win Over Pelicans 123-118

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Kings newcomers Zach LaVine, Jonas Valančiūnas, and Jake LaRavia light the beam postgame (Photo Sacramento Kings on X).

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO – On Saturday, the Sacramento Kings returned home, ready to take on the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans entered the matchup as one of the worst teams in the NBA, holding a 12-39 record on the season. After the Kings’ loss on Thursday in Portland, they desperately needed a win against the struggling New Orleans squad. The game tipped off at 7 PM PST inside the Golden 1 Center, where the Kings secured a 123-118 victory over the Pelicans.

In the first quarter, the Kings got off to a horrendous start. Their starters were overwhelmed, and the team quickly fell behind by 20 points as the Pelicans took control early, leading 29-9. With the starters struggling, Doug Christie turned to his bench, bringing in Jonas Valančiūnas, Jake LaRavia, and Keon Ellis. The energy immediately shifted, allowing the Kings to cut the deficit to five points. By the end of the quarter, the Kings trailed the Pelicans 34-24, leaving them with work to do.

The Kings showed improvement in the second quarter, but they still couldn’t keep pace with the Pelicans. New Orleans outscored Sacramento 34-30, extending their lead. At halftime, the Kings trailed 65-54. Domantas Sabonis led the way for Sacramento with 12 points and 10 rebounds in the first half.

The third quarter saw the Kings’ offense come alive. They went on a tear, outscoring the Pelicans 45-22 to storm back and take the lead, entering the fourth quarter ahead 99-87. Through three quarters, Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 27 points, while Sabonis paced the Kings with 21.

In the final quarter, the Pelicans outscored the Kings 31-24, but it wasn’t enough to complete a comeback. Sacramento did just enough in the closing minutes to secure the 123-118 victory. Although it wasn’t the prettiest game, the Kings managed to get the job done, which was the most important factor for Doug Christie heading into the matchup. Sabonis led the team with 27 points and 16 rebounds, though he fouled out in the final minutes for the second consecutive game. Williamson finished as the game’s top scorer, dropping 40 points on an ultra-efficient 16-of-21 shooting.

Postgame, I spoke with Trey Murphy about his consistent success against the Kings whenever he plays in Sacramento. On Saturday, he put up 20 points and jokingly said, “I like the nets here in Sacramento.” Murphy continues to develop his game, making significant strides in his fourth NBA season.

Doug Christie addressed the media after the game, reflecting on the slow start. “The start of the game was not really what we wanted. We have to figure out how to begin a little closer to what we did in the third quarter… but the bench came in and gave us a huge boost.”

As the game neared its final minutes, Malik Monk repeatedly approached the scorer’s table only to return to the bench. Postgame, I asked Doug if Monk was set to replace Keon Ellis or another player. Christie clarified, saying, “No, he was coming in for Deebo, but Deebo made a shot. If Malik was in that position, Deebo would have been like, ‘leave him in the game.’ They understand the game, and it’s more about winning.”

This insight sheds light on the potential future role of Keon Ellis. He appears to be one of the most impactful players on the roster, and time will tell if that earns him a spot in the starting lineup. His inclusion in the closing minutes suggests that he is already being rewarded for his contributions.

Before catching Kings basketball stop by Old Sacramento for a spectacular Mexican Meal at Le Terezza Restaurant at 1027 Second Street Sacramento. Choose from an array of delicious Mexican favorites on the menu. Call 916-440-0874.

Up Next: The Kings will travel to Dallas to take on the new-look Mavericks on Monday at 5:30 PM PST at the American Airlines Center.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings host Pelicans Saturday look to get back in win column

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Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) and the Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) battle for the basketball in the first half at the Moda Center in Portland on Thu Feb 6, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Portland Trail Blazers Anfernee Simons scored 30 points and shot for eight 3 pointers as the Portland Trailblazers picked up their sixth win in a row at the Moda Center in Portland over the Sacramento Kings in a 108-102 win on Thursday night.

#2 Matching up scorers for the Trail Blazers Shaedon Sharpe hit 24 points and helped the Blazers win their tenth game out of their last 11 games. The Kings DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points and the Kings continue to suffer losing five of their last six games.

#3 In spite of the loss the Kings had a one point lead on the Blazers after DeRozan hit a jumper an added a free throw with 6:36 remaining in the game. Sharpe scored a three pointer after that and the Blazers never looked back.

#4 The Kings Zach Levine who made his debut on Wednesday finishing third in scoring and finished with DeRozan for first in scoring with 22 points. How is Levine looking so far?

#5 The Kings return back to Sacramento to host the New Orleans Pelicans for a 7:00pm tip on Saturday. The Pelicans are in dead last in the Western Conference at 12-39 and have lost seven straight games. Jeremiah this might be the Kings best chance to get back in the win column after losing their last two games.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the Kings podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

https://soundcloud.com/sports-radio-service/sacramento-kings-podcast-with-jeremiah-salmonson-fri-feb-7-2025

 

 

Kings Inability to Contain Trail Blazers Long Ball Spells Another Loss For Sacramento 108-102

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Sacramento Kings forward Domanta Sabonis (11) and Portland Trailblazers center Deandre Ayton (2) battle for a rebound at the Moda Center in Portland Thu Feb 6, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

In a hotly contested game the Sacramento Kings (25-26) fell to the red-hot Trail Blazers (23-29) 108-102. This was Portland’s sixth win in a row and their 10th win of the last 11 games. The Kings had this game pretty within their reach but the final three minutes of the game proved to be their undoing.

Domantas Sabonis fouled out in the final minutes and the Kings just fell short. Despite not having any practice time with his new team, Zach LaVine finished with 19 points and we are sure to see a lot more with each game. The Blazers killed Sacramento with 16 shots from behind the arc while the Kings could not keep pace shooting for 10 three’s.

Game recap: The opening quarter was a most competitive one and after the first 12 minutes of play the game was tied at 27. The second quarter continued to be a back and forth fight with the Trail Blazers outscoring the Kings 27-23 and leading at the half 54-50. The Trail Blazers had taken as much as a five point lead in the second quarter.

DeMar DeRozan had a slow start in the first half. Domantas Sabonis also had a quiet first quarter but began to heat up in the second. The good news for Sacramento was that they were hanging in this game in the first half. The shot that was taking its toll was the three and it was Portland that was hitting them. They just could not miss and the Kings would need to shut that down in the third quarter.

After a back and forth first half, the Kings began to take a bit of a lead towards the end of the third quarter. With 1:57 left in the third the Kings had taken a 77-71 lead but Portland came roaring back to pull to within one point 77-76 in the final seconds.

As the third quarter came to an end, the Trail Blazers had taken back the lead 79-77. After turning the ball over 11 times in the first half, the Trail Blazers only had two in the quarter. The Kings had eight turnovers through three quarters. This game had been closely contested and it all came down to the fourth quarter. Sacramento was aiming to break Portland’s five game win streak and they would need to dig deep to do it.

The Trail Blazers continued to taunt the Kings with three more shots from beyond the arc to start the final quarter. With 9:24 left in the game Portland had hit 14 three’s. At the ten minute mark, the Trail Blazers had taken an 85-79 lead.

The Kings answered taking back the lead only to relinquish it back to Portland 96-93 at 3:55 in this fast paced game. In a game this tight, Sacramento had plenty of opportunity to come out of this one with a win.

The largest lead for both of these teams had been six points apiece. In a horrible turn with under three minutes left on the clock, Domantas Sabonis fouled out of the game and the Kings would really have their work cut out for them. The Kings inability to shut down the Trail Blazers three-point shot was their undoing. The final was 108-102 in favor of Portland.

The Kings entire starting lineup finished the game in double figures. Domantas Sabonis had his customary double double with 14 rebounds and 10 points. The high for the Kings was DeMar DeRozan with 22 followed by Malik Monk with 21 and Zach LaVine with 20.

The high score for the Trail Blazers was Anfernee Simons with 30 points. They got some great work off the bench from Shaedon Sharpe with 24 points. They finished with 35 points off the bench to the Kings 15 points.

Game notes: After a tough loss to the Miami Heat at Golden 1 Wednesday night the Kings were back on the road in Portland to take on the Trail Blazers. Portland is on a roll winning ten of their last 11 games and five in a row.

The Heat ruined the debut of new King Zach LaVine who finished the game with 13 points as he continues to work into the Sacramento lineup. Having played Wednesday night, the Kings has had practically no practice time with LaVine.

Thursday night, the Kings couldn’t contain Deandre Ayton as well as points from beyond the arc in which the Blazers excel Ayton had 18 points, in fact, Portland shot 14 three’s in Wednesday night game against the Pacers. With the course that Portland is on right now, the Blazers proved a tough matchup especially since this game was at Moda Center.

The Kings have now suffered two losses in a row and will be looking to put an end to this unsavory streak when they take on the New Orleans Pelicans at Golden 1 on Saturday night. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Kings Struggle in First Game After Fox Trade, Fall to Magic 130-111

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Zach LaVine drives towards the basket against the Orlando Magic (Photo Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Kings returned to action on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, welcoming the Orlando Magic for a 7 PM PST matchup. The Kings ultimately fell to the Magic, 130-111.

The Kings came home bruised and battered after a grueling 2-4 road trip that took them across the country. During the stretch, Sacramento secured wins against the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves but suffered defeats against the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets. However, the biggest story of the trip was the seismic shift in the franchise’s roster. The week marked the departure of longtime franchise cornerstone De’Aaron Fox, along with Kevin Huerter. Rumors had circulated for weeks that Fox was likely to be moved before the trade deadline, and the speculation became reality when the Kings sent Fox and Huerter to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Zach LaVine, along with three first-round picks and three second-round picks. It was the end of an era for Sacramento, as Fox had been with the team for the past eight seasons.

The trade sparked mixed emotions throughout Sacramento, but the city was ready to turn the page and embrace the new-look Kings.

The game began with the Kings struggling to find their rhythm. In the first quarter, Sacramento was outscored 37-31, as the offense visibly adjusted to its new personnel. Domantas Sabonis and Franz Wagner led all scorers with nine points each. The second quarter saw a more composed effort from the Kings, who outscored the Magic 29-25 to narrow the gap heading into halftime. Sacramento settled in defensively and dictated the pace more effectively, but offensive cohesion remained a work in progress. Zach LaVine, playing his first game with the team, looked somewhat out of sync within the offensive flow—an understandable adjustment period. By halftime, Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 16 points apiece, while Orlando’s Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero combined for 30 first-half points. The Kings entered halftime trailing 62-60.

The second half unraveled quickly for Sacramento. In what was an uncharacteristic collapse, the Kings suffered a disastrous third quarter, being outscored 42-23. The game, competitive in the first half, spiraled into a blowout quickly. Orlando opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run, and Sacramento never regained its footing. Heading into the fourth, the Kings trailed 104-83. The final period offered little improvement, as Sacramento failed to regain control, ultimately falling 130-111.

Turnovers played a significant role in the Kings’ defeat. Sacramento committed 19 turnovers, leading to 28 points for Orlando. While the Kings’ shooting wasn’t abysmal, gifting the opponent additional possessions proved costly. Sabonis led Sacramento with 21 points, while Wagner spearheaded the Magic’s victory with 31 points.

After the game, Doug Christie and Domantas Sabonis addressed the media. Sabonis maintained an optimistic tone, downplaying the loss as part of the growing pains that come with roster changes. “We just need to keep trusting,” he said. “We’re going to watch film and teach Zach some of the new things we’re doing because we all need to mesh together… The first half wasn’t that bad, but the second half got out of hand.”

Doug Christie, on the other hand, was far more blunt in his assessment. “Unacceptable in a lot of different ways, especially on the defensive end,” he stated. “Must, must be better. Must play with a level of energy, intensity, physicality, and aggressiveness that I want to see—and that I believe they have begun to expect from themselves. But that wasn’t it.”

Up Next: The Kings will travel to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers in the second night of a back-to-back. Tip-off is set for 7 PM PST.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings host Magic Wednesday; Levine to make his first appearance

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Sacramento Kings Isaac Jones (17) drives the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham (4) in the first half at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Tue Feb 4, 2025 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah, how much of the decision to move De’Aaron Fox was a Kings decision or a Fox decision. After the firing of former Kings head coach Mike Brown thing took a different turn for Fox who like working with coach Brown and wasn’t exactly happy with the change.

#2 There was that period that Fox was on the trade block, Fox a long time King was a mainstay with the team but during that trade search were the Kings having internal problems was the trade rumors a distractions.

#3 Zach Levine is the anticipated King to come aboard and the Kings are hoping he make up for the loss of Fox. He didn’t play in the Kings last game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and is expected to be in the line up on Wednesday night in Sacramento against the Orlando Magic.

#4 What role, what expectations are expected from Levine once he does get on the floor and play his first game with the Kings?

#5 The Kings had struggled and after the Fox trade to San Antonio they were able to get back in the win column which they did against the Timberwolves on Monday night. Did dealing Fox pretty much smooth out the dressing room issues of the direction of the team?

Jeremiah Salmonson does the Sacramento Kings podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings Outlast Timberwolves Without Fox Winning 116-114; No minutes for newest King Levine

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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) takes a shot over the Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the first half at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Mon Feb 3, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

There have been some pretty crazy changes in Sacramento this weekend. In the Sacramento Kings (25-24) game Monday night the Kings took the court without De’Aaron Fox who was traded to the San Antonio Spurs over the weekend.

Sacramento came away with Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls in a three-team trade but he will not play until possibly Wednesday night at Golden 1. The Kings really stepped up in the absence of Fox with DeMar DeRozan scoring the game high with 33 points.

Every starter had double digits and hung tight in this game winning it by the score of 116-114 over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Game recap: The Kings came out strong in this game winning the opening quarter 38-34 and extending their lead throughout the second quarter. They outscored the Timberwolves in the quarter 29-25 and led at the half 67-59.

Domantas Sabonis had a very quiet first half of basketball. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards also had a slow start and did not look to be back on track at all after illness kept him out of the Wizard game. The Kings had set the pace in the first half of this game and needed more of the same in the second half.

The Timberwolves came roaring back in the third quarter cutting the Kings eight point lead at the half trailing by two points after three quarters 86-88. It would all come down to the fourth quarter and who would outlast the other.

The Kings had led at one time in the game by 12 points while the largest Minnesota lead had been two points. The Timberwolves did take the lead in the fourth quarter at times although by only a bucket each time.

Sacramento had the answer every time as the Kings refused to let this game go. Every time the Timberwolves made a push down the stretch the Kings had the answer. Some brilliant play down the stretch by DeMar DeRozan and a lot of fouls committed by Minnesota sent the Kings to the line a number of times in the final minute sealing this game for Sacramento by the close score of 116-114 in a real thriller. In the absence of Fox, the Kings did a great job and now look forward to Wednesday when they will take the court with new kid on the block Zach LaVine.

The Kings starting lineup did a spectacular job against a very tough Timberwolves team. DeMar DeRozan had the game high with 33 points. He made a monster layup giving the Kings a 110-106 lead with just 30 seconds remaining on the clock.

Domantas Sabonis was back on track with a double double, 11 rebounds and 14 points. Malik Monk finished the game with 26 points and eight rebounds. He knocked down four free throws in the final 17 seconds of the game as well as hitting a pair of big shots late in the game.

Keegan Murray continues to play very well with 19 points and seven rebounds. They only had 12 turnovers and out -rebounded the Timberwolves 47-63 which made a huge difference in the game.

The high for the Timberwolves was Naz Reid with 30 points. This was a season high for Naz who scored 16 of those points in the opening quarter. Anthony Edwards finished the game with 21 points and six rebounds but did not look fully recovered from illness that kept him out of their last game. Rudy Gobert had a double double with 13 rebounds and 19 points. Jaden McDaniels chipped in 22 points.

Game notes: This past weekend has been a wild ride for the Sacramento. They suffered a horrible loss Saturday night against the OKC Thunder 144-110. The Kings saw points from Fox in that game and those would be the last points he will score as a Sacramento King.

Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs over the weekend for the Chicago Bulls Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko and a slew of draft picks. The Kings did not see LaVine in Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves but he will likely play in Wednesday’s game at Golden 1 against the Magic.

The Timberwolves will probably have Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid who were listed as questionable on the court. The bad news for Minnesota is that Julius Randle would miss this game, his second straight with a groin injury.

The Timberwolves come into this game after a devastating and embarrassing loss to the worst team in the NBA the Washington Wizards. They will be looking to erase that loss with a win tonight at home. The Kings will be looking for a win on the road without their leader Fox.

After a disappointing road trip, the Kings were thankful to end up with a win over Minnesota and now the Kings will head home for a matchup at Golden 1 against the Miami Heat. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM. The Golden 1 Center will be alive with anticipation in the hopes of welcoming new Sacramento King Zach LaVine on the court.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Did the Fox fiasco play into the Kings struggles?

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Former Sacramento King guard De’Aaron Fox (5) who was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in a three way deal. The Kings got Zach Levine from the Chicago Bulls. (AP file photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Barbara the Sacramento Kings in a three way trade got Zach Levine from the Chicago Bulls, De’Aaron Fox goes to the San Antonio Spurs, the Bulls got Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, Tre Jones.

#2 Before we get into the game Saturday night lets just examine the latest rumors regarding the trade of De’Aaron Fox. For quite awhile they have been a constant and suggest discontent on Fox’s part. Are these rumors bringing a surge of bad energy to the team.

#3 With all of that being said, let’s revisit the game Saturday night against the Western Conference leading Oklahoma City Thunder. To say it was a blowout is putting it mildly. They have been playing poorly lately, so what is going on with the team

#4 One of the reasons that the Kings were beaten so badly was the play of Aaron Wiggins who had started in place of the injured Jalen Williams putting up 41 points which was a career high for him

#5 When you look at the stats for this game, they were so lopsided in favor of the Thunder outplaying the Kings in every category possible. There was not much that Sacramento was able to do against the Thunder Saturday night.

#6 Tonight the Kings finish up their current road trip taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves looking to put an end to this lackluster play and get back on the winning track. What can we expect to see tonight.

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

Wiggins Career High Sets Stage for Thunders Beat Down Over Kings 144-110

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) shoots over the Sacramento Kings center Isaac Jones (left) in second half action at Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City on Sat Feb 1, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (24-24) got blasted in their matchup against the OKC Thunder (38-9) 144-110. The opening quarter was close with the Thunder leading after the first quarter 36-31. It fell apart in the second quarter when OKC outscored the Kings 46-24 taking a 82-55 lead into halftime.

The Thunder’s Aaron Wiggins who started in place of the injured Jalen Williams scored a career high of 41 points setting the stage for a blow-out of the Kings. Sacramento was outplayed in this game pure and simple. They got within nine points in the second quarter but the Thunder answered going on a 29-11 run taking a 27 point lead into the half.

Game recap: The Thunder took an early lead in the opening quarter 36-31 but hammered the Kings in the second quarter. They outscored Sacramento 46-24 in the second quarter and led at half 82-55. The Kings did win the third quarter 35-31 but were behind the eight ball for most of the game. OKC finished off the Kings in the fourth quarter 31-20 for a final score of 144-110 handing Sacramento their second loss in a row. This has been a miserable road trip for the Kings.

OKC outplayed the Kings at every turn the most glaring the 70 rebounds to Sacramento’s 37. The Kings protected the ball well with only eight turnovers but their shooting percentage was anemic with 25% from behind the arc and falling flat from the field. The Thunder had 74 points in the paint, the Kings had 50.

The Thunder’s Aaron Wiggins was outstanding scoring a career high 41 points. Wiggins had started in place of the injured Jalen Williams and he certainly made quite a statement clocking a double double.

Williams scored 14 points in the final quarter. Sacramento was helpless to stop him along with the 29 points scored by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder put a real beat down on the Kings with all but one of their starters scoring double figures.

At the half the Thunder had dictated play shutting down the Kings offense. Oklahoma City went on a 29-11 run to end the second quarter and take a 82-55 lead in to the half. The Kings did win the third quarter 35-31 but the Thunder finished the Kings off in the fourth quarter 31-20.

All of the Kings starters had double digits with De’Aaron Fox the high for Sacramento with 20 points. Malik Monk followed Fox with 19 points in the losing effort.

Game notes: Saturday night the Sacramento took on the Western Conference leading OKC Thunder at Paycom Center. This game was tough one for the Kings who have been struggling losing their last game to the Sixers 117-104.

They did win prior to that game beating the Nets 110-96 in Brooklyn but lost two game in a row prior to that win against the Nuggets and the Knicks. They have been spotty lately and the 7-game winning streak they had been on not long ago has fallen apart.

Saturday night’s game was a challenge the Kings who has not been playing very well of late. With so many rumors swirling regarding Fox moving on there has been a lot of distraction as they begin to wind down their current road trip which has been a bit of a disaster.

The Kings will finish off this road trip traveling to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves Monday night. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 5:00 PM. They will be looking to right the ship before heading back home for a game with the Orlando Magic Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings face first place Thunder Saturday at OKC

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Sacramento Kings Aaron Fox (5) is snuffed by the Philadelphia 76ers Tyrese Maxey (center) and Eric Gordon (right) in first half action at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Wed Jan 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings Podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Tyrese Maxey led the way for the Philadelphia 76ers with 30 points as the Sixers defeated the Sacramento Kings 117-104. It was the Sixers fourth straight win and it was the Kings third loss in four games.

#2 Maxey has scored at least 25 points or more in 12 straight games and on Wednesday had eight assists.

#3 The Sixers Kelly Oubre Jr had 15 points, Eric Gordon 14 points, Ricky Council IV had 13 points. The 76ers ended a seven game skid.

#4 The Kings Malik Monk in the first half scored 16 of his first 21 points and Domantas Sabonis scored his second consecutive triple double and eighth triple double of the season.

#5 The Kings head to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder on Sat Feb 1. The Thunder are first place in the NBA Western Conference at 37-9, winning seven of their last ten games and have a 20-3 record. There is little doubt the Thunder will be a handful for the Kings how do you see this match up?

Jeremiah Salmonson does the Kings podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NBA G League Action: Kings come away with 111-106 win to split with Grand Rapids

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Stockton Kings guard Colby Jones (20) takes a jump shot over the Grand Rapids Gold forward Spencer Jones (21) at Adventist Health Arena on Thu Jan 30, 2025 in game 2 of their two game set (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings hosted the Grand Rapids Gold for the second straight game on Thursday night, as they looked to get revenge for a disappointing loss on Tuesday. Revenge is what they got with a 111-106 win to split the two game set at Adventist Health Arena.

The Gold got out to an early lead, much like they did on Tuesday night. However, the Kings took control of the game in the second and third quarters, allowing themselves to head into the final frame with a lead. Ultimately, the Kings would hold onto their lead and walk away with a 111-106 victory, and as a result, they were returning to their winning ways. The Kings have been dominant at home, and Thursday night’s victory improved their home record to 8-2, while their overall record improved to 12-3

The Kings’ top standout was, unsurprisingly, Colby Jones, who went 13-17 from the field and scored a total of 34 points. Their two representatives in the upcoming G League Up Next Game, Isaac Jones and Skal Labissiere also had strong performances. Jones had a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds while Labissiere was very efficient going 7-10 from the field and finishing with 14 points.

The Kings had four players finish in double-digits for points, the lone starter to not achieve the feat was Isaiah Crawford who finished just short, with nine points on the night.

Trey Alexander led the Gold in scoring, ending the night going 12-19 which resulted in him recording 31 points in the losing effort. Meanwhile, Spencer Jones finished with 26 points and just narrowly missed out on a double-double of his own, finishing with nine rebounds on the night.

The main difference between Thursday night’s outing and Tuesday’s was that the Kings’ shot selection was a lot better and as a result their efficiency was much higher. It is worth noting that Dexter Dennis didn’t play after a collision below the basket on Tuesday, however, he was on the roster just listed as inactive.

The Kings won’t get much time to rest, as they’ll be back in action Friday night as they host the Windy City Bulls. As the Kings look to extend their lead in the Western Conference and pull away from the second-place Austin Spurs, they’ll need another strong performance against an Eastern Conference opponent tomorrow night. The Bulls are currently 15th in the east, but as the Kings’ performance on Tuesday showed, anybody can win on any given night in the G League.