Category: Sacramento Kings

Kings Soar as Thunder Falls: A Basketball Overture in Sacramento 128-123

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The Sacramento Kings De’Aaron Fox (5) goes for the layup against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Dec 14, 2023 (photo by Mauricio Segura/Sports Radio Service & Golden Bay Times)

By Mauricio Segura

SACRAMENTO–The second place Oklahoma City Thunder (15-8), entered the Golden One Center Arena in Sacramento with an unyielding determination to depart in their chartered plane with a triumphant “W” etched into the stat book. After all, they had already lost eight in a row to the Sacramento Kings (14-9), another loss would be unacceptable.

Little did they know that as their plane soared over the downtown area later that night, all they would witness out of their windows would be a vibrant purple beam piercing through the star-filled sky, a radiant reminder that the “W” fell from their grasps once again to the mighty Kings with a score of 128-123.

The court served as the dramatic stage for a clash of titans of sorts, featuring the league’s standout point guards – Sac Town’s De’Aaron Fox and the Thunders Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The duo delivered performances that merited a standing ovation, leaving an indelible mark on the hardwood.

Fox notched an impressive 41 points (marking the third occasion this season with 40+ points), seven assists, three rebounds, and a flurry of five 3-pointers. On the opposing end, Gilgeous-Alexander showcased his own brand of brilliance, culminating in 43 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and a near-perfect 16 for 18 at the free-throw line.

The Thunder thundered into action right from the tip-off, with Gilgeous-Alexander unleashing a torrent of 14 points in the opening quarter, affording his team a slender one-point lead. Yet, the Kings, orchestrating unparalleled teamwork with the likes of Domantas Sabonis, Keon Ellis, and Malik Monk in the second quarter, surged past the 50% shooting mark, claiming a 59-53 lead as halftime buzzer radiated throughout the G1 Center.

This momentum seamlessly continued into the second half, where the Kings maintained their steady flow while Gilgeous-Alexander valiantly attempted to shoulder his team’s fortunes. Jalen Williams struggled, converting only 2 of his 14 attempts, and Chet Holmgren, finding his rhythm with three successful shots in the fourth quarter, added a layer of hope that proved too late in coming.

As the clock dwindled to 2:03 remaining, the Thunder found themselves trailing by a mere four points. Despite Holmgren’s final desperate shot when the outcome was already decided.

On the Kings’ side of the court, the triumph featured Sabonis, contributing 18 points and an impressive 16 rebounds, Monk adding another 18 to his name, and Ellis capping off the night with a career-high and smile-inducing 17 points.

Thursday’s game was the first of six in this current homestand. The Utah Jazz will be in town this Saturday, tip-off will be at 7:00 pm.

Mauricio Segura has been a Bay Area sportswriter & photographer for the past 20 years, covering baseball, soccer, football, and basketball. He’s contributed articles for Area Chica Magazine, The Baseball Analyst Quarterly, and various newspapers. He currently publishes an online sports and entertainment website called Golden Bay Times and is the graphics and art Director for the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.

Kings Overwhelmed By Clippers 119-99

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The Los Angeles Clippers center Daniel Theis (10) takes a jump shot against the Sacramento Kings center JaVale McGee (00) in first half action at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tue Dec 12, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Los Angeles (13-10) Clippers routed the Sacramento Kings (13-9) for their fifth straight victory 119-99 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Clippers convincingly won the first three quarters of play. The Kings did win the fourth quarter 29-20 but it was far too little far too late. Sacramento at one time trailed by over 30 points. They had offensive and defensive letdowns throughout the game.

The Kings have been playing some terrific basketball this season and as they headed down to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers more great play was expected from the Kings. What transpired was totally unexpected.

The Clippers got this game going early winning the opening quarter 32-24 and they never looked back. They continued to pile it on in the second quarter extending their lead to 70-48 at the half. The Clippers continued to expand their lead throughout the first half and the Kings were helpless to do anything about it. Sacramento was trailing by 22 points but had an entire half to do something about it.

The Kings were clearly anything but engaged. They fell short offensively and defensively. De’Aaron Fox and company were quiet on both sides of the ball. Sacramento lost the third quarter 29-22 and the Kings had dug a huge hole making a come-back near to impossible. The Kings were not at all focused and it just came down to one of those games where nothing worked.

Sacramento did win the fourth quarter by the slim margin of 31-29 which did not make much of a dent in this game.

This was a huge disappointment for the Kings. Nothing went right for them in this game. Kawhi Leonard continued the scoring binge he has been on scoring 31 points and Sacramento could not contain him. 

The Kings starters had a quiet night; they were just off. Harrison Barnes came away with two points and one rebound. Kevin Huerter finished with three points. Their bench came away with 48 points collectively scoring almost half of the points in this game. 

Keegan Murray led Sacramento with 17 points and Domantas Sabonis had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Kings superstar D’Aaron Fox finished with 14 points, a quiet night for him. The Kings had won five of their last seven games but just could not get it done tonight. 

Sacramento has had a few games this season that were blowout losses but they weathered those storms and came back stronger. There is no reason that they will not come back after this game as well. Returning to Golden 1 Center is going to look awfully good to these guys. There is truly no place like home.   

The Kings will welcome the OKC Thunder Thursday night getting a six-game home stand underway. They will be looking to put this game behind them and move forward. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Kings’ Record-Breaking Victory 131-118 Sparks Three-Point Success Buzz

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Photo by Mauricio Segura: The Sacramento Kings Trey Lyels slam dunks in the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets on Mon Dec 11, 2023

By Mauricio Segura

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings lit the beam Monday night with an exhilarating, record-breaking victory of 131-118 over the Brooklyn Nets.

They not only secured the win but also etched a new chapter in their franchise history by setting a remarkable record for 3-pointers—totaling an impressive 25. This achievement also marked the second instance this season where three of their players managed to dish out seven assists or more.

The Kings are currently riding a wave of success, having emerged victorious in 11 of their last 15 games. DeAaron Fox has been at the forefront of this impressive run, showcasing his skills and leadership, hinting at a potential MVP season for the former Wildcat.

Fresh from a dazzling fourth-quarter performance where he scored 23 points over the Phoenix Suns Friday night, Fox continued his stellar play by making significant contributions in the long-range shooting game. Alongside Trey Lyels, the duo combined for an astounding 10 three-pointers. In total, Sacramento demonstrated their prowess by shooting 25 of 45, boasting an impressive 55.6% success rate from beyond the arc.

The Kings dominated the game from start to finish. Despite Nets forward Mikal Bridges breaking through the Kings’ defense with an impressive stat line of 22 points, five assists, and five rebounds, his efforts were not enough to inspire the rest of Brooklyn’s squad against Sacramento’s formidable defense.

While the Nets managed to narrow the gap to four points (71-67) with Cameron Thomas’ three-pointer midway through the third quarter and within seven points (89-74) with six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Sacramento’s relentless barrage of three-pointers allowed them to pull away and secure the final, resounding victory.

Contributions from Domantas Sabonis were instrumental, as he added 15 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists, further solidifying the Kings’ dominance. This victory marked the Kings’ third consecutive win against the Nets, including a season sweep from the previous year. Keegan Murray also played a crucial role with a scoring output of 24 points, while Malik Monk contributed 21 points and nine assists to seal the Kings’ triumphant night.

The Kings fly down to face the Clippers Tuesday night, but will return on Thursday against the Wizards in what will be the beginning of a six-game home stand.

Mauricio Segura has been a Bay Area sportswriter & photographer for the past 20 years, covering baseball, soccer, football, and basketball. He’s contributed articles for Area Chica Magazine, The Baseball Analyst Quarterly, and various newspapers. He currently publishes an online sports and entertainment website called Golden Bay Times and is the graphics and art Director for the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.

Despite Slow Start Sacramento Kings Handle Phoenix Suns 114-106

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Sacramento Kings Domantas Sobonis (10) tries to take a shot against the Phoenix Suns Just Nurkic (20) during the first half at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Fri Dec 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (12-8) had a bit of a slow start in the first half of their matchup against the Phoenix Suns (12-10) trailing 59-50. They really got onboard in the second half winning the third quarter 33-12. The final was 114-106 extending Sacramento’s season record to 12-8.

Friday night, the Kings took on Suns at Footprint Center. The Kings come into this game after losing to the New Orleans Pelicans in the quarterfinal game of the NBA In-season tournament 127-117 on Mon Dec 4. The Suns also lost last Tuesday in their quarterfinal game against the Los Angeles Lakers in a close one 106-103. Both teams are looking to get back on the winning track.

Game recap: Both the first and second quarters went in favor of the Suns. The two opening quarters were close but Phoenix had the upper hand. The Suns won the first quarter 26-24 as well as the second quarter 33-26. Phoenix took a 59-50 lead into the locker room at the half. So far it was all Phoenix in the first half.

The Kings turned this game around in the third quarter winning it 33–12 in a blowout and took the lead after three quarters 83-71. Sacramento really got their offense going from the field as well as from downtown.

Both teams were protecting the ball well but the Kings were also rebounding the ball with more success than the Suns. The Kings needed to keep the pressure on the Suns going into the fourth quarter.

These are two evenly matched teams and the final quarter of this game would be a battle. So far in this game, the Sacramento starting roster was not really up to par although there was still one more quarter of basketball to play.

The team would need their clutch player De’Aaron Fox to step up and finish this game. Kevin Huerter played 17 minutes through three quarters but was a disappointing 0-4 from the field. He came off the court with a single point in the game.

The fourth quarter saw Fox start to really heat up. With under six minutes left in the game he had 26 points to his credit. Off the bench the Kings got some great work from Malik Monk with 13 points and Sasha Vezenkov with 14.

With 5:31 left in the game Sacramento had taken a 103-92 lead. The Suns got dangerously close with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game 103-96. The Kings were letting the Suns back into the game. Sacramento took command of this game in the final minutes and left the Suns in the dust.

Fox caught fire in the fourth quarter scoring fifteen points and finishing with 34 points in this game. Domantas Sabonis had 15 points and 17 rebounds. They also got some nice bench work from Vezenkov, Monk and Keon Ellis. This was a solid win for Sacramento against a tough contender.

Next up for the Kings will be the Brooklyn Nets at Golden 1 Center in a close matchup. Tipoff for this game Monday night is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings hoping to comeback after tough loss to Pelicans; Tip off with Suns tonight at Footprint Arena

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The New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum takes a shot against the Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Dec 4, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

The Sacramento Kings (11-8) were back in action on Monday night. The Kings were set to host the first game of the in-season tournament as they welcomed in the New Orleans Pelicans (12-10). The Kings last played Saturday night as they defeated the Denver Nuggets 123-117.

The Pelicans got lots of help from top scorers Brandon Ingram with 30 points and the Kings defense had double coverage on Zion Williamson which relegated the ball to Ingram.

The Pelicans runner up scorer guard Herb Jones contributed with 23. The Kings would have been pretty much in lock step with the Pelicans if it were for that nine point deficit they had in the second quarter where New Orleans were ahead 34-25.

The Kings play tonight in Footprint Center Arena with a 6:00pm PT tip off. The Suns have won seven of their last ten games.

Join Jeremiah Salmonson for the Kings podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings eliminated from tournament. Lose to Pelicans 127-117

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The New Orleans Pelicans forward Naji Marshall (8) gets that winning feeling early in the game against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter at Golden 1 in Sacramento on Mon Dec 4, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Monday night. The Kings were set to host the first game of the in-season tournament as they welcomed in the New Orleans Pelicans. The Kings last played Saturday night as they defeated the Denver Nuggets 123-117.

The Pelicans also last played on Saturday, as they were defeated by the Chicago Bulls 124-118 on the road. The Pelicans had embarrassed the Kings in the last two contests on the road. The tip-off was set for 7 PM PST on TNT. The Kings fell to the Pelicans 127-117 on Monday night.

In the first quarter, the fans in attendance were in for a roller coaster. The Kings came out hot and jumped out to an early lead. The Kings, at one point, led by 15 points. However, the Pelicans roared back to shrink that lead down to one point by the end of the quarter. It was a wild quarter you would only assume would not repeat itself. The Kings outscored the Pelicans 36-35 in the first quarter and looked to right the ship in the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the bizarre play from the Kings continued. After starting the game red hot, the Kings were struggling mightily to score and get any stops on defense. It was a full-blown meltdown for the Kings after the midway point in the first quarter. The Pelicans outscored the Kings 34-25 in the second quarter to take the lead going into halftime. The Pelicans led the Kings 69-61 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Kings stopped the bleeding. However, they were still outscored by the Pelicans 31-30 in the quarter. The defensive assignment the Pelicans give the Kings is not a good matchup. The Kings continued the struggle on the defensive end to get stops. As the quarter winded down and we headed to the fourth quarter, the Kings were trailing 100-91.

In the fourth quarter, it was more of the same. The Kings weren’t able to muster any comeback against the Pelicans as they lost 127-117. The Pelicans outscored the Kings in the final quarter 27-26. It was a disappointing game for the Kings after steering the game so hot.

The Kings appeared poised to win the game early but that quickly vanished. The Kings were led in defeat by De’Aaron Fox with 30 points. The Pelicans best performance came from Brandon Ingram who scored 30 points.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, Dec 11th, after the in-season tournament break concludes. The Kings will take on the Nets at 7 PM PST.

Despite Jokic’s triple double Kings defeat NBA Champs Nuggets 123-117

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Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) despite getting his eighth triple double of the 2023-24 campaign and doing all the heavy lifting couldn’t get the Nuggets past forward Domantas Sabonis (left) and the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Saturday night in Sacramento. The Kings were set to welcome in the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets. The Kings were coming off a tough loss to the LA Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back. The Kings and Nuggets were set to tip-off at 7 PM PST at Golden One Center. The Kings defeated the Nuggets 123-117.

In the first quarter, the Kings yet again came out slow. The Kings didn’t gid themselves a huge hole; however, they were outscored by the Nuggets 30-25 in the first quarter. The Kings offense was still not hitting on all cylinders as the Kings were looking to recover from the Clippers loss. The Nuggets were looking solid on the offensive end, even with the absence of Jamal Murray.

In the second quarter, the Kings offense came alive a bit. The Kings outscored the Nuggets by a sizeable 39-20 margin. Overall, the Kings played a much more efficient quarter on both sides of the court to take the lead going into halftime. The Kings would be leading 64-50 as the half concluded. Nikola Jokic did what he usually does, scoring 18 points in the half. Kevin Huerter and De’Aaron Fox each had 11 points in the first half.

In the third quarter, the Kings melted down early in the quarter. The 14-point lead they had built up all but had evaporated midway through the quarter. However, the Kings were able to respond and build the lead back to 10 points heading into the fourth quarter. The Kings would need to buckle down in the final 12 minutes of the game if they hoped to defeat the reigning NBA champs.

In the fourth quarter, the Nuggets stormed back. The Nuggets got the game within four points in the final quarter. However, the Kings held on to win the game. The Kings got big three-pointers from Malik Monk and Huerter in the last minute of the game to secure the deal.

The Kings defeated the Nuggets 123-117. The Kings and Nuggets engaged in a slugfest in the final quarter as the Nuggets outscored the Kings 39-35. Fox led the Kings with 25 points and 16 assists. The 16 assists were a career high for Fox. Jokic led the way for the Denver Nuggets with 36 points.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday at 7 PM PST.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings have huge task with Nuggets coming to Golden 1 Saturday

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Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) gets some ball control against the Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Nov 29, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 On Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento the Los Angeles Clippers and took no prisoners with convincing 131-117 win.

#2 The Clippers got help from top scorer Kawhi Leonard who led with 34 points followed up by James Harden with 26 points. The Kings practically trailed most of the game.

#3 The Clippers Paul George contributed with 22 points all starting five Clippers finished in double figures and it was the first time the Clippers defeated the Kings since October 2022.

#4 The Clippers had some good defense going for them to hold back the Kings but it was De’Aaron Fox who opened up on the Clippers with team leading 40 points, with 22 assists, and forced 14 turnovers. It was not enough however for the Kings.

#5 The Kings have a huge task ahead of them when they host the Denver Nuggets on Sat Dec 2 at Golden 1 Center. The Nuggets who have won three of their last four games and in they’re last game they defeated the Houston Rockets by ten 134-124. The Nuggets are at an impressive 13-6.

Join Jeremiah for the Kings podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings come out flat and drop contest to Clippers 131-117 at Golden 1 Center

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The Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives on the Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Nov 29, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Wednesday night in Sacramento. The Kings were set to take on the LA Clippers on Wednesday after defeating the Warriors on Tuesday. On the first night of the back-to-back on Tuesday, the Kings defeated the Warriors in a close game, 124-123.

The Warriors win was a big game for the Kings, as they had yet to defeat them this season. On Wednesday night, the tip-off for Kings VS Clippers was set for 7 PM PST inside a hostile Golden One Center. The Kings would come out flat and lose the game 131-117 to the LA Clippers.

In the first quarter, the Kings offense started to slow. For the second straight night, the Kings didn’t have any sort of rhythm on the offensive end of the floor. The Kings scored 27 points in the first quarter, but don’t let that deceive you. The Kings gave up 35 points to James Harden and the Clippers in the quarter. James Harden scored 17 of the 35 points in the quarter as he started red hot in the game.

In the second quarter, the Kings played terribly. The Kings defense was missing in action as the Clippers terrorized the Kings. The Clippers upped the intensity on the offensive end to score 37 points.

The Kings offense only scored 23 points in the second quarter as the Clippers lead ballooned to 22 points going into halftime. The Clippers got 16 from Kawhi Leonard, 17 from Paul George, and 19 from James Harden in the first half. The Kings, like Tuesday night, would be looking for answers in the second half.

In the third quarter, the Kings didn’t do much to bring the game closer. The Kings outscored the Clippers for the first time in the game 31-30 in the third quarter, but it appeared not enough to spark a Kings comeback. The Kings seemed out of gas on the second night of a back-to-back. The Kings offense would need to go on a terror in the fourth quarter. The Kings entered the final quarter of the game down 102-81.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings tried to rally, but it was a little too late. The Kings tried to get the game within single digits around the midway part of the quarter. However, the Clippers continued making shots and dashed hopes of a comeback for Sacramento. The Kings outscored the Clippers 36-29 in the final quarter to lose the game 131-117.

It was a disappointing loss for the Kings, who were on a strenuous second night of a back-to-back. An impressive individual performance led the Kings from De’Aaron Fox, who scored 40 points in the game. Leonard led the Clippers to victory, scoring 34 points.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home to take on the Denver Nuggets on Saturday at 7 PM PST.

Kings Deliver Beating Minnesota 124-111; Fox leads Sac with 36 pts in win

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Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) is thrilled after drilling a three point shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half, during an in season tournament game at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Fri Nov 24, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Despite blowing a 22 point lead in the second quarter, the Sacramento Kings (9-6) beat the Western Conference leaders 124-11. The Kings had a great second half staying one step ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves (11-4) through both quarters

Game recap: The Kings took the lead in the first quarter of play with a 38-31 advantage. They really got going in the second quarter and at 7:34 they had a 22 point lead. Despite the healthy lead the Kings had, the Timberwolves fought back trimming that lead to six points at the half.

Sacramento had blown this quarter letting Minnesota back in the door although leading 70-64. After trailing by 22 points, Minnesota won the second quarter 33-32. This was an amazing comeback by the Timberwolves. It had started to look like the Kings had turned things around but their defense really let them down.

Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards had 21 points at the half and Karl-Anthony Towns had 16. With a great defensive effort in the second quarter, these two guys squelched the Sacramento lead.

Sacramento’s Malik Monk had an amazing half off the bench with 17 points. Starters De ‘Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter each had ten points in the first half. The Kings would have to find a way to stop the Minnesota offensive onslaught and pick up their own offensive effort. Chris Duarte would have to step up in the second half putting up a goose egg in the first half.

The Timberwolves threatened to take the lead at 9:11 in the third quarter trailing by two points 72-70. The Kings pushed back and extended their lead to 78-70 with 7:21 left in the quarter. After three quarters Sacramento had a 94-79 lead. Against the Timberwolves practically no lead is safe and the Kings had to keep their foot on the pedal throughout the fourth quarter.

The Kings did indeed keep their foot on the pedal through the final quarter. Every time the Timberwolves threatened, the Kings answered hanging onto a double digit lead throughout the fourth quarter. The final was 124-111 in favor of the Kings and Sacramento had broken the Minnesota home streak. More importantly Sacramento had beaten one of the best teams in the NBA.

De’Aaron Fox shot the high for both teams with 36 points. Domantas Sabonis had another double double with 11 rebounds and 15 points. Monk had 17 points off the bench. Despite the huge lead they had mid-way through the second quarter, the Kings battled through the second half. They had a great defensive effort and their offense closed out this game.

Game recap: It’s been a rough week for the Kings, they got blown out last Monday night losing to the Pelicans 129-93 followed by a close loss to New Orleans in a back to back. Fox struggled from the field in Monday’s game with 14 points but bounced back in their game against the Pelicans Wednesday night with 26 points.

Friday night Sacramento traveled to Minnesota taking on the Timberwolves (11-4). Minnesota lost their bid for their eighth straight home win. The Kings would got back on the winning track and slamed the door shut on the Timberwolves win streak. This was tough match-up for the Kings and they got the starting roster back on course with a 13 point win on Friday.

Sacramento will have some well-deserved time off before taking on the Golden State Warriors at Golden One next Tuesday. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM. The Kings will come into this game with a lot of confidence after their win over the Timberwolves as well as a successful road trip with only two losses.