Category: Sacramento Kings

Kings Outplayed by Philadelphia 76ers Losing 112-93

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The Philadelphia 76ers Tyrese Maxey (0) shows some confidence as the Sacramento Kings Sasha Venzenkov (7) runs in front up the court at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia on Fri Jan 12, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Sacramento Kings (25-25) lost to the Philadelphia 76ers (24-13) being outplayed at every turn. They trailed at the half 65-46 and the Sixers refused to letdown from start to finish. The Kings trailed close to twenty points throughout the entire fourth quarter. The final was 112-93.

Game recap: Philadelphia jumped all over the Kings in the first half of play. The Kings hung in the first quarter although ended up falling short as the quarter came to an end trailing 29-21. The Sixers began to really pour it on in the second quarter leading at halftime 65-46. 

They were outplaying the Kings offensively and the ten turnovers were also an issue. The Sixers had the advantage from the field as well as from beyond the arc. At the half Domantas Sabonis only had two points so Philadelphia had suffocated him. The Kings really struggled in the first two quarters of play and they had two quarters left to turn things around.

The third quarter was a close one which didn’t do much for the Kings cause since they had trailed by 19 points at the half. Sacramento had a huge mountain to climb if they wanted back in this game.

The Kings continued to turn the ball over and after three quarters had 14. Three’s were not falling for Sacramento only shooting 25% from downtown while the Sixers were at 52%. The Kings were having an improved offensive effort but weren’t able to provide many stops.

 Sacramento continued to plug away and after three quarters cut the Sixers lead to 87-73. The Kings won the third quarter 27-22 and they were also forcing Philadelphia turnovers.

Sacramento needed a whole lot more in the fourth quarter if they wanted to pull this game out and it would all start with more stops. It had been an uphill climb for the Kings all night as the 76ers continued their offensive dominance.

 Every time the Kings made a move the 76ers answered outscoring Sacramento 9-2 in the early minutes of the fourth quarter refusing to letup. The final was 112-93 and Philadelphia’s three game losing had come to an end.  

Tobias Harris was gave the Kings all sorts of problems finishing with 37 points. The absence of Embiid didn’t seem to hurt Philadelphia at least in this game. Tyrese Maxxy also gave Sacramento a lot of grief scoring 21 points.

It was a slow start for Sabonis although he did pick it up in the second half finishing with 12 rebounds and 14 points. The high for the Kings was De’Aaron Fox with 21 points. Sacramento had 17 turnovers were 8 of 38 from beyond the arc. It was not a great offensive night for Sacramento.

Post game notes: Friday night the Kings took on the 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers came into this game sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference while the Kings are in fifth place in the Western Conference. 

The Kings won on Wednesday night beating the Hornets 123-98. The 76ers lost an overtime game on Wednesday losing to the Atlanta Hawks 139-132. They snapped their three game losing streak and they it without Joel Embiid who was out for a third straight game with a knee injury. 

The Kings have now lost two of their last six games with Friday night’s defeat and couldn’t take advantage of the absence of Joel Embiid. Sacramento has lost nine straight meetings against Philadelphia.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Kings heading into Milwaukee to take on the Bucks Sunday. The Bucks are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:00 PM.      

  

Kings Dominate Hornets 123-98 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte

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The Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis drives to the net against the Charlotte Hornets center Nathan Mensah and guard Terry Rozier at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte on Wed Jan 10, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

There would be no ugly start for the Sacramento Kings (23-14) in Wednesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets (8-27). They won every quarter in the game with the final 123-98 in favor of the Kings at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. Once again Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray stole the show; Sabonis with 24 points and Murray with 25.

Game recap: The Kings did have a much better start in this game than they did Wednesday night. They won the opening quarter 33-28. They went on to win the second quarter 38-31 leading at the half 71-59. The Hornets began to made a bit of a move after trailing by as much as sixteen points in the second quarter. 

Sabonis continued his stellar play with 18 points and six rebounds in the first half. Keegan Murray who had a slow start last night finished the half with 21 points en route to another terrific game. 

De’Aaron Fox who also struggled last night in the opening quarter had 13 points in the half. They also cleaned up the turnovers with only four in the first half. Sacramento had a great first half and were looking to continue to contain Terry Rozier and Miles Bridges in the second half. Rozier and Bridges were doing most of the heavy lifting for the Hornets in the first half.

Four minutes into the third quarter, the Kings had taken their largest lead of the game 82-62. The Hornets had cut the Kings 23 point lead to 15 as the third quarter expired but Sacramento continued to lead 95-80. Charlotte was having little success containing Sabonis as he continued to dominate.

With under four minutes left on the clock the Kings had this game well in hand leading 117-91. The Sacramento starters came out of the game and the bench took over. The Hornets were looking to sweep the Kings after winning their first two matchups but Sacramento had different plans. They led the entire second half winning the game 123-98 handing Charlote their 28th loss of the season.

Murray had the high for the Kings with 25 points and Sabonis was close behind with 24 points and he also had ten rebounds. Malik Monk had 20 off the bench and team leader Fox finished with 19 points. With Murray and Sabonis shooting so well it takes so much pressure off Fox which can go a long way to keeping him healthy. Right now this team doesn’t have a single injury and that is something that they really want to preserve going forward.

The Hornets got some outstanding minutes from Rozier with 22 points and Bridges with 24 points. 

Post game notes: After a scary first quarter Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons, the Kings got a far different start in Wednesday night’s game against the Hornets. The Kings were outplayed in the first quarter of the Pistons game 47-29 and that was something that they didn’t want to see again any time soon. They were able to turn things around and win that game 131-110. The Hornets have been struggling this season losing Wednesday night to the Chicago Bulls 119-112.

Next up on this road trip for the Kings will be the Philadelphia 76ers Friday night. Both teams have similar records so this game has the makings of a real battle. The Sixers are favored to win this game. Joel Embiid is one of the Sixers main threats although he has missed his last two games with a swollen knee. He is doubtful in Friday’s game but that could change in the days leading up to Friday’s matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 PM at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

 

Kings Polish Off Pistons 131-110

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The Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) is guarded by the Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) in the first half at Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit on Tue Jan 9, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After a horrible first quarter, the Sacramento Kings (22-14) pulled it all together in the following quarters to take a 68-65 lead at the half. They had trailed by 20 points in the opening quarter only to take the halftime lead. They fought through a tie game in the fourth quarter to seal the win 131-110 over the Detroit Pistons (3-34).

Tuesday night the Sacramento Kings (22-14) were back in action taking on the Pistons (3-34) in Detroit. The Kings come into this game after getting peppered by the New Orleans Pelicans trailing at one time in that game by 50 points. 

The Pelicans won the game 133-100 and the Kings are looking forward to get back on the winning track against Detroit. The Pistons also lost their last game. The Denver Nuggets handed Detroit their 33rd loss of the season outlasting them 131-114.

The first quarter of this game was a shocker with the Pistons all over the Kings and leading after the first twelve minutes of play 47-29 in what would turn out to be a real roller-coaster of a game. Domantas Sabonis was the only starter that was holding this game together for Sacramento. The rest of the team combined misses, fouls and turnovers in the quarter to give the Pistons a huge edge. It was a horrible start for the Kings.

The second quarter saw an entirely different team take the court and at the half, the Kings had taken a 68-65 lead. There had been a 23 point swing in the first half and the rest of the starters came to life in the second quarter. Keegan Murray and De’Aaron Fox had a great second quarter to turn this game completely around. The Kings won that quarter 39-18 in a complete reversal of fortune.

The Pistons refused to back down and the third quarter was a tie with both teams scoring 30 points and the Kings were clinging to a 98-95 lead. The Kings put the finishing touches on this game in the fourth quarter winning it 33-15. The final was 131-110 in favor of Sacramento as they put this game away.

After a horrendous start in this game, the Kings put up some crazy numbers in their starting lineup. Domantas Sabonis had the team high with 37 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. Keegan Murray who had a rough start finished with 32 points and 5 rebounds. De’Aaron also had a terrific game after a shaky start with 26 points. Malik Monk had 20 points off the bench in yet another stellar game. The turnovers were concerning with 18 committed in the game.

The Kings had led by 15 points in the third quarter but let the Pistons tie up the game in the fourth quarter. They nailed down the win in the final 9 1/2 minutes of play in this game. Sacramento gave up 47 points in the first quarter and only 45 in the entire second half of the game. After that first quarter the Kings put together a terrific offensive effort.

Post game notes: Tuesday night the Kings were back in action taking on the Pistons in Detroit Tuesday. The Kings came into this game after getting peppered by the New Orleans Pelicans trailing at one time in that game by 50 points on Sunday night. The Pelicans won the game 133-100. The Kings are back in the win column with the win over the Pistons. The Pistons also lost their last game on Sunday to the Denver Nuggets who handed Detroit their 33rd loss of the season outlasting them 131-114.

It is now off to Charlotte to take on the Hornets tomorrow night at Spectrum Center. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:00 PM.

  

 

Kings Lose to Pelicans 133-100; McCollum leads Pelicans with 30 points in win

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The New Orleans Pelicans Brandon Ingram (14) takes a jump shot over the Sacramento Kings De’Aaron Fox(5) and Chris Duarte (3) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Jan 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings had not had a great season against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Kings entered Sunday with a 0-3 record against the Pelicans this year. On Sunday, the Kings looked to get their first win of the season against the Pels.

The Kings were coming off a tough stretch of game, albeit at home. The Pelicans came into town having last played on Friday against the Clippers. The Pelicans lost that game. The Kings last played on Friday night, where they defeated the Toronto Raptors 135-130.

The tip-off on Sunday was set for 3 PM PST in Sacramento. The Kings would lose to the Pelicans by the final 133-100.

In the first quarter, the Kings offense started to get ice cold. The Kings had only managed 12 points at the 4:00 mark left to go in the quarter. On the other hand, the Pelicans found a rhythm early to put together a solid first quarter. The Pelicans outscored the Kings in the first quarter 33-21 to jump out to a quick lead. The Kings would need to take better care of the ball moving forward against a Pelicans team that refuses to lose to the Kings.

As the second quarter opened up, Kings fans were looking for better energy from the Kings. The Kings wouldn’t appear to be turning the page from the first quarter early in the second. The struggles shooting continued as the Pelicans shots were seemingly all falling.

The Kings would get blown off the floor for the rest of the quarter as they were outscored 39-26 in the second quarter. The Kings would take a 72-47 deficit into halftime. It was one of the more ugly halves of basketball this year in Sacramento.

The second half of this game doesn’t even deserve per-quarter breakdowns. This game was just a pathetic showing from the Kings from start to finish. The Kings had no energy on the defensive end, and that translated to the offensive end.

The Kings were outscored 31-14 in the third quarter as the game ballooned to a 50-point deficit for the Kings. Yes, you read that right, 50 points. The Kings would need to do some serious soul-searching after the atrocious performance.

The Kings had three tough losses, all in the last couple of weeks. The Kings losses to Portland, Charlotte, and now New Orleans were tough to swallow, all for their own reasons. In the fourth quarter, the Kings got a bit of life from the bench by outscoring the Pelicans 39-30. The Kings would lose the game 133-100.

Up Next: The Kings will go on the road to take on the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday at 4 PM PST.

Kings Defeat Raptors 135-130; Sabonis unstoppable scores second triple double for Sac two games in a row

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By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Friday night after taking on the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. The Kings expended a lot of energy in the game on Wednesday as it went to double overtime. The Kings ultimately won the game by the final of 138-135.

On Friday, the Kings were set to welcome in the Toronto Raptors. It was an exciting matchup for the Kings, with all the trade speculation swirling of a trade between the Kings and the Raptors. Prior to tip-off, it appeared the talks between the teams had cooled, and nothing appeared to be possible.

Time would tell if the two teams could get a deal done. The tip-off against the Raptors was set for 7 PM PST on Friday. The Kings defeated the Raptors 135-130 on Friday night at Golden One Center.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out playing well. The Kings shots were falling on the offensive end, and the defense was paying well on the other end of the floor. The Kings outscored the Raptors 36-27 in the first quarter to build a quick lead.

In the second quarter, the Kings did more of the same to expand the lead going into halftime. The Kings outscored the Raptors in the second quarter 41-30 to go up big going into halftime. The Kings would lead 57-77 going into halftime as they built a sizable lead. Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes led the Kings in the first half with 12 points. RJ Barrett and Dennis Schroder each had 11 in the first half.

In the third quarter, the Kings took a regression in the game. The Kings defense faltered in the quarter as they allowed the Raptors to score 40 points. It was a defensive meltdown for the Kings, who would look to tighten things up in the final quarter to maintain the lead. The Kings scored 30 points in the third quarter to go into the fourth with a 10-point 107-97 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the game would turn into a dogfight. The Kings were trying their best to maintain the lead. However, some of the Kings found themselves in foul trouble. Sabonis would foul out of the game with just over a minute to go.

The Kings went to Chris Duarte in place of Javale McGee. The Kings would get outscored in the final quarter 33-28. However, the Kings would still hold on for the win 135-130. It was a tough-fought win for the Kings, who once had a 20-point lead.

The Raptors best performances came from Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, who both scored 20 points. The Kings best performance came from Sabonis, who had a 24-point, 15 rebound, and 10 assist game.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday at 3 PM PST in Sacramento.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings host 12th place Raptors tonight at Golden 1

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The Orlando Magic forward Pablo Banchero (5) tries to defend against a Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) shot during the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Jan 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah. the Orlando Magic were shorthanded but the Sacramento Kings were still able to persevere and win out in double overtime on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center 138-135.

#2 The Kings got help from Domantas Sabonis who chalked up another triple double, 22 points, 23 rebounds and 12 assists.

#3 Malik Monk went all out with 37 points and he did it off the bench for the Kings. The 37 points for Monk made him the team leading scorer for the evening. Making every basket that Monk could spare valuable as the Kings did whatever they could to win this one.

#4 The Magic’s power forward Pablo Banchero was just outstanding and difficult to defend finishing with game leading 43 points. For the Magic he was the key that kept them in this game forcing double overtime.

#5 The Kings came away with the win on Wednesday night and now host the Toronto Raptors who occupy 12th place in the Western Conference. The Raptors have won four of their last ten games and have won two games in a row coming into Sacramento on Friday night for a 7:00pm PT tip.

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

Kings defeat Magic 138-135 in double overtime at Golden 1 Center

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The Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) tries to work his way around the Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Jan 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Wednesday night in Sacramento. The Kings were set to play the second night of a back-to-back after playing on Tuesday. The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Kings in the first game of the back-to-back 111-104. The Kings would look to pick up their first win on back-to-back affairs this season. The tip-off was set for 7 PM PST from Golden One Center. The Kings would defeat the Magic on a second night of a back-to-back 138-135.

In the first quarter, the Kings got off to a slow start. Similar to the game against the Hornets, the Kings energy wasn’t present to start the game. Keegan Murray was the exception to this bad start, as he scored ten points in the first quarter. The Magic outscored the Kings in the first quarter 30-27 as they jumped out to the early lead in the game.

In the second quarter, the Kings battled. The Kings got down early in the second but managed to take the lead at the 8:31 mark. The Kings would get a spark from Malik Monk as they pulled ahead. For the rest of the quarter, the Kings continued to push the pace.

The Kings had a big quarter as they outscored the Magic 40-25 to take the lead going into halftime. The Kings would lead the Magic 67-55 at halftime as they looked to bounce back from Tuesday night’s game.

In the third quarter, the Magic came roaring back on the Kings. The Magic outscored the Kings 34-24 in the third quarter to pull within two points of the Kings. The Kings led 91-89 going into the final quarter after a total meltdown in the third.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings were in trouble. The Kings led by 16 at one point in the game and slipped all the way to trailing by three points with 6:17 in the game.

The Kings would need to take much better care of the ball in the final six minutes if they hoped to win the game. The game would go back and fourth but no result after the quarter. Regulation would end tied at 118.

The Kings would end up prevailing in the second overtime quarter by the final of 138-135. The Kings were led by Monk who had 37 points in the game. The Magic received their best performance from Paulo Banchero who scored 43 points.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home to take on the Toronto Raptors on Friday at 7 PM PST.

Kings lose to Hornets 111-104; Rozier leads Charlotte with 34 pts at Golden 1

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The Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier right drives the lane on the Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) in first quarter action at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Tue Jan 2, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Tuesday night in Sacramento. The Kings lost a tough one to Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday after returning from a quick road trip. The Kings last played on Sunday in Memphis.

The Kings defeated the Grizzlies to finish the road trip 2-1. On Tuesday, the Hornets came into Golden One Center ready for tip-off at 7 PM PST. The Kings would fall to the Hornets 111-104 in shocking fashion on Tuesday night.

In the first quarter, the Kings played terribly. The Kings offense was off from the jump, and they were really never able to get it going. On the other hand, the Hornets were able to get a bit going towards the end of the quarter as they scored 25 points. The Kings scored 21 points in the quarter.

In the second quarter, the offense came alive a bit, but it still wasn’t up to par. The Kings got their first contributions from De’Aaron Fox in the second quarter, as he scored nine points. The Kings would outscore the Hornets 29-20 in the second quarter to take the lead into the break.

The Kings would lead 50-45 going into halftime. The leading scorer for the Kings was Domantas Sabonis, who had 13 points. Leading scorer for the Hornets in the first half was Terry Rozier, who scored 15 points.

In the third quarter, neither team differentiated themselves much. The Kings and Hornets traded baskets in the third as the Hornets were able to cut the deficit by two points. The Hornets outscored the Kings 30-28. The game would go into the fourth quarter with the Kings leading 78-75.

In the fourth quarter of action, the Kings meltdown materialized in defeat. The Hornets outscored the Kings in the fourth quarter 36-26 to seal the deal and snap their 11 game losing streak. The Kings fans in attendance were stunned in defeat as Las Vegas had the Kings as 15.5 point favorites going into the game.

The Kings could never get a rhythm on the offensive side of the ball all game. The Kings were led in defeat by Fox who scored 30 points in the game. The Hornets snapped their losing streak behind a 34 point performance from Rozier.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home to take on the Orlando Magic on the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday at 7 PM PST.

Sacramento Kings Demolish Grizzlies In Memphis 123-92

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The Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) dribbles on the Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Williams Jr (5) in the second half at FedEx Forum in Memphis on Sun Dec 31, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (19-12) traveled to Memphis and dismantled the Memphis Grizzlies (10-22) 123-92 in as near a perfect game as you could get. They led from the start of the game to the finish. Off the bench, Malik Monk went off the rails shooting for 27 points which was the team high. De’Aaron Fox finished with 24 points and Domantas Sabonis had 21 rebounds.

Game recap: Sacramento got a nice start and the opening quarter was a real see-saw between the two teams trading leads. The Kings were looking to keep Memphis out of the paint which could prove to be one of the keys to this game. Sacramento won the opening quarter leading after one 34-29.

The Kings began to pour it on in the second quarter taking as much as a fourteen point lead. At the half Sacramento led 70-58. Monk, the Kings incredibly reliable bench player, finished the half with 17 points. 

Both Fox and Sabonis were shooting in double digits. Ja Morant, Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane all shot in double digits for Memphis in this highly competitive, fast paced game. Both teams had great ball protection each with only four turnovers. 

The Kings outshot the Grizzlies 59% to 45%. They also won the rebound battle with 28 to Memphis’ 18. Sacramento would have to pull out all the stops to keep the momentum on their side in the second half. With Morant back in the lineup this team is nothing to dismiss and the Kings were looking to control the rhythm and pace of the game in the second half.

The Kings kept the pressure on in the third quarter and after three quarters held a 101-79 lead. They were beating the Grizzlies at every turn offensively and defensively in an unrelenting effort. 

They were beating them from the field, from downtown and rebounding. The Kings had more turnovers in the game but it did not factor because of the dominant offensive effort from Sacramento.

The Kings were looking for an early Happy New Year. Sacramento was doing a great job on the glass and Monk continued his onslaught into the fourth quarter. With under three minutes left in the game this was a done deal. 

The Kings had led by 20 plus points throughout the final quarter and at 2:04 led this game 123-92 and that would be the final. Sacramento had won their 19th season game and the Kings had made a real statement loud and clear.

Post game notes: After fighting and clawing their way to a win in Atlanta Friday night, the Kings traveled to Memphis for a matchup with the Grizzlies. The Kings more than proved themselves in Atlanta trailing through 3 1/2 quarters before they even took a lead. 

They won with patience and perseverance in the 117-110 win. Saturday night they faced a far different Grizzlies team than the Memphis team that started the season. The Grizzlies have their ace Morant back on board, tried as hard as he can the Kings held Morant off with just 17 points and three other Grizzlies were in double figures as well but fell well short of catching the Kings.

It will be a happy new year for the Sacramento Kings after this game. They played a near perfect game. Not enough can be said for the game Monk put out taking some of the pressure off Fox. It will be a happy homecoming as Sacramento heads home to take on the Charlotte Hornets Tuesday night with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM.

After Trailing Most of the Game Kings Pull Out Win Over Hawks 117-110

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The Sacramento Kings (forward) Domantas Sabonis (10) drives on the Atlanta Hawks forward Omekya Okungwu (17) in the first half at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Fri Dec 29, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (18-12) trailed for most of their game against the Atlanta Hawks (12-19) and did not take the lead until the final 3:27 of the game. They trailed big in the first half, by as much as 20 points. Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray and Kevin Huerter had very quiet games but Murray hit a huge shot in the closing minutes of the game. Trey Lyles and Malik Monk had an exceptional game off the bench in the win 117-110. 

Friday night the Kings traveled to Atlanta to take on the Hawks at State Farm Arena. They came into this game after a lackluster performance against the Portland Trail Blazers losing 130-113 Tuesday night. 

Prior to that they lost one to the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-98. The Kings did beat the Suns pretty convincingly 120-105 last Friday night. They have had some significant losses this time they bounced back Friday night so after two losses in a row and turned things around with the win over the Hawks. The Hawks lost Tuesday night to the Chicago Bulls 118-113 and once again couldn’t pick up the win Friday against the Kings.

Game recap: The Kings had a terrible start dropping the first quarter 36-23. The Hawks had outshot them from the field by a landslide. They did not hit a single three in the opening quarter. 

They only had two turnovers in the first quarter, they just could not hit a basket to save their lives. They had a more successful second quarter in fact, at 6:28 in the second they had pulled to within five points 48-43 after trailing by as much as 20 points in the first quarter. They let it all slide away losing the second quarter 35-30 and trailing at the half 71-53. 

Sacramento pulled to within seven points with six minutes left in the third quarter but again let it start to slip away.   After trailing by ten points, the Kings made a run pulling to within five points 91-86 as the third quarter came to an end. 

They won the third quarter 33-20 and this game hung on the fourth quarter. Sacramento had taken over the pace of the game but desperately needed Murray who had played 29 minutes and come away with only seven points. Barnes played minimal minutes with minimal success.

The Hawks extended their lead in the fourth quarter and the Kings couldn’t put a stop to their offense. The Kings had outshot them from the field, but the Hawks topped them from downtown and had 43 rebounds to Sacramento’s 31. 

With less than six minutes left in the game the Kings took their first lead 106-105. With 4:20 left in the game it was all tied up at 110 in a real nail-biter. Murray did not have a great night of shooting but he made a critical shot when it counted most with 49.1 left on the clock . The final was 117-110 in favor of the Kings.

On New Year’s Eve, the Kings will travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies at FedExForum. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 5:00 PM.