Category: Sacramento Kings

Dallas Beats Kings in Final Minutes 123-119 To Stay Alive For Playoff Berth

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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives the ball against Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (15) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas at American Airlines Arena on Wed Apr 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Wednesday night the Sacramento Kings (48-32) took on the Dallas Mavericks (38-42) at American Airlines Center. The Kings have secured their spot in the playoffs and are chasing 50 wins with a possibility of 51 wins when all is said and done heading into the playoffs. The Mavericks picked up the win against the Kings playing desperately to stay alive for a 123-119.

The Mavericks have a distinctly different future. The Mavericks are currently in 11th place in the Western Conference and will be fighting for a play in spot. Dallas does not have any injured players and the Kings are very close to full strength. Bench player Matthew Dellavedova underwent surgery to repair a fractured index finger. There is no timetable right now for him. Two teams with vastly different agendas.

The two teams battled throughout the first quarter. After the first 12 minutes the Mavericks had a slim lead 28-27. Keegan Murray had a quiet opening quarter but he really began to heat up in the second quarter. He had eleven points at the half with two triples.

The teams two power houses De’Aaron Fox and Luca Doncic both finished the half with 17 points. Domantas Sabonis had a terrific first half with seven rebounds, eight assists and 14 points. The Kings outscored the Mavericks in the second quarter 44-32. They led at the half 71-60 with a lot of ball still to play.

After an amazing game against the Hawks on Sunday Kyrie Irving had a quiet first half in this game with 6 points. It was a far cry from the 41 points he scored against the Hawks Sunday but it was only one half of basketball.

The Mavericks came roaring back in the third quarter outscoring the Kings 32-21 taking the lead mid-way through the quarter. The teams traded the lead in the final minutes of the quarter. The game was tied at 92 after three.

Kyrie Irving got hot in the second half and with 6:09 left in the game had shot for 24 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. also had 24 points and Luca Doncic does what he typically does and that is control the game shooting for 29 points. Dallas was fighting for their playoff lives and they were playing like it.

Kyrie Irving scored 19 points in the final twelve minutes and willed his team to a 123-119 win keeping them alive although barely. The Kings were hoping to administer the last rites in Dallas but the Mavericks were on fire in the second half and refused to go away.

The Kings did not have the fourth quarter magic that we have seen so often this season. Fox finished with the high score shooting for 28 points. Every starter finished with double digits and Sabonis had yet another triple double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

Friday night the Kings will be back home taking on the Golden State Warriors at Golden One Center. This will be yet another team that is fighting for position in the playoffs. The Warriors do not want to have to end up in a play in game and so this is a critical game for them. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

Dallas Beats Kings in Final Minutes To Stay Alive For Playoff Berth

Kings handle Pelican defense 121-103

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Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) dunks against New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) during the first half at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans on Tue Apr 4, 2023 (AP News photo)

Kings Handle Pelican Defense 121-103

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (48-31) took on the New Orleans Pelicans (40-39) Tuesday night at Smoothie King Center in the “Big Easy”. The Kings have already secured their spot in the playoffs so now it’s all about preparing for mid-April and remaining healthy.

The Kings have had an amazingly injury-free season which accounts, in part, to much of their success. All the credit goes to the training staff that is onboard in Sacramento. Case in point the Kings offense lit up the Pelicans for a 121-103, 18 point win.

The Kings got a slow start in the opening quarter and the Pelicans Brandon Ingram tore up the court in the first quarter scoring 14 points. The Kings may have started poorly but they came on strong in the later minutes of the quarter outscoring the Pelicans 25-22.

Sacramento got fully on board in the second quarter outscoring New Orleans 40-32 and led at the half 65-54. The Kings had successfully taken Ingram out of the game after his hot start.

Sacramento maintained a double digit lead throughout the third quarter. Keegan Murray continued his amazing play shooting 7 of 9 from downtown. After three quarters the Kings had extended their lead to 96-80.

With 3:01 left in the fourth quarter the Kings had a 116-95 lead. They had handled one of the best defenses in the NBA. The Kings clinched the Pacific Division title in yet another milestone in this 2022-’23 season.

Every starter in this game had double digits with De’Aaron Fox leading the pack shooting 23 points. Malik Monk was back in action and finished with 17 points.

This season not only Keegan Murray but also Kevin Huerter were on the most 3-Pt field goals in a season list. In 2022-’23 Murray shot 201 and Huerter was right behind him with 200. Just another measure of the success that the Kings have had this season.

Wednesday night the Kings travel to Dallas to take on the Mavericks looking for win #49. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 PM.

San Antonio Pulls Upset Over Kings 142-134

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San Antonio Spurs forward Doug McDermott shoots over Sacramento Kings forward Kessler Edwards (17) during the first quarter at Chase Center in Sacramento on Sun Apr 2, 2023 (AP News photo)

San Antonio Pulls Upset Over Kings 142-134

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the Sacramento Kings (47-31) took on the San Antonio Spurs (20-58) at Golden One Center in search of win #48 but failed to get it as the Spurs came away with a 142-134 in an offensive shootout. A win Sunday would have locked down third place in the Western Conference for the Kings.

Sunday the Grizzlies got beat down by the Chicago Bulls and Sacramento is hot on their heels in the standings. There is still more for Sacramento to aim for before they head into the playoffs, one of those taking over second place in the conference.

Game recap: The Kings had some trouble guarding the perimeter to start the game. San Antonio is a team that does not excel in shooting from beyond the arc, but despite that, the Spurs shot six triples in the opening quarter. The Kings had numerous stops in the late minutes of the first quarter but could not connect with baskets of their own.

With 2:30 left in the quarter the Spurs had a 28-19 lead. The Kings looked a little disjointed in the first quarter of this very physical game and trailed after the first 12 minutes 32-30. Sacramento began to turn things around going on an 11-4 run in the closing minutes.

The second quarter was not one of the Kings finest hours. They were struggling with ball protection finishing the first half with 11 turnovers. They were five of 22 from downtown and Domantas Sabonis had to sit with three fouls. The Kings trailed at the half 63-58.

After three quarters the King continued to play catch up trailing 96-92. Every time the Kings made a move, the Spurs had the answer.

The fourth quarter was a tight one with the teams trading the lead. With under four minutes left in the game the King trailed 117-114. Despite some great defense Sacramento continued to trail and with under two minutes left in the game it was a one point game 119-118 in favor of San Antonio.

With 16.5 left on the clock San Antonio stepped out of bounds and the Kings had a golden opportunity to break the 123 tie and ice this game. The Kings were unable to break the tie and this game went into overtime.

The Spurs might have a 19-58 record but they did not play this game like they did. They were excellent on both ends of the court and pulled the upset over the Kings. San Antonio was near perfect in the five minutes with bench player Doug McDermott finishing with 30 points.

Every King starter finished with double digits. De’Aaron Fox had 28 points closely followed by Domantas Sabonis with 26. Off the bench Terence Davis finished with 15 points. These guys have all the markers that could result in a very successful run in the playoffs however there are a few issues that Head Coach Mike Brown will no doubt address heading into the Big Easy.

There is still some work to do for Sacramento and this was a great wake-up call. The Kings did not establish home court advantage and that’s something that they will have to do going forward. Sacramento gave up 142 points in this game, something else to take a look at.

Tuesday night the Kings will travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

Another Blowout for Sacramento Over Portland 138-114

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Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, left, passes the ball around Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell, center, and forward Domantas Sabonis, right, during the first half in Portland on Thu Mar 31, 2023 (AP News photo)

Another Blowout for Sacramento Over Portland 138-114

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Sacramento Kings (47-30) took on the Portland Trail Blazers (32-45) at Moda Center amid rainy skies. Portland came away losing their fifth straight game as the Kings took two games from the Kings 138-114. The Kings came into this game after having secured a playoff berth ending the horrible post season slump they have endured since 2006.

Sacramento entered the game with a full strength starting roster. They will need to defend the three but should be playing pretty loose with their playoff future determined. The Kings were getting some great looks in the first quarter but were not coming away with a lot of baskets from beyond the arc. They did lead with under two minutes left in the quarter by a handful of points but finished the first 12 minutes with a 36-27 advantage.

Portland hung around for most of the second quarter until the final minutes. By halftime the Kings led 71-59 and Kevin Huerter really began to heat up with 14 points after the first two quarters. He was four of five from downtown and five of six from the field. Four starters for the Kings had double digits and Malik Monk had ten off the bench. The Kings had 21 points off the bench in total. This was the largest lead of the game for Sacramento.

The Kings continued to extend their lead in the third quarter pushing the lead to 92-74 with four minutes left in the quarter. Despite the youth on the Portland team they were having a great deal of success from beyond the arc but could not handle the experience and ball movement that the Kings excel in. After three quarters that Kings had a confortable 104-89 lead.

The Kings got some high powered offense in the fourth quarter, With two minutes left in the game Sacramento had a 132-108 lead closing out this game.

The Kings exploded offensively with Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk all finishing with 20 points apiece. Every starter in this game had double digits and the bench had 53 points collectively which will be vitally important in the playoffs.

Sunday afternoon the Kings will play the San Antonio Spurs at home. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings-Trail Blazers rematch Friday night in Portland in game 2

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Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray, left, hits a shot over Portland Trail Blazers guard Matisse Thybulle, right, during the second half in Portland on Thu Mar 30, 2023 (AP News photo)

On Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Wednesday night the Sacramento Kings (46-30) traveled to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers (32-44). The Kings ended the NBA’s longest playoff drought with a 120-80 win over the Trail Blazers. The win in Portland locked down a spot in the post-season.

#2 After two quarters the Kings were five of 24 from the perimeter. They were shooting at 20.8% on three pointers.

#3  This was the largest lead for the Kings in the game but Portland refused to go away. The Trail Blazers closed out the first half with a 14-6 run and just like that had pulled to within four points 50-46.

#4  The three’s were falling for Sacramento already clocking 14 with 8:41 left in the game. They would finish with 18 triples and win by a whopping 40 points. Do you see the Kings being the kind of team going into the post season that can go more than two rounds from what you’ve seen in the regular season.

#5 Jeremiah, after what you’ve seen on Wednesday with the Kings winning by 40 the Kings are deep on offense and Sabonis and Fox are forces to reckon with. How do you see this rematch Friday night in Portland?

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

Kings Secure Playoff Spot With Win Over Portland 120-80

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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis, right, drives to the basket on Portland Trail Blazers forward Nassir Little, left, during the first half in Portland on Wed Mar 29, 2023 (AP News photo)

Kings Secure Playoff Spot With Win Over Portland 120-80

By Barbara Mason

Wednesday night the Sacramento Kings (46-30) traveled to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers (32-44). The Kings ended the NBA’s longest playoff drought with a 120-80 win over the Trail Blazers. The win tonight in Portland locked down a spot in the post-season.

It was a slow start for the Kings trailing after the first quarter had come to an end 20-19. Sacramento was having a lot of trouble hitting shots from downtown. After two quarters the King were five of 24 from the perimeter. They were shooting at 20.8% on three pointers.

It took the first quarter for the Kings to heat up. With under four minutes left in the first half, the Kings had a 44-32 lead and finally had this game on cruise control; or did they? This was the largest lead for the Kings in the game but Portland refused to go away. The Trail Blazers closed out the first half with a 14-6 run and just like that had pulled to within four points 50-46.

After two quarters Domantas Sabonis was on the verge of another double double with ten rebounds and nine points. De’Aaron Fox had a slow first half with four points.

The third quarter began with a Keegan Murray triple putting him just one three away from the all- time NBA rookie 3-point record. Four minutes into the quarter the Kings had established a 62-51 lead. At 6:40 Murray made history with his third three in this game making him the all-time NBA rookie leader from beyond the arc.

With 4:45 left in the quarter the Kings had a 73-60 advantage. After three quarters the Kings had a 83-64 lead. Fox had heated up and had 12 points through three and the Kings were a quarter away from securing a playoff spot.

Forth quarter clutch player Fox started the quarter with a couple of triples to extend their lead to 99-65. The second half Kings had arrived. The three’s were falling for Sacramento already clocking 14 with 8:41 left in the game. They would finish with 18 triples and win by a whopping 40 points.

Malik Monk had the game high with 19 points off the bench. Fox had 18 points. The 17 year drought had come to an end with this decisive win.

Friday night the Kings will remain in Portland for another game with the Trail Blazers. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Kings don’t clinch lose to Timberwolves 119-115 at Golden 1 Center

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Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, left, defends against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Mar 27, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action at the Golden 1 Center on Monday night. It wasn’t any old game for the Kings. The Sacramento Kings had a chance to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in 16 years. Sacramento was buzzing, and the arena was packed to full capacity.

Would Monday, March 27th be the day the Kings finally snapped the longest playoff drought in the NBA? Well, the Kings must first go through the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Wolves were on a second night of a back-to-back after they beat the Warriors on Sunday night. The Kings were fresh off an off day after beating the Jazz on Saturday night. Unfortunately, the Kings lost a tough one at home, 119-115. Kings fans would need to wait another day to clinch.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out sluggish. The Kings offense was not firing in sync, and the Timberwolves took advantage of that on the offensive end. The Kings only scored 25 points in the first quarter. However, the Timberwolves scored 34 points in the first as they played a solid all-in-all first quarter. The Kings would look to fix the offense early in the second.

In the second quarter, the Kings continued to play without much energy. The usually potent Kings offense was not knocking down their normal shots as they struggled to keep up with Minnesota. However, the Kings were able to battle back and take the lead going into halftime. The Kings scored 33 points in the second quarter as they took off in the quarter’s final minutes. On the other hand, the Timberwolves scored onl6 23 points to relinquish the lead 58-57 going into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Kings reverted to their first-quarter form. The Kings did not appear to be in rhythm most of the quarter, as they could only hang in with the Timberwolves. The Kings were outscored in the third quarter 29-27. The Kings offense was a bit stagnant as the likes of Malik Monk were ice-cold. The Kings would need to awaken the offense if they hoped to win and clinch a playoff berth. The Kings leading scorer was De’Aaron Fox,, who scored 24 points through three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, The Kings could not pull it together. The Kings defense was poor as usual in the game, and the offense could not pick up the slack. The Kings dropped the last game of the homestand to the Wolves by the final of 119-115.

It was a tough loss for the Kings, who played in front of a hungry Kings fanbase ready to clinch. The Kings were outscored in the fourth quarter 33-30. The Kings were led in the defeat by De’Aaron Fox, who scored 29 points in the game. The Timberwolves were led by Jaden McDaniels, who had 20 points.

Up Next: The Kings will travel to Portland to take on the TrailBlazers on Wednesday at 7 PM PST.

Kings dominate Jazz 121-113; Hueter leads Sac with 27 points; Magic number now 1 for Kings

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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) shoots from between Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles, left, and forward Keegan Murray during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sat Mar 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings (45-29) were back in action on Saturday night in Sacramento. The Kings were playing on the second night of a back-to-back after taking on the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. In the game against the Suns, the Kings pulled together from a great 135-127 win at home. The win moved the Kings magic number down to two games as they looked to clinch on Saturday.

If the Kings were to clinch a playoff berth, they would need to win the game on Saturday in conjunction with the Clippers and Suns losses. Kings PG De’Aaron Fox was out on Saturday with a lower leg injury. The Kings won on Saturday night by the final of 121-113 defeating the Utah Jazz (35-39).

In the first quarter, the Kings came out strong. The Kings showed no fatigue on the second night of a back-to-back. The Kings outscored the Jazz in the first quarter 32-26. Keegan Murray started the game with a hot hand scoring 14 points in the first quarter. The Kings did seem to fade late in the quarter as they hoped to stop that before the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Kings weren’t playing with the same energy as the first. They seemed to slow a bit after the first quarter and didn’t have Fox to pick them up. The Jazz continued the strong performance, building off the early minutes to outscore the Kings 35-23. The King offense lost all steam in the second quarter to dog themselves a hole going into the second half. The Kings entered halftime down 61-55.

In the third quarter, the Kings reacted well to the slow second quarter. The Kings came out firing in the third quarter to score 35 points in the frame. The Kings defense was also displayed in the third as they held the Jazz to only 17 points. After the outburst, the Kings would go into the game’s final quarter leading 90-78. The Kings played a great all-around quarter in the third to put them in a position to win.

In the fourth quarter, both teams battled, but it was ultimately the Kings who outlasted the Jazz to secure the victory. The Kings showed a lot of heart after a disappointing first half and the ejection of Monk in the second half. The Kings were outscored by the Jazz 35-31 in the fourth quarter but it was all meaningless.

The Kings still managed to hold the lead and secure the victory on the second night of the back-to-back. It was a great win for the Kings who were short-handed with the absence of Fox and the ejection of Monk. The Kings were led in victory by Kevin Huerter who had 27 points on the night. Walker Kessler led the Jazz with 31 points.

After the win, the Kings magic number is one game to clinch a playoff berth. The Kings can clinch with a win against the Timberwolves on Monday night at home.

Up Next: The Kings will remain at home to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday at 7 PM PST.

Huerter leads the way with 29 pts; Kings end 2 game skid over Suns 135-127

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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) is defended by Phoenix Suns center Bismack Biyombo (18) as he drives to the basket in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Fri Mar 24, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings (44-29) were back in action on Friday night in Sacramento. The Kings on Friday were coming off one of the toughest games of the season. The Kings were defeated on Tuesday against the Boston Celtics by the final of 132-109. It was a humbling game for the Kings, who had lost two in a row.

On Friday, the Kings were set to take on the Phoenix Suns, who had also lost two in a row and were looking to snap the streak. The Kings behind the efforts of Kevin Huerter and his leading 29 points ended the Kings two game skid with a 135-127 win at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

GAME RESULT: In the first quarter, the Kings offense started slow. The Kings only scored 24 points in the first quarter as they couldn’t heat up on the offensive end. The Suns put up 30 points to put the Kings in an early hole. One major discrepancy in the game was that the Kings shot no free throws as the Suns shot nine. It was an underwhelming quarter for the Kings, who looked to turn it around in the second.

In the second quarter, the Kings continued to play very poorly. The offense didn’t look like it usually does with quick ball movement and open shots. Also, not to add insult to injury, the Kings defense is not very good. The lack of Kings defense was on full display in the first half. The Suns outscored the Kings again in the second quarter 37-32. The Suns weren’t even shooting well from deep going on 2/14 in that category, but the Kings couldn’t keep pace. The Kings would enter halftime down 67-56.

In the third quarter, the Kings came roaring back. The Kings outscored the Suns by a massive 45-26 in the third quarter. The Kings could do no wrong on the offensive end, as Hurter couldn’t miss. The Kings seemed to have their swagger back—something we hadn’t seen in almost three games from the Kings. In the third quarter, De’Aaron Fox went to the locker room and was out the rest of the game with a hamstring issue. The Kings would need to close the game in the fourth quarter without Fox and a 101-93 lead.

In the fourth quarter, it was a dog fight until the end. However, the Kings came out victorious! The Kings battled in a way they hadn’t shown in the last few games to take down the team immediately behind them in the standings. The Kings beat the Suns on Friday night in an eight point win. It was a huge win for the Kings who needed to snap the two-game losing skid they were on.

On the other hand, the Suns lost their third game in a row and in dire straights losing ground in the standings. The Kings were led by a great performance from Huerter in his return from injury. Huerter scored 29 points and was lethal from behind the line. In defeat, the Suns were led by Devin Booker who had 32 points.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Utah Jazz on Saturday at 7 PM PST. It will be the second night of a back-to-back.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings host Suns in first of back to back games Friday

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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) shoots over Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Tue Mar 21, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 After winning three straight games the Sacramento Kings (43-29) have lost two straight games do you view this just a lull and were the Utah Jazz and the Boston Celtics (50-23) just up to beat the Kings no matter what the cause in those two games?

#2 The Kings rank number three in the NBA Western Conference and once you make that climb to one of the top seeds everybody starts to come after you. In watching the Jazz and Celtics go after the Kings do you see those opponents doing some careful film study in trying to pick apart weaknesses on the Kings offense and defense?

#3 Kings head coach Mike Brown has a steady hand and also has watched these last two straight defeats carefully do you see him distributing the shots and also the defense differently or the talent will stay with their usual course of action?

#4 In the second half against the Celtics on Tuesday the Celts offense just came out and dominated scoring 40 in the third and 32 in the fourth quarter and held the Kings to just 31 in the third and 24 in the fourth quarter.

#5 The Kings hope to turn the tables tonight at Golden 1 Center as they host the Phoenix Suns (38-34). The Suns have struggled in their last two games as well losing the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday and on Wednesday to the Los Angeles Lakers. You best bet both teams will be battling tonight in Sacramento.

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