Category: Sacramento Kings

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings first winning season in 17 years

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That’s the money smile as Domantas Sabonis hits the floor in the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Thu Mar 16, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Sacramento Kings (42-27) clinched their first winning season in 17 years with a 101-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets (39-31) at Barclays Center on Thursday night.

#2 It was the first time that the Kings have finished above .500 since the 2005-06 season when they earned a 44-38 record. 

#3 The Kings made the playoffs eight straight times under then-head coach Rick Adelman, the last being in the 2005-06 season, but had a losing record all the other years since moving to Sacramento.  

#4 Sacramento led by as many as 17 points, and the Nets made a comeback effort in the second half that came close but fell short. De’Aaron Fox had 18 points. Kessler Edwards contributed 10 points.

#5 The Kings (42-27) are second in the western conference. They continue their road trip on Saturday against the Washington Wizards. Tipoff is at 5 p.m.

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

After 17 years of waiting Kings clinch first winning season with win over Nets 101-96

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Brooklyn Nets’ Edmond Sumner (4) passes the ball away from Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis (10) during the second half at Barclay Center on Thu Mar 16, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

BROOKLYN, NY. — The Sacramento Kings (42-27) clinched their first winning season in 17 years with a 101-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets (39-31) at Barclays Center on Thursday night.

It was the first time that the Kings have finished above .500 since the 2005-06 season when they earned a 44-38 record. 

Despite the milestone, Kings head coach Mike Brown said he doesn’t equate March 16 with 42 wins and making the playoffs. The Kings are focused on “trying to get as many wins as possible,” he said. 

The game was tied at 41 with less than 3 1/2 minutes to go in the first quarter. Domantas Sabonis made a triple that set off a 13-0 run for Sacramento. Domantas scored 24 points, including nearly 20 by halftime. 

Sacramento led by as many as 17 points, and the Nets made a comeback effort in the second half that came close but fell short. De’Aaron Fox had 18 points. Kessler Edwards contributed 10 points.

“We were trying to get a win like that all year,” said Brown.

The Kings made the playoffs eight straight times under then-head coach Rick Adelman, the last being in the 2005-06 season, but had a losing record all the other years since moving to Sacramento.  

“I think being here for over four years now, and seeing the bottom – the very bottom – and to see the frustration of fans and the people in the organization, I think it’s nice to be on the other side it,” said Kings forward Harrison Barnes. “A lot of people, they don’t get a chance to stay in an organization long enough to see the good times and the bad, they just see the bad side. So I consider myself fortunate to be able to be part of this moment.”

The Kings (42-27) are second in the western conference. They continue their road trip on Saturday against the Washington Wizards. Tipoff is at 5 p.m.

Kings Start Road Trip With Clutch Win Over Bulls 117-114; Fox gets 3 pt buzzer beater for win

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Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine (8) gets Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox off his feet during the second half at the United Center in Chicago on Wed Mar 15, 2023 (AP News photo)

Kings Start Road Trip With Clutch Win Over Bulls 117-114

By Barbara Mason

Wednesday night the Sacramento Kings (41-27) took on the Chicago Bulls (31-37) at United Center in Chicago. The Bulls came into this game after a winning effort beating the Houston Rockets 119-111. The Kings had a tough loss against the best team in the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks 133-124.

In Mondays loss to the Bucks the Kings were faced with the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Kings had the lead at the half and mid-way through the fourth quarter the game was a tight one, the game tied at 108. Sacramento just couldn’t finish.

The Kings had some untimely turnovers in the final three minutes and too many empty possessions. They missed six shots in the closing minutes. The Kings just got by the Bulls on Wednesday night in a four point win 117-114.

In the opening quarter of this game, the Bulls took a 30-25 lead. The Kings had some early turnovers in the first twelve minutes, five in total.

At the half, the Bulls still had the lead 62-53 and the Kings had some work to do in the second half.

As the third quarter came to an end the Kings continued to trail 90-87 but had made up some ground in the quarter. They went into all-important fourth quarter, where the Kings have time and time again come up big.

Sacramento battled throughout the fourth quarter taking the lead with 38 seconds left on the clock. De’Aaron Fox, the NBA’s number one clutch player, came up big giving the Kings a 112-107 lead. The Bulls tied up the game with 12.1 left in the game. Again it was Fox who delivered the final blow with yet another shot from downtown to finish off the Bulls.

Fox finished the game with 32 points and as we have seen over and over this season Domantas Sabonis had yet another double double with 14 points and 17 rebounds. Fox turned out the lights in Chicago shooting a three with 0.7 left in the game for the game winner. Malik Monk finished with 19 points off the bench.

Thursday night the Kings continue their road trip traveling to Brooklyn to take on the Nets at Barclays Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 PM.

Buck Rumblings: Giannis nets 46 points Milwaukee in 9 pt win over Sac 133-124

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The Milwaukee Bucks Giannis  Antetokounmpo (34) drives past Sacramento Kings forward Chimezie Metu (7) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Mar 13, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings (40-27) were back in action on Monday night in Sacramento. The Kings were coming off an off day on Sunday after defeating the Phoenix Suns for the first time on Saturday night in Phoenix. The Kings played a great game on Saturday to defeat one of the best teams in the West. The win was a big statement for the Kings in the standings to keep pace in the Western Conference. On Monday, the best team in the NBA rolled into town to take on the Kings. That, of course, would be the Milwaukee Bucks (49-19) and Giannis.

GAME RESULT: In the first quarter, it was all Kings and Giannis. The Kings had a typical Kings showing on the offensive end of the floor as they scored 32 points in the first quarter. The Kings starters started hot, scoring 27 of the 32 points in the first. For the Bucks, Giannis was the only Buck with more than two points, as he scored 15 in the first quarter. The Bucks would almost certainly heat up on offense, and the Kings would look to keep them on earth. 

In the second quarter, the Kings continued to build their lead. The Kings were having their way on the offensive side of the court in the first half on Monday night. The Kings scored 30 in the second quarter en route to a nine-point 62-53 lead going into halftime. The Bucks scored 26 points in the second to try and stay in the game. Giannis was leading all scorers in the first half with 21 points doing everything in his power to keep the Bucks in reach. 

In the third quarter, it was all Bucks. The Kings offense struggled, and the Bucks took advantage of the weak Kings defense to roar back and take the lead. Led by Giannis, the Bucks scored 37 points in the third quarter to take a 90-87 lead going into the final quarter of play. In the third, the Kings only managed to score 25 points as fewer shots were falling for them. The Kings were showing little signs of life headed into the fourth. They would need a massive offensive fourth quarter to win the game. 

In the fourth quarter, the Kings battled but weren’t able to get the win. Giannis and the Bucks were just too much to handle. The Kings couldn’t handle the dominance of Giannis inside and ultimately lost the game. The Kings and Bucks showed their intensity in the final 15 seconds as Trey Lyles, and Brook Lopez got into it.

When the game finally ended, the Bucks secured a 133-124 victory. If not for Giannis, Domas Sabonis would have been the player of the game. Sabonis amassed a 23-point,17 rebound, and 15 assist night to lead the Kings. On the other hand, Giannis scored 46 points with 12 rebounds. It was a good game that showed the Kings heart, but they ultimately couldn’t finish the job after a dominant first half. 

Up Next: The Kings travel to take on the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday at 5 PM PST.

Barnes leads with 19 pts in Kings third straight win over Suns 128-119

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Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) pressures Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) during the first half at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Sat Mar 11, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Saturday night the Sacramento Kings (40-26) traveled to Phoenix to take on the Suns (37-30). It was a battle between the second and fourth place teams in the Western Conference. The Kings picked up their third straight win 128-119.

The Kings fell behind early in the first quarter trailing 17-6 at 6:53. As the first 12 minutes came to an end, the Kings had made up a lot of ground trailing by a single point 32-31.

The Kings started the second quarter on a great note tying up the game at 36 in the early minutes of the quarter. The Kings would take the lead with nine minutes left in the half 39-38 and continue to maintain a slim lead throughout the remainder of the second quarter.

As the quarter wound down Sacramento extended their lead. They had turned the slow start around and led at the half 67-59. The Kings went to the line 26 times in the first half, forced turnovers and outshot the Suns from downtown 38% to the Suns 22%.

After two quarters the Kings bench was outstanding collectively scoring 37 points. De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes each had 8 points in the opening half.

The Suns began to chip away at the Kings lead in the third quarter. At 3:29 Phoenix took the lead 85-81. Sacramento had some untimely turnovers and empty possessions. With under three minutes left in the third the score was tied at 85. The Kings held onto a slim one point lead after three quarters 96-95. Malik Monk had 15 points going into the fourth quarter. He was three of four from downtown and was a huge part of the Kings lead.

The Kings have the best offense in clutch situations and they would go on to prove just that. This game continued to see-saw with both teams trading the lead. With seven minutes left the score was tied at 105. With 1:22 left in the game the Kings were clinging to a one point lead 119-118. Fox made a 17 foot jump shot to push the lead to 121-118 with 58 seconds left on the clock. Kessler Edwards hit a three-point jumper to seal the win 128-119.

Sabonis was terrific on the pick and roll defense. He finished the game with 8 rebounds and 15 points. The clutch player on the floor tonight and quite frankly almost every night Fox had 18 points and six assists. The bench was a huge part of this win with 65 points. Seven Kings scored in double digits in this game. The Kings just punched they’re 40th win of the season.

Monday night the Kings will be challenged as they take on the Milwaukee Bucks at Golden 1 Center. The Bucks come into this game after losing in overtime to the Golden State Warriors Saturday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Giannis and the Bucks match up with Kings Monday night at Golden 1

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Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Anteokoumpo (34) will pay the Sacramento Kings a visit this Mon Mar 13, 2023 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento (AP News file)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 On Tuesday, the New York Knicks (39-29) traveled to Sacramento to take on the Kings (39-26). In addition, the game was broadcast on TNT for the whole nation to watch. On Thursday, the Kings beat the Knicks 122-117.

#2 The Kings scored 30 points in the first quarter to jump out to a quick seven-point lead. The Knicks scored 23 points in the first quarter. Domantas Sabonis started the game hot, getting whatever shot he wanted in the first quarter with 11 points.

#3 In the second quarter, the Kings went on a run. The Kings put up a massive second quarter scoring 39 points. On the other hand, the Knicks didn’t have an awful quarter, as they scored 30 points. 

#4 The Kings were outscored by the Knicks 33-31 in the final quarter. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome the lead the Kings had built during the game.

#5 Jeremiah the Kings are rolling having won eight of their last ten games. The Kings host the Milwaukee Bucks (48-18) and who occupy first place in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks have won nine of their last ten games. How do you see this match up Monday night in Sacramento.

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

Kings Sabonis 24 pts helps defeat Knicks 122-117

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By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Thursday night in Sacramento. The Kings last played on Monday night when the New Orleans Pelicans came to town. It was an important game for the Kings, who took care of business and beat the Pelicans 123-108. On Tuesday, the New York Knicks traveled to Sacramento to take on the Kings at 7 PM PST. In addition, the game was broadcast on TNT for the whole nation to watch. On Thursday, the Kings beat the Knicks 122-117.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out of the gate strong. The Kings played solid defense in the first as the Knicks were struggling to find the bottom of the net. The Kings scored 30 points in the first quarter to jump out to a quick seven-point lead. The Knicks scored 23 points in the first quarter. Domantas Sabonis started the game hot, getting whatever shot he wanted in the first quarter with 11 points.

In the second quarter, the Kings went on a run. The Kings put up a massive second quarter scoring 39 points. On the other hand, the Knicks didn’t have an awful quarter, as they scored 30 points. However, the power of the Kings offense was too much to handle as they went into halftime with a 69-53 lead over the Knicks. If the Knicks wanted to keep the game within reach, they would need to slow down the Kings offense in the second half.

In the third quarter, the Kings took their foot off the gas. They allowed the Knicks to get right back into the ballgame. The Kings were outscored by the Knicks 31-22 in the quarter as the offense went silent for the Kings. The Knicks did well with a sustained offensive attack in the quarter to close the deficit.

The Kings would go into the fourth quarter with a 91-84 lead over the Knicks. However, the Knicks had all the momentum over the Kings. Another important note was De’Aaron Fox had four fouls, and Sabonis had three going into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, it was a typical fourth quarter this year in Sacramento. The fans were absolutely insane, and the game came down to the wire. The Kings were outscored by the Knicks 33-31 in the final quarter. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome the lead the Kings had built during the game. The Kings won the game 122-117 against the New York Knicks.

It was a wild game at Golden One Center, with every fan on their feet in the last minutes. Fox took over the game in the fourth to lead the Kings to victory. The Kings were led in scoring by Sabonis, who had 24 points. In defeat, the Knicks were led by R.J. Barrett, who had 25 points in the game.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday at 7 PM PST.

Kings Huerter leads with 25, Sabonis gets triple double in 123-108 win over Pelicans

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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) is defended by New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Mar 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

Sacramento Kings (38-26) Kevin Huerter scores 25 points to lead the Kings with Domantas Sabonis scoring a triple double which was his eighth triple double of the 2022-23 season. It was another home victory for the Kings defeating the visiting New Orleans Pelicans (31-34) 123-108 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

Sabonis’ contribution paid off big in the scoring department helping out Huerter’s effort. Sabonis scored 19 and had 11 rebounds, 11 assists. Sabonis is the NBA leader with 52 double doubles. The Kings have now won six of their last seven games since All Star weekend back on Sun Feb 19th.

The Kings have been playing amazing ball and picking up wins that have now placed them in second seeding in the NBA Western Conference just behind the first seeded Memphis Grizzlies by a half game. Kings Keegan Murray hopes Sacramento can keep up the pace hoping they can get the home floor advantage through the post season.

Murray mentioned that the Kings have some tough stretches coming up facing teams like the New York Knicks this Thursday at Golden 1, then hit the road to face Phoenix Suns Sat Mar 11, then back in Sacramento on Mon Mar 13 against the Milwaukee Bucks.

“We want to play our first (playoff) game at home,” Murray said. “It’s not easy, we know we have a lot of tough stretches coming up. We know we have to be locked in every single night.” The third quarter was key as the Kings out scored the Pelicans by a 18 point margin 38-20 that pretty much clinched it for Sacramento. A great offensive third quarter performance considering the game was all tied up at 59 each at the half.

The Knicks have been on a roll winning nine of their last ten games and have won nine straight games defeating the Boston Celtics in their last game on 131-129 in overtime on Sunday at TD Garden in Boston. The Knicks are in fifth place in the NBA Eastern Conference. The win for the Kings is their seventh in ten games. The tip with the Knicks and Kings is at 7:00p this coming Thursday night at Golden 1.

Kings edge Clippers 128-127 at Golden 1; Sac extends win streak to five

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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) spins away from Los Angeles Clippers center Mason Plumlee (44) during the first quarter at Golden 1 in Sacramento on Fri Mar 3, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings ((37-25) were back in action on Friday night. The Kings last played on Tuesday in Oklahoma City. The Kings played two games against the Thunder with an off day in between. The Kings played the Los Angeles Clippers (33-33) not long ago Fri Feb 24 when they had the second-highest-scoring NBA game in history.

The Kings won in double overtime 176-175. On Saturday, the Kings looked to put away the LA Clippers for the second time in as many weeks. The Kings defeated the Clippers 128-127 on Friday night.

In the first quarter, the Kings and Clippers both got off to hot starts on offense. The Kings scored 35 points in the first quarter to jump out to a quick three-point lead. The Clippers started with 33 points in the first. The defense for both teams was lacking early on in the game. The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard in the back-to-back game after losing to Golden State on Thursday.

In the second quarter, the Kings added two points to the lead. The Kings managed to outscore the Clippers 33-31 in the second quarter. This led the Kings to take a 68-63 halftime lead. The Clippers in the absence of Kawhi were getting a great performance from Russ Westbrook. Westbrook had 15 points at halftime. The Kings were led in the first half by Kevin Heurter who scored 14 points. The Kings in the second half would need to turn it up on the offensive end to put away the Clippers.

In the third quarter, the Kings and Clippers didn’t move an inch. The Kings scored 33 points in the quarter as the Clippers followed with 33 of their own. The Kings and Clippers would head to the final quarter with the Kings leading 101-96. The Kings and Clippers might be a first-round playoff preview. It would be an exciting series if that is the case. The teams are very competitively matched. The Kings would look to secure the game on the defensive end of the floor in the final quarter to seal the deal.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings barely held onto the lead. The Kings were outscored by the Clippers 31-27 in the final quarter. The game was an absolute nail-biter. Like the game a couple of weeks ago, it came down to one point and the final shot.

The Kings of last year would have lost this game. However, the new look Kings didn’t give in. Putting my critical hat on, the Kings should have won this game by five or more points. However, the win is all that counts for a fan base dying to make the playoffs. The Kings were led in victory by De’Aaron Fox who had 33 points. In defeat, Paul George was the leading scorer with 28 points. The Kings will look to continue the winning streak in the next game.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday at 7 PM PST.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings looking to avenge Clippers tonight at Golden 1

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Tre Mann, center, shoots between Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) and forward Domantas Sabonis (10) in the first half in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Kings took the court without De’Aaron Fox out with a wrist issue. Sacramento extended the Thunder’s losing streak to four straight games 123-117 on Tuesday night.

#2 The Kings came out strong in the first quarter winning the first 12 minutes 44-38. Sacramento had a great offensive start shooting at 66%.

#3 The Kings saw some beautiful ball movement in the second quarter as the Kings extended their lead to 68-59 with two minutes left in the half. They had led in the quarter by as much as 15 points. 

#4 In the absence of Fox the man of the hour with the high score was Barnes shooting for 29 points. Sabonis had 22 and Kevin Huerter with 20 points. The Thunder got close at times but the Kings held on for the win.

#5 Friday night the Kings will be facing a very tough Los Angeles Clipper team at Golden 1 Center. Los Angeles will be looking to avenge the double overtime they lost to Sacramento back on February 24th. The score in that game was 176-175. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

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