Kings’ comeback falls short as Clippers run away with 121-115 win

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By: Jordan Chapin

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On a Thursday night in Sacramento, the Los Angeles Clippers came into town after arguably their biggest win of the season against the Golden State Warriors. They kept their momentum going tonight, edging the Sacramento Kings, 121-115, at the Golden 1 Center.

In a game where DeAndre Jordan went down with an ankle sprain in the first half, Montrezl Harrell stepped up in a big way, shooting a near perfect 11-for-12, and ending his night with 25 points. Despite brilliant efforts from George Hill and a new career-high in points with 22 from Bogdan Bogdanovic, the Kings turned on the switch too little, too late.

In the first half, the Kings trailed as much as 14 points, and Lou Williams proceeded to have a field day. Williams had 21 points by the end of the first half and ended the game with 30. Sacramento trailed throughout the entirety of the game, until Zach Randolph hit a go-ahead jump shot to give the Kings the lead with four minutes to go. In crunch time, big players stepped up in big ways, after a Blake Griffin three-pointer and a Williams fadeaway jumper, the Kings didn’t have enough to match the Clippers and lost the battle against the clock.

Sacramento did shoot pretty well as a team at 50%, but struggled from behind the arc, shooting only 30%. Offensively, the Kings did well, ending with six players in double-digit scoring and assisting on 23 baskets. L.A. was just flat out the better team, with more star players, and a bit more fire power, even with key players being out. This is Sacramento’s third loss this year to the Clippers, but they have an opportunity to steal a game in the series finale at the Staples Center. This Thursday night loss extends the Kings home losing streak to 11 games.

Up next for the Kings is their second trip in Los Angeles in three days where they will battle the Clippers once again on Saturday night. It is questionable that Jordan will return from his ankle injury, but you can bet Williams will be coming out hot, as he has done for the last 12 years.

After that, they will fly to Oklahoma City and face a team in the Thunder that they beat earlier in the season, so you know OKC will be coming out hard and aggressive.

Sacramento Kings
Star of the Game: George Hill
George Hill had one of his best games of the season, shooting only 5-for-13 from the field, but was 10-of-13 from the free throw line. Hill played very aggressive throughout the whole game and was the biggest key for Sacramento getting back into the ball game. He ended with 21 points, three rebounds, and three assists.

Key Stats
-Six players in double-digits
-Bogdan Bogdanovic set a new career high with 22 points
-Kosta Koufos has recorded 29 rebounds in last two games
-Sacramento allowed 43 points in the second quarter, which is a season-high for an opponent in a quarter.

Los Angeles Clippers
Star of the Game: Montrezl Harrell
Montrezl Harrell had a season-high 25 points tonight and filled a huge gap when DeAndre Jordan went down early. Harrell played with major energy off the bench and  was nearly perfect scoring around the basket. He shot 11-for-12 from the field, but struggled from the free throw line shooting a poor 3-for-9. Harrell capped off his night with six rebounds and a Clippers victory.

Key Stats
-Lou Williams scored 70 points in two nights
-Assisted on 28 made baskets
-Shot 51% from the field and 42% from three-point land
-Blake Griffin ended with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists after missing a few games with a concussion

Dorian Pickens notches career-high 28 points as Cardinal hold on for 79-70 win over Washington State

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By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Thursday, January 11, 2018

Dorian Pickens had a career-high 28 points–including a key three-pointer–with 1:16 remaining in the second half, helping Stanford to a 79-70 win at Washington State in a Pac-12 men’s basketball matchup in Pullman, Washington, on Thursday night.

Pickens scored a career-high 28 points for the Cardinal (9-8 overall, 3-1 Pac-12), including 7-of-10 three-pointers. Freshman Kezie Okpala contributed a career-high 21 points and Daejon Davis was 6-of-7 on field goals while adding 15 points for Stanford.

Washington State (8-8 overall, 0-4 Pac-12) had a 55-47 lead when Stanford’s Reid Travis drew a hard foul from the Cougars’ Kwinton Hinson. Both players were separated by teammates, and the Cardinal responded with a nine-minute, 57 second 21-3 run to take a 68-58 lead with 6:26 remaining.

WSU cut its deficit to three points twice, but Pickens hit a pair of 3s as Stanford was able to hold on for its third consecutive victory.

The Cougars were hot out of the gate, making 11 of its first 12 shots, including four three-pointers. Pickens kept the Cardinal close, hitting 22 first-half points on 8-of-9 floor shooting. Pickens gave the Cardinal a two-point lead on a pair of threes before Washington State’s Malachi Flynn closed out the first half with three three-pointers. WSU led 45-38 at the half.

Flynn scored 24 points–along with seven threes–to lead the Cougars. Milan Acquaah was next for WSU with eight points, while Drick Bernstine added eight points and 12 rebounds. Robert Franks, the Cougars’ leading scorer at 17.3 per game, was held to eight points and committed six of Washington State’s 22 turnovers.

Travis, the Pac-12’s third-leading scorer coming into the weekend at 21.3 points per game, was held to six points and six rebounds.

The Cardinal’s road trip continues Saturday, when Stanford visits Washington for a 5 p.m. contest.

Headline Sports Podcast with Tony Renteria: Tony picks the winners of this weekend’s NFL playoff action

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Headline Sports Podcast with Tony Renteria:

Tony has your exclusive coverage on the NFL Divisional Playoffs:

Sunday’s game AFC: Jacksonville 10 Buffalo 3

AFC Divisional Round

Saturday: Tennessee Titans @ New England Patriots

Sunday: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday’s game NFC: New Orleans 31 vs. Carolina 26

NFC: Divisional Round

Saturday: Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday: New Orleans Saints @ Minnesota Vikings

Tony Renteria does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal Men’s Basketball Podcast with Alexandra Evans: Stanford opens up two game road trip with WSU tonight

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On the Stanford Cardinal Podcast with Alexandra:

1 Looking at last week’s Stanford (8-8) results the Cardinal getting surprise wins over UCLA (12-4) and USC (12-6). The game last week against UCLA was called the best game of the season for the Cardinal.

2 In the USC game, the Trojans came out dominating as four players finished the first half in double figures and it would look like the Trojans would be controlling this game throughout.

3 In the second half, the Cardinal came alive with a strong defense, holding the Trojans to just 30 points in the second half.

4 In that second half, the Cardinal’s Reid Travis scored 29 points, 10 boards, and a double-double.

5 Stanford’s on the road for two games starting tonight at Pullman. Alexandra talks about tonight’s match up with Washington State (8-7).

Alexandra podcasts Stanford basketball each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

Durant has historic night, but Warriors were routed by Clippers 125-106

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By: Ana Kieu

The Golden State Warriors closed out a brief, two-game homestand with a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, whom they last faced on January 6 and blew out by a score of 121-105 at Staples Center.

The Warriors entered the game with a five-game win streak, while the Clippers were hoping to extend their win streak to two games. The Clippers previously escaped with a 108-107 win over the Atlanta Hawks on January 8.

Prior to the tipoff, the Harlem Globetrotters hung out with the Warriors before they played this weekend.

Zaza Pachulia opened the scoring with a two-point field goal attempt to give the Warriors an early lead. Pachulia later finished a break off the lob from Kevin Durant, who also showed fans why he deserves their votes for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game.

Andre Iguodala hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 29 apiece with two minutes left in the first quarter. Both teams battled it out, but the Warriors were on top 35-32 at the end of the first.

The Warriors were down by two (42-40), but Durant came to the rescue with a three and a foul with 6:39 left in the second quarter. Golden State led Los Angeles by one (43-42).

The Warriors sparked a nice little run and Omri Casspi closed out the second with back-to-back buckets. Golden State carried a 62-58 lead to the locker room at halftime.

Here are the Warriors’ halftime stats:

It was obvious that Durant had himself a night with 25 points along with a career milestone and the game was nowhere near over. However, the Warriors needed great shots out of their offense if they wanted to secure a win against the Clippers. Golden State went into the fourth quarter in deep trouble, trailing the Clippers by seven (97-90) at the end of the third quarter.

Durant continued to shine as he accumulated more points in the fourth with 40, which was 10 less than Lou Williams’ 50 points for the Clippers, but nonetheless, a milestone to celebrate. The Warriors’ five-game win streak was snapped by the Clippers, who routed the home team by a score of 125-106.

Here are the Warriors’ final stats:

Notes
Warriors’ starting lineup: Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Zaza Pachulia, Nick Young and Shaun Livingston.

Warriors’ injury update: Stephen Curry (sprained right ankle) and Klay Thompson (rest) are out. Kevin Durant (right calf strain), Draymond Green (right knee soreness) and Andre Iguodala (left knee & hip soreness) are available to play.

Durant had his seventh 30-point game of the season with 30 points on 10-of-12 from the field (and a perfect 4-of-4 from the three-point range).

Durant is the second youngest player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points (behind only LeBron James) and is the first player to score his 20,000th career point as a Warrior.

Warriors owner and CEO Joe Lacob turned 62 today.

Clippers’ starting lineup: Jawun Evans, Lou Williams, CJ Williams, Wesley Johnson and DeAndre Jordan.

Up Next
The Warriors take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday at 7 pm CT.

San Jose Barracuda Podcast with Marko Ukalovic: After getting swept by San Diego Barracuda pick up win over San Antonio on Tuesday night

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On the Barracuada Podcast with Marko Ukalovic:

1 The San Jose Barracuda (20-15-0)  after getting swept in a two game series by San Diego sent the San Antonio Rampage down to defeat (16-14-2) at San Jose 2-1 for their 20th win of the season.

2 Manny Wiederer who scored the game winning goal for San Jose on a failed clearing attempt by the Rampage goaltender Ville Husso that allowed Wiederer to score on teammate Brandon Boilig’s screen

3 Wiederer tried to set a pass up to Boilig, but took the shot himself he was aware of the fine job Husso was doing and took his chances succeeding on a blind side goal

4 The first period gave an indication that this was going to be a defensive game with no scoring

5 The Barracuda host the Rockport Ice Hogs for a 7 pm face off on Friday night the second of four home games at SAP Center

Marko Ukalovic does the Barracuda podcasts every Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

San Jose Sharks Podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh: Jets game in the latest of concerns of penalty kills for the Sharks

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On the San Jose Sharks Podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh:

1 The Sharks finished the five game round trip last Sunday going 1-2-2. It was not the kind of road trip shows head coach Peter DeBoer had in mind

2 Logan Couture scored San Jose’s only goal in the 4-1 loss to Winnipeg Sunday

3 Sharks goalie Marty Jones in goal stopped 26 shots but allowed four Winnipeg goals

4 For the Jets 26-11-7 goals for their game against the Sharks on Sunday Marko Dano, Matt Hendricks, and Mathieu Perrault two goals

5 The Sharks get their only win of this road trip in Montreal last week Monday. The Sharks return to San Jose Saturday and then set sail for their next road trip Mon Jan 15th in Los Angeles.

Mary Lisa Walsh does Sharks hockey podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsadioservice.com

 

Kings fall in Los Angeles to the Lakers 99-86

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By Jordan Chapin

On a Tuesday night in the Staples Center, the Sacramento Kings loss a roller coaster game to the Los Angeles Lakers, 99-86. In a always anticipated Fox vs. Ball match up, it was pretty even, Fox shot 6-for-16 from the field with 15 points, three assists, and one rebound, while Ball struggled from the field shooting 2-for-10, but had 11 assists and 11 rebounds. Tonight the Lakers channeled their inner “showtime,” and frankly ran the Kings out of the building, scoring 35 points via fast break.

The Kings put themselves in a hole quick, as the Lakers went on a 17-0 run and went up 24-6 only five minutes into the game. Despite being down early, the Kings led by Bogdan Bogdanovic and De’Aaron Fox who had 10 of his 15 points in the first quarter came surging back with a run of their own, cutting the Lakers lead to just 31-27 at the end of the first quarter.

Sacramento trailed only 53-52 going into halftime, but frustration began to kick in when the Kings came out on the floor for the second half. The outside shooting of Brook Lopez and the inside presence of Julius Randle was too much for Sacramento to handle. Despite Los Angeles turning the ball over 25 times, the Kings shot a minuscule 34% from the field and never gave themselves a chance to get back in the game scoring only 12 points in the fourth quarter.

The Sacramento Kings will try their luck on Thursday with the other team from “La La Land”, the Los Angeles Clippers, who continue to battle with injuries to key players such as Blake Griffin and Patrick Beverly. With the first half of the season winding down, the Kings and Lakers now sit with the same record of 13-27.

Sacramento Kings:
Star of the Game: Bogdan Bogdanovic

Bogy

Tying his career high with 19 points, Bogdanovic was key in keeping the Kings in the game for as long as they did. Bogey shot 7-for-13 from the field with 4 assists and 2 rebounds. Despite one of his most efficient games of the year, it wasn’t enough to slow down a speedy Lakers team.

Kings’ Key Stats:
Forced 25 turnover and had 15 assists

Shot 34% from the field and 38% from 3 point land

Went to the free throw line 27 times, only made 18 of 27 shots

Kosta Koufas: 15 rebounds, one away from career high

Vintage Vince Carter Dunkage: 1

Los Angeles Lakers:
Star of the Game: Julius Randle

Randle was the most dominant player on the floor tonight with 22 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Bringing energy off the bench, Randle opened up the floor for his teammates tonight with a heavy presence down low and reckless abandon to the rim.

Key Stats:
Shot 48% from the field and 34% from 3-point land, despite shooting 35 shots behind the arc.

30 assists as a team, 11 of which came from Lonzo Ball

Went to the line 21 times, made only 13 of 21

Two players with a double-double

35 points scored from fast breaks

NFL Playoffs Podcast with David Zizmor: A look at eight teams that’s battling it out for the Super Bowl

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NFL Playoff Podcast with David Zizmor:

Sunday’s game AFC: Jacksonville 10 Buffalo 3

AFC Divisional Round

Saturday: Tennessee Titans @ New England Patriots

Sunday: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday’s game NFC: New Orleans 31 vs. Carolina 26

NFC: Divisional Round

Saturday: Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday: New Orleans Saints @ Minnesota Vikings

David goes through the NFL Playoff schedule for this weekend at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: 2018 MLB Hall of Fame Inductees and Prediction

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

OAKLAND — All the votes are in, by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) for the players that will be inducted this 2018. The results will be announced in January 24 on MLB Network. The inductions are scheduled for July 28 -29 in Cooperstown, New York.

Any candidate must be named on 75 percent of the ballots. Last year, Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez were elected and inducted in July.

For the first time Andrew “Chipper” Jones, great power-switch-hitter and third baseman for the Atlanta Braves for 19 seasons, .303 average 468 home runs and 1,623 runs batted-in. Hideki Matsui and Johan Santana (two-time Cy Young winner) have a record of 139-78 in 12 seasons with the Twins and Mets.

Jim Thome ranks eighth in history with 612 home runs. Venezuelan Omar Vizquel the great defensive shortstop who played for 24 years and won 11 Gold Gloves (nine with Cleveland and two with San Francisco) are among several players who are eligible this year as well as Chris Carpender, Johnny Damon, Livan Hernandez, Jamie Moyer, Scott Rolen, Kerry Wood and Carlos Zambrano.

Returning to the BBWAA ballot, Trevor Hoffman (74% of the vote in 2017) leads the National League for saves in history with 601. Dominican outfielder Vladimir Guerrero (71.7% of the BBWAA vote in 2017) had a great 16-year career with the Expos, Angels, Rangers and Orioles, .318 lifetime average with 449 home runs, 1,496 runs batted in and 181 steals, they both missed last year’s election by five and 15 votes, respectively.

Below are the top 10 players with the percentage they received as of last season (not including votes pending casted by the BBWA this time). 75% is needed for election.

Player | Year(s) eligibility | Percentage of vote
Trevor Hoffman, 3rd, 74
Vladimir Guerrero, 2nd, 71.7
Edgar Martinez, 9th, 58.6
Roger Clemens, 6th, 54.1
Barry Bonds, 6th, 53.8
Mike Mussina, 5th, 51.8
Curt Schilling, 6th, 45
Manny Ramirez, 2nd, 23.8
Larry Walker, 8th, 21.9
Fred McGriff, 9th, 21.7

My prediction for the 2018 class: Trevor Hoffman, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, Omar Vizquel and Andrew “Chipper” Jones

The first three should go in, for sure, while Vizquel and Jones, which are on the ballot for the first time, might have to wait. But I would be content if they also make it this year.

Players like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Manny Ramirez are obviously tainted by the “steroids era.” Clemens was acquitted of all charges in 2012 that he obstructed and lied to Congress in denying he used PEDs. Bonds, in 2013, was convicted for obstruction of justice for giving an “incomplete” answer to a grand jury. In 2015, the court overturned conviction and federal prosecutors dropped the case. Ramirez was suspended more than once for his PED use.

I know, it all stinks, and people have different opinions about this, but the black cloud for those guys, and others like Sosa, Palmeiro, McGwire will always follow them for the rest of their lives. If it was left to me, I would not send them to Cooperstown, although they all have the statistics.

I agree with Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, the second-baseman who played for 22 years, towards the end of his career, two seasons with the Giants, and retired with the Athletics in 1984. I agree with Morgan on that very clear and stern letter he sent to the Hall of Fame. I believe cheating is cheating, be in 1919 or 2004. It is not fair for the guys that played by the rules and were clean of steroids.

Morgan wrote:

“The more we Hall of Famers talk about this—and we talk about it a lot—we realize we can no longer sit silent. Many of us have come to think that silence will be considered complicity. Or that fans might think we are ok if the standards of election to the Hall of Fame are relaxed, at least relaxed enough for steroid users to enter and become members of the most sacred place in Baseball. We don’t want fans ever to think that.

“We hope the day never comes when known steroid users are voted into the Hall of Fame. They cheated. Steroid users don’t belong here.”

“It’s gotten to the point where Hall of Famers are saying that if steroid users get in, they’ll no longer come to Cooperstown for Induction Ceremonies or other events. Some feel they can’t share the stage with players who did steroids.”