Kings take shooting guard Nik Stauskas at No.8

By Charlie O. Mallonee – Sports Radio Service

The Sacramento Kings surprised the experts on Thursday night by selecting shooting guard Nik Stauskas from the University of Michigan. The experts were predicting the Kings would draft a power forward or a point guard at number eight. The Kings drafted shooting guard Ben McLemore out of Kansas last year. McLemore saw an increasing amount of playing time in the second-half of the 2013-14 season. Does the selection of Stauskas mean the Kings are giving up on McLemore or could Stauskas have been drafted as a piece for a potential multi-player trade with someone like the Detroit Pistons? As the great expert continues to say on a regular basis, “Only time will tell.”

Stauskas is a 6’6”, 205 pound shooting guard from Etobicoke, Ontario. He played his high school ball at St. Mark’s School in Southborough, Massachusetts before heading to the University of Michigan. Stauskas was voted the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2014. He was named to All-Big Ten First-Team and to the Associated Press All-American Second-Team last year. Stauskas was selected to the NCAA Tournament All-Midwest Regional Team for his play leading the Wolverines to an Elite Eight run. Michigan lost to Kentucky, the eventual tournament champions, 75-72 in the Elite Eight.

Stauskas led Michigan in scoring in 2014 averaging 17.5 points per game which ranked third in the Big Ten. He shot 47.0-percent from the field and 44.2-percent from three-point range. Stauskas is an 82.4-percent free throw shooter.

Stauskas is an elite shooter with a quick release and great mechanics. The experts say he has unlimited range and is comfortable shooting off the dribble or on pull-ups. Stauskas is solid ball-handler with a good first step and the ability to make plays off the bounce pass. He is also known as an unselfish player who will make the extra pass. David Aldridge of NBA.com had Stauskas as the number-one shooting guard available in the draft.

When asked how he felt about being selected by the Kings Stauskas said’ “I’m excited about the city and the organization. They have a great young corps there. I’m excited to get in there and help the team win some games.”

Responding to a question about being drafted after the Kings selected shooting guard Ben McLemore last year he said, “I feel like I can play multiple positions. Moving forward in the NBA I feel I can play a little bit of the one (guard) and some two. I know this team has kind of struggled shooting the ball and that’s obviously the best part of my game and spreading the floor and knocking down shots is what I’m excited about doing for this team.”

“A lot of guys who come to Michigan, the guys who were under recruited, we play with a chip on our shoulder,” he said on ESPN. “Me and Trey we felt we had something to prove and coach Beilein and the assistant coaches they’ve all done a great job and they gave us a great system to play in and we really succeeded in it.”

“You’re playing with Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. you have to take a backseat somewhat,” ESPN analyst and former Wolverine Jalen Rose said on the broadcast. “He improved his ball handling, he got stronger, able to finish at the hoop, knock down three-point shooter and he’s fearless. He’s one of those guys who goes on the court and thinks, I’m the best player out there.”

Kings beat the T-Wolves 106-103

Photo credit: Rocky Widner
Photo credit: Rocky Widner

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings and the Minnesota Timberwolves met in Sacramento on Sunday night in a game that meant nothing in the standings. Both clubs are out of the playoff picture. The only thing that was on the line was pride. The Kings and T-Wolves brought plenty of pride to the game and put on a hard-fought show for the big crowd which went home happy because the Kings won the game 106-103.

The Kings were led by the outstanding play of DeMarcus Cousins who scored 35 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out six assists. It was Cousins’ 53rd double-double of the season. He shot 13 of 21 from the field and was 9 of 13 from the free throw line.

Cousins’ brilliant play was not the biggest story of the night for the Kings’ center. With one-minute and 13-seconds left in the game, Cousins picked up his 16th technical foul of the season which means he will be suspended for the Kings’ final game of the season versus Phoenix. Cousins had played with the 15 technical fouls hanging over his head since February 25th.

The Kings can and will appeal to the league office who can overturn the call. Head Coach Michael Malone said, “I feel for him. (We will) try to get it rescinded.

Rookie Ben McLemore played with abandon on offense and defense. McLemore scored 19 points and shot 3 for 6 from beyond the 3-point arc. On defense, McLemore held Kevin Martin and Robbie Hummel to just five points combined.

To the delight of the fans, Isaiah Thomas returned to the floor after missing 10 consecutive games with a right quad contusion. Thomas was very productive in his 30-minutes of playing time. He scored 14 points and dished out four assist.

The Timberwolves were led by Kevin Love’s 43 points and 11 rebounds. Love was 15 of 17 from the free throw line. Love had a relatively quiet first-half scoring just 13 points. He really came alive in the second-half and was the leader on the floor for Minnesota.

Rookie Center Gorgui Dieng had a spectacular game through three quarters. He picked up his fourth foul and was quiet after that. Dieng scored 21 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and had four assists.

After the game Kings Head Coach Michael Malone said, “(It was a) hell of an effort for our guys. (We) played better in the second half. Happy to get this win after losing five in a row.”

The Kings will play their final game of the season on Wednesday night in Sacramento against the Phoenix Suns who battling for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Kings lose in OKC 94-81

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Photo credit: NBAE/Getty Images

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings kicked off a three-game road trip in Oklahoma City versus the Thunder on Friday night. The outcome was no surprise as the Thunder defeated the Kings 94-81. The win improved Oklahoma City’s home record to improve to 30-7. Sacramento’s road record dropped to 10-26. The Thunder have won seven of their last 10 games. The Kings have lost seven of their last 10 games.

The Thunder were led by Kevin Durant who scored 29 points in just 29 minutes on the floor. Durant was nine for 11 from the field, a perfect eight for eight from the free throw line while recording six assists, two steals and two block shots. Russell Westbrook put up 18 points and Jeremy Lamb added 13 points.  

The Kings leading scorer was Ben McLemore with 18 points. McLemore hit on five of 16 shots from the field, hit three 3-pointers, distributed three assists and recorded two steals. Ray McCallum started at point guard with Isaiah Thomas out for the second straight game. McCallum put up 13 points while dishing out five assists. Both McLemore and McCallum recorded 45 minutes of playing time in the game.

Travis Outlaw had another big night. Outlaw posted 17 points hitting on five of six 3-point shots. Rudy Gay added just seven points in a limited outing of just 21 minutes of playing time. DeMarcus Cousins battled foul trouble and put just four points in 17 minutes on the floor.

The reduced playing time for Gay and Cousins may have also been pre-planned by Kings Coach Michael Malone. This was not a game that the Kings were expected to win. Sacramento plays Dallas on Saturday and the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. A rested Gay and Cousins could help the Kings pick up a victory in one of those two games.

The Kings shot just 36.5-percent (31 for 85) from the field but shot 50.0-percent (9 for 18) from 3-point range. The Kings shot below average from the free throw line at just 62.5-percent (10 for 16). Sacramento out-rebounded the Thunder 49-38. The Kings recorded 17 assists but turned the ball over 16 times.

The Kings left after the game for Dallas where they will play the Mavericks on Saturday night. The Mavs are 43-30 on the season and are currently in ninth-place in the Western Conference. Dallas is one game behind the Phoenix Suns for the eighth and final playoff spot.

Kings beat up on Bucks 124-107

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Photo credit: NBAE/Getty Images

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings had the unenviable task of going from playing the best team in “the Association”- the Spurs – to having to face the worst team in the league – the Milwaukee Bucks – on Sunday at home. The Kings could have easily come out flat, but they came out ready to play looking for a victory. Sacramento beat Milwaukee 124-107.

The Kings were led by DeMarcus Cousins who posted a double-double scoring 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds while playing just 29 minutes in the game. Cousins spent the entire fourth quarter on the bench. Isaiah Thomas scored 30 points on just 15 shots that included going three for four from “3-point land”. Thomas also dished out eight assists. Rudy Gay put up 24 points while pulling down eight rebounds and serving up four assists. Ben McLemore scored 15 points including three 3-pointers.

Sacramento shot 51.2-percent from the field and shot 35.0-percent (7 for 20) from beyond the 3-point line. As a team, the Kings recorded 19 assists against just 12 turnovers. The Kings outrebounded the Bucks 44-40.

With a big win and numbers like they posted, you would think Kings Head Coach Michael Malone would have been very happy after the game. You would only be partially right. Coach stated that he is happy with any win in the NBA, but he was unhappy with the 63 points his team gave up in the second half. Up by 40 at one point, Malone was not pleased that he had to consider putting Cousins back in the game if things had continued to get out of hand.

The Kings came out in the first half ready to dominate the lowly Milwaukee Bucks. The Kings took a 70-44 lead into the locker room after 24-minutes of play. DeMarcus Cousins put up 21 points; Rudy Gay added 17 while Ben McLemore posted 11 going four for eight from the field.

The Kings were able to dominate due to their play in the paint. Sacramento scored 28 points down low while allowing the Bucks just 16 in the paint. The Kings also ruled the boards outrebounding Milwaukee 27-20.

The Kings were looking to run the fastbreak in the first half. They added nine points off the break while the Sacramento defense gave up no fastbreak points to the Bucks. The Kings defense held the Bucks to just 34.9-percent (15 for 42) shooting. Sacramento shot 58.1-percent (24 for 43) from the field. The Kings shot 40.0-percent (4 for 10) from beyond the 3-point arc.

Coach Malone was also able to give some extended rest to Cousins, Gay and Thomas. That also meant valuable playing time for Ray McCallum and Travis Outlaw.

The first half also featured two flagrant fouls committed by the Bucks.

Milwaukee started off the third quarter with an 8-0 run. That caused Malone to take a quick timeout. The Bucks started working the paint and scoring on the Kings. The Kings appeared to be flat and distracted. Cousins then scored on a coast to coast bucket and Thomas hit two 3-pointers allowing the Kings to maintain the lead. The Kings hit the century mark with 2:17 left to play in the third quarter. The quarter ended with the Kings leading the Bucks 104-70.

The fourth quarter should have been pure garbage time for the Kings. Instead the Bucks were able to begin to make Malone and the crowd a bit nervous. Sacramento suffered a series of defensive breakdowns that caused Malone to call timeouts to preach defense to his team.

The Kings allowed Milwaukee to shoot 75.0-percent (15 for 20) from the field in the fourth quarter. The Bucks scored 14 of those points in the paint and 10 points on fastbreaks. Milwaukee outscored the Kings 37-20 in the final period. Garbage time or not, that cannot happen when you start the quarter with a 34-point lead. It is part of the process of having to learn how to handle a large lead.

The Kings are off until Wednesday when they will host the New York Knicks in the final game of the four-game home-stand. Sacramento will then head out on a three-game road trip to Oklahoma City, Dallas and New Orleans.

Kings fight off the Celtics 105-98

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Photo credit: Rocky Widner NBAE/Getty Images

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings defeated the Boston Celtics 105-98 Saturday night before a sellout crowd of 17,137 at Sleep Train Arena. There were no lead changes in the game and the contest was tied only once. That is not to say it was an easy win for the Kings.

The Celtics came in and played a very physical game and cut the Kings lead to just one point twice in the fourth quarter. After a slow start in the first quarter, Boston did not look like a team who had lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Even after shooting a horrible 34% in the first half, the Celtics would not give up.

The battle of the night was the match up of Kris Humphries and DeMarcus Cousins. Humphries just draped himself over Cousins, and the officials allowed him to do so until late in the game. Cousins scored just 13 points and grabbed just seven rebounds. The Kings center played the entire game in a state of controlled frustration with the lack of calls against Humphries.

Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas led the way for the Kings. Gay scored 22 points in the game after being held scoreless in the first quarter. Isaiah Thomas recorded a double-double scoring 21 points and dishing out 12 assists. But, the two Kings’ stars did not win the game on their own. Seven Kings scored in double figures versus Boston.

Jeff Green and Kris Humphries led the charge for the Celtics. Green led all scorers in the game with his 29 points. Humphries scored 19 shooting 9 for 15 from the field. Jerryd Bayless added 16 points for Boston off the bench.

The Kings shot very well versus the Celtics. Sacramento shot 52.1% (38 for 73) from the field. They shot 55.6% (5 for 9) from beyond the 3-point line. The Kings also helped themselves from the free throw line hitting 85.7% (24 for 28) of their opportunites. They were out rebounded 42-38 and turned the ball over 18 times to just 14 times for Boston.

The Kings played tough on defense as well. The Celtics shot just 39.1% (34 for 87) from the field. They shot just 28.6% (6 for 21) from 3-point land. Boston was a dismal 66.7% (24 for 36) from the free throw line.

“It was a weird game,” said Kings Head Coach Michael Malone. “We were trying to keep our composure out there. Obviously, we benefitted from Gerald Wallace and their coach thrown out at the end. It gave us a couple of extra free throws. It’s a physical game, and we can’t let people get under our skin and get in the way of what we’re trying to do. We defended at a fairly high level for most of the night, but we put them on the foul line way too many times. Once again, there were 18 turnovers for 19 points – that continues to be a problem for us. It was a great game for Isaiah Thomas – he tied his career high assists and only had four turnovers. We’ll take the win but we have to get a lot better.”

It was the new look Kings that won the game on Saturday night. Ben McLemore played 27 minutes and scored 11 points while shooting 44.4% from the field. Derrick Williams and Carl Landry each scored 10 points in their 24 minutes of playing time. Ray McCallum played 11 minutes as the second unit point guard. Expect to see more of the same over the next 27 games.

Newcomer Reggie Evans was on the bench but did not see any action.

Rajon Rondo was not with the Celtics in Sacramento. The team reported Rondo needed rest.

The Kings have no time to savor their victory. The have to play the second game of a back-to-back on Sunday afternoon in Denver  the against the Nuggets.

Ben McLemore headed to the Slam Dunk Contest

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Photo credit: NBA.com

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings will have a representative at the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. Rookie guard Ben McLemore has been selected to participate in the Sprite Slam Dunk contest. The last Kings’ player to take part in the Slam Dunk contest was Gerald Wallace in 2002.

 McLemore will join Toronto guard and defending champion Terrence Ross, Indiana forward Paul George, Portland guard Damian Lillard, Washington guard John Wall and Golden State forward Harrison Barnes in the contest. The high profile event will give McLemore exposure to a national audience of NBA fans.

 McLemore, a 6-5 guard out of Kansas, has averaged 7.7 points in 23.5 minutes per game for the Kings. The rookie shooting guard has had moments of brillance and has had his struggles as you would expect from a first year player in “the Association”. McLemore has been very impressive when he drives the lane and attacks the basket.

 The Slam Dunk contest will be a part of the All-Star Saturday Night. The event will be televised nationally on the TNT.

Kings Beat Jazz in Overtime

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Photo credit: Melissa Majchrak

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings defeated the Utah Jazz on Saturday night in overtime 112-102. It was not only a big road win, but it was a win in a close game that Kings needed very badly.

The Kings had lost the proverbial heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Lakers at home on Friday night. The team, the coaching staff and the fans were beginning to wonder if the team would ever be able to win a close game this season.

Saturday did not start off the way the Kings would have liked. DeMarcus Cousins picked up two personal fouls in the first minute of the game. With Cousins on the bench, the Kings had their work cut out for them to just keep the game close until their star center could return.

The Jazz led the game 50-47 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Kings began to open up the game. The Jazz had no answer for Cousins down low in the paint. Isaiah Thomas was breaking down the Utah defense driving the lane and distributing the ball at will. The Kings led 74-70 after three quarters, and it felt like the Kings could run away with the game if they could continue playing the way they did in the third.

Early in the fourth quarter the Kings shooting went cold. At one point, the Kings were shooting just 29% while the Jazz were shooting 54% from the field. It began to look like the Lakers, Golden State and Oklahoma City games all over again.

After the game, head coach Michael Malone said he kept calling timeouts not to set plays or the defense, but to try and instill confidence in his team that they could win a close game.

With 11.9 seconds to go in the game, the Kings trailed the Jazz 97-94. Isaiah Thomas took the ball and started to drive the lane when looked to his right and saw Ben McLemore. He swung the ball to McLemore who shot a 25 footer that was good for three points tying the game at 97-97. The Jazz were unable to score, and it was off to overtime for the second time this season for both teams.

DeMarcus Cousins scored the first points in the extra period on a layup with an assist from John Salmons. That basket set the tone for the Kings who would go on to outscore the Jazz 15-5 in overtime. Sacramento closed out the period on a 10-0 run to win the game 112-102.

Cousins led all scorers with 28 points. He added seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocked shots. Isaiah Thomas tallied 26 points, eight assists and four steals. Ben McLemore posted 15 points, nine rebounds and two steals in his 38 minutes of playing time.

Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 22 points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots.

Sacramento’s record improves to 5-13 on the season. Utah falls to 4-18 for the year.

The Kings flew home after the game and will now prepare for a Monday night contest with the Dallas Mavericks at Sleep Train Arena.

Kings Fold in the Fourth; Lose to Lakers 106-100

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Photo Credit: Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Kings lost at home on Friday night to the Los Angeles Lakers 106-100. It was game they did not have to lose. It was a game the Kings should have won.

After the game, Kings Head Coach Michael Malone said one word was on his mind, “discipline. And, we had none in this game tonight.”

Turnovers and lack of defense in the fourth quarter led to the Kings defeat. The Kings turned to ball over five times in the final period. The Lakers outscored the Kings 25-13 in fourth. That lack of discipline cost Sacramento the 87-81 lead they had after three periods of play.

The game started slow for the Kings. It looked like they might fall back into their habit of falling seriously behind and then having to play catch up later in the game. With 3:19 to play in the first, Isaiah Thomas came into the game for Vasquez and the Kings’ tempo changed dramatically. They went from trailing the Lakers by seven to leading the game by two points (30-28) by the end of the quarter. The crowd knew their team could win the game if they continued to play at that level.

In the second quarter, Thomas continued to lead the way. He played the entire 12 minutes, scored 10 points and dished out three assists. The problem for the Kings became their shot selection and shooting percentage. Sacramento’s field goal shooting dropped to 36.0% (9/25) while the Lakers shot 50.0%. The Kings managed to outscore the Lakers 25-24 in the quarter and took a 55-52 lead with them to locker room at the half.

The Kings came out in the third quarter ready to do battle. They established an eight point lead (68-60) by the 7:39 mark in the period. Then with 6:39 to play, DeMarcus Cousins picked up his fourth personal foul which would ultimately have a dramatic impact on the game as he had to sit on the bench. The rest of the Kings went to work picking up the slack. When Ben McLemore hit back-to-back 3-pointers, it looked like the Kings were poised to beat the Lakers. When the quarter ended, the score was the Kings 87 and the Lakers 81.

Then came the disastrous fourth quarter and the Kings shot just 23.5% (4/17). Isaiah Thomas was 0/4, Cousins was 0/4 and Williams 0/1 from the field. Sacramento turned the ball over five times. They allowed the Lakers to steal the ball five times in the period. The Lakers outscored the Kings 25-13. The Kings ran out of gas, things got ugly and they lost the game 106-100.

“Obviously this isn’t what we worked on, diagrammed or hoped for,” said Michael Malone. “It’s obvious that we have to do a lot more. I thought we had great late-game execution against Golden State. We got whatever we wanted, we scored, and we executed. Tonight, down the stretch, we turned the ball over on almost every possession. It was very disappointing, obviously. We’ll have another chance tomorrow in Utah and we need to regroup to find a way to get a road win.”

DeMarcus Cousins and Ben McLemore led all scorers in the game with 20 points each. Isaiah Thomas tallied 14 points before going cold in the fourth quarter. John Salmons added 13 points; Williams and Thompson had nine points each.

Cousins made it a double-double game with his 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Pau Gasol and Jodie Meeks led the Lakers in scoring with 19 points each. Nick Young scored 14, Wesley Johnson and Steve Blake 13 each and Robert Sacre added 11 points.  Blake posted a double-double by adding 10 assists.

The Kings boarded a plane for Salt Lake City after the game. They will play the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. The Jazz were destroyed by the Trail Blazers on Friday night 130-97. On paper, the Kings should have real chance to defeat the Jazz, but that’s on paper. The reality is the game is on road versus a team that is just as hungry for a win as are the Kings.

Kings McLemore Named Western Conference Rookie of the Month

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Photo credit: NBA.com

By Charlie O. Mallonee

Guard Ben McLemore of the Sacramento Kings has been named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for November.

In November, McLemore averaged 9.1 points (.378 FG%, .350 3-PT%, .810 FT%), 2.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 22.8 minutes in 14 games. In six of those games, he scored in double figures. McLemore scored a career high 19 points at Golden State on November 2.  Of all rookies in the NBA, he is ranked third in scoring, second in 3-Point field goal percentage, third in free throw percentage and fourth in minutes per game.

McLemore is the fifth Kings player to win the monthly rookie award. Isaiah Thomas was the last Sacramento player to earn the rookie of the month honor in March of 2012.

McLemore has been moved into the starting line-up by Head Coach Michael Malone. He scored 14 points, pulled down 3 rebounds and had one steal in 28 minutes of playing time against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

Lakers cruise past the Kings 100-86

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

No one likes to play the LA Lakers at Staples Center. The crowd, the stars and “show time” make for major distractions. If you have to play the Lakers at home, an opposing team would like LA to have a losing record and be without Kobe Bryant (Achilles) and Steve Nash (nerve irritation). That was the scenario for the Sacramento Kings to take advantage of on Sunday night in SoCal.

In order to have good showing versus the Lakers, the Kings needed to break the cycle of falling 15 to 20 points behind in the first quarter then fighting their way back into the game. This would be even more important against a Lakers team that loves to run.

The tempo was fast and furious in the first period as the teams traded scoring. The Kings were led by Greivis Vasquez with 13 points and DeMarcus Cousins who scored eight points as the team put up 24 points. Sacramento shot 45.5% (10/22) in the quarter. After one period of play, the Lakers led the Kings 29-24 as Sacramento showed much improved play in the first quarter.

The second quarter started off with the Lakers being on fire. They were running and gunning as they hit 3-pointer after 3-pointer in transition and quickly took a 13 point lead. The Kings rather than lying down and blaming their play on it being the second game of a back-to-back fought their way back into contention trailing by just seven – 55-48 – at halftime.

The Kings shot 50.0% (21/42) for the half. Most those points came inside the arc as they shot just 25.0% (3/7) from 3-point land. Vazquez led all Kings scorers with 15 points.

The Lakers shot 46.7% (21/45) from the field. They shot just 31.2% (5/16) from beyond the 3-point line. The Lakers have averaged 41.0% for 3-pointers on the season. Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 14 points in the half.

The third quarter was not a picture of perfection. Both teams struggled early. The Kings closed the Laker lead to two points but could contain LA. The Kings did not hit the outside shots and scored just 13 points in the quarter. The Lakers scored just 18 points. After three quarters, the Lakers led 73-61.

The Kings came out in fourth quarter looking like a young team that was playing the second game of back-to-back road games. The defense just went away and the shooting percentage kept falling. Couple that with the Lakers improved 3-point shooting and it was a recipe for disaster. The Lakers went on to win the game 100-86.

Greivis Vasquez led the Kings in scoring with 20 points. He added seven assists. DeMarcus Cousins finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Ben McLemore posted 15 points for the game. McLemore tried to provide a spark for the Kings with his play in the fourth quarter. You can see the potential for the young rookie to become a game changer as he gains more experience.

The Kings shot 41.7% (35/84) from the field and 33.3% (8/24) for 3-pointers. The most glaring stat was the pitiful 53.3% (8/15) from the free throw line.

Pau Gasol finished with a double-double – 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers shot 46.0% from the field and 30.8% from beyond the 3-point line.

COMING UP: The Kings will be able to get some rest this week as they will not play again until the Friday after Thanksgiving. The Kings will play the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. You know the Kings will up for that game after the stinging 103-102 loss on Saturday to the Clippers. Then on Sunday, the Kings Northern California brethren the Golden State Warriors pay a call on Sleep Train Arena. It will be quite the way to cap off a Thanksgiving Weekend.