Tag: DeMarcus Cousins

Sacramento Kings Saturday game wrap: What a difference a day makes – Kings beat the Warriors 109-106 in OT

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
gsw-collison
Darren Collison drives past Klay Thompson Photo NBAE

by Charlie O. Mallonee

SACRAMENTO–There is an old song that Dinah Washington made famous (that’s for all of my readers who have lived a little) titled “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes”. That would be a fitting title for the Sacramento Kings 109-106 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

On Friday night, the Kings dropped a last second decision to the Phoenix Suns when Devin Booker banked in a jump shot at the final buzzer to hand Sacramento a painful 105-103 loss.

The way the Kings responded to that loss and the effort they would put forth versus the team with the best record in “the Association” was really critical for how this team would play for the rest off the season. They also had to face a Golden State franchise that had won the last 13 consecutive meetings between the two teams. All in all, the odds looked stacked against Sacramento.

The Kings did exactly what they needed to do by coming out and starting the game strong. Cousins scored 12 points in the opening 12 minutes and the Kings needed those points as Warriors superstar Steph Curry posted 14 points of his own in the opening quarter. Sacramento took a 31-27 lead after the first period.

The second quarter brought new stars to the floor as the second units came into the game. Kings reserve center Willie Cauley-Stein scored 12 points hitting on 6-of-8 shooting in 11-minutes of playing time. Klay Thompson took over the offense for the “Dubs” scoring 11 points for his squad.

At the end of 24 minutes, the game was tied at 56-all.

The third period brought more of the same high-pace scoring action that had been seen in the first half. The Warriors scored 26 points behind outstanding 3-point shooting (6-for-12, 50-percent). It was the traditional “Splash Brothers” tandem of Thompson (11) and Curry (9) that led the attack for the Warriors.

Sacramento also posted 26 points in the third quarter shooting 50-percent from the field (9-for-18) and going a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line. Cousins (9), Collison (8) and McLemore (6) handled most of the scoring for the Kings.

At the end of three periods, the score was Golden State 82-Sacramento 82.

There was one other important incident in the third quarter. Warriors coach Steve Kerr was ejected from the game with 3:34 remaining in the period for arguing a foul call with the officials. Kerr was issued the first technical foul and that enraged him enough that he ran unto the floor after the referee. Needless to say, the second “tech-foul” was issued immediately.

“I was mad about a lot of things, but I got what I deserved. I deserved to be ejected, so I had no complaints. I was really angry about some calls and like I said, I got mad and I deserved to get kicked out”.

On to the fourth quarter which if you had to give it a title would be known as the “Ugly Quarter”. Both teams had difficulty executing. Golden State shot 28.6-percent (6-for-21) and went 1-for-8 from 3-point range in the period. The Warriors scored just 16 points.

The Kings shot 33.3-percent (7-for-21) and hit 2-of-4 shots from beyond the 3-point arc. Sacramento did not go to the free throw line one time in the period. The Kings put 16 points in the book.

At the end of regulation, the Warriors and Kings were tied at 98-98.

The Kings roared into overtime like they owned it by going on a 7-0 run. The Warriors first point in OT came off a made free throw by Draymond Green with 2:39 to go in the extra period.

The Warriors cut the Kings lead to one point when Green scored on a fast break dunk with 41.1 left on the clock. Cousins missed a 15-foot jump shot and the Curry missed a layup opportunity off the Warriors rebound.

Following a Golden State timeout, Curry missed a jump shot that Collison rebounded and who was fouled immediately. Curry fouled Darren Collison on the inbounds play with 2.5 to play. Collison converted both free throws and sealed the win for the Kings 109-106.

The OT win ends some very negative streaks for the Kings (20-31)

  1. The win ended a 13-game losing streak to the Golden State Warriors. The last time the Kings had defeated the Warriors was on March 27, 2013.
  2. The overtime victory also ended a four-game home losing streak. The Kings have yet to establish a true homecourt advantage in their new Golden 1 Center home. This win could be a foundational victory that helps establish a “not in my house” attitude.
  3. This big win also stopped a three-game losing streak that carried over from the Kings “eight-game road trip from hell” with losses in Philly and Houston.

The loss ended a very positive streak for the “Dubs” (43-8)

  1. The Warriors had won five games in a row prior to the overtime loss to the Kings on Saturday night.
  2. The loss also ends a steak of incredible of domination over another professional franchise

Who did what in the game

Kings

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Cousins takes to the rack Photo NBAE
  • DeMarcus Cousins scored a team-high 32 points to with 12 rebounds to record a double-double. He was one assist – nine – shy of a triple-double. He also had two steals and one blocked shot. “Big win. It shows this team has a lot of character, a lot of fight, especially coming off the loss we had last night. Complete team effort – I think this was our most complete game of the season.”
  • Darren Collison recorded 18 points and three assists. He shot 8-for-13 from the field.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein put 14 points in the book in just 17-minutes on the floor. He also had four rebounds and two steals.
  • Ben McLemore had another good night as a starter scoring 10 points in 29-minutes of playing time.
  • The Kings bench scored 45 points compared to just 16 points for the GSW bench.
  • Sacramento shot 44.9-percent from the field (43-for-88) and hit 7-of-23 from 3-point land in the game. They converted 16-of-19 free throws (84.2-percent).
  • The Kings outscored the Warriors 56-34 in the paint.

 

Warriors

  • Steph Curry scored a game-high 35 points and added nine assists in the game. He hit on 8-of-14 attempts from behind the 3-point line.
  • Klay Thompson made “the Splash Brothers” effect present by adding 25 points against the Kings. He hit on 10-of-25 shots from the floor including sinking four 3-pointers.
  • Draymond Green put up 16 points in the contest. He also had eight rebounds and six assists
  • Kevin Durant had what has to called a “quiet” night. KD put just 10 points in the book and grabbed nine rebounds.
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Cauley-Stein goes sky high versus the Warriors Photo NBAE

Coaches analysis of the game

Kings head coach Dave Joerger

  • That’s a good win – heck of a basketball game.
  • Second night of a back to back for us and guys competing and staying together and being rewarded for staying together and battling through.
  • It is a happy locker room and they should feel really good.

Warriors head man Steve Kerr

  • It was one of the worst games we’ve played all season.
  • We had no purpose.
  • The ball didn’t move.
  • I didn’t recognize our team out there tonight.

Up next on the schedule

  • The Warriors are off until Wednesday, February 8th when they will host the Bulls in a nationally televised game on ESPN.
  • The Kings host the Bulls on Monday night at the Golden 1 Center.

 

 

 

Buzzer beating bank shot gives the Suns a 105-103 win over the Kings

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Phoenix Suns v Sacramento Kings
Booker shoots the game winner versus the Kings on Friday night Photo: NBAE

by Charlie O. Mallonee

NBA fans used to live for the final two minutes of a game. They were rough, tumble and full of exciting action. Now with all of the stoppages for replay reviews, the excitement of the final 120 seconds has been all but lost.

On Friday night at the Golden 1 Center, the sellout crowd (17,608) were treated to an “old fashion” nail biting two minute finish in the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings.

The excitement began with 2:32 remaining in the game when DeMarcus Cousins broke a 98-all tie with a step-back 3-point basket from the right corner off an assist from Matt Barnes. The Suns missed a jump on their possession. The Kings grabbed the rebound and called a timeout with 2:09 to go.

Cousins missed a jumper coming out of the timeout that was rebounded by Bledsoe of the Suns. T.J. Warren sank a jump shot at the 1:34 mark to bring Phoenix within one point of the lead at 101-100.

Each team missed a field goal opportunity then Cousins missed a layup that Lawson rebounded and then he was fouled by the Suns Tyson Chandler. The Kings maintained possession and Cousins attempted a 3-point shot that missed and Chandler rebounded.

The Suns Warren hit a 3-pointer (assist Booker) with 21.6-seconds on the clock to give his team a 103-101 lead. The Kings immediately called a timeout.

The Kings ran their play out of the timeout and with 8.2-seconds to go Darren Collison sank a 15-foot jump shot (assist Cousins) to tie the game at 103-103. It was the Suns turn to call a timeout.

Phoenix inbounded the ball at midcourt and to no one’s surprise the ball wound up in the hands of second-year guard Devin Booker. Booker put up a 20-foot fade away bank shot that  went in the hoop as the final buzzer sounded. The Suns had won the game 105-103 to the stunned amazement of the big crowd.

Who did what in the game

Kings (19-31)

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Cousins hits two of his 22 versus the Suns Photo: NBAE

 

  • DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings scoring attack with a triple-double: 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists(sixth career triple-double). Cousins got into foul trouble and picked up his fifth personal foul with 9:22 to go in the 4th quarter and he did not return until there was just 3:18 left in the game. How much of a difference could the big man have made in that six minutes is now a question to be pondered over beers at the local pub.
  • Darren Collison scored 19 points for the Kings as he shot 8-for-16 from the floor and hit 3-of-4 3-point attempts. Joerger was very happy with Collison’s play after the game.
  • There was a Ben McLemore sighting on Friday night. McLemore made a rare start as the team made adjustments with Temple out due to injury and Arron Afflalo did not dress due to illness. McLemore played 35-minutes and scored 18 points.
  • Ty Lawson made an impact in the game off the bench again for Sacramento on Friday night. The speedy guard put up 18 points hitting on 7-of-10 attempts from the field and went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
  • Matt Barnes did not have a big scoring night (6-points) but hauled in 10 rebounds and dished out 4 assists for the Kings.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein played only 14-minutes in the contest but came up big especially in the six-minutes that Cousins was sitting on the bench in the fourth quarter with the five fouls. He also scored four points and had four rebounds.
  • As a team the Kings outrebounded the Suns 43-39. They outscored Phoenix in the paint 36-20. Sacramento even scored more fast break points (14-9) than the Suns. The Kings had 23 assists versus 13 turnovers which resulted in 22 Phoenix points.

Suns (16-34)

  • 20-year old guard Devin Booker scored a game-high 33 points for PHX. He scored just seven points in the first half. Booker went 11-for-24 shooting and hit 4-0f-8 from beyond the 3-point line. He also went 7-for-10 from the free throw line.
  • T.J. Warren was the offense for the Suns in the first half. While much of the team seemed less than present, Warren was active and ready for action. He finished with 21 points including going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
  • Eric Bledsoe had a 20 point game for the Suns in 33-minutes on the floor. He was just 4-of-12 from the floor but was 3-for-6 from 3-point land.
  • Maybe the disappointment of the night for the crowd was the play of local product Marquese Chriss. Chriss who played his high school basketball in Elk Grove and was drafted by the Kings and then traded to Phoenix played just 15-minutes and scored only two points. Chriss picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter which really limited his playing time. It may well have the combination of playing before a large contingent of family and friends while trying to defend DeMarcus Cousins that keep the young rookie from having a better game.

Joerger’s postgame thoughts

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Collison had a big second half for the Kings Photo: NBAE
  • Heck of a basketball game
  • Both teams started kind of slow (it was 49-49 at the half)
  • I’m really proud of out guys. We held a fast break team to nine-points on the fast break and basically won every statistical category there is.
  • I thought Darren (Collison) really stepped up his game in the second half.
  • It was tremendous that we had great point guard play with Ty (Lawson) and Darren at times playing together.
  • It was great to see Ben McLemore get going a little bit and heck of a basketball game.
  • Very proud of out team

Focusing on 8th place in the Western Conference

The battle for the eighth and final playoff slot in the Western Conference continued on Friday night:

  • Denver now has sole possession of 8th place as they beat the Bucks 121-117
  • Portland is in 9th place 1.5 games back after losing to Dallas 108-104
  • Dallas has jumped into 10th place 2.5 games back of Denver with their win over Portland
  • The Kings are now in 11th place 3.5 games behind Denver after Friday’s loss to Phoenix

Up next on the schedule

The Kings have no time sit and ponder their loss to the Suns. The Golden State Warriors make a return visit to the Golden 1 Center on Saturday night. It is never easy to face “the Splash Brothers” but to have to play them on second night of a back-to-back set is really unfair.

Phoenix returns home on Saturday night to host the Milwaukee Bucks who lost in Denver on Friday.

Kings drop a close one in Philly 122-119

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DeMarcus Cousins scores two of his 46 points Photo NBAE

 

by Charlie O. Mallonee

“The road trip from hell” continued in Philadelphia on Monday when the Kings played the 76ers. This was the makeup game for the contest that was postponed on November 30 due to the wet floor from the ice below the hardwood. This game turned a seven-game road trip into the longest road trip of the year – eight games – with three back-to-back sets.

The Kings entered the game with a surprising 3-3 record on the road trip so far. Expectations were high as Philadelphia is also a “Tier 3” team which means they have comparable levels of personnel. Also, big man Joel Embiid who has been playing some great basketball for the Sixers was not available to play on Monday due to a knee contusion.

Even with solid momentum and player personnel advantages it was still an NBA game on the road which automatically favors the home team. The home court advantage played in Philly’s favor Monday night as they squeaked past the Kings 122-119.

The Sixers took advantage of a huge break when DeMarcus Cousins fouled out of the game with 58.5-seconds left in the contest. Cousins has scored 46 points up to that point and was leading the charge to take the lead in the game for Sacramento.

Even with their superstar on the bench, the Kings managed to remain in the fight and had a chance to tie the game with literally one-second to go in the game. With score 122-119 in favor of Philadelphia, the Kings somehow broke Arron Afflalo into the open in the right corner for an open three-point shot that would have tied the game. Unfortunately for the Kings and their fans, the shot hit the rim and did not go in and the win went to Philly (18-29).

Who did what in the game

Kings (19-29)

  • DeMarcus Cousins scored a game-high 46 points to go with 15 rebounds for his 13th consecutive double-double. Cousins – who was double-teamed the entire game – shot an incredible 20-for-22 from the free throw line
  • Willie Cauley-Stein had another big game coming off the bench for the Kings. He put up 17 points in 20-minutes on the floor. He shot a very impressive 8-for-10 from the field
  • Matt Barnes was a major factor on offense for Sacramento on Monday night. Barnes added 16 points hitting 6-of-12 from the floor including four 3-point baskets
  • Ty Lawson may have to change his name to “the distributor”. Lawson dished out 11 assists working the point for the Kings
  • Team numbers: 55.4 Field Goal Percentage; 44.8-percent 3-pt Field Goal Shooting (13-of-29); 24-for-29 Field Throws
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Dario Saric drives to the basket Photo NBAE

76ers

  • The Sixers had seven players score in double-figures against the Kings
  • Robert Covington led Philly in scoring with 23 points and made it a double-double with 10 rebounds
  • Dario Saric was a key force off the bench for the Sixers as he scored 17 points, dished out six assists and grabbed five rebounds while shooting 8-for-11 from the floor
  • Former King Nik Stauskas enjoyed a good night versus his former team. The guard hit 6-of-10 field goal attempts including four 3-pointers for a total of 16 points in the game
  • As a team: Field Goals 54.2-percent; 11-for-31 (35.5-percent) 3-point shooting; 80.8-percent Free Throw Shooting (21-for-26); 32 assists against just 16 turnovers ( the perfect 2-1 ratio)

Up next on the schedule

For the Kings, this nightmare road trip comes an end on Tuesday night in Houston against the Rockets. Houston sports 36-16 record and currently holds down the number three spot in the Western Conference. James Harden and company love to shoot the three, so expect the Rockets to “make it rain” in Houston on Tuesday.

The 76ers head out on the road as they will face the Mavericks in Dallas on Wednesday night.

Kings work as team and earn a big 109-106 win in Charlotte

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
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Cousins drives to the hoop in Charlotte Photo NBAE

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings could have easily rolled into Charlotte with their heads hung low after losing a tough game in overtime in Indiana on Friday night. After all, it was the second game of a back-to-back set on the road and no road team wins those games anyway, but that is not what happened on Saturday night.

The Kings came out from the opening tip-off looking like a team that had just finished two days of rest. They ran the court, made crisp passes, looked for the extra pass, sank 3-point baskets and played defense. Literally, the Kings had shaken off the disappointment of losing to the Pacers and were focusing on beating the Hornets.

The Kings did exactly that. They beat the Charlotte Hornets 109-106 on the road. The Hornets came into the game having lost three consecutive games. They desperately were looking for the magic of the home court advantage to work for them and it almost did. What the Hornets did not count on was the new found togetherness that Kings have developed on this road trip that has them playing as a team and not individuals. That makes Sacramento (19-28) a very dangerous opponent.

The Kings have learned how to start games fast and strong. On Saturday, the Kings shot 50-percent from the floor while going 6-for-15 (40-percent) from beyond the 3-point line putting up 52 points on the board in the first half. Sacramento also played tough defense holding the Hornets to 44 points on 42.9-percent shooting. Charlotte hit just 3-of-18 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc which is normally a strong point for them. Their All-Star guard Kemba Walker was limited to six points.

In the third period, the Hornets (23-25) came alive to no one’s surprise. It was Kemba Walker who led the charge scoring 20 of the Hornets 33 points in the quarter. Charlotte shot 66.7-percent from the floor and for 3-pointers. The Charlotte crowd came alive as their team was working their way back into the game. It is also important to note the Kings shot 54.5-percent in the quarter while Cousins and Collison scored 11 points each. Each team scored 33 points in the third period. At the end of 36-minutes, the Kings held an 85-77 lead.

The game took a sudden change of momentum early in the fourth quarter as the Hornets cut the Kings lead to just three points in under just two minutes behind the 3-point shooting of Nicolas Batum and Frank Kaminsky. Sacramento pushed it back to an eight-point lead but then things went downhill.

The Hornets hit five 3-point baskets in the fourth quarter and took the lead in the game with 2:19 remaining on a 3-point field goal by Marvin Williams. The Kings tied the game at 106 each and gained control of the ball with 31-seconds to go in the contest.

Following a Sacramento timeout, the Kings put the ball in the hands of DeMarcus Cousins who drove on the basket from the right wing to make the layup and give his team a two-point lead. With 14-seconds left, the Hornets hopes fell to a 3-point shot by Kaminsky which came up short and was rebounded by Cousins who was fouled. Cousins hit 1-of-2 free throws to give his team the 109-106 victory.

Sacramento Kings v Charlotte Hornets
Darren Collison scored 17 points against the Hornets Photo NBAE

Cousins on the win

  • We’re understanding better – we can win by playing together
  • (we’re playing) team oriented defense
  • The “iso” style is out of play
  • The only way we win game is playing together

Who did what in the game

Kings

  • DeMarcus Cousins scored a game-high 35 points and pulled down 18 rebounds to record his 12th consecutive double-double game. Cousins also had four assists and seven of his rebounds came on offense which extended possessions
  • Anthony Tolliver scored 14 points hitting on 4-of-8 shots from long range. Those 3-point baskets seemed crush the Hornets momentum each time. He also grabbed seven rebounds
  • Willie Cauley-Stein played 14-minutes of impressive basketball against the Hornets. He shot 6-for-7 from the floor for 13 points and made his presence known on the floor
  • Other key contributors: Darren Collison 17 points, Arron Afflalo 13 points and 4 assists
  • Team numbers: 51.9-percent Field Goals, 11-for-27 (40.7-percent) 3-pt Field Goals, 27 assists and just 10 turnovers that resulted in just nine Hornet points
Sacramento Kings v Charlotte Hornets
Willie Cauley-Stein had a big game for the Kings Photo NBAE

Hornets

  • Kemba Walker led the Hornets scoring with 26 points (20 in the third quarter). He did not score any points in the fourth quarter. Seven assists
  • Nicolas Batum put up 19 points that included hitting 3-of-6 for 3-pointers. He also had seven assists
  • Former Sacramento King Spencer Hawes scored 12 points off the bench and grabbed seven rebounds. He also tried to get DeMarcus Cousins ejected from the game (see below)
  • Team numbers: 48-percent Field Goals, 32.4-percent 3-pt FGs, 22-for-24 (91.7-percent) from the free throw line
NBA: Sacramento Kings at Charlotte Hornets
All-Star Kemba Walker scored 20 points in the 3rd quarter Photo NBAE

Dave Joerger’s postgame analysis

  • Good NBA game – both teams played hard
  • We’ve been playing much better lately and we showed some resiliency tonight coming back on the second night of a back-to-back
  • Kemba Walker was fantastic especially in the third quarter
  • We’re getting better at the little things-taking care of the ball
  • We had (only) three turnovers in the second half which has been a problem for us. We executed there

Oh no – Tech foul number 13

DeMarcus Cousins and Spencer Hawes were both assessed a technical foul with three minutes to go in the first half of the game. Cousins had just made a layup and was fouled by Hawes. After the foul, there were a few words and very (VERY) minor pushes with one hand from each player. It was really a nothing moment that happens in virtually every NBA game nightly.

Neither player ( and believe me when I say that I am no fan of Hawes ) deserved to be hit with a tech foul. A verbal warning from the referee would have been more than sufficient.

Being the agitator that he is – Hawes kept trying to get under Cousins skin in the second half because a second technical would have meant an automatic ejection. To Cousins credit, he just ignored Hawes.

For Cousins, this is his 13th technical foul of the season. When he reaches 16, it is an automatic one-game suspension with another one-game suspension for each two tech fouls after that. The Kings cannot afford to be without Cousins for one quarter let alone for an entire game.

I would not be surprised to see this technical reversed because it was really too much – too soon for what was happening between the players.

Up next on the schedule

The Kings travel to Philadelphia on Sunday where they will play the Sixers on Monday to make up the game that was postponed on November 30 due to a wet court. The 76ers play the Bulls in Chicago on Sunday. Joel Embiid will not travel to Chicago so there is anticipation he will be available to play against the Kings on Monday. It will be a 4 p.m. tipoff on the West Coast.

The Hornets will head out on the road to play Portland on Tuesday.

 

Sources: Barnes to turn himself into NYPD to face the music for club fracas

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

matt-barnes
Matt Barnes may be headed to New York City to face the music Photo NBAE

by Charlie O. Mallonee

According to multiple sources, Matt Barnes will be surrendering himself to the New York City Police Department in relationship to misdemeanor assault charges stemming from a December altercation at the Avenue Night Club in the city. The melee which also involved Kings center DeMarcus Cousins plus at least two additional acquaintances has been under investigation for almost two months and rumors that Barnes was wanted on misdemeanor charges have been swirling for a while.

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Photo: NY Daily News

The alleged incident took place in the early morning hours of December 5 of last year after the Kings had played (and lost to) the Knicks the night before. Supposedly, Barnes became embroiled in an argument with a woman who was his table in the VIP lounge. At some point, the reports are that Barnes began to choke the woman.

According to their accounts of the events, that is when Iasmine Besiso and Myrone Powell – who were seated at the next table – decided it was time to leave. As they were leaving Barnes is supposed to have grabbed Besiso and began to choke her.

Powell stated that when he tried to intervene on Besiso’s  behalf, DeMarcus Cousins stepped in and reportedly punched Powell. Besiso and Powell are both claiming to have severe neck damage from the fight. Besiso also claims a head injury and while Powell says he suffered two black eyes in the fight. Both alleged victims are also claiming they have trouble sleeping from nerve damage in their necks.

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Alleged victim Myrone Powell Photo taken by his attorney Michael Lamonsoff

Michael Lamonsoff -attorney for Besiso and Powell – says the investigation has taken too long and that his clients have not been kept informed by the authorities about what has been happening with the case.

Barnes is expected to surrender to police sometime early next week. The Kings will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday after playing a game in Charlotte on Saturday night. The team plays the Sixers on Monday night and the Rockets in Houston on Tuesday evening then has the following two days off.

This story was first reported by Rocco Parascandola of the New York Daily News on January 27.

Kings go to overtime again in Indiana but lose to Pacers 115-111

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
pacers-cousins
All-Star DeMarcus Cousins attacks the basket Photo NBAE

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings had to play overtime for the second consecutive game in three days in Indiana on Friday night against the Pacers. Unfortunately for the Kings, they came up on the short end of the game this time as they lost 115-111.

Sacramento (18-28) is now 1-4 in overtime games this season. Indiana (24-22) is 4-1 when have to play an extra session. Four of their 24 wins have come in overtime. That is not only impressive but it may vital to their seeding come playoff time.

The Kings started the game strong – something they have had trouble doing all season long. Sacramento shot 61.8% in the first half and hit 11-of-16 3-point attempts to take a 64-55 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The second half was not as kind to the Kings. Being on the road came back to haunt Sacramento. They shot just 39.3% in the second half and hit just 1-of-8 3-point shots. The Kings also gave up a 16 lead to the Pacers who came back to tie the game at the end of regulation to force the overtime.

Indiana changed their tactics and began to play very physical in the second half. The Kings did not respond very well to the physical play and were taken out of their game by the Pacers. Paul George also came to life and took over the game for his team scoring 16 points – 14 of those points from the free throw line.

George scored six of the Pacers 11 points in overtime. When needed, the superstars of “the association” always do their best to step up to lead their teams.

The Kings played well for 40 of the 48 minutes in regulation. If they could have added another three to four minutes to that total, they might have been able to avoid overtime and notched another victory.

Joerger’s analysis of the game

  • Heck of an NBA game
  • Proud of guys (Joerger is consistent in trying to build his players up)
  • Ran into a team that has our number right now
  • Shot just 37.5% in second half
  • They were on the foul line 28 times in the second half
  • We got to go on and play the next night in Charlotte tomorrow
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Ty Lawson had another big game for the Kings Photo NBAE

Who did what in the game

Kings

  • Cousins – 26th double-double game 26 points, 13 rebounds five assists
  • Darren Collison – 26 points, 4-for-6 3’s, five assists, three steals
  • Ty Lawson – 16 points, 8-of-8 from free throw line, six assists,two 3’s
  • Arron Afflalo – 15 points, 6-for-9 field goals, three 3-pointers
  • Team 49.3 FG%, 50% 3-pointers, 77.8 Free Throw %
  • The stat they would change 19 turnovers that resulted in 25 Pacer points
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Darren Collison 26 points versus the Pacers Photo NBAE

Pacers

  • Paul George – game-high 33 points, 16-for-17 at the free throw line
  • CJ Miles – 18 points, 6-for-9 from 3-point land, all attempts were 3’s
  • Jeff Teague – 17 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, 5-for-11 shooting
  • Team – 48.7 FG%, 35.7% 3-point shooting, 87.9 Free Throw%

Up next on the schedule

For the Kings, the incredible four games in five days schedule continues. They are off to Charlotte for the back end of a back-to-back road set. Charlotte is in seventh-place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-24.

Indiana will return to action on Sunday when they will host the Houston Rockets.

DeMarcus Cousins is an All-Star for the third consecutive season

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
Oklahoma City Thunder v Sacramento Kings
DeMarcus Cousins is now a three-time All-Star Photo: NBAE

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Sacramento — The NBA announced the reserve members of the 2017 Western Conference All-Star Team on Thursday and DeMarcus Cousins was named to the squad. This is the third straight season that Cousins has been selected to the All-Star team.

For the Kings star center, this has to be some welcome news in what has been a chaotic, frustrating and often disappointing season. Cousins has had to carry the team at times and now that Rudy Gay has been lost for the year, the big man they call “Boogie” is going to have the burden of carrying the team on his shoulders for the rest of the season. The recognition of his talent and production should serve as some positive motivation for Cousins.

cousins-all-star-jersey

The numbers tell the story of the selection

  • Cousins is averaging a career-high 28.0 points per game
  • He has a 44.9 Field Goal %, 36.5 3-point % and a 77.3 Free Throw %
  • The big man averages 10.3 rebounds per game which means he is averaging a double-double for the season
  • Add in 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks in 34.4 minutes per game and looking at that stat line you can see that an All-Star selection was more than appropriate

Cousins and Russell Westbrook are the only two players in “the association” averaging at least 28 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

Cousins has royal company

Cousins is the first Kings player to be selected to an All-Star team for three consecutive years since Peja Stojakovic was chosen as an All-Star from 2002-2004. He is the sixth player in the Sacramento era of the Kings to named as an All-Star. The other Sacramento Kings to be selected as All-Stars were Mitch Richmond (6), Chris Webber (4) and Peja Stojakovic (3). A total of 23 players have been selected as All-Stars in franchise history which includes teams playing as the Kings and Royals.

Reaction and happenings in the Tweetosphere 

 

NBA Last 2 Minute Report to Kings: Oops! Our bad!

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
Dwyane Wade, DeMarcus Cousins
Wade blows slam dunk but gets the foul versus the Kings

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Controversy reigned in the Kings 102-99 loss to the Bulls on Saturday night in Chicago. With 17.1-seconds left in the game, Dwyane Wade stripped Garrett Temple of the ball and broke for his basket. Wade was trailed by Kings defenders. The superstar guard blew his slam dunk opportunity which would have given his team the lead. As Wade came back down to the floor, he was brushed by the Kings DeMarcus Cousins.

Cousins was called for a foul. Wade was awarded two free throws. He converted 1-of-2 free throws to give Chicago a 100-99 lead with 14-seconds to go in the game.

The Kings turned the ball over on their possession and the Bulls scored to put the game in the win column for Chicago.

On Sunday, the NBA released the Last Two Minute Officiating Report. At the 14-second mark the report reads:  Cousins (SAC) has his hand on Wade’s (CHI) back while he is airborne, but he does not extend his arm and push him and the contact does not affect the shot attempt. The report notes a foul was called. The conclusion of the review is listed as IC – incorrect.

No one who was watching the game and who then saw the replays has any disagreement with the report’s conclusion. The only problem with the report is there is no remedy for the Kings. The result is really a statement to the Kings by the NBA of – “Hey SAC, our bad!” When your team is 16-27 and has lost five games in a row, that does not mean anything to the team … really.

Update on Rudy Gay

gay-injured
Rudy Gay unable to walk after going down in the Pacers game

Rudy Gay will go under the knife in New York City on Monday, January 23 to have his ruptured left Achilles tendon repaired. The surgery will take place at the Hospital for Special Surgery and be performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley.

Gay suffered the season-ending injury in the third quarter of the game against Indiana on Wednesday in Sacramento.

Kings lose a heartbreaker in Chicago 102-99; SAC has now lost five in a row

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

bulls-boogie-victim
The victim of Cousins wrath after the loss in Chicago Photo: Sean Highkin TheAthleticChi

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls came into the game in Chicago on Saturday night looking to end losing streaks. The Kings had lost four games in a row and the Bulls had lost two consecutive games. Both teams had been beaten soundly on Friday night.

The Kings and Bulls played hard and gave their full 48-minute efforts in a game that ended with a controversial call – if you are a Sacramento fan. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bulls (22-23) had won the game 102-99 and ended their losing streak. The Kings (16-27) went to their locker room frustrated and the owners of a five-game losing streak – their longest of the season.

You call that a foul?

With 15-seconds on the clock and the game tied at 99-99, Dwyane Wade was able to steal the ball from the Kings Garrett Temple and start a fast break for the basket. Wade went up for an uncontested dunk and hit the back of the iron. DeMarcus Cousins was trailing Wade and may (emphasis on may) have brushed Wade on his way down after missing the dunk. The officials blew the whistle and called a foul on Cousins. Basically, the referees could not believe that superstar guard would miss the breakaway slam unless he was fouled.

Multiple video replays showed that there was no foul on the play but the play was not eligible for video review. The call stood. Wade made 1-of-2 free throws and the Bulls took a 100-99 lead.

bulls-wade
Dwyane Wade scored 30 points against the Kings Photo: NBAE

The final 14-seconds

The Kings began working a play following a timeout when Taj Gibson was able to reach in and steal the ball from Cousins. The Bulls were able to score when Michael Carter-Williams put the ball through the hoop on an Alley Oop layup with an assist from Wade that gave the Bulls a 102-99 lead.

Garrett Temple brought the ball into the frontcourt quickly for the Kings and put up a 41-foot desperation shot that banged off the rim as the buzzer sounded. The game ended with the Bulls winning 102-99.

DeMarcus Cousins was a one-man wrecking crew

Cousins scored a game-high 42 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to record his 23rd double-double game of the season. Cousins scored those 42 points on just 28 shots. He converted 8-of-9 free throws and hit 2-of-7 shots from 3-point range. He sank those 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions late in the fourth quarter to keep his team in the game. Cousins had three assists and two blocked shots while committing only two turnovers in the contest. The Kings big man was their only player to score in double figures in the game.

Sacramento Kings v Chicago Bulls
Cousins left it all on the court in Chicago Photo: NBAE

To no one’s surprise it was the Wade and Butler show for the Bulls

Dwyane Wade led the Bulls scoring attack with 30 points. Wade did not have a great night shooting as he went 9-for-20 from the field. He did go an impressive 12-for-15 from the free throw line. Wade also added four assists, four blocked shots and three steals in the game. The superstar guard sent out a tweet to Bulls fans apologizing for their poor play in Atlanta on Friday night. Wade has nothing to apologize for after the way he played against the Kings on Saturday night.

Jimmy Butler scored 23 points and dished out seven assists against the Kings. He spent most of the game acting as the playmaker. Butler shot 6-for-14 from the floor and was a perfect 10-for-10 from free throw line. Butler and Wade went a combined 22-for-25 from the charity stripe.

Coach Joerger’s postgame analysis

  • Good game
  • Really proud of our guys
  • Thought we played our tails off for 48-minutes
  • (team) made major progress
  • (We have to) keep working hard; we’re going to figure it out; work it out
  • DeMarcus had a heck of a game
  • (In this game) Too much Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler
  • On the foul call on Cousins as Wade missed the dunk: Live ball – three on one

Kings needed another double figured scorer

If one other Kings player had scored in double figures, the final outcome might have been different. Nine other players participated in the game besides Cousins but none scored in double figures. Afflalo posted nine points and Collison, Temple and Lawson each scored eight points. With Rudy Gay sidelined for the rest of the season, one of the Sacramento players has to step up and become a double-figure scorer. More 3-point production could help that situation.

Where’s Rondo?

Rajon Rondo’s time in the Windy City may be coming to a close. Rondo played just six-minutes against the Kings on Saturday distributing four assists and scoring no points. The point guard who was so productive in Sacramento is finding it rough sledding in Chicago. Do not be surprised if Rondo is wearing a different uniform by the trade deadline in February because his time with the Bulls seems to be over.

Up next on the schedule

The Kings travel to Detroit where they will play the Pistons on Monday night. The Kings last win came over Detroit in Sacramento. The Kings will be looking to pick up their first win on the eight-game road trip versus the Pistons.

The Bulls will return to action on Tuesday in Orlando against the Magic.

Kings lose in Memphis; 1 down 7 to go on key road trip

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

memphis randolph.jpgby Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings started an eight game road trip in Memphis on Friday night with a 107-91 loss to the Grizzlies. The Kings (16-26) have now lost four games in a row and have fallen to 11th place in the Western Conference but are just 1.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets who are in eighth place – the final playoff qualifying position.

As the Kings struggle to figure out how to win games without the injured Rudy Gay (Achilles tendon) for the rest of the season, the team must also deal with the fact they are still in playoff contention. At this point, it is almost appears that no team really wants to take control of eighth place in the West.

The Kings started the game strong in Memphis – something that this team has not been doing recently. They outscored the Grizzlies 23-15 in the first behind seven points from DeMarcus Cousins and Ty Lawson’s six points. The Kings also played strong defense holding Memphis to just 30.4-percent shooting including going 0-for-7 from beyond the 3-point line.

The situation changed dramatically in the second quarter as the Grizzlies came alive behind the play of Vince Carter who scored 11 points off the bench. Memphis shot 12-for-22 (54.5-percent) from the floor and hit 3-of-7 from long range. The Grizzlies outscored the Kings 34-19 and took a 49-42 lead with them to the locker room at halftime.

The Grizzlies came out in the third quarter ready play just like they had in the second period. In the third, it was Marc Gasol who led the Memphis attack with 15 points. Zach Randolph put up seven points in less than three minutes on the floor. The Grizzlies outscored Sacramento 34-22 as DeMarcus Cousins was limited to just three points in the period. At the end of three quarters, Memphis held a 84-63 lead.

After his team’s lackluster third quarter performance, Dave Joerger sat his starters for the fourth quarter and inserted Willie Cauley-Stein and Ben McLemore. Later in the fourth, rookies Malachi Richardson and Skal Labissiere saw playing time. The Kings did outscore the Grizzlies 27-24 in the final period.

Joerger’s postgame analysis

  • It was a tough game
  • We didn’t play really well
  • We didn’t make shots
  • We threw the ball away
  • Memphis has a really good team -players

Stars of the game

Grizzlies

Sacramento Kings v Memphis Grizzlies
Game-high leading scorer Marc Gasol Photo: NBAE
  • Marc Gasol scored a game-high 28 points on Friday night shooting 9-for-19 from the floor. He shot 3-for-6 from 3-point range and was a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line. Gasol recorded eight rebounds and handed out four assists.
  • Zach Randolph was a star of the bench which is really no surprise. He posted a double-double scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in just 23-minutes of playing time

Kings

  • It will come as no surprise that DeMarcus Cousins was the Kings star of the game. Sacramento with Rudy Gay lost for the remainder of the season is even more dependent on Cousins than they were three days ago. He led the Kings in scoring with 19 points and made it a double-double by recording 10 rebounds. The oddity was Cousins scored 16 points in the first half and just three point in the third quarter. He did not play in the fourth quarter by coach’s decision. Cousins also picked up his 14th technical foul in the second quarter of the game. That becomes very serious because technical foul number 16 results in a one-game suspension with additional suspensions for every two technical fouls after that 16th tech.

Co-stars

Kings

Sacramento Kings v Memphis Grizzlies
Ty Lawson working hard on defense Photo: NBAE
  • Garrett Temple made the start at forward and made an effort to fill the gap left by the loss of Rudy Gay. Temple put up 14 points and hauled in three rebounds while distributing three assists.
  • Ty Lawson worked hard on the second unit again on Friday night. He scored 13 points and dished out five assists. Lawson has really become a dependable “go to ” player off the bench for the Kings.

Grizzlies

Sacramento Kings v Memphis Grizzlies
Mike Conley is a key player for the Grizzlies Photo: NBAE
  • Mike Conley showed again why he is such a key to the Grizzlies success working at the point by scoring 16 points and distributing eight assists. He also recorded eight rebound.
  • Tony Allen recorded a double-double at guard for Memphis against the Kings. He scored 13 and pulled down 10 rebounds. Five of those rebounds were offensive boards which kept possessions alive.

Key stat of the game

The Grizzlies out-rebounded the Kings 58-35. More importantly, 15 of the Memphis rebounds were offensive rebounds which extended possession and created second chance scoring opportunities. The Grizzlies posted 18 second-chance points to just four for Sacramento.

Up next on the schedule

  • The Kings moved on to Chicago were they will play the Bulls in the second game of a back-to-back set on the road. They will also face former teammate Rajon Rondo.
  • The Grizzlies are also back in action on Saturday as they host the high powered Houston Rockets in the FedEx Center “Grind House”.