Tag: Golden 1 Center

Kings make it two wins in a row with 112-103 win over Suns

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Photo credit: @NBCSKings

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings came into Saturday night’s game feeling good. After defeating the Dallas Mavericks two days ago, the Kings were looking to make it two in a row. The Pheonix Suns, who aren’t having a good season, have been playing better as of late and were looking to be a formidable opponent for the Kings. Tip-off was set for 7 PM Saturday night in Sacramento.

In the first quarter, it was all Suns. More specifically, it was all Devin Booker. Booker went on an absolute terror in the first quarter. He was 6-for-10 from the floor, scoring 15 points in the quarter. The next closest scorers were Nemanja Bjelica and Deandre Ayton with six points apiece. The Kings struggled to score all quarter, only putting up 19 points on 25 tries. On the other hand, the Suns scored 32 points on 24 attempts. The Kings didn’t seem to have much energy in the opening minutes of the game. In order to stay close, the Kings needed to pick up the energy going into the second quarter

In the early minutes of the second quarter, it appeared the Kings were headed for another disastrous quarter. However, with some key contributions from Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes, the Kings were able to lead by three with 1:33 remaining in the half with the Suns on top 48-45 Suns. At this point, the Kings looked to get greedy and grab the lead before going into halftime. Unfortunately, the Kings were unable to do so. A couple of baskets from the Suns led to a 53-47 lead going into halftime.

The Kings had to play with more energy in the second half if they wanted to come back and win at home. The Kings did just that in the third quarter. They came out of the locker room looking energized. The Kings scored 32 points in the quarter compared to the Suns’ 22. The Kings appeared to have put their first-half woes behind them and were ready to battle the game to the end with the Suns. Going into the final quarter, the Kings were ahead 79-75.

In the fourth quarter, both teams seemed determined to come away with the win. The Kings and Suns went back-and-forth in the early minutes of the quarter. It was so close that it was 110-97 in favor of the Kings with only 2:40 remaining in the game. The Kings were less than happy with the referees in the final quarter. Notably, Marvin Bagley, who hacked on a layup attempt, but it was a no call. The Kings regrouped with roughly 90 seconds left and went back to work. The play that sent the crowd into a frenzy was De’Aaron Fox’s dunk in transition after he stole the ball on a pass attempt. The Kings won 112-103.

Up Next: The Kings travel to LA to take on the Lakers on Sunday at 7 PM PST.

Kings hammer Mavs 116-110

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Photo credit: @NBA

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kings fans were not in the best of spirits coming into Thursday night’s game. This game was just two nights removed from the Kings blowing a 25-point lead with only 12 minutes to play. That, my friends, wouldn’t sit well with many of the Sacramento faithful. Yet, the Kings were ready to shake it off and face Dirk Nowitzki for possibly the final time at 7 PM PST.

The first half of the game was fairly routine for both teams. In the first quarter, the Kings managed to score 27 points vs the Mavs’ 29 points. Marvin Bagley and De’Aaron Fox scored the most for the Kings with six points apiece. Former King, Justin Jackson led all scorers with 11 first quarter points. The Kings came out a little sluggish in the first, but were able to pick it up and keep up with the Mavericks.

In the second quarter, the Kings and Mavs remained close. However, the Kings gained a slight advantage over the Mavs in the second quarter by scoring 26 points. Fox and Buddy Hield had 10 points apiece at this point and the Kings appeared to gain momentum. For the Mavs, they managed to score 22 points in the second. When the second quarter was said and done, the Mavs had three players with 11 points apiece before halftime. They were Dwight Powell, Luka Doncic, and Justin Jackson. At halftime, the Kings led the Mavericks 53-51.

In the third quarter, the Kings started to take control of the game. Led by Hield and Harrison Barnes, the Kings scored 31 points in the third compared to the Mavericks 25. So, at the end of the third, the Mavs trailed the Kings 84-76. Yes, that’s not a large margin, but the rest of the game was all Kings.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings dropped 32 points compared to the Mavericks 24. This sealed the deal for the Kings. Unlike the Kings performance on Tuesday night against the Nets, the Kings were able to put this one to rest. Notably in the game for the Kings was Bagley, who hit three shots from downtown to polish off a spectacular performance with 22 points. Fox also put on a show with a couple of highlight-worthy dunks. Fox finished the game with 15 points. Also, Hield who did Hield things. Hield finished the game with seven 3’s and 29 points in all. The final score for the game was 116-110 in favor of the Kings.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to face the Suns on Saturday, March 23rd at 7 PM PST.

Kings fall short, lose 116-109 to Clippers

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: London Marq

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With the 7th seeded Los Angeles Clippers headed into town, Sacramento would have a chance to help their own cause, trying to move up from the No. 9 spot in the West. Tension is high. The playoffs are in sight and the young Sacramento Kings are feeling the pressure. Having played and lost 3 games, the Clippers already made this game feel all the more important. A win would bring them closer to the 8th seed and the added confidence of overcoming a challenge.

The Kings had trouble scoring in the beginning of the game. Willie Cauley-Stein, Harrison Barnes, and Bogdan Bogdanovic — all of whom only scored 6 points between them in the first. De’Aaron Fox scored on a lone free throw before picking up two early fouls and being forced to sit. Los Angeles would lead by 10 at one point but as the quarter closed the Kings would make a push. Behind 8 first quarter points from Buddy Hield, the Clippers only held a 3-point advantage going into the second quarter.

Staying hot to start the second, the Kings would regain the lead with 8:43 left in the third. Harry Giles had strong night off the bench, working around the rim for 6 points in the second giving him 10 points at halftime. Giles finished the night with 15 points. Foul trouble continued to plague Sacramento as they committed 6 fouls in the second, allowing LA to keep the game close with free throws. However, Fox made up for his absence in the first with exceptional playmaking. He had some sweet dimes, racking up 6 assists in the second quarter alone. He finished with a 12-point, 12 assist double-double.

The Kings began the second half with a four-point 56-52 lead, but allowed 35 points in the third quarter as LA went on a run to retake the lead. From that point on in the game the Clippers were in control. Leading by as much as 13 points, LA played a tough brand of basketball that Sacramento had trouble coping with. Montrezl Harrell gave Sacramento the trouble he has all season with his high-energy brand of play. Harrell was a beast around the rim and ended the game with 15 points. After the game, Kings coach Dave Joerger described the Clippers as more physical and more experienced. It showed as the Kings were outrebounded 42-38, committed 25 fouls and allowed LA to score 24 points from the line.

The final score was 116-109 as the Kings fell to the LA Clippers. It was a tough blow for the Kings as a team trying to make the playoffs. They still have a chance to obtain the elusive 8-seed and Harry Giles knows it. Stoic after a loss, but staying focused on the schedule ahead of the team, saying, “We need to make sure we win. Win, win, win.”

Coach Joerger said this loss hurt, but when thinking about the big picture, he felt positive about the future. Whether he’s talking about next season or their playoff prospects, he’s right the Kings have a lot of positives ahead of them despite this loss.

The Kings are playing with house money — no one expected them to be in this position at this point in the season. They are playing close, competitive games against tough opponents. The Kings will try to get back on track with some significant and favorable matchups ahead of them, including playing the Knicks twice over the next seven days and road trip to the eastern conference. If the Kings want to make the playoffs, they need to capitalize now. They don’t have time to lose.

FINAL: Clippers defeated the Kings 116-109.

UP NEXT: Kings host the New York Knicks on Monday, March 4th at 7:00 pm PST.

Kings close out homestand with wire-to-wire win over Suns 117-104

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — The last time the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings faced off it was not a pretty ending for the Kings. The Kings went from having a double-digit lead to losing the game to the worst team in the NBA this season. The Kings who were playing a rare day game in Sacramento were looking to flip the script from last time.

In the first quarter, the Kings were off to a good start offensively putting up 33 points in the first. Leading the Kings were Nemanja Bjelica with 8 points, Marvin Bagley with 8 points, and De’Aaron Fox with 5 points. The Suns, on the other hand, managed to score 23 points in the first. Leading the Suns in scoring at this point was Devin Booker with 8 points. The new Kings also were able to get time in the game in the first. Harrison Barnes played just over 9 minutes and Alec Burks played almost 3 minutes. After the first, the Kings led the Suns 33-23.

In the second quarter, the Kings continued the scoring narrative that put them up in the first. By the end of the second, the Kings would have three players in double-digit scoring. Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox had 10 points while Marvin Bagley led the Kings with 12 first-half points. The Suns’ leading scorer was Devin Booker who had 15 first-half points. Along with the Kings’ double-digit lead, they had a pair of flashy plays in the first half. De’Aaron Fox drove down the lane and slammed it home in the second quarter. Not to mention Marvin Bagley’s impressive alley-oop that he put down with authority. Going into the second half, the Kings were beating the Suns 63-44.

In the third quarter, the Kings didn’t seem to be firing on all cylinders. They were outscored by the Suns while putting up 24 points in the third. The Suns managed to put up 28 points in the third to inch closer to the Kings. In the third, the game began developing the feeling of slight deja vu from the game earlier this year against the Suns. We all remembered what happened in that game when the Kings blew a huge lead and lost. So going into the fourth with the Kings leading 72-87 they looked to stop that narrative.

In the fourth quarter, they stopped that narrative emphatically. They Kings scored 30 points in the fourth to secure their 30th victory of the season. For the Kings, the leading scorers were Marvin Bagley who scored 32 points, Buddy Hield with 18 points, and De’Aaron Fox with 17 points.

The Suns’ leading scorer was Devin Booker, who managed to drop 27 points in defeat. The final in the game was the Kings’ 117 and the Suns’ 104.

The Kings head to the Mile High City Wednesday to take on the Denver Nuggets. Tipoff set for 6:00 pm PT.

Kings defeat Hornets 104-97 for second straight win

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Photo credit: @NBCSKings

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings welcomed the Charlotte Hornets to Golden One Center Saturday night. For the Hornets, this was the second night of a back-to-back after playing the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore. The Kings were coming off a lopsided game in which they defeated the Detroit Pistons 112-102 in Sacramento The Kings were looking to get back on a roll to try to make it a winning streak against the Hornets. The tip-off was set for 7:00 PM PST.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out strong. Though, the usually reliable Buddy Hield wasn’t having much luck, De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Willie Cauley-Stein were more than capable to pick up the slack. Those three combined to score 21 points and lead the Kings to an early first quarter lead. For the Hornets, the leading scorer was Kemba Walker with 10 points. The Kings had a 35-29 lead after the first.

In the second quarter, the Kings and Hornets traded point for point, but in the end, Charlotte gained the lead, thanks to great performances from Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the first half. The Kings, on the other hand, struggled in the last minute of the quarter to lose the lead before the half. Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic were the most effective in the half, combining for 25 points. The Hornets took a 59-57 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Kings came to play and scored 25 points compared to the Hornets’ 17. The Kings also played great defense, forcing the the Hornets to turn the ball over 17 times. Marvin Bagley was playing exceptionally good defense under the rim and on the offensive glass. The score was 82-76 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings attempted to create a little separation but the Hornets weren’t having it. However, the Kings managed to get the score in their favor 102-94 with a minute remaining. At this point, it was the Kings’ game to lose, but they managed to put up 22 points in the fourth to secure the victory 104-97.

The Kings’ leading scorers were Bogdan Bogdanovic (22 points), De’Aaron Fox (21 points), and Buddy Hield (21 points). The win improved the Kings to 22-21 on the season, and with the loss, the Hornets fell to 19-23.

The Kings continue their homestand Monday as they’re set to host the Trail Blazers at 7:00 PM PST.

Kings use team effort to down Pistons 112-102

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings were back home on Thursday night to host the Detroit Pistons. For the Kings, they desperately needed a win to bounce back from the worst loss of the season. On Tuesday, the Kings had a 21-point lead going into halftime. However, those points would not hold up against the worst team in NBA as the Kings would lose the game 115-111. The Pistons came into Thursday nights game also coming off a tough loss to the LA Lakers 113-100. The tip-off was set for 7 PM PST.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out strong. Lead by De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield for a combined 15 points the Kings scored 34 to take an early lead. The Pistons, on the other hand, seemed to being the same game that cost them in LA. The Pistons’ sluggish play on the second day of a back to back wasn’t unexpected, but disappointing nonetheless. Blake Griffin, the Pistons’ arguably best player, was out for a rest day which showed early on.

In the second quarter, it was more of the same from both sides. The Kings managed to put up 31 compared to the Pistons’ 27–three of which came at the buzzer to end the first half. Notably good performances for the Pistons in the first half were Stanley Johnson and Langston Galloway, who combined for 17 points. For the Kings, they had five players who had eight or more points for the half. Those five were Iman Shumpert, Willie Cauley-Stein, Buddy Hield, De’Aaron Fox, and Yogi Ferrell. The first half ended with the Kings up 65-48.

Headed into the third, the Kings clearly had the advantage, and they didn’t waste it. The Kings didn’t do enough to further the lead, but they were able to keep the game exactly where it was going to the half. The Kings and Pistons both scored 26 points to keep the Kings 17-point lead intact. Through the third, the leading scorer in the game was Hield with 18 points. Heading into the fourth, the game appeared to be everything but over with the Kings leading 91-74.

In the fourth, that prediction would come true. The Kings managed to score 21 points to put the Pistons in the ground for the second straight night in California. The Kings played well coming off a tough loss to the Suns earlier in the week. Hopefully, this signals a rebound from the poor basketball the Kings have been playing of late as they look to get back on track. The Kings now sit at 21-21 while the Pistons drop to 17-23.

The Kings host the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night at 7:00 PM PST.

Warriors come out on top against Kings 127-123

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors, still smarting from a one-point loss to the Houston Rockets last Thursday night, traveled to Sacramento to face the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center Saturday evening.

The Kings, under coach Dave Joerger, are no longer the sad sack Kings. Joerger has worked wonders with his young team. They entered the game with a record of 19-19, and they had split the two games played against the Warriors so far this season. The Kings play an uptempo game and love to make three-point shots. The Warriors knew that they would have their hands full with the Kings and that what exactly what transpired during the game. The two teams set an NBA record with 41 three-point shots made in a game. The Warriors made 21, and the Kings made 20. The Warriors prevailed 127-123 as they figured out a way to play defense in the fourth quarter.

The Warriors, with the score tied at 22 in the first quarter, went on a 15-0 run to lead 37-22. The Kings woke up, but the Warriors still finished the quarter leading 43-29. The Kings outscored the Warriors 40-27 in the second quarter and trailed by one 70-69 at the end of the first half. Both teams were making three-point shots. The Warriors connected 12 times, and the Kings made 11. Steph Curry knocked down four three-pointers. Klay Thompson and Quinn Cook each had three. The Kings’ Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovich each had three. Klay Thompson had 17, Kevin Durant 13, and Quinn Cook added 10. Bogdanovic finished the first half with 15, Justin Jackson 12, and Nemanja Bjelica 10.

The Kings continued their torrid shooting in the third period. They outscored Golden State 34-26 to end the period with a seven-point advantage 101-96.  The Kings’ Buddy Hield made five threes in the period, and his total for the game was eight, which was a career-high for him. The Warriors continued to commit turnovers while the Kings did not at this point in the game.

The Warriors had their work cut out for them if they wanted to win. They had to play defense, and someone had to step up and lead the offense. The Warriors showed the Kings why they are the reigning NBA champs as they held the prolific Kings offense to just 20 points in the fourth quarter. Curry showed the Kings why he was awarded two NBA MVP awards as he scored 20 of the teams 31 points in the final 12 minutes to lead the Warriors to victory.

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors improved to 26-14 while Sacramento dropped to 19-20. Curry led the Warriors with 42 points, and he connected on 10 3-point shots. Durant had 29 point, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists. He made three threes, too. Klay Thompson had 20 and three threes. Quinn Cook had 10. Draymond Green finished with 12 points, 7 boards, and 7 assists.

The Kings’ Buddy Hield finished with 32. He made eight threes, but the Warriors throttled him in the fourth quarter as he failed to make a three in the final stanza. Justin Jackson, coming off the bench for Sacramento, ended the night with 28 points. He knocked down five threes. Bogdanovic had 17, Willie Cauley-Stein 14 points and 13 rebounds. Nemanja Bjelica had 12 for Sacramento.

The two teams set an NBA record for threes made in a game. The Warriors were 21 for 47 while the Kings were 20 for 36. The Warriors’ defense had 5 steals and 8 blocks. The Warriors turned the ball over 13 times. The Kings committed just one turnover in the first half, but the Warrior defense caused them to commit 7 turnovers in the last 24 minutes of play.

Up Next: The Warriors return home to face the New York Knicks Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

Kings unable to contain Nuggets’ second half surge in 117-113 loss

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: London Marq

SACRAMENTO — The talk around Sacramento has changed this season. The Kings are playing better, and the excitement is brewing. Even with only 19 wins, 2 games above .500, and sitting one spot out of the playoffs the Golden 1 Center is a much different, much rowdier place to play.

Thursday night, the Kings hosted the west leading Denver Nuggets and their Coach Mike Malone, who four years ago was tossed out of Sacramento midseason after the team had been playing well. The Kings are playing well once more, and whether Malone wants to admit it or not, he’s surely looking for some revenge.

Despite the Kings allowing the Nuggets to grab some early offensive rebounds, they were able to claim an early lead behind the potent offense of Buddy Hield and Nemanja Bjelica. Bjelica, through the first 9 minutes of the game, had 12 points and was 5 of 7 from the field with two makes from beyond the arc. The Rising Star of the Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic struggled from deep, going 0-for-3 from the three-point line. He was still able to make his presence felt with 10 points and 3 boards, to make it all even after one period at 30 points apiece.

In the second quarter, Bjelica would fall victim to foul trouble, tallying 3 offensive fouls that would sideline him with more than half of the quarter to go. The Kings were more than equal to it. The Kings’ European Star Bogdan Bogdanavic, has been finding that stride that made him an MVP in Turkey. If you disagree, just check out this huge game-winner he hit against the Lakers last week. He caught fire in the second quarter against Denver and scored 11 points helping the Kings gain a comfortable lead. Bogdanovic wasn’t the only one. Yogi Ferrell got in on the action as well, dropping in 7. The Kings led by 15 at one point and took a 13-point advantage into the half 66-53.

The Nuggets didn’t come out of the half on fire, but the Kings certainly came out ice cold. Coach Mike Malone had his defense playing a smothering style of basketball. After 7 minutes eclipsed in the third, Sacramento has only scored 10 points. Despite all their defensive effort, with 61 seconds left in the quarter the Nuggets would only hold a 3-pint lead. They wouldn’t be able to contain the Kings, however, who put together two good possessions, including a huge block by the feisty Justin Jackson, and the game would be tied at 84 to end the quarter.

The name of the game in the fourth quarter was size and rebounding. The Nuggets have a ton of size and Nikola Jokic looked like Godzilla on the floor, dwarfing every single Kings player on the court. Late in the game, Denver utilized the size of Jokic, Mason Plumlee and Paul Millsap to dominate around the rim, pulling down 12 rebounds compared to the Kings 8. The was only compounded by Jamal Murray, the young Nuggets guard who exploded for 34 points in the second half, including 15 in the final period after only scoring 2 points the entire first half. Bogdanovic and Hield hit some huge shots at the end to keep it close, but alas, no cigar. The Nuggets go on to win by 4, 117-113.

A tough loss undeniably considering how the Kings opened the game and the 15-point margin they led by in the second quarter. Those are the types of games good teams don’t let slip away. Nevertheless, the Nuggets out rebounded Sacramento 54-to-33 and only won the game by 4 points. That promising–the Kings are playing so well, despite the disparities, demonstrates that they are legitimately one or two pieces away from truly contending in the West in the future. And having more cap space that any other team in the league and playing host to young and excelling talent, that future may be closer than we think.

The Kings host the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, January 5 at 7:00 pm PT.

Kings drop first game of 2019, fall to Trail Blazers 113-108

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — First off, Happy New Years from Sacramento!

The Sacramento Kings looked to topple the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday evening at Golden One Center. Today, the Kings were looking to brush off a disappointing loss to the Lakers that took place on Sunday in LA. The Trail Blazers came into the game this evening with a 21-16 record against the Kings’ 19-17 record. The tip-off was set for an earlier 6:00 PM PST.

The beginning of this game had a very “tired” feel to it as neither team could hold onto the ball leading to very sloppy first few minutes. Five minutes into the game, the Kings led 11-9, thanks to Buddy Hield’s five points. In the ensuing minutes, the game remained close. Buddy Hield added eight more points to his total, bringing his first-quarter total to 13. Maurice Harkless and Damian Lillard scored seven points apiece to lead the Trail Blazers to a first quarter advantage 26-25.

In the second quarter, the Kings tried to keep the game close. Halfway through the quarter, the score was 42-36 as the Kings trailed. The Kings didn’t do a good job of that. The Trail Blazers managed to rack up 64 points in the first half compared to the Kings’ 50. The Kings needed to come out strong in the third quarter if they wanted a shot at winning this game. Leading the way for the Trail Blazers was Jusuf Nurkic and CJ McCollum with a combined 27 points in the first half. Hield was arguably the only reason the Kings were remotely in the game as he put up 19 first-half points and 5-6 from downtown. The score at the half was 64-50 with the Trail Blazers on top.

In the third quarter, the Kings came out strong. Four minutes through the quarter, the Kings cut the deficit to 66-59. The Kings continued to keep the game tight. With four minutes remaining in the quarter, the Kings trailed only 73-70. Harry Giles capped the third off with a jumper just outside the paint to make it 83-77 Kings headed into the fourth.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings appeared to be on track to do what they have so many times this season. Win after a double-digit deficit late. Just shy of four minutes after the fourth quarter began the Kings had come from a 83-77 deficit to an 89-85 lead with 8:42 left to go in the game. As if Kings fans needed more drama this season, the end of this game was heart-stopping. Thanks to Damien Lillard, the game was tied with roughly six seconds remaining. De’Aaron Fox had the ball and pulled up for a game-winning jumper just inside the arc, and missed. The game went to overtime with the Trail Blazers getting the first possession with the game tied at 103 apiece.

In overtime, the Kings would score first after Bogdan Bogdanovic made two free throws after a foul. The game was 105-103 with 4:20 remaining. Lillard was subsequently fouled from behind the line and made all three attempts to give the Trail Blazers back the lead 106-105. At this point, the Trail Blazers hit a couple clutch shots, and the Kings couldn’t buy a basket leading to a 113-108 game with 13.6 seconds remaining. That proved to be the final score.

The Kings continue their homestand as they host the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, January 3 at 7:00 PM PST.

Kings battle to the end with the Warriors, but lose 130-125

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: London Marq

SACRAMENTO — The Golden 1 Center was hopping on Friday night as the Warriors traveled in to Sacramento looking to bounce back after a 20-point loss at the hands of Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors. Entering play, less than 20 days from the New Year, and the Sacramento Kings are over .500, currently in the eighth spot in the Western Conference. The Kings haven’t been this well placed to contend for a playoff spot since Ron Artest was on the team in 2006. The Kings looked to keep the Cinderella Story alive and keep the Warriors in the loss column.

The Warriors only had Dubs on their mind as they jumped out to 9-4 lead early. The lightning fast Kings are second in the league in pace, but had trouble hitting on all cylinders in the opening quarter. Kevin Durant led the charge for Golden State with 11 points, and the Baby-Faced Assassin Steph Curry was right behind him as he poured in 9 points. The Kings we able to keep it close. They were able get the Warriors in foul trouble early, scoring 10 from the line. Nemanja Bjelica led all Kings early with 10 in the first, and the Warriors would have a 4-point advantage, 42-38 going into the second.

It was much of the same in the second and the Warriors would take a 12-point lead into halftime. But things began to heat up in the third quarter, as the Kings starts started to gain some momentum. Fox had 11 points in the third quarter, and Hield Bjelica both dropped in 8 in the quarter as well. This is when the Kings started to play their brand of basketball, but they were not help out at all by the refs. There were several atrocious calls against the Kings, which slowed their progress.  In the stand’s fans roared with fury watching the replays. It’s a sight that’s become all too familiar in Sacramento. Even still the Kings would close the gap to 6, 103-97, going into the final quarter.

The Kings came out in the fourth with a purpose. Finding their stride, they came out with a 15-2 run to start the fourth and playing solid defense. They would begin to hit on all cylinders and they would take the lead. With 5 minutes to go in the game they would have 10-point lead.  However when you have 4 All-Stars on your team, as the Warriors do, magic just seems to happen. The Warriors would steal this game from the Kings on a 17-2 run to end the game.

Warriors’ leaders
Durant: 33 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds
Curry 35 points, 6 assists, 7 rebounds

Kings’ leaders
Hield: 27 points, 2 assists, 4 rebounds
Fox: 25 points, 9 assists,  6 rebounds

Final
Warriors 130, Kings 125