Tag: Kings

Kings actually look regal in romp over the visiting Wizards

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Dunk

By Morris Phillips

Now that George Karl has done his initial tweaks and pokes, Boogie has returned to health, the rest of the Kings have been put on notice, and Vlade’s settled into his office and found a place to smoke, the Sacramento Kings appear ready to win.

Accordingly, the winning commenced on Sunday afternoon as the Kings turned in an impressive performance, blowing out the playoff-bound but road-weary Wizards, 109-86.

The NBA’s most restless franchise can’t seem to stand still with all the roster moves and upheaval, but they appear close to calming down as the season draws to a close. On Sunday, the Kings used their 17th different starting lineup, but the changes worked: Sacramento won their second straight and did it defensively, holding Washington to 86 points after holding Charlotte to 91 on Friday.

“I wasn’t expecting an easy win, but we got one.” Karl said.  “I think it’s the best game we probably played since I’ve been here.”

The Kings started fast, shooting 67 percent in the first quarter to lead 34-29. All five Kings’ s starters would go on to make more than half their field goal attempts, but Gay, working against Paul Pierce, would strike first, totaling 13 of his team-best 26 points before halftime. Karl continued his experiment of playing Gay at the power forward spot, in hopes of getting the veteran in more favorable matchups against slower defenders, or bigger defenders hesitant to chase Gay around the perimeter.   In this case, Pierce committed three fouls prior to halftime guarding Gay and was limited to 17 minutes of court time.  Gay has obviously liked the subtle change, averaging 25 points per game over his last 10 appearances.

Derrick Williams has also seen a slight bump in his floor time under Karl and on Sunday that led to a pair of emphatic dunks, one off a perfectly timed—if not placed—alley oop pass from Gay.  Williams may not be a natural fit to play off guard, but the move does send a signal to frequent starter Ben McLemore that his floor time will have to be earned.

The Kansas product did seem to operate with an urgency as well, scoring all 17 points after halftime.

While the Kings appeared engaged, the Wizards did not, with Kevin Seraphin committing a flagrant foul on Omri Casspi as he drove to the hoop, and then getting called for the dreaded defensive 3-second violation right before the half.   Washington would allow the Kings to shoot 50 percent from the field for the game including eight made threes.

‘We need to come out with more defensive focus or we don’t have a chance.  That’s pretty much it,” Coach Randy Wittman said of the Wizards’ disinterested effort.

The Wizards were looking to guarantee a non-losing season with their 41st win as well as closing the gap on the Bulls in the East for an opportunity to secure home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.  But along with the defensive issues, the Wizards missed 14 of 17 shot attempts from distance and trailed by 20 points after three quarters.

The Kings improved to 24-45 on the season and did so with Cousins back in his familiar starting role after an absence due to injury.  The versatile center played just 23 minutes due to foul trouble but still put good numbers (20 points, seven rebounds and five assists).    His long bounce pass to a streaking McLemore led to a layup in transition and the Kings first double-digit lead early in the third quarter.

Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 19 points along with four assists.

The Kings face the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday in Sacramento to conclude a three-game home stand, prior to playing seven of their next 10 on the road.

Kings End First Half On A Sour Note, Drop To The Bucks.

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By Shawn Whelchel

The All-Star break couldn’t have come sooner for the struggling Sacramento Kings, who ended the first half of the season by dropping 13 of their last 15 games after suffering a 111-103 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

The 13-game skid sends coach Tyrone Corbin out on a poor note, as the team reportedly agreed to terms with George Karl to become the new head coach of the team when the second half of the season resumes on February 20th against the Boston Celtics.

Milwaukee was led by guard Brandon Knight, who is arguably having an All-Star caliber season despite being left off of the East’s roster. Knight led the Bucks with 20 points, 6 rebounds and five assists on the night. O.J Mayo provided some pop off the bench for Milwaukee by dumping in 21 points in 25 minutes as well.

The Kings received a strong effort from DeMarcus Cousins, who will be making an appearance in New York’s All-Star game, as the big man posted an impressive stat line 28 points and 19 rebounds in the losing effort. Cousins was followed by Rudy Gay, who had 17 points and 8 rebounds on the night.

The Kings will hope that Karl’s veteran coaching presence will be able to revive the struggling team, who currently sit 13th in the Western division, ahead of only the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves with an 18-34 record.

Karl is currently the sixth most winning coach in NBA history. CSN Bay Area reported that the deal is rumored to be anywhere between $4 million and $5 million dollars per year.

Trio Of Bulls Down The Struggling Kings

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By Shawn Whelchel

A trio of Bulls led the charge against Sacramento on Tuesday night, as Chicago steadily dispatched the stumbling Kings with a 104-86 trouncing at the United Center.

The Kings seemingly had no answer for Chicago’s Pau Gasol, Derrick Rose and Tony Snell, who combined for 73 of the Bulls’ 104 points on the night. Snell turned in a career night against the Kings, scoring 24 points on 9 of 11 shooting.

Sacramento’s efforts were derailed in the third quarter of Tuesday night’s contest after a 19-4 run in the beginning of the frame sunk any chance for the Kings to mount a comeback. The Kings did themselves no favor on the defensive side of the ball as well, as a lackluster effort allowed Chicago to shoot 52.5 percent from the field on the night, including 7-of-20 from beyond the arc.

The loss was yet another frustrating effort from Sacramento, who have now lost 12 of their last 14 games while earning an 18-33 record in the Pacific division.

But help might soon be on the way for the struggling Kings, as there are reports that George Karl may soon be at the helm of the team. The 63-year old veteran coach, who currently sits sixth in NBA history with 1,131 wins, can give the Kings some much needed guidance in order to turn the troubled club around.

In what may prove to be his final game as head coach, Tyrone Corbin and the Kings will limp into Milwaukee on Wednesday night to take on the Bucks before receiving a much needed break over All-Star weekend.

 

Kings Can’t Close Out Portland, Drop Fourth Straight.

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By Shawn Whelchel

The Kings couldn’t hold on to a fourth quarter lead Monday night, as the Portland Trail Blazers completed their late comeback to hand Sacramento a 98-94 loss.

The Kings, who have now dropped four in a row, held a 87-86 lead with a little over 2 and-a-half minutes to go in the fourth. But Portland’s Damian Lillard lead the late charge, dumping in 6 of his 22 points in the last 90 seconds of play to secure the win.

Portland left the door open for a late Sacramento tie, as Lillard and Nicolas Batum missed 3-of-6 free throws in the waning seconds of the game to keep it a one score game.

But a miss by Rudy Gay and a Darren Collison turnover sealed the Kings fate as Portland held on for the win following a Batum free throw.

Lillard’s team-high 22 points were accompanied by six rebounds and five assists. Gay lead all scorers on the night with 26 points for Sacramento. He was followed by DeMarcus Cousins who added 22 points of his own while hauling in 19 rebounds.

The Kings continue to be hurt by sloppy play after a total of 23 turnovers contributed to 29 Portland points. Sacramento will look to get back on track against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

 

 

Kings Can’t Contain Plumlee, Drop To Brooklyn

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By Shawn Whelchel.

The Sacramento Kings dropped the first game of their four game roadtrip to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, after sloppy play and a lack of bench scoring neutralized a big night from DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay.

Gay led all scorers in the game with 25 points on 9-of-21 shooting, while Cousins continued his strong play, following closely behind with 24 points on an efficient 9-of-12 shooting from the field, accounting for 49 of the Kings 99 total points.

But while four out of five starters finished Monday’s contest in double digits for the Kings, the bench failed to provide the necessary support during their minutes on the court, adding just 19 points while contributing to the losing effort.

Nets center Mason Plumlee continues to shine in place of Brook Lopez, who has been reserved to a bench role as of late, as he dumped in 6-of-7 attempts good for a team high 22 points on the night.

The Kings continue to hurt themselves with sloppy play, as a total of 21 turnovers on the night led to 25 points for the Nets at home. Brooklyn’s bench also outscored the Kings by 19 points.

Despite the lack of bench play, the Kings pulled to within 5 points with just over five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. But the defense couldn’t hold off the Nets, who used a pair of runs to solidify their victory over the visiting Kings for their 14th win of the season.

The Kings will take on the Celtics on Wednesday, December 31 at 10 a.m.

Houston Stave Off Kings Comeback, Win 102-89

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By Shawn Whelchel

The Sacramento Kings tried to fight through tired legs on their second game of a back-to-back matchup on Wednesday, but ran out of steam as the Houston Rockets earned a 102-89 victory.

Sacramento dug themselves an early hole, as a lack of scoring and easy offense by Houston gave them as large as a 22-point lead in the first half of play. The Kings continued to find their rhythm on offense while pulling to within striking range of the James Harden lead Rockets, but ultimately stalled short of amassing a comeback as a 16-point fourth quarter sealed their fate.

With center Dwight Howard sitting out tonight’s contest with a knee injury, shooting guard James Harden was able to let loose, heaving 31-shots for 26-points on the night to lead his team in scoring. Without their down-low presence, the Rockets lived behind the arc, connecting on 12-of-25 attempts with guard Isaiah Canaan earning 18 of his 24 points from three point range.

On the other side of the court, big man DeMarcus Cousins kept the Kings in the game with 29-points on 9-of-18 shooting while Sacramento was forced to play without starters Rudy Gay and Darren Collison for the second straight game, as they continue to be plagued by injuries.

While the Kings managed to scrap their way to just a one-point deficit in the third quarter, their sloppy play proved too much to overcome, as Houston benefited from 21 Sacramento turnovers on the night, which they converted into 32 points to back their winning effort.

After jumping out to a hot start, the loss drops the now 9-6 Kings to fourth place in the Pacific division, ahead only of the bottom-dwelling Los Angeles Lakers who sit with a 3-12 record on the season. The Kings will look to bounce back on Friday, as they hit the road to take on the San Antonio Spurs

Nowitzki’s Historic Night Leads Comeback From Dallas Mavericks.

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By Shawn Whelchel

It was a tale of two halves for the Kings as Sacramento jumped out to a commanding first half lead, but couldn’t keep their foot on the gas as the offense sputtered late, leaving the door open for the Dallas Mavericks to mount an impressive comeback to steal a 106-98 victory at home.

The Kings offense came out firing on all cylinders to start the game, jumping out to a 24-point lead in the second quarter while picking apart the Dallas defense. But half time cooled the hot shooting Kings, as Dallas began finding a rhythm of their own, outscoring Sacramento 58-41 through the final two frames to secure a come-from-behind victory.

Rudy Gay led the charge for Sacramento, scoring 26 points on the night while nearly notching a triple-double with 8 rebounds and 8 assists to boot. Ramon Sessions followed Gay with 18 points and 3 rebounds.

Dirk Nowitzki led all Dallas scorers with 23 points of his own on a historic night where the German born star passed Hakeem Olajuwon for most points by an international player in NBA history while also moving into 9th place on the all-time scoring list.

Nowitzki came into the game needing just 17 points to secure his place in history, but after a scoreless first quarter it looked as if the feat would be questionable. However, Nowitzki would not be denied his claim as the second quarter saw a turnaround from both he and the rest of the team as their 34-point outburst brought them right back into the game.

The Kings competitive first half was nowhere to be found as they came out of the locker room, posting just 15 points on 26 percent shooting to allow Dallas to take their first lead of the game in the third quarter, which Dallas would not relinquish the rest of the game, bumping the Kings to a 5-3 record in the pacific division.

The Kings continue their tough road trip against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday where Sacramento will look to snap their two-game skid before returning home to take on the champion San Antonio Spurs.

Game Notes:

PG Darren Collison was absent from Tuesday night’s contest with left shoulder stiffness. It remains to be seen if the guard will play Thursday night against the Grizzlies.

 

Spurs Bounce Back to Top Kings

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By Shawn Whelchel

A dominant night from C DeMarcus Cousins wasn’t enough to hold the reigning NBA champions down for long, as the San Antonio Spurs mounted a third quarter comeback to steal a 106-99 victory away from the Sacramento Kings .

With star Tim Duncan sitting out for the game, DeMarcus Cousin was turned loose in the post, scoring 32 points on 12 of 14 shooting from the field, while adding four assists. But Cousins influence was felt on both ends of the court as the dynamic center also hauled in 11 rebounds, 2 steals and a block, turning in a solid defensive effort to match his scoring outburst.

The Kings solid first half of play gave them an 11 point advantage coming out of halftime. But the Spurs would come out of the locker room hungry, forcing nine turnovers in the third quarter of play that saw San Antonio pull to within one point heading into the final frame.

The Kings kept San Antonio at bay throughout the fourth before giving up a dunk to SG Kyle Anderson that would give the Spurs their first lead of the half. It would be a back and forth affair through the middle of the quarter before another Anderson bucket with 2:36 left looked to lock the game up for the Spurs.

Rudy Gay and Darren Collison put in a good effort behind big man DeMarcus Cousins, with Gay adding 18-points on 4-of-12 shooting, and Collison following him with 14 of his own on 6-of-10 shooting.  The Kings bench was quiet throughout out the game with the exception of PF Carl Landry, who provided a solid 15-points off the bench.

Spurs SG Kyle Anderson led all starters for San Antonio with 14-points, while G Tony Parker followed him with 13 points of his own. The Spurs scoring surge was largely supported by their bench, which featured four players in double figures including Jeff Ayres, JaMychal Green, Austin Daye and Marco Belinelli, who added a combined 56 points to the winning effort.

While the Kings were able to batter San Antonio down low for points, they were anything but threatening from beyond the arc, shooting just 12 percent on 3-point field goals while converting just 1-of-8 attempts.

Game Notes:

The Sacramento Kings announced that they will pick up the 2015-16 option on guard Ben McLemore’s contract, as confirmed by Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. Per club policy, the terms of the contract were not released.

Now in his second NBA campaign, the 6-foot 5 guard averaged 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 26.7 minutes per contest as a rookie last season.

Kings Swept By Nets In China.

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The first leg of the Sacramento Kings international trip ended in disappointment as the Brooklyn Nets secured a 129-117 victory in overtime on Wednesday morning, sweeping the two game series between the teams in China.

After starting the game slowly on offense, the Nets were able to carry a strong second half outburst into overtime, where they outscored the Kings 17-5 to earn their second straight victory over Sacramento.

SG Ben McLemore led all Kings scorers with 22 points, with Rudy Gay following close behind, adding 21 points of his own in the contest. The Kings bench provided some additional firepower as well, with guard Darren Collison and forward Omri Casspi combining for 34 points in the losing effort.

With Kevin Garnett sitting out for the Nets, it was Mirza Teletovic who went to work down low for Brooklyn, leading the team with 22 points on the night. Teletovic was aided by his partner in the post Mason Plumlee, whose strong overtime play contributed to his 18 point total while capping off the comeback effort.

With DeMarcus Cousins taking the game off, the Kings relied heavily on plays from the guard and small forward position with 98 of their 117 points stemming from the two positions. While the team couldn’t get much going in the post with Cousins out, they took advantage of their outside opportunities, shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc while putting in 13 three pointers.

After falling to a 1-3 record, the Kings will make one more stop on their international itinerary, taking on the Isreali basketball club, Maccaba Haifa on Saturday.

 

Sharks’s OT win breaks Kings’ home playoff win streak

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Photo credit: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

By Pearl Allison Lo

LOS ANGELES– Patrick Marleau scored his third playoff goal in Game 3 of this series to lead San Jose to a 3-0 series advantage with a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday.

Up until the Sharks’ win, the Kings had won all of their playoff games at home since June 11, 2012.

Besides two straight Los Angeles goals, the scoring went back and forth.

Marleau was aided by Scott Hannan at 6:20 in this much tighter game than the previous two. The goal was their only shot in overtime. Goalie Antti Niemi is now 12-2 in OT careerwise in the playoffs.

Teammate Logan Couture commented on overtime, “…they really took it to us for the first five minutes of that overtime, then we got a lucky bounce and that’s the way things go sometimes.”

On their second shot of the game and 11 seconds into their power play, San Jose’s Brent Burns scored at 3:16 of the first, helped by Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle.

The shot on goal margin for the Kings increased to 7-2, but they could not get the puck in the right spot.

The Sharks paid for a puck over the glass penalty by Jason Demers at 3:23 of the second. Los Angeles’s Tyler Toffoli was able to pass the puck just past Tommy Wingels, and Jarret Stoll shot right away to even the game at 1-1 at 4:48. Drew Doughty also assisted on the play.

The Kings’ Marian Gaborik then single-handedly intercepted one of the passes on his teams’ side and turned it into a 3 on 2 man advantage and goal at 7:59 for the 2-1 lead.

It was short-lived though. Marleau fished the puck out from alongside the boards and passed it to Jason Demers near the blue line. Demers then aimed at the net and Long Beach native Matt Nieto tipped in the puck, to even the game back up at two at 9:17. It was Nieto’s first career playoff goal.

Los Angeles got their fourth power play when James Sheppard was called for tripping. San Jose put the puck over the glass again, but the referees did not make the call.

The other half of Sheppard’s power play continued in the third. Seven seconds before it expired, Jeff Carter had a tip-in from Anze Kopitar and Doughty.

It took more than two power play opportunities following that goal, but three seconds after the second one at 9:17, Sharks’ rookie Tomas Hertl put the loose puck in, persisting several times after it went off goalie Jonathan Quick. Overall in the period, San Jose outshot the Kings 23-8. Hertl was aided by Wingels and Marc-Edouard Vlasic.

The Kings’ head coach Darryl Sutter said, “It’s a tough field, and we won’t go away quietly.”

Game notes: The Sharks go for the sweep at Staples Thursday at 7:30pm.