Tag: NBA

Warriors Dominate Kings Behind Draymond Green’s Big Night

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DeMar DeRozan shoots in game against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SAN FRANCISCO — The Sacramento Kings were back in action Thursday night as they traveled up I-80 to take on the Golden State Warriors. The two teams entered the game on opposite trajectories. The Kings had lost three of their last four games, slipping toward the 10th seed in the Western Conference, while the Warriors had won five straight and nine of their last ten. Golden State played with the addition of the recently injured Andrew Wiggins, while the Kings continued to weather the absence of Domantas Sabonis, who remained sidelined with a hamstring strain. In the end, the Kings couldn’t keep up, falling to the Warriors 130-104.

The Warriors jumped out to a quick lead in the first quarter, outscoring the Kings 30-18. Draymond Green got the Warriors rolling with two early three-pointers, helping set the tone. Meanwhile, the Kings struggled offensively, managing just 25% shooting from beyond the arc and 36% overall from the field. Green led the way for Golden State in the first quarter with eight points, while Zach LaVine paced the Kings with five.

Opening the second quarter, the Warriors continued to apply pressure, with Green and Quinten Post each hitting threes to extend Golden State’s lead to 39-24. Kings interim head coach Doug Christie quickly called a timeout with 10:29 left to play in the quarter, hoping to slow the Warriors’ momentum. Out of the timeout, Jake LaRavia provided a much-needed spark for Sacramento, hitting back-to-back threes to trim the deficit to 11. However, Golden State wasted no time regaining control, ballooning their lead to 50-30 with 6:43 remaining in the half. The Kings put together a late run to close out the quarter, outscoring the Warriors 33-31 in the second frame. Heading into halftime, Sacramento trailed 61-51. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 11 first-half points, while Green paced all scorers with 16.

The Kings held their own in the third quarter but failed to make up any ground, as the Warriors outscored them 35-32. Though Sacramento had stopped the bleeding, the early hole they had dug themselves remained too deep to overcome, as they entered the fourth quarter trailing 96-83.

During the third quarter, Stephen Curry made NBA history, becoming the first player to ever make 4,000 career three-pointers. The moment was acknowledged with a tribute video during a timeout, as the home crowd at Chase Center gave Curry a well-deserved ovation.

In the final quarter, the Kings faltered, failing to mount any sort of comeback. Golden State outscored Sacramento 34-21 in the final frame, pulling away for the 130-104 victory. Draymond Green led the Warriors with 23 points in the win, while DeRozan finished with 23 points of his own to lead the Kings.

The loss was a tough blow for Sacramento, as they now trail the Warriors in the standings and finish the season 2-2 in their head-to-head matchups. Golden State improved to 38-28 on the season, boasting an impressive 16-2 record since acquiring Jimmy Butler. Meanwhile, the Kings dropped to 33-32, now sitting 4.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Warriors and 3.5 games ahead of the 11th-seeded Phoenix Suns.

Postgame, Doug Christie addressed Zach LaVine’s limited shot attempts, as he finished the game with only six field goal attempts. “I would like to see him getting 16 or even 26 points in a game,” Christie said. LaVine, responding to the topic, stated, “If you guys want me to play isolation basketball, I can do that… I’m not going to take bad shots.”

The Kings continue to struggle with consistency, as injuries have led to frequent lineup changes. However, with the season winding down, they don’t have the luxury of waiting for things to click.

Up next, the Kings will travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Friday night at 7 PM PST at Footprint Center.

Golden State Warriors podcast David Zizmor: Warriors on five game win streak host Kings Thursday at Chase Center

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Who was that masked man? Golden State Warriors Gary Payton II (0) raises an arm after scoring on the Portland Trail Blazers and Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) in first half action at Chase Center in San Francisco on Mon Mar 10, 2025 (AP News photo)

Golden State Warriors podcast David Zizmor:

#1 Dave, the Golden State Warriors (37-28) rolled to their fifth straight win against the Portland Trail Blazers (28-38) on Monday night at Chase Center in San Francisco with a 130-120 win. Dave what would you attribute to the key to the success of this five game win streak?

#2 The Warriors had six players in double figures the top three Gary Payton II 26 points, Stephen Curry 24 points, Moses Moody and Buddy Hield both with 20 points quite an offensive evening for Golden State in picking up that fifth straight win.

#3 Warriors host the Sacramento Kings Thursday night. The Kings are 33-31, the Kings have won five of their last ten games, are 17-16 on the road this season and are ninth in the Western Conference. How do you see this match up?

Join David Zizmor for the Warriors podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria: Knicks Anthony-Townes leads with 26 points past Kings 133-104

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The New York Knicks dominated on offense against the Sacramento Kings on Mon Mar 10, 2025 at Golden 1 Center Sacramento (Getty photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony R:

#1 Tony, New York Knicks Karl Anthony Townes led the New York Knicks with 26 points with eight assists, seven rebounds as the Knicks defeated the Sacramento Kings 133-104.

#2 After the Knicks dominated the Kings after the first quarter 37-22 the Kings did have an improved second quarter with a tying 29-29 score.

#3 The Knicks OG Anunoby scored 24 points, with eight assists and seven rebounds finishing second in scoring for the Knicks.

#4 The Kings had five players in double figures with center Malik Monk leading with 21 points it wasn’t enough as the Kings lost by 29 points.

#5 Up next for the Kings their off to Golden State for a match against Jimmy Butler and the Warriors on Thu Mar 13th at Chase Center.

Join Tony Renteria does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings Struggle at Home, Blown Out by Knicks in 133-104 Loss

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Zach LaVine in a recent game at Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO CA — The Sacramento Kings played the second night of a back-to-back on Monday, following a loss to the LA Clippers on Sunday. Returning home to face the New York Knicks at Golden 1 Center, the Kings tipped off at 7:30 PM PST in front of a national NBA TV audience. Unfortunately, they suffered a lopsided 133-104 defeat.

The Knicks dominated from the start, overwhelming the Kings with their physicality. New York outscored Sacramento 37-22 in the first quarter, setting the tone early. The Kings struggled offensively, shooting just 31.8% from the field, while Miles McBride torched them for 15 points in the opening frame. No Kings player managed more than five points in the first quarter as they searched for answers.

Sacramento’s struggles continued in the second quarter. While their shooting slightly improved, their energy level remained low. Both teams scored 29 points in the period, leaving the Kings trailing 66-51 at halftime. McBride led all scorers with 16 points at the break, while Malik Monk paced Sacramento with 13. The Kings needed a significant shift in intensity to mount a comeback in the second half.

However, the Kings never found their rhythm after halftime. The third quarter saw New York extend its lead, outscoring Sacramento 37-26. The Kings failed to generate any consistent offense and lacked defensive effort. By the fourth quarter, the outcome was clear as the Knicks once again outscored the Kings, 30-27, sealing a blowout victory 133-104.

Monk led Sacramento with 21 points, but it wasn’t enough. The Knicks were powered by strong performances from Karl-Anthony Towns (26 points), OG Anunoby (24 points), and McBride (21 points).

For the Kings, this loss marked a concerning regression. Getting dominated on their home floor is something head coach Doug Christie has tried to drill into his players.

“That’s not us,” Christie said postgame. “There are absolutely no excuses in this league. The league doesn’t care about back-to-backs, injuries—nothing. That was brutal from a physicality standpoint. They didn’t feel us at all, and our guys know that is totally unacceptable.”

Center Jonas Valančiūnas echoed similar frustration: “We have to be ready. We weren’t ready today. I don’t know what happened. Yeah, we can find lots of excuses, but that ain’t going to cut it.”

With the loss, the Kings remain in the 9th seed in the Western Conference, just one game ahead of the 10th-seeded Mavericks. They trail the 8th-seeded Clippers by two games and sit 3.5 games behind the 6th-seeded Warriors.

Up Next:

The Kings will head to San Francisco to face the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Tip-off is set for 7 PM PST.

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason: Kings host Knicks tonight; Sacramento returns from LA playing on back to back nights

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Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (left) takes a shot against the Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) at Intuit Dome Arena in Inglewood on Sun Mar 9, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 Los Angeles Clippers Kawhi Leonard hit a buzzer beater shot on a hook shook that beat the Sacramento Kings 111-110 in a nail biter on Sunday night in Inglewood in the battle of eighth place teams.

#2 Leonard’s shot took him to the top of the key with 21.6 seconds and let the clock run down and drove the by past the Kings defenders for a shot that bounced on the rim that went in. Leonard scored 17 points.

#3 The Kings had a tough time defending the Clippers James Harden who scored 29 points and the Clippers wound up winning their third straight game. Ivica Zubac hand a hot had for the Clippers scoring 22 points while grabbing 14 rebounds.

#4 DeMar DeRozan scored 31 points with ten assists, Zach LaVine had 30 points in spite of their hard efforts the Kings lost by just one point in the end of the game. The Kings continue to be winless against the Clippers with a season 0-3 record.

#5 The Eastern Conference third place New York Knicks come calling tonight at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. The Knicks have lost their last three games and are 19-12 on the road this season. The Knicks are struggling can the Kings get this won tonight with the home court advantage?

Join Barbara Mason for the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings Fall to Clippers in Overtime Heartbreaker, 111-110

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Zach LaVine shoots in the Kings matchup vs the Clippers on Sunday night in LA (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

INGLEWOOD CA — The Kings had been moving with a different aura recently. Sacramento was displaying a confidence that I felt had been lacking for much of the season. On Sunday night, the Kings were back in action in Los Angeles against the Clippers, carrying what felt like a sense of belonging in the crowded Western Conference playoff race.

The message of “playing with joy,” which Doug Christie had preached since taking over head coaching duties, seemed to be taking hold. Heading into Sunday’s matchup, the Kings had won five of their last six games and were looking to build on that momentum before heading back home. The Kings and Clippers tipped off at 6:30 PM PST at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The Clippers defeated the Kings 111-110 in overtime.

In the first quarter, neither the Kings nor the Clippers found much offensive rhythm, as both teams played solid defense. However, Zach LaVine started the game hot, scoring nine points in the opening quarter to lead all scorers. The Clippers’ Ivica Zubac established himself early in the paint, leading his team with eight first-quarter points. The Kings outscored the Clippers 23-20 in the opening period, taking a narrow lead.

The second quarter remained highly competitive. The Kings briefly built an eight-point advantage, but the Clippers fought back to erase the deficit before halftime. The Clippers outscored the Kings 31-26 in the quarter, taking a 51-49 lead into the break.

Both teams played disciplined basketball in the first half, with Sacramento committing only four turnovers and Los Angeles just three. Zach LaVine led the Kings with 13 first-half points, while James Harden paced the Clippers with 11.

In the third quarter, the Kings reclaimed a slim lead. They outscored the Clippers 26-21 in the period, heading into the final frame with a 75-72 advantage. Defensive intensity remained high, as neither team was interested in letting up. 

The fourth quarter felt like a battle of defensive resilience—whichever team blinked first would likely lose. However, neither side backed down, and the game remained tied at 97, forcing overtime.

In the extra period, the Kings suffered a heartbreaking defeat on a left-handed hook shot by Kawhi Leonard. The ball bounced around the rim before improbably falling through the net, sending Intuit Dome into a frenzy as the Clippers secured the 111-110 victory. DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine led the Kings in defeat, scoring 31 and 30 points, respectively. James Harden delivered the Clippers’ best performance with 29 points.

This marked the Kings’ second loss in three games where they had played well throughout but fell short late. They suffered a similar defeat against Denver last week. After the game, head coach Doug Christie praised his team’s effort, saying, “I thought the guys did a good job… all in all, the byproduct of playing hard like this is ultimately going to be winning. Super proud of how the guys continue to build. We want to win every game, so this sucks and it hurts… but defensively, I think it was a fantastic effort out there.”

Keon Ellis shared his thoughts on the team’s progress following the trade deadline, stating, “We know that we are trending in the right direction… just gotta keep at it day by day.”

With the loss, the Kings fell to 33-30 on the season and now sit 1.5 games behind the Clippers for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They currently hold the ninth seed, two games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks.

Up Next: The Kings return home to face the New York Knicks on Monday at 7:30 PM PST at Golden 1 Center. It will mark the second night of a road-home back-to-back.

Kings Bounce Back with Convincing Win Over Spurs, Close the Book on Fox Era

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Zach LaVine shoots in the win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday (Photo Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–As Doug Christie walked into the press conference room in Denver after Wednesday’s loss to the Nuggets, the frustration was palpable. He described a game that was going to “sting for a bit.” The Kings outplayed the Nuggets for most of the night but collapsed in the fourth quarter, ultimately losing 116-110. They also took issue with the officiating, as their free-throw attempts dried up in the second half.

On Friday, the Kings had an opportunity to bounce back at home following their tough loss in Denver. They welcomed the San Antonio Spurs, marking the return of De’Aaron Fox. Fox had spent nearly eight years with the Kings before being traded to San Antonio on February 3rd in a three-team deal that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento. Fox received an ovation during his tribute video but was booed every other time he touched the ball. The Kings went on to defeat the Spurs 127-109.

The Kings’ offense started slowly in the first quarter, appearing disjointed and out of sync as the Spurs outscored them 26-20. Stephon Castle led all scorers in the quarter with nine points, while DeMar DeRozan paced the Kings with seven.

In the second quarter, the Kings flipped the script with an offensive outburst, outscoring the Spurs 36-16 to take a commanding 56-42 halftime lead. Zach LaVine fueled the surge with 16 points in the period, while Jonas Valančiūnas added eight. LaVine led all scorers at halftime with 18 points, while De’Aaron Fox had an underwhelming first half, managing just six points on 3-of-10 shooting.

The Kings continued to dominate in the third quarter, outscoring the Spurs 39-35 to extend their lead to 95-77 heading into the final period. With the game firmly in their hands, they only needed to stave off any comeback attempt from San Antonio.

Early in the fourth, the Spurs made a brief push, but the Kings quickly countered, securing a 127-109 victory. LaVine led Sacramento with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting. Castle paced the Spurs with 25 points in the loss, while Fox struggled in his return to Sacramento, finishing with 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting.

In many ways, the Kings’ win over the Spurs felt like the final chapter of the De’Aaron Fox era in Sacramento. While he had already been gone for weeks following the February 3 trade, seeing him score in an opposing uniform at Golden 1 Center made it feel definitive.

Postgame, Fox spoke with reporters in a crowded visiting press conference area just outside the Spurs’ locker room. He reflected fondly on his time in Sacramento, despite the chaos surrounding his departure. When I asked if he hoped the city would remember him more favorably in the future, he replied, “I’ve said my peace, and I’m not really worried about anything else.”

Up Next: The Kings travel to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers at Intuit Dome on Sunday night.

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson Fri Mar 7, 2025: Kings need to line up wins if they’re going to make post season

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Sacramento King forward Keegan Murray center tries to squeeze between Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (left) and forward Michael Porter Jr (right) in the first half at Ball Arena in Denver on Wed Mar 5, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic scored 22 points and had 14 rebound and teammate Russell Westbrook had 25 points and the Nuggets came back from behind to overcome the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at Ball Arena 116-110.

#2 The Kings defense had a tough time defending the Nuggets Jamal Murray who scored 24 point and the Nuggets with the win had won the first three games against the Kings this season.

#3 Sacramento Kings DeMar DeRozan had scored 18 of 35 points that help give the Kings a 93-84 lead towards the end of the third quarter. Westbrook however beat back the tide scoring seven points in a row.

#4 The Kings Zach LaVine scored 12 of 20 points and had two 3 pointers that were deep outside shots, and it kept the Kings in the game by three points.

#5 The Kings are now ninth in the Western Conference behind the Clippers, Minnesota and Golden State for a shot at a playoff spot. The Kings tip off against the San Antonio Spurs at Golden 1 in Sacramento on tonight at 7:00pm PST. The Spurs are 13th in the Western Conference and lost four of their last ten games. Crucial game for the Kings if they plan to make that climb to sixth place for that last playoff spot.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the Sacramento Kings podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors game wrap: Warriors just get by Nets 121-119 at Barclay Center

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Golden State Warrior guard Stephen Curry (30) led with 40 points against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Thu Mar 6, 2025

By Jessica Kwong

BROOKLYN, NY. — Stephen Curry scored 40 points against the Brooklyn Nets for the first time in 25 career games against them and led the Golden State Warriors to a 121-119 victory at Barclays Center on Thursday night.

It wasn’t until after the Warriors got the win that put them 4-1 in the five-game road trip that Curry realized his accomplishment – one that puts him one step away from a new personal record.

“Naw I didn’t know until after. When I had 38, two people came up and said, get a layup or something, but they didn’t say why,” said Curry. “I found out after.”

Golden State trailed 27-5 early on and Curry changed the tide by making a fadeaway buzzer-beater from the Nets’ half court logo at the end of the first half. Some of his teammates were only slightly surprised that it went in.

“He just had one in Orlando, so I think every shot’s going in anyway,” said Gary Payton II. “So let’s head into the locker room, regroup, let’s come back out for the second half. And you know, he gives us those sparks at the end of the half. And we needed that win so, it’s nice.”

The Warriors started the second half only five points behind and outscored the Nets 31-29 in the third quarter and 35-30 in the fourth. Head coach Steve Kerr called it a “very professional win to come back from 22 down right out of the gates”.

“I give them credit, they were just amazing that first quarter,” Kerr said of the Nets. “They took it to us and so for our guys to get settled and make a good comeback and take control of the game late, it was a hell of an effort and a great trip.”

Jimmy Butler contributed 25 points and six assists. The Warriors are 10-1 since he joined the lineup, and the chemistry they had with him in their 114-102 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden continued at Barclays Center.

Brooklyn trailed 97-91 with 7:30 to go in the game and were unable to close in. The Nets (21-41) suffered their sixth straight loss as the crowd chanted “MVP! MVP! MVP!” for Curry, making it feel like a home game for Golden State.

The Warriors (35-28) head back to Chase Center for a seven-game homestand that starts on Saturday hosting the Detroit Pistons. That happens to be the only team in the league that Curry has not scored at least 40 points against.

“He’s got one more, one more on the hit list and then he has everybody,” Payton said. “So hopefully we get that done for him.”

Asked if he will aim to get the job done against Detroit, Curry answered humbly.

“You know – maybe you don’t know me. I don’t ever think that way. I play the game the way I want to,” he said. “Obviously it’s on my mind so I won’t shy away from it, but you don’t sabotage a game just to score 40. You try to win, no matter what it takes.”

Asked if Curry will make the milestone on Saturday, Draymond Green laughed and said: “Let’s not piss the Pistons off.”

Tip-off on Saturday is at 5:30 p.m. PT.

Headline Sports with Jessica Kwong: Mavericks Irving out for season ACL injury; Magic’s Suggs out with knee injury; plus more news

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Dallas Mavericks Naji Marshall (left) and Max Christie (00) stand by Kyrie Irving (center) after Irving took free throw shots and was in pain from an ACL injury which turned out to be a season ending injury in a game against the Sacramento Kings in Dallas on Mon Mar 3, 2025 (AP News photo)

On Headline Sports with Jessica Kwong:

#1 Dallas Mavericks Kyrie Irving is out for the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee. Irving 32 was playing against the Sacramento Kings in the early minutes of the game when the injury occurred. What does mean to lose a player like Irving?

#2  Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs who left the game with back spasms on Jan 3 was out until Jan 25 in a game against the Detroit Pistons when he had discomfort in his knee and after further tests show Suggs will need mosaicplasty to repair the trochlear joint surface. His full recovery is expected.

#3 Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says that the officials need to call more traveling calls. Kerr got a technical foul on Monday night in a game against the Charlotte Hornets which the Warriors had won 119-101. Kerr observed traveling by the Hornets were not being called. Kerr pointed to the fans who were screaming for a travel call and Kerr was hit with the technical.

#4 The Dallas Mavericks fans feel like they’re be left holding the bag. First fan favorite and team star Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. Davis is now injured after suffering abductor strain. Davis could miss the rest of the season. With that disappoint to add insult upon injury the Mavericks announced that they will be raising ticket prices and increase of about 8.6% for next season. Since the Doncic trade the fans have express their dissatisfaction on how the Mavericks are conducting business decisions.

#5 Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome was hit with a whopping $25,00 fine for speaking out against the officials after the Cavs 133-129 close margin win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Jerome disputed that the Cavaliers were called for 53 fouls and that a total of 70 free throws 35 for each team. On average the an NBA game has fewer than 40 fouls. Jerome was upset that the teams were called for a combined 53 fouls and shot 70 free throws Sunday, which included 35 fouls for each team. Jerome was fined for saying “I thought the refs were really bad tonight, especially Natalie (Sago), she was really bad,” Jerome said. “Stuff like that happens. They kind of lose control of the game, and you just got to keep your head. I thought that first half was ridiculous. Third quarter was horrendous.”

Jessica Kwong does Headline Sports podcasts every other Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com