Tag: NBA

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Struggling Kings host on a roll Rockets Tuesday night at Golden 1

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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (13) defends against the San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) in the second half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Dec 1, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama picked up his first triple double with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists to help defeat the Sacramento Kings Sunday 127-125.

#2 The Spurs Devin Vassell came off the bench and added 21 points to help the Spurs in a very close game.

#3 The Kings DeMar DeRozan led Sacramento with 28 points. The Kings were looking up in the first half before things took a turn in the second half. The Kings led 17 points in the first quarter and were up at the half 65-58.

#4 The Kings just couldn’t stop Wembanyama who shot five 3 pointers, and scored 13 points in the fourth quarter. The Spurs Chris Paul put the icing on the cake hitting a three pointer with 20 seconds left in the game to help give the Spurs a two point win.

#5 No rest for the weary Kings as they’re back at it again at Golden 1 Center as the tip off against the visiting Houston Rockets on Tuesday night at 7:00pm PST. The Kings have now lost five of their last six games. The Rockets have won five of their last six games and have won three in a row. How do you see Tuesday night’s game between the Rockets and Kings?

Barbara Mason does the Kings podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Spurs Wembanyama’s triple double helps do in Kings 127-125

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San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) takes a shot against the Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) and forward Domantas Sabonis (11) in second half action at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Dec 1, 2024

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Sunday night. They were coming off their most recent game, a blowout loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. It was a real gut-check loss for the Kings, who fell further below the .500 mark. On Sunday night, the Kings welcomed the San Antonio Spurs to Golden 1 Center, with tip-off set for 6 PM PST. The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Sacramento Kings 127-125 as the Kings fell to 9-12 on the season.

Mike Brown made a pre-game change to the starting lineup, electing to go with Malik Monk. It was the first time Monk had started a game during his time in Sacramento.

In the first quarter, the Malik Monk spark appeared to pay off. The Kings exploded for a 42-point quarter, while the Spurs managed only 28 points. It was a breath of fresh air for a Kings offense that had struggled to score recently. However, their perimeter defense continued to be a concern.

In the second quarter, the Kings’ performance dipped. They became sloppier with the ball, committing four turnovers. The offense managed just 23 points, while the Spurs put up 30. All in all, it was still a decent quarter for the Kings, who aimed to maintain their solid shooting in the second half. At halftime, the Kings led the Spurs 65-58. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 18 points in the first half, while Victor Wembanyama paced the Spurs with 16 points.

In the third quarter, the Kings struggled to find their rhythm against the Spurs. They managed to hold on to a five-point lead but were clearly losing the sharp edge they’d built early in the game. The Spurs outscored the Kings 34-32 in the quarter, narrowing the gap. Heading into the final quarter, the Kings led 97-92.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings surrendered their lead. With the game tied at 111 and 4:50 remaining, the Kings desperately needed a win. For the rest of the quarter, the Kings fought hard but ultimately came up short. They were outscored 35-28 in the fourth quarter, losing to the Spurs 127-125. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs to victory with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings in defeat with 28 points.

Postgame, Malik Monk spoke about what is holding the Kings back. Malik said, “It’s attention to detail… we have to be better on the little things… we will figure it out.” Mike Brown echoed similar sentiments when he addressed the media. He appeared pleased with the addition of Malik Monk to the starting lineup and noted that it would continue for the foreseeable future.

Up Next: The Sacramento Kings will remain at home to face the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. The Rockets enter the game with a 14-6 record, sitting in second place in the Western Conference.

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: Bucks thrilled to get Giannis back in line up; Hornets Ball to sit out 2 weeks with calf strain; plus more NBA news

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Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Anteokounmpo 24 is even thrilled to be back in the line up against the Charlotte Hornets on Sat Nov 30, 2024 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee (AP News photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Milwaukee Bucks had to thrilled getting Giannis Anteokounmpo back after suffering a swelled up left knee. Anteokounmpo returned for the game against the Washington Wizards in Milwaukee. Anteokounmpo sat out of Tuesday’s game against the Miami Heat for the NBA Cup win 106-103.

#2 The Charlotte Hornets LeMelo Ball will sit out of action for at least two weeks with a calf strain. Ball was injured in the fourth quarter on Wednesday night in a loss against the Miami Heat. Ball also sat out on Friday night against the New York Knicks. The are 6-14 and despite beating the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night they really miss Ball out of the line up.

#3 The Los Angeles Lakers Jaxson Hayes will miss two to three weeks due to a sprained right ankle. Hayes was out of action for the Lakers past two games and went underwent an MRI and medical staff found the injury. Hayes was out for two weeks previous to Tuesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns where he reinjured the ankle while making a dunk in the final minute of the game.

#4 The Atlanta Hawks clinched the East Group C in the NBA Cup with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-101 on Friday night. It’s the Cavs second loss in two days. The Hawks clinched the Cup when they the Chicago Bulls lost to the Boston Celtics.

#5 The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry returned to action after missing three games. Curry returned on Saturday night against the Phoenix Suns in Phoenix. Curry has suffered knee issues and the Warriors had lost each of the three games while Curry was out.

Charlie O does Headline Sports podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings Flat Against Portland Losing 115-106

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Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) dribbles on Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) in second half action at the Rose Quarter in Portland on Fri Nov 29, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Sacramento Kings (9-11) suffered a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers (8-12) 115-106 in Portland. It was a really off night for Keegan Murray who came away with three points scored in the final minutes of the game.

Missed shots, 20 turnovers, and no success rebounding offensively led to the terrible showing. DeMar DeRozan was not in the lineup tonight with back issues and it was an off night for the Kings with not much going right. Malik Monk finished with the team high of 29, De’Aaron Fox with 22 and Domantis Sabonis with 21. Sabonis did have another double double with 12 rebounds.

Game recap: The Kings took a slim lead for the first half of the opening quarter. At 3:54 the Blazers took their first lead of the game prompting a Sacramento timeout. The Kings took back the lead 24-18 with under three minutes in the quarter. Domantas Sabonis already had 14 points with under two minutes left in the first 12 minutes of play. As the first quarter came to an end the Kings had established a 30-25 lead.

The Trail Blazers continued to trail but not by much; they remained within striking distance through the first four minutes of the second quarter. With 8:48 left in the quarter the Kings took another timeout hanging onto a 35-33 lead.

Portland was hanging tough and refused to go away. With six minutes left in the half the score was tied at 39. Sacramento already had 11 turnovers and the Trail Blazers went on a run taking a 49-41 lead winning the battle in the paint.

They had a 54-50 lead going into the second half. The Kings had 14 turnovers in the first half and the Trail Blazers were limiting the Kings offensive rebounds.

Sacramento continued to fall further and further behind and with 8:10 left in the third quarter were trailing 55-68 and another Kings timeout. This game was turning into a blowout, the turnovers continued and the Trail Blazers continued to win the battle under the glass.

After three, Portland continued to dictate the pace of the game leading 87-72. Murray remained scoreless, Kevin Huerter came out of the game with injury and the Kings had dug a hole that continued to grow deeper and deeper trailing 72-87.

Going into the fourth quarter nothing much indicated an upswing for Sacramento. They were on the edge of 20 turnovers with 19. Portland had a death grip on their lead and they were not letting go.

The Kings did finish with 20 turnovers and they were pretty flat all night. The Trail Blazers really got the game in their direction in the third quarter outscoring the Kings 33-22 putting this game pretty much on ice. The final score was 115-106.

Game notes: Friday night the Kings took a little trip up north to take on theTrail Blazers at Moda Center. The Kings will again be without DeMar DeRozan who was ruled out for Friday night’s game. Two weeks ago DeRozan missed three consecutive games with lower back soreness and after a three-game return he was sidelined again.

While the Kings missed DeRozan, they did have Malik Monk back on the bench so Sacramento does have the fire-power as Monk scored 29 points. Sacramento’s Keon Ellis was on starting roster in the absence of DeRozan. Ellis scored six points on Friday night.

Sunday evening the Kings will take on the San Antonio Spurs At Golden 1 looking to put out a much improved effort. Hopefully DeMar DeRozan, who is listed to return Sunday, will indeed be able to take the court. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings get ready for Group Stage action in Portland tonight

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Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) goes airborne against the Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Wed Nov 27, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Sacramento Kings Malik Monk 27 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. De’Aaron Fox added 26 points eight assists and eight rebounds as the Kings defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night 115-104. Just some big efforts by Fox and Monk that helped win it.

#2 Just Fox and Monk alone in the last five minutes were able to outscore the Timberwolves 17-2.

#3 The Kings were able to outscore the Timberwolves 64-36 inside the paint and got huge help from Domantas Sabonis.

#4 The Timberwolves Anthony Edwards led with 29 points and was nine for 24 from the field. The loss have put Minnesota with four loses in a row and they have lost seven of their last nine games.

#5 Jeremiah it’s Group Stage action with the Kings against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Kings have not won in the Group Stage at 0-2 and the Blazers are 1-1. The Kings have won two of their last six games and the Blazers have won two of their last six games as well. How do you see tonight’s match up?

Join Jeremiah on the Kings podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Wilkinson has another big night with 25 points, as Cal downs Mercyhurst 81-55 for 6-1 start

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Cal Bears forward Joshua Ola-Joseph (1) throws down against the Mercyhurst Lakers at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Wed Nov 27, 2024 (Cal Bears X photo)

Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024

Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California

Mercyhurst Lakers 55 (4-4)

California Golden Bears 81 (6-1)

By Stephen Ruderman

Jeremiah Wilkinson had another big night, as he scored 25 points and led the Bears to an 81-55 shellacking of the Mercyhurst Lakers, and the Bears are now off to their best start in eight years.

After winning the first two games of this homestand, the Bears welcomed the Mercyhurst Lakers to Haas Pavilion for a Thanksgiving Eve affair. For those wondering, Mercyhurst University is located in Erie, Pennsylvania, and the Lakers are a Division I team from the Northeast Conference.

Mady Sissoko started the night with a dunk to give the Bears a 2-0 lead out of the gate. The Lakers are not a well-known team, but they made some noise early on. Aidan Reichert hit a jumper, and Max Jusianiec made a layup to give Mercyhurst a 4-2 lead. Shemar Rathan-Mayes was then fouled and hit both from the line to make it 6-2.

Jeremiah Wilkinson made his mark with his 23-point performance against Air Force last Thursday, and he scored another 16 points against Sacramento State on Sunday. Wilkinson checked in, and got his night started by hitting one of two from the line after being fouled to make it 6-5. Wilkinson then hit a three to put Cal back ahead 8-6.

From there, the Bears took complete control. Cal went into the half up 41-23, and then won after an uneventful second half by a final of 81-55.

Wilkinson had his best night yet, scoring points. He was 9-for-12 in field goals, and 6-for-8 from beyond the arc.

Andrej Stojakovic scored 15 points, though he continued to struggle, as he was just 5-for-12 in field goals. Joshua Ola-Joseph scored 13, going 5-for-7 in field goals.

The Bears are now off to a 6-1 start, their best in eight years. They will be off for the next five days, and then they will head to Columbia, Missouri to play the Missouri next Tuesday. Tipoff will be at 6 p.m. in Columbia, 4 p.m. back home in Berkeley.

Kings Fourth Quarter Surge Beats Minnesota 115-104

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Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) roars after scoring and drew a foul as the Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) looks on in first half action at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Wed Nov 27, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (9-10) will surely enjoy their Thanksgiving turkey dinner tomorrow after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves (8-10) 115-104 Wednesday night. The Kings trailed after one quarter and turned it on in the second quarter and bringing it home in the fourth quarter outscoring Minnesota by a shocking 34-18 closing the game on fire.

The Kings hit sa couple of three’s at the end of the game to seal the deal. Domantas Sabonis and bench wizard Malik Monk had 27 points each to finish off the Timberwolves. The team was without DeMar DeRozan in this game.

Game recap: The opening quarter was tight and after the first 12 minutes of play the Timberwolves had a slight edge leading the Kings 33-31. Sacramento turned this game around in the second quarter outscoring Minnesota 38-24 and leading at the half 69-57. Defensively the Kings were running Minnesota ragged .

When it looked as if the Kings had it all going, they fell apart in the third quarter getting outscored 29-12. After having led at the half they now found themselves trailing 81-86 and had some work to do. The fourth quarter was a wild one.

The Kings did outscore the Timberwolves 34-18 in the quarter but with 3:21 left in the game, the score was tied at 102. Sacramento put the screws to Minnesota from that point forward through the rest of the game with De’Aaron Fox Clutch Fox hitting two shots from downtown and Jae Crowder hitting a third to close out this game. The final was 115-104 with Sacramento sealing the deal in the final three minutes of the game.

Despite the absence of DeMar DeRozan out due to a lower back injury, the Sacramento Kings played a solid game offensively and defensively. The injury bug continues to hamper Sacramento although DeRozan is listed as returning this Friday.

The high score for the Kings was bench player Monk and Domantas Sabonis both scoring 27 points in the game. The surge in the final minutes of the fourth quarter was spear-headed by Monk and Fox.

Fox finished with 26 points and Sabonis had another double double scoring 27 points and 12 rebounds. Monk and Fox combined to outscore Minnesota 17-2 in the final five minutes of the game. Their four game losing streak had been broken and the Timberwolves now have lost seven of nine. The best news of all besides the win was the effort by Monk who appears to have fully healed from that right ankle injury suffered a few weeks ago.

The high score for the Timberwolves was Anthony Edwards who finished with 29 points and 5 rebounds. Julius Randle scored 21 points and had 9 rebounds as the Timberwolves struggle to turn their season around after having had a good start. The Kings outscored them in the paint 64-36 and despite scoring 29 points Edwards was 9 of 24 from the field.

Game notes: The Kings ended their four game skid against the Timberwolves at Target Center. The Kings come into this game after a Monday night loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder 130-109. Sacramento had finally seen the return of Sabonis and DeRozan but still suffered the loss to the Thunder.

They were to turn this thing around against the Timberwolves who despite being a very good team have really, much like the Kings, been struggling. The Kings got help from Fox with 26 points and Sabonis 27 points and the Timberwolves have some weapons of their own in Edwards 29 points and Randle 21 points.

Friday night the Kings will travel to Portland for a matchup with the Trail Blazers. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM as Sacramento will be looking to make it two wins in a row. and getting back to five hundred.

Gilgeous-Alexander scores 37 for OKC; Thunder get big help from bench who score 40 in 130-109 win over Kings

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (right) knocks the ball out of the hands of Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (left) in first half action at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Nov 25, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Monday night. The Kings took on the Oklahoma City Thunder inside Golden 1 Center. The Kings were on the second night of a back-to-back after losing to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday evening, 108-103.

After the loss, the Kings prepared for the Thunder, who came into the game on Monday with a 12-4 record. The Kings looked to improve their 8-9 record heading into the game. Tip-off was set for 7 PM PST. The Kings lost their fourth straight game as the Thunder defeated the Kings 130-109.

The Kings gave word pregame that Malik Monk would make his return to action on Monday. It was much-welcomed news for a reeling Kings team that hadn’t been fully healthy since Monk’s injury on November 10th.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out with good energy on the offensive side of the ball. However, they were sloppy with the ball. The Kings had five turnovers in the first quarter, which set them on an alarming path. The Kings had been turning the ball over at an alarming rate of late and needed to clean that up. They were outscored in the first quarter 31-30 by the Thunder. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings in the first quarter with nine points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 12 points.

In the second quarter, each team continued to push the intensity on the offensive end of the floor. DeMar DeRozan added another 10 points in a 32-point quarter for the Kings. Allay Mitchell added eight points for the Thunder in the second quarter as they scored 32 points as a team. The Kings went into halftime trailing 63-62. The leading scorer in the game through the first half was DeMar DeRozan with 19 points. I had a feeling the game would come down to three-point shooting in the second half.

In the third quarter, the Kings just couldn’t get anything going. It’s as simple as that. The Kings weren’t active on the defensive end of the floor, and it translated to their offense. The Kings looked like a team lost at sea. The offense had no identity, and they couldn’t hit open shots. The Kings were outscored in the third quarter 34-22 and trailed the Thunder 97-84 heading into the fourth.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings got blown off the floor. There’s nothing else to write. The Kings couldn’t mount any sort of comeback as they were outscored 33-25 in the fourth. The Kings lost the game 130-109. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 30 points in defeat, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points in victory for the Thunder.

Up Next: The Kings play on Wednesday in Minnesota as they take on the Timberwolves at 5 PM PST.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Kings host Spurs at Golden 1; Sac hopes to snap 3 losing streak tonight

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The Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) goes for the layup against the Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Brooklyn Nets (7-10) Cam Thomas led with 34 points that helped cover the win over the Sacramento Kings (8-9) for a 108-103 win at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

#2 Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez returned for the first time in Sacramento after being an associate coach under Kings head coach Mike Brown and got to beat his old mentor.

#3 What was amazing in this one in the last two minutes of the game neither the Nets nor the Kings made a field goal and the Kings missed five shots attempts that could have made the difference.

#4 Once again the Kings De’Aaron Fox did the heavy lifting scoring 31 points but couldn’t over shadow the lead that the Nets had throughout the game.

#5 The Kings take on the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at Golden 1 Center. The Thunder are 12-4 second place in the Western Conference. The Thunder have won six of the last ten games. Barbara can you set this game up for us?

Barbara Mason does the Sacramento Kings podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Brooklyn’s Thomas 34 points beats Kings 108-103; Loss is third in a row for Sac

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The Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas front left charges to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the first half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Nov 24, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Kings were back in action on Sunday night. The Kings last played on Friday night in Los Angeles when they faced the Clippers. The Kings lost to the Clippers 104-88. On Sunday, the Kings hoped to avoid falling below .500. They were set to face the Nets at 7 PM PST in Golden 1 Center. The Kings ultimately lost to the Nets 108-103.

In the first quarter, the Kings’ hangover from Friday seemed to continue. They played with a noticeable lack of urgency and were outscored 37-28. Despite entering the game as 11-point favorites, the Kings struggled to generate any offensive rhythm. De’Aaron Fox was a bright spot, scoring 14 points in the quarter.

In the second quarter, the Nets continued to pressure the Kings. The Kings failed to match the Nets’ pace and physicality but showed slight improvement compared to the first quarter. They outscored the Nets 29-28, reducing the deficit by one point. At halftime, the Kings trailed 65-57. De’Aaron Fox was in top form, scoring 24 points in the first half, while Cam Thomas led the Nets with 22 points.

The Kings’ season felt like it was slipping away. Sure, it was still early, but the atmosphere inside Golden 1 Center was one of concern.

In the third quarter, the Kings finally increased their intensity. They delivered a strong defensive performance, holding the Nets to just 23 points. Offensively, the Kings scored 31 points, tying the game at 88 apiece by the end of the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings needed to step up to avoid a third consecutive loss. Unfortunately, they couldn’t close out the game. The Kings were outscored 20-15, resulting in a 108-103 defeat. It was a frustrating loss for the Kings, and the fans made their displeasure known as the game came to a close.

A restless Golden 1 Center began to empty after Kevin Huerter missed a three-pointer that could have kept the game alive. De’Aaron Fox continued his stellar play with 31 points, while Cam Thomas led all scorers with 34 points.

The Kings fell to 8-9 on the season, while the Nets improved to 7-10.

Up Next: The Kings remain at home to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday at 7 PM PST in Golden 1 Center.