Tag: NBA

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Warriors take on Nets at Barclay Center in Brooklyn tonight

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For all his efforts Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry who scored 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks a season high couldn’t get the Warriors past the Hawks at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Sat Feb 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Golden State Warriors had to be frustrated getting a 60 point effort out of guard Stephen Curry in their last game against the Atlanta Hawks at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta only to lose 141-134 on Saturday night.

#2 Once again Barbara we talk about Curry and how’s he carrying the weight of the team this one was a season high for him scoring those 60 points.

#3 Curry said it “sucks to have something and nothing to show for it” after that big effort what’s worse the Warriors now drop four games under .500 as they sit in 12th place in the Western Conference.

#4 Curry also said it was frustrating that the Warriors could have had a couple plays here and a couple there and could have won the game in the seven point loss to Atlanta.

#5 The Warriors play the third of this five game road trip against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night. The Nets have lost six of their last ten games and are 11th in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. How do you see these two teams tipping off tonight?

Join Barbara Mason for the Golden State Warriors podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings Outlast Chicago Bulls in Fourth Quarter 123-115

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The Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (left) dunks on the Chicago Bulls forward Juian Phillips (15) in first half action at the United Center in Chicago on Sat Feb 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (29-19) had a healthy lead mid-way through the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls (23-27) and let the Bulls back into the game. They had actually led by as much as 30 points in the third quarter. 

The Kings scoring leader was De’Aaron Fox who had an above average night with 41 points, Malik Monk contributed with 22 points and Domantas Sabonis led with 14 rebounds and ten assists which helped defeat the Bulls at the United Center in Chicago 123-115.

Game recap:The Kings got off to a nice start leading after the first 12 minutes 32-25. Sacramento would really extend their lead going into the half leading 71-52. Sacramento had a nice lead after two quarters but we have seen them drop large leads lately and having to fight their way to wins. This was a 19 point lead but the Kings have been there before only to let their opponents back into the game.

The Bulls cut the Kings 18 point lead in half winning the third quarter 29-20 and Sacramento was against letting their opponent back into the game. The Kings had led by as much as 30 points in the third but the Bulls came roaring back. 

Chicago went on to win the fourth quarter 34-32 but it was too little too late. The Kings held off the Bulls improving their road trip to 5-1 with one more game left on their seven-game road trip. This road trip has been a huge success as the team improved to 29-19 on the season. 

The struggles of King’s bench player Monk appear to be over after a 23 point night Friday and tonight hitting 22. He lit up when his team so badly needed him. Fox was brilliant with 41 points and Sabonis had yet another triple double with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. 

This was his 31st consecutive game with at least a double double making a concrete argument as to why Fox and Sabonis were not included in the All-Star game. Keegan Murray continues to struggle scoring but did have six rebounds in this game. He has only scored five points in each of his last two games. 

The Bulls did put up quite a fight considering the injuries they are going through. The Bulls Zach LaVine was handed quite a blow facing right foot surgery next week forcing him to miss the rest of the season. It will not be an easy path for Chicago going forward.

Post game notes: Saturday night the Kings took on the Bulls at United Center. The Kings are coming off a win over the Indiana Pacers Firday night 133-122. The Bulls took care of the Charlotte Hornets 117-110 on Wednesday night. The Kings win extends their winning streak to two games.

The Kings will finish up this seven game road trip in Cleveland taking on the Cavaliers Monday night. A win in this final road game would be amazing against a very strong Cavalier team. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 4:00 PM.

 

Despite 60 Points From Curry Warriors Fall to Hawks 141-134 In Overtime

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For his 60 point scoring effort Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry can only wipe his face with his jersey (30) as the Atlanta Hawks win it at State Farm Arena in Atlanta in overtime on Sat Feb 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors (21-25) fought hard throughout the entire game falling in overtime to the Atlanta Hawks (22-27)141-134. Warrior guard Stephen Curry hit 22 points in the fourth quarter finishing with 60 points. 

There were just too many obstacles that the Warriors had to deal with. The ankle injury to Andrew Wiggins was the last straw with Chris Paul, Moses Moody, Gary Payton Jr and Dario Saric all out for this game.

Post game wrap: The Warriors took control in the opening quarter leading after the first 12 minutes 33-28. The Hawks answered in the second quarter not only winning it 36-31 but tying up this game at halftime. Heading into the locker room these two teams were dead even at 64. 

The Warriors had a very balanced offensive attack in the first half between twos and threes. They did a great job on Trae Young limiting open threes as well as keeping him off the foul line. 

On top of all that Golden State kept the turnovers to a minimum. All was going great for Golden State until the Warriors lost yet another player. The Warriors who were already short-handed lost Andrew Wiggins who suffered a left ankle injury in the first half. 

The second half of this game could prove to be a very tough one for Golden State.

After three quarters played this game was once again tied with the score 89 apiece. The Warriors were down negative 11 off turnovers and they were indeed thrilled to be tied in this game. 

They were not playing particularly well so a tie was indeed acceptable. Golden State was in need of Jonathan Kuminga and Klay Thompson who both had quiet starts. Brandin Podziemski and Lester Quinones were both having a very nice game off the bench.

Curry came off the bench to start the fourth quarter. He already had 34 points and was doing his best to will his team to victory. The Warriors came from being eight points down to take the lead with eight minutes left in the game. 

Golden State was dying from downtown going 12-of-44, an awful night from beyond the arc at 27%. The Warriors kept having to come from behind in the second half. How many times would they have to continue to do this before fatigue took over. 

With under six minutes left on the clock the Warriors fell behind once again but battled back to take a 107-104 lead. It was a crazy game. Golden State was shooting at 43%, horrible from downtown yet had taken a 109-107 lead. 

At 4:36 another tie, 109 apiece. The question now would be which team would have enough in the tank to finish this game. The final three minutes saw lead changes and more ties. Curry started hitting those critical three’s he is famous for. 

Hitting three triples in the final minutes gave the Warriors a 121-119 lead. Curry had scored 20 points in the fourth quarter. With 1:06 left in the game it was again a tie at 121. Again it was the closer Curry who broke the tie giving the Warriors a 123-121 lead with 13.1 on the clock.

 The Hawks would not be denied and tied up the game at 123 with 4.1 left in regulation. This game went into overtime . The Warriors have ten straight losses in overtimes on the road. Kuminga had fouled out and the team was without Wiggins.

Golden State would have to dig deep to win this one. Curry had 52 points in regulation, but how much more could Curry endure.

The story of the overtime was missed open shots, untimely fouls by the Warriors. In a flash the Hawks had a 134-123 lead. The Hawks went on a 15-2 run and the Warriors gas tank had run dry. 

This was a tough loss for the Warriors. Curry had an amazing game with 60 points and both Quinones and Podziemski had a nice showing off the bench. The loss of Kuminga also really hurt the team in the overtime. 

Post game notes: After taking of business in Memphis Friday night against the Grizzlies 121-101, the Warriors took on the Hawks Saturday night. The Hawks dismissed the Phoenix Suns Friday night 129-120. 

The biggest threat that Golden State faced in this game was Trae Young who scored 32 points in Friday nights game. Young was the difference against Golden State with a team leading 35 points in the ten point win by the Hawks. Dejounte Murray was another huge threat to the Warriors, Murray tallied 19 points for the Hawks finishing fourth in scoring.

Monday night the Warriors will take on the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. The Warriors beat the Nets back in mid-December in a close game 124-120 and the Nets will be looking to even the series. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 PM PT.

 

Warriors Crush Grizzlies 121-101; Kuminga leads with 29 points for Warriors second win in a row

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The Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga goes up for the rebound against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first half at the FexEx Forum in Memphis on Fri Feb 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Golden State Warriors (21-24) handed the struggling Memphis Grizzlies (18-31) another loss 121-101. Jonathan Kuminga continued on with another outstanding offensive display finishing with 29 points which was the team high. Stephen Curry shot for 20 points and was 4 of 9 from downtown.

Game recap: The Grizzlies put up quite a fight in the opening quarter of play. After the first 12 minutes the Warriors had a slim 24-23 lead. Golden State got rolling in the second quarter winning it 33-24 and leading at the half 57-47.The Warriors had extended their lead but the Grizzlies were still hanging around.

The Warriors won the third quarter 28-26 but again another close quarter. Golden State took an 85-73 lead into the fourth quarter. The Warriors poured it on in the final quarter of play winning it 36-28 and the game 121-101. Golden State had handed the Grizzlies their fourth loss in a row.

The high score for the Warriors was Jonathan Kuminga who finished with 29 points and six rebounds. Once again Kuminga proved hands down that he is a starter. This is the eighth straight game that he has shot twenty plus points. 

With Memphis all over Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Kuminga took charge shooting lights out. Curry had 20 points and bench player Brandin Podziemski was outstanding with 14 assists and 12 points with 7 rebounds. 

This was a great way for the Warriors to start this five game road trip. Golden State had lost four of six games coming into this one so this was the perfect start to this road trip since the Warriors have not been playing particularly well at home or away.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led his team with 27 points and Jacob Gilyard scored a career-high 16 points. Once again the Grizzlies hung around through three quarters only to lose it in the fourth quarter. Memphis has been having a lot of trouble closing out games. 

The Warriors had a double digit lead in the late third quarter and took it away in the final quarter. Once again the Grizzlies failed to finish this game.

Post game notes: Friday night the Warriors headed out on the road taking on the struggling Grizzlies. The Warriors are coming off a solid win over the Philadelphia 76ers 119-107 last Tuesday night. The Grizzlies have now lost four games in a row, they’re loss to Golden State on Friday and a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-101 on Wednesday. 

The Grizzlies were without Ja Morant and are struggling although they do have a terrific player in Jared Jackson Jr. Memphis did beat the Warriors in mid-January 116-107 and couldn’t get a win in the second game against Golden State.

The Warriors will now zip off to Atlanta for a date with Trae Young and the Hawks Saturday night. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:30 PM. 

Kings Offensive Excellence Beats Pacers 133-122

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The Sacramento Kings forward Domanatas Sabonis (10) looks to pass the ball against the Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Fri Feb 2, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (28-19) De’Aaron Fox had six steals and 25 points en route to a win over the Indiana Pacers (27-23). Four Kings had 20 plus points in the 133-122 win. Malik Monk who has struggled for quite a few games came alive in this one finishing with 23 points.

Game recap: The Kings got a quick start in a very close first quarter. The two teams have very similar records and this game had all the makings of a major battle. The Pacers edged the Kings after the first 12 minutes of play 39-38. 

Sacramento really got going in the second quarter. Monk who has really struggled the past 4 or five games got back on track in a big way. At the half the Kings had a 71-64 lead winning the second quarter 33-25.

Four Kings had double digits after the first two quarters. Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Harrison Barnes and Monk all had a great first half of basketball. Monk who has been noticeably struggling for awhile had 13 points in the first half. 

The Pacers had 11 turnovers in the first half which the Kings took advantage of. Kevin Huerter was having a rough start missing quite a few open looks. Keegan Murray also had a slow start with only 5 points.

It was not a great start in the third quarter for the Kings committing 3 turnovers within several minutes. The Pacers were having turnover issues themselves already with 15. Sacramento had extended their lead to 85-73 with under five minutes left in the quarter. With under three minutes left in the quarter, Sacramento took their largest lead of the game 94-78.

 The Kings had led at one time in the third quarter by 18 points but a quick 5-0 Pacer run made this a 13 point game. Indiana had gotten into a rhythm and the Kings would be looking to disrupt that rhythm going into the fourth quarter.

Sacramento went into the final countdown as the fourth quarter got underway. Trey Lyles got into the double digit club in the early minutes of the quarter with 13 points and the Kings continued to hold a sizable lead. 

The Pacers would threaten throughout the fourth quarter but Sacramento continued to hang on. Huerter got into double digits with 11 and the Kings had six players shooting for double digits with Barnes leading the charge with 22 points. 

With under three minutes left in the game, the Kings needed to finish strong. Sacramento continued to match the Pacers offensively and defensively in a true battle. Indiana continued with a full court press in the final minutes of the game testing the Kings. it was a great finish for Sacramento winning the game 133-122.

Night in and night out Sabonis performs, consistently show-casing the excellent play he comes into every game with. Tonight he had a double double with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Fox finished with 25 points, Monk had 23 points and Barnes finished with 22 points.  

Post game notes: It has been a frustrating week for the Kings . They are currently on a lengthy road trip beating the Warriors, Mavericks and the Grizzlies. They have dropped one game on this current road trip losing to the Miami Heat. 

It has been a successful trip so far but it has been met with a major disappointment. When the lineup for the upcoming All-Star game was announced, Fox and Sabonis were both snubbed.

This was an enormous snub with the Kings being the only top-six team in either conference without an All-Star. They could still be chosen as injury replacement if an injury occurred in the West. Despite this bitter pill, the Kings were back on the court and back in the win column in Indiana and defeated the Pacers Friday night.

Saturday night the Kings take a trip over to the windy city to take on the Chicago Bulls. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 5:00 PM.  

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings grab win to open road trip against Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

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The Miami Heat’s forward Caleb Martin (16) reaches in for the basketball against the Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) first half at Kaseya Center in Miami on Wed Jan 31, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Sacramento Kings came off a four game win streak only to lose in their last game on Wednesday night to the Miami Heat 115-106.

#2 The Heat’s Jimmy Butler scored a team high 31 points and was the difference in helping the Heat snap a seven game losing streak in Miami.

#3 The Heat had not had a losing streak this long since the 2007-08 season when they lost 15 straight games. Butler is too good a ball player to allow a long losing streak to continue and the Heat were able to break through on the Kings defense to stay ahead for the win.

#4 The Kings Domantas Sabonis for all his efforts led the Kings 19 points, 17 rebounds, and picked up his 13th triple double for the season and it was Sabonis’ 29th consecutive game with a double double. Sabonis is now two behind Oscar Robertson’s Kings all time record set in 1961.

#5 The Kings were at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Friday night to open a four game road trip. They faced the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. The Pacers are sixth in the Eastern Conference and have now have lost seven of their last 11 games.

Jeremiah does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Warriors open five game road trip Friday in Memphis

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The Philadelphia 76ers center Kelly Oubre Jr is in no sharing mood with the basketball as the Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left) and guard Brandin Podziemski (right) watch for his next move in the first half at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Jan 30, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Having lost the last two games by a single point, the Warriors rebounded to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-105 Tuesday night at the Chase Center.

#2 The Sixers’ big man, Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, scored 70 points in a game last week. The Warriors’ task was to find a way to slow down Embiid. 

#3 It would be challenging as the Warriors did not have Klay Thompson available to play. Thompson was under the weather.

#4 Steve Kerr had rookie Brandin Podziemski start in the backcourt with guard Stephen Curry.

#5 The Warriors open a five game road trip starting in Memphis on Friday then head to Atlanta, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Indiana. The Warriors have lost six of their last ten games and are in 12th place in the Western Conference it’s early but can they possibly get a play in at the rate their going?

Join Jerry for the Warriors podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Another Slow Start Plague Kings – Losing to Heat 115-106

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The Miami Heat’s forward Jimmy Butler (22) leans in to take a shot against the Sacramento Kings forward De’Aaron Fox (5) at the Kayesa Arena in Biscayne Bay FL on Wed Jan 31, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (27-18) got another slow start Wednesday night losing to the Miami Heat (25-23) 115-106. They were off all night. Buckets were not dropping despite good looks in virtually every quarter. The bright spots in this game were the performances of Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray. Sabonis had his 13th triple double and Keegan Murray had the game high with 33 points.

Game recap: Sacramento did get a better start in the opening quarter of this game but still trailed after the first 12 minutes 28-22. The Kings trailed by as much as 18 points in the second quarter but cut it to single digits in the later minutes of the half 53-45. 

Sacramento had a nice run in the second quarter trailing 59-55 at the half. They did win the quarter 33-31. Domantas Sabonis had a great second quarter scoring nine points and Keegan Murray was leading the pack with 21 points for the half. 

The Kings had put the stops on the turnovers with six in the first two quarters. Harrison Barnes had a quiet half, on court for 17 minutes and coming away empty. De’Aaron Fox also had a slow start with 5 points in the first half. 

Both teams were shooting about 47% from the field but the Kings fell short from downtown. Sacramento was 30% from long going 6 of 20 and the Heat shot for almost 60% scoring 7 of 12. 

The Kings were doing a good job keeping Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier pretty well contained. Sacramento needed another strong second half. if they had any thoughts of winning this game. Murray was responsible for keeping Sacramento in this game at all.

The Kings really began to push the pace of the game in the second quarter erasing a significant deficit and needed to keep pushing in the second half. Sacramento’s offensive effort went a bit stale in the third quarter and they desperately needed some stops. 

With 1:35 left in the quarter the Heat had pushed their lead out to 90-80. The Heat’s Jimmy Butler had 12 points in the third quarter alone and he was presenting all sorts of problems for the Kings.

With the clock winding down, the Kings needed not only stops but buckets as well. With four minutes left in the game the Kings were looking at a ten-point deficit 103-93. The Kings would look back at key defensive mistakes in this game and triples were also hard to find with the exception of Keegan Murray who was 7 of 11. 

Sacramento has struggled defensively in the month of January and tonight the Kings did not have their best stuff by a long-shot, they were just off. The Kings dropped this one 115-106 despite some brilliant play from Sabonis and Murray. This Heat win ended a seven game losing streak for Miami.

The bright spot in this game was Murray who finished with 33 points. Sabonis had his 13th triple double and finished with 17 rebounds, 13 assists and 19 points. The team was just a step off and their rhythm was shaky. The nine turnovers were a definite improvement but they needed a whole lot more from Fox, Barnes and Monk.

Butler had the team high for the Heat with 31 points and off the bench Josh Richardson had a great game shooting for 24 points.

Post game notes: Monday night the Kings barely got past the Grizzlies before locking down the win. Tuesday night the Kings couldn’t get past the Miami Heat in an even tougher matchup. The Kings got a horrible start in their last game trailing after the first quarter 33-18. They needed a better start in Wednesday night’s game although the Kings hung with the Heat in the end the Heat finished the job.

Friday night the Kings take on the Indiana Pacers. Sacramento has to be better prepared as they continue this seven game road trip. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 PM. 

 

 

Warriors bounce back beat 76ers 119-107; Curry leads with 37 points in win

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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (13) is fouled by the Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) as they land on the Chase Center floor in San Francisco on Tue Jan 30, 2024 (AP News photo)

Bj Jerry Feitelberg

Having lost the last two games by a single point, the Warriors rebounded to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-105 Tuesday night at the Chase Center.

The Sixers’ big man, Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, scored 70 points in a game last week. The Warriors’ task was to find a way to slow down Embiid. It would be challenging as the Warriors did not have Klay Thompson available to play. Thompson was under the weather. Steve Kerr had rookie Brandin Podziemski start in the backcourt with guard Stephen Curry.

The revamped Warriors lineup had Draymond Green at the center position, and the forwards were Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins. All five Warrior starters finished in double figures. Kuminga scored 26 points and was terrific in the fourth quarter.

For Kuminga, it was his seventh game in a row with 20-plus points and his 24th straight game in double figures. Wiggins, averaging about 14 points a game, kicked in with 23. Curry led the Warriors with 37 and was magnificent in the fourth quarter.

The Sixers won the first quarter 28-23. The Warriors’ offense was sluggish in the first period. Green paced the Warrior’s in the second quarter with nine points. The Warriors were trailing 44-36 when they went on a 12-2 run to lead 48-46. The Sixers tied the game at 50-50. Kuminga made a bucket to give the Warriors a two-point lead 52-50 at the half.

The Warriors picked up the pace in the third quarter. Curry made two threes to give the Warriors a 12-point advantage, 69-57. The Warriors increased the lad to 14. The Sixers went on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to five, 80-75. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kuminga made the last three baskets of the quarter to propel the Warriors into a nine-point lead 86-77.

The Sixers came out firing in the fourth quarter, scoring 30 points. However, they needed to find a way to stop Curry, Kuminga, and Wiggins. They failed as the Warriors outscored them by three points to win the quarter 33-30 and the game 119-107. Curry and Kuminga did most of the damage.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors improved to 20-24, while the Sixers fell to 29-17.

The Warriors had four starters in double figures. Curry led the team with 37 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, connecting on eight threes in 13 tries. Wiggins followed with 23 points, five boards, and four assists. Kuminga had 26 points and seven rebounds.

Podzienski added 11 points, six rebounds, and three assists. The Warrior bench added 13 points. As a team, the W’s shot 55% from the floor. The Warriors made 14 three-point shots.

The Warriors defense held Embiid to 14 points. Embiid was five-for-18 from the floor. Embiid was saddled with five fouls and left the game with a knee injured late in the fourth quarter. Tobias Harris led the Sixers with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Former Warrior Kelly Oubre tallied 14 points. Patrick Beverly had 12. The Sixers had two bench players record double-figures. Furkan Korkmaz, averaging 1.8 points per game, came off the bench to tally 19 points. Jaden Springer added ten in a losing cause.

The Warriors play seven of their next nine games on the road. The Warriors will be in Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Friday night.

Despite Slow Start Kings Finish Off Memphis 103-94; Sabonis grabs 26 rebounds most in a game for a career high

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The Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) and Keegan Murray forward (13) with the Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama battle for the basketball at the FedEx Arena in Memphis on Mon Jan 29, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (27-18) had a horrendous start in Monday night’s game in Memphis. They did not take the lead once until the second half mid-way through the third quarter. They had 19 turnovers something that we don’t see from this squad very often. 

The Kings were able to pull this one off with improved play in the fourth quarter winning their fourth game in a row 103-94 to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies (18-29)

Sacramento had a terrible start in the first quarter trailing after the first 12 minutes 33-18. The Kings started to turn their game around in the second quarter. The biggest problem for Sacramento were the 12 turnovers. 

This Kings averages 13 turnovers in an entire game so they had a lot of trouble protecting the ball in the first half of this game. At the half the Kings trailed 50-47 so this game had become a one shot game. 

Sacramento had trailed by as much as 14 points in the first quarter and they had not led once in the first half. The good news for the Kings was the improved play in the later minutes of the second quarter. Domantas Sabonis had a terrific first half finishing with 12 points and 16 rebounds.

At 6:22 in the third quarter the Kings took their first lead of the game 64-62. Harrison Barnes hit his first three of the game to give them that lead and followed it up with a back-to-back three. After three quarters, the Kings led 75-71. 

They won the third quarter 28-21 and had really put the stops on the turnovers only committing one in the quarter. Sabonis continued to rack up those rebounds with 23 going into the fourth quarter.

The Grizzlies continued to hang in this game taking back the lead in the early minutes of the fourth quarter 78-77. Memphis was wearing a path to the free throw line. The Kings already had 17 fouls and they began to turn the ball over again in the fourth quarter with 18 mid-way threw the final quarter. 

The Kings were scoring most of their points in the paint struggling from downtown and with 7:03 left in the game the score was tied at 85. The Kings had a very poor start but a strong finish winning this game 103-94 for their fourth win in a row.  The Grizzlies pushed the Kings to their limits but Sacramento got it together in the final minutes of the game.

This was not the Kings finest hour but they played just well enough to win the game. Sabonis finished with 20 points and 26 rebounds. Fox had the high for the team with 23 points. It was a terrible start for the team with poor shooting, too many fouls and 19 turnovers but they were able to overcome all of it and come away with a win. That alone speaks to the strength and will-power of this team. 

Post game notes: The Kings started off the week on the road in Memphis taking on the Grizzlies Monday night. The Kings were coming off a couple of solid wins over the Golden State Warriors and last Saturday night they beat the Dallas Mavericks 120-115. The Grizzlies lost to the Pacers yesterday 116-110 and lost the second on back to back nights this time to the Kings.

Wednesday night the Kings will travel to Miami taking on the (24-23) Heat. Sacramento has a lot to clean up going into Miami looking for their fifth win in a row. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 4:30 PM.