Tag: NBA

Dennis Schröder’s Late Stop Seals Kings’ 105–104 Win Over Jazz in Golden 1 Center Opener

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Dennis Schröder #17, Zach Lavine #8 and Russell Westbrook #18 of the Sacramento Kings react after they beat the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center on October 24, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings opened their 2025-2026 home schedule on Friday night in a game against the Utah Jazz. The Kings, who lost their opening game of the season on Wednesday in Phoenix 120-116, bounced back in front of their home crowd defeating the Jazz 105-104.

In the first quarter, the difference really came down to shooting. The Kings outscored the Jazz 31-24 and shot 55% from the floor compared to just 39% for Utah. Zach LaVine led the charge on offense, scoring 15 points in the quarter to give Sacramento the early advantage.

“I always feel comfortable scoring,” LaVine said after the game. “That’s never been a problem. I felt really good last year. That was one of my best years last year. Just keep it rolling, keep focusing on my work…”

In the second quarter, the Kings again benefited from the lackluster shooting of the Jazz, who connected on just 39% of their shots. However, Sacramento failed to pull away as they shot only 32% from the field themselves. The Jazz outscored the Kings 22-18, and the Kings led 49-46 heading into halftime. Dennis Schröder and LaVine led the Kings in the first half with 11 and 15 points, respectively.

In the third quarter, the Kings again couldn’t extend their lead on the Jazz as both teams found their offensive rhythm. Sacramento was outscored 30-29 in the period as Utah pulled a bit closer, trailing 78-76 heading into the final quarter. LaVine added nine more points in the third to bring his total to 24 through three quarters.

In the fourth, the Kings held on despite being outscored 28-27, managing to retain their one-point advantage and beat the Jazz 105-104 thanks to a big game-ending defensive stop by Schröder.

Head coach Doug Christie was impressed with the last play of the game by Schröder and how it represented the kind of effort that will lead to success for the team.

“…If you guys watch, this team scored 130 points versus a really good defensive Clippers team,” Christie said after the game. “For us to come in and hold them to three 20-point quarters and only one 30-point quarter just signifies that it is possible—you can do it now. The consistency with which you approach that is going to be the most important piece to the puzzle.”

The Kings lost a number of traditionally important battles on Friday night. They were outscored in the paint (48-36), had fewer points off turnovers (21-15), fewer fast-break points (15-6), and fewer second-chance points (12-9). Still, the Kings managed to pull off the win. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win—and that’s something Christie expects his team to do: win ugly games.

“I think one of the signs of a good team, and a team that is starting to come together, is that you win ugly as well. It’s not always going to be pretty. You win ugly. This one tonight, though, this was a team win.”

A team win it was, indeed. LaVine led the Kings with 31 points on 55% shooting in the victory, while Domantas Sabonis recorded a double-double in his first game of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Malik Monk added 20 points, and Schröder contributed 17 points and five rebounds.

It was a big win for the Kings’ new group as they continue to implement new systems early in the season.

Russell Westbrook spoke after the game about the whirlwind of getting acclimated to a new team and atmosphere while working through the growing pains with a new group.

“You know what, it’s funny—I was just talking, telling my wife that, I mean, just last, what was it? What’s today, Friday? Saturday [last week], I was at home chilling, hanging out. I hadn’t played five-on-five in, I don’t know, since last year. So it’s my second five-on-five game. I’ll be fine. I’m in shape. The rhythm and all that stuff will come, but I’m not really worried about it at all, to be honest.”

It wasn’t pretty, but it marked the Kings’ first home-opening win since the Golden 1 Center opened in 2016.

Up Next

The Kings will stay home to take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at 6 p.m. PST at Golden 1 Center.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: NBA Gambling Scandal, Operation Royal Flush and Greed

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This combo of images shows charged NBA personnel, from left, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers’ Damon Jones. (AP Photo/File)

NBA Gambling Scandal, Operation Royal Flush and Greed

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Prosecutors say the suspects in Thursday’s NBA-Mafia-linked gambling bust used a wide range of sophisticated technology to cheat victims out of millions of dollars. At Thursday’s news conference, it was revealed that Operation Royal Flush began as early as 2019, with rigged games played in major markets like New York City.

In essence, this FBI investigation has been ongoing for five years. But now, everything is starting to come to the surface, with every day that goes by, more and more information is disclosed. This drip-drip story creates a nightmare scenario for a very lucrative sports league with a worldwide audience.

The NBA is both extremely popular and lucrative in China, where it is the country’s most popular sport with an estimated half a billion fans and a business value of around $5 billion. This story has worldwide repercussions.

Federal indictments filed in October 2025 allege that at least two NBA players faked injuries as part of an illegal gambling and game-manipulation scheme, and there is more. Some made bets based on information about a certain player who would not be available, thus encouraging someone “on the outside ” to bet against a particular team without their star player.

It is ugly, folks. From X-ray tables to hidden cameras and even per-marketed cards, prosecutors say the suspects in this NBA-Mafia-linked gambling bust used a wide range of very sophisticated technology in order to cheat victims out of millions of dollars.

At Thursday’s news conference, officials said the poker scheme, dubbed ‘Operation Royal Flush, started with an ” Expect domino effect ” after gambling allegations involving NBA” Said famous attorney Mark Geragos.

US Congress sent a letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver requesting a briefing and expressing concern over “allegations of illegal gambling and sports rigging”. Looks like this NBA Gambling scandal has opened a can of worms.

The NCAA said Thursday it is investigating 13 Division I men’s basketball players at six schools — including Temple and Arizona State — for alleged violations of gambling rules and failing to cooperate with investigators.

The NBA has the highest average player earnings per year. In the 2024-25 season, the average NBA player salary was about $11.91 million, surpassing other major leagues like the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball Politicians talk all the time about the “privilege class” in the United States, usually they do not go into sports, it becomes a talking point among political people, but the fact remains that professional sports in the United States is a very lucrative business for all involved, including players.

While the average salary of an American is around $63.000 per year, the average salary of an NBA player is around $11 million per year. $11 million per year would be more than enough for you and me and the majority of people, but there is one word that plays a big role here that nobody has mentioned.

Greed, one of the seven deadly sins, is a desire for more and more and more, like wealth, power, or possessions. We cannot forget that Greed is also part of this, even among those who are already millionaires.

Notes: Numerous regulated sports gambling websites are available in the U.S., but they are only accessible in states where sports betting is legal . Draft Kings and Fan Duel lead the market, with Bet MGM, Caesars Sportsbook, Fanatics Sportsbook, and bet365 also being popular choices.

Quote: “Eat your betting money but don’t bet your eating money.”—Horse Racing Proverb.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings try to figure out how to hold the lead

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Sacramento Kings guard Zach Lavine (8) throws one down against the Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (left) in the first half at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Fri Oct 24, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 What was the largest lead the Kings held during the first half of the game, and how did the Suns respond in the second half?

#2 Which Kings player led the team in points, and what was his shooting performance?

#3 How many points did veteran guard Russell Westbrook score for the Kings in his debut with the team in this game?

#4 Which key Kings starters were unavailable for this game due to injury, and how might their absence how was their absence impacted this game.

#5 Kings host the Utah Jazz talk about how you see this match at Golden One Center tonight

Sacramento Kings podcasts with Jeremiah Salmonson Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary–Illegal Gambling Bust Rocks NBA World 

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Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups was one of 32 arrested on Illegal gambling charges in Portland on Wed Oct 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Illegal gambling bust rocks NBA World

Illegal Gambling Bust Rocks NBA World

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

An FBI probe into mafia-linked gambling and sports rigging schemes led to the arrests of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, as well as former NBA player Damon Jones.

According to the NBA, the current players have been placed on leave. An arrest and investigation like this takes months to put together; stuff like this doesn’t happen and come out in a few days.

It would be interesting to see what further revelations from all parties, including players, attorneys, and NBA representatives, emerge in the near future.

Among the many sources reporting early on this story, originally reported by the FBI, which is conducting the investigation, is NBC Sports, which reported that the betting scandal could involve NBA megastar LeBron James. The FBI secured more than 30 indictments tied to alleged illegal gambling scandals, including three former and current prominent NBA figures.

This is not good for the NBA, which just began its 2025-26 season on October 21, as NBC and Peacock televised a doubleheader broadcast featuring the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma Thunder, followed by the Golden State Warriors at the Los Angeles Lakers.

More news on this should be coming soon.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Sharks 6 game skid comes to an end with 6-5 win over Rangers at MSG

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The New York Rangers Will Cullye (left) and the San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini (right) jockey for position in first period action at Madison Square Garden in New York on Thu Oct 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK, NY. — The San Jose Sharks (1-4-2) captured their first victory of the season, 6-5 in overtime, against the New York Rangers (3-4-2) on a thrilling Thursday night at “The World’s Most Famous Arena”.

It was an especially special night at Madison Square Garden for Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, who got a hat trick.

“MSG, it’s a pretty cool rink, we only get to come here once a year and it was great to get the first one,” he said.

The Sharks entered the famed arena with great expectations and pressure to earn their first win, and it was a relief for the team to get the job done.

“Obviously it’s nice to get the result and that’s the biggest thing,” said Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky.

“Again we’re playing some pretty good hockey, you know, we were going toe-to-toe with one of the better teams in the league and cred to the group. You know, we just kept playing an d even the last week here with the losses, the guys show up with great attitudes, they’re coachable, they’re working hard to get better individually and collectively.”

Sharks right wing Adam Gaudette made a snap shot assisted by right wing Collin Graf and center Michael Misa at 1:58 into the first period, putting San Jose up 1-0. Then Celebrini made a power play goal at 6:17 assisted by left wing William Eklund and defenseman Dmitry Orlov to boost the lead to 2-0.

The Rangers fought back and right wing Taylor Raddysh made a wrist shot at 14:19 assisted by right wing Sam Carrick and defenseman Carson Soucy to cut the Sharks’ lead to 2-1.

But Celebrini struck again with nine seconds left in the period, making a wrist shot assisted by center Will Smith and Eklund to expand San Jose’s lead to 3-1.

In the second period, center Mika Zibanejad made a power play goal assisted by left wing Alexis Lafrenière and center J.T. Miller at 4:04 to put the Rangers within one. Center Juuso Parssinen made a wrist shot assisted by left wing Conor Sheary at 6:47 to tie the game at 3-3. Then Raddysh made an unassisted shorthanded goal at 12:10 to give the Rangers their first lead of the game.

The Sharks avoided a scoreless period as Celebrini made a wrist shot assisted by Smith and Orlov with six seconds left to tie it at 4-4, and earned his third goal of the game.

Celebrini said of the pass from Smith: “I mean, I think that’s what he does best, he’s a pretty special player and I think you’ve seen him before the kind of plays he’s able to make. I was just on the receiving end on a couple of those.”

In the third period, Smith made a wrist shot assisted by Eklund and Celebrini at 6:31 to allow the Sharks to retake a 5-4 lead.

Raddysh answered back with a slap shot assisted by Miller and defenseman Adam Fox at 11:50 to tie it at 5-5.

The game went into overtime – and crunch time for the Sharks. Smith made a slap shot assisted by Celebrini and goalie Alex Nedeljkovic at 1:38 to lead San Jose to their much-needed first win.

Smith said of the goal: “Yeah it was all back I think, made a great play there around the corner and stripped again and found the slot.”

He added that it “feels good”.

“It has been a tough six games where we could have had a couple of W’s,” he said, “But everything happens for a reason.”

The Sharks (1-4-2) continue their road trip against the New Jersey Devils who are on a six-game winning streak (6-1-0) at Prudential Center on Friday. The puck drops at 4 p.m. PT.

Keon Ellis’ Limited Minutes Raise Questions in Kings’ Loss to Suns

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Keon Ellis #23 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Phoenix Suns on October 22, 2025 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

DOWNTOWN PHOENIX — The Sacramento Kings shocked the city of Sacramento on Wednesday night in the Valley of the Sun as they led 71-54 at halftime. However, it was short-lived, as a disastrous third quarter proved costly, and the Kings fell to the Phoenix Suns 120-116.

The Kings showed growing pains early in the game as they committed five turnovers in the first five minutes. Yet, they still managed to take a 29-19 lead in the first quarter of action. The Kings played with high energy, and the Suns weren’t shooting the ball well as Sacramento built a double-digit lead.

In the second quarter, the Kings continued to put pressure on the Suns as they extended their lead to 71-54. The Kings outscored the Suns 42-35 in the second quarter as they shot the lights out and got contributions up and down the lineup. Zach LaVine led Sacramento in the first half with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting. DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk added 14 and 13 points, respectively. The Kings held the Suns to just 39% shooting in the first half, which was the primary contributor to their early success.

It was the third quarter—similar to years past—that proved costly for the Kings. Sacramento was outscored 36-21 in the period and let its nearly 20-point lead slip away. The Kings’ most glaring disadvantage in the third was the 24-8 discrepancy on points in the paint. By the end of the quarter, their lead had all but vanished, as they were up just 92-90 heading into the final frame.

In the fourth, the Kings battled but ultimately couldn’t overcome their poor rebounding as the Suns hammered the glass. Sacramento was outrebounded 51-37 as they struggled with some lineups to match Phoenix’s size. Dylan Cardwell, Drew Eubanks, and Maxime Raynaud combined for only nine total rebounds in the game. The Suns outscored the Kings 30-24 in the fourth quarter to seize the 120-116 victory at Mortgage Matchup Center. LaVine led the Kings with 30 points, while DeRozan finished with 29 points and nine assists. The Kings shot 50% (47-for-94) from the field but turned the ball over 13 times, leading to 19 Phoenix points.

“We’ve got to find a way to box out, make sure that we’re rebounding the basketball—just the fundamental, simple things that we talk about,” Kings head coach Doug Christie said after the game. “Scoring the basketball, we can obviously do that, but defense is where everything is going to happen.”

Malik Monk shared similar sentiments after the game.

“The second half, we just did what we did last year, started off sloppy in the third quarter and let them back in it and had to fight back,” Monk said. “So yeah, it’s easy fixes though. It’s all on us.”

The offense for the Kings seemed to stagnate in the second half, something that has been common in recent years. Monk attributed that to the Suns having their way with the tempo on the court.

“They just sped us up a little bit more in the second half, and we can’t fall into that,” Monk said. “When they sped us up, I think we started settling a little too much instead of moving the ball like we did in the first half.”

Aside from the issues on the offensive side, Christie made some interesting decisions on who played heavier minutes at the end of the game. Keon Ellis only played three minutes in the fourth quarter, and Dylan Cardwell logged significant minutes while the Kings were struggling to stay in it.

On Ellis, I asked Doug how he felt Keon played and about the situation he found himself in.

“Keon is the ultimate professional, and he is always ready to play,” Doug said after the game. “In these situations, we have a logjam, so it’s going to come down to who’s playing. But with his aggressiveness, his ability to knock down shots, and his defensive ability, he’s going to be on the floor.”

I’m not sure the fan base will be happy with that answer when Russell Westbrook and Dylan Cardwell both had more minutes than Ellis. However, it will have to do for now.

On the Cardwell front, Doug was hoping to get rebounding from the rookie, but in his NBA debut, Cardwell secured just one board.

“One of his things is that he can go get rebounds,” Doug said to me after the game. “He didn’t do it tonight as he normally does, but he was in there fighting, and his physicality and things like that are what we absolutely love.”

Doug Christie has a nearly impossible job. He has to make this roster of rookies, established vets, and future Hall of Famers all work together while undersized and injured. I don’t envy his position, and it behooves the fan base to give him a few weeks to figure it out until Domas comes back. However, the lack of Keon Ellis minutes is a tale as old as the Mike Brown era. I’m not sure what to make of that at this point.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Suns Crazy Turnaround In Second Half Beats Kings In Season Opener 120-116

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Phoenix Suns Devin Booker was hit in the face but scored 31 points to help lead the Suns to a opening night win over the Sacramento Kings at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Wed Oct 22, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After an amazing first half for the Sacramento Kings in their first game of the season, they just could not sustain that effort falling apart in the second half losing to the Phoenix Suns 120-116. Despite the loss the Kings showed a mountain of promise in this game.

Zach LaVine had the high for the Kings with 30 points. DeMar DeRozan was right behind him with 29 points. Malik Monk had 19 off the bench. Shooting 57% from the line was the difference in this game.

The 2025-26 NBA season got underway for the Sacramento Kings Wednesday night. They traveled to Phoenix for a date with the Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. The Kings will get a look at their newest acquisition Russell Westbrook and his amazing quickness and speed which defies his age and welcome Monk and DeRozan back on the court. Domantas Sabonis is projected to return to play on October 26th.

The strong start in this game that the Kings were looking for came to be when the Kings came from behind in the first quarter going on a 7-0 run to take a 25-18 lead with 1:20 left in the opening quarter.

The quarter came to an end with the Kings leading 29-19 and Sacramento had some great momentum on their side.DeRozan and Zach LaVine were doing much of the heaving lifting in the opening quarter and Monk already had seven points off the bench.

The Kings took the energy they had in the first quarter into the second quarter with shots from DeRozan and a three from Keon Ellis pushing the Kings lead to 37-21 a couple of minutes into the quarter.

The perfect start was amazing but there was still a lot of game still left in this season opener. So far in the game the Kings were shooting at over 58% to the Suns 32%. The Suns were 0 for 9 so far in the game from beyond the arc.

Sacramento already had seven turnovers in the game one of the areas they continue to struggle in. As the quarter wore on the Suns threatened, erasing the Kings 18 point lead pulling to within eleven points 51-40.

The Kings refused to cave pushing their lead back out to 59-40. As the first half came to an end, the Kings had a 71-54 lead outscoring the Sun 42-35 in the second quarter.

Sacramento’s Zach LaVine was on fire in the first half finishing with 22 points in an explosive display. DeRozan had 14 points and Monk had 13 off the bench. The Sun’s Devin Booker had 14 points and Dillon Brooks with 11 points.

Sacramento had to keep the pressure on in the second half knowing that the Sun’s would come out in the second half with a new purpose. Phoenix would be looking to turn their long game on only hitting three in the first half, and not a single three in the first quarter.

The Sun’s made a move in the third quarter cutting the Kings lead to 12 points 82-70 with 6:51 left in the quarter. The Kings could not afford to take their foot off the gas and let the Sun into this game. With five minutes left on the clock in the quarter, the Suns had pulled to within seven points 84-77 prompting a Sacramento time-out.

With the Suns coming back, the crowd got crazy loud and the Kings were finding themselves in some real trouble. The Suns were taking this game to the next level making some adjustments over their first half play.

Phoenix was outplaying the Kings in the quarter crushing them 36-21. The 20 point lead that the Kings had taken had dwindled to two points 92-90 going into the fourth quarter. It was a new ball game and it was the Phoenix Suns with all the momentum.

At 10:27 in the fourth quarter the Suns took the lead 96-94 and they never looked back. The Kings offense was coming apart at the seams as the Suns continued to push their lead 101-94. Phoenix was ice cold in the first half but they turned it completely around in the second.

The Kings were struggling to make baskets in the second half in a total collapse. With three minutes left in this game it was a one possession game with the Sun leading 108-106. WIth 1:03 left on the clock this game was tied at 110. The final was 120-116.

The promising start in this game for the Kings ended in a brutal loss due to a real let-down in the second half. They let the Suns back in the game and along with it the fans who had Footprint Center rocking.

The Kings had proven their capability in this game but they needed consistency to go along with it. It was a disappointing loss but at the same time the Kings showed a lot of promise and with the return of Sabonis on the horizon this team will be ok going forward.

The Kings only shot 57 % from the line and that was the difference in this game along with the rebounding. This was a huge disappointment for Sacramento unable to sustain their first half effort.

Friday night the Kings will take on the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason: Kings banking on Russell to lead opening night Wednesday in Phoenix

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Sacramento Kings Russell Westbrook met with the media Sun Oct 19, 2025 during a morning press conference at Golden One Center in Sacramento (photo by the Sacramento Kings)

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara:

#1 With the Kings missing key forward Keegan Murray due to a thumb injury also Domantas Sabonis is out with a hamstring injury, how will Sacramento re‑adjust its front‑court rotation and maintain its defensive and rebounding presence?

#2 The Suns will be without newly‑acquired guard Jalen Green (hamstring) for this matchup — how will Phoenix compensate for his absence in terms of perimeter scoring and attacking the paint?

#3 Which team’s strength will dictate the outcome — Sacramento’s inside game led by Russell Westbrook or Phoenix’s external shooting and pace? Historically, the Kings have excelled inside while the Suns have gained from 3‑point volume.

#4 Given both teams’ struggles with turnovers and defense in recent games, which side will better limit mistakes and convert transition opportunities, and how critical will that be for game flow?

#5 Home‑court advantage on opening night: will Phoenix use the energy of its home crowd and fresh start to set the tone, or will Sacramento’s road experience and veteran‑laden roster help it manage the season‑opener nerves?

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

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining i

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey: Kings prepare to open up season Wednesday in Phoenix

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Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis (right) will not play on opening night on Wed Oct 22, 2025 against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center due to a hamstring injury in Phoenix (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:

#1 With the Kings missing key forward Keegan Murray due to a thumb injury also Domantas Sabonis is out with a hamstring injury, how will Sacramento re‑adjust its front‑court rotation and maintain its defensive and rebounding presence?

#2 The Suns will be without newly‑acquired guard Jalen Green (hamstring) for this matchup — how will Phoenix compensate for his absence in terms of perimeter scoring and attacking the paint?

#3 Which team’s strength will dictate the outcome — Sacramento’s inside game led by Russell Westbrook or Phoenix’s external shooting and pace? Historically, the Kings have excelled inside while the Suns have gained from 3‑point volume.

#4 Given both teams’ struggles with turnovers and defense in recent games, which side will better limit mistakes and convert transition opportunities, and how critical will that be for game flow?

#5 Home‑court advantage on opening night: will Phoenix use the energy of its home crowd and fresh start to set the tone, or will Sacramento’s road experience and veteran‑laden roster help it manage the season‑opener nerves?

Join Tony Harvey for the Sacramento Kings podcast each Sunday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.

Dennis Schroeder Leads Kings to Win Over Lakers 117-116

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Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder (17) takes the ball up the floor against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sat Oct 17, 2025 (Sacramento Kings X photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (1-3) have now finished their four-game pre-season beating the Los Angeles Lakers (1-5) 117-116 Friday night with some very promising play from starters and their bench also showed a lot of promise as well.

A lot of the starters sat this game out with assorted injury, most of them not serious and illness. The high for Sacramento in this game was Dennis Schroeder with 25 points. Every starter turned in double digits. Keon Ellis was terrific off the bench with 20 points hitting six of nine from downtown.

Game recap: The first quarter got underway with the noticeable absence of Keegan Murray who had surgery on Monday for a torn ulnar collateral ligament in this left thumb. He will be out for the start of the season and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks.

Domantas Sabonis has been ruled out with a mild right hamstrong strain and Malik Monk out with illness will join him on the sideline. DeMar DeRozan will not play with right groin soreness. After the first twelve minutes of play the Kings had a slim 36-34 lead.

Dylan Cardwell had another nice quarter with four rebounds after coming away from last Wednesday’s game with seven rebounds and four points. Nique Clifford had seven points in the quarter.

As the second quarter came to an end the Los Angeles Lakers outscored the Kings 27-22 taking a 61-58 lead into the locker room. Zach LaVine had yet another nice game scoring 13 points with four rebounds in the half. Keon Ellis had a solid game off the bench scoring 12 points going four of five from downtown.

The Kings had a lot of turnovers in the first half with 11. Both teams were shooting 45% from beyond the arc and Sacramento was 90% from the line. The Kings out-rebounded the Lakers 16-13 doing a nice job on defense.

In the third quarter, the Lakers began to establish a sizable lead 76-65 with 6:34 left on the clock. Sacramento cut the Lakers lead to 76-71 but Los Angeles pushed back taking an 81-71 lead. After three quarters the Lakers held a 90-86 lead. The Kings had five players in double figures but they were still struggling with turnovers committing 16 to the Lakers eight.

This game went into the fourth quarter, the last chance for some of these guys to make a statement, to impress. Keon Ellis was killing it hitting six of seven from beyond the arc mid-way through the quarter; he was on a roll Friday night and finished with six of nine for 20 points. The high for the Kings was Dennis Schroeder with 25 points and every starter in the game had double digits.

Game notes: Friday night the Kings played their fourth pre-season game taking on the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Last Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers in Sacramento as expected both teams played the bench for extended minutes with the Kings Nique Clifford coming away with the high of the night for Sacramento with 19 points in 20 minutes.

Domantas Sabonis showed some signs of coming around with a double double 14 rebounds and 15 points. The best news of all for the Kings this week was the signing of Russell Westbrook to a non-guaranteed one-year deal.

The former MVP and nine-time All-Star led the league in career triple-doubles and was named to the 75th Anniversary Team. Now the Kings will get to see Westbrook and Malik Monk off the bench creating all kinds of havoc. This will be a great way for the Kings to go into the 2025-26 season. This will also create an added dynamic on the bench for Keon Ellis and Devin Carter to have to deal with.

The Kings will now make a lot of decisions as they determine their starting lineup as well as their bench. Wednesday night October 22nd the Kings will kick off their season at Mortgage Matchup Center taking on the Phoenix Suns. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.