Tag: NBA

Kings Winning Streak comes to an end Bucks Beat Sacramento 126-113

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Sacramento Kings’ Chimezie Metu looks to shoot past Milwaukee Bucks’ Brook Lopez during the first half at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Wed Dec 7, 2022 (AP News photo)

Kings Winning Streak Comes To An End Bucks Beat Sacramento 126-113

By Barbara Mason

Wednesday night the Sacramento Kings (13-10) faced the Milwaukee Bucks (18-6) at Fiserv Forum. This was a huge challenge for Sacramento and they needed team leader De’Aaron Fox to be on his A game. The Kings, this season have shown some great defense.

They have risen from 18th in defense climbing steadily and in their past few games have been an amazing fourth in defense. The Kings just fell short getting defeated by the Bucks 126-113.

The Bucks outscored the Kings in both quarters in the first half. Milwaukee led after the opening quarter 34-29. They would extend their lead at the half leading 68-61. The Kings had done a great job in staying competitive in this game. They did take an 8-0 lead in the first quarter. This game was tied at 25 with 4:12 left in the opening quarter but the Bucks began to turn things around for the 34-29 lead after one.

The second quarter was very competitive for the Kings. The Bucks won the quarter by two points but Sacramento hung close through the entire quarter. Fox only had six points in the half and it was Harrison Barnes with 13 and Domantas Sabonis with 12 that kept the team afloat. The high score for the Kings was bench player Malik Monk with 14 points.

In the third quarter the Bucks took their largest lead of the game 78-66. Only four minutes into the quarter Milwaukee threatened to break the game wide open. Sacramento had a lot of work to do and they needed Fox who was having a rough shooting night hitting only two of eight.

An 8-0 run for Sacramento cut the Buck lead dramatically trailing 80-76 with under seven left in the third. After three quarters the Kings trailed by a mere three points 97-94. Fox had a great third quarter and had 13 points along with Huerter and Murray who each had 13 points for the game.

With five minutes left in the game the Bucks had a 12 point lead 117-105 and Milwaukee clearly had control of these final minutes. The Kings three game winning streak was in jeopardy. The final was 126-113. The Kings hung in this game for three quarters but could not finish this game strong the way they came into the game.

The Kings got another double double from Sabonis. He finished with 23 points. Every starter had double digits with Barnes shooting for 20 points Monk finished with 16 points. Sacramento could not handle the combination of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday. They had a combined 66 points for the game.

The Kings continue on this very tough road trip taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers Friday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 PM.

Warriors Lose Second Home Game To Pacers 112-104

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Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard shoots while defended by Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney (5) during the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Mon Dec 5, 2022 (AP News photo)

Warriors Lose Second Home Game To Pacers 112-104

By Barbara Mason

Monday night the Golden State Warriors (13-12) took on the Indiana Pacers (13-11) looking to extend their winning streak at Chase Center. With some strong offense and holding the Pacers back on great defense the Warriors defeated the Pacers 112-104.

The Warriors had a cool start in the opening quarter and trailed after the first 12 minutes 34-21. The Warriors won the second quarter 29-25 but continued to trail at the half 59-50 playing from behind for most of the first two quarters.

After three quarters the Pacers continued to lead 89-81. Golden State did get to within five points but the lead had eluded them so far. Stephen Curry who had a very quiet first half hit his first two three’s in the quarter. The team would need Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole in the fourth quarter to pull this game out. The Warriors were only shooting at 39%. Golden State shot 31 points in the quarter to the Pacers 30.

Indiana called a quick time-out in the fourth quarter after one minute of play. The Warriors had pulled to within four points 89-85 looking to take the lead. The Pacers have been a fourth quarter team this season, the best in the league, but with 9:13 left in the game the Warriors took their second lead of the game 93-92.

The Pacers had done a great job guarding Curry all night and took a 109-102 lead with under three minutes left in the game. The Warriors just didn’t have the legs to finish the game and the Warriors lost their second home game of the season.

The Pacers played a great game. They came out on fire shooting 55% and never let down. The high score for Indiana was Andrew Nembhard the rookie out of Gonzaga. He finished with a career high 31 points.

The Warriors couldn’t get anything going in the game trailing for most of it. The three’s were not falling going 11 of 44. Thompson had 28 points in this game and Poole finished with 23. It was just an off night for the Warriors rarely shooting as poorly as they did tonight. Ball movement was stagnant at times for Golden State and they will need to bounce back quickly for their next game Wednesday.

The Warriors will head out on the road to take on the Utah Jazz Wednesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Warriors host Pacers Monday night; Golden State going for three straight wins

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The Houston Rockets forward Kenyon Martin Jr (6) drives to the basket and past Golden State Warrior defenders Jordon Poole (3) and Stephen Curry (30) at the Chase Center on Sat Dec 3, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Barbara:

#1 On Saturday night the Golden State Warriors Andrew Wiggins scored 36 points and shot eight 3’s to tie his career high.

#2 Both Houston Rockets and Warriors were coming off back to back nights. The Warriors just simply had an unstoppable offense with their 120-111 win.

#3 Guard Stephen Curry hit eight 3’s as well and scored 30 points and was a big contributor to the Warriors offense on Saturday.

#4 In the third quarter Wiggins hit consecutive threes and went 14-19 as the Warriors picked up their tenth straight win on their home floor.

#5 The Warriors host the Indiana Pacers on Monday night the Pacers have won three of their last five games how do you see this match up Monday?

Join Barbara Mason does the Warriors podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Wins Number Ten At Home Beating Rockets 120-101

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Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (22) defends against the Houston Rockets guard Ty Ty Washington Jr at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat Dec 3, 2022 (AP News photo)

Golden State Wins Number Ten At Home Beating Rockets 120-101

By Barbara Mason

Saturday night the Golden State Warriors (13-11) took on the Houston Rockets (6-17) at Chase Center. The Rockets are struggling and Golden State is close to unbeatable at home. The Warriors still have their problems on the road and lost to the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday night. The Warriors were able to hold on Saturday with a 120-101 win against the Rockets at Chase Center.

Golden State had a miserable first quarter on Tuesday night against the Dallas Mavericks but only lost 116-113. A good start to open that game would have most certainly have won the game for them. That loss was on the road. Most recently the Warriors beat the Chicago Bulls 119-111on Friday, a home game for Golden State.

Saturday game recap: The first quarter of this game set the pace for the remainder of the game in favor of the Warriors. They won the opening quarter decisively 39-23. The Rockets made quite a run in the second quarter, a 18-3 run. The Warriors had four turnovers in 2 1/2 minutes and the tide began to change in favor of the Rockets.

Houston had erased the 25 point lead that Golden State once had in the half. With two minutes left before halftime the score was 61-50. The Warriors have the ability to change the course of the game when things start to go south. This game was no exception. The Rockets got to within ten points but the Warriors had a solid end to the half and extended their lead 68-52.

The third quarter was a back and forth affair. Andrew Wiggins had a career high in the quarter. With two minutes left, Wiggins had shot 34 points and was eight of ten from downtown. Every time the Rockets made a run the Warriors shut them down. Golden State led after three quarters 94-80.

Going into the fourth quarter the Warriors were looking for ten straight wins at home. Stephen Curry tweaked his ankle in the third quarter and sat to start the quarter. With under seven minutes left in the game a nervous tone blanketed Chase Center. Houston had pulled to within four points.

This game got a bit dicey in the final minutes of the game but Golden State managed to come out on top. Every time the Rockets challenged the Warriors answered with a barrage of three’s. The final was 120-101.

Curry finished with 30 points and Jordan Poole had 21. The star of this game was Andrew Wiggins who scored a career high 36 points and was 8 of 10 from beyond the arc. Kevon Looney had a great defensive effort with 12 rebounds.

The high for the Rockets was Kevin Porter Jr. with 20 points. Houston threatened at times but couldn’t overcome the depth of the Warriors roster.

Golden State will take on the Indiana Pacers Monday night at Chase Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Kings Handle Clippers 137-114

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Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) shoots as Los Angeles Clippers forward Robert Covington (23) and guard Brandon Boston Jr. (4) defend during the first half in Los Angeles at crypto.com Arena on Sat Dec 3, 2022 (AP News photo)

Kings Handle Clippers 137-114

By Barbara Mason

Saturday afternoon the Sacramento Kings (12-9) took on the Lost Angeles Clippers (13-11) at crypto.com Arena. The Kings are coming off a 137-114 win over the Pacers. Sacramento prior to the Pacer win had lost three games in a row and finally got back on track against Indiana.

The Kings got on top of the Clippers from the get go winning the opening quarter 38-24. Sacramento went on to lead at the half 60-38 after winning the second quarter 22-14.

The Clippers were able to best the Kings in the third quarter by a slim margin 31-30 but Sacramento still had the upper hand leading 91-69. The Kings finished off the Clippers winning the fourth quarter 33-27 and the game 123-96.

The Kings Domantas Sabonis had the high score with 24 points handing the Clippers their worst loss of the season. He scored 15 points in the first quarter. Keegan Murray was right behind Sabonis shooting for 23 points, in fact every starter finished with double digits.

Bench player Chimezie Metu had the rebound high with 8. It was a complete team effort from start to finish for the Kings winning their second game in a row.

The Clippers are hurting from the absence of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Both are expected to play on the team’s upcoming road trip.

So the Kings have become one of the surprise teams in this young season playing circles around last years team. They are thriving under the leadership of new head coach Mike Brown.

Sacramento will take on the Chicago Bulls Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM. The Kings will be back home at Golden 1 Center.

Poole tops Warriors in scoring with 30 in 119-111 win over Bulls Friday

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Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole (3) tries to drive around the Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Dec 2, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Golden State Warrior Draymond Green just missed out on scoring a triple-double on Friday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco against the Chicago Bulls. Green contributed in scoring three pointers as well in the Warriors 119-111 victory over the Bulls.

Jordan Poole who came off the bench to score 30 points and lead Golden State with seven three pointers which helped offensive stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Poole gave credit to the Warriors chemistry saying things have changed up a bit and that the team is on a roll having now won four of their last five games.

The Bulls Zack LaVine got a three point bucket with 2:27 left and put the Bulls just one point down at 110-109. Green however would deliver some crucial points to help the Warriors get back into the game. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said that Green’s late basket was the shot of the game and that the Warriors had nothing going during that last possession.

Klay Thompson 26 points and a three pointer that Thompson got a pass from Curry when the Bulls were just down by four points 105-101. Curry was a huge offensive help for the Warriors scoring with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Curry did get into foul trouble after getting six assists. Curry picked up his sixth foul at 1:19 left in the game. What saved Curry from fouling out was the Warriors contested the call and it got reversed.

Poole shot 11-18 and was 7for 13 for three pointers, he had scored in the first quarter 14 points, and got four of the Warriors seven 3 point shots. Three of Poole’s three pointers help put Golden State up 92-76 with 1:50 left in the game. The Houston Rockets tip off against the Warriors on Saturday night at Chase Center at 5:30 pm.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings battle Clippers in the Southland Saturday

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Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield (24) tries to defend a pass between Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) and guard Kevin Huerter (9) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Nov 30, 20222 (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Sacramento Kings (11-9) had there way with a 137-111 win over the Indiana Pacers (12-9) at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wednesday night

#2 The Kings got key scoring from top scorers Harrison Barnes and Malik Monk both who finished with 22 points to beat the Pacers.

#3 Monk has been going good in the last five games Monk has scored 20 points.

#4 The Kings before Wednesday night’s win they were on a three game loss streak previous to that the Kings had won seven straight games and looked to be back on track after their win over the Pacers.

#5 Kings are in the Southland to face the Los Angeles Clippers (13-10) on Sat Dec 3. The Clippers have won six of their last ten and dropped their last game to the Utah Jazz (13-11) 125-112 in Utah.

Join Jeremiah for the Kings podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Barnes and Monk lead Kings in scoring defeat Pacers 137-114

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Sacramento Kings De’Aaron Fox (right) welcomes former teammate and Indiana Pacer guard Buddy Heild (24) back to Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Nov 30, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Wednesday night. However, it was no ordinary weeknight game. Wednesday marked the return of Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton was the subject of much controversy last year as he was moved at the trade deadline for former All-Star Domas Sabonis.

The NBA community and Haliburton himself have widely scrutinized the trade. Haliburton quickly became a fan favorite before the surprise trade. Haliburton has been very vocal on Twitter about his displeasure about leaving Sacramento, and he has backed that up with excellent play. The Kings were set to take on the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday at 7 PM PST. The King dominated the Pacers 137-114.

In the first quarter, the Sacramento faithful were out in full force. Every time Buddy Hield got the ball, they would reign down boos from the rafters. On the court, the Kings played one of the better quarters of the season so far. The Kings outscored the Pacers 33-20 in a solid offensive show. However, the defense is what stood out. Harrison Barnes started the game out hot, scoring eight points in the first.

In the second quarter, the Kings continued to put up a formidable fight on the defensive end. The Pacers picked up the offensive pressure in the second quarter, but the Kings continued to play solid defense. The Kings limited the Pacers to 28 points in the second quarter.

The Kings scored 29 points in the second quarter to take a 62-48 lead into halftime. Barnes led the way for the Kings in the first half, scoring 13 points. Former King Hield scored 13 for the Pacers. If the Kings kept up the defensive intensity, they would come away with a win.

In the third quarter, the defense was not great for the Kings. However, it wouldn’t matter because the Kings offense took over. The Kings scored a massive 45 points in the third compared to the Pacers’ 35. The Kings would take a 106-83 lead into the final 12 minutes of the game. It was all but a done deal in Sacramento. The only question was could the Kings seal the deal?

In the fourth quarter, the Kings did just that. The Kings finished the game strong and defeated the Pacers 137-114. It was maybe the best game played by the Kings this year. They played well in the first half, winning the defensive end of the floor and, in the second half turning up the offensive jets.

It was an impressive win for the Kings, who improved to 11-9 on the season. The Pacers fell to 12-9. The Kings and Pacers both scored 31 points in the fourth. Yet, that doesn’t tell the whole story before the Kings bench came into the game. The Kings ran away from the Pacers in the fourth at one point up more than 30 points.

Barnes led the Kings in victory, scoring 22 points. Jalen Smith led the way in defeat for the Pacers, scoring 22 points. It was a fabulous win for the Kings after a rough three-game losing streak.

Up Next: The Kings travel to LA to take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday at 1 PM PST.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: His name is Freedom, and he Means it

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Enes Kanter Freedom photographed before he made a trip to play in China for the Boston Celtics (photo from CNN)

His name is Freedom, and he Means it

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Enes Kanter Freedom played in the NBA; he is 6’10” 250 pounds center and played from 2011 to 2022. His conviction cost him his high-paying job. He changed his name to Enes Kanter Freedom as he continues to speak against the president of his native Turkey as well as injustices in China.

Enes Kanter Freedom sacrificed his career as a professional basketball player to be a voice for the voiceless. This is one of his quotes: “Whatever happens in life, always stand for the truth. Stand for justice and stand for whatever you believe in, even if it means sacrificing everything you have,”

Freedom, who has spoken out against human rights abuses at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party and has raised awareness surrounding the mistreatment of Uighur, Tibetans, Hongkongers, and Taiwanese, as he received an award as Most Valuable Patriot from the Fox News Network this year,

Professional basketball player Enes Kanter Freedom accused the National Basketball Association (NBA) of hypocrisy over its decision to host a “civic engagement night” the day before Election Day, the mid-term elections here in the US, while remaining silent on the Chinese “dictatorship” that he says the league is “profiting off of.” and: “The NBA’s biggest backer is China — so when they promote Civic Engagement here, do they care to comment about a dictatorship they are profiting off of? The NBA constantly told me ‘we don’t want to get involved in politics’… I guess what they meant to say was ‘we don’t want to “upset China”

Kanter Freedom has been targeted by the Turkish government for his outspoken nature and was dropped from the Houston Rockets this year but the pushback hasn’t stopped him from advocating for those who need it most. In 2021, he took his activism to new heights when he became an American citizen, changing his name to “Freedom”. “The reason I wanted to add “Freedom” behind my jersey was to remind every child in America how blessed they are in the best place in the world,” he said. “I believe America is going to have even better years going forward. That is giving me so much motivation to fight for what’s right. I represent freedom. That’s, like, the best thing that I could do.”

Some athletes get the call for justice causes and lose their jobs, in 2016 San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee for black justice and since then never returned to the NFL. Enes Kanter Freedom is an opinionated ex-basketball player who spoke publicly about the NBA involvement in China a country where human rights abuses are well documented worldwide and recently lost his job, but he seems to be happy and at peace.

Enes Kanter Freedom, nickname Enes The Menace, played in the NBA and his basketball skills made him a star in the NBA but his activism has made him more of a hero and well-known all over the world, even in the countries where the NBA is not that big.

The irony is that while Enes Kanter Freedom paid a price for speaking the truth, even the US government and other organizations are on his side. It is well documented that the U.S. government and human rights organizations have accused China of using slave labor, especially in the Xinjiang region. If you want to know more, here is the US State Department site ttps://www.state.gov/forced-la

Freedom to speak your mind is a beautiful thing. We just witnessed the USA 1-0 victory over Iran in the World Cup. The Iranian government threatened their payers for not singing their national anthem. The Iranian government could torture and imprison the families of these soccer players in the Islamic republic which is totally controlled by the government. Those Iranian soccer players are as courageous as any athletes in the world and deserve our respect and admiration.

Like Enes Kanter Freedom for speaking against the NBA and their affiliation with communist China, he can do that because he lives in the US where you can speak your mind. One of the most famous athletes in US history, Muhammad Ali when he refused the draft, to be inducted into the US Armed Forces citing his religion forbade him from serving.

It cost him a lot, like the stripping of his heavyweight title, a suspension from boxing, and a $10,000 fine which in 1967 was enough to buy a home in the US. Not to mention the criticism inside the US Armed Forces serving at that time. I was serving at that time in the US Army and Muhammad Ali was not very popular among the troops. If you believe in free speech, you have to respect these athletes.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcasts heard each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors Lose A Close One to Mavericks 116-113

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Dallas Mavericks forward Tim Hardaway Jr is fired up with the crowd after hitting a three pointer against the Golden State Warriors in Dallas on Tue Nov 29, 2022 (AP News photo)

Warriors Lose A Close One to Mavericks 116-113

By Barbara Mason

Tuesday evening the Golden State Warriors (11-11) traveled to American Airlines Center to take on the Dallas Mavericks (10-10). This match-up will be a clash between two super-stars Stephen Curry and Luca Doncic. Doncic is the number one shooter in the NBA and Curry is second.

The Mavericks have lost four in a row while the Warriors come into this game after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday 134-114 but just couldn’t hold and to beat the Mavericks and dropping the contest by three points 116-113 on Tuesday.

The Warriors got a slow start in the first quarter. They were getting some good looks but just were not shooting well. The Mavs came into this game very hungry after losing four and they were very aggressive to start this game. Mid-way through the quarter Dallas led 15-4. Golden State continued to miss shots and with four minutes left on the clock the Warriors trailed 23-6.

After the 47 point first quarter lead Sunday in Minnesota this quarter was a stark contrast. This was an extremely sloppy start for the Warriors. Dallas led after the opening quarter 36-24. The final minutes of the first saw Golden State starting to hit shots. They had held Dallas to 41 % but they were not protecting the ball. They had four turnovers in the early minutes of the game and would finish the game with 17.

In the second quarter the Warriors started to grind back into this game. They turned a 17 point deficit to two points with 5:48 until the half. They started keeping Doncic off the line turning this quarter around. At the two minute mark Golden State had tied the game at 50. With 0.30 left on the clock the Warriors took the lead 54-52. The Warriors owned the second quarter winning it 30-19 but did trail at the half 55-54.

After three quarters Dallas continued to lead 92-87. The Mavericks would hang onto the lead through most of the fourth quarter although the Warriors did have the lead several times. The Mavericks Spencer Dinwiddie was ejected in the final quarter for a flagrant foul two, a blow for Dallas but they managed to hold on to the game.

This game came down to the final shot. With 4.1 seconds left on the clock and trailing 116-113, the Warriors took a timeout. Golden State had the chance to tie up this game. The call made was a good one. A pass in to Klay Thompson who had an open look but just came up short. After a horrendous start the Warriors lost a winnable game. They fought hard to tie up the game and lead at times. The Warriors undoing was the lack of shots from the perimeter shooting at around 25%.

Curry had the high for the Warriors with 32 points and Jonathan Kuminga had his first double double of the season. He finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. It was a tough night for Thompson who not only missed that critical shot from downtown at the end but finished 1 of 6 from deep and five points.

As expected Doncic was a force in this game finishing with his fifth triple double. He had 41 points, 12 assists, and 12 rebounds in this first meeting of the season with Golden State. Dallas had ended their four-game losing streak.

The Warriors will back home at Chase Friday taking on the Chicago Bulls. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.