Tag: Orlando Magic

Frustrations Mount as Kings Fall to Magic 107-100, Tie Worst 11-Game Start in Franchise History

Published on by Jeremiah SalmonsonLeave a comment

Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against Anthony Black #0 of the Orlando Magic in the second quarter at Golden 1 Center on November 10, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Kings welcomed the Orlando Magic to Sacramento on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. tilt as neither team has had the start they wanted to the 2026 season. The Kings were coming off their ninth loss of the season on Sunday against the Miami Heat, while the Magic were fresh off a hard-fought loss in Golden State on Saturday.

On Tuesday night, the Kings fell to the Magic 107-100 in front of a sparse Golden 1 Center crowd of 13,573.

In the first quarter, the Kings got down early to the Magic as Anthony Black started the game on a tear for the Magic, scoring 12 points. As the quarter began winding down, the Magic led the Kings 34-20 as Doug Christie called a timeout to settle the game down. After the timeout, the Kings managed to battle their way back and went on a 7-0 run to end the quarter, closing the gap to 34-27. De’Andre Hunter led the Kings in scoring in the first quarter as he finished with seven points to start the game.

Opening the second quarter, the Kings stayed on their 7-0 run to end the first and added an 11-0 run to open the second quarter. Between the end of the first and the start of the second, the Kings combined to go on an 18-0 run to take a 38-34 lead.

Golden 1 Center was buzzing, and the Kings tried to keep the pressure on the Magic going into halftime. Unfortunately for Kings fans, the Magic battled their way back and outscored the Kings 23-14 in the second quarter to take a 57-52 lead into halftime.

It was an encouraging comeback for the Kings, but they needed to maintain high defensive intensity in the second half to keep it a competitive game. For the Magic, Franz Wagner and Anthony Black led the way, scoring 16 points each in the opening two quarters of the game. On the Kings side, it was Zach LaVine and Darius Acuff Jr. with 15 and 14 points, respectively, in the first half of the game.

In the third quarter, it was the Magic who went right back to applying pressure on the Kings. The Magic outscored the Kings 27-24 in the third quarter to expand their lead to 84-76 heading into the final quarter of action. It was Franz Wagner for the Magic and Darius Acuff Jr. for the Kings who paced their teams on the offensive end of the floor as they scored 10 and nine points, respectively. The Kings went into the fourth quarter trailing the Magic by eight and in need of a miracle quarter to mount a comeback.

In the fourth quarter, it looked over for the Kings for the better part of it. However, the Kings managed to battle back late in the quarter thanks to two late 3-point baskets from Zach LaVine to pull the Kings to within five at one point, with the score at 103-98. However, the Magic settled the game down late and were able to defeat the Kings 107-100. The Kings did outscore the Magic in the fourth, 24-23, but it proved too little, too late for the Kings, who remain winless at home.

The Magic were led in scoring by Franz Wagner, who dropped a 33-point game on the Kings. Anthony Black was the second-leading scorer for the Magic as he scored 26 points.

For the Kings, Zach LaVine led the way in scoring with 31 points, while Darius Acuff Jr. trailed just behind as he scored 29 of his own.

After the game, the frustration from the Kings was palpable.

Darius Acuff Jr. told the media after the game, “I just don’t know man, 1-10 just doesn’t sound right.”

Zach LaVine also shared his frustration with the losing streak and his turnovers (five) on Tuesday.

“I had careless turnovers and it’s a momentum shifter and it sucks because our margin for error isn’t good enough for that,” LaVine said after the game. “We’re trying to find one [a win] obviously. We’re trying to win a game and… we don’t have room for error.”

With the loss, the Kings are now 1-10 to start the season, which is tied for the worst start in franchise history with the 1990-91 Kings.

The Kings will stay home to take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday at 7 p.m. PST inside Golden 1 Center.

Kings Fall To Magic in the Final Seconds 121-117

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Orlando Magic forward Pablo Banchero (5) holds onto the ball against the Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa (9) in the first half at the Kia Center in Orlando on Thu Mar 26, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (19-55) rallied in the fourth quarter of their game with the Orlando Magic (39-34) letting the game slip away in the final 50 seconds of the game. Despite the 121-117 loss DeMar DeRozan had a stellar game finishing with 33 points which was the game high. Every starter in the game had double figures with the Kings coming up just short in this one.

The Magic are tied for ninth place with the Charlotte Hornets in the Eastern Conference going into this game and they are a half game out of the eighth spot. Thursday night’s game is crucial for the Magic. The Magic took to the court without Anthony Black who averages 15 points per game and Franz Wagner who averages 21 points per game so they will be missed. Both are expected to play in Sunday’s game against the Raptors.

The Magic got on top of the Kings in the opening quarter leading after the first 12 minutes of play 39-30. Sacramento made up some of the deficit in the second quarter outscoring the Magic 29-26 but were still trailing by six points at the half 65-59.

The Kings got after it in the third quarter outscoring the Magic 31-28 trailing by three points going into the fourth quarter 93-90. Sacramento was still very much in this game after three quarters.

DeRozan was having a terrific game and with six minutes left he had scored 29 points and had five rebounds and six assists. A minute into the quarter this game was tied at 93. At 8:49 the game was again tied at 95.

At that point the Magic started to inch away and with 5:57 on the clock Orlando had a ten point lead. Too many missed three’s by the Kings in the final quarter hurt; they were 11 of 28. With so much on the line Orlando continued to pull away in the final minutes.

The Kings attempted a rally with four minutes left in the game pulling to within six points 109-103. Fouls in the final quarter were hurting Sacramento but despite that with 50 ticks left on the clock it was a one-point game 116-115 and with 20 seconds left in the game the Magic had a two-point lead 119-117.

The Kings Malik Monk fouled Desmond Bane who made both free throws. A three-point attempt by Monk missed and that was the game with the Magic prevailing 121-117.

The Kings put out a great effort with DeRozan scoring the game high with 33 points and 11 assists. Daeqwon Plowden had 23 points off the bench. Every Sacramento starter had double figures. Precious Achiuwa and Devin Carter each scored fourteen points, Malik Monk with 13 and Maxime Raynaud with ten points. The Kings had great ball protection and reeled in the turnovers, and were also solid from the line. They came up just short in a very close finish.

Paolo Banchero had the Magic’s high finishing with 30 points and Desmond Bane had 23 points.

The Kings came close in the final seconds of this game and will now play another road game facing the Eastern Conferences’ fifth place team the Atlanta Hawks. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for Saturday night 4:30 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.

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmoson: Kings tip off with Magic tonight at the Kia Center

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White (3) looks to take a shot against the Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (3) in the first half at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte NC on Tue Mar 25, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 How will Devin Carter’s scoring efficiency impact the Kings’ chances against Orlando, given he’s averaging around 19 points per game this season?

#2 Will Maxime Raynaud be able to dominate the boards and facilitate the offense against Orlando’s frontcourt?

#3 What role will Russell Westbrook play in controlling the tempo and distributing the ball for Sacramento in this matchup?

#4 Can DeMar DeRozan create enough offense in isolation to break down the Magic’s defense, especially late in the game?

#5 How much scoring support can players like Malik Monk provide off the bench to complement the Kings’ primary scorers?

Join Jeremiah Salmonson for the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Thursday 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. 

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey: Kings 15 game skid is there an end in sight? Sac opens 5 game road trip in San Antonio tonight

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) is being pursued by the Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (right) in the first half at Golden 1 Center on Thu Feb 19, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:

#1 How did Russell Westbrook’s playmaking and assist numbers impact the Kings’ offense against the Magic on Feb. 19, 2026?

#2 What role did DeMar DeRozan play in the Kings’ scoring effort during the matchup with Orlando, and how effective was he?

#3 How did Keegan Murray perform in terms of scoring and rebounding for Sacramento in this game?

#4 In the Kings’ rotation on Feb. 19, how did Maxime Raynaud contribute compared to expectations, and what statistical impact did he have?

#5 Given the Kings’ injuries and lineup changes, how did role players like Precious Achiuwa and Malik Monk influence Sacramento’s competitiveness in this game?

Tony Harvey does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Saturday 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. 

Kings Set Franchise Record With 15th Straight Loss in 131-94 Defeat to Magic

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Russell Westbrook #18 of the Sacramento Kings drives the ball against Jalen Suggs #4 of the Orlando Magic in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center on February 19, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO — Losers of their last 14 games, the Sacramento Kings came out of the All-Star break on Thursday in desperate need to break the skid and not set a new franchise record. Unfortunately, the Kings fell to the Orlando Magic 131-94 and set a new franchise record of 15 straight losses. 

In the first quarter, the Kings got off to a sluggish start to begin the game. DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook dominated the possessions to start the game for the Kings, and it didn’t yield many results. However, the Kings’ second unit and young guys, led by Malik Monk, caught fire to end the quarter and outscored the Magic 28-18 in the opening quarter. Monk had nine of the Kings’ 28 first-quarter points as he caught fire in his initial minutes on the court to take the early 10-point lead.

In the second quarter, the Magic quickly flipped the script. The Magic came out firing and erased the Kings’ 10-point lead heading into the quarter. At the 7:23 mark, the Kings took a timeout as the Magic had pulled to within two points of the Kings, 37-35. Doug Christie tried to stop the bleeding, but it didn’t make much of a difference. The Magic went on to continue to outscore the Kings by a 46-27 margin to take a 64-55 lead into halftime. Paolo Banchero and Anthony Black led the resurgence for the Magic as they scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, in the second quarter alone. Nique Clifford and DeMar DeRozan paced the Kings in the second quarter as they each scored five points in the frame. The Kings, already facing a 14-game losing streak, had lost all of their momentum from the first quarter and needed to start the second half on a different note if they hoped to snap the skid.

In the third quarter, it didn’t get any better for the Kings. The halftime reset did the Kings little to no good as the Magic came out firing in the third quarter. The Magic outscored the Kings 38-29 in the third quarter to take the 102-84 lead into the final quarter of the game. The Kings’ perimeter defense was nonexistent as the Magic knocked down eight triples in the third quarter alone to aid in their surge against the Kings.

In the fourth quarter, it wasn’t much more than a cardio workout for both teams. The Magic continued to take it to the Kings as they expanded their already large lead in the fourth. The Magic outscored the Kings 29-10 in the fourth quarter to seal the deal on a 131-94 win.

The Kings’ leading scorer in the game was Maxime Raynaud, who had 17 points for the Kings. The Magic were led by a 30-point performance from Banchero in victory as Black added 20 points of his own.

The loss is the 15th consecutive loss for the Kings and is the most losses in franchise history, which includes stops in Cincinnati and Kansas City.

After the game, Keegan Murray spoke candidly with the media about the struggles this season and the past few years.

“It’s tough. I mean, I don’t really have words to explain it, to be honest. I don’t know if anyone really has words to explain it, what’s transpired these last three or four years. But obviously we got to change something. This obviously can’t happen.”

Up Next: The Kings take on the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday at 5 p.m. PST in Texas.

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 Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings want this one tonight; Sac hopes to snap 14 game skid against Orlando

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings Domantas Sobonis (11) will be out for the rest of the season along with teammate Zach LaVine (not pictured). The Kings return to second half action Thu Feb 19, 2026 at Golden One Center in Sacramento against the Orlando Magic (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 How will the Kings’ offense adapt without Zach LaVine and Domantas Sobonis, who are both out for the season with injuries will DeMar DeRozan take on an even bigger scoring role?

#2 Can Russell Westbrook control the pace and create for teammates like Keegan Murray and Malik Monk, given Sacramento’s struggles generating consistent offense this season?

#3 Will Maxime Raynaud’s rebounding and energy be a difference-maker against Orlando’s frontcourt, especially if Sacramento needs more physical play on the glass?

#4 What adjustments might coach Doug Christie make defensively to contain Orlando’s scorers, and can veteran defender DeRozan lead that effort?

#5 How will Sacramento’s bench production including contributions from Devin Carter and Nique Clifford impact the outcome, particularly if a starter like Keegan Murray faces foul trouble?

Jeremiah Salmonson does the Sacramento Kings Thursdays podcast 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. 

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason: Kings open second half against Magic Thursday at Golden 1

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) drives the lane against the Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (right) at Delta Center in Salt Lake Center on Sun Feb 15, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 How will the Kings’ offense adapt without Zach LaVine, who is out for the season with a hand injury — will DeMar DeRozan or Domantas Sabonis take on an even bigger scoring role?

#2 Can Russell Westbrook control the pace and create for teammates like Keegan Murray and Malik Monk, given Sacramento’s struggles generating consistent offense this season?

#3 Will Maxime Raynaud’s rebounding and energy be a difference-maker against Orlando’s frontcourt, especially if Sacramento needs more physical play on the glass?

#4 What adjustments might coach Doug Christie make defensively to contain Orlando’s scorers, and can veteran defender DeMar DeRozan lead that effort?

#5 How will Sacramento’s bench production — including contributions from Devin Carter and Nique Clifford — impact the outcome, particularly if starters like Sabonis and Murray face foul trouble?

Barbara Mason does the Sacramento Kings Monday podcast 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. 

14th straight Loss For Sacramento Losing to Jazz 121-93

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa (left) and the Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (right) has hold of the ball at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City Wed Feb 11, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The writing was on the wall by the end of the first quarter as the Utah Jazz (18-37) built a 19 point lead over the Sacramento Kings (12-44) that was extended with each ensuing quarter. The final was 121-93.

With six of their best players injured or ill for the Kings the young guys clocked a lot of minutes in this game. Devin Carter had another terrific game scoring 19 points and 5 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan had the team high with 20 points.

The Kings took on the Jazz Wednesday night at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. So far unable to do a thing about a crushing their losing streak extending it on Wednesday night to 14 games. The Kings have just been unable to put a healthy team on the floor.

The Kings are either injured or will making any continuity a tough call. The Kings did not see Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Domantas Sabonis or De’Andre Hunter on the floor Wednesday night along with the absence of Keegan Murray the younger guys will see a lot of action.

This is nothing new for the Kings although it seems that the list of missing players is getting longer and there is not much that can be done about it. Injuries can crush a team’s season and the Kings have been dealing with this ever since the get go.

Game recap: The Kings got crushed in the opening 12 minutes of play. The Jazz outscored them 39-20 in the first quarter. When your field goal percent is around 25% and shots from beyond the arc close to the same you are in a world of trouble especially when Utah was shooting over 50% in the field and close to the same from outside.

Sacramento had an uphill battle to start the game and it persisted through the second quarter. At the half, the Jazz had a 71-44 lead. They outscored the Kings 32-24 in the second quarter but the almost irreparable damage had been done in the opening quarter.

The Kings Devin Carter was having another good game having already scored 13 points with three rebounds. One of his strengths is driving to the basket and he was having a lot of success doing so especially in the second quarter.

DeMar DeRozan had 12 points in the half. Other than that the first half was unremarkable for the Kings. Sacramento was protecting the ball well with only five turnovers; they were just missing far too many shots getting completely outplayed by Utah.

The Jazz continued to extend their lead in the third quarter realizing their largest lead of the game so far 83-50 four minutes into the quarter. The Kings were trying to take shots whether open or not. Trailing by a landslide and up against the clock they were going for broke and it wasn’t happening. Going into the fourth quarter Utah had a 100-66 lead.

The Kings did outscore the Jazz in the fourth quarter 27-21. The final was 121-93.

DeMar DeRozan had the team high finishing with 20 points with three rebounds. Devin Carter has steadily been improving scoring 19 points in tonight’s game with five rebounds. He excels driving the basket at times untouched. Doug McDermott had 14 points off the bench and he was hot from beyond the arc hitting five of nine. With this loss the Kings have lost 14 games in a row.

Sacramento will next take on the Orlando Magic on Thursday February 19 after the All-Star game is a wrap. With this break hopefully the team can get some of their starters healthy to finish off the season. Tipoff for the game at Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento 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. 

NBA Playoffs podcast Michael Roberson Wed Apr 23, 2025: Celtics Brown leads the way with 36 points beat Magic 109-100; Cavs go up 2-0 defeat Heat 121-112

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) takes a shot on the Orlando Magic’s guard Cory Joseph (10) in first half action in game 2 of the NBA first round playoffs at TD Garden in Boston on Wed Apr 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

NBA Playoffs podcast with Michael Roberson:

#1 Michael, the Boston Celtics took game 2 109-100 on Wednesday night. The Celtics once again got help from leading scorers Jaylen Brown 36 points, Kristaps Porzingis 20 points, and Derrick White with 17 points.

#2 The Magic now down 0-2 in this series couldn’t close the gap on the Celtics got scoring from Paolo Banchero with 32 points, Franz Wagner 25 points, and Wendell Carter Jr 16 points. The Magic have their backs to the wall with game 3 going back to Boston on Friday.

#3 The Cleveland Cavaliers Donavon Mitchell helped the Cavaliers go up 2-0 in the series leading with 30 points, Darius Garland 21 points, and Evan Mobley with 20 points. The Cavaliers had an offensive plan and won it 121-112.

#4 The Heat tried as hard as they might just didn’t get enough to try and tie this series up the leading scorers Tyler Herro 33 points, Davion Mitchell 18 points, and Haywood Highsmith with 17 points.

#5 The Heat are talented but do they have enough to make any noise as they head back to Miami for Saturday’s game 3?

Michael Roberson does the NBA podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings Implode Against Magic Losing 121-91

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) looks up to the basket as he defended by the Orlando Magic’s forward Franz Wagner (22) at the Kia Center in Orlando on Sat Mar 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

This had to be one of the craziest games the Sacramento Kings had played all season. They had the game in control in second and fourth quarters but fell apart in the opening and third quarters. They lost each of those quarters by 17 points for a combined 34 points.

The quarters they won was a combined four points. The Kings is fighting for a play-in spot and this loss did nothing to further that goal. The biggest question now remains; how will the Kings respond after this embarrassing beat down and will they get any help from the Phoenix Suns or the Dallas Mavericks? They remain a game ahead of the Suns and are deadlocked with the Mavericks in ninth place in the Western Conference.

Game recap: The Kings had a miserable start in the opening quarter of the game trailing after the first twelve minutes of play 38-21. This game had a very sinister tone for Sacramento who did not want to fall behind significantly as the second quarter got underway.

The Kings did outscore the Magic in the second quarter but did not make up a lot of ground. They won the quarter by a basket 25-23 trailing 46-61 at the half. With an entire half of basketball still to be played the 15 point deficit was still very much manageable for the Kings. They had to get a productive start in the third quarter if they wanted to win this game.

There was no way that Sacramento could start the second half in the same manner that they had started the first quarter of this game. Unfortunately for the Kings they did exactly that. The Magic outscored them in the third quarter 37-20 leading after three quarters 98-66 in this unbelievable meltdown by Sacramento who looked nothing like a team fighting for a playoff spot.

The Kings outscored the Magic in the fourth quarter; another 25-23 tally and this disaster had finally come to an end with the Magic winning the game 121-91.

Sacramento played two good quarters of basketball in the second and fourth but fell apart in the first and third quarters losing each of those quarters by 17 points. They were awful from beyond the arc shooting at 25% while the Magic were on a 46 % clip.

The Kings were good at the line shooting at 80%. They never led once in this game while the Magic’s largest lead of the game was 35 points. The Kings made more points in the paint than the Magic 44 to 36, but it was their failure to hit from beyond the arc, only making seven, that killed Sacramento and their inability to defend the Orlando long ball (the Magic hit 18).

The Kings bench finished the fourth quarter of the game when the writing on the wall became painfully apparent. Domantas Sabonis finished the game with a double double, 13 rebounds and 14 points.

DeMar DeRozan was the team high with 21 points. The rest of the starting roster just didn’t have much in the tank. The defense struggled and both teams had a lot of turnovers, Sacramento with 16. Going forward the Kings have got to put this game in their rear view because they are now looking at eight games left in the season and they will to win a good majority of them with some tough ones coming up. A little help from Phoenix and Dallas wouldn’t hurt either.

Game notes: As the Sacramento Kings (36-38) continue to hang onto ninth place in the Western Conference every game going forward is critical. Saturday afternoon the Kings traveled to Orlando taking on the Magic (36-39).

The Kings have a five game road losing streak after their loss to the Magic. They are coming off a win over the Portland Trail Blazers 128-107 in Sacramento Thursday night tying up their season series with Portland at two apiece. The Kings were looking to end their road game losing streak with nine games left in the season but just couldn’t get it done. The Magic lost to the Mavericks 101-92 Thursday night at home.

While this is not a deal breaker as far as a place in the playoffs, the team is making things awfully hard on themselves. They now face a tough Pacer’s team next Monday on the road. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:00 PM.