LeBron James isn’t blowing smoke he’s looking for the best landing place and the best team. Insiders say that team could be the Cleveland Cavaliers who make a lot of sense right now. (AP file photo)
NBA podcast David Zizmor:
#1 The Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorites to land LeBron James but are not unbeatable as other clubs are vying for LeBron’s service that include the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, and Golden State Warriors.
#2 The Cavs are a favorite amongst oddsmakers because it would bring LeBron back home to Ohio and he gets to finish up with the club he started with.
#3 The Philadelphia 76ers Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown are also encouraging LeBron to join them as a tandem. A LeBron presence would add to the Sixers chances to chasing down a NBA Championship.
LeBron James (left) and Stephen Curry (right) unlikely to be teammates as LeBron is reportedly more focused on ending his career in Cleveland at Rocket Arena LeBron’s home state (Marca photo image)
NBA podcast report Michael Roberson:
#1 LeBron James may not choose Golden State as his landing place as it was dicussed that LeBron might play in San Francisco after LeBron announced he was considering going back to Cleveland to end his career.
#2 Bill Simmons writer for NBA Central on X said that LeBron is certainly going to Cleveland.
#3 The Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat are the top teams on LeBron’s list. The biggest team of discussion were the Cavaliers because it’s a homecoming and he has a good working relationship with Cavaliers assistant general manager Brandon Weems.
#4 Charles Barkely said that if LeBron were to choose Golden State or Philadelphia he would be ring chasing but going to Cleveland would be a natural for him that’s where it all started and that’s where it should all end.
#5 Wanted to ask you something about something that Giannis Antetokounmpo said after being traded to the Miami Heat about the city of Milwaukee, that Milwaukee will always be his city, it was the place that made him a man, and that he will always honor Milwaukee how tough was it for Antetokounmpo to leave Milwaukee?
LeBron James prepares to shoot during the first half of Game 2 of a second-round NBA playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, May 7, in Oklahoma City. James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons.Nate Billings/AP
NBA podcast Michael Roberson:
#1 LeBron James who is looking for greener pastures after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers was given a warm farewell by Lakers governor Jeanie Buss. Where will LeBron go he was rumored that he could go to Golden State.
#2 For years Anthony Davis (who is now a Washington Wizard) and LeBron were asking ownership at the Lakers to bring in a center. So as soon as LeBron left the Lakers the Lakers signed Walker Kessler for four years $130 million which works out to be $32.5 million a season. To get Kessler the Lakers had to trade their 2031 and 2033 unprotected first round picks. Also pick swaps for 2028 and 2030 to the Utah Jazz.
#3 The Philadelphia 76ers just couldn’t wait after getting superstar Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics the Sixers are now making a pitch for LeBron. How do you see LeBron being a factor with the Sixers if that were to happen?
#4 LeBron is 41 years old and some would say at the twilight of his career. Do you see LeBron going back to the Cleveland Cavaliers and ending his career
#5 Did the Warriors Draymond Green opt out of his $27 million contract so he make cap room in the event that LeBron wanted to come to Golden State as the Warriors is the most likely place that Green will retire so he’s not exploring free agency to join another team.
New York Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns smiles after committing a foul in the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in New York during game 2 in the second round of the NBA Playoffs on Thu May 7, 2026 (AP News photo)
NBA Playoffs podcast David Zizmor:
#1 Dave,how surprised are you that the New York Knicks who beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 on Wednesday night as the Knicks move up 2-0. Can the Knicks keep this moving and win the series?
#2 The Detroit Pistons get a 107-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and take a 2-0 lead. The Pistons Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 25 points and Cunningham was the most essential part of the Pistons success in game 2.
#3 Three core scorers for the Oklahoma City Thunder Chet Holmgren, AJay Mitchell and Shea Gilgeous. were key in the Thunder’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 as the Thunder take a 2-0 lead.
Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (77) takes a jump shot against the Sacramento Kings Maxime Raynaud (42) at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Mar 19, 2026. The Kings host the Brooklyn Nets Sun Mar 22, 2026. (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:
#1 Can the Sacramento Kings bounce back defensively after giving up big scoring nights in recent losses? (They’ve allowed high point totals lately, including a 139-point game to Philadelphia.)
#2 How will the Brooklyn Nets’ youth-focused, “development-first” approach impact their competitiveness in this matchup? (The Nets have been prioritizing young players and lottery positioning.)
#3 Which team can better overcome key injuries and absences heading into the game? (Both sides are missing multiple contributors, including rotation players.)
#4Will DeMar DeRozan continue his strong scoring form and carry the Kings’ offense? (He recently had a 41-point, 10-assist performance and remains a focal point.)
#5 With both teams near the bottom of the standings, how will motivation—winning vs. draft positioning—shape the intensity of the game? (Both teams have sub-.300 records and are struggling late in the season.)
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.
Daeqwon Plowden #29 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 19, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
SACRAMENTO, Calif, — The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Thursday night against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Golden 1 Center. The Kings, coming off a blowout loss at home at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs, were winners of four of their last six games and looking to continue their recent stretch of solid work.
The Kings fell to the hobbled Philadelphia 76ers 139-118 on Thursday night, and their record fell to 18-53 on the season.
In the first quarter, the 76ers jumped out to a big early advantage as the offense put up a monstrous 45 points in the opening frame. Justin Edwards and VJ Edgecombe scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, to get the 76ers off to their quick lead. The Kings managed 33 points of their own to keep the game within striking distance but dug themselves a deep hole, heading into the second quarter down 12 points. Maxime Raynaud led the Kings in the quarter with nine points and two assists.
In the second quarter, it was a rollercoaster ride as the Kings went up big in the early minutes but only managed to outscore the 76ers 29-26 when the dust settled, taking a 71-62 deficit into halftime. The 76ers were led in the quarter by Quentin Grimes, who scored 12 of the 76ers’ points in the second to bring his first-half total to 20 heading into the break. VJ Edgecombe and Justin Edwards scored 18 and 15, respectively, in the first half to carry a big portion of the 76ers’ scoring. The Kings were led in the first half by 16 points from Maxime Raynaud, nine from Doug McDermott, and nine from Russell Westbrook.
In the third quarter, the 76ers turned it up a gear once again and rocked the Kings, outscoring them 36-27 to reestablish themselves in the game. VJ Edgecombe continued to shine for the 76ers and added 13 points to his total of 31 through three quarters of the game. DeMar DeRozan found another gear in the third quarter for the Kings as he scored 13 points. The Kings found themselves in a 107-89 hole as they headed to the fourth down by 18 points.
In the fourth quarter, Dominick Barlow and Justin Edwards scored 10 and 12 points, respectively, in the quarter to up their game totals to 12 and 32, respectively, as the 76ers outscored the Kings 32-29 in the final frame. VJ Edgecombe led the 76ers in scoring with 38 points, and Quentin Grimes also contributed 27 points (20 in the first half). On the Kings’ side, Maxime Raynaud scored 30 points, and it was his second straight game of scoring 30+ after scoring 32 on Tuesday against the Spurs. Daeqwon Plowden was another bright spot for the Kings as he scored 20 points in just over 31 minutes of action, getting the start for Doug Christie.
Maxime Raynaud was a subject of discussion after the game as he has shown recently his ability to score at a high level from multiple spots on the floor. It certainly seems the Kings have found their backup center behind Domantas Sabonis going into next season.
The Kings will stay home to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday at 3 p.m. PST inside the 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.
San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama (1) defends the Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) in the first half at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Mar 18, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:
#1 How will the Philadelphia 76ers’ stronger overall record (37–32) compare against the Sacramento Kings’ struggles this season (18–52) in determining the outcome?
#2 Can Maxime Raynaud continues his scoring surge can he do it against the 76ers defense? Raynaud scored 32 points leading the Kings in scoring on Tuesday night.
#3 What impact will DeMar DeRozan have for Sacramento, and can he carry the offense against a tougher opponent?
#4 Will Sacramento’s poor three-point shooting (around 33.7%) hurt them against a Philadelphia defense that allows more perimeter attempts?
#5 Given that the 76ers got handled pretty well by the Denver Nuggets 124-96 and the Kings were also handled by the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday 132-104. How do you see this match up with the Kings and 76ers on Thursday night.
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 Dennis Schroder (17) drives on the Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid (21) in the first half at the Xfinity Mobile Center in Philadelphia on Thu Jan 29, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
The Sacramento Kings (12-37 lost their seventh game in a row Thursday night to the Philadelphia Sixers (26-21) 113-111. They had an 11-point lead mid-way through the fourth quarter but allowed the Sixers back in the game. The game could not have been closer as the clock ran out on the Kings.
Game recap: The first two quarters were close with the Sixers outscoring the Kings in each of the first two quarters. After the first 12 minutes of play the Sixers had taken a three-point lead 28-15. The Sixers outscored Sacramento in the second quarter 32-29, another three points with Philadelphia taking a 60-54 at the half.
DeMar DeRozan had a great first half with 21 points and Dennis Schroeder, who started in this game, scored 15 points. Not much else was going on as far as scoring for Sacramento. Zach LaVine did start in the game playing off the bench scoring five points in the opening half. The Kings had remained close in the first half but were unable to get over the top.
The Kings got as close as two points in the third quarter at 6:59, 68-70 and tied up the game seconds later at 70 forcing the Sixers to take a timeout. Domantas Sabonis broke into double digits in the quarter finishing three quarters with 14 points. At 4:16 the Kings took a 77-75 lead. As the third quarter came to an end, the Kings had a 92-88 lead when Keon Ellis hit a 23-foot three pointer.
Going into the fourth quarter Sacramento had built momentum that had been missing in the first three quarters. The task at hand would be to grow that momentum through the quarter. The largest lead the Kings had in this game was six points when again Ellis made a running dunk giving Sacramento a 98-92 lead.
There were more timeouts for the Sixers when the Kings took a 100-92 lead at 8:13. The remainder of the game was a see-saw affair in which Sacramento got the short end of the deal losing 113-111. This was their seventh loss in a row, a major disappoint when they had taken a 11-point lead mid-way through the fourth.
Sacramento come so close but missed a lot of shots in the final minutes coupled with fouls and turnovers. The 17 turnovers in the game did the Kings no favors. They played the Sixers close for much of the game and very nearly pulled off an upset.
The Kings put up some good numbers with Dennis Schroeder finishing with 27 points the high for the Kings. DeRozan scored 25 points and Sabonis had 17. The Sacramento bench high score went to LaVine with 17 points and Ellis with 10 points. The Kings had 46 rebounds in the game to the Sixers 24 about as lopsided as you can get.
The Kings had their hands full trying to contain Tyrese Maxey who finished with the game high of 40 points. Right behind him was Joel Embiid with 37 points. The Sixers did just enough to get past the Kings for the win.
Game notes: Thursday the Kings lost to the Sixers playing the fourth game of their current road trip. Tuesday they suffered their sixth loss in a row losing to the New York Knicks 103-87 their third road loss on this road trip. They continued the loss streak with a discouraging loss Thursday night. Keegan Murray remains out with an ankle injury and an expected return date of Febraury 4th. Malik Monk is out with an ankle injury and Russell Westbrook out with a foot issue with both looking at a January 30th return against the Boston Celtics. Zach LaVine will be back on the court after it had been decided at game time that he would be able to play.
It doesn’t get any easier for Sacramento as they travel to Boston for a matchup with the second place Celtics led by Jalen Brown. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 4:30 PM at TD Garden.
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.
