Tag: Philadelphia 76ers

No brotherly love in Philly: Sixers beat the Kings 123-114 on Friday night

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76score
Photo/Graphic: @NBCS

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The road to the NBA Playoffs just became a long, uphill battle for the Sacramento Kings after they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 123-114 on Friday night to wrap up a four-game road trip. The Kings will return home having won just one of those four games. At a bare minimum, Sacramento needed to go 2-2 on the trip.

Sacramento is now two games under .500 with a record of 33-35. The team is 3-7 over their last 10 and has lost three consecutive games. The Kings are mired in ninth-place in the Western Conference 6.0 games behind the LA Clippers and Utah Jazz who are tied for seventh-place. With just 14 games remaining in the season, time is running out for the Kings unless they can go on an incredible multiple game winning streak.

The Kings played better basketball on Friday than they did on Thursday night in Boston. They improved their performances from the free throw line and from behind the 3-point line. Sacramento took care of the ball turning it over just nine times.

It is not often that a team improves its play in the second game of a back-to-back set on the road.

Why did the Kings lose?

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Photo: @NBCS
  1. They played a better team. The Philadelphia 76ers are a talented team that should go deep into the Eastern Conference Playoffs. All five of the Sixers starters scored in double figures with Ben Simmons being the low scorer with 18 points.
  2. The Sixers shot 50.5-percent from the field. It is very difficult to win when your opponent shoots over 50-percent for the contest.
  3. Philadelphia won the battle at the free throw line converting 24-of-27 (88.9%) opportunities. It does need to be noted that the Kings dramatically improved their free throw shooting performance over Thursday night by sinking 19-of-24 (79.2%) of their chances from the charity stripe.

Kings top performers

  • Marvin Bagley III was not the Kings leading scorer, but he did score 15 points in just over 20 minutes of playing time. His playing time is being limited after missing five games from suffering a knee sprain. Dave Joerger said after the game that he hated to take him out, but he knows there is no reason to risk rushing MB35 back into longer minutes.
  • Harrison Barnes continues to show why the Kings would like him to exercise his player option on his 2019-20 contract or request to talk to management about long-term options. Barnes recorded 16 points, six rebounds and three assists versus the Sixers.
  • Harry Giles III put up 12 points in just over 18 minutes on the floor. H20 shot 6-for-9 from the field and pulled down four rebounds. He also dished out four assists.
  • Other contributors: De’Aaron Fox 16 points, Buddy Hield 14, Willie Cauley-Stein 13 points and seven rebounds.

Philadelphia performers

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Photo: @NBCS
  • Jimmy Butler was the leading scorer in the game with 22 points. He also added seven assists and six rebounds.
  • Joel Embiid put a double-double in the book scoring 21 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. He is just a force on the defensive glass.
  • Tobias Harris continues to show why the Sixers made a trade to get him as he scored 19, made seven rebounds and distributed four assists.
  • JJ Redick put 19 up on the board. Redick went 4-for-9 from downtown.

Up next

The Kings traveled back to Sacramento after the game and will have Saturday off. Sacramento returns to action on Sunday at 3:00 PM when they will host the Chicago Bulls at the Golden 1 Center.

The Sixers head out on the road and will have to face the “Greek Freak” and company in Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon.

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings drop first game on road trip; Head to Boston and Philly next

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Photo credit: bulletsforever.com

On the Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Sacramento Kings (33-33) lost a very close game to the Washington Wizards (28-39) on Monday night 121-115. A six-point loss, the Kings lost the game but they are a never give up team.

#2 For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox led with 23 points the team really relies on his ability to aim and hit the bucket.

#3 After last Thursday’s game against the Boston Celtics, the Kings’ Marvin Bagley III has been ruled day to day. How bad was the sprained knee and do you see him returning to action on this current road trip?

#4 The Kings need to beat teams like the Wizards and the Celtics. Do you see them getting any daylight and getting a shot to get over the Mendoza line and get into the postseason?

#5 The Kings play back to back nights in Boston (41-26) and Philadelphia (42-25) on Thursday and Friday nights. How do you see the Kings stacking up with these two clubs?

Charlie O does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors take down the 76ers 120-117

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors beat the Sixers in Philadelphia Saturday night 120-117. The Warriors needed the win to stay in first place in the Western Conference. The Nuggets lost again, and the Warriors are now 1 1/2 games ahead of the Nuggets. The Warriors’ Klay Thompson was unable to play due to soreness in his knee. He suffered the injury in the game against Orlando. Kevon Looney also sat out the game with soreness in his pelvis. The Sixers were without their star center Joel Embiid. Embiid has missed his last five games due to injury. Embiid is averaging a double-double for the season with 27.3 points and 13.5 rebounds per game.

The Warriors, who have not played well in the first half in several of the last 10 games, fell behind early in the first minutes of the first quarter. They righted the ship and finished the quarter trailing 32-31. The teams swapped leads until about halfway through the second period. The Sixers were able to stop the Warriors and outscored them 35-24 to finish the first half with a 12-point lead 67-55.

The Warriors, who were running uphill in the games against Miami and Orlando, regrouped in the third quarter. Also, they had to do it with Steph Curry sitting on the bench. Curry picked up his fourth foul with just 3 minutes and 45 seconds played. Steve Kerr sent in Curry’s brother-in-law, Damian Lee to fill Curry’s shoes. Lee was the right choice as he knocked down four threes and behind the play DeMarcus Cousins and Kevin Durant, the Warriors won the third quarter 93-90.

Curry came back in the fourth quarter, and he led the Warriors to the win. He knocked down a three to give the Warriors the lead 111-109. Curry scored six points in the last 2:35 to put the Warriors ahead 120-117. The Sixers had a chance to tie the game, but they lost the ball out of bounds with 1.7 seconds left in the game.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors improve to 44-19. The Sixers drop to 40-23.

Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Cousins had 25 points and 8 boards. Curry finished with 28. Damian Lee had 12, and the rest of the Warrior bench added 15. The Warriors connected on 14 three-pointers.

Ben Simmons had his second straight triple-double with 25 points, 15 boards, and 11 assists. Jimmy Butler had 21, Tobias Harris, the ex-LA Clipper, 20, Jonah Bolden 12. Mike Scott, coming off the bench, had a big night for the Sixers with 22 and T.J>McConnell added 10.

The Warriors split the season series with the Sixers. The Sixers won in Oakland, and the Warriors returned the favor in Philadelphia.

Up Next: The Warriors return home to play the Boston Celtics Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. Game time will be at 7:30 pm.

Kings defy the odds to beat the Sixers 115-108 on Saturday night

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2-2 win 2

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings entered the game versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night as the underdogs. FiveThirtyEight.com projected them to be a six-point underdog with only a 28-percent chance to win. Vegas had the Sixers as the favorites minus three points. The Kings had other ideas.The Kings won their 27th game of the season as they defeated the 76ers 115-108.

Sacramento had a two-part game plan. The first part called for the Kings to use their speed and run with the ball. The Sixers were playing the final game of a long 10-day road trip. The second part of the plan called for the Kings to keep a big body draped on Joel Embiid at all times. SAC worked their plan, and their plan worked.

The Sixers were not able to stop the Kings 3-point shooting

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Fox fights to keep the ball alive Photo: SportsRadioService.com

Philadelphia beat the Warriors on Thursday night because they shut down the Golden State 3-point shooting game. The 76ers have become known for their very tough defense against the 3-point shot.

The Kings managed to hit 11-of-30 (36.7%) of their 3-point attempts on Saturday night. Buddy Hield led that charge sinking 7-of-11 chances from downtown. The Kings outscored the Sixers 33 to 21 from behind the arc.

It should be noted that Philadelphia played without their best 3-point shooter – JJ Redick – who was held out for rest.

Numbers tell the story of the battle

  • Points in the Pains: 76ers 62; Kings 52
  • 2nd Chance Points: 76ers 18; Kings 14
  • Fast Break Points: 76ers 18; Kings 14
  • Biggest Lead: 76ers 2 (that’s not a typo) Kings 13
  • Lead Changes: 9
  • Times Tied: 9

Kings leaders in the game

  • Buddy Hield scored a game-high 34 points. Hield shot 12-for-21 overall and hit 7-of-13 attempts from long range. He also added six rebounds.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein not only spent the night draped over Embiid but also scored 19 points. He also managed to grab nine rebounds along the way.
  • De’Aaron Fox also scored 19 points in the game and dished out eight assists. Fox converted 8-of-9 attempts from the free throw line. He paid the price physically driving the lane to get those opportunities to go the charity stripe.
  • Marvin Bagley III had his eighth double-double game of the season. He scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. MBIII covered the rim while WCS covered Embiid.

76ers top performers

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Jump ball late in the 4th quarter Photo: SportsRadioService.com
  • Joel Embiid recorded his 43rd double-double of the season as he scored 29 points and pulled down 17 rebounds.
  • Jimmy Butler also put 29 points in the book – 18 of those points were scored in the fourth quarter. Butler also added seven assists in the game.
  • Point guard, shooting guard, forward, center Ben Simmonds scored 22 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished four assists.

Up next

The Kings will be back on the floor on Monday night when they will host the San Antonio Spurs.

The 76ers will be back on their home court on Tuesday when the will host their major competition – the Toronto Raptors.

Dave Joerger’s postgame comments

Willie Cauley-Stein talks about the win and how the team played together

MBIII talked about playing guys he had only seen on TV

NBA podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Pistons’ Griffin and Drummond lead the way in win; Magic get seven-point win over Pacers; plus more

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Photo credit: @ESPNStatsInfo

On the NBA podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 The Detroit Pistons beat Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night 93-89. The Pistons’ Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond both scored 24 points in the win.

#2 The Orlando Magic got a seven-point win past the Indiana Pacers 107-100 in Orlando on Thursday night. The Magic’s Terrence Ross led the way with 30 points.

#3 The Milwaukee Bucks got by a tough Toronto Raptors team. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks in scoring with 19 points in the 105-92 win in Toronto on Thursday night.

#4 The Philadelphia 76ers got past the Golden State Warriors 113-104 in Oakland on Thursday night. The Sixers Joel Emiid led with 26 points. The win for the Sixers snapped Golden State’s 11 game win streak.

#5 The Lakers and Clippers went down to the wire in LA and into overtime on Thursday night. The Lakers outlasted the Clippers 123-120 in OT. LeBron James had 24 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in his return to action.

Jerry Feitelberg does the NBA podcast each week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

76ers snap the Warriors’ 11-game winning streak with 113-104 win

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Photo credit: @NBA

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, who returnedhome after winning all five games on the road, had to face the young and talented Philadelphia 76ers Thursday night at Oracle Arena.

The game marked the home debut of DeMarcus Cousins, and the sellout crowd was hoping that the Warriors would win their 12th game in a row. Cousins had 22 points Monday night in the win over the Indiana Pacers, and it appeared that he fitted in well with the team. Cousins’ presence in the lineup gives the Warriors something they have needed for a long time, and that is a big man that can clog the lanes, rebound, pass, and shoot. Cousins was also able to provide screens for Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

The 76ers, with the third best record in the NBA East and led by their two big men, Joel Embiid at center and Ben Simmons at forward, were too much for the Warriors as they sent the Warriors down to defeat 113-104.

The two teams played a very competitive first quarter. The Warriors led 21-12 about midway through the period. The 76ers went on a 16-6 run to tie the game at 27. The Warriors got back on track behind two buckets each by Kevon Looney and Kevin Durant. The Warriors led 35-30 after the first 10 minutes of play. Steph Curry knocked down 11 points, and he made three 3-point shots. In the second quarter, the 76ers started the proceedings with an 8-0 run to lead 38-35. The Warriors rallied behind Curry, Durant, and Looney to extend the lead to seven 60-53 at the end of the first half. Curry had 23 points, and he made six threes in eight tries. Alfonzo McKinnie, who was filling in for the ailing Klay Thompson, helped out with 9. Durant had 12, and Looney had 8. Other than Looney, no Warrior coming off the bench, scored a point. Ben Simmons led the 76ers with 15, Embiid had 9 points and 10 rebounds. Former LA Clipper, JJ Redick, had six, and the Warriors held Jimmy Butler scoreless.

The third quarter was a different story. The Warriors, who have done so well so many times in this quarter, were outplayed by the 76ers. The Warriors were ahead 69-59 until Philadelphia went on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 71. The Warriors tied the game at 73, and it was all 76ers after that. The 76ers outscored the Warriors 42-26 in the period and led by nine, 95-86, heading into the fourth quarter. Joel Embiid had 11 points in the period to lead the 76er rampage.

Each team scored 18 points in the fourth quarter. The 76ers were able to bottle up Curry. He was able to make two threes, but the other Warriors couldn’t help him out. Both teams played defense in the last 12 minutes of action. The Warriors tried, but Embiid and company won the battle Thursday night.

Game Notes and Stats: The 76ers are now winners of 7 of their last nine games and improve to 34-18. They trail the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors for the best record in the NBA East. The Warriors fall to 36-15. They still have the best record in the NBA West.

Steph led the Warriors with 41points, and he connected on 10 threes in 18 tries. Durant had 25, Looney 14, and McKinnie 11. DeMarcus Cousins had 7 points, 6 boards, and six assists. Draymond Green finished with 4 points, 8 boards, and 10 assists.

Joel Embiid had his 42nd double-double of the season. He finished with 26 points and 20 rebounds. Ben Simmons had 25. JJ Redick added 15. The 76er bench contributed 31 points while Looney had 14 and the rest of the Warrior bench added just two points.

The Warriors were without the services of Klay Thompson, who was not able to play due to an undisclosed illness. McKinnie filled in for him, and he did well in his first NBA game as a starter.

The stats show how close the game was. Both teams made 41 field goals in 88 attempts good for 46.6% The 76ers made one more three-pointer than the Warriors 12-11. Where the game was won was on the free throw line. The 76ers outscored the Warriors 19-11 from the charity stripe.

The 76ers beat the Warriors for the first time since the 2013 season.

Up Next: The Warriors face the Los Angeles Lakers Saturday night at Oracle Arena. Game time will be at 5:30 pm.

Lakers superstar LeBron James, who did not play when the Warriors, beat the Lakers in LA in game two of the five-game road trip and will be back in action for LA.

NBA podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Kings take tough 114-95 loss; Wizards just nick the Knicks 101-100; 76ers pile on the Pacers 120-96; plus more

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

On the NBA podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 The Sacramento Kings took a tough 114-95 loss in Charlotte Thursday night to the Hornets. The Hornets’ Kemba Walker led with 23 points. The Kings drop their road record to 9-12.

#2 The Washington Wizards just got by the New York Knicks 101-100. The Wizards Bradley Beal had 26 points for Washington.

#3 The Philadelphia 76ers piled up the points for a 120-96 win over the Indiana Pacers. The Sixers’ Jimmy Butler led with 27 points.

#4 The Toronto Raptors beat the Suns 111-109 in Toronto. The Raptors’ Pascal Siakam had 10 points to lead Toronto in scoring.

#5 The Denver Nuggets knocked off the struggling Chicago Bulls 135-105. The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic led with 18 points.

Jerry Feitelberg is a Golden State Warriors beat writer and does the NBA podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings beat the Sixers 101-95 in Philly Tuesday night to sweep the season series

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Z=bo vs sixers
Zach Randolph was a leader in the Kings victory over the Sixers Photo USA Today Sports

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings picked up their first win on their four-game road trip Tuesday night when they downed the Philadelphia 76ers 101-95 in Philadelphia. The victory gave the Kings the series sweep over the Sixers who they defeated in Sacramento on November 9th 109-108.

That is a bit ironic after the Kings just finished being swept by the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

The Kings found themselves down 78-71 as they headed into the fourth quarter. They would need a 10-point effort from Buddy Hield and nine-points from Garrett Temple to lead a 30-point scoring barrage that would help them to victory. Willie Cauley-Stein added six-points in the final period as the Kings outscored the Sixers 30-17 in the fourth quarter.

Sacramento used 12-of-13 players on their bench in the contest. Only Georgios Papagiannis did not play. George Hill was not available due to illness.

The Sixers held a 57-48 lead at halftime due to some solid play from Robert Covington, Ben Simmons, T.J. McConnell and JJ Redick. Philly outscored the Kings 30-18 in the second quarter and it looked like the Sacramento squad might be in for a long night.

Sacramento kept things close in the third period which allowed them to have opportunity to take control in the fourth quarter.

Kings star of the game

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Frank Mason had another strong game off the bench for the Kings Photo USA Today Sports
Rookie reserve point guard Frank Mason gets the star of the game nod for the win over the Sixers on Tuesday night. Mason scored 16-points in just over 22-minutes of playing time on the floor. The four-year Kansas alum shot 7-for-9 from the floor and went 2-for-2 from behind the 3-point line. He also recorded two blocked shots in the game. Mason has demonstrated a maturity and confidence coming off the bench that has served the Kings very well this season.

Kings co-stars of the game

  • Zach Randolph made a good argument that he should have been the star of the game. The veteran power forward put up 27-points and grabbed five rebounds in just over 28-minutes on the court. The man who was brought in as a “role model” has become “a game changer” for the Kings.
  • Buddy Hield did not have his best night from 3-point land but he shot 9-for-19 for the game. He recorded 24-points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out two assists and made three steals in just over 28-minutes of playing time.

Sixers star of the game

Ben Simmons has to get the star as he came within one assist of recording a triple-double. Simmons scored 13-points, hauled in 12 rebounds and distributed nine assists in his 32-plus minutes on the floor.

Sixers co-stars of the game

  • Forward Robert Covington recorded 17-points despite having a very tough shooting night. Covington shot 5-for-19 overall and just 2-for-13 from 3-point range. He did go a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line.
  • Jerryd Bayless scored 15 points for the second-unit coming off the bench and seeing just over 26-minutes of action in the contest. Bayless shot 5-for-12 overall and hit 4-of-8 opportunities from downtown.

Key Team stats of the game

Sacramento

  • The Kings shot 41-for-91 (45.1-percent) in the game and hit 7-of-27 (25.9-percent) from behind the 3-point line.
  • Sacramento went 12-for-23 from the free throw line ( the percentage was poor but the number of attempts was excellent and was a real improvement)
  • The Kings committed just 12 turnovers which became 15 Philly points

Philadelphia

  • The Sixers shot 34-for-81 for the game. That was 10 less attempts and seven less conversions than the Kings.
  • Philly hit 10-of-35 3-point attempts. That was three more conversions than the Kings.
  • They went 17-for-24 from the free throw line. The Sixers hit five more free throws than the Kings.
  • Philly out-rebounded the Kings 53-39

Up next

Kings (10-20)

Sacramento wraps up their four-game road on Wednesday night when they will face the Brooklyn Nets in Brooklyn. The Nets are 11-18 on the season. FiveThirtyEight.com gives the Kings a 27-percent chance of winning the game and makes them a six point underdog.

Sixers (14-16)

Philly will host the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. FiveThirtyEight.com makes the Sixers a 0.5 underdog and gives them only a 48-percent chance to win.

 

The Raptors sweep the season series with the Kings; winning Sunday in Toronto 108-93

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
Bogi assists
Bogdanovic dishes an assist versus Raptors Photo: USA Today Sports

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings record dropped to 0-2 on their four-game trip as they lost game two on Sunday to the Toronto Raptors 108-93. With the win on Sunday, the Raptors completed a season sweep of the the two-game series between the two teams. The Kings swept the series in 2016-17 but DeMarcus Cousins was still on the Sacramento roster when that happened.

The Kings did manage to avoid falling behind 13-0 as they had one week ago in Sacramento. The Kings trailed trailed by just five points – 35 to 30 – after the first 12-minutes of play. Garrett Temple was the leading scorer in the opening quarter with 10-points.

The Kings went with an interesting starting five. Vince Carter, Kosta Koufos, Willie Cauley-Stein, Garrett Temple and George Hill took the floor to start the game for Sacramento. Zach Randolph was held out for rest. De’Aaron Fox was unavailable because of a Right Quadriceps Contusion suffered in the Minnesota game. JaKarr Sampson had to be sent to the G-League as a two-way player to fulfill his commitment to the Bighorns.

The Kings really shined in the second quarter as they outscored the Raptors 33-26. Bogdan Bogdanovic led the scoring with 11-points shooting 4-for-5 overall while hitting 3-of-4 from 3-point land. George Hill posted nine-points going a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the 3-point arc.

Sacramento went to the locker room at halftime with a 63-61 lead. That would be that last positive highlight for the Kings in the game. The Raptors would outscore the Kings 22-14 in the third quarter and 25-16 in final period of the game. Too much experienced talent and the low percentage chances of winning on the road had caught up the Kings on Sunday afternoon in Toronto.

Kings star of the game

Bogdan Bogdanovic gets the star of the game for Sacramento. The Kings oldest rookie came off the bench to score 18-points in just over 28-minutes on the floor. He shot 7-for-10 overall and hit 4-of-7 from behind the 3-point line. He also handed out five dimes while grabbing three rebounds.

Kings co-stars

Willie scores
Willie Cauley-Stein scores against Toronto Photo: USA Today Sports
  • Garrett Temple – the talented swing-man also recorded 18-points hitting 6-of-13 shots from the floor including two 3-point baskets. He added two rebounds and two assists.
  • Veteran George Hill put 16-points in the book by sinking 6-of-11 shots. Hill converted 4-of-7 3-point attempts. He also distributed five assists.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein continues to get back into the swing of things as he recorded 12 points and hauled in six rebounds. He also added four assists.

Raptors star of the game

It really comes as no surprise that DeMar DeRozan was the star of the game for the Raptors. DeRozan put up a game-high 21-points as he shot 6-for-17 from the field. He was much more successful from charity stripe where hit 9-of-12 opportunities. DeRozan also handed out five assists and had two blocked shots.

Raptors co-stars

  • Guard Kyle Lowry had a better statistical on Sunday than he did last week against the Kings. He put up 14-points hitting 5-of-11 shots from the floor and 4-of-8 from 3-point land. Lowry added seven assists and five rebounds.
  • OG Anunoby scored 13-points, Norman Powell added 13 off the bench, Fred VanVleet recorded 11 points and Delon Wright came off the bench to add 10-points.

Important team stats

Sacramento

Vince got a start
Carter got the start in Toronto Photo: USA Today Sports
  • Field goal percentage: 46.9-percent (38-for-81)
  • 3-point shooting percentage: 42.3-percent (11-for-26)
  • Free Throws: 6-for-8 (75-percent) not nearly enough attempts
  • 32 rebounds – that’s too low
  • 25 assist and 17 assists ( led to 13 Raptor points)

Toronto

  • Toronto shot 36-for-45 (42.4-percent) from the field
  • They hit 13-of-30 (43.3-percent) from 3-point range
  • The Raptors converted 23-of-28 free throw attempts (this was a major difference in the game)
  • Toronto grabbed 46 rebounds (14 more than the Kings)
  • The Raptors had 20 assists
  • Toronto committed just 12 turnovers that yielded only three points for the Kings

Up next for the Kings

The Kings move on to the “City of Brotherly Love” to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

Warriors come back from 22-point halftime deficit to beat Sixers 124-116

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Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, top, shoots as Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, of Cameroon, bottom, defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, in Philadelphia. The Warriors won 124-116. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

by Jerry Feitelberg

The big question on everyone’s mind is this: How do they do it? How do they get pummeled by 22 points in the first and still come back to win? The Sixers outplayed the Warriors in the first half. They outscored the Warriors 47-28 in the first quarter and led 74-52 at the end of the first 24 minutes of play. The Warriors–still smarting from the 92-88 loss to Boston Thursday night–regrouped and took control of the game in the third quarter as their defense held the Sixers to just 15 points while they scored 47. The Warriors did not relinquish the lead and won 124-116.

The young Sixers appeared to be blowing the Warriors out of the building in the first half. They shot 74% from the floor in the first quarter and finished the first half at 58% The Warriors shot 47% from the floor which isn’t terrible, but they could not stop the Sixer attack. The Sixers made seven 3-point shots while the Warriors connected just on one. The Sixers had four starters in double figures at the end of the half. Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 17. Ben Simmons had 15. J.J.Redick also had 15. Robert Covington knocked down 12, and Dario Saric pitched in with 9. Steph Curry led the Warriors with 15, and Kevin Durant followed with 14.

The Warriors trailed by 22 at the start of the third quarter.The Sixers increased the lead to 24 (76-52). The Warriors–as they have done so many times–found their game and started to make stops and played Warrior basketball. They found a way to move the ball and were able to find the open man. Durant and Curry led the offense, Nick Young made a big 3-point shot. Kevon Looney came in and helped energize the team on defense. The Warriors trailed by 10 87-77 with 5:30 left in the period. They continued to attack as Curry made a three to close the deficit to just one (89-88). The Warriors took the lead for good when Curry made two free throws to make it 90-89. Looney made a bucket, Curry connected on another 3-pointer, and Draymond Green finished the scoring in the period with a two-point bucket. The Warriors turned the game around outscoring the Sixers 47-15 and ended the third quarter leading 99-89.

The Warriors, behind David West and Klay Thompson, were able to increase the lead to 117-97. The Sixers fought back as they cut the lead to seven (120-113), but they ran out of time as the Warriors held on to win 124-116.

Game notes and stats — With the win, the Warriors improve to 12-4 and are 1-1 on the four-game road trip. The Sixers fall to 8-7. The Warriors had five players in double figures. Curry led the team with 35 points, five assists, and five rebounds. Durant tallied 27. Klay Thompson had 17, David West had 14, and Zaza Pachulia had 10. Green scored eight points and had eight assists along with seven rebounds.

Scoring leaders for Philadelphia were Dario Saric with 13, Robert Covington with 20, J.J.Redick with 20, Joel Embiid with 21, and Ben Simmons with 23.

The Warriors held Embiid to just four points in the second half. The Dubs held Redick to 5, Saric 4, and Simmons 8.

After the game, Curry said this about the win: “We got stops which is key.” We “found a way to give ourselves some life.” He noted that the Warriors just didn’t play well in the first half but “we moved the ball a lot better” in the second half as the Warriors found a way to score 47 points in the third quarter and put the clamps on the Sixers offense.

Steve Kerr remarked this about the play of his team in the third period: “We were more poised in the third quarter.” “They dominated the first half, but we corralled them in the second half.”

The Warriors play the Brooklyn Nets Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn. Game time is at 3 pm.