Tag: Phoenix Suns

Kings’ Defensive Woes Continue in Costly 122-106 Loss to Suns

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Keegan Murray dunks in the game against Phoenix on Friday night (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

PHOENIX — The Sacramento Kings’ season was teetering as their plane landed Friday night. Coming off a brutal 130-104 loss to the Golden State Warriors the night before, they arrived in Phoenix desperate for a win. They had lost four of their last five games, and with the Warriors widening their lead for the sixth seed in the Western Conference and the Suns lurking in 11th, the Kings needed to regroup quickly.

Before the game, I asked Doug Christie about how the team was moving on from tough losses. “That one (the Knicks loss at home) was emotional from a lot of different standpoints, and that’s part of our evolution as a better ball club. You go through a game experience—maybe you don’t play the way you wanted. You process that till about midnight, maybe 2 a.m., but then you have to reset and come back with the right mindset.” However, moving on from bad losses has been a challenge for the Kings this season. Friday in Phoenix was no different. After falling behind early by double digits, they failed to mount a comeback, dropping the game 122-106.

The Kings got off to another rough start in the first quarter, turning the ball over five times and missing multiple easy shots, quickly falling behind 36-22. Digging themselves into early deficits had become a troubling pattern, and Friday was no exception. They needed a shift in intensity heading into the second quarter.

Sacramento responded with a strong second quarter, outscoring Phoenix 35-26 to trim the deficit to five at halftime, trailing 62-57. They cut down on turnovers, and Malik Monk found his rhythm, scoring 12 points in the quarter. Keegan Murray led the Kings at the half with 14 points, while Kevin Durant matched him with 14 of his own. The Kings shot just 21% from three but a respectable 51% overall, while the Suns shot 55% from deep and 52% from the field.

Coming out of halftime, the Kings unraveled again. The Suns dominated the third quarter 35-25, extending their lead to 97-82. Turnovers and poor perimeter defense plagued Sacramento, and they struggled to put together stops.

The fourth quarter was more of the same. Phoenix continued its hot shooting, and Sacramento had no answers outside of some garbage-time scoring from Zach LaVine. The Kings were outscored 25-24 in the final frame, sealing their 122-106 defeat. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant led the Suns with 22 points each, while DeMar DeRozan paced the Kings with 23.

Postgame, the Kings’ locker room was somber, frustration evident after another costly loss in their fight for playoff positioning. Doug Christie didn’t hold back in his press conference. “Disappointing. I expected a way better performance out of our guys… 38 points off turnovers is never going to do it. Defensively, we must be better. We must be better.”

I asked Christie if he still saw effort from his players. “I think these guys want to win badly… but sometimes they get down, and you can’t do that. That has happened here. It’s unacceptable. I don’t care if the guy is open—if he’s shooting it, I want you running at him. If you don’t have it, raise your hand and get the hell out of the game because someone over there does.” His raw honesty made it clear he was searching for answers to spark his team.

Inside the locker room, the sentiment was similar. Malik Monk acknowledged the team’s defensive struggles, saying, “Yeah, I feel that. Drive, kick, swing, and they might be wide open, and we don’t contest. Then we hang our heads, and that’s where we might be down.”

Zach LaVine reiterated a message he’s been repeating recently: “I’m trying to fit in (to the offense) and win games.” Christie, however, emphasized that LaVine needs to be more aggressive from the start.

With the loss, the Kings fell to 33-33, now five games behind the Warriors for the sixth seed. More concerning, they are just one game ahead of the 10th-seeded Dallas Mavericks as their playoff hopes hang in the balance. 

Up Next: The Sacramento Kings will return home for an extended homestand to take on the Memphis Grizzlies. Tip-off is set for 7 PM PST on Monday inside Golden 1 Center. 

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson Fri Mar 14, 2025: Kings just can’t overcome Golden State; Curry scores 4000th career point for Warriors

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It takes three Golden State Warriors guards Gary Payton II (0), Stephen Curry (30) and Draymond Green (23) to defend the Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) in the first half at Chase Center on Thu Mar 13, 2025 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 It was a blow out for the Golden State Warriors over the Sacramento Kings 130-104 at Chase Center in San Francisco. For the Warriors their star player Stephen Curry scored his 4,000th career 3 point.

#2 The Kings pretty much couldn’t stop the Warriors offensive attack in the first quarter the Kings could only muster 18 points and the Warriors came up with a crushing 30 points.

#3 The Kings double teamed Curry who had only 11 points and finished tied for fifth in scoring but got his 4000th career 3 points for his efforts.

#4 The Kings in the fourth quarter scored only 21 points to the Warriors 34 points. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 23 points. It was a lead the Kings just couldn’t overcome.

#5 The Kings in ninth place now have lost two in a row with the loss to Golden State and head to Phoenix against the Suns on Friday night. The Suns are 11th in the Western Conference at 30-36 and have likewise lost two in a row as well. How do you see this one tonight in the Valley of the Sun.

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

Butler dealt to Golden State from Miami; Durant doesn’t want to come back to Warriors

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Newest Golden State Warriors and former Miami Heat Jimmy Butler comes over to San Francisco in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson who joins the Miami Heat a deal made on Wed Feb 5, 2025 (ESPN still photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Miami Heat traded Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Butler was not happy in Miami and did not get along with Pat Riley team president. Former Golden State Warrior Kevin Durant said he did not want to be traded to Golden State as his current team the Phoenix Suns are searching for a landing place for Durant.

One of the deals was to have Durant come to the Warriors and Butler would go to the Phoenix Suns. The deal now has Butler signing a $111 million two year deal that runs through 2026-27. Butler has declined the player option of $52 million.

The Warriors have sent Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson to Miami that includes a top 10 protected 2025 first round draft pick. Dennis Schroder was traded to the Utah Jazz. The Jazz will now send former Miami forward PJ Tucker back to Miami. Tucker played for the Heat in 2021-22.

Guard Lindy Waters III will go to the Detroit Pistons leaving Golden State and Josh Richardson will go from Miami to the Pistons. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr informed the team of the trades before their game in Utah on Wednesday night.

Wiggins who got dealt to Miami was the team leading scorer with an average of 17.6 points. Wiggins was noted for being one of the best guards on the Warriors who defended both guards and forward and had the ability to play top level offense.

Wiggins was informed of the trade after taking warm ups before the game in Utah and shook hands with security guard, an assistant coach and two Warrior players before packing up his items at his locker in preparation for the trip to join the Heat.

Jerry Feitelberg is an NBA analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings face Timberwolves at Golden One tonight; Sac coming off win against Phoenix

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The Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones (21) figures the only way to stop the Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (left) is by hanging onto his jersey in the first half at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Nov 13, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 On Wednesday night Sacramento Kings beat the short handed Phoenix Suns 127-101 on at Golden One in Sacramento. The Kings took advantage of the Sun short handedness with DeAaron Fox scoring a team leading 29 points.

#2 The Kings Kevin Huerter contributed with a season high 22 points. Donmantas Sabonis finished with 11 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists which helped the Kings win their second game in four days.

#3 Jeremiah, talk about how the absence of the Suns Kevin Durant has impacted their games. Durant has missed three straight due to a strained calf. The Suns really struggled in this one.

#4 The Kings had a wide gap on the Sun in the fourth quarter with a 26 point lead before the Suns scored five points making it 93-88 but the Suns were a few points and a few players short. The Kings have now won three of their last five games.

#5 The Kings host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. The Timberwolves are coming off losing to the Portland Trailblazers in a two game sweep. Will the Kings be able to keep the momentum going and will the Timberwolves come back from the double loss to Portland at Golden One?

Jeremiah Salmonson covers the Sacramento Kings at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings Fox 29 points help defeat Suns 127-104 at Golden One

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Sacramento Kings guard DeAaron Fox (5) is guarded by the Phoenix Suns forward Josh Okogie (2) and Ryan Dunn (0) at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Nov 13, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings welcomed in the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. The Kings’ last game was a loss on Monday in San Antonio to the Spurs. The Suns came in on the second night of a back-to-back. The Kings and Suns were set to tip off at 7 PM PST. The Kings defeated the Suns 127-104.

In the first quarter, the Kings got off to a hot start. The Kings pretty much immediately jumped out to a double-digit lead. The Suns picked it up as the quarter came to a close. However, it wasn’t enough to get back even. The Kings outscored the Suns 35-29 in the first quarter. De’Aaron Fox and Keegan Murray both started hot with ten points each. Josh Okogie had nine points in the first.

In the second quarter, the Kings continued to build the lead early on. However, similarly to the first quarter, they relinquished the large spread late. The Kings were outscored in the second quarter 27-26 to take the 61-56 lead.

The Kings couldn’t close out either of the first two quarters with large leads. They would look to defensive intensity and continued good shooting in the second half to secure the win. Keegan Murray led the way in the first half with 15 points for the Kings. The Suns got their best contribution from Okogie in the first half with 16 points.

In the third quarter, the Kings had a solid third quarter in which they built the lead-up. The Kings outscored the Suns 32-24 in the quarter to take a 93-80 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Kings were in a commanding position against the Suns without Bradley Beal or Kevin Durant. The only thing left would be to close it out.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings closed out the game with force. The Kings erupted for 34 points in the fourth compared to only 24 points for the Suns. The Kings emptied their bench with 4:46 left in the game to cruise to a 127-104 victory.

The Kings were led in the win by De’Aaron Fox, who scored 29 points in the game. Worth noting in the game was that Fox only took two shots from beyond the arc. Fox talked about the lack of three-pointers from him postgame, saying, “It’s something Luke and I have been talking about… and just trying to touch the paint.”

Mike Brown was excited postgame at seeing some of the threes go in, to the tune of 53% on Wednesday night. Mike Brown said postgame “The difference really is us getting into the paint and feeling two people defending you then kicking it out.”

Up Next: The Kings will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday at 7 PM PST inside Golden One Center. I asked Fox postgame about his thoughts going into the first game of the tournament. Fox said, “I think it’s dope just being able to see different courts, and I’m judging people’s courts,” Fox said jokingly. He went on to say, “I think the big difference is you could be playing a team, and it could be a blowout… and you are really playing to the final whistle,” referring to the point system in the tournament.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Kings take on Spurs tonight in San Antonio; Kings have won three of last four games

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Phoenix guard Josh Okogie (2) and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) jockey for a chance at a rebound at Footprint Arena in Phoenix on Sun Oct 10, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Sacramento Kings beat the Phoenix Sun’s in an epic battle that went into overtime with the Kings winning 127-118 at Footprint Arena in downtown Phoenix.

#2 The Kings have won three of their last four games this was a team that had it’s share of struggles has head coach Mike Brown figured things out in getting the team back on track?

#3 On the Kings win against the Suns, the Kings DeMar DeRozan scored 34 points to lead the Kings to a 128-118 win on Sunday night. DeRozan no doubt has come into his own in those recent Kings wins.

#4 One of the things that hampered the Suns was their star player Kevin Durant was injured on Friday and is out for the next two weeks. Durant was someone who the Suns leaned heavy on.

#5 The Kings face the San Antonio Spurs tonight the Spurs have lost three of their last five games. They also have missed head coach Gregg Popovich who was taken ill on Saturday. The Spurs are struggling right now and the Kings have improved how do you see this match up tonight between the Kings and Spurs?

Join Barbara Mason for the latest on Kings coverage on the Sacramento Kings podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Durant leads the way with 28 pts and Nurkic puts game away with free throws as Suns beat Kings 108-107

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Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) plays defense against the Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) in first half action at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Friday night in Sacramento. The Kings welcomed the Phoenix Suns into town for the second to last game of the regular season. The Suns were coming off a rest day after last playing on Wednesday night.

The Kings were on the second night of a back-to-back after playing on Thursday night. The Kings lost to the Pelicans on Thursday night 135-123. On Friday, the Kings and Suns tipped off at 7:40 PM PST inside Golden One Center. The Kings lost to the Suns 108-107.

In the first quarter, the Kings defense came out strong. The Kings held the Suns to only 22 points in the first quarter. The Kings came out of the gate with much more physicality than they did in the game a night prior against the Pelicans. The Kings offense would put up 27 points in the first quarter to take the quick lead. The Kings would go into the second quarter leading by five points, 27-25. Domas Sabonis was the Kings leading scorer after the first with 11 points.

In the second quarter, the Kings were able to extend the lead. The Kings outscored the Suns in the second quarter 27-23 to extend the lead to nine points going into halftime. The Kings defense managed to hold the Suns to a sub-50 point first half, only allowing 45 points. The Kings would score 54 points in the first half to take a 54-45 lead into halftime. The Kings were led in scoring in the first quarter by Domas Sabonis, who scored 16 points. Leading the way in the first half for the Suns was Kevin Durant, who scored 18 points.

In the third quarter, the Suns were able to come back and bring the game a bit closer heading to the fourth quarter. The Suns outscored the Kings 33-31 in the third quarter to cut the lead to seven points. The Kings would lead going into the fourth quarter 85-78. Kevin Durant was leading the Suns through three quarters with 24 points. Domas Sabonis was leading the Kings heading into the fourth with 25 points. The Kings would need to find the energy to hold off the Suns in the final quarter of action.

In the fourth quarter, the game took an all too familiar turn for Kings fans. The Kings were up four points with 1:02 seconds left in the game. Domantas Sabonis made an errant pass that was picked off by Bradley Beal and scored at the other end. From that point, the Kings could never regain control of the game. The Kings would go onto lose after turning the ball over on the final possession of the game 108-107. The Kings were outscored in the fourth quarter 30-22. The Kings were led in defeat by Domas Sabonis who scored 25 points. Kevin Durant led the Suns to victory with 28 points.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home for the final game of the regular season on Sunday. The Kings will take on the Portland Trail Blazers at 12:30 PM PST.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings struggling face Suns tonight in the second of back to back nights

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New Orleans guard Herbert Jones (5) goes up against the Sacramento Kings Harrison Barnes (40) in the first half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Apr 11, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The New Orleans Pelicans CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson both scored 31 a piece in the Pelicans 135-123 win over the struggling Sacramento Kings.

#2 Williamson went back to the New Orleans locker room to get his wrist worked on in the second quarter but the Kings couldn’t hold him back when he returned as Williamson scored 23 points in the second half.

#3 The Kings defense had a tough time shutting McCollum down who scored a season high of nine three pointers in 12 shots. McCollum also had seven assists and the Pelicans improved their post season chances in avoiding a play in.

#4 The Kings in the meantime are hanging onto eighth place they have now lost two straight and lost six of their last ten games what are the Kings chances in avoiding a play in?

#5 Kings get no rest they host the Phoenix Suns (47-33) tonight at Golden 1. The Suns are seventh place in the Western Conference and have won six out of their last ten games. How do you see this match up tonight?

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

Kings can’t stop Pelicans who sweep season series in five games; New Orleans McCollum and Williams make themselves at home at Golden 1

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New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) goes airborne to pass off the basketball as the Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis (10) tries to put a stop to the Pelicans offense under the basket in the first half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Apr 11, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Thursday night in Sacramento. It was the Kings first game back home after a brutal road trip. The Kings lost games in New York, Boston, and Oklahoma City on a 1-3 trip. The Kings returned home a half game up on the Lakers for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.

The Kings were set to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night. The Kings had not beaten the Pelicans all season at 0-4 up to that point. The Kings and Pelicans tipped off at 7 PM PST. The Kings lost 135-123 to the Pelicans on Thursday night.

In the first quarter, the Kings played about as bad as they have all season. The Kings couldn’t buy a bucket and had no answer on defense. The lead would balloon to 33-11 with 2:55 in the quarter. It was an embarrassing show from the Kings up to that point in the game. However, the Kings were able to go on a brief run to end the quarter to get the game to 34-23. De’Aaron Fox would need a career-high to have a chance in this game.

In the second quarter, the Kings flipped the script. The Kings outscored the Pelicans in the second quarter 35-30. It wasn’t enough for the Kings to take the lead, but it was a start. The Kings would go into halftime trailing the Pelicans 64-58. The Kings would need to continue to push the pace in the second half to have a chance. De’Aaron Fox had 17 points in the first half. Trey Murphy III had 20 first-half points.

In the third quarter, the Kings would fight. However, they couldn’t make up any ground on the Pelicans. The Kings would go on small runs that were countered by a run by the Pelicans. The Kings were outscored by the Pelicans 34-31 in the third quarter of the game. The Kings would trail 98-89 going into the final quarter of play.

In the fourth quarter, the Pelicans would extend the lead to 20 points. However, the Kings would fight back to make it more of a game. The Kings would cut the lead to 10 points, but it was too little and too late. The Pelicans would defeat the Kings 135-123.

The Kings were outscored by the Pelicans in the fourth quarter 37-34. The Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox, who scored 33 points. The Pelicans were led by Zion Williamson, who scored 31 points. The Kings would try to get back on track in one of their last two games before the postseason.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Phoenix Suns on Friday at 7 PM PST.

Kevin and Devin show has Kings fall to Suns 130-125; Durant 28 pts, Booker 25 pts offense gets Phoenix win

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The Phoenix Suns Kevin Durant (35) is stoked after after hitting a three point first half shot against the Sacramento Kings at Footprint Arena in Phoenix on Tue Feb 13, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

PHOENIX–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Tuesday night in Phoenix, Arizona. The Kings last played on Sunday when they took on Oklahoma City Thunder. The Kings, who had played the Thunder well so far into the season, had high hopes for that game.

Unfortunately, the Kings lost a relatively uncompetitive game by the final of 127-113 on Sunday. The Kings have been a woefully inconsistent team in the 2023-2024 season. They are desperately looking for consistency on the defensive side of the ball and from the urgency department. The Kings would take on the Suns on Tuesday at 8 PM MST. The Kings fell to the Suns 130-125.

In the first quarter, the offense was the name of the game. The Kings and the Suns started hot from the scoring end of the floor. The Kings outscored the Suns 39-38 in the first quarter of action. Domantas Sobonis and De’Aaron Fox got going early, with 13 and 12 points, respectively. It seemed the entire Suns team got in on the scoring in the first quarter, as seven players had scored for them. Obviously, both these teams are offensively gifted. Could either team tighten things up on the defensive side of the ball?

In the second quarter, the intensity level from both teams went to max. The Kings and Suns were caught in a heavy-weight battle in the Valley. As both teams increased the intensity, the offensive output took a dip. The Kings outscored the Suns again in the second quarter by two points, 28-26. It was a thriller of a first half on TNT as both teams were looking to move to the sixth seed in the Western Conference. It would also be the deciding game for the season head-to-head record for the two teams. The Kings would be leading heading into halftime, 67-64.

In the third quarter, the Suns finally broke through and would take the lead on the Kings. Granted, the lead would only be two points as the Suns led 94-92 heading into the fourth quarter. The Kings were outscored by the Suns 30-25 in the third. Fox had 27 points, and Sabonis 25 through three quarters. Eric Gordon was leading the way for the Suns with 20 points. You could feel the energy building as the Suns fans were gearing up for a fourth-quarter run.

In the fourth quarter, the Suns couldn’t miss early. The Suns went on a 9-2 run to open the quarter and force Mike Brown to take a timeout with 10:13 left in the game. An animated Brown, Kevin Huerter, and Harrison Barnes could be seen on the sidelines, obviously frustrated with defensive miscues.

After the timeout, the Kings did their best to withstand the Suns onslaught. The Suns were shooting out of their minds. The Kings would be down 108-100 with 7:00 to go in the game. Could the Kings make a run to win the game? The Kings went on a run to bring the game within a shot.

The game would go back and forth up until the final whistle, but the Kings would fall to the Suns 130-25. The Kings best performance in the loss was from Sabonis, who had 35 points, 18 rebounds, and 12 assists. Fox recorded a 40-piece in the loss. Kevin Durant led the Suns to victory with a 28-point and 10-rebound game.

Sabonis is the first player since Larry Bird to have at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists, and five blocks in a game.

Up Next: The Kings travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Wednesday.