Tag: Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Kings move onto next step with Play In game vs. Dallas Wednesday

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The Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan takes a jump shot against the Phoenix Suns Cody Martin (17) in first half action at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Apr 13, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas each chalked up a double double as the Sacramento Kings clinched for their first play in game after defeating the Phoenix Suns 109-98 Sunday.

#2 Sabonis scored 20 points and had 12 rebounds for his 61st double-double of the season. Valanciunas scored 22 points and ten rebounds.

#3 The Kings Zach LaVine scored 20 points and improved to 40-42 and are ending their regular season on positive note with a win.

#4 The Kings will meet the Dallas Mavericks for the play in game. The Kings finished the season in ninth place and the Mavericks finished at tenth place. The Play In game is one and done on Wed Apr 16 for a 7:00pm PDT tip off at Golden 1. How do you see this post season match up?

Barbara Mason covers the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings Secure Home Court in 109-98 Win Over Suns; Sac hosts Dallas Wednesday at Golden 1 in Play In

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Domantas Sabonis on Sunday in the game against the Phoenix Suns (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — It was game 82 of 82 on Sunday afternoon. In a season known more for turmoil than winning, the Kings laced them up one last time in 2025, trying to secure a home play-in game on Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks.

After a disappointing season for the Phoenix Suns, they traveled to Sacramento to take on the Kings on Sunday. Officially eliminated from playoff contention, the Suns wouldn’t play any of their stars. Brad Beal, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker all sat for the Suns. The environment was ripe for a Kings win and they took advantage of the resting Suns with a 109-98 win at Golden 1 Center on Sunday to advance to the play in playoffs.

In the first quarter, the Kings outscored the Suns 33-25 to get off to a quick start. The Kings’ energy and intensity were good, and they looked like a team that came to win. Zach LaVine scored 10 points in the first quarter to get off to a hot start offensively.

In the second quarter, the Suns made a run and outscored the Kings 29-24 to get the game within three points going into halftime at 57-54. The Kings’ scoring in the first half came from Domantas Sabonis, who had 17 points in the half.

In the third quarter, the Kings expanded their slim halftime lead to 11 points by the end of the period. The Kings outscored the Suns 29-21 in the third as they looked to complete the win in the fourth.

In the final quarter, the Kings largely played the bench unit as the regular season came to a close. The Kings and Suns both scored 23 points in the final quarter, allowing the Kings to secure the 109-98 victory. The Kings’ best performance came from Jonas Valanciunas, who scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds on the day.

The Kings will stay home to take on the Dallas Mavericks in the 9/10 seed play-in game on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 7 PM PST inside Golden 1 Center.

Golden State Warriors podcast David Zizmor: Warriors crush Suns 133-95 at Footprint Center; Golden State wins 7th out of last 10

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Apr 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts after a play against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Golden State Warriors podcast David Zizmor:

#1 The Golden State Warriors just blitzed the Phoenix Suns with a landslide win 133-95. The Warriors just jumped all over the Suns with leading scorers Stephen Curry 25 points and Brandin Podziemski with 22 points .

#2 The Suns just couldn’t get any traction going and their leading scorer Devin Booker who scored 21 points followed by Ryan Dunn and Grayson Allen both finishing with 12.

#3 Warriors host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night for a 7:00pm tip. The Spurs have lost their last two games and are 13th place in the Western Conference 32-46.

Join David Zizmor Wednesdays for the Warriors podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason: Kings hope to end 4 game skid tonight against Grizzlies

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Phoenix Suns Royce O’Neale (00) reaches up and commits a foul on the Sacramento Kings DeMar DeRozan (left) in the first half at Footprint Arena in Phoenix on Fri Mar 14, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 The Sacramento Kings defense just couldn’t shut down the Phoenix Suns Devin Booker who had 22 points and 13 assists and Kevin Durant with 22 points as the Suns landslided the Kings last Friday night 122-106.

#2 Tyus Jones was another player that the Kings just couldn’t shutdown, Jones 20 points, hit six 3 pointers for the Suns who as a team scored 24 3 pointers.

#3 What was impressive was the Suns who did make those 24 3 pointers were just one short of the franchise record. They shot 55.8% (24 of 43) from behind the arc.

#4 Some Sacramento numbers for Domantas Sabonis 12 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds this after missing six games after suffering a hamstring injury. DeMar DeRozan 23 points, Zach LaVine 21 points and Malik Monk 18 points a hard effort but the Suns just pounced and the Kings could never keep up.

#5 Up next for the Kings the Memphis Grizzlies at Golden 1 Center. The Grizzlies are fourth in the Western Conference have won five of their last ten games, are 43-25. The Kings are ninth in the conference and have lost four straight games and are .500 at 33-33. Tip off tonight at 7:00pm PDT. How do you see this match up?

Barbara Mason does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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