Tag: Sacramento Kings

Kings Continue Winning Streak at 3 Beating Pistons 127-117

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan left dribble drives past the Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (right) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Mon Apr 7, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (39-40) continue to impress beating the Detroit Pistons (43-36) 127-117. Zach LaVine had another monster game finishing with 43 points this time and DeMar DeRozan with 37. Domantas Sabonis finished with a triple double, 19 points, 10 assists and 15 rebounds. The Kings had trailed by as much as 18 points in the first half. Despite the back-to-back for the Kings they pushed through the fatigue to beat the Pistons.

Game recap: The Kings had a slight lead after the first 12 minutes of play 38-37 in a high scoring quarter. Both DeRozan and LaVine finished the opening quarter with double digits although the Kings did not seem to have the same energy they had Sunday night. Fatigue could be the culprit jumping on a plane after last night’s game and heading into Detroit to play again 24 hours later. The Pistons did not play Sunday night after losing to the Grizzlies Saturday night 109-103.

The Pistons took the lead in the second quarter and five minutes into the quarter had taken a 14 point lead. Sacramento took a time out looking to get a handle on this game before it really went sideways. Detroit had taken a 56-42 lead with 7:25 left in the half. Making matters worse for the Kings, Malik Monk was forced to leave the court and it was decided that he would not return for the remainder of the game with calf tightness.

Detroit continued to maintain their lead but was unable to extend it still leading by 14 through much of the quarter. The Kings had gone flat in the second quarter after a close first quarter of basketball. Sacramento, in the final minute of the second quarter, had cut the 18 point lead that the Pistons had to ten points. At the half, the Pistons had a 72-62 lead.

In this back-to-back game for the Kings the eight turnovers were really hurting them conceding 16 points on those turnovers. DeRozan had a great first half shooting for 22 points and was looking for help from Sabonis and LaVine in the second half.

With 33 seconds left in the third quarter the Kings tied the game and with 0.1 on the clock LaVine hit a 26-foot three to give Sacramento the lead 97-94.

LaVine had really come to life finishing the three quarters with 26 points. Sabonis already had a double double and was eyeing a triple double with eight assists. Jonas Valanciunas also had a double double with 11 rebounds and ten points.

The Kings got a hot start to open the fourth quarter with LaVine hitting three triples in the opening minutes. He was six of eight from beyond the arc and he had 35 points with a lot of game still left for more.

At 10:13 the Kings had a 106-102 lead. As the quarter wore on, both team were battling for this game with the Kings holding onto as much as a seven point lead. At the four minute mark Sacramento had a 117-112 lead.

Much like last night they were forced to finish the game and were looking to finish another game at the expense of Detroit in this tight ball game. With under three minutes left in the game, the Kings had a 119-112 lead.

The Pistons had gone cold; the Kings continued to extend their lead now leading 122-112. With under two minutes the Pistons finally scored and needed some stops trailing 114-125. Detroit didn’t get those stops and LaVine refused to back down continuing to play monster ball finishing with 43 points in the 127-117 win. He topped off the fourth quarter with his final three at 1:29.

The Kings cut down on their turnovers in the second half but it was (Heater) LaVine who could not miss from beyond the arc that turned the tide. He was eight of 11 and continues to have monster games as this season runs out.

DeMar DeRozan also had a great games finishing with 37 points and the fourth quarter was the dynamic duo of LaVine and DeRozan that brought this game home for the Kings third win in a row. They had erased an 18 point deficit in the first half and as Zach LaVine said “this was a do or die game.”

Game notes: Monday evening the Kings played their last road game of the 2024-2025 season taking on the Pistons in Detroit. The Kings continue to be without Keegan Murray who was a game time decision. It was decided that he was not quite ready to get back in action. Keon Ellis who was struggling with a sore hand was deemed able to rejoin the team as a starter. Trey Lyles started in the place of Keegan Murray. After a having a monster game Sunday night beating the Cavaliers, the Kings kept up the momentum and confidence they had in the Cleveland game with their win over the Pistons.

The Kings will now head home to Sacramento to finish up the season with their three final games at Golden 1. First up for the Kings will be a matchup with the Denver Nuggets with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM Wednesday night. The goal now for the Kings will be to get that ninth seed and home court advantage a very real possibility.

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason: Kings shock the NBA world beating basketball’s best Cavaliers twice in one season

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (left) drives to the basket on the Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) in first half action at Rocket Mortgage Arena in Cleveland on Sun Apr 6, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 How shocking is that that the Sacramento Kings were able to pull off a win over the NBA’s best the Cleveland Cavaliers twice in one season?

#2 The Kings Zach LaVine scored 37 points, had 11 points in the crucial fourth quarter as the Kings defeated the Cavaliers on Sunday 120-113 at Rocket Mortgage Arena.

#3 The Kings DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points and Domantas Sabonis scored 27 points and had nine rebounds as the Kings picked up their second straight win and improved their position in the Western Conference to ninth place.

#4 The Cavaliers Ty Jerome’s 20 points were the most followed up by Donovan Mitchell 19. Jerome had been out since Mar 25th after missing five games with left knee tendinitis.

#5 It’s off to Detroit and the Pistons at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The Pistons are sixth in the Western Conference and have won six of their last ten games. The Kings are battling to try and get a playoff spot and the Pistons are a playoff team how do you see these two teams matching up for tonight’s game?

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

NBA G League Playoffs: Kings continue to roll in post season defeat Spurs 118-112 at Adventist Arena

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Stockton Kings with their win over the Austin Spurs are the G League Western Conference Champions in the G League Playoff action at Adventist Health in Stockton on Sun Apr 6, 2025 (Stockton Kings X photo)

By William Espy

STOCKTON–The Stockton Kings hosted the Austin Spurs in the G League’s Western Conference Final on Sunday night and the Kings once again advanced for the second time in the playoffs with a 118-112 win over the Spurs.

The Spurs got out to a hot start, scoring 27 points in the first quarter while holding Stockton to just 17. A double digit lead after 12 minutes seemed like a good sign for the visiting team, and that wouldn’t change in the second quarter either.

While the Kings out scored the Spurs in the second frame, Austin still maintained a lead heading into halftime. The Kings scored 28 points, but that was only three more than the Spurs, meaning Austin maintained a seven point lead after 24 minutes.

The third quarter would be a major game changer, as the Kings’ offense exploded. They out scored the Spurs by 20 points in the third frame, 43-23.

Austin trailed 97-82 heading into the fourth quarter, as a result they’d need to recreate the performance their opposition just had if they wanted any chance of moving on to the G League Final. They’d outscore the Kings for the second time of the night, but it wouldn’t be by big enough of a margin, as Stockton would walk away victorious.

Mason Jones continued to have a strong playoff run, as he scored a game-high 38 points. Terry Taylor wasn’t far behind him though, as he scored 29 of his own. Undoubtedly, those performances were a major part of what allowed the Kings to make it to the Final for the first time in organization history.

Meanwhile for the Spurs, Malachi Flynn had a strong offensive performance, scoring a team-high 32 points in Austin’s losing effort. David Duke Jr and Kyle Mangas both eclipsed the 20 point mark as well, but it wasn’t enough for them to upset the top seed.

The Kings will face the Osceola Magic in the G League Final starting on the road Tuesday night.

Kings Pull a Second Upset of the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-113

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) take the ball to the hoop against the Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) and guard Max Strus (1) in the first half at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Sun Apr 6, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the Sacramento Kings (37-40) pulled off a second upset of the Cleveland Cavaliers (62-15) this season 120-113. Zach LaVine came unhinged finishing with 37 points. He was on fire hitting seven triples going 7 of 11.

Demar DeRozan scored 28 points and Domantas Sabonis finished with 27. Sacramento hit 14 three’s. The Kings outscored the Cavaliers in the third quarter 35-22 setting the stage for the upset. This win will go a long way towards their fight for a playoff spot.

As this game finished up, the Phoenix Suns lost to the New York Knicks 112-98. The Suns loss gives the Kings a three-game lead for tenth place and they still have a shot to move into ninth place with a little help from the Mavericks.

Game recap: The Sacramento Kings had a great start in the opening quarter leading 31-27 after the first 12 minutes of play. Domantas Sabonis spearheaded a great start scoring 15 points with four rebounds.

Zach LaVine chipped in seven points and the Kings were waiting on DeMar DeRozan to get his engine working. It had been an excellent start for Sacramento and the true test for the Kings would be to keep the pressure on Cleveland and dictate the pace of the game going into the second quarter and beyond.

The Cavaliers took the lead throughout the second quarter and had led by as many as seven points. When the quarter came to an end, the Cavaliers had outscored Sacramento 30-25. The Kings had continued to shave the Cleveland lead and it paid off for them.

The Kings sure know what is at stake right now. and they were playing like it. At the buzzer Keon Ellis hit a triple (43-ft) to trail by a single point 56-57 as the first half came to an end. Sabonis continued to lead the scoring for Sacramento finishing the first half with 19 points and eight rebounds. Zach LaVine was following suit hitting 15 points and DeMar DeRozan was on the edge of double digits with eight points.

Going into the third quarter the Cavaliers hung onto the lead throughout most of the quarter until the final two minutes when the Kings turned it all around. With 53 seconds left on the clock, the Kings had taken a 10-point lead 87-77.

At the end of three quarters, the Sacramento Kings had taken a 91-79 lead. DeMar DeRozan had really heated up finishing the quarter with 19 points. Sacramento had to hold on for one more quarter to pull their second Cleveland upset of the season.

The Kings held on in the fourth quarter but the Cavaliers started to chip away at the Sacramento lead and at 7:47 it was a tie game at 96. The Kings were holding onto their lead but not extending it and they paid for it when the Cavaliers took the lead at 7:04 101-100.

For nearly the next two minutes this was a one-point game or tied with both teams trading the lead. At 6:06 the Kings had pushed back their lead to 105-101 and this game was going down to the wire. With under two minutes left in the game the Kings had taken a 116-111 lead in this nail-biter. As time expired, the Sacramento Kings had beaten the Cleveland Cavaliers for a second time this season.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon the Kings took on the hottest team in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers and shocked the NBA world with a second win of the season over the Cavaliers .

The Kings finally got a win on Friday in Charlotte beating the lowly Hornets 125-102 and face a major challenge against the giants of the NBA. While the Kings were hardly favored in this game, they did beat Cleveland last month March 19 by the score of 123-119 in a thriller.

Sacramento were without the services of Keegan Murray who is out with a back issue. The Kings relied on Trey Lyles who had seven points and Doug McDermott who did not play but were around to pick up the slack in the front court.

While this game doesn’t have huge meaning for the Cavs a win would have meant a home court advantage for the duration of the playoffs. For the Kings this win means a whole lot more as they are fighting to retain their tenth place position in the Western Conference.

After this wild win, the Sacramento Kings will jump on a plane and head into Detroit to take on the Pistons on Monday night, their final road game of the regular season. Tipoff for the Detroit matchup is scheduled for 4:00 PM PDT at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Kings Crush Hornets; Get Back On Track Winning 125-102

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Charlotte Hornets Miles Bridges (10) brings the ball up court against the Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (left) in the first half on Fri Apr 4, 2025 at the Spectrum Arena in Charlotte (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (37-40) put an end to a lengthy losing road streak beating the Charlotte Hornets (19-58) Friday night 125-102. They did it with their stars shining; Zach LaVine the leading scorer with 25 points, Domantas Sabonis with 24 and DeMar DeRozan with 22. Their bench put up good numbers scoring 46 points collectively.

The Kings continue to hang onto tenth place in the Western Conference. Their position became a little brighter today with the Suns losing to the Boston Celtics and dropping two full games behind the Kings.

Game recap: The first quarter of this game was all DeMar DeRozan who finished the opening quarter with 13 points. He is genius when it comes to drawing the foul and he successfully shot from the line throughout the first 12 minutes. Sacramento took a 26-18 lead into the second quarter.

The second quarter was lift-off for the Kings offensively taking as much as a 19 points lead. Sabonis, DeRozan and LaVine all had double digits as the quarter came to an end. Malik Monk also had 15 points off the bench as Sacramento went into the locker room at the half with a 68-49 lead. Monk was three of six from beyond the arc and Sabonis finished the half with 18 points. The Kings outscored the Hornets 42-31 in the second quarter.

The Kings continued to extend their lead in the third quarter leading going into the fourth quarter 98-72. They outscored the Hornets 30-23 in the quarter. Sabonis had a double double with 11 rebounds and 24 points very obviously back in top form after several injuries recently kept him sidelined for quite a few games.

The fourth quarter was a tough one for bench player Devon Carter. He played 14 minutes before fouling out having a lot of trouble guarding without fouling. Bench player Trey Lyles realized double digits mid-way through the final quarter and the Kings had total control in this game setting the pace from the second quarter on. The Hornets outscored the Kings in the fourth quarter 30-27 as the Kings starters sat for the final minutes of the game. The final was 125-102.

This was a great team effort for the Sacramento Kings. Zach LaVine had the game high with 25 points and 10 rebounds for the teams second double double. Domantas Sabonis had another double double with 11 rebounds and 24 points and DeMar DeRozan finished with 22. Malik Monk had a far improved game finishing with 17 points coming on strong after missing a number of game due to illness. Both he and Sabonis seemed to have gotten back into their stride.

Game notes: After a discouraging loss to the Washington Wizards Wednesday night, the Kings took it to the Hornets to end a miserable road game losing streak. The Kings won a game that they were highly favored to win.

After the loss Wednesday, all bets are off and the Kings need to put that game in their rear view and get down to the business of winning. With the starting roster that the Kings have and Jonas Valanciunas and Malik Monk off the bench, this team was able to put this game away before they head into some very challenging games which include the Cavaliers, the Nuggets, the Clippers and the Suns to finish off the season.

The Kings will finish the season with three home games the final game against the Phoenix Suns which could prove to be the most important game of the year for Sacramento depending on where the standings are in that last game.

Phoenix is one game behind the Kings right now and the win for Sacramento could go a long way towards a play-in spot. The Suns played the Celtics Friday night and Phoenix lost to the Celtics 123-103 which gives the Kings a two-game lead over the Suns. Where the Kings finish this season could be determined in their final season game.

The Sacramento Kings now have five games left in their season, two more on the road and their final three season games at Golden One. Next up for the Kings is a whopper playing the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday with tipoff scheduled for 3:00 PM. The Kings beat the Cavs in their first season game last month 123-119.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson Fri Apr 4, 2025: Kings try to end 3 game skid tonight against Hornets

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

All the Sacramento Kings defense can do is watch is awe as the Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr shoots over Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) in the first half at the Capital Center in DC on Wed Apr 2, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Sacramento Kings lost a brutal game against one of the NBA’s worst teams the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night in DC 116-111. The Wizards Jordan Poole scored 23 points and the two teams wound up splitting the season series.

#2 The Kings lost to one of two teams with the fewest wins in the NBA at 16 the Utah Jazz being the other team.

#3 The Wizards Bub Carrington and AJ Johnson each scored 19 points. Tristan Vukcevic scored 17 and Anthony Gill had ten points.

#4 The Kings DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points for the night and had 20 points scored in the fourth quarter. The Kings came back from behind down 14 points outscoring the Wizards 34-25 but couldn’t catch them losing in the final minute and losing by four points.

#5 The Kings get another chance to get back in the win column as they take on the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte Friday at 4:00pm PDT. The Hornets who are in 14th place in the Eastern Conference at 19-57, the are another struggling team who have lost eight of their last ten games. Jeremiah how do you see the Kings chances in this one?

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

Kings Fall to Lowly Wizards In Shocker 116-111

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Washington Wizards guard AJ Johnson (5) dunks the ball as the Sacramento Kings guard Molik Monk (right) looks on in the first half at the Capital Center in Washington DC on Wed Apr 2, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (36-40) continue to struggle on the road losing to the Washington Wizards (17-59) 116-111 at the Capital Center in DC. This one was a shocker since the Wizards are the second worst team in the NBA. This loss could not have come at a worst time with the Kings fighting for a play-in spot.

This game really had one scratching their heads. Lately the Kings have struggled with inconsistency and injury but despite all that this was a real stunner. Perhaps Sacramento took the Wizards a bit too lightly and Washington had a great night finishing with 17 shots from beyond the arc. This is only the Wizards eighth home win of the season.

Game recap: The first quarter was about as close as a quarter could get with the Wizards leading throughout the quarter by a point or two. The games was tied five times in the final three minutes of the first 12 minutes of play in a real shocker, in fact, as the quarter came to an end, the game was tied at 26.

The second quarter saw Washington take a three-point lead 35-32 prompting head coach Doug Christie to take a time-out to re-group. When play got back underway, the Wizards continued to extend their lead taking a 38-32 lead.

At the half, the Wizards had a 55-52 lead. Washington had absolutely nothing to play for while the Kings had everything at stake and playing spoiler was exactly what Washington had in mind.

The Kings had to wake up in the second half or not only continue their road losing streak but just about kiss any hope of a play-in spot goodbye. With the tough schedule that lies ahead of them tonight’s game is a must-win.

The third quarter was even more disappointing than the first two with the Wizards outscoring the Kings 36-21 and leading 91-77. The Wizards were outscoring the Kings from the field 54 to 42 %.

It got even more lop-sided from beyond the arc with Washington outshooting the Kings 41 to 25 % through three quarters. The 14-point Wizard’s lead was their largest of the game. The Kings largest lead through three quarters had been five points and the third quarter had been all Washington. The Wizards were on a roll and it was going to be hard to stop them as their momentum continued to build.

The game would go into the fourth quarter and it was crunch time for the Sacramento Kings. At 7:39 the Kings took a time-out as the reality of a possible loss loomed. They trailed 99-88 and trading shots was not going to result in a win.

They needed stops and some big-time shooting and so far in this game it just was not happening. The Kings pulled to within six points at the seven minute mark 93-99 only to watch the Wizards push their lead back out.

With under five minutes left in the game, the Wizards had a ten-point lead and continued to bleed the clock and finish off possessions with baskets. Every time the Kings got close, the Wizards answered.

With 1:11 left in the game, the Wizards were hanging onto a three-point lead 111-108. This game got even closer with 55.6 on the clock and Washington leading 111-109. The Wizards took a timeout and it worked out beautifully for them but not so much for Sacramento losing to Washington 116-109 in an absolute shocker.

The hight for the Wizards was former Warrior Jordan Poole with 23 points and Bub Carrington had a great game going 5 of 11 from beyond the arc and scoring 19 points. AJ Johnson also scored 19 in the winning effort.

The high for the Kings was DeMar DeRozan with 29 points and Domantas Sabonis turned in another double double with 16 rebounds and 18 points. Zach LaVine had 19 points in the loss. Keegan Murray was 4 of 10 from beyond the arc finishing with 19 points.

Game notes: Wednesday evening the Kings traveled to Washington taking on the Wizards looking for the seemingly non-existent road win. While this is a game that Sacramento will not take for granted there is absolutely no reason for a King’s loss.

They have the offensive weapons needed to put this game away but they have really had some rough games lately falling apart in the final minutes of games, having some poor starts, giving up significant leads, too many turnovers and the list goes on and on. This team should not be fighting right now for a play-in spot. There has been too much inconsistency in these final games as the team struggles to find the answers.

This was only the Wizards eighth home victory of the season and it could not have come at a worst time for the Sacramento Kings. Friday night the Kings will continue on the road taking on the Charlotte Hornets another bottom dwelling team with a record of 19-56.

After what went down Wednesday night all bets are off as to who might win this game. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:00 PM with the Kings looking at three more road games which includes the Charlotte game before returning to Golden 1 to finish out their final three games of the season.

Kings Implode Against Magic Losing 121-91

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

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

By Barbara Mason

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LaVine and Sabonis Lead the Charge in Kings’ Dominant Win Over Blazers 128-107

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Zach LaVine taking a quick rest during the game on Thursday night (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Thursday night in Sacramento. The Kings, on the heels of a four-game losing streak, reeling from losing and an illness making its way through the locker room, welcomed in the Portland Trail Blazers. The game tipped off at 7 PM PST as the Kings defeated the Trail Blazers 128-107.

In the first quarter, the Kings played a very impressive and fluid first quarter. The Kings outscored the Trail Blazers 36-27 to take the early lead in the game. Keegan Murray got going early with nine points and three rebounds to lead the Kings in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Kings continued to put pressure on the Trail Blazers as they again outscored them. The Kings managed 32 points in the second compared to the Blazers’ 23 points. The Kings went into halftime leading 68-50 and in complete control of the game. The Kings shot 35% from three and 64% from the field in the first half compared to 24% and 36%, respectively, for the Trail Blazers. Zach LaVine led the Kings with 20 first-half points as Deni Avdija paced the Trail Blazers with 17 points.

In the third quarter, the Trail Blazers made their first real push on the Kings as both teams scored 32 points in the quarter. For the moment, the Trail Blazers stopped the bleeding and hoped for a miracle comeback in the fourth quarter. The Kings led 100-82 as the game headed into the final frame of the game. Domantas Sabonis had a monster third in which he scored 14 points to bring his game total to 22 points after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings sealed the deal and handed the Trail Blazers a 128-107 loss. The Kings outscored the Blazers 28-25 in the fourth as the Blazers struggled to mount any offense late. The Kings were led in victory by Zach LaVine, who scored 29 points in the win. Deni Avdija paced the Blazers in defeat with 24 points.

With the win, the Kings remain in the ninth seed and are .5 games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks in 10th. The Phoenix Suns are one game behind the Kings for the ninth spot.

Up Next: The Kings go on the road to take on the Orlando Magic on Saturday at 2 PM PST.

Kings Falter Early, Late Surge Fizzles in 121-105 Loss to Thunder

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Zach LaVine shoots during the Kings vs Thunder Tuesday night inside Golden 1 Center. (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — On Tuesday, the Kings were reeling after losing their third in a row to the Boston Celtics the night before. On the second night of a back-to-back, the Kings welcomed in the NBA’s best team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder came into Sacramento just a win shy of 60 wins on the season.

Pregame, Doug Christie addressed what Zach LaVine had described as “bad vibes” after the loss to the Celtics. “He was incorrect,” Doug said of the bad vibes. “I think when you ask a question like that, after going through a bit of a losing streak, it’s more about not being happy that you lost,” Doug continued. Regardless of where the locker room was, Doug wasn’t going to let any rumors continue about the so-called “bad vibes.”

In what has been a historic season for the Thunder so far, they came into Sacramento to face the Kings at 7 PM PST. The Thunder took care of the Kings with ease, 121-105.

In the first quarter, the Kings were getting it handed to them by the Thunder. The Thunder outscored the Kings 31-21 in the first to get off to a hot start. The Kings’ energy and effort were not matching what OKC was giving them early.

In the second quarter, it was more of the same for the Kings. The lack of physicality and effort cost the Kings as the Thunder outscored them 33-21 in the second quarter. The Thunder took a 64-42 lead into halftime, with hopes of winning their 60th game of the season. In the first half, the Kings shot 36% from three and 37% from the field as the Thunder pulled away. On the other hand, the Thunder shot 57% from three, 59% from the field, and 100% from the line on six attempts in the first half. Domantas Sabonis was the Kings’ leading scorer at halftime with 10 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced the Thunder with 18 first-half points.

In the third, the Kings flipped the script on the Thunder. The Kings’ offense caught fire in the third as they ran the Thunder out of the gym, outscoring them 39-25 in the quarter. The Kings, led by Keegan Murray, Keon Ellis, and Jake LaRavia, showed some signs of life. The Kings went into the final frame down 89-81.

Unfortunately, the Kings couldn’t keep up the energy in the fourth. The Thunder took back over the game in the fourth and outscored the Kings 32-24 to seal the victory, 121-105. It was another disappointing loss for the Kings. However, it was not surprising on the second night of a back-to-back. The Kings were led in scoring by Keegan Murray, who had 28 points in the game. The leading scorer for the Thunder was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led all scorers with 32 points.

After the game, a game in which the Kings failed to have the needed effort early to keep the game close—a common occurrence for the team this year—I asked Doug Christie if he has seen any improvements in the team’s process in approaching games.

“The ability to manifest is one… we talked last game about shooting 24 threes, unacceptable… so we had a conversation, some film, and they go out and shoot 48 threes, they get 32 assists. You demonstrate that is who you are and that’s what you can do… But again, the consistency at what you do is gonna say how high you go. For that group [Kings], sky’s the limit.”

Doug isn’t normally a moral victory guy. However, on Tuesday night, it seemed he was trying to highlight the fight he saw in his team in the third quarter.

With the loss, the Kings fell to 35-37 and are a game under .500 at home with a record of 18-19.

Key Performers:
Keegan Murray made 9-13 threes to score 28 points in the game.
Zach LaVine scored 19 points on 7-16 from the floor.

Playoff Picture: With the loss, the Kings are 35-37 on the season, which is good enough for a tie for 9th/10th with Phoenix in the Western Conference. The Kings are .5 games up on the Dallas Mavericks for the 11th seed.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home for an off day on Wednesday prior to Thursday when they welcome the Portland Trail Blazers to Golden 1 Center. Tip-off is set for 7 PM PST.