Tag: Sacramento Kings

Keegan Murray shoots in the game vs Dallas (Photo Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO— The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Monday night in Dallas, Texas. Sacramento entered the game after defeating the Houston Rockets 113-103 on Saturday in Houston. It was a gritty win for the Kings, who lost star center Domantas Sabonis just over a minute into the game due to a hamstring strain. On Sunday, the Kings announced that Sabonis would be listed as “Out” and re-evaluated in one week. His return timeline remains uncertain, though it’s reasonable to expect he will be sidelined for at least a couple of weeks. Additionally, the urgency of his return will likely depend on how the Kings perform in the coming games without him. Despite his absence, the Kings defeated the Dallas Mavericks 122-98 on Monday night.

In other news, following the announcement of Sabonis’ injury, the Kings signed Skal Labissière to a 10-day contract. Labissière previously played for the Kings from 2016 to 2019, appearing in nearly 150 games for the franchise.

Having spent the past few days in Texas, the Kings faced the Mavericks inside American Airlines Center, tipping off at 5:30 PM PST.

The Kings got off to a strong start in the first quarter, jumping ahead early as Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd called a timeout at the 5:42 mark with Sacramento leading 15-7. Keegan Murray found his rhythm quickly, scoring eight points in the opening period, including two three-pointers. However, the Kings didn’t close the quarter as they would have liked, allowing Dallas to cut the lead to 27-24 by the end of the first.

Also in the first quarter, Kyrie Irving suffered a left knee sprain and was helped off the court by Anthony Davis and the Mavericks’ coaching staff. He did not return, and his timeline for recovery remains unknown. Before the injury, Irving had seven points in the game.

In the second quarter, the Kings maintained their strong play, though the Mavericks remained competitive. However, Sacramento managed to create some separation towards the end of the quarter. The Kings outscored Dallas 33-26 in the second quarter, extending their lead to 60-50 at the break. Sacramento’s defense was communicating well, and the team played cohesively. Keegan Murray (15 points), DeMar DeRozan (15), and Zach LaVine (14) led the charge in the first half, combining for 44 points. The Mavericks’ leading scorer at halftime was Kai Jones with 13 points.

The third quarter was a one-sided affair. The Kings dominated, outscoring the Mavericks 34-16 to take full control of the game. Sacramento was firing on all cylinders while Dallas struggled to generate any offense. Zach LaVine finished the quarter with 22 points, making him the Kings’ leading scorer. By the end of the third, Sacramento held a commanding 94-66 lead.

In the final frame, the Kings turned to their bench, marking the only quarter in which Dallas outscored Sacramento. The Mavericks won the fourth quarter 32-28, but it wasn’t nearly enough to overcome the deficit as they fell 122-98. It was a rough night for Dallas, which not only lost Irving but also saw Jaden Hardy exit with an injury. Overall, Sacramento delivered an impressive performance on both ends of the floor. The starting unit—each player finishing in double figures—led the way, spearheaded by Zach LaVine’s 22 points. On the other side, the Mavericks’ bench provided the bulk of their scoring, as none of their starters reached double digits. Kai Jones led Dallas in defeat with 21 points.

Postgame, Doug Christie spoke about Keegan Murray’s aggressiveness after his 18-point performance.

“Keegan’s aggressiveness, paired with the fact that he’s usually guarding the best player defensively, means he’s learning how to play hard on one end while still staying aggressive and finding his shots on the other end. That’s a skill and a talent in and of itself.”

After the game, I asked Keegan about his approach to staying aggressive.

“I think the more impact I have on the game, the better it is for our team,” he said. “That’s not just offensively but defensively too… just trying to stay aggressive.”

I also asked Zach LaVine if he felt the team’s defensive communication was improving, as it appeared from the outside.

“As much as everyone wants it to click from the first game… it just doesn’t work that way,” LaVine said. “Playing live games always helps. You need to go through some ups and downs before you take off and start to understand everybody.”

The Kings have now won four straight games. However, we’ve seen similar stretches before against weaker opponents. The real test will come when they face tougher competition. It would be premature to say the Kings have fully turned a corner with this new group, but time will tell.

With this win, Sacramento improves to 32-28, sitting in the eighth seed in the Western Conference—just half a game behind the Golden State Warriors for the sixth spot.

Up Next: The Kings fly to Denver on Tuesday to take on the Nuggets at Ball Arena on Wednesday at 6 PM PST.

Kings celebrate the win and defensive player of the game, Jake LaRavia. (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Monday night at Golden 1 Center. The Kings were coming off two days of practice at home after suffering a 132-106 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday. They were optimistic heading into the game, having had a couple of sessions to integrate the new players acquired at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, their opponent, the Charlotte Hornets, entered Sacramento as one of the league’s worst teams, holding a 14-41 record on the season. The Kings dominated the Hornets, securing a commanding 130-88 victory on Monday night.

In the first quarter, the Kings played with a fluidity and confidence that had been lacking in recent weeks. They struck early, jumping out to a 34-23 lead. Sacramento started with its usual lineup of Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis. However, Keon Ellis was a quick substitution, entering the game for Monk just 4:04 into the first quarter. Ellis made an immediate impact, drilling two three-pointers in his first minute on the floor. Zach LaVine led the Kings in the period, scoring 10 points on an efficient 4-of-5 shooting. On the other side, Miles Bridges paced the Hornets with 11 points on 4-of-7 from the field.

In the second quarter, the Kings looked to build on their 11-point lead, and they succeeded, outscoring Charlotte 31-22 in the period. LaVine continued his offensive showcase, adding 12 points in the quarter to bring his total to 22 at halftime. Bridges remained the Hornets’ leading scorer, finishing the half with 16 points. The Kings appeared much more in sync during the first half of Monday’s game, validating the impact of their recent practice sessions, as Doug Christie had suggested pregame.

In the third quarter, the Kings allowed the Hornets to claw their way back, briefly cutting the lead to single digits. However, Sacramento regained control and halted Charlotte’s momentum. Despite a sloppy quarter in which they committed 10 turnovers, the Kings maintained an 88-72 advantage heading into the final period.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings closed the game in dominant fashion, completely overwhelming the Hornets with a 42-16 advantage in the frame to seal the 130-88 victory. Their success was largely fueled by the explosive performance of LaVine, who finished with 42 points on an outstanding 16-of-19 shooting, along with two assists and three rebounds in just 30 minutes of action. It was an encouraging sight for LaVine, who is still adjusting to the Kings’ offensive and defensive schemes. DeRozan added 18 points despite struggling from the field (4-of-13) but remained perfect at the free-throw line (8-of-8). Bridges led Charlotte in the losing effort, scoring 23 points.

With the win, the Kings improved to 29-28 on the season, sitting two games behind the sixth-seeded LA Clippers and two games ahead of the 11th-seeded Phoenix Suns.

Postgame, LaVine spoke about the team’s defensive approach.

“I think we emphasized them coming off a tough game in Portland… just be ready from the jump and be the more aggressive team, putting them on their heels,” LaVine said.

Up Next: The Kings hit the road to face the Utah Jazz on Wednesday at 6 PM PST.

Kings guard Markelle Fultz enters the arena prior to Friday nights action (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

The NBA All-Star weekend and the trade deadline are now behind us, and the final stretch of the NBA season began on Friday night as the Sacramento Kings returned to action. The Kings hosted the Golden State Warriors at Golden 1 Center at 7 PM PST. Coming off a much-needed break to recharge and practice for the first time since incorporating several new pieces into their rotation, the Kings looked to build momentum. Meanwhile, the Warriors entered the game with newfound optimism for the season following the acquisition of Jimmy Butler prior to the trade deadline. Both teams entered the game with a record of 28–27, occupying 9th and 10th places respectively within the Western Conference standings.

In the first quarter, the Kings were outplayed and out-hustled. They allowed the Warriors to secure seven offensive rebounds while committing seven turnovers. Nonetheless, the bright spot for the Kings was DeMar DeRozan, who scored 15 points in the opening frame.

In the second quarter, the Kings experienced a meltdown. They surrendered 37 points to the Warriors, which initiated a downward spiral. Despite DeMar DeRozan contributing 24 points in the first half, the Kings simply couldn’t guard the broad side of a barn, and they went into halftime trailing 68–53.

In the third quarter, the pattern persisted. The Kings mounted an early run to cut the deficit to eight points; however, the Warriors subsequently expanded their lead to 17 by the end of the quarter. By that point, Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 21 points, while DeMar DeRozan continued to lead the Kings with 28 points.

In the final quarter, the Kings collapsed with a faint whimper. They were outscored 32–23 in the final 12 minutes, marking their second consecutive loss. The Kings ultimately fell to the Warriors 132–106 on Friday night. During the break they failed to address any of the issues observed during the game post trade deadline. The team appears to be in freefall; their offense remains choppy and stagnant, lacking any discernible rhythm. It remains unclear how they will move forward, and the outlook for both the team and the franchise appears grim.

Following the game, Doug Christie addressed the media more than an hour later. He was unambiguous in his remarks, stating, “Completely unacceptable.”