Tag: Sacramento Kings

Malik Monk Effort Not Enough To Get Past Knicks Losing 143-120; Kings lose second in a row; Is Sac reverting to their old ways?

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New York Knicks Jalen Brunson (right) takes a jump shot against the Sacramento Kings Malik Monk (left) in the second half at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sat Jan 25, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (22-23) hung in their game against the New York Knicks (30-16) in the first half but fell apart in the fourth quarter losing 143-120. Sacramento went on a 23-6 run in the second quarter to get close but they just could not get on top of the Knicks who are third in the Eastern Conference. Malik Monk had the high for the Kings with 31 points and Domantas Sabonis had a triple double with 25 points 13 rebounds and 12 assists. De’Aaron Fox finished with 14 points but was hampered by a right hand thumb sprain which really messed with his shot.

Game recap: The Kings had the lead in the early minutes of the first quarter 13-12 at 7:44. This is when the Knicks got going after a slow start peeling off six points in a row. Sacramento trailed by single digits through most of the opening quarter but came apart at the three minute mark. New York began to hit shot after shot and led 38-25 after the first 12 minutes.

Sacramento continued to trail in the second quarter, their largest deficit 19 points. In the closing minutes of the half the Kings went on a run after trailing by as much as 18 points throughout the second quarter getting within five points with 1:49 left in the second quarter. Sacramento continued to play hard offensively going on a 23-6 run and at the half the Kings trailed by the score of 72-67. Everything was going the Kings way down the stretch in the second quarter.

Sacramento’s Malik Monk sparked the Kings offense in the second quarter and finished the half with 23 points. Domantas Sabonis was well on his way to another double double with 16 points and eight rebounds. Fox struggled offensively scoring five points and one rebound trying to work around his thumb injury. He was two of 10 in the first half shooting poorly hampered by his injury.

The Knicks Og Anunoby had the high for his team with 20 points followed by Jalen Brunson with 12 points and Karl Anthony Towns with ten points and nine rebounds. Both teams were hot at the line, the Kings shooting 100% from the free throw line and the Knicks with 90%. Turnovers were minimal for both teams.

Sacramento would be looking to take the energy they finished the half with into the third quarter. They would need as much as possible from their bench and solid offense from DeMar DeRozan, Murray and Fox who had been quiet. The way they finished the first half is exactly the way they would need to start the third quarter and finish the game.

The Knicks were unable to extend their lead in the early minutes of the third quarter. The Kings continued to nip at the heels of New York trailing by seven points at 8:46 76-83. The Knicks threatened to build their lead taking a ten-point lead 76-86 but the Kings battled back to a single digit deficit 86-80.

With 6:02 left in the third quarter the Kings trailed by two points 88-90. As the quarter began to wind down, New York began to extend their lead 102-94 as the Knicks refused to give up the lead. The Kings got close but could not get over the top. As the quarter came to an end, the Knicks had established a 111-100 lead.

A number of minutes expired at the start of the fourth quarter as both nets were examined confirming that they were both level. Players had complained that the baskets were not level. So after a ten-minute delay play got back underway.

The layoff did not hamper the Knicks at all as they pushed their lead out to 116-102. With 6:18 left in the game and trailing 131-110, the Kings had to make a move or risk losing a second game in a row which has not been done since interim Head Coach Doug Christie took over.

This was the largest Knicks lead of the game. While the Kings only had ten turnovers in the game, most of them came in the fourth quarter when they fell apart offensively. The final was 143-120.

Malik Monk had the high for the Kings with 31 points and every starter for Sacramento had double figures. Domantas Sabonis had a triple double with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists.

Fox put out a valiant effort finishing with 14 points but it was obvious that his thumb injury really hurt his shooting. This was the first time the team had lost two games in a row since Doug Christie had taken over as Head Coach.

The Knicks had the game high with Og Anunoby turning in 33 points and every New York player finished with double digits. Josh Hart had a triple double with 20 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists.

Game notes: After losing to the Denver Nuggets Wednesday night 132-123, the Sacramento Kings traveled to New York for a matchup with the Eastern Conference Knicks. The Knicks are currently in third place in the standings a couple of games behind the second place Celtics.

After the Kings loss to the Nuggets, they dropped into ninth place in the Western Conference. Besides wanting to get back on track after the loss, the Kings do not want to lose any more ground in the standings.

Sacramento has been struggling with slow starts and a slew of open missed shots. De’Aaron Fox is currently struggling with a thumb injury, a right thumb sprain but is slated to start in this game. He will wear a sleeve on his thumb which will not do a lot for his shot.

This was be another tough matchup for Sacramento after a rough game against Denver where they trailed by as much as 25 points in the game. The Kings needed to tighten up their defense which was a quite a problem in their last game.

The Knicks lead the league in points so Sacramento needed a solid defensive effort and fell short. New York came into this game after having had a number of days off and they were well rested. The Kings are currently on a six-game road trip.

The Kings continue on their six-game road trip traveling to Brooklyn for a date with the Nets Monday night. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:30 PM as Sacramento will be looking to get back on the winning track and break their two-game losing streak.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Joker too much for Kings in Nuggets win 132-123

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The Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) tries to apply some defensive pressure on the Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) in the first half at Ball Arena in Denver on Thu Jan 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic chalked up his fifth straight triple double and accomplished it before the fourth quarter to help defeat the Sacramento Kings.

#2 Jokic finished with 36 points, 22 rebounds, and scored a season high of 17 assists.

#3 Jokic leads the NBA in triple doubles with 20 he’s quite the reason why the Nuggets won the NBA Finals in 2023.

#4 The Kings Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 17 assists. This loss on Thursday was Sacramento’s third in 13 games since Doug Christie took over as head coach.

#5 The Kings will try to get back in the win column as they tip off against the New York Knicks on Saturday night with a 4:30pm PST tip at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have going well of late, they are third in the NBA Eastern Conference at 29-16. The Knicks are 14-8 at the Garden and have won five of their last ten games.

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

Kings Get Stomped By the Fourth Place Denver Nuggets 132-123

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The Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives on Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) in the first half at Ball Arena in Denver on Thu Jan 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (23-21) trailed for the entire game losing to the Denver Nuggets (28-16) 132-123 at Ball Arena in Denver. They got close in the final minutes of the fourth quarter but came up just short. Whether they were suffering from fatigue after finishing last night’s game very late; they had an off shooting night, extremely off. They were attempting some pretty wild shots and they were not dropping.

Game wrap up: Sacramento hung tight with the Nuggets through the first half of the opening 12 minutes. The Nuggets were having a lot more success from beyond the arc then the Kings with four to Sacramento’s one.

Malik Monk had two personal fouls mid-way through the quarter and had to take to the bench which was a bit of blow for the Kings. Denver really began to flex their muscle and with two minutes left in the quarter had taken a ten-point lead 36-26 prompting Doug Christie to take a third time-out. As the quarter came to end the Nuggets had a 40-31 lead. The Nuggets were doing everything right with the one exception: shots from the line were not great at 54%.

Going into the second quarter, the Kings had their work cut out for them. Denver was running on all cylinders offensively continuing to extend their lead and with under six minutes left in the quarter had taken a 58-41 lead.

The Kings were getting completely outplayed by the Nuggets offensively and defensively and Sacramento just didn’t have an answer. Denver had more defensive rebounds 18-11, more offensive rebounds 11-5 with better shooting percentages from the field and from beyond the arc. In a blink, the Nuggets had opened up an 22-point lead 70-48 leaving the Kings in the dust. At the half, the Nuggets were cruising leading 74-52.

Sacramento was unable to stop the bleeding in the third quarter and after three quarters, the Nuggets were leading 110-85. Denver finished off the third quarter with a Jokic 66-ft jumper as the clock expired. This guy continues to amaze with his 20th triple-double this season.

The Kings went on a 11-0 run to start the fourth quarter cutting the Nugget lead more than in half from 25 to 11, 110-99. Sacramento would get as close as five points but come up just short. They had finished Wednesday night’s game very late, boarded a plane for Denver and fatigue could have played into the poor showing. This game got ugly in the first half and continued well into the third quarter. Sacramento did outscore the Nuggets in the fourth quarter 38-22 but it was too little too late.

Every Sacramento starter had double figures, and Domantas Sabonis had a double double with 23 points and 19 rebounds. The high for the Kings was DeMar DeRozan with 24 points and six rebounds. The Nuggets Nikola Jokic had the game high with 35 points, 17 assists and 22 rebounds.

Game notes: Thursday night the Kings were back on the road traveling to Denver and took on the Nuggets. This was a huge challenge for the Kings and it all started with Nikola Jokic. Containing this guy was a tough call. Wednesday night the Nuggets blasted the Sixers to the tune of 144-109 and Jokic recorded his 19th triple-double of the season. It will be very difficult keeping this guy under wraps.

The Kings came into this game after beating the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night in a tight contest. The Kings didn’t get a great start in that game but came on in the fourth quarter to seal the deal 123-117. Sacramento was looking for a much improved first quarter. In the Kings last meeting with the Nuggets Dec 16, Denver came away with a one-point win 130-129.

Jamal Murray hit a game-winning jumper with 8.6 seconds left in the game. Murray will be another Nugget to keep an eye on along with Russell Westbrook and Michael Porter Jr. Denver is loaded with weapons but the Kings will have their starting lineup available and they have been playing some solid ball. Sacramento will be looking for their fourth win in a row.

Sacramento will continue on the road traveling to New York for a date with the Knicks Saturday. They will have a day off Friday and get a little rest before playing on Saturday with tipoff scheduled for 4:30pm PST. They will be looking to put this game behind them and get back on the winning track in New York.

Kings Outlast Warriors After Lackluster First Half 123-117

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Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) takes a shot over the Golden State Warriors guard Dennis Schroder (71) in the second half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Jan 22, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Wednesday night, the Sacramento Kings (23-20) outlasted the Golden State Warriors (21-22) 123-117 after a lackluster first half of basketball. DeMar DeRozan had a 19 point third quarter and finished the game with 32 points. The Kings have not lost a game at home since Doug Christie became interim Head Coach. Every starter for Sacramento had double figures in a sparkling second half of basketball.

Game recap: The Kings got a bit of a slow start in the opening 12 minutes of play. The Kings finally got it together and going into the second quarter Golden State had taken a 24-20 lead. The Warriors continued to stay on top of the Kings hitting over 52% from downtown while the Kings were struggling at only 38%.

Sacramento was yet to heat up from beyond the arc in fact the Kings starting lineup was struggling to hit their stride at all. With a little over seven minutes left in the half, the Warriors had taken an 13 points lead 44-31.

Doug Christie was forced to take a timeout looking to stop the bleeding. The Kings were missing far too many open shots continuing to drag offensively. The Warriors took a 17 point lead into the locker room at the half 65-48.

By halftime Domantas Sabonis was the only King in double digits with 14 points and the Warriors Andrew Wiggins and Stephen Curry each had 12 points. Golden State had outscored the Kings 41-28 in the second quarter.

Going into the second half, Sacramento needed a much improved offensive effort. They were protecting the ball well with only five turnovers but were falling flat from beyond the arc as well as points in the paint. They were also struggling coming away with only two offensive rebounds.

Mid-way through the third quarter the Kings made a push cutting the Warriors 17 point lead to ten 64-74. With 4:21 left in the quarter, Sacramento still trailed by ten points 69-79. Domantas Sabonis clocked another double double with 18 points and 14 rebounds with nearly four minutes left in the third quarter.

All of the Kings starters with the exception of De’Aaron Fox had double figures. Fox was really struggling only hitting six points and one rebound. The Kings continued to trail by ten points looking to get into single digits.

With under two minutes left in the quarter the Kings had indeed cut the Warriors lead to single digits 80-85. Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr called a time-out with 1:14 left in the third. The Warriors had eight turnovers in the third quarter alone in eleven minutes of ugly basketball. As the third quarter came to an end this game was tied at 85 and the Kings had erased a 17 point half-time Warrior lead. DeMar DeRozan had scored 19 third quarter points.

The Kings started the fourth quarter by taking their first lead since the early moments of the first quarter 87-85. The Warriors answered right back with a slew of three’s taking back the lead 99-92. Golden State had hit 19 three’s to the Kings eight.

Sacramento answered and took a six point lead with 6:44 left in the game but the Warriors came roaring back with a couple more three’s and the game was tied once again. With 1:30 left on the clock the Kings had a 117-113 lead and this game was going down to the wire.

With 1:07 left in the game clutch player De’Aaron Fox gave the Kings a 119-113 lead. The final was 123-117 in favor of Sacramento in a game of constant fourth quarter lead changes.

After a slow first half, the Sacramento Kings really turned it on. DeMar DeRozan had the game high with 32 points and 5 rebounds. Domantas Sabonis had a double double with 26 points and 18 rebounds.

De’Aaron Fox had a couple of clutch shots in the final minutes of the fourth quarter finishing with 14 points and five rebounds. Malik Monk had 20 points and Keegan Murray finished with 13 points in one amazing second half of basketball.

The Warriors did a great job containing De’Aaron Fox in the first three quarters but he turned in eight points in the final quarter as Sacramento won their third game in a row.

The Warriors had a banner night from beyond the arc hitting 22 but it was just not enough to get past the surging Kings.

Game recap: Wednesday night a Northern California battle took place at Golden 1 Center between the Kings and the Warriors. The Kings are currently in seventh place in the Western Conference after climbing out of a 12th place position. The Warriors sit in 11th place.

The Warriors took the court without the services of Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga on Wednesday. Green is dealing with a mild calf strain and Kuminga is suffering from a lateral right ankle sprain. The Kings played this game without injury. Sacramento continued their win streak at home not having lost a game under interim coach Doug Christie. They picked up their third win in a row and their ninth win out of 11 starts.

There will not be a whole lot of down time for Sacramento after Wednesday night’s game. They hop on a plane Wednesday night heading out to Denver for a matchup with the fourth place Nuggets Thursday night. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 6:00 PM. The Kings will be in search of their fourth win in a row.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Kings win ninth out of last ten games defeating Wizards on Sunday

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The Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (left) takes a jump shot against the Washington Wizards guard Jared Butler (right) in the first half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Jan 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis had himself a busy night with 29 points and 18 rebounds to help beat the Washington Wizards 123-100 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sunday night. It was the Kings ninth win in their last ten games.

#2 The Kings DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points, Malik Monk scored 23 points, Keon Ellis scored 18 and was six for eight on three pointers.

#3 De’Aaron Fox contributed 12 points and had a season high 13 assists, Fox once again had one of those contributing nights in the Kings win.

#4 The Wizards Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 12 rebounds despite his effort the Wizards have now lost ten straight games.

#5 The Kings host the Golden State Warriors on Wed Jan 22 at Golden 1 Center for a 7:00pm PST tip. The Warriors are 11th in the Western Conference they’ve won their last two games and won five of their last ten games. The last time the Kings faced Golden State they beat them in San Francisco 129-99 on Sun Jan 5th.

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

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: DeRozan leads Kings in 132-127 win over Rockets

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Guard Malik Monk (0) who was second in scoring for the Sacramento Kings is defended by the Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) in the first half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Jan 18, 2025 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Big offensive night for the Sacramento Kings in a 132-127 win over the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. The Kings had a big second quarter outscoring the Rockets 35-27.

#2 The Kings got scoring help from DeMar DeRozan who scored a leading 33 points. Since the seven game win streak DeRozan has been like his old self having successful scoring nights.

#3 Right behind DeRozan in scoring is Molik Monk who scored 26 points and had nine assists. Monk’s contributions have been big.

#4 What can you say about Domantas Sabonis that hasn’t already been said finishing third in scoring with seven assists he’s been crucial for the Kings and helping beating the Rockets was no different.

#5 The Kings go back at it again hosting the Washington Wizards on Sunday for a 6:00pm tip. The Wizards are dead last in the Eastern Conference at 6-33 and have lost eight straight games. The Wizards should be easy pickings for the Kings.

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

Kings Winning Streak Comes to an End at the Hands of the Milwaukee Bucks Losing 130-115

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Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers (right) points out instructions as Giannis Antetokounmpo (left) stands by in the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Fiserv Arena in Milwaukee on Tue Jan 14, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Milwaukee Bucks (20-17) controlled the opening quarter leading the Sacramento Kings(20-19) 47-26 after the first 12 minutes of play in tonight’s matchup. The Kings were able to match the Bucks in the second and third quarters but could not get on top of Milwaukee playing from behind all night.

The Kings cut a 28 point deficit to 11 in the fourth quarter but that was as close as they would get. There would be no eighth win in a row for Sacramento. The final was 130-115 in favor of the Bucks.

Game recap: The first quarter was not the start that the Kings were looking for. The first six minutes of the first quarter was a close one but then the Bucks began to make a move extending a slim lead into a monster lead.

After the first 12 minutes of play, the Bucks had established a 47-26 lead. It was a huge lead for Milwaukee as they were leaving the Kings in the dust and Sacramento was being manhandled at every turn offensively and defensively.

The Kings started the second quarter going shot for shot with the Bucks but with 21 points to make up, shot for shot was not the answer. Mid-way through the quarter, not a single King had double digits. They were faced with a huge mountain to climb.

With a little under five minutes left in the first half, DeMar DeRozan was the first King to reach a double digit tally. The Bucks owned the paint shooting around 55% to the Kings 39%. At the half, the Bucks were cruising leading 75-54.

Milwaukee had led by as much as 28 points but the Kings cut it by as much as 12 points trailing 46-62 with 2:41 left in the half. The Bucks pushed their lead back out to 75-54 as the second quarter came to an end. The second quarter was a tie with each team scoring 28 points. Sacramento had matched the Bucks but had made absolutely no ground.

Milwaukee had controlled the paint through the two opening quarters scoring 34 points to the Kings 18. Both teams committed only four turnovers apiece so good ball protection on both sides. The poor second half of the first quarter was a killer for Sacramento.

They were not able to recover at all in the second quarter. They kept pace with Milwaukee but could not get on top of them. By the half the Kings had Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox and DeRozan all with double digits. The Bucks also had three starters with double figures; Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the charge with 19 points. The Sacramento Kings had a lot of work to do in the second half.

The Kings outscored the Bucks in the third quarter but only by a single point 28-27 and going into the fourth quarter, Milwaukee had a 102-82 lead. A win for Sacramento in this game was a long shot at best. An eighth win in a row was not looking very good for the Kings.

The fourth quarter got underway and at 9:42 the Kings trailed by 13 points making a bit of a run 91-104. The Sacramento run continued as the Kings pulled to within 11 points trailing 96-107 with a lot of game left.

That would be as close as Sacramento would get. They couldn’t make the stops, and they couldn’t make the shots when they needed them. The offensive excellence of the Bucks Tuesday night overwhelmed the Kings. Once again the Kings bench was quiet finishing with 17 points while the Milwaukee bench hit 41 points. The final for this game was 130-115 in favor of the Bucks.

Every starter for the Kings shot double figures with DeRozan leading the pack shooting for 28 points and six rebounds. Fox finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, a double double. Sabonis also had a double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Keon Ellis had 18 points and Keegan Murray shot for 11 points and 7 rebounds.

Game notes: Tuesday night the Kings took on the Bucks looking for their eighth win in a row but it was too much Giannis scoring 33 points and the Kings ended their seven game win streak. The Kings were faced with containing Antetokounmpo and Damien Lilliard a monster task.

Sacramento had most of their starting roster ready to roll in this game as they finish up this road trip. Malik Monk unfortunately did not play in Tuesday night’s game. He is dealing with a groin injury and is listed as day-to-day. The Kings will really missed him in this tough matchup. They tried to finish up this final game with a win and get a spotless road trip but it wasn’t to be.

The Kings will now return home to Golden 1 Center for a matchup with the Houston Rockets on Thursday looking to start another win streak. This will be another tough assignment for the team but they are fully capable of coming out on top. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason: Kings keep it rolling now with 7 consecutive wins; face the Bucks on Tuesday

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The Sacramento Kings center Daomantis Sabonis (11) battles for the basketball with the Chicago Bulls Patrick Willis left and Matas Buzells right in the first half at the United Center in Chicago on Sun Jan 12, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis scored 22 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists as the Kings defeated the Chicago Bulls 124-119 for their seventh consecutive win.

 #2 The Kings De’Aaron Fox scored 26 points and Fox pulled down nine rebounds. Fox sat out for three games due to a bruised right glute. Malik Monk scored 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

#3 Former Bull DeMar DeRozan got a nice ovation from the Chicago crowd and scored 21 points for the Kings. DeRozan played for three seasons with the Bulls and was a six time All Star. DeRozan joined the Kings in a three team trade last July.

#4 Sabonis had a good game against the Boston Celtics scoring 23 points and got his season high for rebounds with 28 on Friday. Sabonis helped the Kings get to 7-1. Also head coach Doug Christie since taking over the Kings since former coach Mike Brown was fired helped improve the club.

#5 The Kings tip off against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Tue Jan 13 with a 5:00pm PST tip. The Bucks are sixth in the Eastern Conference and have won five of their last ten games.

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

Kings Win Seventh Game In a Row Beating Bulls 124-119

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Sacramento Kings DeMar DeRozan third from right , goes to take a shot against the Chicago Bulls defenders Lonzo Ball (2), Jalen Smith (7) and Josh Giddy front left in first half action at the United Center in Chicago on Sun Jan 12, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (20-19) are on a mission right now. They just won their seventh game in a row beating the Chicago Bulls (18-21) 124-119 after a win over the Boston Celtics. Every starter in the game posted double digits and Domantas Sabonis had another monster game with 16 rebounds and 22 points.

The team welcomed De’Aaron Fox back on the court after missing three games and he had the team high of 26 points. It was a close game for the Kings but they won the third and fourth quarters that pushed them over the top after trailing at the half.

Game recap: The two teams battled it out in the opening quarter and after the first 12 minutes the Kings had a slight edge over the Bulls leading 32-30. Chicago continued to fight and took a 63-61 lead into the locker room. The second half would reveal which team would dictate the flow of the game and walk away with a win.

Sacramento won both the third and fourth quarters. In the third quarter they outscored the Bulls 36-32 taking a 97-95 lead into the fourth quarter. This game was up for grabs and promised to be a close finish.

The fourth quarter would indeed reveal a close finish but Sacramento outscored Chicago by a slim 27-24 margin. With the Kings winning the third quarter, winning the fourth was the deciding factor with Sacramento the victor 124-119. The Kings had won their seventh game in a row and had surpassed the .500 mark in a remarkable season turnaround.

This was an absolute team effort with every starter finishing the game with double figures. De’Aaron Fox who was back in action after missing a few games had the team high with 26 points and nine rebounds.

DeMar DeRozan finished with 21 points and Keegan Murray had another good showing with 14 points and five rebounds. Malik Monk was also completely on board with 18 points and eight rebounds.

Domantas Sabonis continued his tear finishing with 22 points and 16 rebounds. The defensive effort was another solid one and the fall off defensively in the past appears to be just that, in the past. With only eight turnovers this was another all-around solid game for the Kings. They were great at the line shooting 81%.

As expected, the Bulls Zach LaVine had the high for the game with 36 points and 10 rebounds. The defense on both teams was excellent but Sacramento was just a bit better out-rebounding the Bulls by a few. The Bulls had a better showing off the bench with 30 points to the Kings 23 points but Sacramento’s starting lineup put this game away.

This was the Kings season high for wins in a row. It was a triumphant return forDeRozan who got a nice reception from his former team. Kings Head Coach Doug Christie now has a 7-1 win/loss record after dropping the first game in his new role.

It has been an amazing turnaround considering the struggles they were experiencing just a few weeks ago. The Bulls cut the Kings lead to a single point with 2:28 left in the game but clutch man Fox bumped the leading back hitting two foul shots with 1:29 left on the clock. With 22 seconds left in the game the Bulls got called for a five second violation following a timeout and Sabonis hit a couple of free throws to finish the Bulls off.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon the Kings beat the Bulls 124-119 for their seventh win in a row. The good news for the Kings was that Fox was back on the court for this game after missing three games with a glute contusion.

As this winning streak goes on they got all hands on board to extend it. The thing about winning streaks is that they do sooner or later come to an end and it takes tremendous work to keep it intact. The Kings kept an eye on Zach LaVine who always is a threat as well as Nikola Vucevic.

Tuesday night the Kings continue their road trip taking on the Milwaukee Bucks before returning home to Golden 1 Center in Sacramento for a matchup with the Rockets. Tipoff for the Milwaukee game is scheduled for 5:00 PM as Sacramento will be looking for win number eight.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings win sixth straight game beat Celtics 114-97

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Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis (11) shoots against the Boston Celtics Luke Kornet (40) during the second half at TD Garden in Boston on Fri Jan 10, 2025 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Sacramento Kings won their sixth in a row beating one of the NBA’s toughest teams the Boston Celtics 114-97 at TD Garden on Friday night as the Kings embark on a three game road trip.

#2 The Kings had a offensive resurgence in the fourth quarter scoring 38 points to the Celtics 21 points. The Kings just rose to the occasion with explosive offense and their defense allowed the Celtics just 21 points.

#3 High scorers DeMar DeRozan with 24 points, Domantas Sabonis with 23 points and Malik Monk came in third with 22 points. DeRozan, Sabonis, and Monk no doubt rose to the occasion in the win.

#4 For Sabonis with his 23 points he got a career high 28 rebounds talk about the game that Sabonis had and the surprising win over the Celtics.

#5 The Kings tip off against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Sunday. The Bulls won their last game against the Washington Wizards 138-105 in Chicago. The Bulls are tenth in the Western Conference and have won five of their last ten games.

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