Tag: Sacramento Kings

Fox & Company Win Thriller Over Utah 117-115

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Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) dunks against Utah Jazz forward Jarred Vanderbilt (8) during the second half at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tue Jan 3, 2023 (AP News photo)

Fox & Company Win Thriller Over Utah 117-115

By Barbara Mason

After losing to the Grizzlies in Memphis Sunday, the Sacramento Kings (20-16) traveled to Utah to take on the Jazz (19-21) at Vivint Arena and just got by with a 117-115 win in Salt Lake City. The Jazz have now lost five games in a row and were looking to get back on track at home. They were aiming to level the score after losing to the Kings in late December by a single point 126-125.

Game recap: Sacramento got off to a solid start winning the first quarter 35-23. The Jazz started to heat up in the second, winning it 28-25 but still trailing at the half 60-51. The Kings finished the first half shooting at 50% while the Jazz were close to 41%. Sacramento had seven turnovers. The King’s Kevin Huerter had the high score in the first two quarters with 14 points and Domantas Sabonis, Harrison Barnes and De’Aaron Fox all had double digits in the first half.

The Jazz only had two starters in double digits at the half. Jarred Vanderbilt had the high with 12 points and Lauri Markkanen had ten for Utah.

After leading by 12 points in the third quarter the Kings let the Jazz back into the game. Utah got to within two points 73-71 with 5:47 left in the third. The Jazz had challenged the Kings a number of times throughout the game but Sacramento roared back every time. Mounting turnovers and fouls started to hurt the Kings and gave Utah a real edge. With 35 seconds left on the clock the Jazz had tied up this game at 86. After three quarters, the Jazz had taken the lead 89-88.

This game would go to the team that was able to finish; it would go down to the wire. With 41.3 left in the game the Kings called a timeout. The score was 113-112 in favor of Sacramento. With 0.4 left in the game Fox made a driving layup giving the Kings the lead 117-115 which was the final.

Fox had a monster night with 37 points. Every starter on the roster had double digits in this collaborative effort. They were challenged over and over by the Jazz and fought to the very end of this intense game.

The Jazz’s high score was Lauri Markkanen with 28 points.

Wednesday night the Kings will take on the Atlanta Hawks back home at Golden One in downtown Sacramento. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Kings Fall To Morant and the Grizzlies 118-108

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Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams (4) drives to the basket defended by Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) in the first half at FedEx Forum in Memphis on Sun Jan 1, 2023 (AP News photo)

Kings Fall To Morant and the Grizzlies 118-108

By Barbara Mason

Sunday evening the Sacramento Kings (19-16) started off 2023 taking on the Memphis Grizzlies (23-13) at FedExForum. Memphis is in third place in the Western Conference one game out of first place. The Kings currently sit in fifth place in the Conference.

The Grizzlies won their last two games putting a beat-down on the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday night 116-101. The Kings beat the Jazz by a single point Friday night 126-125. Last Wednesday night they had another one-point victory against the Nuggets 127-126. On New Years night the Kings took a hard fall to the Grizzlies 118-108.

The Kings remained close throughout the first quarter and trailed 27-26 after the first 12 minutes. The Grizzlies began to extend their lead and led after the first two minutes of the second quarter 34-26. At 9:59 Mike Brown called a timeout and at 8:18 the Kings had turned things around leading 35-34. Both teams scored 32 points in the second quarter and the Grizzlies continued to hold a slim lead 59-58 at halftime.

At the end of the third quarter the Grizzlies led 91-86 but the Kings continued to remain in striking distance. Unlike last season, Sacramento has proven that they can finish games and this game was by no means over or out of reach.

The Grizzlies were of a different mindset and really turned up the heat in the fourth quarter. Ja Morant was burning up the boards and Steven Adams already had 20 rebounds with five minutes of play left. (He would finish with 23 rebounds.) The Kings were falling further and further behind trailing 113-99 with four minutes left in the game.

Sacramento made a push with just under three minutes left on the clock. They had pulled to within seven points 113-106 after trailing by fourteen. With 2:18 left Memphis was burning up time while continuing to score. The Grizzlies finished Memphis off 118-108.

Every one of the Sacramento Kings scored in double digits, De’Aaron Fox the high with 19 points. Domantas Sabonis had 14 rebounds and 18 points. The King bench was quiet in this game.

Memphis’ Ja Morant finished with 35 points and the rest of the starting roster also had double digits and that was the difference in this game.

Tuesday night the Kings will travel to Utah to take on the Jazz. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

Kings just get by Jazz 126-125; Huerter supplies offense scores 30

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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) is defended by Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (9) in the first quarter at Golden 1 Arena Sacramento on Fri Dec 30, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Friday night after a day off on Thursday. The Kings were coming off a split in a two-game series with the Denver Nuggets, where the Kings won the second game of the back-to-back. On Friday, the Kings welcomed in the Utah Jazz for a 7 PM PST matchup. The Kings managed to squeak by the Jazz 126-125 at home. 

In the first quarter, the Kings came out with good energy. However, they were a little sloppy on the defensive end. The Kings received several ticky-tac fouls that hurt them in the first quarter. One of those fouls was a flagrant penalty one foul against KZ Okpala. Yet, the Kings still managed to outscore the Jazz 30-27 in the first quarter. Domantas Sabonis started the Kings early with nine points.

In the second quarter, not much changed. Neither team went on any big runs. The Kings three point advantage they entered the quarter with would remain the same headed into halftime. The Kings and Jazz each scored 30 points in the second quarter to send the game to halftime, with the Kings leading 60-57.

It was a disappointing quarter for the Kings; just a minute before the conclusion, they had as much as an eight-point lead. Domantas Sabonis led the Kings in the first half with 13 points. Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 13 points.

In the third quarter, the game remained tight. The Kings and Jazz couldn’t figure each other out enough to go on a large run. The Kings scored 31 points, while the Jazz could only score 30. It wasn’t much of a lead increase, but the Kings would take it. The Kings would go into the final quarter leading the game 91-87. Could they finish what they started and wrap up the win? 

In the fourth quarter, the Kings managed to finish off the win against the Jazz. Granted, it was by the thinnest of margins, as the final was 126-125. In the final quarter, the Jazz outscored the Kings 38-35. The Sacramento faithful got what they wanted, as it was a playoff atmosphere in Golden 1 Center.

In defeat, Lauri Markkanen was on fire scoring 36 points and nearly leading the Jazz to victory. For the Kings, Kevin Huerter led the way with 30 points and a clutch three-pointer which would be the difference. De’Aaron Fox also came up big with 11 points in the fourth.

All that to say, Domantas Sabonis continues to be the MVP of the Kings. Domas, while injured, put up 28 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. It was an excellent win for the Kings, who improved to 19-15 on the season. 

Up Next: The Kings head to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies at 5 PM on Sunday, Jan 1st.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings hope to make it two straight with a win over Jazz Friday night

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Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is guarded by Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Dec 29, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 It is rare to have a team to play for back-to-back games, but that is what happened this past week with the Denver Nuggets (22-12) on Tuesday and Wednesday where the Nuggets took the first game 113-106 on Tuesday. The Nuggets Michael Porter Jr led with 30 points for the Nuggets how challenging was it for the Sacramento Kings (18-15) in this one?

#2 On Wednesday night lots to talk about Jeremiah in a one point razor close game that the Kings won and came away with a split in the two game series with the Nuggets 127-126.

#3 In the second quarter, it was a tough road for the Kings. They started the quarter down 16 points and ended the quarter down 13 points. Injured Domantas Sabonis was playing well, all things considered. The Kings just couldn’t seem to contain the Nuggets offensive outburst.

#4 The Kings managed to defeat the Nuggets 127-126 in a thriller. The Nuggets got an MVP level performance from Nikola Jokic who scored 40 points. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox and Domas had 31 points,

#5 The Kings host the Utah Jazz (19-18) on Friday night. The Jazz are coming off a 112-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. The Jazz have lost six of their last ten games the Kings hope to make it two straight wins on Friday night at the Golden 1 Center.

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

Kings take second game on back to back nights 127-126 over Nuggets

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Denver Nuggets guard Bones Hyland (3) guards Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Dec 28, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Wednesday night in Sacramento. It was the second night of a back-to-back in which they played the Denver Nuggets both times. It is rare to have a team in your building for back-to-back games, but that is what happened this year with the Nuggets.

The Kings left a lot to be wished for in the first game. The Kings had a solid first quarter, but it was all downhill after that point. The Kings ended up losing the game 113-106. On Wednesday, the Kings looked to get revenge at 7 PM PST inside Golden One Center. The Kings edged out a close one on Wednesday night 127-126.

In the first quarter, things went right for the Kings. The Nuggets offense came out in full force as the Kings defense had no answer. The Nuggets dropped 40 points in the first quarter to start the game right where they left off on Tuesday. On the other hand, the Kings were only able to score 24 points to dig themselves an early lead. Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola were hurting the Kings early in the game.

In the second quarter, it was a tough road for the Kings. They started the quarter down 16 points and ended the quarter down 13 points. Injured Domantas Sabonis was playing well, all things considered. The Kings just couldn’t seem to contain the Nuggets offensive outburst.

The Kings kept it close in the second quarter and gave themselves a shot at a comeback in the second half. For the Kings to come back, they would need to get a big performance from Fox in the second half and contain the Nuggets on offense. Could the Kings pull it off on the second night of a back-to-back?

The Kings needed a quick start in the third quarter to tighten the gap with the Nuggets. They got just that. The Kings needed and got solid minutes to cut down the Nuggets deficit to only seven points. Would that hold? No.

The Kings would falter a bit more in the ending minutes of the third and would only outscore the Nuggets 32-30 in the third. The Kings had cut the deficit to 11 points through three quarters, but they would need a miracle fourth quarter to win the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings would have just that, a miracle fourth quarter. The Kings came all the way back from double digit deficits all game long to outscore the Nuggets 33-21 in the final 12 minutes. It was an incredible comeback to defy the odds against one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

The Kings managed to defeat the Nuggets 127-126 in a thriller. The Nuggets got an MVP level performance from Nikola Jokic who scored 40 points. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox and Domas had 31 points behind leader Malik Monk who had 33 points.

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

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong: Eckersley’s grandson found in woods after being abandon by daughter; JJ Watt retires from football; plus more news

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Alexandra Eckersley the daughter of former MLB pitcher and broadcaster Dennis Eckersley was booked by Manchester NH Police for endangering the welfare of a child on Tue Dec 27, 2022 (mug shot photo Manchester NH Police)

On Headlines podcast with Jessica:

#1 Former Boston Red Sox TV analyst and baseball Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley’s grandson was found by authorities in the woods after Eckersley’s daughter Alexandra gave birth in the woods and gave authorities a false location after looking for an hour in 18 degree weather Alexandra finally gave the real location and Eckersley’s grandson was found alive with hypothermia but alive his condition is reported to be improving. Alexandra who is reported to have mental issues is being charged for endangering the welfare of a child she will be arraigned Tuesday in Hillsboro Superior Court North in New Hampshire.

#2 The Arizona Cardinals JJ Watt has announced his retirement from football. Watt who played 12 seasons in the NFL with the Houston Texans and the Cardinals. Watt leaves football as one of the most prolific defensive players in the game. Watt is one of just three players to be named Defensive Player of the Year three times in his career.

#3 The Denver Broncos top brass say that quarterback Russell Wilson is fixable despite his rough 2022 season. Wilson according to team owner Greg Penner and general manager George Paton said that they believe in Wilson’s future with the team. The Broncos who dropped to 4-11 and were bulldozed by Los Angeles Rams on Christmas day 51-14 are looking forward to working with Wilson again in 2023. The Broncos signed Wilson to a five year $245 million contract and pretty much are on the hook for it.

#4 The Buffalo Sabers were supposed to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday but the game was postponed due to 50 inches of snow in Buffalo and the Buffalo airport is closed until Wednesday. The Sabers and Blue Jackets will reschedule the game for a later date.

#5 On Tuesday night the Sacramento Kings (17-14) who played at home against the Denver Nuggets (21-11) did so without the services of their head coach Mike Brown who was out for Covid 19 protocols and Domantas Sabonis who was out for right thumb fracture.

#6 The Brooklyn Nets continue to surge picking up their ninth straight win 125-117 over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. The Nets had top scoring from Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant who scored 32 points each.

Join Jessica for Headline Sports every other Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Nuggets come from behind to defeat Kings 113-106; First of back to back games

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Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) scores a basket while defended by Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (9) in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Tue Dec 27, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Tuesday night. The Kings hadn’t played since Friday, when they took on the Washington Wizards in Sacramento. The Kings did not play well in their last game and looked to bounce back against one of the premier teams in the NBA. The Kings welcomed the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

The Nuggets were set to take on the Kings at 7 PM PST. However, the Kings were without star center Domantas Sabonis. Domas would miss the game on Tuesday and be listed as questionable moving forward with his hand issues. The injury is a big deal for the upstart Kings, as Domas has been playing at an All-Star level this year.

The Nuggets would be in town for two games with the back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Kings would lose the first game of the back-to-back 113-106 to Denver.

In the first quarter, it was all Kings. The Kings, even without star center Domas Sabonis, managed to score 32 points. On the other hand, the Nuggets couldn’t buy a basket.

The Kings solid good defense, coupled with the Nuggets poor shooting, amounted to an uninspiring 20 points for the Nuggets in the first. Harrison Barens led the way for the Kings with eight points as Michael Porter Jr. matched him for the Nuggets. The Kings would look to keep the pressure on in the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Kings could have played better. The offense wasn’t flowing the same as in the first quarter. The defense also wasn’t as tight as in the first quarter. One thing the Kings did well in the first half was they contained Nikola Jokic. He ended the half with only two points.

On the other hand, MPJ picked up the slack on the offense. He torched the Kings in the first half with 19 points. Harrison Barnes led the Kings in the first half with 13 points. The Kings would have the first-half lead 56-47. The Nuggets outscored the Kings 27-24 in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, both teams were jarring for position. Neither team really got on a big run. In the end, the Nuggets would outscore the Kings 32-27 in the third quarter to continue to shrink the Kings lead.

The game was headed into the final quarter with the Kings leading 83-79. The Kings had been losing their lead slowly in the game and would need to stop the bleeding in the fourth to win the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Nuggets continued to pressure the Kings. The Nuggets completed the comeback early in the fourth and from there it was a question of who could play better the rest of the game. Unfortunately for the Kings, the bleeding never stopped and they would lose the game 113-106.

The Nuggets pressure amounted to outscoring the Kings again in the fourth quarter 34-23. Sacramento battled but could never regain the momentum and control they had in the first quarter. The Nuggets were led in victory by MPJ who scored 30 points. Nikola Jokic was a rebound short of a triple double and scored 20 points. De’Aaron Fox had 26 points to lead the Kings in defeat.

Up Next: The Kings will remain home for the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets at 7 PM PST.

King drop second game on homestand to Wizards 125-111 Friday

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Washington Wizards forward Corey Kispert, second from left, drives to the basket past Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Fri Dec 23, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings (17-14) were back in action on Friday night. The Kings last played on Wednesday night as they took on LeBron James and the LA Lakers at home. The Kings handled the Lakers with ease and looked to continue the trend on Friday. The Kings were set to take on the visiting Washington Wizards (13-21) at 7PM on Friday night. The Kings dropped the contest by the final of 125-111.

In the first quarter, the Kings started slow. The Kings offense got off to a sluggish start in the first quarter. They did manage to score 27 points in the first quarter. However, the Wizards scored 28 points with Bradley Beal leading the way with nine. Domas Sabonis led the way for the Kings with eight points.

In the second quarter, it was even worse for the Kings. The Kings offense couldn’t catch a break and the Wizards were running in the open court on offense. The Kings appeared lifeless on this Friday night and the Golden One Center crowd was audibly unhappy.

The Kings were outscored by a massive 40-23 in the second quarter to fall into a 18 point deficit headed into halftime. The Wizards could do no wrong on the offensive end shooting near 60% in the first half. The Kings would need a massive rally in the second half to come back 68-50.

In the third quarter, it was a much more even game. However, that is not what the Kings needed. In desperate need for a big quarter the Kings only managed to hang tight against the Wizards. The Kings scored 33 points in the third compared to the Wizards 34. The massive second quarter for the Wizards was holding strong for them up through the third. The Kings would head into the final quarter down 102-83. Would the Kings pull off a stunning comeback in the fourth?

In the fourth quarter, the Kings weren’t able to rally back. The Wizards continued to put the pressure on the Kings in the fourth quarter so squander any chance the Kings had at a comeback. The Kings managed to out score the Wizards 28-23 in the fourth but it was too little too late.

The Wizards had built such an insurmountable lead in the second quarter that they rolled to the victory 125-111. It was a disappointing loss for the Kings in front of a great Golden 1 Center crowd. Kyle Kuzma led all scorers with 32 points in the game to lead the Wizards to victory.

On the other hand, Domantas Sabonis had a triple double for the Kings and De’Aaron Fox finished with 26 points. It was a disappointing loss for the Kings, akin to the recent loss to Charlotte. However, the Kings will look to turn the page after Christmas.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday at 7 PM PST.

Kings Remove Lebron’s Crown Beat Lakers in California State Capital, 134-120

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) makes way against the Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) in second half action at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Dec 21, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Michael Roberson

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings (17-13) did not welcome Lebron “King” James and the Los Angeles Lakers (13-18) into their kingdom and threw them into the moat surrounding Golden 1 Center 134-120.

The Lakers actually had the advantage after the first 12 minutes of play, 26-25 in a quarter that had 10 lead changes and five ties.

The Kings managed to take the lead at the midway point of the contest with veteran forward and champion, Harrison Barnes led the charge with 14 points and totaled 20 for the game. At the half, 66-58 Kings.

Sacramento blew it open in the third quarter, with a lead as large as 23 points and they went on a 14-0 run in the 3/4 portion of the game, leading by 20, 106-86.

The fourth was just a formality, as the Kings held on to win by 14, despite being outscored by six at the hands of the Lakers, Final tally, 134-120 for the home team.

The Kings had six players in double-figures, spearheaded by guard Kevin Huerter’s 26 points and center Domantas Sabonis’ triple-double (13 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists). Forward Keegan Murray contributed a career high 23 points and star guard De’Arron Fox put up 22 points and 6 assists, but was ejected from the game for amassing two technical fouls.

The Lakers had the entire starting five hit double-figures in points too, but of course led Lebron James’ 31 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds. Even with the loss in emphatic fashion, James expressed his fondness of Sacramento, because it is the city where everything started with his magnificent career.

The Kings will be in action again, Friday December 23, hosting the Washington Wizards. The Lakers will head back down south to welcome the Charlotte Hornets, also December 23.

Charlotte Bests Sacramento 125-119

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The Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) moves towards the basket against the Charlotte Hornets center Mason Plumlee (24) at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Mon Dec 19, 2022 (@SacramentoKings photo)

Charlotte Bests Sacramento 125-119

By Barbara Mason

Monday night the Sacramento Kings (16-13) hosted the Charlotte Hornets (8-23) at Golden 1 Center. The Kings come into this game riding on a two game winning streak. In a back and forth contest the Hornets hung on to beat the Kings at Golden One Center in Sacramento 125-119.

The Hornets took a 39-30 lead after the first 12 minutes. 20 seconds into the second quarter the Hornets had taken an 11 point lead. The Kings began to slowly turn things around and with 5:30 left in the half the game was tied at 50. At the half the Hornets led 66-63. The Kings missed three shots in a row in the final minute erasing the seven point lead they had taken in the final 21/2 minutes of the second quarter.

The Hornets Kelly Oubre Jr. had 17 points in the first half. Domantas Sabonis finished the half with 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Kings. Along with Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes also had double digits in the half.

The Kings erased a 12 point Hornets advantage taking the lead 87-85 at 2:29 in the third quarter. Sacramento was clinging to a one-point lead 92-91 after three.

With two minutes left in the game, the Kings trailed 118-112. Sacramento pulled to within two points 118-116 at 1:10. Charlotte refused to give up the lead and with 56 ticks left on the clock led 122-116. The final was 125-119 in favor of the Hornets.

Despite the loss the Kings saw some nice numbers from their starters. De’Aaron Fox finished with 37 points and Sabonis had 28 points and 23 rebounds. Sacramento just couldn’t come up with enough to put the Hornets away.

The high score for the Hornets was Kelly Oubre Jr. with 31 points. LaMelo Ball finished with 23.

Wednesday night the Kings will host the Los Angeles Lakers. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.