Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: Embiid and Simmons barber had Covid-19 leading to removal from All Star Game; Kings and Warriors reviews

Joe Embiid (21) and Ben Simmons (25) of the Philadelphia 76ers both were removed from playing in the NBA All Star Game due to Covid-19 protocol issues on Sun Mar 7, 2021 in Atlanta (@sixers)

On Headline Sports with Barbara:

#1 The Philadelphia 76ers (24-12) Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons received haircuts from a barber who had tested positive for Covid-19 and the NBA announced that both players were not going to play in last night’s All Star game in Atlanta.

#2 Barbara, the Sacramento Kings (14-22) have been playing .500 ball in their last four games. The Kings lost their last game to the Portland Trailblazers (21-14) 123-119 on Thursday night. The Kings previous game to that one was a shocker as they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (24-13) 123-120 also memorable because LeBron did not play.

#3 The Kings although they lost to Portland on Thursday looks to have improved over the last two games with the win over the Lakers and the close contest against the Trailblazers.

#4 The Golden State Warriors (19-18) just below the playoff line in ninth place in the Western Conference the Warriors after winning six of seven went on a three game losing streak losing most recently to the Phoenix Suns (24-11) 120-98 last Thursday. Jordan Poole scored 26 leading Golden State in scoring.

#5 The Warriors face the fourth place Los Angeles Clippers (24-14) on Thu Mar 11 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Clippers have lost five of their last seven games and in their last game they lost a close one to the Washington Wizards (14-20) 119-117.

Join Barbara for Headline Sports each Monday morning at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason Mon Mar 8, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Game just narrowly slips past Kings in loss to Portland

The Portland Trailblazers guard Damion Lillard (0) goes for the lay up against the Sacramento Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica (8) on Thu Mar 4, 2021 in Portland (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Kings (14-22) hung all game with the Portland Trailblazers (21-14) but in the end just couldn’t put the final touches on the Blazers in the 123-119 loss.

#2 The Trailblazers top scorer Damion Lillard led with 44 points Lillard one of the key factors that the Trailblazers were able to pull this game off against the Kings.

#3 The Kings used only eight players in the contest and had seven of them finish in double figures led by De’Aaron Fox with 32 points. The Kings good enough to win but just couldn’t finish.

#4 The Kings for all four quarters were able to hang with the Blazers they had definitely improved on offense and defense and it show when they beat the Lakers on Wednesday night and in this loss to Portland on Thursday night.

#5 The Kings are in Houston against the Rockets (11-23) on Thursday night the Rockets are certainly a different team since James Harden left.

Join Jeremiah for Kings game coverage after every Kings game at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings played improved ball but can’t hang on with Blazers 123-119

The Portland Trailblazers forward Robert Covington tried prying the ball out of the hands of the Sacramento Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica during first half action Thu Mar 4, 2021’s contest in Portland (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

The day has finally arrived for Kings players. That day is the end of the first half of the 2021 season. The first half of the season has been very up and down for the Kings. They went on a streak of winning 7-8 games, and also a nine game losing streak. It was really a tale of two teams.

On Thursday night, the Kings would suit up for the last time before the All Star break. It would be the second night of a back to back after playing in Sacramento against the Lakers the night before.

In Wednesday’s game, the King battled. It wasn’t the cleanest game of all time but the Kings did manage to pull out the win against the Lakers. Granted, the Lakers were without their stars Lebron James and Anthony Davis. The Kings managed to win 123-120.

Thursday night, the Kings would be on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland. Tip-off was set for 7 PM PST. Only to lose it in a close well battled game between the two clubs with the Blazers winning 123-114.

In the first half, the Kings played well. They didn’t allow the Blazers to take a large lead and kept the game close. The Kings were out scored 30-27 in the first quarter as they looked to solidify the defensive end of the floor.

In the second quarter, The Kings and Blazers both scored 29 points to send the game into halftime with a 59-56 lead over the Kings. The Kings would look to continue the decent defense in the second half to keep the game close.

In the second half, the Kings pulled ahead early. After the third quarter, in which the Kings out scored the Blazers 34-30, the Kings offense began to show life. It would be up to the defense in the fourth quarter to contain Damion Lillard and come away with a win.

That wasn’t to happen. The Blazers out scored the Kings 34-29 in the final quarter to beat the Kings. The Kings played sloppy offense in the final minute which ultimately cost them the game.

Lillard finished the game with 44 points and the Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox who had 32. This was the Kings final game before the All Star break and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some roster moves when the next Kings game takes place.

Up next: The All Star break will last until Thursday March 11th when the Kings welcome in the Houston Rockets at 7 PM PST in Sacramento.

Kings hand Lakers second straight loss, 123-120

Photo credit: @LakersSBN

By Jeremiah Salmonson

The Sacramento Kings had a few days off since their last game. The Kings last played on Sunday night against the Charlotte Hornets before taking on the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. In the game against the Hornets, things didn’t go well down the stretch. The Kings had positioned themselves to get a win again the Charlotte Hornets. However, in the final minutes of the game, a sloppy defense and bad free throw shooting would cost the Kings the game. The Kings wound up losing 127-126 in the final seconds of the game. 

The Kings would like to move past that as they took on the Lakers at 7 PM PST in Sacramento on Wednesday. Fortunately, both Anthony Davis and Lebron James were not available. The Kings beat LA by a final of 123-120 at Golden 1 Center.

In the first half, the Kings played better than we have been accustomed to as of late. The Kings’ defense didn’t shine, but it also didn’t crumble. The Lakers scored 31 points in the first compared to the Kings’ 21. So, the Kings immediately put themselves in a hole.

However, the Kings’ offense took off in the second quarter. The Kings outscored the Lakers 40-30 in the second quarter to take a 63-61 lead into halftime. The Kings had to tighten of the defense to pull out a win against the short-handed Lakers. 

In the second half, the game went back and forth. In the third quarter, the Lakers outscored the Kings 27-24. Neither team was really able to get in offensive rhythm and the game was for the taking heading into the final 12 minutes. In the fourth quarter, the Kings were able to hold on and win the game. The Kings outscored the Lakers 37-32 to take the game 123-120.

With both Lebron James and Anthony Davis out, this was a game the Kings desperately needed to win. It was good for the Kings to hold onto and hopefully it’ll boost their confidence going into Thursday night’s game. The Lakers were led by Denis Schroder, who had 28, while the Kings were led by Buddy Hield, who had 29. 

Up Next: The Kings will head to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers on a back to back on Thursday at 7 PM PST. 

Kings Lose Heartbreaker In Final Seconds 127-126

The Sacramento Kings starting five left to right De’Aaron Fox (5), Buddy Hield (24), Harrison Barnes (40), Marvin Bagley III (35), and Richaun Holmes (22) couldn’t hold onto to beat the Charlotte Hornets on Sun Feb 28, 2021 at Golden One Center in Sacramento (photo from @SacramentoKings)

By Barbara Mason

Sunday night the Sacramento Kings took on the Charlotte Hornets. Friday night the Kings snuck past Detroit in their first win in a very long time breaking a nine game losing streak. They are hoping to make a win tonight a more favorable streak, one that appears in the win column.

They are still without Tyrese Haliburton on the bench. That was just one of the glaring weak spots in Friday’s game scoring only seven points the entire game. They will need more help off the bench in tonight’s game against the Hornets as well as getting their long shot back on track.

Defense, another sore spot on this team has to find a way to get some stops. They couldn’t do it, leading the entire game the Kings lost it in the last 1.4 seconds 127-126 at Golden One Center in Sacramento.

The King’s led at the end of the first quarter 39-36 keeping pace with the Hornets. By the half, Sacramento managed to hang onto their lead 67-66. Four of their starters had shot double digits after two quarters.

Buddy Hield had 20 points for the half. After 28 minutes the bench had scored a miserable two points. More help was desperately needed from their bench players. The Hornets had 26 points off the bench leaning heavily on their bench players. The Charlotte bench saw 48 minutes of action with Malik Monk scoring 12 points.

The Kings extended their lead as the third quarter came to an end 96-88. The King held onto their lead through the fourth quarter. In the final 1.4 seconds left in the game the Hornets pulled out some Charlotte magic.

The Kings were leading 126-124. Charlotte’s Malik Monk made a driving layup to tie the game. He drew a foul and made the shot to win the game for the Hornets. It was a heart breaker for the King’s who just could not finish the game.

Sacramento got some great work from their starters, especially Buddy Hield with 30 points and Harrison Barnes with 28. Marvin Bagley had 24, De’Aaron Fox with 20 and Richaun Holmes finished with 13 points. Nemanja Bjelica had 11 points off the bench.

The Kings will take on the Lakers on Wednesday in a game that will challenge them to the max. It will have to be all hands on deck for this game. Tipoff is at 7:00 PM.

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings snap nine game losing streak defeat Pistons 110-107

The Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) struggles to get away from being fouled by the Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, left as the Pistons Dennis Smith behind Barnes watches Fri Feb 26, 2021 at Little Cesar’s Arena in Detroit (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Simply put, the Sacramento Kings are in trouble. Offensively they are struggling and their defense is atrocious. Their Head Coach Luke Walton is having meltdowns on the sidelines out of pure frustration.

Their rookie phenom Tyrese Haliburton is out with a calf injury and to top it all off, they have lost nine games in a row. The last time they won was February 7th a win over the Clippers 113-110. Since then it has been a goose egg. The Kings finally woke up at Little Cesar’s Arena in Detroit with a 110-107 victory to snap their nine game losing streak on Friday night.

The Kings took on the Detroit Pistons another struggling team. The Pistons have the second worst record in the NBA and the Kings are not far behind. Thursday night the Kings allowed 140 points against the NBA’s worst offense the New York Knicks.

Sacramento’s nine game losing streak ties their longest losing streak in 12 years. De’Aaron Fox had a very productive game shooting for 29 points and eight assists. Harrison Barnes had 22 points and Bagley had 19 points.

Very decent numbers but the team still managed to lose the game. Off the bench Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points. The Knicks had some firepower off the bench with Julius Randle who had 21 points. The Kings just could not handle the Knicks.

The Kings three point attempts were better in the Knick game, all fingers point to the defense which is still lacking. The question is can the Kings pull it together to beat the worst team in the Eastern Conference. Can they break this losing streak tonight.

At the half the Kings held a slim lead 55-52. The Kings were setting a nice pace in the first quarter and led 35-25 as time elapsed. They stumbled in the second quarter struggling to maintain that lead and didn’t get a whole lot of help off the bench in the absence of Haliburton. The possibility of losing a tenth game in a row loomed over their heads heading into the second half.

In the third quarter it was a close one with both teams trading the lead. In the final minutes of the third quarter the Pistons started to show up and led by the score of 80-75 after three quarters. Every one of the Sacramento starters had shot double digits but the bench had only contributed two points the entire game.

Midway through the fourth quarter the Kings had tied the game at 91. After trailing by as many as eight points Sacramento was fighting to end their losing streak and getting back to the business of winning.

With 7.4 left in the final quarter and a 110-107 Kings lead Sacramento was finally able to get back in the win column. De’Aaron Fox finished with 27 points and Harrison Barnes had 21. Bagley and Holmes each had 19 points while Buddy Hield had 14.

The King’s bench was a real disappointment with only ten points in the game to the Pistons 34 points off the bench. It wasn’t pretty and it was as close as they come but it was a win and it has been a long time coming.

Sunday night the Kings will take on the Charlotte Hornets in a game that will be anything but easy. If Sacramento can get Haliburton back on the bench and play with the confidence they gained in this win they just might be able to compete with Charlotte. Tipoff is at 7:00 PM PT.

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings can’t control worst offense in NBA as Knicks score 140 points

The New York Knicks leading scorer Immanuel Quickley guard (5) is congratulated by forward Obbi Toppin (1) after scoring on the Sacramento Kings on Thu Feb 25, 2021 at Madison Square Garden New York (AP News photo

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah nine straight loses in the row how bad does it have to get for Sacramento (12-20)?

#2 140 points by one of the worst offenses in the NBA the New York Knicks (16-17) was this a game the Kings defense just let down or was it a Knicks team that just keep running up the score and doing the right thing to move the ball?

#3 Immanuel Quickley led New York with 25 points, Alec Burks 24 points, Julius Randall 21 points, and Derrick Rose followed up with 18 points they made it look easier than in other games with previous opponents.

#4 If De’Aaron Fox 29 points and Harrison Barnes 22 points carried the team last night  and no one is helping out on the defense end and everyone is at a lose for the Kings right now?

#5 Tonight the Kings are in Detroit to face the Pistons (9-23). The Pistons have won four of their last ten games which includes a win over the Brooklyn Nets 122-111 on Feb 9th. How do you see this match up tonight turning out at Little Caesar’s Arena?

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

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson Fri Feb 26, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Kings fall to Knicks 140-121, lose 9th straight game

Photo credit: reuters.com

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

The Sacramento Kings are floundering around like a dying duck. The Kings had an off day on Wednesday as they prepared to take on the upstart New York Knicks on Thursday night. The Kings came into Thursday on an eight-game losing streak. They lost to the Brooklyn Nets in their previous game. On Tuesday, the Kings lost to the Knicks in blowout fashion 140-121 at Madison Square Garden.

The Kings weren’t able to snap the streak against maybe the best team in the NBA. The Kings were set to play at 4:30 PM PST at Madison Square Garden. 

In the first half, the Kings played terribly. In the first quarter, the Kings allowed the last ranked offense in the NBA to score 38 points. The Kings offense was able to put up 29 points, but it was not enough to outpace the Knicks. In the second quarter, it was more of the same. The Knicks added another 39 points in the quarter and managed to score 33 themselves. Even though the Kings managed to score 60 first half points, they still went into halftime losing 77-60. It would take a miracle in the second half to snap the losing streak. 

The second half started better than the first. In the third quarter, the Kings held the Knicks to 24 points and scored 32 themselves. It looked like the beginning of a comeback. However, it didn’t last long. The Kings allowed the Knicks to score 39 points in the fourth as the Kings only managed 27 points. The Kings would lose their ninth game in a row 140-121 to the Knicks.

The Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox, who managed to score 29 points. Immanuel Quickley led the Knicks with scored 25 points and Alex Burks scored 19 points in the fourth quarter. It was an embarrassing loss for the Kings as they will have to look to their game on Friday to right the ship. 

Up Next: The Kings have a back to back game against the Detroit Pistons in Detroit on Friday at 5 PM PST. 

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings lose eighth straight bow to Nets 127-118

The Sacramento Kings Buddy Hield (24) takes a shot over the Brooklyn Nets defense on Tue Feb 23, 2021 at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn (photo from ca.sports.yahoo.com)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

Tuesday night in Brooklyn: The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Tuesday night! The Kings, who are coming off a seven game losing streak were looking to break the tide and get a win. The opponent was the mighty Brooklyn Nets. The Nets appear to be poised to make a run at a title, and the Kings ran into them at an inopportune time. The Nets dominated in scoring and offense and handed the Kings their eighth straight loss 127-118.

Sunday night flashback: Before we dive into Tuesday night’s game, let’s take a look at Sunday’s game. On Sunday, the Kings lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks handled the Kings first easily as they beat them 128-115. The Kings struggled on defense which has been the theme of late, and needed to pick it up to stop the streak on Tuesday night. The Kings were set to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday at 4:30 PM PST in New York.

Tuesday night game wrap: In the first half, it was an embarrassing sight for the Kings. The Nets hammered the Kings 42-28 in the first quarter as the Kings didn’t play any defense. The Nets ran all over the Kings in the early minutes as the Kings looked to bounce back in the second quarter.

The Kings did play better in the second. The Kings outscored the Nets 38-30 in the second quarter to get back into the game. The Kings entered halftime down 72-66. It was a much better position than what it looked like it was going to be early in the game.

In the second half, the Kings started out strong. The Kings managed to outscore the Nets 30-26 in the third quarter to cut the second once massive Nets lead to two points. In the fourth, the Kings weren’t able to complete the comeback.

The fourth quarter led to the Kings being outscored by the Nets 29-22 as the Nets beat the Kings 127-118. For a game that started out so ugly for the Kings they ended the game well.

The Kings battled in the middle quarters to get back within two points. The Nets may be the best team in basketball so it was good to see the Kings battle. Nonetheless, the Kings losing streak now stands at eight games and the Kings playoff hopes are fading away.

The Kings were led in defeat by De’Aaron Fox who had 27 points as Bruce Brown led the Nets with 29 points. The Kings will look to snap their losing streak against the team across town, the New York Knicks.

Up Next: The Kings will take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday at 4:30 PM PST.

 

 

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Too much Antetokounmpo Bucks hand Kings 7th straight loss 128-115

The Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) scores on Sacramento Kings defender Marvin Bagley III (35) during the first half Sun Feb 21, 2021 in Milwaukee (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

Flashback Saturday: The Sacramento Kings and their fans are going through a rough time right now. Entering the game on Sunday night, the Kings record sat at 12-17. The Kings had lost six in a row and were looking to get the season back on track. The Kings last game didn’t go well. The Kings took on the Chicago Bulls in Chicago. The Kings weren’t able to snap the losing streak as the defense suffered. The Kings lost 122-114.

Last night in Milwaukee: The Kings would look to snap the losing streak against the Bucks in Milwaukee on Sunday night. Tip-off was set for 6 PM PST. Unfortunately the Kings continued their long losing streak and  would fall to the Bucks 128-115 on the road.

In the first half, the Kings started off strong. The first quarter was a dog fight between both teams. Marvin Bagley started the game hot as the Bucks narrowly outscored the Kings 28-25 in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Bucks offense took off. If there was a meltdown quarter to point to this would be the quarter. The Bucks hammered the Kings defense as they were able to out score them 42-31. The Kings would head into halftime trailing the Bucks 70-56.

In the second half, it wasn’t much better for the Kings. The Bucks continued to outscore the Kings in the third as they put up 29 points compared to the Kings 26. The Kings would need a miracle last quarter to come back.

Unfortunately, that miracle quarter was no where to be found. The Kings did manage to outscore the Bucks 33-29 in the final quarter but it wasn’t nearly enough to erase the lead the Bucks had amassed in the previous three quarters. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks in victory scoring 38 points.

A bright spot for the Kings was Tyrese Haliburton who scored 23 points and came alive in the fourth quarter. The Kings would look to their next game of the trip to try and right the ship.

Up Next: The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Kings. They head to Brooklyn to take on Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden and the Nets on Tuesday at 4:30 PM PST.