Tag: Sacramento Kings

0-4: Kings off to their worst season start in a decade after 101-94 loss to the Nuggets

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By Morris Phillips

SACRAMENTO — A better effort? Yes. But after a second half Monday littered with missed shots, the Kings are still in search of their first win of the season.

The Kings missed 18 of their 21 3-point attempts after halftime and fell to the Denver Nuggets 101-94. The Nuggets overcame Nikola Jokic’s foul trouble and a brief, second quarter, nine-point deficit to remain undefeated at 3-0.

The Kings were more accountable than they were in road losses to the Suns and Jazz, but were doomed by a substandard third quarter in which they were outscored 30-17 and missed 16 of their 21 shots from the floor. The missed shots proliferated as the Nuggets increased their defensive effort in the second half. Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic were the biggest offenders, shooting a combined 4 for 25, 2 of 13 from three.

Even with Richaun Holmes (24 points, 13 rebounds) the Kings weren’t equipped to overcome an off shooting night from Bogdanovic and Hield.

The Kings fell to 0-4, one of three NBA teams (Pelicans, Pacers) still looking for their first win of the season.

The Kings played without Harry Giles and Marvin Bagley III, but got a break when De’Aaron Fox was cleared after his leg injury against Utah. Fox displayed his usual quickness leading the Kings to a 53-47 lead at the break. Fox finished with 20 points, nine assists.

The Kings couldn’t take full advantage of the Nuggets’ poor shooting before the half. Denver shot 32 percent in the first half, but they were still in position to take control defensively after the break.

“We didn’t change our game plan. We just changed how hard and how physical we were playing,” Denver coach Mike Malone said. “This was another night our offense struggled, but some guys stepped up and made big plays down the stretch.”

The Kings have struggled in all four third quarters so far, getting outscored by at least 10 points each time. Ironically, defense in the third was a bigger issue on Monday than offense, where the team had a gaping hole in the post without Bagley.

“We have to come in and just lock in, lock in to what we’re doing and lock in fast,” Holmes said.

The Kings continue their homestand Wednesday against the Hornets, who dropped games against the Lakers and Clippers Sunday and Monday.

 

 

 

Kings fall to the Trail Blazers in home opener, 122-112

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Photo credit: @Oregonian

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — After an unimpressive showing from the Kings on Opening Night in Phoenix, they turned to the home opener to try and get their first win. The Kings had been blown out by the Suns on Wednesday and faced a tough opponent in the Portland Trail Blazers. It is well-documented what the Blazers were able to do last season making a run in the playoffs. So, the Kings starring an 0-1 start in the face looked to turn things around in Sacramento at 7:00 PM PST.

In the first quarter, the Kings offense showed out. Unfortunately for the Kings, so did the Blazers. It was an expectedly back and forth first quarter. The Kings De’Aaron Fox and the Blazers’ Damian Lillard matched each other with 8 points apiece to lead their respective squads. Fresh off his new contract, Buddy Hield added 5 points for the Kings. The Blazers got a 6-point contribution from veteran forward Rodney Hood. At the end of the first quarter, it was 27-25 Kings on top.

In the second quarter, it was more of the same from both sides. The Trail Blazers and Kings continued to trade baskets. The Blazers got a great performance in the second quarter from Anfernee Simons, who put up 10 points. Damian Lillard continued to play well scoring another 7 points. However, the Kings and Bogdan Bogdanovic didn’t allow Portland to pull away. Bogdanovic put up 14 points on 4-6 shooting to lead the Kings to a tie going into the second half. De’Aaron Fox finished the half with 14 points and Buddy Hield had 12. The Kings and Blazers went into halftime all knotted up at 57 apiece.

In the third quarter, the Kings started to implode. Bad defense, missed shots, and turnovers led to an ugly quarter for the Kings. Portland outscored the Kings 37-27 as Hassan Whiteside dropped 16 points on the beleaguered Kings defense. De’Aaron Fox added 8 points to his game total to give him 22 through the third. Headed to the final 12 minutes, the Kings were down by 10.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings were able to keep the Blazers at bay. However, the deficit they built in the third quarter proved insurmountable. The Kings and Blazers both scored 28 points in the fourth which led to a 122-112 loss in the 2019 home opener. The Kings’ top scorer was De’Aaron Fox, who scored 28 points on 34 minutes of play. Hield scored 21 points on 31 minutes of play and Bogdan Bogdanovic dropped 16 on 28 minutes of floor time.

After the game, the overall mood was somber. The Kings came into this season with tons of optimism. Kings fans came into this season with tons of optimism. After all, the Kings had added some key role players in what they knew was an already strong core. They also changed leadership at the helm with new head coach Luke Walton, whose hoping to push the Kings over the next level. So far, that hasn’t happened. It’s still early, but the Kings need to course correct in a hurry to stay relevant this season.

The Kings travel to Utah for a back-to-back against the Jazz on Saturday evening at 6:00 PM PST.

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Raiders need to hit the playbooks in preparation of the Texans this Sunday; 49ers host the Panthers in hopes to stay undefeated; plus more

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Photo credit: silverandblackpride.com

On the Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 The Oakland Raiders faced a very ready Green Bay Packers offense on Sunday as Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers threw for five touchdowns as the Raiders defense was no match for the Packers offense in the 42-24.

#2 The San Francisco 49ers may have not have scored a touchdown or set any kind of scoring records last Sunday in Washington, but they got by with three field goals kicked by kicker Robbie Gould that got the 49ers their sixth win to put them at 6-0.

#3 The Sacramento Kings opened up their regular season with a road trip in Phoenix. Is it tougher to open a season on the road or it really doesn’t make a difference?

#4 The Golden State Warriors open up their season tonight at Chase Center in San Francisco as they christen the new building for their first regular season game.

#5 Do you think the Astros get that backs to the wall feeling after dropping Games 1 and 2 at home against the Washington Nationals? The Nats are more than expected nemesis who broke it wide open in game 2 on Wednesday night.

Tony R does Headlines Sports podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings prepare for opener Wednesday in Phoenix

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Photo credit: bleacherreport.com

On the Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Sacramento Kings’ preseason came to a close last Wednesday at Golden 1 Center. Kings head coach Luke Walton used the game to get a good look at some of his young prospects.

#2 One young prospect in particular Kyle Guy. He was drafted using the 55th pick.

#3 The Kings relied on Martin Bagley III in the game against Melbourne. He scored 30 points and 14 rebounds.

#4 The Kings’ Yogi Ferrell scored 5-6 from three-point land for a total of 24 points.

#5 The Kings open the regular season in Phoenix the Wednesday night. Talk about how ready the Kings are for the regular season.

Charlie O is a beat writer for the Sacramento Kings and does the Kings podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings defeat Melbourne United 124-110

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By London Marq

SACRAMENTO–The NBA preseason is coming to a close and the Sacramento Kings played host to Melbourne United for their final exhibition game. The Kings new coach, Luke Walton, used the international tilt to get a good look at some fresh prospects such as this year’s second round pick Kyle Guy, who was drafted using the 55th pick.

That being said, Marvin Bagley was dominant in the first two frames. He scored 22 in the the opening half and nearly had a double-double with 9 boards. He would finish with 30 points and 14 rebounds. Yogi Ferrell also had a big night, going 5-6 from beyond the arc and finishing with 24 points.

Despite the efforts of Bagley and Ferrell, Melbourne United was competitive on the first half. A late second quarter run was where the Kings really started to distance themselves, going into the half with an 11-point lead. By the end of the third quarter, the Kings were fully in control and the quarter ended with a 27-point Kings advantage.

After winning their previous two games, this game will help the Kings maintain cohesion and momentum going into the regular season.

Final: Sacramento defeated Melbourne 124-110.

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Can Raiders make it three in a row against the Pack?; Garoppolo, 49ers take lots of confidence to Seattle this Sunday; plus more

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Photo credit: @Raiders

On Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 For the Oakland Raiders, they’re nice and rested from their jet lag after their trip to London on October 6th and a bye week on October 13th. Now they prepare to play a Green Bay Packers (5-1) team, who are coming off a 23-22 narrow edge victory against the Detroit Lions last Monday Night Football. Can the Raiders pull off their third straight win at the Frozen Tundra this Sunday?

#2 The Packers got a late field goal in the fourth quarter — a 23-yarder with just over a minute left in the game from kicker Mason Crosby after quarterback Aaron Rogers took two knees before electing to kick a field goal for the one point win.

#3 San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has no doubts and lots of confidence going into these games, on Sunday against the LA Rams Garoppolo threw 24-33 for 243 yards and their fifth straight win 20-7.

#4 The Sacramento Kings picked up their first preseason win against the Utah Jazz Monday night with a 128-115 victory. The Kings’ Buddy Hield was all over the place with 23 points and he was the key to the offense in the Kings win.

#5 In the baseball playoffs, the Houston Astros took a 2-1 ALCS lead over the New York Yankees on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. The Astros’ Garrett Cole threw for seven innings, four hits, five walks, and seven strikeouts.

London Marq does Headline Sports podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Improved Western Conference should be a challenge for Kings this season

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Photo credit: sactownroyalty.com

On the Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 After dropping the first two preseason games in Mumbai the Kings found themselves last Thursday at Golden 1 Center in game three of their preseason with a 105-88 win over the Phoenix Suns.

#2 With an improved Western Conference, how challenging will it be for the Kings to make a charge in the standings?

#3 Luke Walton, the Kings head coach was pleased regarding the offense on Monday night against the Utah Jazz who moved on the Jazz 128-115.

#4 The Kings offense got some help from Buddy Hield led the Kings with 23 points in Utah Monday night will you be seeing Hield leading this season.

#5 The regular season is coming. How ready are the Kings?

Charlie O does the Kings podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Fast And Furious: Kings run past the Jazz 128-115 in Salt Lake City

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photo from sacbee.com: Kings guard Buddy Hield (24) attempts to steal the ball from Utah Jazz guard Emmanuel Mudiay, left, in the first half of a preseason game Monday in Salt Lake City.

By Morris Phillips

The Sacramento Kings have won just 21 regular season games in Salt Lake City… in 34 seasons.

Not good, but an impressive 128-115 exhibition win Monday at Vivint Smart Arena has the Kings feeling less apprehensive about their second regular season road game October 26 at Utah.

Buddy Hield led the Kings with 23 points, Marvin Bagley contributed 22 in 30 minutes of floor time. De’Aaron Fox departed early with a lower back injury.

The Kings played their fourth exhibition contest and both teams used the occasion to play their normal starters and top reserves. The Kings’ 78-point, first half came against defensive stalwarts Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley. The Kings played their trademark, fast pace and backed that with 14 made 3-pointers.

Sacramento’s defense was far more effective than it was in India, where the Kings dropped a pair of exhibitions allowing 130 points each time last week  Against the Jazz, the Kings allowed 48 percent shooting from the field.

But they benefitted from 20 turnovers and Utah’s poor shooting from the distance where they missed 26 of 35 attempts. The Kings battled the Jazz to a standstill on the glass (55 rebounds each) and put six players in double figures in scoring.

The Kings played without Corey Joseph, Trevor Ariza and Harry Giles.

The Kings conclude pre-season on Wednesday against Melbourne United at the Golden 1 Center.

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Excellent defense and Fox’s offense help in Kings’ 105-88 win

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photo from sacbee.com: Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III (35) blocks a shot against the Dallas Mavericks forward Maximilian Kleber (42) on March 21, 2019 in this Sac Bee file photo.

By London Marq

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings exist in an awkward space within the NBA right now. After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, their young core is hoping to make stride forward and become a better team.

The only problem — the Western Conference is vastly improved — meaning that if the Kings hope to be playoff relevant, they will have to prove they are much better than they were six months ago. Through the first two games of the preseason, the Kings are 0-2.

On the surface, it may seem like a bad omen but there are factors to consider. Those first two games were played a world away in India so it’s hard to judge the effectiveness of the team playing with so many travel miles behind them. They are also under direction from new head coach Luke Walton, so the team may be finding ways to acclimate themselves to the new strategies being implemented. All in all, the two losses are no reason to panic.

On Thursday night, the Kings welcomed the Phoenix Suns into the Golden 1 Center for their first home preseason game. Behind some excellent defense and 18 points from De’Aaron Fox the Kings would walk away with the win, 105-88.

Defense has to be a point of emphasis for Sacramento if they hope to compete for a playoff spot in the west. If tonight was any indication of the Kings’ focus on defense, then it bodes well.

Sacramento held the Suns to just 16 points in the first quarter and 18 in the fourth while outscoring their opponents in threw of the four frames. Last year, the offense was one of the most potent in the league and the Kings were one of the most exciting teams to watch.

If they can match that with consistent effort on defense, they will compete. While one preseason win is nothing to write home about, the Kings should be using this time to gel as a unit and acclimate themselves to their new coach while playing at full speed. The Kings will face a challenge in their final preseason match versus the Utah Jazz. The regular season is just around the bend, and the Kings will have a lot to prove if they want to be considered as a contender.

London Marq is a Sacramento Kings beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Commissioner’s double down talk freezes out NBA in China; Raiders play good enough to win two on the road

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Photo credit: forbes.com

On the Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 Tony, without a doubt, the top headline story is China’s withdrawal from doing business with the NBA because of Houston GM Daryl Morey’s tweet to stand with Hong Kong.

#2 NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that free speech is vital and the NBA is not apologizing for Morey’s tweet. Meanwhile, China has suspended all NBA TV coverage, all NBA sponsorship, and all NBA brands in China.

#3 Talk about the Oakland Raiders’ win in London. They might have been the home team, but it’s on the road and they won their second straight game.

#4 The San Francisco 49ers remain perfect at 4-0. They face the Los Angeles Rams (3-2) in LA. This could very well be San Francisco’s biggest challenge so far.

#5 The Sacramento Kings, who returned from two preseason games in Mumbai, are back in Sacramento this Thursday to host the Phoenix Suns. No doubt head coach Luke Walton and the Kings are glad to be back and anxious to get started at Golden 1 Center.

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria is heard each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com