Tag: Willie Cauley-Stein

Kings bounce back Saturday with a 103-101 “ugly” win over the Pistons on the road

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
pistons kings final
Graphic/Photo:@NBCSCA

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Kings began their longest road trip of the year on Thursday night with a disappointing 114-95 loss in Charlotte. That was a game that should have gone in the win column for the Kings on this six-city road swing.

Sacramento had the table set for them on Saturday night going into the game. The Pistons were playing the second game of a back-to-back set after having played the Miami Heat on Friday night. Detroit also lost center Andre Drummond in the first quarter of the Miami game when an arm in the face caused a nasal injury that would also keep him out of the game versus the Kings.

This was a snoozer for three quarters
In fact, you could make the case that this game was a sleep inducer for 44 minutes. After 36 minutes, the Pistons held an 82-74 lead over the Kings. Detroit was controlling the pace. Blake Griffin was leading the scoring for the Pistons and Luke Kennard was sinking 3-pointers with ease.

The Kings were just hanging on in the game. They were allowing the Pistons to set a slow-down pace. SAC was shooting poorly (26.3%) from downtown, and they were allowing Detroit to outrebound them. The Kings seemed satisfied to trail the Pistons by 10 points.

At the end of three quarters, things did not look good for Sacramento fans.

Welcome to the “Buddy Buckets Show”

pistons buddy zone
In the 4th quarter, Hield was in the zone Photo:@SacramentoKings

Buddy Hield scored 20 points in the first half of the game on Saturday night. He played the entire third quarter and scored no points while shooting 0-for-3 from the field. Things looked grim indeed for the men from Sacramento.

Hield scored his first points of the second half with 3:26 to go in the game. He hit a 27-foot 3-point jump shot set up by an assist from Iman Shumpert. That cut the Detroit lead to four points.

After a Pistons miss, Hield promptly cut the Pistons lead to one after he hit another 27-foot 3-point bucket.

Hield went on to hit a 17-foot field goal, a free throw, and another 3-point basket during his 12-point blitz.

The Kings regained control of the ball with 3.4-seconds to go in the game when they grabbed the rebound off of Reggie Jackson’s missed jump shot. Sacramento called an immediate timeout in order to be able to inbound the ball in the frontcourt.

Bogdan Bogdanovic inbounded the ball to Hield. Hield, who was surrounded by three Piston defenders, lost control of the ball but was able to regain control. He turned and jumped off one leg then shot a 28-foot 3-point shot that went through the bucket at the buzzer to give the Kings the win.

Sacramento escaped the Little Caesar’s Arena with a 103-101 win over the stunned Detroit Pistons.

“(It was) my first buzzer beater in the NBA,” said Hield after the game. “It was one of those things as a kid you wanted to do and you want to cherish. I hope I have many more to come.”

Kings’ numbers on the night (24-22)

pistons kings 5
Kings starting five in Detroit Photo: @SacramentoKings

Hield was the Kings leading scorer with 35 points. He shot 13-for-22 overall and hit 7-of-9 from behind the arc. Hield also grabbed nine rebounds (3 OR).

Dave Joerger was full of praise for Buddy after the game, but he also wanted to point out the performances of some of his other players. “De’Aaron Fox had a terrific game even though he didn’t shoot the basketball (well). Iman Shumpert had a really nice night defensively. Marvin Bagley fought like crazy. Harry (Giles) fought like crazy. Those guys are getting better. It’s a great learning experience trying to learn. They’re learning it doesn’t take losses to learn.” Joerger also added that he thought, “Willie Cauley-Stein was solid tonight.”

Other contributors:

  • De’Aaron Fox had a double-double, scoring 14 points and dishing out 10 dimes
  • Marvin Bagley III put in 14 points–many with Blake Griffin in his face
  • Willie Cauley-Stein added 12 points and six rebounds
  • Bogdanovic and Giles scored eight points apiece

SAC team stats

  • The Kings hit 40-of-89 (44.9%) of their field goals in the game
  • They put in 10-of-25 (40%) of their 3-point attempts, thanks to Hield’s fourth quarter blitz
  • SAC converted 13-of-18 (72.2%) free throw attempts
  • They were outrebounded 46-39
  • Sacramento recorded 30 assists and made just 13 turnovers, which resulted in 17 Detroit points

Detroit by the numbers (20-25)

  • Blake Griffin was the game’s leading scorer with 38 points. He was also the game’s leading complainer as he had something to say to the officials after every play. He was especially boorish to referee Natalie Sago.
  • Luke Kennard put in 19 points off the bench.
  • Zaza Pachulla hauled in 12 rebounds
  • Bruce Brown recorded a career-high 10 rebounds

Up next
The Kings left the Motor City after the game for New York City. SAC will play the Brooklyn Nets (24-23) on Monday afternoon at 12:30 PM PST. The game can be seen on NBCSCA and heard on the Kings Radio Network.

The Pistons also play on Martin Luther King Day as they will be in Washington to take on the Wizards.

pistons buddy post
One happy “Star of the Game” Photo: @SacramentoKings

It was a heck of a basketball game on Saturday night: the Warriors squeaked by the Kings 127-123

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

gsw 1-6 final

By Charlie O. Mallonee

Sacramento — The sellout crowd of 17583 fans at the Golden 1 Center on Saturday was treated to a real example of an NBA game in this new era as they saw the Golden State Warriors hold off the upstart Sacramento Kings 127-123. Not only was it an exciting contest, but it was also an NBA record-setting game.

The game featured 18 lead changes and was tied 11 times. The Warriors largest lead was 16 and that came in the first period. The Kings biggest lead of the game was nine points.

The constant end-to-end action had the crowd in a literal frenzy from the opening tipoff to the final buzzer.

The teams “made it rain” to set an NBA record

gsw 1-6 curry
Curry scored a game-high 42 points Photo: @warriors

The teams combined to hit 41 3-point field goals in the game which set a new record for the NBA. The Warriors put in 21-of-47 (44.7%) their attempts from behind the 3-point line. The Kings converted 20-of-36 (55.6%) their shots from long distance in the game.

123 of the 250 total points scored in the game came off 3-point field goals. That is a true representation of where today’s NBA is headed now and in the foreseeable future.

Steph Curry led the 3-point scoring barrage sinking 10-of-20 attempts. The Kings’ Buddy Hield (yes, the guy from Oklahoma who would never be able to hit the 3-pointer in the Association according to scouts) converted 8-of-13 attempts from long range. The big surprise may have been Sacramento’s Justin Jackson who went 5-for-7 from behind the arc.

The fans were in seventh heaven.

The teams played evenly except in one area

gsw 1-6 pic 2

The battle in the paint was dramatic on Saturday night. The Warriors scored 40 points down low while the Kings put up 38 points in the paint.

2nd Chance Points – which can determine the outcome of a game – was a dead-even tie. Golden State scored 14 2nd Chance Points and the Kings 14 of their own. GSW grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, while SAC pulled down 14 rebounds on offense.

The “runaway” Kings dominated the fastbreak points category in this game. Sacramento scored 32 points via the fast break while the Warriors recorded only 15 points via the break. There is no doubt that the Kings love to run.

Top Performers

Kings (19-20)

  • Buddy Hield was the Kings’ leading scorer with 32 points. He also added four assists and five rebounds.

  • Justin Jackson came off the bench to put 28 points. Jackson shot 10-for-14 overall for the game. He also grabbed five defensive rebounds.

  • Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 17 points, dished out seven assists and added six rebounds. He also added three steals.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein recorded another double-double putting up 14 points and hauling in 13 rebounds. WCS keeps hitting that double-double goal.

Warriors (26-14)

  • Steph Curry was the game’s high scorer with 42 points. Curry went 14-for-25 from the field (10-for-20 from 3-point land).
  • Kevin Durant scored 29 points and dished out nine assists.
  • Klay Thompson added 20 points in the contest.
  • That was a total of 91 points from the Warriors big three.

Coach Joerger’s Postgame Analysis

Coach Dave Joerger felt like his team played one its better games of the season.

Joerger loved Buddy Hield’s play and he explained why

Joerger had some great things to say about Justin Jackson

Up next

The Kings will return to action on Monday night when they will host the Orlando Magic at the Golden 1 Center.

The Warriors will host the New York Knicks on Tuesday night in Oakland.

Close but no cigar: Lakers down the Kings 121-114 Sunday night at Staples

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By Charlie O. Mallonee

LAL 12-30 5
Kings starting five @SacramentoKings

The Sacramento Kings goal of winning back-to-back games from the Los Angeles Lakers went up in smoke in the final minutes of the contest on Sunday night when the Lakers went on a 12-0 run. The Lakers, even without LeBron, went on to defeat the Kings 121-114 in the final game of 2018 for Sacramento.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope recorded a season-high 26 points, while Josh Hart added 22 points. Brandon Ingram joined the party by putting in 21 points, including seven points in the final run that decided the game.

The Kings lost for the first time this season when they held the lead going into the fourth quarter.

This was a very entertaining game

LAL 12-30
Bogdanovic to the hoop @SacramentoKings

This was the kind of game the NBA would like to have every night:

  • There were 18 lead changes
  • The game was tied 13 times
  • The Kings outscored the Lakers 58-52 in the paint — it was a battle
  • The Lakers won the war of second chance points 20-9
  • The Kings put up 27 fastbreak points to 12 for the Lakers
  • The biggest lead of the game: Kings 11, Lakers 9

The Kings were led by their backcourt in the game

  • De’Aaron Fox tied for high-scorer in the game with 26 points and he dished out seven assists. Fox grabbed four rebounds and made three steals.
  • Buddy Hield scored 21 points in the game, shooting 7-for-17 in the contest. He hit 4-of-11 from behind the arc.
  • Bogdan Bogdanovic also put up 21 points by shooting 9-for-18 from the floor (3-for-6 from 3-point land).

Other Kings contributors

  • Willie Cauley-Stein recorded a double-double, scoring 11 points and hauling in 12 rebounds
  • Iman Shumpert scored eight points, but did not have a great shooting night
  • Yogi Ferrell also put up eight points in just over eight minutes of playing time

Team Stats

Kings

  • The team shot 48.4-percent (46-for-95) from the field
  • They went 13-for-34 (38.2%) from 3-point land
  • They were outrebounded 50-45
  • Sacramento made 14 turnovers that resulted in 16 Laker points

Lakers

  • LAL shot 46-for-95 from the floor (48.0-percent)
  • The Lakers hit 15-of-44 3-point shots (34.1%)
  • LA recorded 30 assists versus the Kings
  • Caldwell-Pope’s 26 points were a career-high

Up Next

The Kings (19-17) will host the Portland on New Year’s Day at the Golden 1 Center.

The Lakers (21-16) will welcome the Thunder to the Staples Center on January 2nd.

Cardiac Kings do it again with a fourth quarter, come-from-behind 122-117 win over the Pelicans

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pels giles
Harry Giles III tips the ball back into the basket Photo: Charlie O. Mallonee

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings won their second consecutive come from behind in the fourth quarter game on Sunday night as they defeated Anthony “the Brow” Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans 122-117. The Kings trailed the Pelicans by as many as 19 points in the contest, and frankly, it did not appear that the home team would have enough momentum to overcome the New Orleans lead.

The Kings had trouble putting the ball in the basket right from the beginning of the game. At one point in the first quarter, Sacramento was shooting just 25-percent from the field while New Orleans was hitting more than 50-percent of their shots. The Pels dominated the paint and were converting high percentage shots. The Kings were not taking bad shots, but their shots were not dropping.

The Kings shooting improved in the second quarter (48.1-percent) and they were able to match the Pelicans point for point. Each team scored 33 points in the second period. Buddy Hield led the scoring attack for SAC with nine points. New Orleans was paced by Jrue Holiday who hit 7-of-9 shots for 14 points.

At the half, New Orleans held a 69-58 lead over Sacramento.

The third quarter was dominated by a former Wildcat and Sooner. New Orleans center Anthony Davis scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds for his team as they scored 27 points in the period. Buddy Hield led the charge for Sacramento scoring 11 points in the third. He went for 4-for-4 shooting (3-for-3 from 3-point land). The Kings won the quarter 28-27. At the end of 36 minutes, the Pelicans held a 96-86 lead over the Kings.

pels jump ball
Koufos and Miller jump ball in 4th quarter Photo: Charlie O. Mallonee

The Kings went on a comeback run that saw them outscore the Pelicans 36-21 in the final quarter. Sacramento was paced by De’Aaron Fox and Bogdan Bogdanovic who each scored nine points in the period. Buddy Hield stayed hot as he recorded eight points. Willie Cauley-Stein hauled in nine of his career-high 17 rebounds in the final 12-minutes. The Kings went on a mission in the final quarter and they were not going to be denied. When the final buzzer sounded, the Kings (18-15) had defeated the Pelicans (15-19) 122-117.

Willie Cauley-Stein had a monster game

The Kings center played just over 35-minutes in his team’s victory. He scored 22 points and made it a double-double as he pulled down a career-high 17 (four offensive) rebounds. WCS shot 10-for-19 from the floor and went 2-for-4 from behind the 3-point line. The big man also made three steals in the game.

 

 

 

 

De’Aaron Fox posted a double-double

The Kings versatile point guard made it a double-double game in the win over the Pelicans on Sunday night. He scored 19 points and dished out 11 assists. Fox also added two steals. He did all of this while still nursing a sore shoulder injured in the game on Friday with Memphis.

“Buddy Buckets” was amazing again

Buddy Hield was the leading scorer in the game on Sunday. He put 28 points in the book in 36-plus minutes of playing time. Hield shot 11-for-16 from the field and hit 6-of-11 from behind the 3-point arc. He also pulled in six rebounds.

pels buddy
Buddy Hield lets it fly from 3-point land Photo: Charlie O. Mallonee

Bogi comes up Big

Bogdan Bogdanovic is finding his legs and really getting into the flow of the game. On Sunday afternoon, he scored 24 points shooting 7-for-16 from the floor. Bogdanovic hit 2-of-5 from long range and converted 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. He also dished out seven dimes.

pels bogi
Bogi sinks one from the free throw line Photo: Charlie O. Mallonee

Coach Joerger summarizes the game

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pelicans numbers

Pels logo

  • Leading scorer Jrue Holiday with 27 points, seven rebounds, and six assists
  • Anthony Davis scored 26 points pulled down 17 rebounds (double-double) plus four assists and four blocked shots
  • Julius Randle put up 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds

The Pelicans were extremely frustrated after the loss to the Kings. Giving up a 19 point lead and losing by five points will make you walk the aisle of the plane all the way back to the “Big Easy” out of frustration.

Up next

The Kings next game will be on Wednesday, December 26 at the Staples Center versus the Los Angeles Clippers. The Kings lost to the Clippers at the Golden 1 Center on November 29, 133-121.

The Pelicans next game will be in Dallas on December 26. New Orleans beat the Mavs on December 5th, 132-105.

It was an ugly win, but it was a win: Kings beat Grizzlies 102-99 Friday night

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GrizSac Title
Graphic@SacramentoKings

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings held the lead over the Memphis Grizzlies just twice in their game on Friday night at the Golden 1 Center. SAC took the first lead of the game 2-0 and would not lead again until there was just 1:17 remaining to play in the game when they would retake the lead over the Grizzlies 98-97.

The Kings (17-15) would hold on to win the game 103-99 to hand the Grizzlies (16-16) their fifth consecutive loss. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak by Sacramento.

Memphis brought their “Grind House D” to SAC

GrizSac Team win
Photo@SacramentoKings

The Grizzlies love to slow the game down and get physical with their opponents under the bucket. The “new” Kings want to get out and run the floor in order to drive the opposition into exhaustion.

On Friday night, the Grizzlies controlled the pace. Memphis set the pace and forced the Kings to play the Grizzlies style of basketball until the fourth quarter. In the final 12-minutes, Sacramento changed the dynamic.

Memphis held the Kings to a field goal percentage of just 37.5% (33/88). It is incredibly rare for an NBA to walk away with a victory when they shoot under 40% in a game.

Sacramento turned in a respectable performance from behind the 3-point line. They hit 15-of-41 attempts from downtown (36.6%). The Kings also had a decent night at the charity stripe, converting 21-of-29 free throw attempts (72.4%).

The Grizzlies outscored the Kings in the paint 34-32. Sacramento won the battle of second chance points 10-8. To no one’s surprise, the Kings won the battle for fastbreak points 21-13.

Memphis outrebounded the Kings 44-42.

Key stats that tell a big story

GrizSac FlyingFox
Flying Fox @SacramentoKings

The Kings committed just 10 turnovers in the contest and those miscues resulted in 16 points for the Grizzlies.

Memphis recorded 18 turnovers that resulted in 27 points for Sacramento. The Griz will look at the turnovers and cringe for some time to come because they may well have cost them the game.

The Kings also won the battle of steals. SAC made 10 thefts in the game while MEM was able to steal the ball just seven times.

Key Performers

GrizSac Guards
Photo@SacramentoKings

Kings

  • Buddy Hield was the game’s leading scorer posting 28 points for the game. He shot just 9-for-24 from the field, but hit 6-of-13 from 3-point land. Hield also added eight rebounds.
  • De’Aaron Fox recorded 14 points and eight assists for Sacramento in the victory. Fox also made five steals in the game. His defense in the final period was a real difference maker.
  • Bogdan Bogdanovic also scored 14 points in the contest but shot just 3-for-9 from the floor. However, all three of his baskets were 3-point buckets. Bogdanovic also went 5-for-8 from the free throw line.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein recorded a double-double in Kings victory. He scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds versus the Grizzlies. He also dished out four assists.
  • Iman Shumpert and Nemanja Bjelica each scored 11 points in the game.

Grizzlies

  • Mike Conley was the Grizzlies leading scorer with 23 points. Conley hit a career-high seven 3-point baskets in the game.
  • Former King Garrett Temple added 17 points for Memphis.
  • Marc Gasol put 12 points and eight rebounds in the book.
  • All five of the Memphis starters scored in double figures.

Up Next

The Kings will wrap up their 3-game homestand on Sunday afternoon when they will host Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Grizzlies travel to Los Angeles and will face the Lakers on Sunday.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings find their shot in Chicago to close Bulls in second half

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photo from sacbee.com Kings guard Iman Shumpert (9) loses the ball as he’s defended by Bulls forward Wendell Carter Jr. (34) in the first half, but Sacramento roared back in the second half to beat Chicago 108-89 on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, and finish their trip with a 3-1 record. Shumpert says the Kings are now “a professional ball club.”

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Kings got a lot of key help at the United Center on Monday night De’Aarron Fox led Kings scorers with 25 points Charlie talks about Fox’s offense and how he worked his inside game to help keep ahead of Chicago.

#2 Fox told the media post game that if he makes the first three he know he’s going to have a good game and it’s something that he even told Kings head coach Dave Joerger.

#3 It’s been said by the Kings players that their more than just a team their a brotherhood. The Kings have won four of their last five games including their win over the Bulls Monday 108-89

#4 Willie Cauley-Stein has been big on assists pulling down rebounds on Monday he led the team 16 rebounds.

#5 The Kings tip off against the Minnesota Timerbwolves this Wednesday night at Golden One Center a 7:00pm start.

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

Indiana sets the pace and downs the Kings 107-97 on Saturday night

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Kings at Pacers scoreboard
Graphic: @Pacers

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings knew going into Indianapolis they faced an uphill battle with the Indiana Pacers. The upstart Kings handed the Pacers a 111-110 loss in Sacramento last Saturday night and the Indiana team was ready to revenge that loss.

The Pacers are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA and they win by controlling the pace of the game. Indiana had no intention of allowing the Kings to run and gun like they did in Cleveland on Friday night.

Indiana did slow the Kings down and the Pacers won the game 107-97.

Back-to-backs
This was the second game of a back-to-back set on the road for the Kings. Some statisticians place the chances of the visiting team winning the second game of a back-to-back schedule on the road at under 33 percent. That means the Kings were at a great disadvantage before the opening tipoff of the game in Indiana on Saturday night.

Battle of the Tiers

Pacers flag

This was a battle of two teams that are in different NBA tiers. The Pacers are a solid Tier Two team (a consistent playoff team) that may be ready to jump into to the lower end of Tier One in the Eastern Conference. The Kings are a Tier Three team (Draft Lottery participants) who are trying to become a lower Tier Two team that battles for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

The fact that the Kings split the season series (1-1) with an accomplished team like the Pacers shows the kind of improvement they are experiencing this season.

The Pacers “D” suppressed the Kings’ offense

sac sac

After posting big team numbers versus the Cavaliers, the Kings team stats dropped dramatically against the defensive-minded Pacers:

  • Field Goal Shooting: 38-for-90 (42.2%)
  • 3P Field Goal Shooting: 28.1% (9-for-32)
  • Points in the Paint: IND 56 SAC 46
  • Second Chance Points: SAC 24 IND 19
  • Fast Break Points: SAC 22 IND 18
  • The Pacers outrebounded the Kings 52-43

A Check of the Book

Kings at Pacers starters
Photo: @SacramentoKings

The Kings played the game without Iman Shumpert who was inactive due to an injury that was categorized as “load management”. Joel Embiid has been kept out games for the same reason a number of times.

  • Buddy Hield was the Kings top scorer with 20 points shooting 8-for-20 from the field
  • De’Aaron Fox started slow but stepped up in the second half to put 18 points in the scorebook along with six assists
  • Willie-Cauley Stein put up 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds
  • Bogdan Bogdanovic and Justin Jackson each scored 11 points in the game
  • Nemanja Bjelica scored six points and hauled in 12 rebounds for SAC

The Pacers were still without their star guard Victor Oladipo (sore right knee). Indiana still has no definite date for his return to active status.

Kings at Pacers Collison
Photo: @Pacers
  • Thaddeus Young led the Pacers scoring attack with 20 points
  • Bojan Bogdanovic added 18 points converting 7-of-7 from the free throw line
  • Former King Darren Collison scored 14 points and dished out six assists
  • Miles Turner put nine points in the book and grabbed 13 rebounds

With the loss, the Kings record drops to 13-12 for the season and they fall to ninth in the Western Conference. The Pacers improve to 16-10 on the year and are now in sole possession of fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Up Next
The Kings will wrap up this four-game road trip on Tuesday night in Chicago versus the Bulls. A win would give Sacramento a record of 3-1 on the trip which they would be very happy to finish with for a December road tour of the East.

The Pacers will host the Wizards on Monday.

Kings run and gun Friday night to beat the Cavs 129-110 at the “Q”

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Cavs Kings NBCS
Photo:@NBCSKings

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings won their third game in a row and the second game of this four-game road trip on Friday night as they took down the hapless Cleveland Cavaliers 129-110 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. It was the Cavs’ second loss in three days to a Northern California team as they were beaten by the Warriors at the “Q” on Wednesday night.

Sacramento was coming off a convincing win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night and knew they had a chance to add to their win total on this road trip if they just focused on playing their type of basketball.

On Friday night, the Kings taught the Cavs what Sactown basketball is all about.

SAC ran CLE into the ground

  • The Kings outscored the Cavaliers 72-42 in the paint
  • SAC had a 57.1 FG% (56/98) and was 13-for-29 (44.9%) from 3-point land
  • The Kings recorded 19 second chance points to the Cavs’ 8
  • Sacramento had 35 rebounds — 10 were offensive rebounds
  • Cleveland also booked 35 rebounds, but only 7 were on offense
  • The Kings outscored the Cavs on the Fast Break 12-5
  • SAC had 30 assists and just nine turnovers (12 CLE points)
  • CLE dished out 20 assists, but turned the ball over 18 times (31 SAC points)

Outstanding individual efforts by Kings players

cavs kings nbcs 2
Photo: @NBCSKings
  • De’Aaron Fox was the game’s high scorer with 30 points and he made it a double-double by dishing out 12 assists (some of which were Top 10 worthy)
  • Buddy Hield recorded 25 points, sinking 9-of-17 shots (5-of-8 3-pointers)
  • Marvin Bagley III returned to action after missing two games and put up 17 points in just over 25 minutes on the floor
  • Bogdanovic 15; Bjelica 13; Cauley-Stein 10; Jackson 7; Koufos 6; Shumpert 6

Cleveland leaders

  • Jordan Clarkson was the leading scorer for the Cavs with 26 points
  • Guard Colin Sexton put up 23
  • The just added Alec Burks put 22 points and 7 rebounds in the book

It has to be said

The Kings record now stands at 13-11 for the season which gives them sole possession of eighth place in the Western Conference. Yes, that means if the season ended today the Kings would be in the playoffs. That cannot be ignored.

Dwelling in the cellar

The Cavs record is now 5-20 after the loss to the Kings. They are now tied for 14th or last-place in the NBA Eastern Conference with the Atlanta Hawks.

The Cavaliers made big news before the game

Cavs Delly
Photo:@Cavaliers

Cleveland took part on Friday in a three-team, five-player trade that involved the Cavs, Bucks, and Wizards. Some well-traveled veterans went to new teams while others went home to places where they have played before.

The Cavaliers sent veteran guard (and former King) George Hill to the Milwaukee Bucks along with forward Jason Smith.

The Cavs received Matthew Dellavedova — who was a very popular player in Cleveland before leaving in free agency — and center John Henson from Milwaukee.

The Wizards get Sam Dekker from Cleveland via Milwaukee along with draft picks.

The Cavs end up with the 2021 first and second-round draft picks from the Bucks. They also get a 2022 second-round pick from the Wizards.

Milwaukee winds up with a 2021 second-round selection from Washington.

Finally, the Wizards get a 2021 draft pick from the Cavs.

All of these draft picks have conditions tied to them. If you want the complete details, go to NBA.com transactions.

Up Next

The Kings will be back in action on Saturday night in Indianapolis when they will take on the Indiana Pacers. The Kings beat the Pacers 111-110 last Saturday night in Sacramento and Indiana will have revenge on their minds.

The Cavs will host the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

Kings pull one out of the fire, beat the Pacers 111-110 on Saturday night in SAC

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

By Charlie O. Mallonee

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings broke a three-game losing skid on Saturday night when they defeated the Indiana Pacers 111-110 on their home court. The Kings took the lead with 16.1-seconds to go in the game and then had to battle through one of the ugliest jump ball endings any NBA has ever seen.

Even after the final buzzer, the game’s ending remained in doubt as the officials called for a replay to determine who committed a violation on the jump ball play. The violation was charged to the Pacers’ Darren Collison (yes, the former King) and 1.3 seconds was put back on the clock with the ball being awarded to Sacramento.

The Kings inbounded the ball and held it until the clock expired to seal the victory.

This was not a “typical” Kings win
The Kings were not able to run the Pacers into the ground as they have so many other teams this season. Indiana entered the game holding their opponents to the second lowest average points per game at 102.3. The Pacers were seventh in shooting defense holding their opponents to a 46.6 Field Goal Percentage.

Sacramento did win the battle of the Fast Break Points 18-10, but that is a far cry from a team that has twice this season scored 38 points on the break.

One of the keys to the Kings win was their offensive rebounding. They pulled down 14 rebounds off their own shots while the Pacers grabbed only six offensive rebounds. Those offensive rebounds would lead to 15 Kings second chance points while Indiana could muster only six of their own.

The Kings also helped themselves with some well-timed 3-point shooting in the game. The Pacers came in holding their opponents to a 37.7 3-point shooting percentage. The Kings shot 44.8 percent (13-for-29) from downtown on Saturday night. Indiana shot above their normal 3-point shooting percentage of 37.8, hitting 10-of-24 attempts (41.7-percent), but their effort fell short of the Kings’ pace.

Both teams were missing key players
The Pacers were without Victor Oladipo for a seventh game due to sore right knee. The bad news for Indiana is that there is no timetable for Oladipo’s return. It is not easy to replace 21.4 points per game in your lineup.

The Kings had to play without Marvin Bagley III, who was suffering from back spasms that flared up late in the game versus the Clippers. Sacramento is hoping that he will be available on the upcoming four-game road trip.

Battle of the Bogdanovics
Each team’s leading scorer had the name Bogdanovic on his jersey. Bojan Bogdanovic was the Pacers leading scorer and the high scorer in the game with 27 points in just over 37 minutes on the floor. He hit 10-of-19 shots from the field, including two 3-point baskets. Indiana’s Bogdanovic converted 5-of-6 opportunities from the free throw line.

The Kings’ Bogdan Bogdanovic led his team in scoring with 20 points coming off the bench as the sixth man. Bogdanovic also added six assists and two steals for Sacramento. He put 7-of-12 shots through the hoop with three of those buckets being 3-pointers. Bogdanovic was a perfect 3-for-3 from the charity stripe.

Dave Joerger had a lot to say after the game

Joerger point of emphasis
Coach Dave Joerger met the press corps at the entrance to the locker room to tell us he overlooked something in postgame remarks to the media. He wanted to be sure to let us know that in his opinion that Justin Jackson had his best game of the season on Saturday night.

Jackson scored eight points, hauled in three rebounds and dished out two assists in just under 25 minutes of playing time. Jackson also played some tenacious defense for the Kings that will not show up in hard numbers but helped lead them to a win.

Don’t overlook Troy Williams
Troy Williams scored 12 points in 16 on the floor Saturday night. He connected on 4-of-6 shots and was a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the 3-point arc. Williams brought a high charge of energy to court every time he entered the game.

De’Aaron Fox is always ready to talk after a win

Final Takeaways

  • The Kings are now back to .500 for the season with a record of 11-11
  • The Pacers’ record now stands at 13-10
  • Bogdan Bogdanovic has scored 20 or more points in his last three games
  • Willie Cauley-Stein recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 17 points and 13 rebounds
  • Bojan Bogdanovic put up 27 points which is a new season-high for the Pacers star
  • The Kings win broke a four-game overall losing streak to Indiana
  • This game featured 25 lead changes, 11 ties and neither team ever held a lead of more than seven points
  • The Kings are now 8-2 when they outrebound their opponents

Up Next
The Kings will head out on the road for a four-game trip that will take them to Phoenix, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Chicago. Sacramento will kick off the trip on Tuesday night in Phoenix.

The Pacers will return to Indianapolis and will host the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday evening.

Close but no cigar for Kings in Memphis; Grizzlies beat SAC 112-104 Friday night

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
Griz Pix
Photo: @NBA

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings kicked off a two-game mini road trip in Memphis on Friday night as they went up against the rival Grizzlies. Why are they the rival Grizzlies you ask? Because Kings head coach Dave Joerger was the head man in Memphis before he became “the man” in SAC. That makes the Grizzlies an automatic rival for the Kings and a  must win for the men in “royal purple” every time they play the team from the city that “Elvis made famous”.

Memphis (9-5) showed the basketball world why they call the FedEx Forum “the Grind House” as they defeated the Kings 112-104. The Grizzlies opened up an 11 point lead just before halftime and they managed to keep that lead throughout the second half all the way to the final buzzer. Sacramento would make mini-runs and close up the score, but the Griz would then “bump and grind” their way back to a 10 point plus lead. 

Memphis used a combination of power basketball under the rim, strong rebounding on offense and well-timed 3-point shooting to beat the Kings (8-7). Both teams had four of their five starters score in double figures.

It was veteran – rookie combo that led Memphis to victory

Griz alt pic
Photo: @memgrizz

Jaren Jackson Jr. – the fourth overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Michigan State – was the leading scorer in the game with 27 points. The 6-foot-11 power forward hit on 11-of-16 shots from the floor including one 3-point basket. The big rookie also converted 4-of-6 opportunities from the free throw line. Jackson added six rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots in starring effort for the Grizzlies.

The key player for the Grizzlies was Marc Gasol – who is in his 11th season with Memphis. Gasol posted 19 points shooting 7-for-12 overall and hitting 2-of-6 from behind the arc. The Grizzlies big man made it a double-double game by grabbing 15 rebounds. Six of those rebounds came off the offensive glass helping to set up second-chance opportunities. 

Sacramento was paced by the usual suspects

Griz start 5
Photo: @SacramentoKings

De’Aaron Fox was the Kings, high scorer, and only player to record a double-double in the contest. Fox recorded 23 points and dished out 10 assists in the game. The second-year player shot 8-for-17 from the field but went just 1-for-5 from long range. Fox took advantage of free throw opportunities sinking 6-of-8 chances from the line.

Buddy Hield put 16 points in the book by hitting 50-percent of his shots (6-for-12). Hield buried 2-of-4 3-point attempts. He also added four rebounds, three assists, two steals and one blocked shot.

Bogdan Bogdanovic came off the bench to put up 12 points in just under 24 minutes of play. He hit 5-of 10 shots from the field and scored on 2-of-4 3-point opportunities. Bogi also added two assists as he continues to look stronger in each game since returning after an off-season knee procedure. 

Other notable Kings performances: Shumpert 12 points, Cauley-Stein 11 points, Bjelica 8 and Bagley 7. No doubt MBIII would have liked to have performed better versus his fellow draft class member Jackson, Jr., but he will have another chance this season to match up against the number four draft selection.

Joerger’s perspective

“We ran into a very good team. They were focused and ready to go. After they played at our place a couple a weeks ago, we knew this was coming. They were locked in. They were physical. They got after us. They forced 21 turnovers which is way too many for us. Mike (Conley) and Marc (Gasol) set the tone for the game. They’re playing well. 

It’s all in the numbers

  • Memphis outscored SAC 54-42 in the paint
  • The Grizzlies won the battle of 2nd Chance Points 15-8
  • The Kings outran the Griz scoring 37 Fast Break Points to just 13 for Memphis
  • Memphis shot 50.6% (43/85) for the game
  • The Kings had 23 assists and 21 turnovers (17 Memphis points)
  • 24 – the number of Free Throw Attempts each team had in the contest

Up next for SAC

The Kings will wrap up this quick two-game road trip on Saturday night in Houston (7-7). Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 PM PT.