-Here We Build- Sac. Kings Association: 25-21

[Vespasian92]

Offensive execution carries Kings
Heading to Houston for a matchup with the last-place Rockets, the Kings looked to end the season's final 3 games on a positive note. Isaiah Thomas took over a leadership role for Sacramento, directing the Kings to a 106-101 victory. Thomas balanced his scoring and his playmaking, amassing a 20 points, 9 assist performance. Jimmy Butler, usually a defensive player, took advantage of quality offensive execution and came away with a career-best 20 points. Demarcus Cousins added an efficient 16-10 double-double, while James Harden had 25 for the Rockets in the loss.
Kings (34-46): 106
Rockets (26-54): 101


Houston Rockets Top Performers
James Harden: 25 PTS - 5 REB - 11/18 FG
Aaron Brooks: 15 PTS - 6/11 FG
Omer Asik: 15 PTS - 8 REB - 7/10 FG
Jeremy Lin: 15 PTS - 8 AST - 7/12 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 9 AST - 9/14 FG
Jimmy Butler: 20 PTS (Career-High) - 2 AST - 8/15 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 16 PTS - 10 REB - 3 BLK - 7/11 FG
Bismack Biyombo: 4 PTS - 11 REB - 3 BLK

Stunning quarter ruins Kings
As the Kings headed to OKC for their final road game of the year, the fatigue of another lottery season seemed to finally catch up to them. After the usual strong effort in the first quarter, the team showed no energy after the break. The second quarter saw the Kings score a mere 9 points, and allowed the Thunder to run away with the contest. The Kings were beaten in all the hustle categories, losing the rebounding battle by 11 and fast break points by 10. Westbrook's 23 were enough to seal the 91-82 victory. Kendrick Perkins added a season-best 17 rebounds to OKC's efforts.
Thunder (56-25): 91
Kings (34-47): 82


Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers
Russell Westbrook: 23 PTS - 6 REB - 5 AST
Kevin Martin: 15 PTS - 3 AST - 4/11 FG
Serge Ibaka: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 2 BLK
Kendrick Perkins: 4 PTS - 17 REB - 3 BLK - 2/8 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 4 AST - 5/16 FG
Marcus Thornton: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 6/10 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 8 REB - 6/19 FG
Tyreke Evans: 14 PTS - 7 REB - 6/11 FG

Kings disappoint at home in finale
After a long and mostly disappointing season for the Kings, their season finale at home against the Clippers was little different. Despite the atmosphere of a sold-out arena and the excitement of the finale, the team gave a mediocre effort and fell quietly 106-97. No Kings scored 20 or more, but Demarcus Cousins had the best showing with 18 points and 10 rebounds, as well as a season-best 7 assists. The Clippers meanwhile will return to L.A. with the 6th seed and prepare for a rivalry playoff series against the Lakers. The Kings now will enter the offseason disappointed, but improved, and look towards the hope of next year.
Clippers (43-39): 106
Kings (34-48): 97


L.A. Clippers Top Performers
Chris Paul: 28 PTS - 3 AST - 4 STL - 13/14 FT
Blake Griffin: 24 PTS - 4 REB - 6 TO
Caron Butler: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 5/11 FG
Jamal Crawford: 13 PTS - 8 AST - 4/14 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 10 REB - 7 AST (Season-High)
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 8 AST - 7/16 FG
Jimmy Butler: 13 PTS - 5 REB - 4/4 FT - 4/7 FG
Tyreke Evans: 10 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 3/10 FG

NBA Transactions:

NBA Injury Updates:

NBA Notes:

[Vespasian92]

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Hopeless, but not useless
As most people would have guessed at the beginning of the season, the Kings missed the postseason by a comfortable margin. In the last month or two of the season, with the 8th seed out of reach, the Kings still had something to play for. After trading for Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Taylor at the deadline, the Kings' FO used the latter part of this season to get a clear idea about their roster and their needs. These are some of the things we learned about our team down the stretch.


Demarcus Cousins played better defense. The acquisition of Bismack Biyombo as the frontcourt partner to Cousins changed how other teams were forced to matchup with the Kings. An athletic shot-blocker like Biyombo worries offensive players and forces them to change shots, and this allows other players to take advantage of the shift in attention. No longer being the only shot-blocking threat, Cousins was able to remain on his man more often and pick his spots when providing help defense.
Cousins' BPG numbers increased to 1.48, a modest increase from his season average of 1.1. The team's RPG went from 40.6 to 43.5 after the trade, and Paint Points allowed moved from 47.3 down to 42.2. Cousins' RPG dipped to 9.1, down from his 10.1 season average. This is probably due to Biyombo's 7.6 RPG, which is higher than Patterson's 5.4 RPG and Thompson's 5.2 RPG. With the team's defensive numbers increasing across the board, Cousins' camp or the Kings FO have no room to complain about his personal decrease.


John Salmons is expendable. The second coming of Salmons turned out to be a disappointment, after the Kings traded down in the 2011 draft (giving up the rights to Biyombo, ironically enough) to acquire Salmons and the 10th selection (Jimmer Fredette). Salmons played with the Kings in three seasons from 2006-2009, and actually averaged 18.3 PPG and 37.5 MPG in 2008-2009. It was in this season when the Kings sold him (along with Brad Miller) while his stock was high, to the Bulls in exchange for young players including Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni.
Salmons' production has been much lower than that since his return to Sactown. He struggled offensively last season, shooting only 41% from the field and 30% from downtown. This season, Salmons lost many of his minutes from the get-go to Jimmy Butler, and then the rest to Jeff Taylor after the trade deadline. Salmons only mustered 3.6 MPG after the trade, including 5 DNP-CDs. His shooting percentages for this season were very poor, only 38% from the field and 30% from 3PT land. To contrast, Jeff Taylor shot 44% from the floor and 38% from downtown. Salmons will be 34 by opening night next season, and his best days are undeniably behind him. His contract has a team option after next season, so will likely be declined or used as an $8M expiring contract in a trade.


The Kings need more shooting. No one understood just how much the Kings needed Patrick Patterson's shooting in the starting lineup until it was gone. Despite the dramatic improvements in the Kings' defense we already mentioned, the offense slowed down due to a lack of floor spacing. Tyreke Evans is an average perimeter shooter at best, from the position that probably needs it most. Jimmy Butler, while he is gradually expanding his game, still needs improvement in 3PT shooting at only 31%. Bismack Biyombo is notorious for having little offensive game, and none outside of the restricted area.
The Kings frequently subbed in Marcus Thornton and Jeff Taylor sooner and for longer than before in order to gain some increased floor spacing. Thornton's minutes increased to 23.4, higher than his season average of 20.2 MPG. The team's 3PT shooting decreased to 32% after the trade, down from 35% before. Those numbers may not seem that significant, but the need for more shooting was obvious to anyone watching the games.


Evans and Cousins struggle to coexist. Trailing back to the previous point, the games and skillsets of Demarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans do not compliment each other. Tyreke is a player who needs the ball 90% of the time to be effective. This was the case in his 20-5-5 rookie season, simply due to a lack of talent around him. His numbers have gradually decreased year after year, as the Kings have rebuilt and been able to add more talent through the draft. He would likely succeed more with frontcourt players who do not need touches and can spot up from midrange or 3PT range to create floor space and driving lanes.
Cousins, while having some midrange ability, is not that kind of bigman. With an increase in public support for Cousins from the Kings' brass and Kings fans, Demarcus seems to be the future face of the Kings. He was the focus of the Kings' offense this season and as the franchise player, the Kings will likely look to add pieces that compliment his game. Evans' contract expires this offseason, and it is still unclear if the Kings will look to extend him or let him walk in free agency.

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Kings season in review



Isaiah Thomas: After the way Thomas ended his rookie season with some outstanding production, the new Kings front office gave Thomas significant freedom and opportunity this season. They wanted to get more time to see exactly what Isaiah could produce before they made more decisions and changes to the roster. After the season, the Kings brass must be very relieved they took the time to analyze Isaiah's game. In 10.1 more minutes a game, Isaiah increased his PPG, RPG, APG, SPG, and FT% over his rookie numbers. Most notable is his scoring increase from 11.5 to 18.6, and his assist numbers from 4.1 to 6.3. Thomas' leadership and competitive attitude is something a young team always needs, and his good relationship with franchise bigman Demarcus Cousins only adds to the reasons why Thomas will likely be a major part of this developing Kings squad in the future.

Tyreke Evans: Evans' future is still up in the air, with his contract expiring this offseason. No decision has been made yet if the Kings will extend Evans, or let him test free agency. Tyreke's numbers have decreased since his 20-5-5 rookie season, as he has worked to improve his ability to play off the ball. His numbers this season were similar to those of last season, around 16-4-5. His skillset sometimes struggles to compliment that of Demarcus Cousins, and it will be curious to see how the Kings brass will form the roster.

Jimmy Butler: Acquired from Chicago before the season, Butler's season has been as expected. He filled his expectations as a strong wing defender and rebounder, but could still stand to improve his perimeter shooting. He is the ideal team-first player, a hard worker who does all the little things. Fans and front office personnel do nothing but rave about his contributions to the team.

Bismack Biyombo: Acquired at the trade deadline in exchange for Jason Thompson, Biyombo provides a perfect compliment to Demarcus Cousins. Biyombo is an athletic rim-protector, who can anchor the Kings' defense and leave Cousins free to focus on dominating offensively. Like Butler, there are few complaints about Biyombo's game and contributions. Biyombo has little in terms of offensive skill, but knows his role and doesn't try to do too much.

Demarcus Cousins: Have received significant vocal support from the new Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and coaching staff, Demarcus Cousins took some positive steps this season. He had one troublesome incident this season, which was an ejection against the Jazz and subsequent 2-game suspension early in the season. Obviously, there should be no incidents from a professional athlete, but only one incident is an improvement over what had previously been multiple incidents per season. He still plays with a lot of emotion, but keeping it under control and properly managed will be the main objective going forward. Statistically, Cousins averaged 18-10 per game and been on record expressing his desire to remain in Sacramento and continue to improve his game. With both sides moving towards tentatively committing to each other for the long haul, the future success of the Kings depends on Cousins' improvement and the front office's ability to add complimentary talent around him.

Marcus Thornton: Entrusted to provide the offense for the second unit, Thornton sometimes struggled adjusting to a bench role. His 20.2 MPG this season is the lowest total of his career, even less than his 25.6 rookie season in New Orleans. His $8M per year contract is occasionally a source of angst for fans, who may think that price is too high for a bench player. But Thornton's perimeter ability offensively is something the Kings' coaching staff relied on to space the floor for Cousins inside or to create driving lanes for Tyreke Evans. Also, due to Evans' future being up in the air, no hasty decisions can be made regarding the offensive-oriented scorer from LSU.

Patrick Patterson: Patterson started for most of the season, before moving to the bench with the arrival of Bismack Biyombo. His perimeter ability and pick-and-pop mastery is a needed commodity on this roster, and, like Thomas, his relationship with Cousins is something the Kings front office needs to keep in mind. Patterson played with Cousins in college at Kentucky, and Demarcus refers to him as his big brother.

John Salmons: As previously mentioned, Salmons lost most of his minutes to Jimmy Butler and then to Jeff Taylor. With young players with potential now ahead of him on the depth chart on the wing, it seems that both sides might agree that it is time for a change of scenery. Salmons struggled significantly with his shooting this season, and has lost some of his strong defensive ability with age.

James Johnson: Brought in before the season with the hope of being part of the answer as small forward, Johnson ended the season being more of a defensive specialist with the size and strength to guard the Lebrons and Durants of the NBA. His contract expires this offseason, and the Kings' belief in Butler and Taylor to guard the physically imposing superstars will determine if Johnson will be re-signed or not.

Jeff Taylor: Brought over as part of the Biyombo trade, Taylor is often referred to by the Kings' FO as a steal. The Kings have been impressed by Taylor's effort and defensive abilities, and will certainly look to keep giving him adequate floor time as a valuable and versatile wing off the bench.

Cole Aldrich: A reliable backup bigman, always needed when you have a player like Cousins who might be taken out of the game with fouls or ejections on an unpredictable basis. Aldrich is a free agent this offseason, and it is unknown if the Kings will look to resign him or go a different route.

Joel Freeland: Brought from Portland along with Will Barton, Freeland played sporadically depending upon injuries to the roster. Has a decent face-up game, and was relatively impressive with his rebounding and energy when he did play.

Will Barton: Probably the biggest surprise for the Kings this season, Barton had a very strong stretch of games near the middle of the season when he showed versatility offensively. While he is unlikely to overtake Evans, Thornton, Butler, or Taylor for significantly more minutes, he is a young player the Kings are very interested to keep.

NBA 2012-13 Season Awards
Now that the regular season is complete, let's look at the players who shined for their teams over the past 5 months of basketball.

MVP: Lebron James (MIA): 21.7 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 4.9 APG, 47% FG, 36% 3PT FG, 80% FT

6th Man of the Year: D.J. Augustin (IND): 9.4 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 5.3 APG, 45% FG, 40% 3PT FG, 90% FT

Rookie of the Year: Damian Lillard (POR): 18.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 7.5 APG, 45% FG, 36% 3PT FG, 80% FT

Defensive Player of the Year: Deandre Jordan (LAC): 4.0 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.2 BPG, 63% FG, 45% FT

Most Improved Player: Kemba Walker (CHA): 17.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 43% FG, 34% 3PT FG, 78% FT


All-NBA First Team:
Russell Westbrook (OKC)
Kobe Bryant (LAL)
Lebron James (MIA)
Kevin Durant (OKC)
Demarcus Cousins (SAC)

All-NBA Second Team:
Chris Paul (LAC)
Deron Williams (BKN)
Josh Smith (ATL)
Kevin Love (MIN)
Greg Monroe (DET)

All-NBA Third Team:
Derrick Rose (CHI)
Stephen Curry (GS)
Blake Griffin (LAC)
David Lee (GS)
Chris Bosh (MIA)

All-Defensive First Team:
Andre Igoudala (DEN)
Paul George (IND)
Nicolas Batum (POR)
Josh Smith (ATL)
Deandre Jordan (LAC)

All-Defensive Second Team:
Rajon Rondo (BOS)
Dwayne Wade (MIA)
Shawn Marion (DAL)
Carlos Boozer (CHI)
Dwight Howard (LAL)

All-Rookie First Team:
Damian Lillard (POR)
Bradley Beal (WAS)
Donatas Montiejunas (HOU)
Anthony Davis (NO)
Jonas Valanciunas (TOR)

All-Rookie Second Team:
Dion Waiters (CLE)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA)
Maurice Harkless (ORL)
Harrison Barnes (GS)
Andrew Nicholson (ORL)

2012-13 Playoff Preview
Before the postseason gets going, let's take a look at the first-round matchups we will see in both conferences

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) San Antonio Spurs

OKC: Kevin Durant: 27.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG
Russell Westbrook: 24.8 PPG, 6.7 APG

SAS: Tony Parker: 20.0 PPG, 6.5 APG
Tim Duncan: 13.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG

(2) Portland Trailblazers vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

POR: Lamarcus Aldridge: 20.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG
Damian Lillard: 18.3 PPG, 7.5 APG

GS: Stephen Curry: 20.5 PPG, 7.4 APG
David Lee: 19.4 PPG, 9.8 RPG

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Los Angeles Clippers

LAL: Kobe Bryant: 28.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG
Dwight Howard: 14.7 PPG, 10.1 RPG

LAC: Chris Paul: 18.8 PPG, 8.3 APG
Blake Griffin: 19.6 PPG, 9.4 RPG

(4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) Denver Nuggets

MEM: Mike Conley: 17.0 PPG, 8.4 APG
Zach Randolph: 16.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG

DEN: Ty Lawson: 15.2 PPG, 8.0 APG
Danilo Gallinari: 15.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG

Eastern Conference

(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks

MIA: Lebron James: 21.7 PPG, 7.6 RPG
Dwayne Wade: 22.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG

ATL: Lou Williams: 21.0 PPG, 3.4 APG
Josh Smith: 17.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG

(2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (7) Milwaukee Bucks

PHI: Jrue Holiday: 15.9 PPG, 6.8 APG
Andrew Bynum: 14.9 PPG, 10.8 RPG

MIL: Monta Ellis: 22.7 PPG, 4.9 APG
Brandon Jennings: 21.5 PPG, 6.2 APG

(3) Chicago Bulls vs. (6) Boston Celtics

CHI: Derrick Rose: 22.3 PPG, 5.3 APG
Carlos Boozer: 14.2 PPG, 10.2 RPG

BOS: Paul Pierce: 17.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG
Rajon Rondo: 10.8 PPG, 8.8 APG

(4) Detroit Pistons vs. (5) Indiana Pacers

DET: Greg Monroe: 18.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG
Jose Calderon: 11.4 PPG, 8.2 APG

IND: Danny Granger: 19.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG
Paul George: 18.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG

[Vespasian92]

Thunder claim first title


The championship potential of a young Oklahoma City Thunder team was finally realized with a game 6 victory over the Miami Heat. The Thunder turned a closeout opportunity in their own building into a comfortable 17-point blowout. Thunder star Kevin Durant took charge in the clincher, dropping 40 points on an effective 14/22 from the field. This marks the first title for a young Thunder core, burdened with high expectations for the past 2 or 3 seasons.

The road to the title for the small-market Thunder began with the drafting of Kevin Durant 2nd overall in the 2007 draft, the drafting of Russell Westbrook 4th overall in the 2008 draft, and the late-round steal of drafting Serge Ibaka 28th overall in the same year. The Thunder had drafted James Harden 3rd in 2009, who had claimed 6th man of the year honors for the Thunder last season. The Thunder made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals that year, and many predicted them as the title favorites heading into this season. But all that changed when they jettisoned James Harden to the Rockets in exchange for multiple young players and draft picks. Salary cap restrictions were to blame, as they likely would only have enough cap space to maintain either Ibaka or Harden, while paying for the heavy contracts of Durant and Westbrook.

Coming from Houston in addition to the young players and picks was veteran shooting guard Kevin Martin, who was expected to provide much of the production lost by Harden's absence. Martin answered the bell for the Thunder this season with 19.6 PPG, providing the viable third option behind Durant's 27.8 PPG and Westbrook's 24.8 PPG. He helped the Thunder to a 57-25 regular season record, and the #1 seed in the Western Conference headed into the postseason.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Thunder matched up against the aging but still dangerous San Antonio Spurs, who had struggled down the stretch of the season and slipped to the 8th seed. In game 3, Spurs' star guard Tony Parker suffered a strained hamstring, which slowed him for the rest of the series. The youth of the Thunder were decisive in the series, coming away with a relatively easy 4-1 series win. The Thunder gained another quick series victory in the second round over the 5th seeded Denver Nuggets. As well as the Nuggets play as a team, the lack of a go-to star hurt them in the playoff series and fell to the Thunder in 5 games.

Heading to the Western Finals against the new-look Los Angeles Lakers, the Thunder fought a tough 7-game series down to the wire. If not for Russell Westbrook's game 7 heroics (28 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists), it would likely be the Lakers heading to Miami to face the Heat in the Finals. An obviously frustrated Kobe did not shy away from bashing teammate Dwight Howard's lack of production in the series, including a mere 7 point, 6 rebound game 7 performance. Howard is a free agent this offseason, and repetitive friction with Kobe will likely push Howard to seek greener pastures outside of L.A.
Lakers G Kobe Bryant frustrated after a game 7 loss to the Thunder in the West Finals.

Finally at the promised land, the young Thunder prepared for a tough series against the defending champion Miami Heat. Akin to their good injury fortune against the Spurs, the Heat were shorthanded after game 5 when Dwayne Wade aggravated a sprained knee. The Thunder won game 5 and took a 3-2 series lead heading back to Oklahoma City. With a rabid fan base supporting one side, and a hurting star slowing the other, the Thunder took no chances and came out aggressive. Durant outdueled Lebron to the tune of a 40-10 double-double, and led his Thunder to his first championship ring. Durant earned Finals MVP honors after his closeout performance.

Lebron's 15 points and 14 boards were not enough to force a game 7, and the Heat will return to Miami disappointed. The Heat breezed by the Hawks 4-1 in the first round, before encountering a 7-game scare against the Pacers. After sending the Pacers home in a tough out, the Heat swept the 76ers in the East finals (who used easy matchups against the Bucks and then the Boozer-less Bulls to get that far). Miami will likely look to adjust their roster this offseason for another title run next season.

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Kings part ways with Evans

Once considered the face and future of the Kings franchise, Tyreke Evans is packing his bags for the Big Easy. After being made aware of the
newly-renamed New Orleans Pelicans' significant interest in Evans, the Kings FO used the threat of matching any offer for the restricted free
agent to swing a sign-and-trade deal with the Pelicans. The Kings had reportedly not made a decision to either commit to moving on from Evans
or to resign him, and so the Pelicans pushed to ensure they would land him. Evans accepted a 4yr/$32M deal which he will play out in New Orleans.

Kings trade:
G Tyreke Evans (80) - F Patrick Patterson (72) - 2013 First Round Draft Pick (via Bulls)


Pelicans trade:
F Ryan Anderson (74) - 2013 First Round Draft Selection - F Jason Smith


Following this move, the Pelicans will have a versatile and loaded 3-guard rotation in Evans/Gordon/Vasquez, as well as over $20M in cap room. They believe that Evans will produce in their system with an athletic big like Anthony Davis, better than he did recently with Sacramento and Demarcus Cousins. Reports suggest they hope to use him in a super-6th man role, a la Manu Ginobli or Suns-era Leandro Barbosa. In such a role, Evans can be the primary ball-handler most of the time, which is something his skillset demands in order to produce. As much as the Pelicans like Anderson, they feel they need to give Davis the majority of the PF minutes, and Anderson's remaining 3 years at almost $8.5M per is a hindrance to their cap flexibility. They receive Patrick Patterson, who they hope will replace most of Anderson's production at 1/4 of the contract price. Smith had fallen out of the Pelicans' rotation with the arrival of Dante Cunningham from the Timberwolves (Xavier Henry trade), and the Pelicans managed to unload his $2.5M contract on Sacramento. Rumors are circulating that the Pelicans are looking to enter the free agency to address their need for a frontcourt partner for Anthony Davis. The media expect them to be unable to woo Dwight Howard, but rumors suggest they are very interested in making strong offers for RFA Nikola Pekovic of the Timberwolves or UFA David West of the Pacers. They also need to re-sign starting small forward Al-Farouq Aminu, and this move allows them the space to attempt both.

The Kings receive hometown hero Ryan Anderson, who they plan to use in a 3-big rotation with Cousins and Biyombo (with Biyombo playing the 5 when on the floor with Anderson). He will replace the stretch 4 capabilities lost from Patrick Patterson, who was included in the deal. The Kings acquire the first-round selection from the Pelicans in the upcoming draft, which will likely be a mid-lottery selection. Rumors suggest the Kings wanted next year's pick instead, but the Pelicans were unwilling to do so.
But mostly for Sacramento, this move clearly suggests the line has been drawn. They are committed to Demarcus Cousins, for better or for worse. While probably lacking the superstar talent Cousins has, Evans was certainly a very good player, a rookie of the year winner, and a true professional. Always appreciative to the fans and the city, we wish him the best as he continues to pursue many more productive seasons in his career.

NBA Draft Lottery Order
The big lottery winners this year are the Mavs and Cavs, who both move into the top 3 from original odds outside of the top 7. The struggling Rockets are forced down to 4th, but will have a healthy James Harden and plenty of cap space to try and improve next season. The Bulls are in prime position to make a title run, getting to add a quality young talent without giving up too much (as long as Deng stays healthy enough to not miss Jimmy Butler).

1: Mavericks
2: Cavaliers
3: Timberwolves
4: Rockets
5: Bobcats
6: Bulls (via Kings)
7: Magic
8: Kings (via Pelicans)
9: Jazz
10: Wizards
11: Raptors
12: Knicks
13: Suns
14: Nets

NBA Free Agency Contract Options
Here are some of the notable contract options that took effect before free agency bidding begins later this offseason.

Nuggets G/F Andre Igoudala declines $16M player option.
Bucks G Monta Ellis accepts $11M player option.
Knicks G J.R. Smith declines $3M player option.
Mavericks G O.J. Mayo accepts $4M player option.
Heat G Ray Allen declines $3M player option.

Rockets accept F Chandler Parsons' $927K 2-year team option.
Kings accept G Isaiah Thomas' $884K team option.
Timberwolves decline G Brandon Roy's $5M team option
Heat decline G Mario Chalmers' $4M team option.

[Vespasian92]

2013 NBA Draft


First Round:
1 - Dallas Mavericks: Victor Oladipo - G, Indiana
2 - Cleveland Cavaliers: Alex Len - C, Maryland
3 - Minnesota Timberwolves: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - G, Georgia
4 - Houston Rockets: Michael Carter-Williams - G, Syracuse
5 - Charlotte Bobcats: Nerlens Noel - F, Kentucky
6 - Chicago Bulls: Jammal Franklin - G, San Diego State

Trade:
Orlando Magic trade: Pick #7, Beno Udrih
Detroit Pistons trade: Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton

7 - Detroit Pistons: C.J. McCollum - G, Leigh
8 - Sacramento Kings: Ben McLemore - G, Kansas
9 - Utah Jazz: Trey Burke - G, Michigan
10 - Washington Wizards: Gorgui Dieng - C, Lousville
11 - Toronto Raptors: Rudy Gobert - C, France
12 - New York Knicks: Michael Snaer - G, Florida State
13 - Phoenix Suns: Isaiah Cannan - G, Murray State
14 - Brooklyn Nets: Otto Porter - F, Georgetown
15 - Atlanta Hawks: Nemanja Nedovic - G, Serbia
16 - Milwaukee Bucks: Lorenzo Brown - G, N.C. State
17 - San Antonio Spurs: Cody Zeller - F, Indiana
18 - Boston Celtics: Willie Cauley-Stein - C, Kentucky
19 - Los Angeles Clippers: Tim Hardaway Jr. - G, Michigan
20 - Dallas Mavericks: Ray McCallum - G, Detroit
21 - Golden State Warriors: B.J. Young - G, Arkansas
22 - Detroit Pistons: Nate Wolters - G, South Dakota State
23 - Denver Nuggets: Shabazz Muhammad - G/F, UCLA
24 - Memphis Grizzlies: Tony Mitchell - F, North Texas
25 - New Orleans Pelicans: Dario Saric - F, Croatia
26 - Los Angeles Lakers: C.J. Leslie - F, N.C. State

Trade:
Chicago Bulls trade: Marquis Teague
Philadelphia 76ers trade: Pick #27

27 - Chicago Bulls: C.J. Wilcox - G, Washington
28 - Portland Trailblazers: Mike Muscala - C, Bucknell
29 - Miami Heat: Anthony Bennett - F, UNLV
30 - Oklahoma City Thunder: Mason Plumlee - F, Duke


Second Round:
31 - Houston Rockets: Kelly Olynyk - F/C, Gonzaga

Trade:
Houston Rockets trade: Omer Asik
Minnesota Timberwolves trade: Pick #32, Malcolm Lee

32 - Houston Rockets: Sergey Karasev - G, Russia
33 - Sacramento Kings: Pierre Jackson - G, Baylor
34 - Charlotte Bobcats: Andre Roberson - F, Colorado
35 - Utah Jazz: Phil Pressey - G, Missouri
36 - Washington Wizards: Tony Snell - F, New Mexico
37 - New Orleans Pelicans: Russ Smith - G, Lousville
38 - Orlando Magic: Erick Green - G, Virginia Tech
39 - Dallas Mavericks: Doug McDermott - F, Creighton
40 - Toronto Raptors: Peyton Siva - G, Lousiville
41 - New York Knicks: Brandon Paul - G, Illinois
42 - Cleveland Cavaliers: Reggie Bullock - G, North Carolina
43 - Phoenix Suns: Bojan Bubljevic - F, Spain
44 - Denver Nuggets: Allen Crabbe - G, California
45 - Atlanta Hawks: Solomon Hill - F, Arizona
46 - Milwaukee Bucks: Myck Kabongo - G, Texas
47 - San Antonio Spurs: Lucas Nogueira - C, Brazil
48 - Golden State Warriors: Jeff Withey - C, Kansas
49 - Phoenix Suns: Richard Howell - F, N.C. State
50 - Indiana Pacers: Brandon Triche - G, Syracuse
51 - Los Angeles Clippers: Deshaun Thomas - F, Ohio State

Trade:
Golden State Warriors trade: Festus Ezeli
Sacramento Kings trade: John Salmons, pick # 58

52 - Detroit Pistons: Seth Curry - G, Duke
53 - Denver Nuggets: Dexter Strickland - G, North Carolina
54 - Memphis Grizzlies: Rodney Williams - F, Arkansas
55 - Charlotte Bobcats: Dewayne Dedmon- C, USC
56 - Philadelphia 76ers: Trevor Mbakwe - F, Minnesota
57 - Los Angeles Lakers: Carrick Felix - G/F, Arizona State
58 - Golden State Warriors: Alex Oriakhi - F, Missouri
59 - Oklahoma City Thunder: Patric Young - F, Florida

Trade:
Indiana Pacers trade: Lance Stephenson
Denver Nuggets trade: Pick #60, 2014 First Round Draft Selection

60 - Indiana Pacers: Quinn Cook - G, Duke

Draft winners and losers:
Winners:
Charlotte Bobcats: Landing star rim-protector Nerlens Noel, who was projected by many to go #1, could have been close to a no-brainer at 5. Many scouts and FO executives likened Noel to last year's #1 pick Anthony Davis, as Noel certainly has the athleticism and defensive instincts to impact the NBA game the same way Davis has. The Bobcats also get a quality draft grade for their second round pickup of F Andre Roberson. A quality defender and rebounder from either forward position, Roberson adds further defensive punch to a lineup that can include Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Nerlens Noel. A change in the culture seems to be in motion in Charlotte.

San Antonio Spurs: Typical Spurs fashion, picking up hard-working players to fill roles. Frontcourt players Cody Zeller and Lucas Nogueira add youth behind Tim Duncan, and can help keep the seemingly ageless Big Fundamental healthy.

Denver Nuggets: Losing Andre Igoudala didn't seem to faze the Nuggets, who pick up polarizing Shabazz Muhammad all the way down at 23. Muhammad could become the steal of the draft if he can mature and focus on his game. Denver's second round selection of Allen Crabbe is an outstanding pick as well. 2-guard is probably the biggest need for the Nuggets, and they get two (actually 3, including Dexter Strickland at 53) quality wing prospects. One as a high-risk, high-reward pick in Muhammad, the other as a rock-solid NBA-ready player in Crabbe.

Miami Heat: The Heat receive a steal with Anthony Bennett at 29, someone who was projected by some as a top-5 pick and a lottery pick by most. Getting to learn from Lebron and Chris Bosh will always help a young player's development.

Losers:
Phoenix Suns: In need of young talent, period. Their first-round selection of Isaiah Canaan is a bit of a head-scratcher, with Goran Dragic already on the roster. They selected pass-first PG Kendall Marshall last year, who actually gained some momentum and experience in increased floor time down the stretch of the season. Canaan will likely receive little floor time to begin with, or take minutes away from a developing Marshall or would-be-overpaid Goran Dragic. Dubljevic will likely stay in Europe where he is already playing, and may not be coming over anytime soon or ever.

Milwaukee Bucks: In desperate need of wing help, the Bucks used both their selections for point guards Lorenzo Brown and Myck Kabongo. This Bucks team resigned star backcourt duo Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, and there is no denying the fact they did a very poor job in assessing roster needs, especially with the opportunities for players at other positions such as Zeller, Muhammad, and Nogueira.

NBA Free Agency News

Rockets on fast track to success, sign Howard
The Houston Rockets have suddenly taken themselves from the West's basement dweller to title contender in one offseason. The combination of a healthy James Harden and the 4yr/$71.84M signing of Dwight Howard have helped Rockets fans make last season's 27-55 record a distant memory. The Rockets needed to create more cap room to sign Howard, and did so by sending C Omer Asik to Minnesota in exchange for G Malcolm Lee and the 32nd overall draft selection. They added Russian sharpshooter Sergey Karasev with that selection, as well as selecting tantalizing PG prospect Michael Carter-Williams with the 4th pick and versatile bigman Kelly Olynyk at 31. With Howard now joining emerging superstar James Harden, 2011-12 Knick sensation Jeremy Lin, and intriguing young forward Chandler Parsons, the Rockets have a roster than can challenge for the Western crown. With one of the 10 highest payrolls however, anything less than a deep playoff run would be an underachievement.

Clips retain CP3, add depth
The biggest free agent name along with Howard this year, but, unlike Howard, Chris Paul chose to stay in L.A. CP3 will remain with the Clippers after signing a new 5yr/$95M deal. The Clippers didn't make any other flashy moves this offseason, and instead elected to add complimentary pieces such as Samuel Dalembert and rookies Tim Hardaway Jr. and Deshaun Thomas. The Clippers had a disappointing loss in the first round of the playoffs to the rival Lakers, but are likely the superior L.A. team now after the contrasting fates in resigning their star free agents.

Pistons shake things up
Fans in Motown have a reason to be hopeful about their team, due to some aggressive moves to the roster. They jettisoned combo guard Brandon Knight to the Magic in exchange for the 7th overall selection, with which they claimed C.J. McCollum from Leigh. Knight struggled to play the role of point guard, only mustering 3.8 assists per game in his rookie season. He struggled last season as well, and even lost floor time to Rodney Stuckey and Jose Calderon. The Pistons hope McCollum can learn enough from Jose Calderon to grow into a Damian Lillard-type lead guard.

While they didn't throw their hat into the CP3 or D12 sweepstakes, they did make a free agency splash by landing G/F Andre Igoudala with a 4yr/$36.15M deal. Iggy will provide another veteran presence who, along with Jose Calderon, can help develop the young players on the roster. Igoudala, along with the shot-blocking of Andre Drummond, will also help improve the Pistons' defense which was in the bottom half of the league of most every defensive category. The Pistons' developing frontcourt duo of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond can anchor them down low for probably many more seasons. With an interesting mix of veterans and talented prospects, the Pistons have a chance to make the playoffs in the East sooner rather than later.

Pelicans add Pekovic, Millsap
Following a sign-and-trade with Sacramento to acquire guard Tyreke Evans, the Pelicans continued retooling their roster by adding free agent Paul Millsap and by prying European bigman Nikola Pekovic from the Timberwolves. The Rockets were a incidental ally to the Pelicans' run at Pekovic when they sent C Omer Asik to the Wolves, making Pekovic easier to abandon. The Timberwolves chose not to match New Orleans' reasonable 4yr/$31M offer sheet and let him walk. Pekovic will likely start at center, with Anthony Davis at power forward. The Pelicans now find themselves as one of the deepest teams in the league, with the ability to muster the likes of Tyreke Evans, Paul Millsap, Patrick Patterson, Robin Lopez, and rookie Dario Saric off the pine. A starting 5 of Vasquez, Gordon, Aminu, Davis, and Pekovic is primed to give the Pelicans a shot at the postseason, even in the tough Western Conference.

2013-2014 Opening Day Rosters

Philadelphia 76ers

Additions: G Marquis Teague, F Trevor Mbakwe (R)
Notable Departures: None
Staring 5: J. Holiday, N. Young, E. Turner, T. Young, A. Bynum

Charlotte Bobcats

Additions: F Nerlens Noel (R), F Andre Roberson (R)
Notable Departures: F Reggie Williams
Starting 5: K. Walker, G. Henderson, M. Kidd-Gilchrist, N. Noel, B. Mullens

Milwaukee Bucks

Additions: G Lorenzo Brown (R), G Myck Kabongo (R),
Notable Departures: C Samuel Dalembert
Starting 5: B. Jennings, M. Ellis, L. Mbah a Moute, E. Ilyasova, L. Sanders

Chicago Bulls

Additions: G Jamaal Franklin (R), G Ray Allen, C Jermaine O'Neal
Notable Departures: G Nate Robinson, G Marco Belinelli
Starting 5: D. Rose, R. Allen, L. Deng, C. Boozer, J. Noah

Cleveland Cavaliers

Additions: G J.R. Smith, F Reggie Bullock (R), C Alex Len (R)
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: K. Irving, J.R. Smith, A. Gee, T. Thompson, A. Varejao

Boston Celtics

Additions: C Willie Cauley-Stein (R)
Notable Departures: G/F Terrence Williams
Starting 5: R. Rondo, A. Bradley, P. Pierce, J. Green, K. Garnett

Los Angeles Clippers

Additions: C Samuel Dalembert, F Deshuan Thomas (R), G Tim Hardaway Jr. (R)
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: C. Paul, J. Crawford, C. Butler, B. Griffin, D. Jordan

Memphis Grizzlies

Additions: G Marco Belinelli, F Tony Mitchell (R)
Notable Departures: G Tony Allen
Starting 5: M. Conley, M. Belinelli, T. Prince, Z. Randolph, M. Gasol

Atlanta Hawks

Additions: G Nemanja Nedovic (R), F Solomon Hill (R)
Notable Departures: G/F Kyle Korver
Starting 5: J. Teague, L. Williams, J. Smith, A. Tolliver, A. Horford

Miami Heat

Additions: F Anthony Bennett (R)
Notable Departures: G Ray Allen, C Chris Andersen
Starting 5: M. Chalmers, D. Wade, S. Battier, L. James, C. Bosh

New Orleans Pelicans

Additions: G Tyreke Evans, C Nikola Pekovic, F Paul Millsap, F Patrick Patterson, F Dario Saric (R)
Notable Departures: F Ryan Anderson, G Roger Mason Jr., C Jason Smith
Starting 5: G. Vasquez, E. Gordon, A. Aminu, A. Davis, N. Pekovic

Utah Jazz

Additions: F David West, G Trey Burke (R), G Phil Pressey (R)
Notable Departures: F Jeremy Evans, F Demarre Carroll
Starting 5: M. Williams, A. Burks, G. Hayward, D. West, A. Jefferson

Sacramento Kings

Additions: G Pierre Jackson (R), G Ben McLemore (R), F Ryan Anderson, C Festus Ezeli
Notable Departures: G Tyreke Evans, F Patrick Patterson, F John Salmons
Starting 5: I. Thomas, M. Thornton, J. Butler, B. Biyombo, D. Cousins

New York Knicks

Additions: C Chris Kaman, G Michael Snaer (R), G Brandon Paul (R)
Notable Departures: G J.R. Smith
Starting 5: R. Felton, I. Shumpert, C. Anthony, A. Stoudemire, T. Chandler

Los Angeles Lakers

Additions: F C.J. Leslie (R), G/F Carrick Felix (R)
Notable Departures: C Dwight Howard, F Antawn Jamison, F Metta World Peace
Starting 5: S. Nash, K. Bryant, D. Ebanks, P. Gasol, J. Hill

Orlando Magic

Additions: G Brandon Knight, F Khris Middleton
Notable Departures: G Beno Udrih
Starting 5: J. Nelson, A. Afflalo, T. Harris, G. Davis, N. Vucevic

Dallas Mavericks

Additions: G Victor Oladipo (R), G Ray McCallum (R), F James White
Notable Departures: C Chris Kaman
Starting 5: D. Collison, O.J. Mayo, S. Marion, D. Nowitzki, B. Wright

Brooklyn Nets

Additions: F Otto Porter
Notable Departures: F/C Andray Blatche
Starting 5: D. Williams, J. Johnson, G. Wallace, K. Humphries, B. Lopez

Denver Nuggets

Additions: G Lance Stephenson, G/F Shabazz Muhammad (R), G Allen Crabbe (R)
Notable Departures: G/F Andre Igoudala, C Kosta Kufous
Starting 5: T. Lawson, L. Stephenson, D. Gallinari, K. Faried, J. McGee

Indiana Pacers

Additions: G Brandon Triche (G), G Quinn Cook (R)
Notable Departures: F David West, G Lance Stephenson
Starting 5: G. Hill, P. George, D. Granger, T. Hansbrough, R. Hibbert

Detroit Pistons

Additions: G C.J. McCollum (R), G Beno Udrih, G/F Andre Igoudala
Notable Departures: G Brandon Knight
Starting 5: J. Calderon, A. Igoudala, K. Singler, G. Monroe, A. Drummond

Toronto Raptors

Additions: C Rudy Gobert (R), G Peyton Siva (R)
Notable Departures: F Linaz Kleiza, F Mickael Pietrus
Starting 5: K. Lowry, D. Derozan, R. Gay, A. Bargnani, J. Valanciunas

Houston Rockets

Additions: C Dwight Howard, G Michael Carter-Williams (R), G Sergey Karasev (R), F Kelly Olynyk (R), G Malcolm Lee
Notable Departures: C Omer Asik, F Arnett Moultrie
Starting 5: J. Lin, J. Harden, C. Parsons, D. Montiejunas, D. Howard

San Antonio Spurs

Additions: F Cody Zeller (R), C Lucas Nogueira (R)
Notable Departures: G Patty Mills, F Boris Diaw
Starting 5: T. Parker, M. Ginobli, K. Leonard, C. Zeller, T. Duncan

Phoenix Suns

Additions: G Isaiah Canaan (R)
Notable Departures: C Jermaine O'Neal, G/F Wesley Johnson
Starting 5: G. Dragic, S. Brown, M. Beasley, L. Scola, M. Gortat

Oklahoma City Thunder

Additions: F Mason Plumlee (R), F Patric Young (R)
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: R. Westbrook, K. Martin, K. Durant, S. Ibaka, K. Perkins

Minnesota Timberwolves

Additions: C Omer Asik, G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (R), F Boris Diaw
Notable Departures: C Nikola Pekovic
Starting 5: R. Rubio, A. Shved, C. Budinger, K. Love, O. Asik

Portland Trailblazers

Additions: F/C Andre Blatche, C Mike Muscala (R)
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: D. Lillard, W. Matthews, N. Batum, L. Aldridge, J.J. Hickson

Golden State Warriors

Additions: F John Salmons, C Jeff Withey (R), G B.J. Young (R), F Alex Oriaki (R)
Notable Departures: G Jarrett Jack, C Festus Ezeli
Starting 5: S. Curry, K. Thompson, H. Barnes, D. Lee, A. Bogut

Washington Wizards

Additions: F Tony Snell (R), C Gorgui Dieng (R)
Notable Departures: F Martell Webster
Starting 5: J. Wall, B. Beal, T. Ariza, N. Hilario, E. Okafor

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.

Kings fill roster to 15, add Miller, Johnson.

Following the trade of Tyreke Evans and the subsequent drafting of Ben McLemore, the Kings front office added futher pieces to the roster in free agency. Today they announced 1-year agreements with G Armon Johnson, F Darius Miller, and C Cole Aldrich. Some thought the Kings would let Aldrich walk in free agency after their acquision of disgruntled bigman Festus Ezeli from the Warriors, but caution would suggest a team can never have too much frontcourt depth. Aldrich averaged 1.5 PPG and 1.8 RPG in just over 7 minutes per game last season for the Kings.

The signings of Armon Johnson and Darius Miller suggest that the Kings FO was intent on their strategy of finding undervalued players and getting production from them. Johnson was drafted 34th overall in 2010 by Portland, and averaged 2.9 PPG and 1.2 APG in 38 games in his rookie season. He was not signed by an NBA team last season, and is expected to still be behind Isaiah Thomas and the Kings' 33rd overall pick Pierre Jackson for point guard minutes.

Darius Miller was drafted in the second round of last year's draft, and joined Kentucky teammate Anthony Davis in New Orleans. Miller played sparingly however, only mustering 5.1 MPG in 28 games. Miller has the potential to be a combo forward, and might be able to find some floor time with the minutes that James Johnson left behind. The Kings are interested to see if he can improve his defensive ability to become a two-way versatile forward.

After an up-and-down seasion in which the players on the roster developed as individuals and as a team, the Kings are hoping for continued improvement this season. Some even dare to hope for a postseason appearance, but that will depend upon outstanding play from returning leaders Demarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas, and how quickly newcomers such as Ben McLemore and Ryan Anderson can adjust.
Some question if Pierre Jackson is too small to be effective in this league, despite examples such as teammate Isaiah Thomas, Nate Robinson, Ty Lawson, and even Mugssy Bogues. After a successful college career, will Jackson be able to follow their lead? Will Bismack Biyombo shine as a defensive force in the league, or continue to be just a good athlete lacking elite skills and any offensive game? Can Marcus Thornton, back in the starting lineup while McLemore develops, pick up his game after a tough season statistically? Only the new season will tell.

[Its_asdf]

I really like your roster, although I'm sad to see Tyreke go. He was one of my favourite Kings, but Ryan Anderson is a much more suitable complimentary piece to Cousins. I also love the Jimmy Buckets acquisition. He's a bit overrated by some, but I think he's able to be a solid third banana on a team.

How in God's name did Bennett fall to 29? Unfortunate that a fellow Canadian is now with the Heatles.....

[Vespasian92]

I really like your roster, although I'm sad to see Tyreke go. He was one of my favourite Kings, but Ryan Anderson is a much more suitable complimentary piece to Cousins. I also love the Jimmy Buckets acquisition. He's a bit overrated by some, but I think he's able to be a solid third banana on a team.

How in God's name did Bennett fall to 29? Unfortunate that a fellow Canadian is now with the Heatles.....

Yeah, I do hope he succeeds in NO in real life as well. His game is set up where he needs the ball to be effective, and so I think that means somebody needs to put him at the point or bring him off the bench. With Cousins' ability to score, as well as the way Isaiah is working for me, I just didn't have enough touches for Tyreke.

I don't really understand how the CPU is valuing the prospects when drafting. Even with overalls and potential ratings higher than the rest, people like Noel, Burke, and Zeller were falling back into the 20s or even the second round. I reloaded the save before the draft a few times to edit some ratings even further. Obviously I still didn't raise Bennett and Zeller enough lol.

[Axel The Great]

You have an intriguing roster for the coming season. I like the acquisition of Ryan Anderson; he's definitely an upgrade over Patterson because he has more range and is a better rebounder. Not to mention he'll open up driving lanes for everyone else due to his three-point shooting.

The CPU puzzles me when it comes to draft night. Seeing Anthony Bennett fall to 29 is indeed shocking to me, because he went #1 overall in my story. However, I did have McLemore and Caldwell-Pope fall to the second round.

[Vespasian92]

Newcomers produce in opener

Kings C Demarcus Cousins celebrates after a tough finish.
A rising Kings squad, a slipping Lakers squad, and the emotion of a season-opener. The renewing rivalry couldn't have been written any better. Many in Sacramento are hopeful about the offseason additions of the likes of Ryan Anderson and rookie guards Ben McLemore and Pierre Jackson, while the Lakers must employ new faces after the departures of Dwight Howard and Metta World Peace. So how would the respective squads employ their new lineups?


The new-look Lakers are expected by many to struggle this season, especially in the paint. This will be the first season the Lakers didn't have another legitimate 7-footer alongisde of Pau Gasol on the roster since 2004, even if that secondary player wasn't always avaliable (after all, Andrew Bynum missed a significant number of games over the years with various injuries). Looking to Jordan Hill to shoulder some of the load temporarily for this season, the Lakers may seek to add a young frontcourt player sooner rather than later. Robert Sacre's attempts to prove his worth this season got off to a good start against the Kings with a 9 point, 5 rebound performance in 8 minutes. Devin Ebanks had a very strong 21-point performance, as the Lakers frequently looked to him after the Kings forced the ball out of Kobe's hands.

Kings newcomer Ryan Anderson had an efficient 22 minutes, with 9 points and 6 rebounds on 4/5 from the field. Festuz Ezeli did some blue-collar work on the backboards in 11 minutes, totalling 3 points and 5 rebounds, including an and-1 tip of an offensive rebound. Explosive rookie point guard Pierre Jackson ran the show in his 14 minutes, with 8 points and a productive 5 assists. Even Darius Miller contributed in his 6 minutes, coming away with 5 points, including dropping a corner 3. But the main story was the production from the 8th overall draft selection Ben McLemore. His teammates wasted little time looking to get him open shots offensively, helping the former Kansas Jayhawk to an effective 17 points on 7/12 shooting. 3 of fellow rookie Pierre Jackson's 5 dimes were to McLemore, and helped Ben avoid trying to create for himself. McLemore did most of his damage in transition or curling into midrange jumpers off of screens, and only made one shot from beyond the arc.

Of course, the holdovers from last year made their presence felt despite sub-par performances from Isaiah Thomas (13 points, 4 assists) and Demarcus Cousins (11 points, 9 rebounds). Jimmy Butler was unusually aggressive offensively, and came away with 16 points on 50% shooting. The most notable production came from Marcus Thornton, who looked confident resuming a starting role. The Bayou Bomber out-dueled Kobe Byrant to the tune of 24 points on 17 shots. Thornton also chipped in with 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

"I've started games for the majority of my career, at LSU, in New Orleans, and my first year here. Obviously last season was an adjustment for me, but that was what the team wanted and I'm not going to complain. I'm looking forward to this season though, and I can do a lot to help this team win games. - Kings G Marcus Thornton

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Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 24 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 9/17 FG
Ben McLemore: 17 PTS - 7/12 FG - 21 MIN
Jimmy Butler: 16 PTS - 5 REB - 5/10 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 13 PTS - 4 AST - 4/13 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 11 PTS - 9 REB - 3/7 FT


Los Angeles Lakers Top Performers
Devin Ebanks: 21 PTS - 11 REB - 10/16 FG
Kobe Bryant: 19 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 8/17 FG
Jordan Hill: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 2 BLK - 4/15 FG
Pau Gasol: 12 PTS - 10 REB - 6/8 FG

Biyombo's boards drowned by raining 3s
A career-best rebounding performance went under the radar as the Kings welcomed the new-look Pistons to Sacramento. Coming off a season-opening win against the Grizzlies, Detroit came out sluggish in the first half. Offseason acquisiton Andre Igoudala missed 4 of his first 5 shots, and starting SF Kyle Singler also struggled in the first half, going 3-10. The Kings took advantage of Detroit's struggles with strong defensive and rebounding efforts.

Sacramento obtained a 13-6 offensive rebounding advantage and a 19-6 advantage in second chance points for the game, thanks in large part to Bismack Biyombo. The athletic bigman from the Congo played 41 minutes in the contest, thanks in part to Cousins' 2 early fouls. Biyombo's 6 offensive rebounds were included in a career-high 16 rebound performance for the game. Ironically enough, he failed to block a shot, and is currently without a block through the first two games.

Detroit recoved offensively in the second half, but Ryan Anderson got hot in the 3rd quarter, scoring 11 points (including 3 triples) to keep the Kings in front. The Kings made 9 of their 12 3PT FGs in the second half to prevent the letdown and hold on for the 111-104 victory. After a successful 2-game stand to open the season, the Kings head on the road for a winnable 3-game trip in the East (CHA, ORL, ATL).

Pistons rookie C.J. McCollum only played 6 minutes, but scored 5 points in that span. Rookies Pierre Jackson and Ben McLemore both had productive stints for the Kings. Jackson had 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in 9 minutes on 3/3 from downtown. McLemore had 8 points and 2 rebounds in 10 minutes of burn.
Kings (2-0): 111
Pistons (1-1): 104

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 20 PTS - 8/15 FG - 3/6 3PT FG
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 8 REB - 26 MIN - 5 FLS
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 10 AST - 6/15 FG
Ryan Anderson: 16 PTS - 5 REB - 4/9 3PT FG
Bismack Biyombo: 8 PTS - 16 REB (Career-High) - 6 OFF REB


Detroit Pistons Top Performers
Greg Monroe: 27 PTS - 4 REB - 11/17 FG
Andre Igoudala: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 3 STL - 7/17 FG
Kyle Singler: 12 PTS - 6 REB - 5 AST - 6/18 FG
Andre Drummond: 8 PTS - 9 REB - 1 BLK - 41 MIN

Kings hold on in Charlotte
In a contest that was much closer than it should have been, the Kings beat the Bobcats to win their third straight to open the season. Thanks to strong defensive efforts that held the Bobcats to just 63 points through the first three quarters. Wing players Gerald Henderson, Ben Gordon, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist shot a combined 11/33 for the game, failing to help the Bobcats' struggling offense. Conversely, the Kings' starting backcourt of Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Thornton provided the scoring, which let the Kings take a comfortable 15-point lead into the 4th. But the Kings coasted down the stretch a little too much, losing their intensity on defense. Charlotte only shot 42% for the first three quarter, but made over 60% of their attempts in the 4th. They notched 30 points in the final quarter and it took some Isaiah Thomas free-throws for the Kings to hold them off. Kemba Walker led the failed rally with an efficient 24 points for the game, as well as 4 rebounds and 6 assists.

For the Kings, most of the 4th quarter rally they allowed occured when defensive anchor Bismack Biyombo was on the bench with most of the other starters. Once again, his strong efforts inside defensively and on the glass helped the Kings play solid defense, as he came away with 13 rebounds and 3 blocks. Franchise bigman Demarcus Cousins was free to focus on his offense, and came away with a team-high 22 on an effective 9/14 from the field. They now head to Orlando for another winnable road game against the Magic.
Kings (3-0): 97
Bobcats (1-1): 93

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 22 PTS - 6 REB - 9/14 FG
Marcus Thornton: 18 PTS - 5 AST - 7/16 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 5 REB - 8 AST - 6 TO
Jimmy Butler: 10 PTS - 5 REB - 4/5 FG
Bismack Biyombo: 9 PTS - 13 REB - 3 BLK - 6 OFF REB


Charlotte Bobcats Top Performers
Kemba Walker: 27 PTS - 4 REB - 11/17 FG
Byron Mullens: 16 PTS - 9 REB - 6/13 FG
Nerlens Noel: 14 PTS - 12 REB - 2 BLK
Gerald Henderson: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 6/18 FG

NBA Transactions:

Free Agency Leftovers
Let's take a look at where the free agency stragglers landed, as well what teams wasted little time in extending their upcoming free agents.

Signings:
Mavericks sign C Greg Oden with 1yr/$2.83M deal.
Heat sign G Tony Allen with 1yr/$1.41M deal.
Lakers sign F Elton Brand with 1yr/$1.37M deal.
Grizzlies sign F Corey Brewer with 1yr/$2.26M deal.

Extensions:
Bucks extend G Monta Ellis with 4yr/$53.12M deal.
Cavaliers extend F/C Marreese Speights with 4yr/$14.30M deal.
Grizzlies extend G Jerryd Bayless with 4yr/$14.40M deal.
Mavericks extend G O.J. Mayo with 4yr/$31.28M deal.
Warriors extend F Carl Landry with 4yr/$11.42M deal.
Wizards extend F Trevor Ariza with 5yr/$19.33M deal.
Bobcats extend G Ben Gordon with 5yr/$17.72M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:

NBA Notes:

[Axel The Great]

Good start to the season so far. Good to see the offseason acquisitions contributing nicely.

[Its_asdf]

Wizards extend F Trevor Ariza with 5yr/$19.33M deal.

I find this hilarious because this happened in my association as well, but in real life everyone in Washington can't stand the guy.

Anyway, good job on the good start thus far. Your roster is definitely playoff material, but of course being in the Western conference always makes it difficult.

[Vespasian92]

Knight shines in Orlando
With an empty throne since the departure of Dwight Howard two seasons ago, there might be a new leader in the Magic Kingdom. After a frequently questioned trade on draft day that gave up the rights to rookie C.J. McCollum, the Magic acquired Brandon Knight from the Pistons. Similar in style and skillset as scoring combo guards, McCollum was a hyped rookie from small-school Leigh, while Knight is a known commodity whom many in Detroit expected more from. But the doubters, both of the trade and of Knight, are suddenly quiet.

Knight has dominated in the early going this season, and Tuesday's game against the Kings was no exception. Against the sub-par defense of Marcus Thornton, Knight almost reached a triple-double. He had a career-best 36 points to go with 8 rebounds and 8 assists. While he went 0-4 from downtown, Knight created lanes to the basket or shots from midrange, scoring his 36 points on 26 attempts. In the first 5 games of the regular season, Knight has averaged 21.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 6.6 APG for the Magic. With veteran PG Jameer Nelson due $8M on a team option this offseason, the Magic might consider using that money elsewhere in 2014's loaded free agent class.

Demarcus Cousins led the Kings' losing efforts with 22 points and 9 rebounds, while Bismack Biyombo added a double-double.
Magic (2-2): 113
Kings (3-1): 102

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 22 PTS - 9 REB - 6/6 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 7 AST - 5/8 FG
Marcus Thornton: 13 PTS - 5/10 FG
Bismack Biyombo: 10 PTS - 10 REB


Orlando Magic Top Performers
Brandon Knight: 36 PTS - 8 REB - 8 AST - 16/26 FG
Glen Davis: 16 PTS - 12 REB - 6/14 FG
Aaron Afflalo: 16 PTS - 8 REB - 7/15 FG
Jameer Nelson: 13 PTS - 10 AST - 5/10 FG

McLemore torches Hawks
After struggling in the games since his 17-point performance in the season opener, rookie Ben McLemore found his rhythm in Atlanta. McLemore, along with the whole Kings team, caught fire in the second half of their contest against the Hawks. Sacramento outscored Atlanta by 22 in the second half, and at one point in the 4th were working on an 18-2 run. McLemore took over the load offensively, scoring 16 of his 20 points after the halftime break. Despite his reputation as an outstanding shooter in college, McLemore had only made one shot from downtown previously this season. He found his touch tonight however, burying 4 shots from beyond the arc on 7 attempts. He didn't forget about the other aspects of the game either, and came away with 7 rebounds.

Of course, holding an opponent to 78 points requires better than average defense, and the Kings brought their focus on that side of the ball as well. Aside from his impressive rebounding numbers thus far this season (12.8 RPG), Bismack Biyombo displayed his athleticism and anticipation with 4 blocks in Atlanta. He helped the team reach a total of 10 rejections for the game, including 2 blocks from the shortest player on the floor in Isaiah Thomas.

The Kings looked to take the ball out of the hands of Lou Williams and Jeff Teague, a strategy that worked to force Anthony Tolliver to take contested jumpshots. Tolliver struggled mightily in the contest, shooting below 25% from the field. Williams did get up 13 attempts but only made 4 of them.
Kings (4-1): 98
Hawks (0-3): 78

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Ben McLemore: 20 PTS (Career-High) - 7 REB - 8/15 FG - 4/7 3PT FG
Marcus Thornton: 19 PTS - 5 AST - 8/20 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 9 AST - 2 BLK
Demarcus Cousins: 12 PTS - 7 REB - 4/7 FG
Bismack Biyombo: 5 PTS - 9 REB - 4 BLK


Atlanta Hawks Top Performers
Al Horford: 18 PTS - 13 REB - 7/12 FG
Josh Smith: 16 PTS - 12 REB - 6/15 FG
Anthony Tolliver: 13 PTS - 9 REB - 5/24 FG - 1/12 3PT FG
Lou Williams: 9 PTS - 4 AST - 4/13 FG

Bench fails Kings in Sactown
So far this season it has been the bench and role players who have stepped up for the Kings in their solid 4-1 beginning. Subpar performances mark the box scores for last season's leaders Isaiah Thomas and Demarcus Cousins, and yet their teammates have picked them up. With the winless Cavaliers coming to Sacramento, and bounceback performances from Thomas (16 PTS, 11 AST) and Cousins (29 PTS, 11 REB) on the horizon, one might have taken this game for granted. In the first and third quarters, most of which the Kings' starters played, Sacramento outscored Cleveland by a combined 16 points.

But the usual production from the Kings reserves simply was not present tonight. Aside from an effective 12 points from Ryan Anderson, the usual reserves failed to show any kind of efficiency. The other 4 main role players (Jackson, McLemore, Taylor, Ezeli) shot a combined 3/19, coming away with only 9 points among them. Conversely, offseason acquisition J.R. Smith dominated the game for the Cavaliers, with 28 points and a season-best 11 rebounds. This marks the second time in the last three games when the subpar defense of Marcus Thornton allowed his man to light up the Kings with a big game. Along with 17 points from fellow scoring guard Dion Waiters, Smith carried the load offensively for Cleveland. Kyrie Irving only attempted 6 shots in the contest but instead looked to be in a passing role, coming away with 12 assists.
Cavaliers (1-5): 108
Kings (4-2): 100


Kings C Demarcus Cousins' return to form was a welcome sight for Kings fans, despite the loss.

Cleveland Cavaliers Top Performers
J.R. Smith: 28 PTS - 11 REB (Season-High) - 11/22 FG
Dion Waiters: 17 PTS - 7/17 FG
Anderson Varejao: 14 PTS - 9 REB - 5/7 FG
Kyrie Irving: 12 PTS - 12 AST - 4/6 FG


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 29 PTS - 11 REB - 3 STL - 11/15 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 11 AST - 0 TO
Ryan Anderson: 12 PTS - 5/6 FG - 2/3 3PT FG
Marcus Thornton: 11 PTS - 6 AST - 4/11 FG

Rebounding struggles hurt Kings
Heading to Utah for a single-game trip, the Kings hoped to bounce back from a loss to the Cavaliers on Saturday. To deal with the frontcourt depth of the Jazz, Sacramento was hoping for another strong performance from Demarcus Cousins after his 29-11 effort against the Cavs.

Things started out as they had planned, as the Kings took a 30-24 advantage after the first quarter, thanks to 6 first-quarter boards from Cousins. But it was all Utah after that. Showcasing their depth by bringing Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter off the bench, the Jazz bullied the Kings reserve frontcourt of Ryan Anderson and Festuz Ezeli. The Jazz frontcourt of Jefferson, Favors, and offseason acquisition David West combined for 31 rebounds in the game. Utah enjoyed a +12 rebounding advantage and cruised over Sacramento 109-95. Demarcus Cousins only snared 3 additional rebounds after the first quarter, and finished the game with an inefficient 17 points and 9 boards.
Jazz (3-4): 109
Kings (4-3): 95


Kings rookie Pierre Jackson has made an impact, both in tonight's game and this season, with his energy and athleticism.

Utah Jazz Top Performers
Alec Burks: 23 PTS - 11/18 FG
Al Jefferson: 18 PTS - 10 REB - 7/14 FG
Gordon Hayward: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 4/10 FG
David West: 11 PTS - 14 REB - 4/7 FG


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 5 AST - 8/18 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 9 REB - 2 BLK - 6/17 FG
Pierre Jackson: 12 PTS - 3 AST - 2 STL - 6/11 FG - 14 MIN
Ryan Anderson: 9 PTS - 7 REB - 1/6 3PT FG

NBA Transactions:

Bucks get young, acquire Amir Johnson
Milwaukee Bucks trade: Drew Gooden, Ishmael Smith
Toronto Raptors trade: Amir Johnson, Peyton Siva

A smart move for a rebuilding Bucks team, they manage to turn the bloated contract of veteran Drew Gooden and journeyman point guard Ish Smith into the athletic Amir Johnson and promising rookie Peyton Siva. Many question this trade from Toronto's standpoint, as it seems like a win-now move for a team that might miss the playoffs, much less fall short of a deep run. However, one benefit for Toronto is that this move solidifies a role and playing time for rookie Rudy Gobert at backup center, minutes that Johnson was playing.

More road bumps for Royce White, heads to Orlando
Philadelphia 76ers trade: Royce White, 2015 second round draft selection
Orlando Magic trade: Andrew Nicholson

After hoping for a new start after being traded from Houston, Royce White may still be looking for a franchise to call home. The Philadelphia 76ers have traded him to the Orlando Magic in exchange for forward Andrew Nicholson. Many fans, both in Orlando and across the NBA, hope for the best with the talented White, who has struggled with managing his flying anxiety in Houston and Philadelphia. Reliable as a faceup 4 man, Nicholson may find a role as a compliment to Andrew Bynum in Philly.

Pelicans free frontcourt rotation, jettison Millsap
Indiana Pacers trade: Rodrigue Beaubois
New Orleans Pelicans trade: Paul Millsap

Signed in the offseason by the Pelicans, veteran forward Paul Millsap is headed to a legitimate championship contender in the Pacers. After David West walked away from Indiana in free agency (ironically signing in Utah), the Pacers traded for the former Jazz player in Millsap. He is expected to man the starting PF role beside Roy Hibbert for the Pacers.

Beaubois played over 17 minutes per game for the Pacers in the early going of this season, averaging 8 points and 3 assists. With revived trade value, the Pacers sent the Pelicans a backup PG to add to their backcourt starring Greivis Vasquez, Eric Gordon, and Tyreke Evans. The Pelicans did free their frontcourt rotation for the likes of Nikola Pekovic, Robin Lopez, Anthony Davis, and Patrick Patterson. Many say they traded one logjam for another, so it will be curious to see how the Pelicans manage their roster now.

Kobe a Laker for life?
The Los Angeles Lakers have announced an agreement to extend G Kobe Bryant with a 2yr/$30.04M deal. Not often would over $15M a year be a 50% pay cut, but that is what Byrant's salary will do. After earning
over $30M this season, the new extention will take effect this offseason. At the age of 35, Bryant seems as ageless as ever, posting strong numbers of 27.7 PPG and 6.3 RPG in the early going of the season.

NBA Injury Updates:
Lakers F Pau Gasol out 2-4 weeks with Sprained Shoulder.
Suns F Luis Scola out 1-2 weeks with Sore Foot.

NBA Notes:
Heat win 5th straight, now 5-0 overall.

[Its_asdf]

Looks like you've slowed down a bit from your good start, but that's to be expected. Looks like Butler has not been making an impact this week either, which could be a factor in some of those losses.

Anyway, what a shitty trade for the Raptors... Amir is like the heart and soul and fan favourite here in Toronto and they traded him away for Drew freakin' Gooden? Looks like Bryan Colangelo is still GM in this Association...

[Vespasian92]

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.

Meeting our new rookies


Ben McLemore:

Ben's story is the stuff of legends. This is the story of triumph and hard work over adversity – success against all odds. This is the stuff movies are made of. This is a young man, when he was a kid, didn't know where his next meal was going to come from, and he went on to become part of and shine at one of the country's great basketball programs. I know what Ben's motto is 'Stay humble, stay hungry,' and these are words we can live by, as well. - Kings owner Vivek Ranadive

Coming from a difficult background growing up in Wellston, Missouri, McLemore recalls his family's struggles to make ends meet. There were times when they had no food, or had to live without electricity or hot water. Along with his older brother, he tried to find odd jobs to help pay for the necessities his family needed. Ben recalled that he looked up to his brother a lot because of his hard work in helping to provide for the family. But when Ben was only 15, his older brother was arrested and began serving a 15-year prison sentence. With his brother now out of the picture, McLemore then did whatever he could to try and help support his mother and siblings after the event, knowing he needed to step up. Similar financial struggles for his family continued through most of his high school life.

Through an incredible amount of hard work and determination, McLemore caught the attention of the Kansas Jayhawks' coaching and scouting staff at the university's basketball camp he attented before his junior year in highschool. His hard work paved his way, transferring through Oak Hill Aacdemy and then through Christian Life Center, to get to Kansas. After sitting out from basketball activities his first year to gain academic eligibility, McLemore burst onto the scene for the Jayhawks, opening eyes with his athleticism and shooting touch. He became the first Kansas freshman to score 30+ points in two inter-conference games. Using his strong college season with the Jayhawks to proper his NBA draft stock, McLemore was a legitimate candidate to go first overall in the wide-open draft class. But despite the dramatic improvements that have taken place in his personal situation, Ben hasn't forgotten where he came from. Looking forward to the draft and a career in the NBA, Ben said he wanted to take care of his mother and siblings.

"When I walk across that stage, I know I've made it and I can provide for my family. It's a blessing. It's an opportunity and I've put a lot of thought into it." - Kings G Ben McLemore, before being selected in the 2013 NBA Draft

In addition to helping his family, McLemore also doesn't want to forget about his impoverished community and what he learned there.

"I'm never going to forget Wellston. It's where I grew up. It's my heart and my pride. The people are great here. I'm going to give back. I was born and raised here. I'm a humble person. The community knows that. I want to build it back to how it was and be a happier place than it was." - Kings G Ben McLemore, speaking of his hometown

After wearing #23 at Kansas, McLemore chose to wear #16 for the Kings to represent his mother and her 6 children. In the first 7 games this season sporting that jersey for Sacramento, McLemore has averaged 9.7 PPG and shot 49% from the field in 16.3 MPG.




Pierre Jackson:
Standing only 5-9, Jackson joins Nate Robinson and teammate Isaiah Thomas as the shortest active players in the league. Drafted with the 33rd overall selection by the Kings, Jackson comes from Baylor with impressive statistical numbers. After the departures of Perry Jones, Quincy Miller, and Quincy Acy from Baylor, Jackson took on a leadship role least season for the Bears, and averaged 19.8 PPG and 7.1 APG. After finding success with a 2nd round undersized point guard selection previously in Isaiah Thomas, the Kings had confidence in the explosive lead guard from Baylor and didn't hesitate to take him. The Kings FO was targeting Jackson in the second round, and made sure they got their man.

"We wanted Pierre from the first time we had scouted him in Waco. On draft day, I thought for sure somebody was going to jump on him early in the second round, if not before. I was thrilled he was avaliable at 33. Pierre has a similar skillset and attitude to Isaiah; a hard worker, unafraid to take it into the paint despite his size, ready to use quickness to his advantage defensively, and plays with an intensity that rubs off on the team. We don't need to change our gameplan when Pierre subs for Isaiah. He can run the same sets and attack the same way, and makes the opposing defense stay alert on the ballhandler." - Kings GM Stephen Miller

Jackson uses his energy and quickness to be effective, and has managed to make contributions early on this season. In the first 7 games, Jackson has earned almost 13 minutes a game, mustering 7.9 PPG and 2.6 APG. He seems to play with a chip on his shoulder, and doesn't even like to mention the notion that his lack of size is a hindrance. In the pre-draft workouts, Jackson dismissed the concern when asked if his size would be a difficulty for him in the NBA.

"I feel like that shouldn't be an issue at all, you know Nate Robinson and Isaiah Thomas have proved that throughout this past year. I think I can play with the best of them. The taller guards gotta guard us too, so that's all I got to say about that." - Kings G Pierre Jackson during pre-draft workouts




RL sources:
USA Today
ESPN
Kings Blog
DraftExpress

[Its_asdf]

Good read, I didn't know too much about McLemore other than he was balls to the wall hyped up when the draft came rolling around.

It's interesting how Jackson and Thomas are pretty much the same type of player. It lends to a pretty interesting dynamic where you don't have to have your players adjust to the point guards style of play just because they're both so similar.

I also didn't know that McLemore took 16. He has a lot to live up to by taking Peja's number! (Stojakovic was my favourite King back in the early 2000's)

[Vespasian92]

Bench duo shocks Thunder
Kings F Jeff Taylor throws down a baseline reverse dunk

With the newly-crowned champs coming off a 28-point blowout of the Lakers in L.A, and the Kings coming off two straight losses, the two clubs prepared to meet in Sacramento. With these contrasting trends, one would expect the superstar-laden Thunder to make easy work on the improved, but still growing, Kings. When Demarcus Cousins fails to reach double-digits in scoring or rebounding, when Bismack Biyombo fails to block a single shot, and when your star rookie of Ben McLemore goes 0/7 from the field, even fans as loyal as those in Sacramento might consider heading home early. But those who stuck it out were rewarded by season and career-best performances from a multitude of warriors in the home white.

The starting backcourt of Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Thornton outplayed the Thunder duo of Westbrook and Martin (even despite Westbrook's 18-16), keeping the Kings in the game through Cousins' struggles. It seemed that Thornton couldn't miss, hitting a high percentage of his shots. He had 12 of the Kings' 20 first quarter points, but Sacramento still found themselves down by 12 after the first. But the final three quarters were all Sacramento, as they found a lineup that outscored the Thunder by 19 points for the rest of the game.

In addition to Thornton's offense, a lineup including the combination of Jeff Taylor and Ryan Anderson off the Kings' bench sparked Sacramento in the second quarter. Anderson had 21 for the game, including 3 makes from downtown. Taylor did it all for the Kings with his scoring, rebounding, and passing, all while defending Kevin Durant. The athletic forward from Vanderbilt also made some impressive defensive plays with 2 blocks. One came from helping on Russell Westbrook's drive, while the other was against a Kevin Durant fadeaway late in the 4th quarter. Anderson and Taylor combined for 40 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 5 makes from downtown to help lead the Kings past the Thunder 119-112.

Westbrook's career-best 16 assists and Durant's 23 points were not enough for the Thunder, who saw their #3 option in Kevin Martin shoot an incomprehensible 5/27 from the field, including 2/17 from 3PT range.

"That was our plan going in, to make somebody besides Durant and Westbrook take the shots. But I certainly didn't expect a scorer like K-Mart to struggle that much. We realized it wasn't his night and eventually started helping off of him, daring him to shoot. Our complimentary players stepped up tonight, while theirs didn't. But I wouldn't bank on either happening again, having Marcus, Jeff, and Ryan play so well, or seeing Martin shooting below 20%. - Kings coach Randall Tiner

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 32 PTS (Season-High) - 6 REB - 5 AST - 10/14 FG - 9/9 FT
Ryan Anderson: 21 PTS (Season-High) - 7 REB - 9/15 FG
Jeff Taylor: 19 PTS (Career-High) - 5 REB - 4 AST - 2 BLK - 7/11 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 14 AST (Career-High) - 6/12 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 8 PTS - 9 REB - 4 STL - 3/11 FG


Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers
Kevin Durant: 23 PTS - 8 REB - 7 AST - 10/21 FG
Russell Westbrook: 18 PTS - 6 REB - 16 AST (Career-High) - 4/11 FG
Serge Ibaka: 15 PTS - 9 REB - 3 BLK - 1/5 FT
Kevin Martin: 14 PTS - 5/27 FG - 2/17 3PT FG

Balanced scoring carries Kings
After receiving strong performances from their bench in Tuesday's contest against the Thunder, the Kings looked for more of the same as the red-hot Bulls came to Sacramento. Refusing to run a predictable offense against the likes of Joakim Noah, Sacramento worked to create open shots for each other, and came away with 23 assists for the game. Despite a victory margin of only 3 (thanks to a Taj Gibson 3pt basket at the end of regulation), the Kings looked focused and in control for the majority of the game. Four players scored 16+ points for the Kings, and eight scored more than 7. Thomas and Cousins combined for 35 to lead the scoring for Sacramento in the 103-100 victory.

Defensively, the Kings keyed in on Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, trying to make Chicago change their gameplan. Rose and Deng shot a combined 9/29 from the field in the contest. The Bulls frontline of Noah and Gibson did their part in rebounding those misses, coming away with 9 offensive rebound between them. Yet you won't win often if a team struggles offensively like the Bulls did (41% FG, 25% 3PT FG), and tonight was no different as the Kings held them off at home.
Kings (6-3): 103
Bulls (6-2): 100



Kings G Ben McLemore blocks the late shot-clock attempt of Bulls G Rip Hamilton

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 8 AST - 5/14 FG - 8/10 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 12 REB - 3 STL
Marcus Thornton: 16 PTS - 4/6 3PT FG
Ryan Anderson: 16 PTS - 7 REB - 6/9 FG


Chicago Bulls Top Performers
Joakim Noah: 14 PTS - 15 REB - 4 OFF REB - 6/14 FG
Taj Gibson: 14 PTS - 15 REB - 5 OFF REB
Derrick Rose: 13 PTS - 6 REB - 10 AST - 5/15 FG
Ray Allen: 12 PTS - 5/9 FG

Crawford bakes Kings in Lob City
After a pair of home wins against quality competition, the Kings made the short plane ride to L.A. to face the Clippers. Demarcus Cousins, working in a contract year, has suffered from a head-scratching lack of consistency this season. After a rough outing against the Thunder, he bounced back in Thursday's win against the Bulls with a 17-12 performance and again tonight against the Clippers. Cousins was one of the only effective Kings in this contest, as he dropped an efficient 22 points and a season-best 14 rebounds. Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Thornton cooled off after having strong outings in the previous two games, as they only shot 10/29 between them.

As for the Clippers, it was all Jamal Crawford tonight. If it was Thornton, McLemore, or Taylor guarding him, it didn't matter. Crawford seemed to turn back the clock, shaking and baking his way to 37 points on better than 70% shooting. Aside from Crawford, a 21-11 performance from Deandre Jordan was enough to help the Clippers finish off Sacramento 105-94.
Clippers (5-4): 105
Kings (6-4): 94

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 22 PTS - 14 REB - 10/16 FG
Ben McLemore: 14 PTS - 6/9 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 15 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 14 PTS - 8 AST - 5/16 FG - 3/3 FT
Marcus Thornton: 13 PTS - 6 AST - 5/13 FG


Los Angeles Clippers Top Performers
Jamal Crawford: 37 PTS - 5 REB - 15/25 FG
Caron Butler: 22 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 10/18 FG
Deandre Jordan: 21 PTS - 11 REB - 5/7 FT
Blake Griffin: 9 PTS - 12 REB - 3/13 FG
Chris Paul: 9 PTS - 7 REB - 12 AST - 1/9 FG - 7/7 FT

Isaiah regains scoring touch at home
With his scoring numbers down this season after an 18.6 mark last year, Isaiah Thomas and his Kings in welcomed the Magic to Sacramento. Looking to atone for a disappointing 11 point loss in Orlando last week, the home crowd in Sacramento wanted to avoid seeing another stellar Brandon Knight performance. Yet it seemed the Kings learned nothing from their last game, and let Knight go off again. Tonight he dropped 35 points which put his season averages against the Kings at 35.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 6.5 APG. Fortunately for Sacramento, the quick 2-game season series with the Magic is over, as tonight they avoiding an embarassing sweep thanks to Isaiah Thomas.

Thomas found a scoring groove like we had seen in the latter half of last season, as he came away with 28 points and effective shooting percentages. His 9 assists also helped set up the likes of Marcus Thornton and Ben McLemore, who combined for 42 of their own. Bismack Biyombo also stepped up, posting a perfect shooting double-double.
Kings (7-4): 103
Magic (5-6): 100

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 28 PTS - 9 AST - 9/16 FG - 4/6 3PT FG - 5 TO
Marcus Thornton: 24 PTS - 4 STL - 10/17 FG
Ben McLemore: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 17 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 8 REB - 2 BLK - 5/9 FT
Bismack Biyombo: 11 PTS - 12 REB - 3 BLK - 4/4 FG - 3/3 FT


Orlando Magic Top Performers
Brandon Knight: 35 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 14/29 FG
Glen Davis: 18 PTS - 13 REB - 5/16 FG
Deandre Jordan: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 6/13 FG
Jameer Nelson: 10 PTS - 13 AST - 5/12 FG - 5 TO


Kings F Joel Freeland, who was activated before Saturday's game against the Clippers in place of Darius Miller, was scratched
from the lineup tonight with a lower back strain. Suffered in practice, the injury will cause him to miss at least a week.

NBA Transactions:
Thunder sign F Metta World Peace with 1yr/$966K deal.
Suns sign C Jason Smith with 1yr/$490K deal.
Cavaliers sign G Nate Robinson with 1yr/$490K deal.
Wizards sign G Alan Anderson with 1yr/$2.59M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Pistons F Jason Maxiel out 2-4 weeks with Sprained Foot.
Suns F Channing Frye out 1-2 weeks with Severe Ankle Sprain.
Kings F Joel Freeland out 1-2 weeks with Lower Back Strain.
Hawks G Shelvin Mack out 2-4 weeks with Broken Hand.

NBA Notes:
Heat win 8th straight, now 8-0 overall.
Trailblazers lose 5th straight, now 3-6 overall.

[Vespasian92]

Aldridge dominates on the road
Lamarcus Aldridge had no difficulty against the Kings when he led his Blazers into Sacramento for the teams' first meeting. Using his face-up game to full effect against the slower Bismack Biyombo, Aldridge totalled a 34 point performance to lead his Blazers to the 111-99 win. Filling in for J.J Hickson while he finishes rehab on a torn MCL suffered last season, offseason acquisition Andray Blatche added a double-double to the Blazers' efforts.
Demarcus Cousins seems to have regained his confidence after a few rough games in the early going of the season, and led the Kings' defeat with 26 points and 12 rebounds.
Trailblazers (5-6): 111
Kings (7-5): 99


Portland Trailblazers Top Performers
Lamarcus Aldridge: 34 PTS - 12 REB - 15/29 FG
Nicolas Batum: 19 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST
Damian Lillard: 16 PTS - 10 AST - 6/11 FG
Andray Blatche: 10 PTS - 11 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 26 PTS - 12 REB - 11/21 FG
Marcus Thornton: 16 PTS - 4/6 3PT FG
Jimmy Butler: 12 PTS - 3 REB - 2 BLK - 4/6 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 11 PTS - 7 AST - 4/9 FG

Rockets rout Kings
Rarely is a team out-rebounded when their froncourt duo combines for 30 rebounds, yet that is what happened to the Kings on Saturday. Demarcus Cousins and Bismack Biyombo's rebounding efforts were not enough against the Rockets, as the Kings lost the rebounding battle by 6. Aside from Dwight Howard's 12 rebounds, the Rockets used a team approach to own the glass, as they had five players grab 5 or more rebounds. Conversely, no other King besides Cousins and Biyombo had more than 5 for Sacramento. In addition to the rebounding advantage, Houston had three 20+ point scorers, compared to Sacramento's zero. Even for a team with star talent such as Harden and Howard, the Rockets used a team effort to leave Sacramento with an easy 32 point victory. Isaiah Thomas' career-worst 9 turnovers marked the kind of offensive struggles the Kings dealt with.
Rockets (7-4): 121
Kings (7-6): 89


Houston Rockets Top Performers
Dwight Howard: 27 PTS - 12 REB - 5/6 FT
Terrence Jones: 22 PTS - 10/16 FG
James Harden: 22 PTS - 7 REB - 6 AST - 9/17 FG
Jeremy Lin: 12 PTS - 5 REB - 8 AST - 5 STL


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 3 AST - 4/7 3PT FG - 9 TO (Career-High)
Demarcus Cousins: 16 PTS - 17 REB (Season-High) - 8/19 FG
Marcus Thornton: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 5/9 FG
Bismack Biyombo: 5 PTS - 13 REB - 3 BLK

Kings drop 3rd straight to red-hot Brooklyn
After two disappointing losses at home to the Blazers and Rockets, the Kings went to Brooklyn to try and steal a game against the 12-1 Nets. But any upset was not to be, especially considering the contrasting fates of the two clubs. Behind D-Will's double-double, the Nets claimed their 9th straight win in relatively easy fashion. Brandon Bass also had a strong game, having 10 points and 6 rebounds in his Nets debut.

Demarcus Cousins continued his strong play of late for Sacramento, reaching 12+ rebounds in 5 of his last 6 games to go with 16 points.
Nets (13-1): 107
Kings (7-7): 100

Ben McLemore's only basket of the night was an explosive one

Brooklyn Nets Top Performers
Joe Johnson: 18 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 6/15 FG
Deron Williams: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 12 AST
Marshon Brooks: 15 PTS - 8 REB - 5/15 FG
Brandon Bass: 10 PTS - 6 REB - 4/8 FG


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 19 PTS - 6 REB - 5 AST - 6/14 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 16 PTS - 12 REB - 8/13 FG
Jimmy Butler: 15 PTS - 5/10 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 14 PTS - 7 REB - 5 AST - 5/14 FG

NBA Transactions:
Hawks sign F Matt Barnes with 1yr/$1.11M deal.

Boston starting over?
Boston Celtics trade: Brandon Bass, Courtney Lee
Brooklyn Nets trade: Gerald Wallace, 2014 1st Round Draft Selection

While the move may seem minor for the Celtics, rumors indicate they may be considering a rebuild, including looking for willing partners for veteran stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Even though the Nets are likely a playoff-team, any first-round pick is valuable to an aging team looking for young talent.

As a team in a win-now mode, finding complimentary players to fit around stars Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez is always a good move. After losing Andray Blatche in free agency, Brandon Bass is expected to fill a similar frontcourt role for the Nets.

Nuggets add by subtraction
Denver Nuggets trade: Mirza Teletovic, Jordan Hamilton
New Orleans Pelicans trade: Austin Rivers, Brian Roberts

Forced out of the rotation by incumbents Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and rookie Shabazz Muhammad, disgrunted wingman Jordan Hamilton is headed to New Orleans in a 4-player trade. Along with Hamilton, Denver also ships out Mirza Teletovic, whose arrival from Brooklyn last season didn't pan out as the Nuggets planned.

The Pelicans give up Austin Rivers, who has been receieving even less playing time this season with New Orleans due to the arrival of Tyreke Evans. Point guard Brian Roberts also heads to Denver as a victim of the Pelicans's backcourt rotation, which also included backup PG Rodrigue Beaubois.

Clippers part with Bledsoe
Los Angeles Clippers trade: Eric Bledsoe, Deshuan Thomas
Toronto Raptors trade: Landry Fields, Ishmael Smith

In a productive trade for both sides, the Raptors send newly-acquired guard Ishmael Smith off to L.A. in a trade with the Clippers. After much speculation about the fate of Eric Bledsoe due to the resigning of Chris Paul, the Clippers turned him into some much-needed wing help in the form of Landry Fields. With no backup small forwards, and relying on undersized guards Chauncey Billups and rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. to fill the minutes at the 2, Fields is expected to play a major role off the bench in L.A.

For Toronto, this move provides insurance at the point guard position, with incumbent Kyle Lowry set to enter free agency this offseason. The Raptors have the luxury of giving Deshaun Thomas time to develop behind Gay, Derozan, and Terrence Ross, which was something a contending team like the Clippers could not afford.

Jazz show faith in rookie
Utah Jazz trade: Mo Williams
Charlotte Bobcats trade: Ramon Sessions, 2014 2nd Round Draft Selection

With the impressive production from rookie point guard Trey Burke, the Jazz have traded Mo Williams to Charlotte in exchange for Ramon Sessions. As more of a combo guard when compared to Williams, Sessions allows the Jazz to give more minutes to Burke at the point, and work with a 3-guard rotation including Burke, Sessions, and shooting guard Alec Burks. They also receive a free 2nd round draft pick in the deal

Beginning the downside of his career, Williams will provide Kemba Walker with a veteran mentor to help his further development. Charlotte's only other point guard, Toney Douglas, has fallen out of the Bobcats rotation this season, averaging less than 6 minutes per contest. Williams' presence will alleviate the pressure on Walker to play big minutes, and can help keep the Bobcats' star guard healthy.

Normally I'd undo the unreasonable trades when the CPU starts pulling off so many, but these all seemed fairly realistic. With these trades and the 3 others they did a few posts ago, I might reject all trades until the deadline now, and I have no idea why the CPU wants to trade so much right now lol.



NBA Injury Updates:
Pistons F Kyle Singler out 1-2 weeks with Lower Back Strain.
Rockets F Lavoy Allen out 1-2 weeks with Sprained Knee.
Pelicans G Eric Gordon out 2-4 weeks with Sprained Shoulder.

Wizards' playoff hopes damaged
In a huge blow for a younger team hoping for the playoffs, Wizards C Nene Hilario will be out 6-8 months with Torn MCL. Losing Nene so early in the season will impact the Wizards' playoff chances, who currently sit at 7-4 in the Eastern Conference. They will likely rely on Emeka Okafor, Kevin Seraphin, and rookie bigman Gorgui Dieng to man the interior for the rest of the season.

NBA Notes:
Grizzlies lose 4th straight, now 4-9 overall.
Pelicans lose 5th straight, now 3-9 overall.
Lakers lose 6th straight, now 4-8 overall.
Nets win 9th straight, now 13-1 overall.
Pacers end Heat's 8 game winning streak with 103-97 victory.

[Its_asdf]

Looks like you've hit a bit of a rough patch as of your last update, but most of those teams are upper echelon teams so I'm sure you can bounce back.

Also a nice little robbery Toronto was able to pull off. Fields is a likeable guy, but he hasn't produced much during his tenure with the Raptors. Bledsoe is a beast in NBA 2k, but it would be unfortunate if the Raptors gave up on Lowry after this season since he's one of my favourite players on the roster (especially after they traded away Amir, god I hated that move!)

[Vespasian92]

Looks like you've hit a bit of a rough patch as of your last update, but most of those teams are upper echelon teams so I'm sure you can bounce back.

Also a nice little robbery Toronto was able to pull off. Fields is a likeable guy, but he hasn't produced much during his tenure with the Raptors. Bledsoe is a beast in NBA 2k, but it would be unfortunate if the Raptors gave up on Lowry after this season since he's one of my favourite players on the roster (especially after they traded away Amir, god I hated that move!)

Ha, yes. I was going to undo that trade as being unfair until I saw just how desperate the Clips were on the wings, with nobody but a low 60's rookie on the bench. Field's gonna be great for them.

Another funny thing about the Amir trade. The Bucks, who still have Jennings and Ellis, wanted to give away Larry Sanders and a 69 overall John Henson for D.J. Augustin. Obviously I rejected it lol.

[Vespasian92]

Cousins carries Kings' rebound on the road
Playing the second game of a tough 6-game roadtrip, the Kings looked to end their 3-game skid in Cleveland on Wednesday. Short-handed without Tristan Thompson, Alonzo Gee, and J.R. Smith, the heroics of Kyrie Irving were not enough for the Cavaliers against a monster named Demarcus Cousins. Mareesse Speights and Anderson Varejao could not stop the 4th-year bigman from Kentucky, as Cousins dominated the paint with a 24-17 performance, including 7 offensive rebounds.

Aside from Cousins' play, the Kings also received a suprise from Will Barton. Unwilling to let his contributions from last season be forgotten, Barton dropped a season-best 14 points in a mere 9 minutes. With McLemore struggling tonight (1-5 FG), Barton took advantage of his time and helped secure his spot in the 12-man rotation. After the usual 10 rotation players, the remaning two spots on the active roster are up for grabs between Barton, Miller, Aldrich, Johnson, and Freeland.
Kings (8-7): 106
Cavaliers (4-11): 94


Kings G Will Barton finishes the fast break


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 24 PTS - 17 REB - 10/14 FT - 7 OFF REB
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 4 AST - 8/18 FG
Will Barton: 14 PTS - 3 REB - 5/7 FG - 9 MIN
Marcus Thornton: 12 PTS - 3/4 3PT FG


Cleveland Cavaliers Top Performers
Nate Robinson: 21 PTS - 5 AST - 8/27 FG
Kyrie Irving: 18 PTS - 12 AST - 9/13 FG
Marreese Speights: 14 PTS - 7 REB - 6/11 FG
Anderson Varejao: 7 PTS - 14 REB - 3/8 FG

Igoudala shines for Pistons
Hosting a struggling Kings team, the revamped Pistons squad looked for revenge for a 7 point loss at the beginning of the season. Sacramento, having lost 3 of their last 4, are hoping to hold it together in the midst of a lengthy roadtrip. After a mediocre performance in the first meeting, Andre Igoudala refused to go away quietly, and led his new team to an easy win in Detroit. Iggy had 28 points and 9 rebounds, as well as 4 steals. Pistons rookie C.J. McCollum had a career-best 21 minutes of floor time, coming away with an efficient 14 points.

Once again Demarcus Cousins dominated the paint for Sacramento, posting a 20-15 double-double. Yet it seems that his inspired play of late has failed to make an impact on the Kings' success (or lack thereof), as they are slumping at a difficult time without the home crowd to help rally them.
Pistons (9-7): 104
Kings (8-8): 96

Detroit Pistons Top Performers
Andre Igoudala: 28 PTS - 9 REB - 4 STL - 12/21 FG
C.J. McCollum: 14 PTS - 4 AST - 6/10 FG
Greg Monroe: 10 PTS - 6 REB - 4/10 FG
Andre Drummond: 2 PTS - 5 REB - 5 FLS - 22 MIN

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 15 REB - 8/15 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 6 AST - 7/18 FG
Marcus Thornton: 18 PTS - 7/15 FG
Jeff Taylor: 12 PTS - 3 REB - 5/12 FG

Kings steal a game in Philly
Literally. The Kings showed a renewed effort on defense against the 76ers which has been lacking as of late, especially on the roadtrip. They forced the 76ers into 21 turnovers for the game, 15 of them off Kings' steals. This helped Sacramento hold Philadelphia below 100 points, something that the Kings have failed to do in 11 of their last 12 games. The Kings held on to their lead in the final quarter, and escaped with a 99-93 victory. Marcus Thornton's 21 points and Isaiah Thomas' 18 points and 4 steals led Sacramento's efforts. However, Thornton did give up 28 points to the 76ers leading scorer Nick Young.
Kings (9-8): 98
76ers (8-9): 93


Kings F Jimmy Butler elevates over Sixers C Spencer Hawes

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 21 PTS - 4 REB - 3 STL - 9/17 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 9 REB - 9/22 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 6 AST - 4 STL - 6/13 FG
Ben McLemore: 10 PTS - 5 REB - 3/7 FG - 17 MIN


Philadelphia 76ers Top Performers
Nick Young: 28 PTS - 5 REB - 12/29 FG
Evan Turner: 17 PTS - 5 REB - 5 FLS
Andrew Bynum: 13 PTS - 14 REB - 5/10 FG
Jrue Holiday: 12 PTS - 7 REB - 10 AST - 8 TO

NBA Transactions:

NBA Injury Updates:
Lakers F Elton Brand out 2-4 weeks with a Torn Hand Ligament.

NBA Notes:
Nets win 11th straight, now 15-1 overall.
Bulls win 5th straight, now 11-3 overall.
Spurs win 5th straight, now 9-5 overall.
Cavaliers lose 5th straight, now 4-12 overall.

[Vespasian92]

November Summary
Nets upsetting Heat, rebuilds paying off


The standings in the early going of the season have seen some surprising teams with strong starts to the season, but still be unable to knock off the top dogs just yet. Out West, the defending champion Thunder are unsurprisingly riding high, thanks to an 8-4 road record. In typical Spurs fashion, Poppovich's crew is posting an impressive season without fanfare. But the real stories in the Western Conference are coming from the improvements in the performances of teams like Houston, Phoenix, and Sacramento.

After an abysmal 27-55 record last season, the Rockets are looking primed to be a contender come playoff time behind stars James Harden and Dwight Howard, as well as promising rookies Michael Carter-Williams and Kelly Olynyk.
Phoenix has received the usual 10+ assist performances from Goran Dragic, but a refocused Michael Beasley is really behind the rising Suns. Beasley is posting career-highs of 19.9 PPG and 8.1 RPG, and some would suggest his off-the-floor issues may be diminishing.
The Kings have looked to the continued development of a young core featuring Demarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas to push them toward the possibility of their first postseason appearance in almost a decade.

In the Eastern Conference, the star-laden Heat may be given a run for the Eastern crown by the Brooklyn Nets. Keeping their own Big 3 of Williams, Johnson, and Lopez together, the Nets have added complimentary talent such as Brandon Bass, Courtney Lee, and a steal of a draft pick in rookie forward Otto Porter. The Nets are a dominant 15-1 so far this season and show no signs of slowing down.

Akin to the rebuilding teams in the west, there are some teams that have made large strides towards respectability in the Eastern Conference as well. The Wizards and Bobcats, after years of being the brunt of jokes, are looking primed to make apperarances in the postseason behind rising stars in John Wall and Kemba Walker. Bradley Beal and Trevor Ariza comprise the supporting cast for Washington, while rookie Nerlens Noel joins the formitable wings of Gerald Henderson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in Charlotte.

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights. Kings Month in Review



Inconsistency marks new season
Most Kings fans with reasonable expectations would be happy with a +.500 record for their team after the first month of the season. But some fans, as well as the Kings coaching staff, must lament the 'could have been' games that got away. Struggles from the field marked the early going for some of the Kings' reserves, most notably rookies Ben McLemore and Pierre Jackson. 23% from beyond the arc is mind-blowingly bad for a shooter like McLemore, and must be improved. Jackson's sub-40% mark from the field is a consequence of shot selection, as well as an overconfidence in his abilities. But rookies will have their struggles, so any hasty judgment is probably unfair.

More concerning are the poor shooting numbers from Isaiah Thomas and Jeff Taylor. Their struggles have nothing to do with shot selection, but rather due to difficult shooting slumps. The open shots simply do not fall, and quality ball movement goes to waste.

Speaking of ball movement, Isaiah Thomas' numbers have improved in the assist department this season, from 6.3 to 7.3. His point production has decreased to a still respectable 16.7, down from 18.6 last season. This can be credited to more talent and depth around Thomas and Demarcus Cousins, and so Isaiah does not need to create for himself as often.

But with the hopes that the inconsistent production and shooting slumps will rectify themselves over time, coach Randall Tiner is still pleased with his team overall.

"Yes, we've had some guys who have struggled with their shots, especially recently. But our depth is a big reason why we have been able to keep it together when we started losing in the last 6 games. I really like what Pierre (Jackson) is doing on the floor with his aggressiveness and leadership. His misses are coming when he is driving into traffic and fails to get the whistles. His selection is something that will improve with time, and I'd rather have someone who already plays with an intensity and effort, rather than needing to be coached up. Ben (McLemore) was criticized coming into the league about a lack of leadership and a killer instinct, but I don't think that will be a problem. He will find his confidence and stroke from behind the arc with experience, and I'm not worried about him. As for the rest of our bench, I can't say enough about those guys, even though they sometimes get forgotten. Ryan (Anderson) is so versatile, and gives me the freedom to adapt the lineup between him and Bismack based on our needs. Jeff (Taylor) gives another athletic defender after Jimmy (Butler) sits down. But honestly, Festuz (Ezeli) and Will (Barton) don't get as much floor time as they deserve, simply because of our depth. They have all been very professional about our rotation though, and I am excited about the chemistry our guys have going forward. - Kings Coach Randall Tiner

[Its_asdf]

Looks like you're having the same problem I have, losing a lot of games you're supposed to lose and beating teams that you're supposed to lose to. It's still early in the season so the poor shooting from players like Thomas will probably fix themselves.

[Vespasian92]

Gay's performance not enough in Toronto
Set to begin a home-heavy December, the Kings first headed north of the border to play the Raptors. At home after winning their last two by a combined total of 38 over the Bucks and Pistons, the Raptors looked to continue to acclimate newcomers Drew Gooden, Eric Bledsoe, and Deshaun Thomas. Behind dynamic play from their wing duo of Rudy Gay and Demar Derozan, Toronto led by 5 after the first quarter. But the Raptors bench failed to match the intensity from the Kings reserves, as Jeff Taylor sparked Sacramento in the second quarter. With a 40-23 advantage in bench scoring, the depth of the Kings carried their efforts on the road as they move to 3-2 on their 6 game roadtrip. The second and last meeting between the Kings and Raptors will take place later this month in Sacramento.
Kings (10-8): 109
Raptors (7-9): 101


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 22 PTS - 7 REB - 9/17 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 7 AST - 1/4 3PT FG
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 12 REB - 6/14 FG
Jeff Taylor: 11 PTS - 3/4 3PT FG - 17 MIN


Toronto Raptors Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 30 PTS - 7 REB - 3 STL - 14/21 FG
Demar Derozan: 22 PTS - 8 REB - 12/22 FG
Jonas Valanciunas: 8 PTS - 7 REB - 2 BLK - 4/9 FG
Kyle Lowry: 6 PTS - 6 REB - 13 AST - 2/9 FG

Parker flawless against Kings
Dragging their feet into the end of a lengthy roadtrip, the Kings found themselves facing the short-handed Spurs in San Antonio. Known for resting his stars, Spurs coach Greg Poppovich took no chances with Tim Duncan's Strained Oblique and sat him out of the contest. Not that he was needed when the Spurs have Tony Parker. People forget that Parker is almost 5 years younger than his Spurs counterparts Duncan and Ginobli, and he certainly didn't look old tonight. Parker scored 26 points on better than 60% shooting to go with 8 assists. Rookie Cody Zeller filled in for Duncan in the starting lineup and came away with 14 points. Team play and assists carried the Spurs to a 105-101 win over the 1-man show that Demarcus Cousins put on for Sacramento.
Spurs (10-6): 105
Kings (10-9): 101

San Antonio Spurs Top Performers
Tony Parker: 26 PTS - 5 REB - 8 AST - 10/16 FG
Kawhi Leonard: 19 PTS - 7 REB - 7/10 FG
Cody Zeller: 14 PTS - 2 REB - 6/16 FG - 31 MIN
Manu Ginobli: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 4/13 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 25 PTS - 11 REB - 9/10 FT
Marcus Thornton: 13 PTS - 5/9 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 12 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 5/13 FG
Pierre Jackson: 10 PTS - 3 AST - 4/10 FG - 13 MIN

Wright continues MIP season
7 of the next 9 games for the Kings are in Sacramento, a good thing considering the events that took place tonight. Fatigue seemed to be a factor for the Kings in their first contest after their roadtrip, as even their improved depth wasn't enough against the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks frontcourt came in and dominated in Sacramento, led by Brandan Wright.

After being the 8th overall pick in 2007, Wright has failed to garner significant floor time in his seasons in Charlotte and Golden State, with his highest MPG total being just 17.6 in 2009-10. But with the departure of Chris Kaman and the injury risks to offseason signee Greg Oden, Wright has stepped into a starting role for the Mavs and has delivered. Friday in Sacramento, the 26-year-old Wright had a 17 point, 4 block performance and is showing signs of being a real contributer, and a Most Improved Player candidate, on an aging Mavericks squad.
Mavericks (9-10): 105
Kings (10-10): 93

Dallas Mavericks Top Performers
Brandan Wright: 17 PTS - 6 REB - 4 BLK - 7/15 FG
Shawn Marion: 17 PTS - 12 REB - 7/12 FG
Dirk Nowitzki: 15 PTS - 8 REB - 4 AST
Darren Collison: 14 PTS - 5 AST - 5 TO - 5/9 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 16 PTS - 9 REB - 9/18 FG - 6/10 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 7 REB - 8 AST - 4 STL - 5/10 FG
Marcus Thornton: 15 PTS - 6/11 FG
Jimmy Butler: 12 PTS - 3 REB/AST/STL/BLK

Thomas disappears in Kings' loss
It was a disappointing 1-game trip to Phoenix, as the Kings failed to take out their revamped Pacific Conference rival. The Suns have put together a successful season so far behind Goran Dragic and Michael Beasley, and this game was no exception. One look at the point-guard matchup tells the outcome of the contest, and Dragic's 23-12 performance easily outdid Isaiah Thomas' disappointing game. Thomas failed to score in double-digits for the first time this season, and also struggled to take care of the ball with 7 turnovers.
Suns (10-9): 96
Kings (10-11): 89

Phoenix Suns Top Performers
Goran Dragic: 23 PTS - 6 REB - 12 AST -10/18 FG
Marcin Gortat: 16 PTS - 8 REB - 7/16 FG
Jared Dudley: 14 PTS - 7 REB - 2/10 FG - 9/10 FT
Michael Beasley: 13 PTS - 6 REB - 5/12 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 19 PTS - 7/16 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 11 REB - 7 AST (Season-High) - 8/16 FG
Bismack Biyombo: 9 PTS - 6 REB - 4/6 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 6 PTS - 6 AST - 3/7 FG - 7 TO

NBA Transactions:
Bulls extend F Luol Deng with 4yr/$44.90M deal.
Warriors sign G Jarret Jack with 1yr/$2.40M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Nets C Brook Lopez out 1-2 weeks with Sprained Foot.
Pelicans G Eric Gordon out 4-6 weeks with High Ankle Sprain.
Mavericks C Greg Oden out 1-2 weeks with Strained Adbomen.

NBA Notes:
Nets' 12-game winning streak ends with 110-108 loss to Minnesota.
Heat win 6th straight, now 14-3 overall.
Nuggets lose 5th straight, now 8-12 overall.

[Vespasian92]

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.

Friendly Fire

All eyes on Thornton as he faces Derozan. Isolation in perpetuity. For the third possession in a row, the offensive-oriented guard from LSU is forced to defend 1-on-1.

When the Kings parted with Tyreke Evans this offseason, the front office was confident in Marcus Thornton's ability to resume his numbers and confidence he showed in his first full year in Sacramento. Posting 18.7 PPG and 1.4 SPG in 2011-12, Thornton showed flashes of being a capable 2-way player, despite his reputation for sub-par defensive ability. Resuming a starting role this season, Thornton has delivered on those expectations... mostly. His 17.9 points fulfill the offensive needs for the Kings, but his minutes have dipped below 30 per game despite the starting role. So why the decrease?

Critics of the Bayou Bomber would suggest he does as much damage to his team as he helps due to being a liability defensively. While Evans wasn't considered a good compliment to Demarcus Cousins, his above-average defensive ability was something that his team could count on, even if his jumper wasn't falling or if defenses were clogging his driving lanes. Thornton on the other hand is a consistent scorer from all over the floor, with defensive abilities that certainly leave some things to be desired.

Let's take a look at how Thornton's matchups so far this season have fared against his defense, compared to their season averages.

Player ------------------------------ Points ------------- Season Av. ---------- Differential
K. Bryant (LAL) _______________ 19 ____________ 29.0 ____________ -10.0
A. Igoudala (DET) ______________14 ____________ 10.9 ____________ +3.1
G. Henderson (CHA) ____________14 ____________ 14.9 ____________ -0.9
B. Knight (ORL) _______________ 36 ____________ 18.8 ____________ +17.2
L. Williams (ATL) _____________ 16 ____________ 23.0 _____________ -7.0
J.R. Smith (CLE) ______________ 28 ____________ 17.1 ____________ +10.9
A. Burks (UTA) _______________ 26 _____________ 8.1 _____________ +17.9
K. Martin (OKC) ______________ 14 _____________ 14.1 ____________ -0.1
R. Allen (CHI) ________________ 12 _____________ 9.5 _____________ +2.5
J. Crawford (LAC) ____________ 37 _____________ 18.1 ____________ +18.9
B. Knight (ORL) ______________ 35 _____________ 18.8 ____________ +16.2
N. Batum (POR) ______________ 19 _____________ 13.5 ____________ +5.5
J. Harden (HOU) _____________ 22 ______________ 17.4 ___________ +4.6
J. Johnson (BKN) _____________ 18 ______________ 18.1 ___________ -0.1
K. Irving (CLE) _______________ 18 ______________ 20.9 ___________ -2.9
A. Igoudala (DET) _____________ 28 ______________ 10.9 __________ +17.1
N. Young (PHI) _______________ 28 ______________ 19.5 __________ +8.5
D. Derozan (TOR) _____________ 22 ______________ 14.0 __________ +8.0
M. Ginobli (SA) _______________ 14 ______________ 14.2 __________ -0.2
O.J. Mayo (DAL) ______________ 14 ______________ 12.2 __________ +1.8
J. Dudley (PHX) ______________ 13 ______________ 8.6 ____________ +4.4


It is also worth noting that some of the relatively low outputs may be outliers due to team strategy, such as having Butler and Thornton switch assignments part of the time (prime examples are Kobe's 19, Dudley's 13 and Ginobli's 14). Full-time assignment switches were accounted for, which is why Thornton was guarding Batum vs. POR and Irving vs. CLE. The Kings were double-teaming Lou Williams for the majority of the Atlanta game, hence only 16 points. A stunningly bad 5/27 performance from Kevin Martin certainly had other factors contributing to it besides Thornton's defense.

Long story short, what all those stats mean is that players are scoring on average 5.45 more PPG when guarded by Thornton compared to their season averages. If we take out Kobe's performance (guarded by Butler almost 50% of the game / would have been full-time and thus not counted had Devin Ebanks not scored so well to demand his attention) and Lou Williams' low numbers (due to repetitive double-teams from the Kings) that number jumps to 6.92 PPG. With those two exceptions, the best defensive performance from Thornton was a mere -0.9 point reduction from Gerald Henderson's average.

Perhaps more alarming than the average increase is how it happened. Five times out of the first 21 games, Thornton's matchup scored 15 or more points above their averages. Some of the totals allowed are disheartening, such as 37 from Crawford, 36 and 35 from Knight, and three 28 point games from Smith, Igoudala, and Young. Notice those five games are not all the same five games that saw the 15+ differentials. So crtitics would say that anybody and everybody has the chance to abuse Thornton offensively, not just the NBA's elite.

So one would think it is a no-brainer to look for an upgrade at the 2, right? Well, the Kings' coaching staff might not agree. Thornton fits in as the ideal compliment to Isaiah Thomas and Demarcus Cousins, as someone who can spot-up as well as being an underrated driver. But most valuable is his pull-up ability, and is often the primary option when plays break down or the offense gets into trouble. Thornton can create a shot for himself, usually from mid-range or finding a lane to the basket. The Kings don't have a rigid pecking order, and so on any given night the primary option could be Thomas, Thornton, or Cousins.

If Thornton is moved, not only will Thomas and Cousins need to start taking and maybe forcing more shots, but someone else will need to step up. Biyombo? He certainly isn't that kind of player. Butler? Maybe, but he still is not an elite offensive force who can create off the dribble. McLemore? Besides still being a rookie with all of 21 games of NBA experience, he struggles creating for himself and must rely on his athleticism or on others to get him open shots spotting up. So the questions remain: can Thornton improve enough defensively to not allow any more 30+ point outings? Would moving him cause more problems then it solved? Can the Kings effectively gameplan defensively to avoid putting him in those situations? No matter if you're a Thornton critic or a Thornton fan, one thing's for sure: The Kings' playoff hopes might depend on a beneficial resolution to this question.

[Its_asdf]

Nice write up on Thornton and his defensive deficiencies. It's rare to see anyone take the time to actually check the matchup point differentials. I, for one, would be happy to see Thornton dealt if it means seeing a bump in Butler's playing time.

[Vespasian92]

Nice write up on Thornton and his defensive deficiencies. It's rare to see anyone take the time to actually check the matchup point differentials. I, for one, would be happy to see Thornton dealt if it means seeing a bump in Butler's playing time.

As I'm playing, it's painfully obvious that I struggle with Thornton on D. Then every time I think about subbing him out for some defensive help, he starts pouring it in on offense.

I actually don't seem to work with Butler as much as I probably should, and I usually let him rebound and defend. Sometimes I feel I need a different wing, as Butler and Taylor are of the same mold. I'm hesitant to even consider losing Taylor though, just because I love using him and he brings so much off the bench (in a smaller package contract and overall ratingwise than Butler).