- Here We Build - The end of an era

[Vespasian92]

Isaiah leads Kings over Warriors
The Kings enjoyed the home court for their second game of the season as the I-80 rivalry resumed. With a trio of strong performances from Cousins, Gay, and Thomas in the season opener, the Kings were confident as they welcomed the Warriors to Sacramento. But the Kings' Big 3 turned into their only 3, as nobody else reached double-digit scoring. It might have well been a 3-on-3 game, as the Warriors only mustered three 10-point scorers of their own. With the Kings' trio of Cousins, Thomas, and Gay outscoring the Warriors' trio of Curry, Igoudala, and Thompson 67-64, the outcome of the contest would seem to be in Sacramento's favor. Combined with 6 and 6 performances from Jason Thompson and Ray McCallum, that advantage was enough to give the Kings the home victory over Golden State.
Kings: 114
Warriors: 105

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 30 PTS - 7 AST - 11/24 FG - 7/10 FT
Rudy Gay: 19 PTS - 7 REB - 7/14 FG - 3/5 3PT FG
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 11 REB - 7/18 FG
Ben McLemore: 8 PTS - 2 REB - 3/5 FG - 2/2 FT

Golden State Warriors Top Performers
Stephen Curry: 23 PTS - 5 REB - 8 AST - 10/26 FG - 3/7 3PT FG
Andre Igoudala: 22 PTS - 7 AST - 10/18 FG
Klay Thompson: 19 PTS - 6 REB - 8/22 FG - 2/7 3PT FG
Ricky Rubio: 8 PTS - 22 REB - 3/8 FG

Rebounding carries Sacramento in the desert
Sacramento headed to Phoenix to face off with another Pacific division team in their first road game of the season. The Suns have a young duo with the potential to blossom into a star scoring tandem with Eric Bledsoe and 6th overall pick Deshawn Overton. Overton wasted no time in making an impact, dropping 35 points in his first NBA game Friday and looked for more tonight. Last year's rebounding leader Demarcus Cousins will likely continue some similarly strong effort on the glass this season, and, if the first three games this season are any indication, will have plenty of help as well. John Henson claimed double-digit rebounds against the Jazz and the Warriors, and followed those performances up with 14 boards tonight in Phoenix. Cousins, not to be outdone, secured 16 rebounds of his own to help give the Kings a +14 advantage in that department. Against Sacramento's interior strength, the Suns needed their scoring duo to replicate their performances from the Suns' opener. Bledsoe scored 23 but did not receive the same kind of help from Overton. His rookie magic failed to carry over, contributing just 7 points on 25% shooting. Phoenix couldn't muster enough points to compensate for their struggles in defending Cousins and an outstanding bench performance from Carl Landry (17 PTS, 5 REB, 7/8 FG), and so fell quietly at home by 15.
Kings: 105
Suns: 90

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 22 PTS - 16 REB - 8/16 FG - 6/7 FG
Rudy Gay: 22 PTS - 5 REB - 9/25 FG
Carl Landry: 17 PTS - 5 REB - 7/8 FG - 3/4 FT - 19 MIN
John Henson: 2 PTS - 14 REB - 3 AST - 2 BLK - 6 OFF REB

Phoenix Suns Top Performers
Eric Bledose: 27 PTS - 2 AST - 10/23 FG - 5/5 FT
Emeka Okafor: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 7/11 FG
Goran Dragic: 12 PTS - 2 REB - 3 AST - 4/10 FG - 3/3 FT - 19 MIN
Deshawn Overton: 7 PTS - 8 REB - 3 AST - 3/12 FG

Rudy's heroics save Kings from surprising rookie
After a well-earned win in Phoenix, the Kings returned to Sacramento for one game at home before continuing to Minnesota. The Bobcats were in town as they try to stay afloat until Kemba Walker returns from a Torn MCL suffered late last season. The 10th overall pick Terrence Askew was thrown directly into the fire in the Bobcats' season opener due to their lack of PG depth after deciding to let Ramon Sessions walk in free agency. The rookie from Kansas responded with a 13-11 performance against Toronto and a 17-8 game in L.A. The Kings had frustrated one of the hottest rookies on Sunday in Deshawn Overton, and were confident in being able to limit Askew as well. But nobody expected the Bobcats' rook to show up like he did tonight in Sacramento. He went right at Kings' PG Isaiah Thomas and was extremely aggressive in looking to score. Askew put up 26 shots, but still connected on a high percentage in route to 38 points. With such an outstanding and unexpected production offensively, Charlotte rode their rookie to a 2-point lead entering the 4th. After finding little success defensively with Thomas or McCallum, the Kings assigned Rudy Gay to guard Askew. The rookie was slowed to just 4 points and 2-5 shooting in the final period. But Gay's contributions were only on the defensive end. Rudy also found a rhythm offensively down the stretch of the game, capped off by a clutch three to give the Kings a 4-point lead. A subsequent miss from Gerald Henderson and free throws from Gay let Sacramento hold on to win their 4th straight to open the season.
Kings: 105
Bobcats: 90


Rudy Gay celebrates one of his biggest moments during his brief time in a Kings' uniform

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 25 PTS - 6 REB - 10/16 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 3/4 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 24 PTS - 11 REB - 2 BLK - 6/11 FG - 12/12 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 7 AST - 5/10 FG - 8/10 FT
Ben McLemore: 11 PTS - 5 AST - 3/5 3PT FG - 2/2 FT

Charlotte Bobcats Top Performers
Terrence Askew: 38 PTS (Career-High) - 2 AST - 15/26 FG - 5/9 3PT FG - 3/4 FT
Gerald Henderson: 13 PTS - 6 AST - 5/21 FG - 2/7 3PT FG
Cody Zeller: 10 PTS - 18 REB - 2/5 FG - 6/6 FT
Al Jefferson: 7 PTS - 9 REB - 2/8 FG - 3/4 FT

Fatigue burdens Kings en route to first loss
Flying to Minnesota for the first game of a home-and-home series with the Timberwolves, the confident Kings brought their early season win streak of 4 games to Minneapolis. Conversely, the Wolves are 0-4 so far and certainly feel the absence of Nikola Pekovic as he rehabs his Achillies after an injury suffered last season. 2nd year bigman Gorgui Dieng filled in well at the end of his rookie season and had been solid at the beginning of this year as well. The Wolves performed well for their home crowd most of the game. Desperate to hold off a balanced Minnesota team, the Kings rode their starters for most of the game and had a small lead to start the 4th quarter. But the toll of the heavy minute load was quickly evident in the final period. Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas struggled offensively, combining for just 2-9 shooting. Kevin Love bounced back from a difficult game with a strong performance against weary 4th quarter defense. Along with double-doubles from Love and Rubio, Brewer added 23 points to Minnesota's rally against a weary Kings team. With the exception of Henson's 38 minutes, all the Kings' starters played at least 40 minutes in the game and no reserve reached double digit minutes. The teams will fly to Sacramento for the second half of the home-and-home series, and fatigue may carry over into that game as well.
Timberwolves: 100
Kings: 96

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 28 PTS - 7/17 FG - 13/15 FT - 42 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST - 8/18 FG - 4/8 3PT FG - 42 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 15 REB - 3 AST - 2 STL - 3 BLK - 8/19 FG - 4/6 FT - 40 MIN
John Henson: 11 PTS - 11 REB - 3 BLK - 5/7 FG

Minnesota Timberwolves Top Performers
Corey Brewer: 23 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 9/18 FG
Kevin Love: 17 PTS - 14 REB - 7/17 FG
Ricky Rubio: 15 PTS - 6 REB - 14 AST - 3/11 FG - 9/10 FT
Gorgui Dieng: 11 PTS - 7 REB - 5/10 FG

NBA Notes:

NBA Injury Updates:
Wizards G Bradley Beal out 6-8 weeks with Broken Back.
Nuggets G Ty Lawson out 2-4 weeks with Sprained Foot.
Pistons G Brandon Jennings out 1-2 weeks with Sprained Wrist.

NBA Transactions:

NBA Free Agency Leftovers

Heat sign Lance Stephenson
The biggest signing of the secondary free agent period was undoubtedly the addition the Miami Heat made from their Eastern Conference rival Indiana Pacers. Lance Stephenson was unable to agree to a contract extension and had a bitter divorce with the Pacers after disagreement of the versatile guard's desired contract value. Either out of spite or out of a desire to win, Stephenson went straight to Miami to negotiate with the Eastern Conference champions and accepted a 3yr/$14.5M deal with the Heat's MLE money, which was ironically less money that the 3yr/$18M the Pacers were offering. Even after losing Ray Allen to retirement and Michael Beasley to free agency, a restocked Heat squad can now boast Stephenson to go with veteran minimum additions of Richard Hamilton and Caron Butler.

Boozer heads north
After being amnestied by the Bulls, Carlos Boozer had found a new home north of the border. The Toronto Raptors won the bidding for the frontcourt scorer and will insert him into the starting role next to Jonas Valanciunas. Boozer's production has dipped in the past two seasons with Chicago and is no longer a primary scoring option, but he does provide a valuable low-post threat for Toronto's perimeter star, Demar Derozan. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay last year to provide themselves with cap flexibility, and Boozer's 3yr/$18M contract doesn't damage that flexibility too severely. The Raptors barely missed the postseason last year, and the addition of Boozer will give them a realistic chance to make the playoffs without eliminating their chance to add a legitimate star in FA next offseason when they have $20M in expiring contracts (Fields, Hayes, Fredette, Hansbrough).

Cavaliers sign G Kent Bazemore to 1yr/$3.29M deal.
Grizzlies extend C Kosta Kufous with 5yr/$18.6M deal.
Wizards extend G Eric Maynor with 4yr/$14.64M deal.
Magic extend F Glen Davis with 3yr/$12.93M deal.
Suns extend F Marcus Morris with 4yr/$11.91M deal.
Warriors extend F Draymond Green with 4yr/$11.01M deal.
Bobcats extend F Josh McRoberts with 4yr/$12.31M deal.
Bucks waive G Luke Ridnour.

[Martti.]

Heat looking real strong, though I wouldn't want Lance on the Heat personally, dude is crazy...

[Vespasian92]

Kings payback Wolves to split 2-game series
After faltering late in the game last night in Minnesota, the Kings returned to Sacramento to complete the home-and-home series with the Timberwolves. The Kings' Big 3 expended a large amount of effort in last night's game and it was unlikely that Sacramento would receive another trio of outstanding performances from them. But just one strong performance turned out to be enough. Demarcus Cousins picked up where he left off in Minnesota, taking advantage of the matchup with Gorgui Dieng with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Tonight's game was a lower-scoring affair, and the Wolves only mustered 91 points in Sacramento. Kevin Love and Kevin Martin combined for just 14/40 shooting on the night. Isaiah Thomas scored 19 and 10 points from former Timberwolf Derrick Williams gave the Kings enough offense to beat Minnesota by 5.
Kings: 96
Timberwolves: 91

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 28 PTS - 11 REB - 12/25 FG - 4/7 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 19 PTS - 3 AST - 6/12 FG - 5/8 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 13 PTS - 7 REB - 6 AST - 5/15 FG
Derrick Williams: 10 PTS - 4/7 FG - 15 MIN

Minnesota Timberwolves Top Performers
Kevin Love: 18 PTS - 10 REB - 7/19 FG - 40 MIN
Kevin Martin: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 7/21 FG - 0/6 3PT FG
Gorgui Dieng: 11 PTS - 15 REB - 5/10 FG
Ricky Rubio: 11 PTS - 11 AST - 5/14 FG

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Kings fall in OT despite Rudy's 38
With Brooklyn in town, the Kings hoped to continue a strong start to their season during the second of a 5-game homestand. The contest was hotly contested from the opening tip without any substantial lead for either team. The 48-minute shootout yielded fast-paced scoring that went back and forth. All four quarters saw just single-point differences in the scoring totals. The Nets won the 1st and 4th by a combined two points, while the Kings claimed the 2nd and 3rd by two. Quincy Acy got extended minutes off the Kings' bench for the first time this season and made the most of it. Acy scored 17 points to go with 6 rebounds and only missed one shot from the field. But the real story for the Kings was the performance from Rudy Gay. Gay provided a go-to option for Sacramento and put up 36 points in regulation. He got himself to the free throw line an impressive 17 times and made 3 shots from downtown. But despite the strong efforts from Gay and Acy, the Kings couldn't pull away and the game remained close down the stretch. Late in the 4th quarter and trailing by two, the Nets gave the ball to Deron Williams for a pull-up jumper over Isaiah Thomas. D-Will has struggled with his shooting before that attempt, but got a quality look that bounced twice around the rim before falling through. Sacramento then had 5.3 seconds to attempt a game-winning shot, who gave the ball to their hot scorer. Rudy Gay drove left and seemed to have the step on Paul Pierce, but good help defense from Joe Johnson forced Gay to put up a difficult floating shot. It fell short of the mark and glanced off the front of the iron to leave the score tied at 102.

Perhaps due to the momentum shift of forcing overtime after trailing in the last minutes of regulation, the Nets were focused in overtime and took control early. A Joe Johnson triple on the first possession and a subsequent Brook Lopez bucket gave Brooklyn a 5-point advantage that held strong in the extra 5 minutes. Despite his outstanding performance in regulation, Rudy Gay cooled off and converted just 1 of 4 attempts in OT. Demarcus Cousins fared little better and connected on 1 of his 3 shots. Sacramento's offense sputtered without Gay's and Cousins' contributions and were outscored by the Nets 15-11. Joe Johnson remained reliable for Brooklyn in OT and scored 7 in the extra frame to lead the Nets to the overtime win.
Nets: 117
Kings: 113


The Nets cooled off Rudy Gay at the right time

Brooklyn Nets Top Performers
Joe Johnson: 29 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 12/23 FG - 4/7 3PT FG
Paul Pierce: 24 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST - 7/22 FG
Brook Lopez: 13 PTS - 23 REB (Career-High) - 5/17 FG
Deron Williams: 11 PTS - 5 REB - 8 AST - 3/14 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 38 PTS - 8 REB - 11/27 FG - 3/5 3PT FG - 13/17 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 17 REB - 5 AST - 8/14 FG
Quincy Acy: 17 PTS - 6 REB - 7/8 FG - 3/4 FT - 27 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 13 PTS - 5 REB - 12 AST - 5/13 FG - 3/6 3PT FG

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Cousins crushes small Cavaliers squad
The Cavaliers chose not to resign Anderson Varejao in the offseason and instead opted to develop young talent of Tristan Thompson, Tyler Zeller, and Anthony Bennett. But unfortunately those are the only three bigs on the Cleveland roster aside from inactive rookie Grant Bullard. Against the smaller Tristan Thompson, Demarcus Cousins looked to take advantage when his Kings hosted the Cavs. On the first two Sacramento possessions, Cousins backed down Thompson in the post and converted a pair of interior shots. Against single coverage the Kentucky product shot early and often, putting up 27 shots in the contest. The Kings rode his effective offense to a 9-point halftime lead. Cavalier double-teams came frequently to Cousins after halftime and forced the Kings' bigman to kick the ball out. Many of his teammates were unable to make their open shots, especially Rudy Gay. Gay shot an abysmal 2/11 from the floor and missed on all 5 of his open shots from downtown. Conversely, Dion Waiters stepped up for Cleveland in the third quarter and helped the Cavaliers get to within 5 points at one point. With Gay struggling, Demarcus Cousins resumed the offensive burden despite the double-teams with ease. Cousins matched buckets with the Cavaliers backcourt of Irving and Waiters down the stretch. The teams fought to a 24-24 standstill in the 4th which was enough for the Kings to win by 8.
Kings: 95
Cavaliers: 87

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 36 PTS - 14 REB - 13/27 FG - 10/12 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 13 PTS - 4 AST - 4/9 FG - 3/5 3PT FG
Ben McLemore: 11 PTS - 8 REB - 4 AST - 3 STL - 4/8 FG
Rudy Gay: 7 PTS - 5 AST - 2 BLK - 2/11 FG - 0/5 3PT FG - 3/6 FT - 28 MIN

Cleveland Cavaliers Top Performers
Dion Waiters: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 8/19 FG - 1/7 3PT FG
Kyrie Irving: 18 PTS - 7 AST - 7/15 FG
Tristan Thompson: 11 PTS - 14 REB - 5/10 FG
Alonzo Gee: 11 PTS - 8 REB - 3/8 FG - 2/2 3PT FG - 3/4 FT

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Grizzlies smother Kings late
Over the past few years, little has changed about the physical defense and grinding approach of the Memphis Grizzlies. Slowing the tempo of the game is always a focus for them, and they managed to do so when it mattered in Sacramento. The Kings welcomed them for the 4th game of their 5-game stand in Sactown and jumped on the Grizzlies early on. They put up 32 points in the first quarter and eventually took an 8-point advantage into halftime. But whatever adjustments Memphis made during the break worked to perfection. They held the Kings to just 35 points in the second half and frustrated Demarcus Cousins. Cousins scored 13 in the first half but only dropped 5 after the break on 2/7 shooting. Memphis found their offense in a combined 40 from Lee and Gasol to overcome the Kings in the second half to win by 5.
Grizzlies: 95
Kings: 90

Memphis Grizzlies Top Performers
Courtney Lee: 21 PTS - 5 AST - 9/16 FG
Marc Gasol: 19 PTS - 13 REB - 7/15 FG
Mike Conley: 16 PTS - 5 AST - 7/21 FG
Tayshaun Prince: 13 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST - 5/9 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 22 PTS - 2 AST - 9/12 FG - 3/3 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 7 REB - 3 AST - 7/16 FG - 4/5 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 3/10 FG - 9/9 FT
Allen Crabbe: 10 PTS - 4 REB - 4/7 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 23 MIN

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Acy sparks Kings to high-scoring win
In the first half of a home-and-home with the Clippers, the Kings looked to end their homestand on a high note. Their Big 3 has performed extremely well and carried the team to a strong start to the season. Tonight's contest saw no signs of them slowing down, especially Demarcus Cousins. Cousins and Thomas dueled with Griffin and Paul, with neither giving their team a large lead. With the game free to be had, enter Quincy Acy. Just two games removed from his first extended court appearance against Brooklyn, the Baylor product again logged significant minutes and produced. Acy led the Kings' bench to outscore the Clipper reserves by a significant 28-point margin of 61-33. He tied a career-high 23 points en route to a +21 performance that pushed the Kings past L.A.
Kings: 128
Clippers: 114


Just like last season, Quincy Acy is set to earn more consistent floor time

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 25 PTS - 10 REB - 9/14 FG - 7/10 FT
Quincy Acy: 23 PTS - 10 REB - 10/14 FG - 1/3 3PT FG - 2/3 FT - 27 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 21 PTS - 7 AST - 7/14 FG - 5/6 FT
Rudy Gay: 14 PTS - 3 REB - 2 AST - 5/11 FG - 3/3 FT

Los Angeles Clippers Top Performers
Blake Griffin: 18 PTS - 7 REB - 8/10 FG
Chris Paul: 18 PTS - 15 AST - 5/15 FG - 6/6 FT
Jared Dudley: 17 PTS - 6 REB - 7/16 FG
Deandre Jordan: 12 PTS - 11 REB - 3/6 FG - 6/9 FT

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Clippers beat Kings in L.A.
Going to L.A. for the second half of the 2-game series, the Kings hoped to utilize another strong bench performance to win on the back-to-back. Yet the spark was not present tonight. After the huge game in Sacramento, Quincy Acy played just 9 minutes despite grabbing 6 rebounds in that time. This time the Clippers bench outscored that of the Kings by 11 to provide the support for the stars. Paul and Griffin shined for L.A. once again, combining for 13 of the Clippers' last 15 points to close out the Kings at Staples.
Clippers: 106
Kings: 101

Los Angeles Clippers Top Performers
Chris Paul: 22 PTS - 5 AST - 7/14 FG
Blake Griffin: 17 PTS - 14 REB - 6/9 FG - 5/7 FT
Tristan Thompson: 15 PTS - 4 AST - 6/12 FG - 3/5 3PT FG
Deandre Jordan: 13 PTS - 5 REB - 4/6 FG - 5/10 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Ben McLemore: 27 PTS - 7 REB - 6 AST - 9/20 FG - 3/8 3PT FG - 6/8 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 12 REB - 7/14 FG - 5/6 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST - 7/18 FG - 2/6 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 4 PTS - 5 REB - 2 AST - 1/8 FG - 2/2 FT
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NBA Notes:
Bucks lose 9th straight, now 0-9 overall.
Heat win 6th straight, now 9-2 overall.
Bulls win 5th straight, now 7-2 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Spurs F Tim Duncan out 6-8 weeks with Torn Hamstring.

NBA Transactions:
Wizards sign C Andrew Bynum to 1yr/$2.10M deal.

[Vespasian92]

Demarcus does it all in amazing performance
There was nothing Demarcus Cousins didn't do for his team in Oakland
A 20-20 game, 5 steals, 5 assists from a bigman, or outstanding rim protection would all be considered strong performances by themselves on any night. But when you put them all together, you get the statline for a career-type display. This is exactly what Demarcus Cousins did against the Warriors on Sunday night. As usual, he was a focus for the Kings offensively from the opening tip. His typical rebounding dominance and a much-improved defensive focus also showed up early on in the contest. Cousins' all-around performance carried the Kings to a +12 1st quarter and they never looked back. The Kings' bigman always seemed to make the right play, whether it was stepping into passing lanes, providing help defense at the rim, or passing out of double-teams. Forgotten among Cousins' consistent production, Rudy Gay dropped 30 points on an impressive shooting percentage. Their combined dominance led the Kings to the easy road victory against their northern California rivals.

Throughout the game, Cousins' statline quietly kept improving across the board. Nobody seemed to notice his proximity to a noteworthy statline until the 4th quarter began. He had already mustered large numbers in the scoring and rebounding categories, and was just one assist and one block shy of 5 in those departments as well. Early in the quarter Cousins found a cutting Rudy Gay for his 5th assist, but was left searching until the 2:02 mark in the 4th to claim his 5th blocked shot when he rejected a Marshon Brooks attempt. With it he became the 9th player in NBA history to achieve a 5x5 game, and just the second such performance since 2006 after Nicolas Batum's 5x5 last season. Aside from his first such statline in his career, Cousins got his first 20-20 game of the season and was one rebound shy of tying his career high. The 5 blocks did match his career best in that department.

"I have been so proud of his improvements so far this season, especially on the defensive end. Demarcus is getting back in transition and is rotating better in the paint. His big night is just a testament to his talent and the strides he has taken. We've seen him be a willing and skilled passer, and it is a luxury to play inside-out and run offense through him. He has always had the talent to impact every facet of the game, and this is the result of him putting in the effort to do that." - Kings Coach Mike Malone following Demarcus Cousins' 5x5 performance vs. Golden State


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Kings collapse despite Thomas' big night
The night after a strong start to their roadtrip behind Cousins' dominant performance, the Kings flew to L.A. to complete a back-to-back. Like Sacramento, the Lakers have enjoyed a strong start to the season thanks to a healthy Kobe Bryant and a breakout 18.4 PPG from Jordan Farmar so far this year. In spite of the hopes for a resurgent season for both teams, the Kings dominated the game behind their Big 3. Rudy Gay and Demarcus Cousins both found easy baskets in the paint and impacted the game on the glass. But the real star for the Kings was Isaiah Thomas. He was aggressive offensively all night and put up 25 shots while still connecting on a positive percentage. He made 7 shots from downtown and helped the Kings to a 16-point lead entering the 4th.

But thanks to a fearless Nick Young and Kobe's typical dominance, the Lakers put together a 20-4 run to start the 4th against the Kings' reserves. The Kings went back to their starters too late and lost the quarter by an embarrassing 19 points. They found themselves trailing the Lakers in the final minute and needed a miracle just to force overtime. Despite shooting a high percentage earlier in the game, Isaiah Thomas was unable to connect on the potential game-tying three against Jordan Farmar's defense. The Lakers scored 37 points in the final quarter to win by three thanks to the disastrous Kings' meltdown, who found no bench production that could restore order.
Lakers: 108
Kings: 105


Isaiah Thomas was unable to save his team from their 4th quarter collapse

Los Angeles Lakers Top Performers
Kobe Bryant: 29 PTS - 6 REB - 11 AST - 9/15 FG - 3/7 3PT FG - 8/9 FT
Nick Young: 15 PTS - 6/15 FG - 3/8 3PT FG - 12 MIN
Jordan Farmar: 16 PTS - 10 AST - 6/14 FG
Rodney Stuckey: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 6 AST - 6/21 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 35 PTS - 11 AST - 13/25 FG - 7/14 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 22 PTS - 13 REB - 6 AST - 10/17 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 13 REB - 6 AST - 7/17 FG - 6/7 FT
John Henson: 8 PTS - 5 REB - 3 BLK - 4/5 FG

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Crabbe helps Cousins put away Warriors
After three stops away from Sacramento, the Kings returned home as their early schedule remained heavy with home games. The Warriors were in town for revenge less than a week after losing in Oakland to the Kings, who were carried by Cousins' big night. The Warriors avoided a repeat of their poor opening quarter as the two teams both scored 25. The game remained close for the entire contest. Steph Curry's usual scoring for the Warriors was matched by an unlikely source. The Kings' forgotten offseason acquisition Allen Crabbe had a career night with his new team off the bench. Crabbe made 3 of his first 4 shots, and as a result received a green light from Mike Malone. His 20 attempts included 5 makes from downtown and a career-best 30 points. Crabbe's outstanding play boosted the Kings' bench and kept the home team within reach despite Curry's 35 points. In the final minute of the game, the Kings swung the ball into the corner to Crabbe, who connected on the triple to give them a one point lead. A miss from Klay Thompson on the other end gave the Kings the ball back with 32 seconds left. Demarcus Cousins faced up on Andrew Bogut and dropped in a jumper to extend the lead. Rather than allow a game-tying three, the Kings fouled Stephen Curry intentionally with 2.3 left. Curry made the first shot and was forced to miss the second. Cousins boxed out Andrew Bogut while the rebound was tipped back towards halfcourt as time expired.
Kings: 116
Warriors: 114


Allen Crabbe enjoyed his longest stretch of floor time in his two-year career

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Allen Crabbe: 30 PTS (Career-High) - 11/20 FG - 5/9 3PT FG - 3/3 FT - 30 MIN (Career-High)
Demarcus Cousins: 26 PTS - 12 REB - 10/17 FG - 6/8 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 3 REB - 7 AST - 6/11 FG - 3/4 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 12 PTS - 3 REB - 6 AST - 3/13 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 4/6 FT

Golden State Warriors Top Performers
Stephen Curry: 35 PTS - 10 AST - 14/26 FG - 5/11 3PT FG
Klay Thompson: 16 PTS - 3 REB - 6 AST - 4/13 FG - 2/6 3PT FG
Harrison Barnes: 14 PTS - 5/9 FG - 4/5 3PT FG - 21 MIN
David Lee: 10 PTS - 15 REB - 4/11 FG

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NBA Notes:
Bucks beat Hawks 104-95, end losing streak at 11.
Heat lose to Raptors 88-102, end win streak at 10.
Wizards win 5th straight, now 9-7 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Magic F Glen Davis out 6-8 weeks with Torn MCL.

NBA Transactions:

[Vespasian92]

November Summary
The curse of youth

Having a young team is a bumpy road. Sometimes their determination to prove people wrong results in some impressive overachievement, but usually teams must endure some difficult years of mounting losses as the young players develop. So far this season, we have seen a few teams whose youth has finally developed and may be on track for a positive year. The Raptors, Bobcats, Kings, and Pelicans are all sitting above .600 after one month of the season. Most of those teams have one or two key veterans like Al Jefferson and Rudy Gay to lead their younger players. The rising stars of Derozan, Walker, Cousins, and Davis have experienced the growing pains and are now in the leadership roles for their teams' resurgences.

But every year there are always some squads that struggle to move through a rebuild. After a relatively positive season last year, the Suns have been unable to keep their momentum so far this year. Despite an outstanding start to the season from Western Rookie of the Month Deshawn Overton, Phoenix still sits at the bottom of the West with just 4 wins. They will need their new duo of Overton and Eric Bledsoe to mesh in order to carry them upwards. In the East, the Bucks are undoubtedly on the ground floor of their rebuild. They added three 1st round picks in the draft, including the 1st overall selection Alex Ejiofor. Their other key young piece is last year's draft pick Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is still just 19. This year will likely be a long one in Milwaukee with few wins before their raw talent develops into the NBA game.



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and highlights. Kings Month in Review


Three's a crowd
In the NBA, people always talk about how competitive teams need consistent secondary and tertiary scoring options. But if the Kings have one thing so far early in the season, that is it. Their Big 3 have carried the Kings to an outstanding 9-5 start to the year with their consistent offense. How many other teams can boast a 19.7 per game scorer as their second option, much less 19.4 as their third? Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas are providing those numbers as secondary options to Demarcus Cousins, and the three are combining for 61.7 PPG. The only other teams to have a trio with numbers close to that are the Oklahoma City Thunder (Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka - 66.5 PPG) and the Miami Heat (James/Wade/Bosh - 58.0 PPG). Keeping both defending conference champions as company in any regard is a positive sign for a team that has missed the postseason for almost a decade. Whatever the Kings are doing must be working for now, but how long can their trio carry so much weight for the team?

After Cousins, Thomas, and Gay, the team only has one other 8-per-game scorer in McLemore. They can barely boast about another 6-point scorer on their roster, which is Allen Crabbe of all people. Crabbe likely wouldn't have reached that many PPG here in the early part of the season if not for his 30-point outburst against the Warriors. What the team needs more than anything else at this point is consistent bench scoring. Derrick Williams was expected to be a primary bench option entering this season, but has tended to disappear in games instead of being the aggressive finisher that his athleticism allows. Carl Landry was signed before last season to provide bench production yet struggled with injury last year. This season, Landry is one of three bigs off the Kings' bench to average between 10-12 minutes per game. Along with Cousins and Henson, Landry, Acy, and Thompson result in a 5-big rotation for Sacramento. Some teams struggle to monitor a 4-big rotation, and others only play three on a nightly basis. The logical solution for Sacramento would be to find the most consistent frontcourt reserve and increase their minutes, but all three reserves have been equally productive in various aspects of the game. The competition for floor time between the three will only intensify as the season continues and a poor game or two might bury one of them on the bench.

[unitas9]

This is really detailed, I'm really looking forward to reading through it! Also though, good luck with the Kings. They're terrible.

[Vespasian92]

Slumping Suns gain much-needed win in Sacramento
The Suns have experienced their share of bumpy road in the first month as ball-dominant rookie Deshawn Overton is finding his role with the team. He and Bledsoe can be a competent pair in the future, and did a decent job of leading their team tonight in Sacramento. In the first of three meetings between the two teams, neither club shot the ball particularly well. Bledsoe and Overton combined for 41 points yet converted on just over 40% of their attempts. But the Kings reserves were horrifyingly bad. No bench player for Sacramento scored more than 4 points, and as a whole the bench combined for just 25% from the field (6/24). That said, Bledsoe and Overton did enough to overcome the Cousins/Gay duo of the Kings in order to win by 6.
Suns: 101
Kings: 95

Phoenix Suns Top Performers
Deshawn Overton: 22 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 6/17 FG - 9/12 FT
Eric Bledsoe: 19 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 6/11 FG3/4 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Emeka Okafor: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 5/9 FG
Markieff Morris: 10 PTS - 5 REB - 2 STL - 2/8 FG - 6/9 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 11 REB - 7/13 FG - 6/7 FT
Rudy Gay: 16 PTS - 5 REB - 6/12 FG - 4/5 FT
Ben McLemore: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 3/11 FG - 2/7 3PT FG - 7/7 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 13 PTS - 6 REB - 2 AST - 4/10 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 3/3 FT
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Kings reminded of their place
The strong start to the season had left some Kings fans with unrealistic expectations for the year. A home-heavy schedule contributed to the early success, but Monday's loss to a struggling Phoenix team at home cooled some of the enthusiasm. Yesterday's game against the Thunder was a further reminder of the Kings' more accurate status in the Western Conference. Like a true championship contender, the Thunder took nothing for granted and were focused early on. Strong performances from Durant, Westbrook, and Jeremy Lamb gave them a 12-point lead at halftime. A 10-point third quarter from Rudy Gay gave the Kings some hope, which was ultimately short-lived. Oklahoma City never really let the Kings get close and put on a 48-minute win on the road.
Thunder: 115
Kings: 105

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 24 PTS- 2 REB - 3 AST - 9/12 FG - 5/6 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 21 PTS - 11 REB - 7/16 FG - 7/7 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 13 AST - 6/14 FG - 2/5 3PT FG
Ben McLemore: 9 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST - 4/5 FG

Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers
Russell Westbrook: 26 PTS - 4 REB - 8 AST - 11/19 FG - 7 TO
Jeremy Lamb: 26 PTS - 12/25 FG - 44 MIN
Kevin Durant: 18 PTS - 9 REB - 2 BLK - 7/12 FG
Serge Ibaka: 10 PTS - 12 REB - 5/8 FG
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McCallum sparks Kings' reserves
After losing traction on their season after two disappointing losses, the Kings welcomed the Lakers to town. A lack of consistent bench production has been the main weakness of the team so far this season, but faced no such struggles tonight. Ray McCallum posted a career-night and led Carl Landry and Derrick Williams in providing the production the team needed. All three scored in double-figures as the Kings beat the Lakers in Sacramento. Demarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay also kicked in their usual strong numbers to help provide the team with their firm hold on the game. Kobe's poor game was partially to blame for the Lakers' inability to overcome the balanced offense of the Kings.
Kings: 113
Lakers: 101


Rudy Gay's dunk on Pau Gasol symbolized how the contest went for the Kings

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 22 PTS - 6 REB - 3 STL - 10/14 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 13 REB - 6 AST - 7/13 FG - 5/5 FT
Ray McCallum: 17 PTS (Career-High) - 6 AST (Career-High) - 7/14 FG - 2/3 FT - 21 MIN (Career-High)
Carl Landry: 12 PTS - 3 REB - 5/5 FG - 2/2 FT - 14 MIN

Los Angeles Lakers Top Performers
Jordan Farmar: 26 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 10/17 FG - 3/6 3PT FG
Rodney Stuckey: 18 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 7/14 FG
Chris Kaman: 14 PTS - 9 REB - 5/11 FG - 4/4 FT
Kobe Bryant: 13 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 4/18 FG
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Blazers keep slipping, fall to Kings
The losers of 5 straight, the Trailblazers hoped that some games at home would help them break their streak. The Kings are coming off a feel-good win over the Lakers and would seem confident in their ability to beat a struggling Portland team. But the game was close for the majority of the game. The Kings entered the 4th with just a 4-point lead. The combination of Cousins and Gay was strong down the stretch for Sacramento, including Cousins passing from the high-post to a cutting Gay in the final minute of regulation. After a 1/2 trip to the foul line for McLemore, the Kings' lead was just three. Damian Lillard was unable to connect on a game-tying three as Portland dropped their 6th straight game.
Kings: 101
Trailblazers: 98

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 19 PTS - 3 REB - 7/15 FG - 2/5 3PT FG
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 10 REB - 6 AST - 8/14 FG
Ben McLemore: 17 PTS - 3 REB - 2 AST - 6/11 FG - 4/7 3PT FG
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 3 REB - 9 AST - 5/14 FG - 3/6 3PT FG

Portland Trailblazers Top Performers
Damian Lillard: 21 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 9/19 FG
Wesley Matthews: 18 PTS - 2 AST - 6/9 FG - 5/5 FT
Nicolas Batum: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST - 6/9 FG - 2/3 FT
Lamarcus Aldridge: 12 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 4/9 FG - 4/4 FT
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D-Mo lights up Sacramento in win
When they headed to Sacramento, the Rockets stepped on the Kings early and refused to let them up. The game was barely a contest as Houston led by 22 at halftime. Sacramento resorted to a Hack-a-Howard strategy in the the 3rd quarter to narrow the deficit to 12, but they would struggle to get any closer in time. Donatas Montiejunas was confident for all of his 28 minutes, pouring in 23 points on 10 shots. Rudy Gay's difficult night did no favors to the Kings' rally attempts, and only a garbage-time run by Derrick Williams narrowed the final margin to 7.
Rockets: 117
Kings: 110

Houston Rockets Top Performers
Donatas Montiejunas: 23 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 7/10 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 7/9 FT - 28 MIN
James Harden: 19 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 5/10 FG - 3/4 3PT FG - 6/6 FT
Dwight Howard: 15 PTS - 9 REB - 5/13 FG - 5/14 FT
Chandler Parsons: 15 PTS - 6 REB - 4/6 FG - 5/7 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 27 PTS - 9 AST - 8/14 FG - 3/7 3PT FG - 8/11 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 10 REB - 7/10 FG - 3/5 FT
Derrick Williams: 13 PTS - 2 REB - 4/6 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 3/3 FT - 11 MIN
Rudy Gay: 10 PTS - 5 REB - 1/6 FG - 7/8 FT
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NBA Notes:
Clippers win 7th straight, now 14-7 overall.
Rockets win 7th straight, now 14-8 overall.
Lakers lose 5th straight, now 10-11 overall.
Warriors lose 7th straight, now 8-14 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Heat G Dwayne Wade out 1-2 weeks with Sore Foot.
Mavericks F Dirk Nowitzki out 4-6 weeks with Broken Arm

NBA Transactions:

Cavs bolster frontcourt
Dallas Mavericks trade: Andray Blatche
Cleveland Cavaliers trade: Alonzo Gee

In what would seem to be a win-win for both teams, the Cavaliers have agreed to a deal with the Mavericks for newly-signed bigman Andray Blatche. These same Cavaliers renounced their 10-year center Anderson Varejao due to disagreement about the Brazilian's market value and a desire to develop their young bigs like Tristan Thompson and Anthony Bennett. Blatche signed with the Mavericks near the beginning of the free agency period last offseason, but Dallas also chased the newly-available Varejao in the market. With both Varejao and Blatche in the Mavericks' rotation at center with Brandan Wright and Samuel Dalembert, the excess of capable bigs was obvious. A Dallas team with buyer's remorse on Blatche was happy to dump the salary they recently spent. The Cavaliers desperately needed help up front and Blatche fits the bill.

[Vespasian92]

Kings cruise at home
The Portland Trailblazers chose to let Robin Lopez walk in free agency and utilize Myers Leonard and Miroslav Raduljica at the 5 instead. Neither have been able to replicate the chemistry Lopez had with Lamarcus Aldridge. Combined with a slow season for Damian Lillard, Portland has slumped out of the gates. Just 4 days after losing to the Kings at home, they headed to Sacramento hoping to turn their season around. Yet it was not to be. Lamarcus Aldridge struggled offensively, thanks in part to John Henson's defensive effort. Aldridge shot just 6/19 from the field. Aside from Welsey Matthews, no Blazer was very successful offensively as the Kings put up one of their better defensive efforts of the season. Demarcus Cousins scored 22 as Sacramento gained the easy home win.
Kings: 112
Trailblazers: 87

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 22 PTS - 12 REB - 8/15 FG - 6/8 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 19 PTS - 8 AST - 7/12 FG - 3/5 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 19 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 6/15 FG - 7/8 FT
John Henson: 12 PTS - 8 REB - 3 BLK - 5/7 FG - 2/4 FT

Portland Trailblazers Top Performers
Lamarcus Aldridge: 16 PTS - 7 REB - 3 AST - 6/19 FG - 4/4 FT
Wesley Matthews: 15 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 6/8 FG - 3/3 3PT FG
Damian Lillard: 12 PTS - 6 AST - 4/10 FG - 4 TO
Nicolas Batum: 12 PTS - 5 REB - 5/11 FG
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Sacramento's only three alone in L.A.
When you only have three double-figure scorers on the road, a team shouldn't expect to win very often. The Kings' lack of bench scoring hurt them in L.A. against the Clippers on Saturday. Cousins, Gay, and Thomas were the only Kings to score in double-figures, and even then, Thomas only shot 5/14 from the field. Their struggling offense could not match the production from L.A.'s frontcourt of Griffin and Jordan as the Kings fell quietly.
Clippers: 115
Kings: 105

Los Angeles Clippers Top Performers
Deandre Jordan: 32 PTS - 13 REB - 3 BLK - 14/20 FG - 4/7 FT
Blake Griffin: 20 PTS - 13 REB - 9/12 FG - 2/6 FT
Chris Paul: 15 PTS - 9 AST - 2 BLK - 5/12 FG - 4/4 FT
J.J. Redick: 10 PTS - 6 AST - 4/15 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 24 PTS - 15 REB - 10/17 FG - 4/5
Rudy Gay: 23 PTS- 4 REB - 3 AST - 9/20 FG - 4/5 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 12 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 5/14 FG - 2/5 3PT FG
Derrick Williams: 8 PTS - 3/8 FG - 11 MIN
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Cousins and McLemore shine as Kings survive
Returning to Sacramento for a quick stop at home before a 4-game roadtrip on the east coast, the Kings welcomed the Pelicans. New Orleans has, like Sacramento, enjoyed a good start to the season and have their sights set on sneaking into the postseason. Early on, Ben McLemore was aggressive offensively for the Kings with 13 first quarter points. The strong efforts of Omer Asik and Anthony Davis on the backboard kept the Pelicans in the game despite McLemore and Cousins' scoring. But the Kings gameplanned well defensively against their former Rookie of the Year, making Tyreke Evans shoot it from downtown. Tyreke connected on just 3 of his 10 attempts from 3pt land. Along with Evans' struggles, misses from Eric Gordon also hurt the Pelicans chances of rallying from a halftime deficit. Despite a -5 4th quarter, the Kings held on to win at home by 4.
Kings: 103
Pelicans: 99

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 26 PTS - 13 REB - 10/18 FG - 6/7 FT
Ben McLemore: 18 PTS - 3 REB - 5 AST - 7/15 FG - 3/3 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 7 AST - 4/10 FG - 4/7 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 11 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 5/13 FG - 1/5 3PT FG

New Orleans Pelicans Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 27 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 12/27 FG - 3/10 3PT FG
Eric Gordon: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 7/20 FG - 1/5 3PT FG
Omer Asik: 11 PTS - 11 REB - 5/10 FG
Anthony Davis: 8 PTS - 13 REB - 4/6 FG
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Balanced production gives Kings road win
Sporadic production from all the Kings not name Demarcus, Rudy, or Isaiah has been a problem for the team this season. Derrick Williams and Carl Landry have struggled to score consistently off the bench, and tonight was no exception as neither scored in the game against the Hawks. Yet even without any points from them, the Kings found enough support from another. Allen Crabbe has played well after an offseason trade put him into a Kings' uniform and dropped 4 shots from downtown en route to 14 points. Crabbe and John Henson combined for 30 points to support the main trio for Sacramento. With 5 players scoring at least 14 points, the Kings put on a strong performance in Atlanta and pulled out the road win. Al Horford had an effective night on the glass, pulling down 21 rebounds in the loss.
Kings: 106
Hawks: 99

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 22 PTS - 5 REB - 9/18 FG - 1/3 3PT FG - 3/4 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 13 REB - 9/20 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 12 AST - 6/11 FG - 3/7 3PT FG
John Henson: 16 PTS - 11 REB - 2 BLK - 7/9 FG - 2/7 FT

Atlanta Hawks Top Performers
Al Horford: 16 PTS - 21 REB - 8/20 FG - 7 OFF REB
Lou Williams: 16 PTS - 6/14 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 2/3 FT
Kyle Korver: 13 PTS - 5/8 FG - 3/3 3PT FG
Jeff Teague: 12 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 5/11 FG
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NBA Notes:
Clippers win 9th straight, now 16-7 overall.
Rockets win 9th straight, now 16-8 overall.
Bucks lose 5th straight, now 2-22 overall.
Magic lose 9th straight, now 6-19 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Knicks F Amare Stoudemire out 4-6 weeks with Broken Back.

NBA Transactions:
Knicks extend F Andrea Bargnani with 4yr/$20.93M deal.

[Vespasian92]

Shorthanded Bobcats top Kings
Still without their star guard Kemba Walker due to an MCL injury suffered at the end of last season, the Bobcats' had more injury news last week that Al Jefferson would be slowed by a Sprained Knee. Although he was active, Jefferson still sat out of Thursday's game against the Kings. Without their two best players, Charlotte was hoping their promising rookie guard Terrence Askew could produce another strong performance like his 38-point outing last time he faced the Kings. It seemed Sacramento did not take the rookie too lightly tonight, forcing him into many difficult shots. He shot just 9/23, yet still put up 27 points in 43 minutes. But conversely, Askew's defensive abilities limited Isaiah Thomas just as much. The Kings' point guard shot an even worse mark, going 6/19 from the field. With just mediocre performances from Cousins and Gay, the Kings didn't have enough to overcome Askew's 27 points and 17 from Gerald Henderson. Charlotte held on to claim the narrow victory at home despite their offensive struggles.
Bobcats: 96
Kings: 93


Isaiah Thomas could not find any easy lanes to the basket in Charlotte

Charlotte Bobcats Top Performers
Terrence Askew: 27 PTS - 5 AST - 9/23 FG - 7/8 FT - 43 MIN
Gerald Henderson: 17 PTS - 6/10 FG - 4/4 FT
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: 13 PTS - 4 REB - 6/22 FG
Cpdy Zeller: 12 PTS - 15 REB - 2/9 FG - 8/12 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 11 AST - 6/19 FG - 1/6 3PT FG - 4/7 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 16 PTS - 13 REB - 4 BLK - 7/15 FG
Rudy Gay: 16 PTS - 8 REB - 6/12 FG - 2/4 3PT FG
Ben McLemore: 14 PTS - 2 REB - 4/7 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 4/4 FT

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Lebron, Stephenson carry Heat
After Ray Allen's retirement, the Heat reloaded this offseason by getting Caron Butler and Rip Hamilton on minimum deals in addition to signing Lance Stephenson from Indiana. Considering Dwayne Wade's injury struggles in recent seasons, Stephenson was an outstanding addition for the Heat. Stephenson stepped into the starting lineup for the Heat on Saturday as Wade missed his 5th straight game with a foot injury. The former Pacer seamlessly filled in for Wade and aggressively attacked the basket on a consistent basis. He and Lebron were a potent duo tonight, combining for 61 of Miami's 113 points. Cousins received some welcome support from a pair of Kings teammates, but not the usual suspects. John Henson and Ben McLemore stepped up with consistent efforts in Miami, especially on the glass. Two days after his struggles in Charlotte, Isaiah Thomas fared little better against the Miami defense. He and Rudy Gay both failed to produce their usual offense as the Kings fell to the Heat in South Beach.
Heat: 113
Kings: 104

Miami Heat Top Performers
Lebron James: 34 PTS - 8 REB - 10 AST - 14/24 FG
Lance Stephenson: 27 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 10/19 FG - 3/6 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Caron Butler: 11 PTS - 3 REB - 4/10 FG - 20 MIN
Chris Bosh: 10 PTS - 11 REB - 5/11 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 24 PTS - 17 REB - 4 AST - 10/20 FG - 4/6 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 6 AST - 6/18 FG - 6/6 FT
John Henson: 18 PTS- 7 REB - 8/10 FG
Ben McLemore: 12 PTS - 9 REB (Career-High) - 4 AST - 5/11 FG - 2/5 3PT FG
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Williams smashes slump and Magic
The inconsistent production from bench leaders Carl Landry and Derrick Williams for the Kings has been well documented this season. Neither has shown an aggressive, go-to mentality that the team needs off the bench. The Kings were hoping for a win in Orlando to reach .500 on their 4-game roadtrip. The Magic have not taken the step forward that they were hoping to and need some home wins to turn it around. Tonight's game never got out of hand, but Orlando never made a run to take control. The Kings took a lead after the first quarter and held it for most of the game. Demarcus Cousins put up his usual numbers from the start of the night and Sacramento found an unexpected boost from their bench. Derrick Williams entered the Amway Center and displayed confidence offensively that we haven't seen from him since last year. He put up 29 points on just 15 attempts thanks to some impressive accuracy from downtown and aggressiveness to earn free throws. With Williams' confidence and a passive performance from Rudy Gay, Derrick played the majority of the second half and helped Demarcus Cousins keep the Sacramento lead intact in the end.
Kings: 105
Magic: 97


Derrick's performance was a sight the Kings have been waiting for

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Derrick Williams: 29 PTS (Career-High) - 2 REB - 2 STL - 11/15 FG - 3/4 3PT FG - 4/6 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 23 PTS - 14 REB - 10/16 FG - 3/4 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 12 PTS - 2 REB - 4 AST - 3 STL - 4/14 FG - 2/6 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 6 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 3/5 FG

Orlando Magic Top Performers
Victor Oladipo: 29 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 12/27 FG - 2/9 3PT FG
Maurice Harkless: 20 PTS - 3 REB - 5 AST - 9/16 FG
Jameer Nelson: 8 PTS - 6 AST - 2/4 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 5 TO
Nikola Vucevic: 6 PTS - 10 REB - 2/4 FG - 2/2 FT
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Bench helps Kings drop 122 at home
Derrick Williams' big night in Orlando was a source of hope for a team that has starved for bench production so far this season. As the Kings returned home after a positive 2-2 roadtrip, they hoped another bench performance from somebody would help them beat the visiting Mavericks. Most Kings fans in attendance would have been happy with one consistent reserve, but nobody was expecting three. Quincy Acy (18 PTS, 5 REB), Ray McCallum (11 PTS, 7 AST), and Carl Landry (10 PTS, 6 REB) all scored in double-figures in tonight's game. During a stretch with an undersized frontcourt duo of Acy and Landry, the Kings outscored the Mavericks by 13. The bench trio led the reserves to 52 bench points on the nights. But Sacramento's regular trio didn't miss out either. Cousins, Gay, and Thomas each hit the 20-point mark to complete the near-perfect offensive performance for the Kings. Monta Ellis had 38 points in his own right, but wasn't enough to overcome Sacramento's balanced scoring.
Kings: 122
Mavericks: 115


Quincy Acy's energy was contagious to the Kings' reserves

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 21 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 8/13 FG - 4/6 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 8 REB - 8/17 FG - 4/4 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 2 REB - 5 AST - 6/16 FG - 3/8 3PT FG - 5/6 FT
Quincy Acy: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 8/10 FG - 2/2 3PT FG

Dallas Mavericks Top Performers
Monta Ellis: 38 PTS - 7 AST - 17/31 FG - 4/8 3PT FG
Alonzo Gee: 20 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 7/16 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Devin Harris: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST - 6/10 FG - 4/6 3PT FG
Anderson Varejao: 12 PTS - 13 REB - 6/9 FG
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NBA Notes:
Clippers win 13th straight, now 20-7 overall.
76ers win 5th straight, now 14-15 overall.
Pelicans lose 7th straight, now 14-15 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Nets F Kevin Garnett out 2-4 weeks with Broken Arm.

NBA Transactions:
Timberwolves extend G J.J. Barea with 4yr.$8.19M deal.

[Martti.]

Lance Stephenson in Miami is just too wrong.

Couple of good wins, sucks you couldn't beat the Bobcats without Al and Kemba. Losses like that could really factor big in Playoff seedings..

[Vespasian92]

Heat win shootout in overtime
Shane Battier took advantage of a clean look to force OT in Sacramento
After a win over the Kings in South Beach exactly one week ago, the Heat went to Sacramento for the second and final meeting this season. Boasting a healthy Dwayne Wade tonight, Miami's offense was hot from the opening tip. They scored at least 29 points in all 4 quarters against a porous effort from the Sacramento defense. Miami shot a blistering 49% from the field and committed just 10 turnovers on the night. Yet even considering those numbers, they did not pull away from the Kings easily. Sacramento mustered an effective mark from the floor as well, shooting a stunning 51%. Rudy Gay took over in the second half for the Kings, dropping 19 of his 25 points in the 3rd and 4th quarters.

Gay's offense helped the Kings hold a narrow lead in the closing minutes of the game. He converted a layup over Chris Bosh to extend the lead to three with 3.9 seconds left. After a Heat timeout, Bosh was set up as the inbounder on the sideline. Thanks to a miscommunication defensively, Isaiah Thomas and John Henson both followed Mario Chalmers at the top of arc. Shane Battier found himself open on the near wing and didn't hesitate. The clean opportunity resulted in a tie score to send the game into overtime.

The extra 5 minutes went the same way as the first 48. The teams combined for 40 points in a high-scoring overtime. Despite the mediorce defense, Demarcus Cousins lost his scoring touch in the extra period, shooting just 1-5. Conversely, Lebron did what we expect from the #1 player in the world when it mattered. He put up 16 of Miami's 22 overtime points to help the Heat claim the road win. The high-scoring game saw 4 players for Miami score at least 20 points in the victory.

"Our defense tonight was completely unacceptable. 49% shooting and 142 points are numbers that our guys should be ashamed of. Forget the fact that our offense was able to keep up for most of the game. This was unacceptable." - Kings Coach Mike Malone


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Struggling defense fails in San Antonio
After a pair of defensive performances at home that were mediocre at best, the Kings went to Texas for the first of a quick 2-game roadtrip. The Spurs have been their usual veteran powerhouse this season and showed no signs of any change as they settled in at home. Considering the contrasting momentum of the teams recently, the game went as expected despite Tim Duncan resting a Torn Hamstring. The Spurs' team play carried them to an early lead and to the 48-minute victory. Danny Green's 7 assists marked the excellent ball movement for San Antonio. Combined with Parker's 25, it was enough to overcome the 26-12 performance from Demarcus Cousins.
Spurs: 110
Kings: 102

San Antonio Spurs Top Performers
Tony Parker: 25 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST - 9/21 FG - 4/4 3PT FG - 3/4 FT
Danny Green: 16 PTS - 7 AST - 6/17 FG - 3/3 FT
Tiago Splitter: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 6/8 FG - 2/2 FT
Anthony Randolph: 14 PTS - 18 REB - 7/9 FG - 40 MIN

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 26 PTS - 12 REB - 10/23 FG - 6/7 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 2 AST - 7/19 FG - 4/9 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 14 PTS - 2 REB - 5 AST - 5/10 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
Derrick Williams: 12 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 5/6 FG - 17 MIN
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Kings steady ship behind Cousins, better D
Quietly, the Kings have had a very poor stretch of basketball as of late. A high-scoring game against the Mavericks ultimately resulted in a Sacramento win, an overtime battle in Miami against the powerhouse Heat, and a road loss to the veteran Spurs don't necessarily suggest a slumping team, but the Kings' defense has been abysmal during that stretch. Sacramento had allowed 122.3 PPG in the three games, and another road game welcomed them to the Big Easy. The Pelicans are still without Jrue Holiday (Torn Meniscus) and started both Gordon and Evans in the backcourt. Facing a score-first backcourt, the Kings' defensive gameplan tonight was similar to that in the last matchup with New Orleans. Sacramento swarmed Eric Gordon while sagging off of the inconsistent shooting of Evans and Aminu. Tyreke put up a shocking 10 attempts from downtown thanks to being left alone, and the misses helped the Kings down the stretch. With volume shooting from the Pelicans backcourt, a dominant night from Demarcus Cousins with a season-best 8 offensive rebounds finished the job.
Kings: 102
Pelicans: 99

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 23 PTS - 16 REB - 4 AST - 10/16 FG - 3/4 FT - 8 OFF REB (Season-High)
Rudy Gay: 15 PTS - 2 REB - 2 AST - 5/11 FG - 5/6 FT
Derrick Williams: 13 PTS - 2 REB - 2 AST - 5/6 FG - 2/3 FT - 24 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 12 PTS - 9 AST - 5/11 FG - 1/4 3PT FG

New Orleans Pelicans Top Performers
Eric Gordon: 36 PTS - 14/28 FG - 2/7 3PT FG - 6/8 FT
Tyreke Evans: 16 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 7/22 FG - 2/10 3PT FG
Anthony Davis: 8 PTS - 9 REB - 4/7 FG
Al-Farouq Aminu: 7 PTS - 3 REB - 7 AST - 3/6 FG
--------------------------------------------------------------

NBA Notes:
Warriors win 5th straight, now 16-17 overall.
Thunder win 5th straight, now 20-11 overall.
Nets F/C Kevin Garnett announces plans to retire after this season.

NBA Injury Updates:
Rockets F Chandler Parsons out 1-2 weeks with Sprained Wrist.
Timberwolves G Kevin Martin out 4-6 weeks with Broken Finger.

NBA Transactions:
Grizzlies extend F Tayshawn Prince with 1yr/$1.47M deal.

Wolves and Cavaliers balance rosters
Minnesota Timberwolves trade: Luc Mbah a Moute
Cleveland Cavaliers trade: Nate Wolters
A minor deal that seemed to be a no-brainer for both sides. The Cavaliers had three point guards of Irving, Jack, and promising rookie Will Thurmond ahead of Wolters on the depth chart, while the Wolves had 5 small forwards on the team. Mbah a Moute was acquired from the Kings early last season in exchange for Derrick Williams, but struggled to make the kind of impact Minnesota was hoping for. Losing minutes to a healthy Chase Budinger, developing Shabazz Muhammad, and rookie Trey McKenzie, the oft-injured Mbah a Moute wasn't seeing the floor this season even when he was 100%.

Wolters came to Cleveland in the offseason after being waived by the Bucks. He joined the Cavaliers despite the presence of the other three guards already on the roster, and the situation did not improve for the 2nd year guard from North Dakota State. A new situation in Minnesota will likely help him gain traction on his career.

[Vespasian92]

December Summary
Motoring forward

Last season was probably a disappointment for the Pistons after signing Josh Smith to go with young bigs Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. A bumpy regular season still resulted in a 6th seed in the weak Eastern Conference and an upset of the injury-ravaged Indiana Pacers. On paper a 2nd round appearance might seem positive, but nobody could turn a blind eye to their difficult regular season and subsequent good fortune in the postseason. Whatever adjustments Detroit made in the offseason seeking a better season seem to have worked. A less trigger-happy year from Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings and improved numbers from key reserves Jonas Jerebko and Kyle Singer have contributed to a strong Detroit squad. But the main difference this season is the emergence of 2nd year guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The trio of Drummond, Monroe, and Smith was considered doomed to failure due to the lack of consistent perimeter shooting from three of your starters. Many would say that the Pistons still need more shooting on their team, but KCP's emergence is the perfect compliment to Detroit's inside-heavy frontcourt. The Georgia product is averaging over 16 points behind 39% shooting from downtown. Most speculated that either Monroe or Josh Smith would be certainly traded by this year's trade deadline, but the now-passable floor spacing in Detroit might make some people rethink the Pistons.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




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


Center of Attention
Any Kings fans are aware of the impressive season being put together by Demarcus Cousins, but thanks to the .500 mark of the team so far this year, now everybody is starting to notice. His rebounding dominance is nothing new, but every single facet of his game has improved since last season. His scoring is up to 21.9 per game which is enough to put him in the top-5 in the NBA. His 11.2 RPG last season, which was good enough to claim the rebounding title, has went even higher this season to 13.1 boards. His assists are up from 1.9 to 3.1, steals from .8 to 1.0, and he made small improvements in blocks, free throws, and 3pt percentage. Of course, there are 52 more games this season in which Cousins may see his numbers drop, but his improvements have to be taken seriously.

But good players don't just get their own numbers: they also help their teammates as well. The attention that Cousins' draws in the low post creates open shots for his guards. Playing with Demarcus in the starting lineup, Ben McLemore has bounced back from a difficult opening month with a small but much-needed boost in his 3pt percentage. McLemore's increased scoring rate has steadied his floor time under Coach Malone, who frequently went with the hot shooting Allen Crabbe in place of the Kansas product. Conversely, Crabbe's minutes have dipped this month yet still maintained his 3pt effectiveness. Isaiah Thomas has also benefited from Cousins' dominance with an impressive 43% mark from downtown. Cousins' nightly assist count of 3 shows his willingness to find these open shooters when he is doubled. Behind Cousins' strong season and outstanding support from Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas, the Kings have maintained a .500 record so far and many fans dare to believe that Sacramento's 9-year playoff drought might be threatened.

[Lamrock]

Nice big three of sorts you've got here. You'll still have your work cut out for you to make the postseason but it's definitely the best Kings team in a decade!

[Vespasian92]

Rudy outduels Melo in easy win
After a tiring stretch of 6 road games in their last 8, the Kings eagerly returned to Sactown for a 5-game homestand to begin 2015. The Knicks were in the middle of a 6-game roadtrip of their own when they came to Sleep Train Arena for the only time this season. Carmelo Anthony and Rudy Gay both accepted large player options last offseason and will hit the open market this summer. Their respective teams will hope for a positive season to convince their star wings to stay in town. Both are playing well in contract years, but the matchup between the two failed to live up to the hype. Rudy Gay was dynamic from the opening tip and put on a show for the home fans. He frequently found his way to the basket for easy shots en route to 63% from the floor. Conversely, Anthony had a very difficult night for his Knicks squad. Shooting just 5/16 overall, Carmelo missed all but one of his attempts from behind the arc. As a team, the Knicks hoisted a exorbitant 41 shots from 3pt territory with a poor percentage overall. Considering the Knicks' offensive struggles and the strong performances from Gay and Cousins, the Kings easily cruised to the home victory.
Kings: 111
Knicks: 95


An aggressive Rudy Gay dominated the small forward matchup tonight

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 30 PTS - 2 REB - 5 AST - 12/19 FG - 2/2 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 12 REB - 6/12 FG - 5/6 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 13 PTS - 11 AST - 5/16 FG - 1/5 3PT FG
John Henson: 12 PTS - 12 REB - 1 BLK - 6/10 FG

New York Knicks Top Performers
Tyson Chandler: 18 PTS - 14 REB - 2 STL - 8/13 FG
Carmelo Anthony: 17 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST - 5/16 FG - 1/8 3PT FG - 6/6 FT
Andrea Bargnani: 15 PTS - 6 REB - 5/11 FG - 3/7 3PT FG
J.R. Smith: 14 PTS - 5/15 FG - 2/8 3PT FG
--------------------------------------------------------------

Henson's 20 boards marks team win
Just two days after one of the better performances of the season against the Knicks, the Kings continued their season-best 5 game homestand on Sunday. The Hawks were coming off of two straight road losses in Golden State and Minnesota as they came to Sacramento. The team effort that the Kings displayed against New York easily carried over tonight and consistent contributions from the entire team had the home Kings looking strong. Whether it was Ben McLemore's 16 points on 9 shots, Rudy Gay's efficiency, or Carl Landry's perfect performance (14 PTS, 5 REB, 7/7 FG, 15 MIN), every King who stepped on the floor played like one. Despite the variety of strong performances, the biggest surprise of the night was John Henson's efforts. Henson secured a season-high 20 rebounds to help the Kings claim a dominant +22 advantage on the glass. Considering the balanced production and the rebounding advantage for Sacramento, Lou Williams's 9/26 shooting night doomed the Hawks in Sacramento.
Kings: 111
Hawks: 94


John Henson helped Demarcus Cousins dominate the glass for the Kings

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 7 AST - 5/13 FG - 2/7 3PT FG - 6/6 FT
Ben McLemore: 16 PTS - 7/9 FG - 2/3 3PT FG
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 10 REB - 7/16 FG
Rudy Gay: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 7 AST - 6/9 FG - 3/3 3PT FG
John Henson: 12 PTS - 20 REB - 4/10 FG - 4/4 FT

Atlanta Hawks Top Performers
Lou Williams: 22 PTS - 6 AST - 9/26 FG - 3/15 3PT FG
Dennis Schroder: 18 PTS - 3 AST - 7/14 FG - 3/3 FT
Demarre Carroll: 13 PTS - 2 REB - 2 AST - 5/11 FG
Al Horford: 6 PTS - 10 REB - 3/6 FG
--------------------------------------------------------------

Trio disappoints offensively
Some impressive positive strides from this year's Kings team has been reflected in their recent play. After a road win in New Orleans, the Kings continued their momentum their with two comfortable home wins against the Knicks and Hawks. Their 5-game homestand continued against the Timberwolves, who once again find themselves trapped in mediocrity in the difficult Western Conference. But despite their average season so far, Minnesota put up a fight in Sacramento. Surprisingly, neither team performed well offensively. Both teams shot below 42% and neither boasted a 20-point scorer. In the battle of attrition, the Timberwolves found enough production from their bench to claim the road win. Chase Budinger put up the game-high 18 points off the Minnesota bench, while Love and Brewer each had 17. 9 points each from Barea, Pekovic, and Rubio was enough to overcome the poor performances from the Kings' trio of Cousins, Gay, and Thomas. They shot a combined 16/37, with none of them reaching their usual numbers as their Kings were cooled by the disappointing home loss.
Timberwolves: 97
Kings: 92

Minnesota Timberwolves Top Performers
Chase Budinger: 18 PTS - 3 REB - 4/8 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 8/8 FT
Kevin Love: 17 PTS - 8 REB - 5/14 FG - 3/7 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Corey Brewer: 17 PTS - 6 REB - 8 AST - 5/15 FG - 1/8 3PT FG - 6/8 FT
Nikola Pekovic: 9 PTS - 11 REB - 3/6 FG - 3/4 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 16 PTS - 6 REB - 5/13 FG - 3/6 3PT FG - 3/4 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 9 REB - 5/11 FG - 5/5 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST - 6/13 FG - 1/4 3PT FG
John Henson: 12 PTS - 10 REB - 6/9 FG
--------------------------------------------------------------

Big 3, improved defense spark blowout
In the midst of their longest homestand of the year, the Kings hoped to bounce back from Wednesday's loss with a winnable game against the visiting Magic. Orlando put themselves in youth development mode this season, starting Andrew Nicholson at the 4 and giving Victor Oladipo the reins as the point guard. Their record has been less than impressive as a result. Conversely, the Kings looked to continue their much improved season carried by their trio of Cousins, Gay, and Thomas. All three hit the 20 point mark in tonight's contest. The Kings' defense also put up a good effort against a Magic squad lacking elite offensive players. No player for Orlando scored more than 13 points and the Magic shot below 40% for most of the night. Combined with the solid defense, Demarcus Cousins' dominance in the paint gave the Kings the easy win.
Kings: 113
Magic: 89

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 25 PTS - 15 REB - 3 STL - 10/17 FG - 5/7 FT
Rudy Gay: 20 PTS - 7 REB - 7/10 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 5 AST - 8/16 FG - 1/1 3PT FG - 3/3 FT
Ray McCallum: 11 PTS - 17 AST - 2/7 FG - 7/8 FT - 15 MIN

Orlando Magic Top Performers
Nikola Vucevic: 13 PTS - 9 REB - 3 BLK - 6/10 FG
Aaron Afflalo: 13 PTS - 4 AST - 5/11 FG - 1/3 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
Andrew Nicholson: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 4/7 FG - 2/2 FT
Victor Oladipo: 10 PTS - 4 AST - 4/11 FG
--------------------------------------------------------------

Henson, Cousins stifle Pistons paint presence
Detroit came to Sacramento to face the Kings in the 5th and final game of the Kings' homestand on Monday. The Pistons have enjoyed a strong start to the season and currently sit 3rd in the Eastern Conference. Improved floor spacing around their frontcourt trio of Drummond, Monroe, and Smith has propelled their improvement, but they went to Sacramento without the services of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who sat out with a hamstring injury. KCP has had a breakout season with 16 points a contest and has provided the perimeter shooting the Pistons desperately needed. Without him, Kyle Singler started at the 2 for Detroit, but could not produce the same kind of consistent shooting. Detroit only made 4 3-pointers on the night while shooting below 25% from downtown. Well aware of the Pistons' need to score in the paint, Demarcus Cousins and John Henson were prepared defensively. Along with help from the wing players, the Kings' frontcourt duo contested shots all night. Cousins and Henson combined for 8 blocked shots, and two more from Quincy Acy (6 PTS, 8 REB, 2 BLK) capped off a gritty defensive effort in the paint. Offensively, Cousins and Gay were effective as ever. A poster dunk from Rudy Gay late in the third quarter was an emphatic marker of another strong home win for Sacramento.

After a successful 4-1 homestand with just 5 games in 11 days, the Kings embark on the most difficult part of their schedule. They face a 6-game roadtrip against high-caliber competition that includes two back-to-backs, beginning Wednesday in Indiana.
Kings: 109
Pistons: 88


Rudy Gay has shown more confidence this season as the #2 option in Sacramento

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 7 REB - 4 AST - 3 BLK - 6/11 FG - 8/9 FT - 7 TO
Rudy Gay: 20 PTS - 10 REB - 7/12 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
John Henson: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 5 BLK - 6/9 FG - 2/4 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 12 PTS - 7 REB - 5/7 FG - 2/2 FT

Detroit Pistons Top Performers
Kyle Singler: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 6/13 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 4/6 FT
Josh Smith: 14 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 4/11 FG - 5/5 FT
Greg Monroe: 13 PTS - 6 REB - 6/9 FG
Brandon Jennings: 13 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST - 4 STL - 6/16 FG - 1/5 3PT FG
--------------------------------------------------------------

NBA Notes:
Heat win 6th straight, now 27-10 overall.
Magic lose 5th straight, now 11-27 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Clippers C Deandre Jordan out 2-4 weeks with Broken Toe.
Celtics F Brandon Bass out 4-6 weeks with Torn Hamstring.

NBA Transactions:
Suns fire Head Coach Jeff Hornacek, hire Jacque Vaughn.
Spurs extend G Tony Parker with 4yr/$52.06M deal.

[Vespasian92]

Kings start hot, but fall in Indiana
Hoping to carry their confidence on the road, the Kings embarked on their longest roadtrip of the season immediately after completing a 6-game homestand. Sacramento was the site of a 5-1 mark for homestand and the confidence seemed to carry over for the Kings in Indiana. Led by Rudy Gay, the Kings dropped 34 points in the opening quarter. But as soon at the second quarter started, it was all downhill. The Pacers outscored Sacramento by 15 in the remaining 3 quarters. Granger and George bounced back from difficult 1st quarter performances to help Indiana take control. Conversely, Rudy Gay was alone for the Kings. Cousins had a mediocre night and a terrible shooting mark from Isaiah Thomas failed to support Gay down the stretch as the Kings could not catch the coasting Pacers.
Pacers: 108
Kings: 102

Indiana Pacers Top Performers
Danny Granger: 24 PTS - 4 REB - 6/15 FG - 3/7 3PT FG - 9/9 FT
Paul George: 23 PTS - 6 REB - 10/25 FG - 1/7 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
George Hill: 14 PTS - 9 AST - 6/8 FG - 2/3 FT
Roy Hibbert: 11 PTS - 17 REB - 4/6 FG - 3/3 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 24 PTS - 6 REB - 7 AST - 9/10 FG - 1/1 3PT FG - 5/5 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 8 REB - 8/20 FG - 1/1 3PT FG - 1/2 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 7 AST - 5/16 FG - 3/10 3PT FG
Allen Crabbe: 11 PTS - 4/7 FG - 3/4 3PT FG - 12 MIN
--------------------------------------------------------------

Cousins invisible as Kings outrebounded by 19
The consistent anchor for the Kings this season has been Demarcus Cousins, who is posted another improved statistical season. His NBA-best rebounding mark and a scoring average that flirts with the top 5 in the league has helped the Kings to a .500 record so far. Cousins has rarely failed to contribute a 20-10 game this season, but tonight's game in Denver was one of those difficult nights. His scoring was less efficient than usual, and his typical rebounding presence was nowhere to be found. It was the length and energy of a McGee/Faried frontline that bothered Cousins, outreaching the Kings' bigman to claim rebounds. Denver dominated the rebounding battle in the Pepsi Center, claiming a +19 advantage over Sacramento. Combined with the Nuggets' typical high-octane offense and Ty Lawson's 32 points, the rebounding differential buried the Kings in their second loss to open the roadtrip.
Nuggets: 121
Kings: 110

Denver Nuggets Top Performers
Ty Lawson: 32 PTS - 5 REB - 10 AST - 12/23 FG - 2/9 3PT FG - 6/8 FT
Evan Fournier: 23 PTS - 6 REB - 10/25 FG - 1/7 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
Javale McGee: 12 PTS - 8 REB - 6/9 FG
Kenneth Faried: 11 PTS - 12 REB - 4/6 FG - 3/3 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 7 AST - 4 STL - 9/15 FG - 3/3 FT
Rudy Gay: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 5/13 FG - 7/7 FT
Ray McCallum: 15 PTS - 4/11 FG - 7/7 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 6/13 FG - 2/6 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

Gay, Cousins carry Kings to win in Memphis
The notoriously difficult Grizzlies defense welcomed the Kings to the Grindhouse as Sacramento continued their lengthy roadtrip. After poor defensive efforts in losses to the Pacers and Nuggets, the Kings hoped their usually strong offense could manage enough momentum to overcome the strong Grizzlies defense. Rudy Gay's perimeter shooting and Demarcus Cousins' physical play answered the call with a combined 58 points. On the other end, the battle between a sub-par Memphis offense and inconsistent Kings defense also went Sacramento's way. Forced to create the majority of Memphis' offense, Mike Conley and Nick Calathes combined for 9/27 shooting. Despite having an efficient night, a passive performance from Zach Randolph did not provide the scoring Memphis needed.
Kings: 109
Grizzlies: 89

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 31 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST - 9/17 FG - 13/13 FT
Rudy Gay: 27 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 10/21 FG - 4/6 3PT FG - 3/4 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 13 PTS - 7 AST - 5/8 FG - 2/3 3PT FG
Ben McLemore: 9 PTS - 6 REB - 4/5 FG - 1/1 FT

Memphis Grizzlies Top Performers
Mike Conley: 17 PTS - 8 AST - 8/19 FG - 1/5 3PT FG
Courtney Lee: 14 PTS - 5/11 FG - 2/5 3PT FG
Zach Randoph: 12 PTS - 12 REB - 6/9 FG - 6 OFF REB
Marc Gasol: 6 PTS - 6 REB - 2/8 FG - 6 FLS
--------------------------------------------------------------

Durant, Westbrook dominate in easy win
There wasn't much contention between the Kings and Thunder as Sacramento visited Oklahoma City on their roadtrip. The West-leading Thunder showed no signs of a letdown, led by their duo of Durant and Westbrook. Westbrook scored 38 on the night and a near triple-double for Durant marked a blowout win for the Thunder. Aside from a 29-point effort from Isaiah Thomas, the Kings struggled to get anything going offensively on the road as they lose their 3rd game on the roadtrip.
Thunder: 121
Kings: 110

Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers
Russell Westbrook: 38 PTS - 5 REB - 8 AST - 16/29 FG - 4/8 3PT FG
Kevin Durant: 30 PTS - 15 REB - 9 AST - 12/20 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 4/5 FT
Jeremy Lamb: 20 PTS - 10/16 FG - 2/3 3PT FG
Serge Ibaka: 10 PTS - 9 REB - 5/8 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 29 PTS - 7 AST - 12/24 FG - 4/11 3PT FG - 1/2 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 11 REB - 7/12 FG - 4/5 FT
Rudy Gay: 10 PTS - 4 AST - 4/9 FG - 2/4 FT
Allen Crabbe: 10 PTS - 4/9 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 17 MIN
--------------------------------------------------------------

NBA Notes:
Thunder win 5th straight, now 28-13 overall.
Pacers win 5th straight, now 26-14 overall.
Mavericks lose 5th straight, now 19-21 overall.
Celtics lose 5th straight, now 17-24 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:

Blazers lose Wesley Matthews for season
In the midst of a difficult 13-21 season, the Portland Trailblazers experienced more unfortunate news following evaluation of G Wesley Matthews. Matthews suffered an apparent knee injury against the Jazz earlier this week and now reports say he tore his right MCL and will miss the rest of the season. A Blazers team hoping for a turnaround to their playoff-caliber level of play will find it difficult without their long-term starter in the backcourt. C.J. McCollum and Will Barton will likely receive increased opportunities to impress for a larger role in Portland during Matthew's absence and perhaps longer, as Matthews is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Warriors C Andrew Bogut out 4-6 weeks with Broken Ankle.

NBA Transactions:

[Vespasian92]

Kings regain traction over slumping Mavs
After going 1-3 so far on the roadtrip, the Kings went to Dallas for their most winnable game on the trip against the Mavericks. Dallas had lost their last 5 games, thanks to Dirk Nowitzki missing time with a Broken Arm. Dirk returned to game action against the Kings to try and right the ship for his team. The outcome of the contest came down to one thing: shooting efficiency. The inconsistency of the Kings' defense came into play once again, but this time in Sacramento's favor. Their defense put up a strong effort, led by John Henson's defense on Nowitzki. Dirk struggled to shake off the rust and Henson's length, going just 4/16 from the floor. Devin Harris was also inefficient offensively for the Mavericks. Conversely, the Kings' trio scored at a high rate, especially Gay and Thomas. Rudy Gay had one of his better offensive games this season and scored the ball from all over the floor. His baseline dunk in the final minute was the exclamation point to cap off a much-needed win for the Kings on their lengthy roadtrip.
Kings: 112
Mavericks: 104


Rudy Gay has continued to produce for Sacramento in a contract year

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 29 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST - 9/15 FG - 5/8 3PT FG - 8/8 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 24 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 7/14 FG - 10/12 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 23 PTS - 5 AST - 9/15 FG - 3/4 3PT FG - 2/3 FT - 6 TO - 42 MIN
John Henson: 6 PTS - 10 REB - 3 BLK - 2/4 FG - 2/2 FT

Dallas Mavericks Top Performers
Monta Ellis: 28 PTS - 11/17 FG - 4/5 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
Devin Harris: 11 PTS - 8 AST - 4/17 FG - 1/4 3PT FG - 2/4 FT
Dirk Nowitzki: 9 PTS - 5 REB - 4/16 FG - 1/1 FT
Anderson Varejao: 8 PTS - 8 REB - 4/9 FG
--------------------------------------------------------------

Kings fall in NO, end roadtrip at 2-4
After a feel-good win in Dallas, the Kings went to New Orleans to finish their season-high 6-game roadtrip. With stolen wins against the Mavs and Grizzlies in hand, Sacramento dared to hope for an impressive .500 roadtrip with a win against the Pelicans. As usual, Demarcus Cousins got his team started off in a positive way and maintained his consistent production all night. But unfortunately the other two parts of the Kings' trio didn't show up. Isaiah Thomas and Rudy Gay both had a rough night offensively, and the Sacramento bench couldn't muster any double-figure scorer in response. The Pelicans had 5 players with at least 13 points on the night and, led by Eric Gordon's 26, handed the Kings the loss to close their roadtrip. The Kings will finally return to Sacramento on Saturday to face a Pacer team that beat them in Indiana at the start of the roadtrip.
Pelicans: 112
Kings: 92

New Orleans Pelicans Top Performers
Eric Gordon: 26 PTS - 4 REB - 11/20 FG - 3/3 FT
Anthony Davis: 19 PTS - 8 REB - 7/9 FG - 5/7 FT
Ryan Anderson: 18 PTS - 5/10 FG - 3/6 3PT FG - 5/6 FT - 21 MIN
Tyreke Evans: 16 PTS - 7 REB - 6 AST - 8/14 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 14 REB - 8/13 FG - 2/4 FT - 6 OFF REB
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 6 AST - 6/15 FG - 3/9 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 5 AST - 3/11 FG - 4/4 FT
John Henson: 7 PTS - 8 REB - 2 BLK - 3/10 FG - 1/2 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

George unstoppable in Sacramento
After beating the same Kings a week ago in Indiana, the Pacers headed to Sacramento looking for the sweep of the 2-game season series. The Pacers were on a roll, winning 5 of their last 6 games. The Kings finally finished their season-long 6-game roadtrip and were obviously glad to be back home. But, as often happens in the first game back, the home Kings struggled to maintain a high energy level. Paul George led his team to an early advantage and was locked in for the entire contest. George ended with 36 points for the game, and teamed with Hibbert's 18-12 nights to carry the Pacers on the road. Despite not turning into a blowout, the Kings were never really in the game and gave up 123 points in the loss. One bright spot for the Kings was the performance of second year guard Ben McLemore. McLemore mustered a season-high 28 points thanks to an adequate number of touches.
Pacers: 123
Kings: 113


An aggressive Ben McLemore can make a case for more touches in the Kings' offense

Indiana Pacers Top Performers
Paul George: 36 PTS - 7 REB - 5 AST - 10/22 FG - 5/6 3PT FG - 11/12 FT
Roy Hibbert: 18 PTS - 12 REB - 8/15 FG - 2/3 FT
David West: 15 PTS - 9 REB - 6/12 FG - 3/4 FT
George Hill: 7 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 2/8 FG - 3/4 FT - 4 TO

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Ben McLemore: 28 PTS (Season-High) - 4 REB - 4 AST - 4 STL - 9/20 FG - 5/11 3PT FG - 5/6 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 21 PTS - 4 REB - 9 AST - 4/11 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 11/13 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 7 REB - 4 AST - 9/13 FG
Rudy Gay: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 5/10 FG
--------------------------------------------------------------

NBA Notes:
Thunder win 7th straight, now 30-14 overall.
Celtics lose 7th straight, now 17-26 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Magic F Maurice Harkless out 2-4 weeks with Separated Shoulder.
Heat F/C Chris Bosh out 2-4 weeks with Strained Oblique.

NBA Transactions:

[Vespasian92]

Rudy leads all-around effort in Kings win
Even though the 6-game trip is complete, the Kings still won't stay in Sacramento for long. They still have 3 of their next 7 on the road, followed by a 4-game east coast trip before the All-Star break. That being said, the Kings were hoping to secure a home win against the Jazz after their poor performance against Indiana. Rudy Gay and Demarcus Cousins were locked in to contribute towards that goal, and also received some help from the shooting guard duo. McLemore and Crabbe combined for a perfect 9-9 shooting from the floor including 4 made triples. Along with Crabbe's 11 points, Acy's 10 points and his huge dunk in the 3rd quarter led the Kings' bench to 47 points. The Jazz played without Trey Burke due to a Sprained Toe, and struggled offensively without him. Kanter's 18 was not enough to boost the Jazz past the high-scoring Kings offense as they lost in Sacramento by 22.
Kings: 119
Jazz: 97


Quincy Acy's poster dunk over Jazz rookie Jermaine Lee

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 31 PTS - 2 REB - 5 AST - 10/18 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 9/9 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 13 REB - 6/10 FG - 7/7 FT
Ben McLemore: 16 PTS - 5/5 FG - 3/3 3PT FG - 3/4 FT
Allen Crabbe: 11 PTS - 4/4 FG - 1/1 3PT FG - 2/2 FT - 18 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 2 PTS - 14 AST - 1/11 FG - 0/5 3PT FG

Utah Jazz Top Performers
Enes Kanter 18 PTS - 9 REB - 8/14 FG - 2/3 FT
John Lucas: 15 PTS - 5 AST - 4/11 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 5/5 FT - 45 MIN
Andris Biedrins: 12 PTS - 5 REB - 3/4 FG - 6/10 FT
Derrick Favors: 12 PTS - 7 REB - 5/13 FG
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Kings win in Portland behind solid defensive effort
The Trailblazers have been one of the more painful stories this season, beginning with a slow start to the year and a strange dip in the production of Lamarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum. The recent season-ending injury to Wesley Matthews has been a nail in the coffin for their hopes for a repeat appearance in the postseason. Sadly, some have proposed that the Blazers consider some significant changes at the trade deadline and this offseason to retool their roster around Damian Lillard. The Blazers played host to the Kings on Tuesday as Sacramento completed a back-to-back after beating the Jazz at home. The Kings defense started strong and only gave up 38 points in the first half of the game. With a double-digit lead and a balanced offensive night, the Kings breezed in the second half to a road win. Former Trailblazer Travis Outlaw managed to get off the Sacramento bench thanks to the score and put in 12 points in just 8 minutes.

But it wasn't all great news for Sacramento. Demarcus Cousins suffered a relatively significant ankle sprain in the second half of the contest, and is expected to be in pain for at least a week. He will remain in the lineup yet his productivity may be hindered by the injury.
Kings: 119
Trailblazers: 97

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 17 PTS - 6 REB - 6/13 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 3/4 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 16 PTS - 8 REB - 5/9 FG - 6/8 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 5 AST - 6/14 FG - 3/4 FT
Travis Outlaw: 12 PTS - 5/9 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 8 MIN

Portland Trailblazers Top Performers
Damian Lillard 16 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 5/18 FG - 6/6 FT - 5 TO
Lamarcus Aldridge: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 7/8 FG
Nate Robinson: 14 PTS - 2 REB - 4 AST - 6/11 FG - 2/5 3PT FG
Myers Leonard: 11 PTS - 6 REB - 5/9 FG - 1/2 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

Rudy disappears against his former team
After gaining the road win in Portland, the Kings stopped off at home to play the Grizzlies on their way to Houston. Sacramento had put together back-to-back wins in the wake of their lengthy roadtrip. On that roadtrip, the Kings beat the Grizzlies in Memphis handily thanks to a combined 58 points from Rudy Gay and Demarcus Cousins. But tonight it was Isaiah Thomas who led the Kings while Gay and Cousins couldn't produce. Thomas was unstoppable offensively with 29 points and repeated forays to the rim and the free throw line, but the rest of the Kings' trio was less impressive. Rudy Gay in particular struggled against the usually stout Memphis defense, going just 1/9 from the floor. Thanks to a combination of his ankle injury and the defense of Marc Gasol, Demarcus Cousins' average night failed to help Thomas compensate enough for the Kings to win. Strong performances from Prince, Conley, and Gasol all helped Memphis get the 5 point win in a game that was less balanced than the final score indicated.
Grizzlies: 108
Kings: 103

Memphis Grizzlies Top Performers
Tayshaun Prince 25 PTS - 12/16 FG - 1/2 3PT FG
Mike Conley: 23 PTS - 6 REB - 12 AST - 7/12 FG - 3/4 3PT FG - 6/6 FT
Courtney Lee: 17 PTS - 5/12 FG - 3/8 3PT FG - 4/5 FT
Marc Gasol: 15 PTS - 12 REB - 5/11 FG - 5/6 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 29 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 6/10 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 15/15 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 8 REB - 6/14 FG - 7/8 FT
Ben McLemore: 15 PTS - 4 REB - 6/14 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 1/2 FT
Rudy Gay: 4 PTS - 2 REB - 3 AST - 1/9 FG - 0/5 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

Rockets' trio outshines Kings
The Houston Rockets are in hot pursuit of the Thunder for the best record in the Western Conference. Their duo of Dwight Howard and James Harden have meshed well this season, along with some support from players like Chandler Parsons and Marcus Thornton. They were coming off two strong wins and 5 days off in the last week as the Kings came to Houston. Sacramento has had a few bumps in the road of late, and face more road games after recently finishing a 6-game trip. Considering the contrasting momentum, the Rockets made quick work of the visiting Kings. Howard, Harden, and Parsons all reached 20 points in the easy home victory.
Rockets: 121
Kings: 87

Houston Rockets Top Performers
Dwight Howard 24 PTS - 9 REB - 8/12 FG - 8/11 FT
Chandler Parsons: 21 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST - 5/10 FG - 3/6 3PT FG - 8/8 FT
James Harden: 21 PTS - 4 REB - 7/12 FG - 3/5 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Marcus Thornton: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 4/7 FG - 1/2 3PT FG - 5/5 FT - 19 MIN

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 7 REB - 5 AST - 5/10 FG - 3/4 3PT FG - 9/9 FT
Rudy Gay: 16 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 5/12 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 4/6 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 13 PTS - 10 REB - 3/10 FG - 7/10 FT
Derrick Williams: 11 PTS - 5/5 FG - 1/1 3PT FG - 13 MIN
--------------------------------------------------------------

NBA Notes:
Heat win 6th straight, now 34-11 overall.
Hawks lose 8th straight, now 19-29 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Suns G Eric Bledsoe out 6-8 weeks with Broken Foot.
Pelicans G Tyreke Evans out 4-6 weeks with Torn Hamstring.

NBA Transactions:

[Vespasian92]

January Summary
Defending champs flexing their depth

With the trade deadline and All-Star Weekend less than two weeks away, all of the NBA's contenders must survey the league landscape for potential moves to push them over the hump. Last year's champion Thunder are once again riding high out West, but have certainly felt the pressure from teams like the Rockets and Grizzlies. Oklahoma City has been completely without Thabo Sefolosha this season due to the defender's MCL injury. In his absence, Jeremy Lamb has had a breakout year as a starter with over 15 points a night. But Lamb is one of the lucky ones who has gotten a chance to play for the defending champs. The Thunder have Steven Adams and Perry Jones on their bench averaging less than 11 minutes per game. Reggie Jackson had clearly made a large jump in his production this season, but still barely gets 18 minutes a night with Russell Westbrook ahead of him. With those four quality young players and a $9M expiring contract in Kendrick Perkins, the Thunder have assets to make a deadline deal that can help them repeat. The trade deadline will likely see moves among the Western Conference leaders to one-up each other for the postseason.



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


Big deadline for Kings' bigs
The well-documented quandary in the Kings' frontcourt hasn't been fully clarified yet for almost two seasons under the new Kings regime. The Rudy Gay trade helped matters somewhat, sending Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes to Toronto. But Quincy Acy's emergence and a healthy Carl Landry have put the number of rotation bigs at 5, which is one or maybe two too many for game-to-game action. Add the fact that Derrick Williams produces best for the Kings when he is at the power forward and it is no secret that Sacramento will be shopping some of their frontcourt players at the deadline. Jason Thompson and Carl Landry have larger cap hits than Henson or Acy, which probably makes them available pieces from the Kings' perspective. But that also makes them harder to deal to the playoff teams who would be interested in their veteran skillsets. Packaging them with a more desirable asset is not something that the Kings' FO would like to do but may be an unfortunate necessity. The upcoming trade deadline might see many Kings fans get their wish of a thinner frontcourt, but at what price?

[Vespasian92]

Parker leads Spurs to easy home win
Spurs: 109
Kings: 93

San Antonio Spurs Top Performers
Tony Parker: 27 PTS - 5 REB - 7 AST - 9/18 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 7/7 FT
Tim Duncan: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 5/9 FG - 4/4 FT
Tiago Splitter: 13 PTS - 9 REB - 4/9 FG - 5/6 FT
Kawhi Leonard: 12 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 2/6 FG - 2/6 3PT FG - 6/8 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Ben McLemore: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 8/12 FG - 2/4 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 15 PTS - 8 AST - 3/7 FG - 9/12 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 6 REB - 2 AST - 6/17 FG - 1/6 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 9 REB - 5/16 FG - 4/5 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

D-Rose drops game-winner over Kings
Bulls: 109
Kings: 93

Chicago Bulls Top Performers
Derrick Rose: 21 PTS - 10 AST - 10/16 FG - 1/3 3PT FG
Taj Gibson: 20 PTS - 14 REB - 8/15 FG - 4/4 FT
Jimmy Butler: 16 PTS - 3 AST - 6/12 FG - 4/6 3PT FG
Joakim Noah: 8 PTS - 13 REB - 4/10 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 24 PTS - 7 REB - 8/13 FG - 2/6 3PT FG - 6/11 FT
Quincy Acy: 17 PTS - 2 REB - 5/7 FG - 3/4 3PT FG - 4/4 FT - 27 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 4 AST - 7/14 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 1/1 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 8 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 2/8 FG - 4/4 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

Kings end 4-game skid at home
Kings: 108
Raptors: 98

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 22 PTS - 12 REB - 9/13 FG - 4/6 FT
Ben McLemore: 21 PTS - 8/9 FG - 2/2 3PT FG - 3/3 FT
Rudy Gay: 19 PTS - 9 REB - 6 AST - 7/20 FG - 3/9 3PT FG - 2/3 FT
Quincy Acy: 12 PTS - 4/10 FG - 2/6 3PT FG - 2/2 FT

Toronto Raptors Top Performers
Greivis Vasquez: 26 PTS - 10 AST - 9/18 FG - 3/7 3PT FG - 5/5 FT
Demar Derozan: 24 PTS - 8 REB - 3 AST - 10/24 FG - 1/5 3PT FG - 3/3 FT
Landry Fields: 11 PTS - 4/7 FG - 1/3 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
Jonas Valanciunas: 9 PTS - 10 REB - 3/5 FG - 3/3 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

Sacramento forwards play big in blowout win
Kings: 112
76ers: 78

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 25 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 2 STL - 9/20 FG - 4/8 3PT FG - 3/3 FT
Ben McLemore: 17 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 5/13 FG - 3/5 3PT FG - 4/6 FT
Rudy Gay: 14 PTS - 12 REB - 2 BLK - 5/10 FG - 1/3 3PT FG - 3/6 FT
John Henson: 11 PTS - 12 REB - 3 BLK - 4/8 FG - 3/4 FT

Philadelphia 76ers Top Performers
Thaddeus Young: 19 PTS - 7 REB - 7/13 FG - 5/5 FT
Evan Turner: 13 PTS - 5/13 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 1/2 FT - 19 MIN
Spencer Hawes: 11 PTS - 7 REB - 5/15 FG
Luol Deng: 11 PTS - 10 REB - 5 AST - 3/12 FG - 1/6 3PT FG - 4/6 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

Cousins helps Kings withstand Washington backcourt
Kings: 118
Wizards: 106

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 32 PTS - 6 REB - 15/23 FG - 2/5 FT
Rudy Gay: 19 PTS - 3 REB - 7 AST - 6/14 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 5/6 FT
Quincy Acy: 16 PTS - 3 REB - 2 AST - 6/10 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 11 AST - 4 STL - 3/8 FG - 3/6 3PT FG - 6/6 FT

Washington Wizards Top Performers
Bradley Beal: 30 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 11/23 FG - 3/8 3PT FG - 5/7 FT
John Wall: 21 PTS - 12 AST - 8/23 FG - 1/3 3PT FG - 4/4 FT - 10 TO
Kevin Seraphin: 12 PTS - 12 REB - 5/6 FG - 2/6 FT
Nene Hilario: 11 PTS - 10 REB - 5/10 FG
--------------------------------------------------------------

Pistons D smothers Kings
Pistons: 89
Kings: 71

Detroit Pistons Top Performers
Greg Monroe: 16 PTS - 15 REB - 4/10 FG - 8/11 FT
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 4/10 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 5/6 FT
Brandon Jennings: 14 PTS - 10 AST - 5/17 FG - 3/12 3PT FG
Andre Drummond: 10 PTS - 11 REB - 3 BLK - 4/16 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 16 PTS - 6 REB - 6/11 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
Carl Landry: 12 PTS - 3 REB - 5/10 FG - 2/2 FT - 19 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 10 PTS - 9 REB - 3/8 FG - 4/4 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 10 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 4/18 FG - 1/9 3PT FG - 1/2 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

Celtics claim close game in Beantown
Celtics: 99
Kings: 97

Boston Celtics Top Performers
Jeff Green: 25 PTS - 6 REB - 9/19 FG - 2/7 3PT FG - 5/6 FT
Jeff Sullinger: 12 PTS - 10 REB - 5/11 FG - 2/2 FT
Gerald Wallace: 12 PTS - 3/6 FG - 5/6 FT
Rajon Rondo: 12 PTS - 7 REB - 7 AST - 4/9 FG - 4/4 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 21 PTS - 8 REB - 7/15 FG - 7/12 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 10 AST - 6/12 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 6/6 FT
Ben McLemore: 17 PTS - 9 REB - 6/20 FG - 1/11 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Rudy Gay: 5 PTS - 9 REB - 2/11 FG - 1/2 FT
--------------------------------------------------------------

NBA Notes:
Lakers lose 5th straight, now 20-32 overall.
Magic lose 5th straight, now 16-38 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Nuggets G Mo Williams out 4-6 weeks with High Ankle Sprain.
Pistons F Josh Smith out 1-2 weeks with Sprained Wrist.

NBA Transactions:

[Vespasian92]

All-Star Weekend 2015

Rising Stars Challenge Invitees
All-Star Weekend is always an exciting time for the young players in the NBA. Many get some much needed rest as the grind of an NBA season wears on players that aren't yet prepared for it. But as a reward for their strong play, the outstanding rookies and sophomores get less rest due to their invites to the rising stars game. Considering a relatively weak draft class last summer there were only two rookies selected as starters in the game. Mirotic can hardly be considered a rookie anyway considering his overseas experience. Many second-year players are enjoying a breakout season this year, including Nerlens Noel, Gorgui Dieng, and Archie Goodwin.

Team Shaq:
Starters:
Michael Carter-Williams (PHI) - Victor Oladipo (ORL) - Nikola Mirotic (CHI) - Anthony Bennett (CLE) - Nerlens Noel (PHI)

Reserves:
Terrence Askew (CHA)
Will Thurmond (CLE)
Lucious Storey (DAL)
Mel Goodson (LAC)
Otto Porter (WAS)

Team Chuck:
Starters:
Trey Burke (UTA) - Archie Goodwin (PHX) - Deshawn Overton (PHX) - Cody Zeller (CHA) - Gorgui Dieng (MIN)

Reserves:
Tajuan Conway (UTA)
C.J. Cooper (LAL)
Andrew Reid (DEN)
Kelly Olynyk (BOS)
Alex Ejiofor (MIL)

All-Star Saturday
But while this year's rookie crop has struggled to make large waves for their teams' records, plenty of raw athletes entered the league from the draft. Among those was Blazers' rookie Harvey Stansbury. Despite being a definite project with limited skills aside from his athleticism, he entered the contest as the favorite and put on a dominant performance. The dunk contest was no contest as Stansbury outshone his fellow rookie entrants with a trio of impressive dunks on the night.

The 3pt Shootout always brings an intriguing mix of perimeter scorers to ASW, and this year was no different. A group of shooters headlined by Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard tested their shooting prowess on Saturday night and the favorite came through in the end. The Splash Brothers from Golden State claim back-to-back 3pt titles as Klay Thompson followed up Steph Curry's win last year.

Sprite Slam Dunk

Winner: Harvey Stansbury (POR)
2nd: Jermaine Lee (UTA)
3rd: Andrew Reid (DEN)
4th: Trey McKenzie (MIN)

Foot Locker 3PT Shootout

Winner: Klay Thompson (GS)
2nd: Danny Green (SA)
3rd: Damian Lillard (POR)
4th: Isaiah Thomas (SAC)
5th: Kawhi Leonard (SA)
6th: Paul George (IND)

NBA All-Star Game 2014
Last season there were some 1st time All-Stars that raised a few eyebrows as to their selections due to superior stats on a struggling team. This season, the All-Star rosters have corrected that for the most part despite having 5 1st-time invitees. Anthony Davis finally made it to ASW after a legitimate snub last year, and no one would argue that he isn't on the way to stardom. Raymond Felton was rewarded for a slightly better season on a winning Knicks team. Mike Conley received his invite for improved assist numbers on a #3 seeded Grizzlies team. This leaves Victor Oladipo and Ersan Illyasova as the other 1st time All-Stars. Oladipo has made large strides in developing his game and seems to have established himself as one of the rising stars in the league despite a poor season for his Magic squad. Many would say he should have been snubbed at least one more year, but 47% shooting from the backcourt and his two-way play are noteworthy qualities. Illyasova's selection is less defendable to most people, but the weak Eastern Conference may have to reach to find All-Stars. His overall numbers are barely improved from last season and Milwaukee is once again near the bottom of the league while they rebuild. Ersan has been a good role model and veteran for the Bucks, but that still struggles to justify his selection over players like Chris Bosh and Joakim Noah.

Western Conference

West Starters:
Chris Paul (LAC - 8th Appearance) - Russell Westbrook (OKC - 5th Appearance) - Kevin Durant (OKC - 6th Appearance) - Kevin Love (MIN - 3rd Appearance) Dwight Howard (HOU - 9th Appearance)

Reserves:
Stephen Curry (GS - 2nd Appearance)
James Harden (HOU - 2nd Appearance)
Andre Igoudala (GS - 2nd Appearance)
Anthony Davis (NO - 1st Appearance)
Demarcus Cousins (SAC - 2nd Appearance)
Mike Conley (MEM - 1st Appearance)
Blake Griffin (LAC - 4th Appearance)

Eastern Conference:

East Starters:
Derrick Rose (CHI - 5th Appearance) - Paul George (IND - 3rd Appearance) - Lebron James (MIA - 11th Appearance) - Carmelo Anthony (NY - 8th Appearance) - Jeff Green (BOS - 2nd Appearance)

Reserves:
John Wall (WAS - 2nd Appearance)
Victor Oladipo (ORL - 1st Appearance)
Luol Deng (PHI - 3rd Appearance)
Ersan Illyasova (MIL - 1st Appearance)
Al Horford (ATL - 3rd Appearance)
Nikola Vucevic (ORL -2nd Appearance)
Raymond Felton (NY - 1st Appearance)

[Vespasian92]

Trade Deadline Deals
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

K-Love deal headlines trade deadline



Minnesota Timberwolves trade: Kevin Love - Kevin Martin
Houston Rockets trade: Jeremy Lin - Chandler Parsons - Terrence Jones - 2015 1st Round Draft Selection - 2015 1st Round Draft Selection (VIA NOP)

After 6 seasons of stellar play without a playoff appearance, Kevin Love was quickly growing tired of being in Minnesota. He reportedly planned to opt out of the last year of his contract this offseason and find a new team. Despite an adamant stance by the Timberwolves' FO of not trading Love, the risk of their franchise talent leaving without compensation was ultimately too high. The Rockets were intrigued by a Howard-Love frontcourt and put together a hefty trade package to try and assemble a contending team now. Love slides into the starting power forward spot in Houston next to Dwight Howard, and seems to be an ideal fit. He can space the floor for Howard on the block and pick-and-pop with James Harden. The Rockets firmly believe that a deep playoff run will convince Love, who has never seen the postseason, to opt in and consider a long-term extension with the team. Along with a pair of first round picks, the Rockets gave up Chandler Parsons in the trade. Parsons is set to hit free agency this summer and the Rockets were rumored to be willing to let him walk anyway and chase a different tertiary option in free agency.

The Timberwolves are forced to retool and rebuild once again but did receive 4 legitimate assets in return. Lin is less of an asset as a player and more of an asset as a massive $15M expiring contract. With that space and the shedding of Kevin Martin's deal, the Timberwolves will have plenty of cap room to resign their potential young star Chandler Parsons. Terrence Jones is a quality prospect who showed a dynamic combination of athleticism, defense, and shooting range and fits in well with the style of today's prototype NBA power forward. In addition to the Rockets' 1st round selection this year, they also acquire the Pelicans' pick which Houston received in exchange for Omer Asik. The Wolves still have Nikola Pekovic and Ricky Rubio, existing young talent like Gorgui Dieng and Shabazz Muhammad, and the return on Love with which to rebuild their franchise quickly.

Knicks and Lakers swap bigmen

New York Knicks trade: Jermaine O'Neal
Los Angeles Lakers trade: Robert Sacre

In a minor deal, the Knicks and Lakers exchanged backup centers Jermaine O'Neal and Robert Sacre. For a team severely lacking in picks or young talent, a player like Sacre is a valuable prospect for the Knicks. The Lakers are still trying to make the postseason at least once more before Kobe has to hang it up, and hope O'Neal can help them overcome their 7.5 game deficit on what would be the #8 seed Warriors.

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Clippers land veteran Nelson from Magic

Orlando Magic trade: Jameer Nelson - 2015 2nd Round Draft Selection
Los Angeles Clippers trade: Darren Collison

After being unhappy in Los Angeles and seeking a chance to start, Darren Collison received a trade away from the Clippers and landed in Orlando in exchange for Jameer Nelson. Collison started over 200 games in his first 4 NBA seasons in New Orleans, Indiana, and Dallas, but has been largely chained to the bench in Los Angeles behind a healthy Chris Paul. Nelson comes to the Clippers after spending his entire 11 year career in Orlando. He was a part of the Eastern Champion Magic squad with Dwight Howard in 2009, and his experience will be welcomed by Doc Rivers in Clipperland.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bulls deal for much-needed frontcourt help

Washington Wizards trade: Trevor Booker - 2016 2nd Round Draft Selection
Chicago Bulls trade: 2015 1st Round Draft Selection

The Bulls were quite desperate for depth in their frontcourt and gave away their 1st round pick to the Wizards for energetic forward Trevor Booker. After their starting frontcourt trio of Noah, Gibson, and Mirotic, the only other players capable of playing the power forward or center positions on the Bulls' roster were Nazr Mohammad and Eric Murphy. Murphy is a young forward who has never earned the consistent trust of Coach Thidobeau and Mohammad is a 37 year old veteran with 17 years of NBA basketball on his body. Booker is a physical big who, while not being a prolific shot blocker, will bring energy that a defensive coach can appreciate.

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Grindhouse loses its poster boy for cap relief

Memphis Grizzlies trade: Tony Allen
Detroit Pistons trade: Will Bynum

Barely a season removed from back-to-back 1st team All-Defense selections, Tony Allen finds himself cast away from the Memphis Grizzlies for an expiring contract. The defensive specialist from Oklahoma State lost a bit of his step, as well as his starting role this season in Memphis. Courtney Lee, who is a decent defender in his own right has started ahead of Allen for a Grizzlies team desperate for perimeter shooting around Randolph and Gasol. Allen, 33, played just 12.5 MPG this season with the Grizzlies, which is his lowest total since his rookie year in Boston 10 seasons ago. The Pistons were willing to take on his 3yr/$15M deal to bolster their defense which already boasts Andre Drummond and Josh Smith. Will Bynum goes to Memphis in exchange for Allen with his $2.92M expiring contract in tow. Aside from his 15-game rookie season, Bynum had spent his entire career in Detroit before the trade.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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

Isaiah joins defending champs in shocking deadline trade

The mini Big 3 in Sacramento that formed after Rudy Gay came to the Kings from Toronto was the main catalyst for a season that offers a chance to end the Kings' 8 year playoff drought. Gay was placed with Demarcus Cousins and a much-improved Isaiah Thomas to form a trio that carried the Kings offensively. But the drawbacks of having three high-usage players on the same team were obvious as well. Not only were the vast majority of offensive touches contained in the trio, so was the majority of the trade value on the Sacramento roster. Ultimately they looked to cash in on some of that value and the Kings' "Only three" was broken apart here at the trade deadline.

Sacramento Kings trade: Isaiah Thomas (81 - OKC) - Carl Landry (72 - OKC) - Lionel Webber (60 - CHA)



Oklahoma City Thunder trade: Reggie Jackson (75 - SAC) - Kendrick Perkins (73 - CHA) - Devin Hopkins (59 - SAC) - 2015 1st Round Draft Selection (SAC)




Charlotte Hornets trade: Bismack Biyombo (70 - SAC) - 2016 2nd Round Draft Selection (SAC)



The rumors first surfaced on Monday that the Kings had made both Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas available in exchange for the right trade package. Despite the relative success of the first sustained stretch of .500 basketball for the Kings in 6 or 7 seasons, the trio of Cousins, Gay, and Thomas just did not offer enough offensive touches for the other 9 players on the active roster. Isaiah Thomas has improved his numbers every year and is posting 17.5 PPG and 7.0 APG this season. Rudy Gay is in the midst of a career season in terms of shooting percentages and his best scoring output since his Memphis days. Now with a larger sample size than just the end of last season, it is clear that the revival of Gay's career in Sacramento is no fluke. Considering Demarcus Cousins' nightly 20-10 performances, the Kings believe they can get away without having a tertiary option as prolific as an Isaiah Thomas or a Rudy Gay. Ultimately, Thomas offered a quality return including a point guard that could easily develop into a player of Thomas' caliber.

The main piece in return for Isaiah Thomas is Reggie Jackson, who spent his first 3 1/2 season as Russell Westbrook's backup in Oklahoma City. The loss of the fan-favorite Thomas is easier for Kings' fans to swallow due to the stats and circumstances that make Jackson compare quite reasonably to Eric Bledsoe. Jackson is still behind Bledsoe defensively, but almost all the other per36 stats of the two are in the same vicinity. Both Jackson and Bledsoe sat behind superstar point guards for years, both have impressive physical tools, and both failed to show their full playmaking abilities due to their roles off the bench. The Kings believe that Jackson's statistical improvements this season in OKC will continue as a starter in Sacramento, and will display more passing ability when surrounded with scorers like Cousins, Gay, and McLemore.

If Jackson is indeed close to breaking into the second tier of NBA PGs (which includes Bledsoe and Thomas) like the Kings' FO believes, than the trade will be a good one for Sacramento considering the additional assets they acquired. Sacramento is going to lose its 1st round draft pick to Chicago and were known to have wanted back in. They also flipped the expiring deal of Kendrick Perkins to the Bobcats in exchange for Bismack Biyombo and a future 2nd rounder. Perkins is a better player than Biyombo right now, but comes with a larger contract and a quicker decline than the still-raw Biyombo. Assuming they had made the postseason if they had kept their trio together with Thomas, the Kings would still be unlikely to make a deep playoff run. They would be left with $13M in salary tied up in middling bigs Thompson and Landry with no 1st round selection to work with. Sacramento is not done building yet. A free 1st rounder, an athletic point guard with untapped potential, a defensive center off the bench, and the shedding of one of their two burdensome contracts are solid returns for the Kings.

Aside from getting back into the first round of the draft and picking up a shot-blocking backup center, the additional motive for this trade from Sacramento's perspective is that it opens doors for others on their roster to step up, namely Ben McLemore and Quincy Acy. Jackson is a very capable scorer in his own right and will be able to carry much of the scoring load left from Thomas if needed, but in order for the trade to succeed, it won't be. McLemore has shown more flashes of his potential much more frequently this year after a bumpy rookie campaign. The Kings are still very high on the former Jayhawk and want to make him a larger part of the team than the 11 points a game he is getting now. A Jackson-McLemore backcourt is certainly an athletic one with room for the latter to get more touches offensively. Up front, Quincy Acy's MPG are down to 10.6 after averaging over 15 last season due to the injuries to Carl Landry. Acy showed his energy and defensive abilities last year, and has come back this season with offensive firepower in the form of shooting range to the 3pt line. The long-debated crowding in the Kings' frontcourt may be clarified with the trade as Quincy looks poised to get all the reserve power forward minutes and Biyombo will play the backup center. All four of Jackson, McLemore, Gay, and Cousins can score in bunches, but they can also pass. The Kings seem to envision a free-flowing, athletic team with playmakers at multiple positions. That vision is one that Jackson can easily be a part of.

The Kings also waived C Aaron Gray following the trade. He played in 17 games for Sacramento last season after coming from Toronto in the Rudy Gay trade, averaging 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in 4.6 MPG. Gray, 30, did not appear in any of the team's 53 games this season. Jason Thompson received most of the minutes behind Demarcus Cousins and Biyombo is even likely to take most of those from Thompson, leaving none for the likes of Aaron Gray.

The Thunder gave up the potential-filled Jackson to get the kind of player who Jackson may develop into. Isaiah Thomas will be a valuable component in a playoff-shortened rotation and brings energy and passion from a 6th man role. Teams and fans have debated if Thomas is better as a starter or as a 6th man, but such a debate will likely quiet in Oklahoma City considering the quality of the incumbent point. He may be an ideal fit with the Thunder considering his young veteran status (Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, and Thomas are all 25 or 26) and the recent injury concerns about Russell Westbrook. Thomas is a more than capable starter and can perform better than even Jackson did in any absence of Westbrook. At 31, Carl Landry still has plenty of solid basketball to play if he remains healthy and will, like Thomas, be a valuable bench piece in the postseason for the Thunder. Moving Perkins also hastens their intention of making promising 2nd year bigman Stephen Adams their center of the future.

Charlotte is sitting 5th in a weak Eastern Conference, and seem eager to make a push for a positive run come playoff time. Biyombo has struggled to develop as they had hoped over his 3 1/2 seasons. Lacking any offensive game outside of the restricted area, the #7 overall pick in 2011 remains the same raw athlete he always was. The Hornets gave up on the Biyombo experiment and in return get a more seasoned Kendrick Perkins to spell Al Jefferson in the postseason. Perkins has an expiring $9M contract this offseason, and he likely won't receive that kind of salary again. He can be resigned to a reasonable number or allowed to expire for cap space.

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NBA Notes:
Nets G Chauncey Billups announces plans to retire after this season.

NBA Injury Updates:
Raptors F/C Chuck Hayes out 1-2 weeks with Sore Hamstring.
Bucks F Khris Middleton out 1-2 weeks with Strained MCL.

NBA Transactions:
Kings waive C Aaron Gray.

[Senior]

These recaps are cool! I liked!

[Vespasian92]

Jackson helps Kings win in Sacramento debut
Reggie Jackson used a strong performance to help endear himself to his new team's fans
Being the main trade return on a fan-favorite player is always difficult. Combined with the situation of stepping into the same starting job the beloved player left, it puts a tremendous amount of pressure on a new player on a new team. That was the situation Reggie Jackson faced in Sacramento after arriving from the Thunder in exchange for Isaiah Thomas. Just three days after the trade was completed at the trade deadline, the Kings' new point guard was already in Sacramento and suited up for a game against the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix played without Eric Bledsoe, who is recovering from surgery on a fracture in his left foot. Goran Dragic started at the point next to Archie Goodwin, who is enjoying a breakout season as the starting shooting guard. The Suns have only mustered 15 wins this year and are hoping for a healthy Bledsoe and continued development of star rookie Deshawn Overton to make the latter half of this season successful. After the trade of Isaiah Thomas, Demarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay came out strong in the first quarter to carry the load for the Kings. Cousins was dominant inside for the majority of the game, posting a high percentage en route to a typical 20-10 night. Gay added 8 first quarter points for the Kings who enjoyed a 7-point lead. Newcomer Reggie Jackson only took one shot on the first 12 minutes, but quickly found his rhythm afterwards.

When Rudy Gay and Demarcus Cousins went to the bench to start the second, Jackson was left in complete control of the team. Jackson scored 3 straight buckets to lead a 6-0 run Kings to start the quarter. With his confidence now in hand, he easily controlled an athletic Kings lineup of McLemore, Williams, Acy, and Biyombo. Jackson threw an accurate lob to McLemore on a fast break and set up Quincy Acy for two of his three shots from downtown in the second quarter. He was able to display his versatile skills for the rest of the contest by slashing to the rim, running the pick-and-roll with Acy and Cousins, and using his vertical athleticism to claim rebounds.

The second half went the same way as the first, with consistent and balanced Kings scoring leading the way. Quincy Acy and Allen Crabbe led the Sacramento bench with 9 points each, both connecting on a trio of shots from behind the 3pt arc. A strong 3rd quarter defensively also helped put the Kings up by 16 at home. The Kings rode their bench in the 4th to coast to the double-digit victory. Jackson was notably supported by his teammates in his debut and received a strong ovation from the crowd when he departed early in the 4th. Even considering the intense fan-favoritism that the Sacramento faithful had for Isaiah Thomas, performances like this from Jackson will help him endear himself to the fans despite the difficult shoes to fill. Bismack Biyombo also had a strong debut performance as the backup center, scoring 4 points, 3 rebounds, and a block in 12 minutes.

"Going into the game I told Reggie to let the game come to him and not force the issue. He did the little things like rebounding and defense to gain his confidence and didn't make many mistakes out there. Even while being under control, he put up an all-around effort that helped us win." - Kings Coach Mike Malone following Reggie Jackson's team debut


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Cousins versatile in home win
Kings: 101
Sixers: 93

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 10 REB - 3 AST - 4 STL - 3 BLK - 5/13 FG - 9/11 FT
Reggie Jackson: 17 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 8/14 FG - 1/5 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 15 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 6/15 FG
Ben McLemore: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 4/10 FG - 1/2 3PT FG - 1/1 FT

Philadelphia 76ers Top Performers
Michael Carter-Williams: 21 PTS - 6 AST - 10/19 FG - 1/4 3PT FG
Tony Wroten: 15 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 6/18 FG - 3/10 3PT FG
Thaddeus Young: 12 PTS - 8 REB - 4/14 FG - 1/1 3PT FG - 3/3 FT
Luol Deng: 9 PTS - 8 REB - 3/11 FG - 1/3 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
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Balanced Jazz offense tops Kings
Jazz: 93
Kings: 101

Utah Jazz Top Performers
Alec Burks: 17 PTS - 7 REB - 5/13 FG - 1/5 3PT FG - 6/8 FT
Derrick Favors: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 5/12 FG - 4/4 FT
Gordon Hayward: 14 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 3/6 FG - 8/9 FT
Trey Burke: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 7/15 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 23 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 8/22 FG - 7/12 FT
Ben McLemore: 22 PTS - 5 REB - 7/10 FG - 4/5 3PT FG - 4/5 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 8 REB - 5/16 FG - 4/4 FT
Reggie Jackson: 6 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 1/10 FG - 4/4 FT
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Kings win behind Rudy's clutch bucket
Kings: 100
Pelicans: 99


Rudy Gay's difficult baseline jumper was an example of the late-game option that the veteran forward can be for Sacramento

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 21 PTS - 8 REB - 8/14 FG - 5/5 FT
Rudy Gay: 20 PTS - 8 REB - 9/19 FG - 1/2 3PT FG - 1/2 FT
Reggie Jackson: 14 PTS - 2 REB - 3 AST - 5/7 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 2/2 FT
John Henson: 8 PTS - 10 REB - 4 AST - 2 BLK - 2/5 FG - 4/6 FT

New Orleans Pelicans Top Performers
Jrue Holiday: 36 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 14/36 FG - 4/14 3PT FG - 1/1 FT
Eric Gordon: 20 PTS - 7/14 FG - 3/7 3PT FG - 3/3 FT
Anthony Davis: 12 PTS - 12 REB - 6/10 FG
Al-Farouq Aminu: 6 PTS - 6 REB - 1/5 FG - 4/4 FT
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Rudy scores, Ben slashes, and Cousins rebounds in L.A.
Kings: 103
Lakers: 94


Quincy Acy has unleashed his inner beast frequently as of late

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 26 PTS - 7 REB - 5 AST - 11/20 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 2/3 FT
Ben McLemore: 21 PTS - 3 REB - 5/13 FG - 1/5 3PT FG - 10/10 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 13 PTS - 17 REB - 3/9 FG - 7/19 FT
Quincy Acy: 10 PTS - 5 REB - 2 BLK - 4/6 FG - 1/2 3PT FG - 1/1 FT - 19 MIN

Los Angeles Lakers Top Performers
Rodney Stuckey: 30 PTS - 13/26 FG - 2/7 3PT FG - 2/2
Kobe Bryant: 23 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 8/12 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 5/7 FT
Jordan Farmar: 12 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST - 5/17 FG - 1/4 3PT FG - 1/2 FT
Pau Gasol: 6 PTS - 15 REB - 2/11 FG - 2/3 FT
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NBA Notes:
Nets lose 9th straight, now 25-31 overall.
Pacers win 5th straight, now 38-19 overall.
Magic win 5th straight, now 21-39 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Cavaliers G Kyrie Irving out 1-2 weeks with Sprained Finger.
Bulls G Kyle Lowry out 2-4 weeks with Sprained Neck.

NBA Transactions:

[JaketheFlake]

You just turned the Thunders an offensive juggernaut, but nice move in adding defensive presence, assets and especially shipping landry out of Sacto

[Vespasian92]

February Summary
Three-horse race out West

With the All-Star break past, the playoff chase always heats up in the final few months of the season. Teams make changes at the trade deadline and adjust their lineups to try and improve their seeding or to keep their core healthy going into the postseason. In a tough Western Conference, the Thunder, Rockets, and Clippers all makes deadline trades to give themselves the edge in the postseason. Those three teams control the top 3 seeds in the West, in that order. Who will emerge as the favorite?

The Thunder traded for Sacramento's Isaiah Thomas with the intention of him playing a super 6th man role either behind or along with Russell Westbrook. Carl Landry was also included in the trade and will help in the postseason as well. Thomas is a lightning quick but undersized scorer whose determination and chip-on-his-shoulder attitude are valuable components off the bench in gritty playoff games. The only current assets that the Thunder gave up for Thomas were Reggie Jackson and Kendrick Perkins. Thomas is an upgrade over Jackson, and Oklahoma City is very high on 2nd year center Stephen Adams as their new starter. The Thunder added a player who can develop as a 6th man with a Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka core, and are undoubtedly a better team after the trade.

Houston made the biggest splash at the deadline in dealing for Kevin Love. Love wanted out of Minnesota and finds himself in the same frontcourt as Dwight Howard. With Love's shooting and Howard's defense, they make up for each other's weaknesses. The frontcourt duo is set to be a matchup problem for teams in the postseason, who will also be worried about James Harden's scoring ability. The Rockets weren't taken seriously as a contender last year, but swapping Chandler Parsons for Love does make them a threat right now. Assuming a strong postseason run convinces Love to remain in Houston, losing Parsons may not hurt the Rockets in the long run either.

Despite taking over the headline role in Hollywood with their Pacific-leading roster and 'Lob City' ability, the Clippers' deadline trade wasn't a flashy one. Darren Collison was unhappy with his role behind CP3, one which he had carried both to begin his career in NO and for the last 2 seasons in LA. Wanting to be a starter, Collison was traded to Orlando for Jameer Nelson. Nelson is the kind of veteran player that Doc Rivers will surely like come playoff time. While not bringing the kind of media attention that a Love trade or even Isaiah Thomas did, Jameer will help the Clippers.



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For the latest Kings
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and highlights. Kings Month in Review


Moving on from Isaiah
The trade of Isaiah Thomas caught fans and media alike by surprise. The Kings were enjoying their best season in a decade thanks in large part to Thomas, sitting above .500 and tentatively holding one of the lower seeds in the postseason. By all appearances, the chemistry between Thomas and Kings' cornerstone bigman Demarcus Cousins was outstanding. For those reasons, trading Thomas makes some scratch their heads from a logic standpoint. Reggie Jackson had performed well enough in the small sample since the trade, but can the Kings end their playoff drought and maintain decent play when things get tough for the newcomer? Thomas was having a career season and his departure makes some question if Sacramento can maintain their playoff seeding down the stretch of the season.

Aside from the logic of moving Thomas in the midst of a playoff-hopeful season, the trade was devastating from an emotional standpoint for Kings fans. There are some things that are impossible to completely ignore. Many of those are what tied Thomas into the hearts of Kings fans so tightly. His play on the floor was enjoyable enough, but you can't ignore that he is the smallest player every night. His story was so reminiscent of the team's legacy in Sacramento, as the small guy who never was expected to do anything big. He displayed an attitude of one who never gives up and would keep fighting against all odds, just as the fans and Sacramento community did during the Seattle relocation saga. Fans could not ignore his presence at city council meetings and outspoken support of keeping the team in Sacramento, which was probably hard for him in some ways. Thomas played at Washington in college and proudly represents the Tacoma, WA area. Being the starting point guard on a team that would move to his home state, playing in front of his friends and family had to be something that would make him hope the team had moved, at least privately. But Isaiah didn't say that, he never gave up on wanting to get better and to be a starter despite whomever was brought in to replace him, and he always returned the appreciation that the fans had for him. While not a starter, Thomas now finds himself on the defending champs with a legitimate chance to win a ring. Maybe he deserves to be on a playoff team after committing over 4 years of outstanding performances to a lottery team, that until recently was a rudderless ship without plans to improve, much less to remain in Sacramento. So while we probably won't see him in a Kings uniform again, Isaiah will always be a King and have loyal support from Sacramento wherever he plays.