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

[Vespasian92]

Big Cuz not enough in Big D
The Mavericks welcomed the Kings for a matchup in Dallas with their veteran leader, Dirk Nowitzki. Sacramento's mercurial bigman Demarcus Cousins went to work inside early, coming away with an efficient 8/13 shooting and 6 offensive rebounds. Cousins' effort was contagious, and the Kings won in several key areas such as rebounds, points in the paint, and assists. Yet Sacramento gave this game away with 23 turnovers that led to 18 fast break points for the Mavs. Dallas had 5 players collect multiple steals in the game. Dirk was efficient in the half-court as well, scoring 30 points in the contest.
Mavericks (15-7): 101
Kings (8-13): 93

Dallas Mavericks Top Performers
Dirk Nowitzki: 30 PTS - 5 REB - 3 STL - 12/21 FG
O.J. Mayo: 16 PTS - 3 STL - 7/14 FG
Rodrigue Beaubois: 13 PTS - 5 AST - 4 STL (Season-High)
Elton Brand: 11 PTS - 6 REB - 2 STL
Shawn Marion: 3 PTS - 8 REB - 5 AST - 3 STL


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 23 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 9 REB - 5 AST - 6 OFF REB
Jimmy Butler: 13 PTS - 7 REB
Tyreke Evans: 11 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST - 2 STL - 5/13 FG
Patrick Patterson: 5 PTS - 10 REB


Isaiah Thomas completed the contest despite a bruised tailbone he suffered in the third quarter. He will attempt to play through the injury, and is still expected to get the start on Wednesday in Milwaukee.

"It's still sore, but we have a day off between now and the Bucks game. I don't think it will slow me down too much, and isn't something that will stop me from being out there for my team." - Kings G Isaiah Thomas

Unselfish play pushes Kings in Milwaukee
With effortless ball movement that would make any coach smile, the Kings found a winning recipe offensively. They accumulated 33 assists en route to an easy 123-103 win over the Bucks. Tyreke Evans had 32 points to go with 7 assists and 4 steals. Isaiah Thomas played through his bruised tailbone and had a productive 24 points in 32 minutes. Brandon Jennings led the Bucks' efforts with 27 points and 6 assists.
Kings (8-13): 123
Bucks (15-7): 103

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 32 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST - 4 STL
Isaiah Thomas: 24 PTS - 7 AST - 11/19 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 10 REB - 4 AST
Marcus Thornton: 16 PTS
Patrick Patterson: 9 PTS - 8 REB


Milwaukee Bucks Top Performers
Brandon Jennings: 27 PTS - 4 REB - 6 AST
Monta Ellis: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 6 AST
J.J. Redick: 13 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST
Ersan Illyasova: 12 PTS - 7 REB

KD spoils career performances for Sacramento

Thunder F Kevin Durant attempts a game-winning shot over Kings F Jimmy Butler

Despite having two teams with dramatically different expectations for their seasons, tonight's game in OKC between the Thunder and the Kings didn't disappoint. It was a high-scoring contest, with both teams trading heavy blows back and forth. The Kings worked hard to cover the Thunder's all-star duo of Westbrook and Durant, keeping them below their season scoring averages. OKC would have looked to James Harden in this kind of situation last season, yet now the pressure fell to his replacement acquired from the Rockets.

Impressive individual performances emerged throughout the game, and would likely leave some players unhappy about losing despite their own herculean efforts. Some of the incredible performances included former King Kevin Martin putting up a season-high 34 points, Isaiah Thomas dropping a career-best 37 (despite still fighting a bruised tailbone), and Demarcus Cousins claiming a career-high 22 rebounds (7 offensive). The fireworks lasted all the way to the end, and even intensified in the final 60 seconds.

With less than a minute remaining, Tyreke Evans used a nifty reverse and-1 layup to tie the score at 111. Yet despite his relative sub-par scoring tonight, Kevin Durant wasn't about to let a clutch moment go to waste. Coming back the other way, the reigning scoring champ drained a fadeaway baseline jumper over the backboard to put his Thunder on top for good. With less than 30 seconds to work with Isaiah Thomas went hard to the bucket for Sacramento but didn't get the whistle he was hoping for. Durant pulled down the rebound off the contested layup and the Thunder closed the game out at the line.

The Kings concluded their 1-4 roadtrip and return to Sacramento to prepare to face the Nuggets for their next game. The Thunder will welcome the Spurs to OKC on Monday.


Video Highlights of Final Posessions

phpBB [video]

Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers
Kevin Martin: 34 PTS (Season-High) - 10 REB (Season-High) - 4 AST - 14/24 FG
Kevin Durant: 26 PTS - 7 REB - 4 AST - 10/11 FT
Russel Westbrook: 20 PTS - 5 REB - 7 AST - 5 TO
Nick Collison: 8 PTS - 6 REB
Serge Ibaka: 4 PTS - 3 REB - 6 FLS


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 37 PTS (Career-High) - 5 AST - 6 TO - 5/8 3PT FG - 44 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 13 PTS - 22 REB (Career-High) - 7 OFF REB (Season-High) - 9/10 FT - 2/10 FG - 44 MIN
Marcus Thornton: 24 PTS - 3 STL - 6/10 3PT FG
Tyreke Evans: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 2 STL
Jimmy Butler: 8 PTS - 7 REB - 2 BLK


"This is what we want to see from Demarcus. Even if he isn't shooting well, he took his emotions and use them to dominate inside rather than get upset and lose control. He went out and worked for those 22 boards. Rebounding helps win games, and that's why I am excited for our future with Cuz in the mix." - Kings Coach Randall Tiner on Demarcus Cousins' rebounding performance

"I really didn't want to fall for any fakes and give Kevin (Durant) freethrows or a clear lane to the basket. It suprised me when he just started fading out of bounds and put it up, didn't really have time to get out and challenge it. But that's why he's a superstar, with the confidence and ability to make shots like that." - Kings F Jimmy Butler on Kevin Durant's game-winner

Next up:
SAC (8-14) vs. DEN (8-16)
OKC (16-7) vs. SA (11-13)

NBA Transactions:
Jazz extend C Al Jefferson with 4yr/$42.16M deal.
Pistons extend F Jason Maxiel with 4yr/$9.04M deal.


NBA Injury Updates:
Knicks G J.R. Smith out 4-6 weeks with Broken Arm.
Magic F Maurice Harkless out 4-6 weeks with Broken Back.

[Vespasian92]

Lawson leads Nuggets in Sacramento
In a fairly even matchup of struggling Western Conference teams, the Kings returned to Sacramento to face the Nuggets. Denver was playing without Andre Igoudala, still out due to his sprained knee. Despite the frequent questions about his defensive ability, Isaiah Thomas had been consistently strong on that end of the floor so far this season, Yet that trend was shattered by the Nuggets' Ty Lawson. Not used to facing another point guard as quick as he is, Thomas struggled keeping Lawson out of the paint in the first quarter. Lawson had 14 of his 25 points in the first quater when Thomas was guarding him (while only scoring 9 after the Kings put Evans or Toney Douglas on him). Denver took at 14 point advantage from Lawson's hot first quarter and held on to it at the end.
Nuggets (9-16): 117
Kings (8-15): 111

Denver Nuggets Top Performers
Ty Lawson: 25 PTS - 9 AST - 11/18 FG
Danilo Gallinari: 20 PTS - 7 REB - 3 STL - 3/4 3PT FG
Wilson Chandler: 19 PTS - 3/4 3PT FG
Kenneth Faried: 15 PTS - 8 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 24 PTS - 8 REB - 11/15 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 9 AST
Jimmy Butler: 18 PTS - 4 STL (Season-High)
Tyreke Evans: 6 PTS - 3 REB - 5 AST - 2 STL - 3/9 FG
Jason Thompson: 6 PTS - 8 REB - 16 MIN

Triples carry Kings on the road
After a disappointing loss in a one-game stop at home, the Kings hit the road again and found themselves in Phoenix. Sacramento saw this as a great opportunity to pick up a rare road win against a struggling Suns squad. The Kings took an early lead thanks to 10 first quarter rebounds from Demarcus Cousins. Phoenix sent help into the paint to try and limit Cousins' impact on the offensive glass, and the Kings took advantage from the perimeter. Marcus Thornton was as hot as the Phoenix desert, and dropped 13 points in the second quarter. The Kings made 11 3PT FGs in the game, and also claimed 16 second chance points on 10 offense rebounds.
Shannon Brown got the start at PG for Phoenix in the absence of Goran Dragic (Strained Quad) and managed 9 assists in the game, but Phoenix's 11 TO and poor 3PT shooting (23%) hurt the Suns' chances of coming back in the end.
Kings (9-15): 98
Suns (8-17): 94

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 21 PTS - 5 AST - 3/5 3PT FG
Marcus Thornton: 18 PTS - 4 AST - 4/9 3PT FG
Tyreke Evans: 17 PTS - 5 REB - 2 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 11 PTS - 15 REB - 7 OFF REB
Patrick Patterson: 11 PTS - 9 REB


Phoenix Suns Top Performers
Shannon Brown: 20 PTS - 5 REB - 9 AST - 4 TO
Wesley Johnson: 13 PTS - 6/10 FG
Michael Beasley: 13 PTS - 2 REB - 3 AST - 2 STL - 6/16 FG
Marcin Gortat: 10 PTS - 7 REB

Kings rip Warriors on the glass
Very little needs to be said statswise about this game besides the rebounding totals. Whenever a team outrebounds their opponent by 16 they will win almost every time, and this was no different. This is what the Kings did to their visiting rival Warriors on Wednesday. Demarcus Cousins dominated Andrew Bogut inside, outrebounding the 7-foot Aussie who had a shockingly poor 1-rebound performance. Cousins singlehandedly claimed most of the Kings' 16 rebound advantage by beating Bogut 16-1 in that category. Tyreke Evans added an efficient 26 points in the win.

Stephen Curry sat Wednesday's contest out due to an ankle sprain (a too-common problem with Curry) that he suffered in their previous game with the Hornets.

Kings (10-15): 103
Warriors (15-11): 95

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 26 PTS - 4 REB - 9 AST - 11/17 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 14 PTS - 6 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 13 PTS - 16 REB - 5 AST - 3 STL
Patrick Patterson: 12 PTS - 7 REB


Golden State Warriors Top Performers
David Lee: 20 PTS - 7 REB - 8/13 FG
Harrison Barnes: 17 PTS - 8 REB - 3 STL - 7/13 FG
Jarret Jack: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 9 AST
Andrew Bogut: 13 PTS - 1 REB - 6/7 FG

Clippers make defensive plays in L.A.
After a dominant display of interior rebounding in Sacramento, the Kings headed back on the road to play the Clippers in Los Angeles. Sacramento's recent strides in the rebounding and 3PT categories showed up again tonight, with a +8 rebounding advantage and 10/22 3PT shooting. Yet they failed to capitalize on it and claim a road victory due to the Clippers' huge advantage in blocks and steals. The Clippers had 6 steals and 9 blocks, compared to only 2 and 1, respectively, for Sacramento. Deandre Jordan had 4 of the 9 rejections for the Clippers. Jamal Crawford and Caron Butler took advantage in transition and came up with big scoring nights to lead L.A. at home.
Clippers (8-17): 94
Kings (9-16): 98

L.A. Clippers Top Performers
Jamal Crawford: 25 PTS - 6 AST - 2 STL
Caron Butler: 23 PTS - 6 REB
Lamar Odom: 16 PTS - 5 REB - 3 BLK
Chris Paul: 16 PTS - 4 AST
Deandre Jordan: 5 PTS - 11 REB - 4 BLK


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 28 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST - 9/16 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 21 PTS - 13 REB - 7/11 FT
Tyreke Evans: 21 PTS - 3 REB - 7 AST
Patrick Patterson: 11 PTS - 9 REB
Isaiah Thomas: 7 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 3/9 FG - 4 TO

NBA Transactions:
Jazz extend G Mo Williams with 4yr/$31.90M deal.

4 players swap lockers in Staples

L.A. Lakers trade:
F Earl Clark, G Andre Goudelock

L.A. Clippers trade:
F Matt Barnes, C Ryan Hollins

Now with almost 2 months to analyze their rosters and needs, NBA teams seem to be beginning the trade season. The Lakers are one of those teams, and are clearly in win-now mode. They hope Matt Barnes can provide defense and toughness to their championship chances before Dwight Howard possibly departs and age catches up to Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant. The Clippers had no guarantees of Barnes' resigning with them, and gained two younger players to add to their rosters.

Bulls and Wolves switch backup guards

Chicago Bulls trade:
G Kirk Hinrich

Minnesota Timberwolves trade:
G Luke Ridnour

In a somewhat questionable move, the Bulls send away key backup Kirk Hinrich for Luke Ridnour. Chicago hopes to continue to receive quality play from Nate Robinson and rookie Marquis Teague, and will likely play Rose and Ridnour together for offensive purposes.

NBA Injury Updates:
Suns G Goran Dragic out 1-2 weeks with Strained Quad

NBA Notes:
Anthony Carter plans to retire after this season.
Trailblazers extend winning streak to 7 games, now 14-9 overall.
Lakers extend winning streak to 6 games, now 15-11 overall.

[kibaxx7]

Wow man, this is going fast! It's a bummer to see Jimmer out. Good luck, I'll try to check more often.

[Vespasian92]

Wow man, this is going fast! It's a bummer to see Jimmer out. Good luck, I'll try to check more often.

Ha, actually just been doing some simming recently. With the draft upcoming and real life hires now complete with Malone and D'Alessandro, I kinda want to hurry this season up a little. It bothers me to hold the draft after the real life draft happens, when suddenly I'd want to put the Kings' real pick on the team lol.

Anyways, thanks for the comment. New update should be coming in the next day or so.

[Vespasian92]

Blazers take first of home and home
In what has been a one-sided season series so far (Sacramento's win was a only a one point victory), the Trailblazers faced the Kings for the third time. The duo of Nicolas Batum and Damian Lillard looked to make this game count for a Blazers team that is fighting for the playoffs here in the early going of the season. Their combined 42 points were enough to claim a 2-1 season series advantage over the Kings. Demarcus Cousins continues to dominate the glass in recent games since his suspension, and came away with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Not yet two months into the NBA season, the Kings and Blazers will have played all four games with each other after they finish the home and home on Wednesday in Portland.
Blazers (15-11): 105
Kings (10-17): 96

Portland Trailblazers Top Performers
Damian Lillard: 21 PTS - 9 AST - 8/19 FG
Nicolas Batum: 21 PTS - 5 REB - 8/16 FG
Wesley Matthews: 16 PTS - 6 REB - 5 AST
Lamarcus Aldridge: 14 PTS - 12 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 14 REB - 6 OFF REB
Jimmy Butler: 15 PTS - 7/13 FG
Tyreke Evans: 15 PTS - 2 REB - 6 AST - 3 STL
Isaiah Thomas: 11 PTS - 6 REB - 9 AST
Will Barton: 8 PTS - 7 MIN

Poor offensive execution ruins Kings' chances
The lopsided season series between the Kings and Trailblazers ended on Wednesday, and Sacramento failed to change the status quo. The Kings' top 3 scorers (Cousins, Evans, Thomas) shot a combined 14-42, and, with the exception of Will Barton, the Kings got little production from their supporting cast. Barton came away with a career-best 16 points on an efficient shooting night. Lamarcus Aldridge led the way for Portland with 23 points and 9 rebounds. After all four games against the Kings were completed in the early going of the season, the Blazers came within a Damian Lillard buzzer-beater from sweeping the series with Sacramento.
Blazers (16-11): 105
Kings (10-18): 89

Portland Trailblazers Top Performers
Lamarcus Aldridge: 23 PTS - 9 REB - 4 AST
Wesley Matthews: 22 PTS - 8 REB -3 STL
Damian Lillard: 21 PTS - 8 AST - 9/13 FG - 6 TO
Nicolas Batum: 16 PTS - 7 REB - 4 AST - 4 STL


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Will Barton: 16 PTS (Career-High) - 3 REB - 3 AST - 4/5 FG - 2/2 3PT FG - 6/6 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 16 REB - 3 STL - 6/13 FG
Marcus Thornton: 12 PTS
Tyreke Evans: 12 PTS - 2 REB - 3 AST - 4/14 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 8 PTS - 6 AST - 4/15 FG

Kings stop skid, beat shorthanded Knicks
The Kings returned to Sacramento hoping to end a 3-game losing streak. The Knicks came to face them without J.R. Smith, who was still missing from the lineup with a broken arm suffered last month. Tyson Chandler also got hurt earlier this week and sat out the contest with a Hyperextended Knee. Without Chandler's defensive presence in the paint, Demarcus Cousins took advantage. The young bigman for Sacramento has been focused and dominant this past month, and posted a season-high 33 points to go with 10 rebounds. Patrick Patterson also showed a glimmer of strong play, breaking out of his slump with his best performance of the year. Yet consistent play (or lack thereof) has been the nemesis for these two Wildcats-turned-Kings, and the Sacramento fans are hoping for repeat performances from the frontcourt duo.
Carmelo's efforts of 26 points and 10 boards were not enough for the Knicks, who have now lost three straight after Chandler's injury. They headed to Portland after this game to play the Blazers.
Kings (11-18): 112
Knicks (12-18): 106

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 33 PTS (Season-High) - 10 REB - 7/10 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 4 AST - 8/20 FG
Patrick Patterson: 19 PTS (Season-High) - 10 REB
Tyreke Evans: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST


New York Knicks Top Performers
Carmelo Anthony: 26 PTS - 10 REB - 4 AST - 11/23 FG
Iman Shumpert: 23 PTS - 10/17 FG
Amare Stoudemire: 16 PTS - 5 REB
Raymond Felton: 9 PTS - 8 AST

Rondo's triple-double beats Kings in overtime
Enjoying the second home game in a row before hitting the road again, the Kings welcomed the Celtics for their only meeting in Sacramento. The Kings lost the second and third quarters to the Cs by a total of 12 points, but followed Tyreke Evans' strong 4th quarter perfomance to force overtime. With fatigue setting in for both teams, the player who came through in the end was the one who played the most minutes. Rajon Rondo pushed through his 46 minute workload and dropped a 15-assist triple-double to finish Sacramento off in the extra 5 minutes. Paul Pierce also came through with some clutch baskets for the Celts, and ended with a game-high 34 points.
The high minute totals by the participants forced many missed shots, and tonight's contest saw seven players achieve 8 or more rebounds, led by Cousins' 18 boards.
Celtics (15-15): 106
Kings (11-19): 112


Boston Celtics Top Performers
Paul Pierce: 34 PTS - 13 REB - 4 AST - 41 MIN
Jordan Crawford: 21 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 8/24 FG - 41 MIN
Rajon Rondo: 14 PTS - 12 REB - 15 AST - 46 MIN
Jeff Green: 14 PTS - 11 REB - 41 MIN
Kevin Garnett: 8 PTS - 8 REB - 42 MIN


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 24 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST - 3 STL - 40 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 23 PTS - 18 REB - 45 MIN
Jimmy Butler: 17 PTS - 8 REB - 41 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 4 REB - 8 AST - 43 MIN

NBA Transactions:
Jazz extend G Mo Williams with 4yr/$31.90M deal.
Pacers extend F Tyler Hansbrough with 4yr/$11.57M deal.
Spurs extend G Many Ginobli with 2yr/$9.53M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Suns G Goran Dragic out 1-2 weeks with Strained Quad
Timberwolves F Andrei Kirilenko out 4-6 weeks with Torn Hand Ligament
Knicks C Tyson Chandler out 1-2 weeks with Hyperextended Knee.

NBA Notes:
Anthony Carter plans to retire after this season.
Trailblazers extend winning streak to 7 games, now 14-9 overall.
Lakers extend winning streak to 6 games, now 15-11 overall.

[Vespasian92]

December Summary

Thunder, Lakers pushing forward, East remains stable
Now that the NBA season is in full swing, the real contenders are separating themselves. Perhaps not surpisingly, the Thunder have claimed the top spot in the conference and are looking strong. Yet it is the Lakers who have made the biggest jump. Behind steller play from Kobe, the Lakers have moved from outside the playoff picture to claim the second-best record out West. The Warriors and Blazers continue to open eyes with their top-4 seating in the West.
In the East, the status quo continues, with the Heat, Pacers, Hawks, and Bulls shutting anyone else out of the top 4. Perhaps the only surprise in the East in the strong season being assembed by the Dwight-free Magic.

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



While the overall record may not reflect much improvement, the Kings roster showed a lot of development and growth in December. Patrick Patterson is slowly building confidence and improving his production after a very poor start to the season. Will Barton's numbers don't seem very impressive, at least not until you take into consideration his minutes per game. He has always contributed or even dominated games during his brief stretches. His PER of 20.74 is highest on the team, ahead of even Cousins, Evans, and Thomas. Isaiah Thomas has continued to effectively increase his scoring and assist numbers, and is a player the defense must gameplan for just as much as Evans or Cousins. Speaking of Cousins, he had the most eye-popping statistical increases, putting together a dominant string of rebounding performances in December. Cousins' 11.5 RPG now leads the NBA, and he also is tops in offensive rebounding. For the month of December, he averaged 19.3 PPG and 12.9 RPG.

[Woogie98]

Hmmm Patrick Patterson is really struggling out there.... You got a couple of quality wins with GS MIL and NYK so that's a positive...oh and top notch presentation

[Vespasian92]

Kings kick off new year with road W
The Kings begun the new year by heading off for a 4-game roadtrip that includes some winnable games (DET, CLE, TOR, BKN). Hopeful that they could make some improvement in their record and gain some road wins, the Kings certainly came to play in Detroit. Sacramento made 11 threes en route to a 101-91 win. Demarcus Cousins had a relatively weak game and Detroit took advantage with a +7 rebounding edge. Yet the advantage on the glass and Jason Maxiel's 18 points weren't enough for the Pistons to overcome the Kings' scoring in the end.
Kings (12-19): 101
Pistons (15-19): 91

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 21 PTS - 4 REB - 9 AST - 9/13 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 3 REB - 6 AST - 4/9 3PT FG
Jimmy Butler: 16 PTS - 5 REB
Will Barton: 11 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 13 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 8 PTS - 8 REB - 3 BLK (Season-High)


Detroit Pistons Top Performers
Jason Maxiel: 18 PTS - 8 REB - 9/13 FG
Greg Monroe: 13 PTS - 8 REB - 4 AST
Charlie Villanueva: 12 PTS - 5/12 FG - 9 MIN
Corey Magette: 12 PTS - 6 REB - 42 MIN
Jose Calderon: 11 PTS - 9 AST

Bench explodes as Kings claim second-straight road victory
When the reserves score a combined 63 for their team in a contest, one would expect that squad to claim a relatively easy victory. This was mostly true for the Kings on Wednesday in Cleveland, except for it being easy. Things looked solid for the Kings early when Marcus Thornton and Will Barton dominated the game during their stints in the first half. Barton continues his eye-opening production, tallying his best overall performance with 15 points, 5 rebound, and 6 assists. The Bayou Bomber dropped 25 total points, including 5 shots from downtown. Cole Aldrich also contributed with 9 points and 6 boards.
Yet Sacramento almost gave the game away because of a failure to gameplan for Alonzo Gee and Marrese Speights. Gee and Speights both came away with double-doubles, with a combined 48 points and 23 rebounds. Yet a Marcus Thornton stepback and subsequent free throws closed it out for the Kings, who will continue their roadtrip in Toronto.
Kings (13-19): 115
Cavaliers (16-17): 113


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 25 PTS - 3 AST - 3 STL - 5/9 3PT FG - 34 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 7 AST - 7/12 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 10 REB
Will Barton: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST - 21 MIN
Cole Aldrich: 9 PTS - 6 REB - 4/5 FG - 15 MIN


Cleveland Cavaliers Top Performers
Alonzo Gee: 26 PTS - 11 REB - 11/17 FG
Marreese Speights: 22 PTS - 12 REB - 7 OFF REB - 8/12 FG
Anderson Varejao: 17 PTS - 9 REB
Kyrie Irving: 12 PTS - 5 REB - 9 AST - 3 STL
Jose Calderon: 11 PTS - 9 AST

Thornton's heroics push Kings to 3rd straight
Hoping to help turn their season around with a successful roadtrip, the Kings continued their travels in Toronto to play the Raptors. Demarcus Cousins dominated the early stages of the game, coming away with double-digit rebounds in the first half. Yet Rudy Gay wasn't going to let his new team go away quietly, and his 18 first-half points led his Raptors to a 4 point halftime advantage. The gritty contest went back and forth, as shown by the effort on the boards. The total rebounding numbers were very close, with Toronto having a 46-45 margin for the game.

Down the stretch, Gay made a tough contested layup to narrow a Kings' 3 point advantage to 1. Demarcus Cousins failed to convert on the Kings' next possession, leaving the volatile bigman screaming at the referee while Derozan put the Raptors up 1 on the other end. After another Sacramento miss with less than 15 seconds to go, the Kings refused to foul and instead elected to press Kyle Lowry in the backcourt. Isaiah Thomas deflected Lowry's outlet pass and the loose ball remained in the backcourt to force an 8-second violation. Despite Marcus Thornton's previous shooting woes (2-10), the Kings left little debate as to who would take the final shot and drew up a play for the Bayou Bomber. The LSU product receieved enough space when Derozan and Lowry had confusion about a switch, and the rest is history.
Kings (14-19): 103
Raptors (11-22): 101

phpBB [video]

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 24 PTS - 7 REB (Season-High) - 4 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 16 REB - 3 STL - 9/10 FT
Tyreke Evans: 16 PTS - 8/12 FG
Will Barton: 13 PTS - 6/8 FT - 12 MIN
Marcus Thornton: 10 PTS - 3 REB - 3/11 FG


Toronto Raptors Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 34 PTS - 11 REB - 16/29 FG
Mickael Pietrus: 18 PTS - 4/8 3PT FG
Jonas Valanciunas: 14 PTS - 7 REB
Demar Derozan: 12 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST - 4 STL
Kyle Lowry: 7 PTS - 14 AST

NBA Transactions:
Magic extend G Beno Udrih with 4yr/$6.72M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Wizards G John Wall out 1-2 weeks with Torn Labrum.
Bulls C Joakim Noah out 4-6 weeks with Broken Hand.
Nuggets F Danilo Gallinari out 6-8 weeks with Broken Arm.

NBA Notes:
Knicks lose 5th straight, now 12-21 overall.
Nuggets win 5th straight, now 17-18 overall.

[antho]

DeMarcus with some big games! Also I love your pickup of Jimmy Butler, great player and he's definately an upgrade at SF. Hopefully your team can make a push for the playoffs!

[kibaxx7]

Looking good! Barton is making great use of his minutes. Will you keep Tyreke around?

[Vespasian92]

Kings slip in Brooklyn
Looking for a perfect 4-0 roadtrip, the Kings headed to Brooklyn to face the Nets. This game wasn't much of a contest, thanks to Joe Johnson's offense. The former Hawk dropped a game-high 34 on an efficient 14/20 from the field. A lack of production from Demarcus Cousins and inefficiency from Tyreke Evans doomed Sacramento's chances. This puts a damper on an otherwise outstanding 3-1 road trip for the struggling Kings, who return home for a 5-game homestand and hope to keep building confidence.
Nets (14-20): 94
Kings (14-20): 85

Brooklyn Nets Top Performers
Joe Johnson: 34 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST - 14/20 FG
Deron Williams: 16 PTS - 12 AST - 6/10 FG
Andray Blatche: 8 PTS - 5 REB - 3/10 FG
Kris Humphries: 7 PTS - 11 REB
Brook Lopez: 6 PTS - 7 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 17 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST - 5/14 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 12 PTS - 9 REB
Isaiah Thomas: 12 PTS - 7 REB - 9 AST
Marcus Thornton: 10 PTS
Jimmy Butler: 8 PTS - 3 REB - 5 STL (Career-High)

Kings face a lose/lose in a heartbreaker
After a sucessful 3-1 roadtrip, the Kings began a homestand against the shorthanded Grizzlies. Tony Allen and Tayshaun Prine both missed this game due to injury, and Memphis called upon Jared Bayless and Quincy Pondexter to fill in. The Kings somehow hung around through three quarter playing Memphis' style of ball. In a tough physical contest, the Kings only allowed 67 points through the first 36 minutes, and took a two point advantage in the fourth. Isaiah Thomas showed great offensive leadership down the stretch, scoring 16 of Sacramento's 30 4th quarter points, but it wasn't enough. Fatigue set in upon the Kings' D as Memphis erupted for 35 in the 4th, led by Jared Bayless. The help defence was nonexisted in the 4th, and doomed the Kings in the end.

In addition to giving the game away, the Kings lost John Salmons to an apparent ankle sprain in the third quarter. He will have an MRI tomorrow in Sacramento. If serious, such an injury will likely test the reliability of Will Barton and James Johnson to fill the duties on the wing off the bench. The Kings have a two days off to recover from this letdown before welcoming the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.
Grizzlies (16-16): 102
Kings (14-21): 99

Memphis Grizzlies Top Performers
Jerryd Bayless: 21 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST
Mike Conley: 20 PTS - 6 AST - 6 TO
Marc Gasol: 18 PTS - 7 REB
Zach Randolph: 11 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST
Quincy Pondexter: 8 PTS - 8 REB - 4 AST


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 22 PTS - 3 REB
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 3 REB - 9 AST
Tyreke Evans: 12 PTS - 3 REB - 6 AST
Jimmy Butler: 11 PTS - 9 REB
Patrick Patterson: 10 PTS - 6 REB

Kings run down Mavs
Looking to atone for losing their first game in a stretch of 5 in Sleep Train Arena, the Kings faced the Mavericks without the services of John Salmons. The veteran wing had an MRI on Tuesday on his ankle sprain suffered against the Grizzlies and will miss at least a month. The Kings employed the young legs of Will Barton for 16 minutes off the bench to fill Salmons' role. With advantages of +15 in fast break points and +10 in points off turnovers, the Kings used their athleticism and ball pressure to put on a show for their fans in a 90-86 victory. Darren Collison had an up-and-down game passing the ball for the Mavericks, racking 13 assists with 8 turnovers. He only scored 7 points. Conversely, Isaiah Thomas looked to push the tempo and find his own shot, and came away with 24 points and only 2 assists. Demarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson both posted identical 12-10 double-doubles for the Kings in the win.
Kings (15-21): 90
Mavericks (17-20): 86

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 24 PTS - 3 REB - 2 AST - 3 STL
Tyreke Evans: 13 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 12 PTS - 10 REB - 3/13 FG - 6/8 FT
Patrick Patterson: 12 PTS - 10 REB - 4 STL - 6/9 FG - 4 OFF REB


Dallas Mavericks Top Performers
Vince Carter: 18 PTS - 7 REB
Dirk Nowitzki: 12 PTS - 4 REB
Chris Kaman: 11 PTS - 10 REB
Brandan Wright: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 15 MIN
Darren Collison: 7 PTS - 13 AST - 8 TO - 42 MIN

Kings stun Heat, end Miami's 6-game streak

Kings G Tyreke Evans drives the lane against Heat G Ray Allen

It is a rare occurance to see a coach say that he was happy with his team's defense on a player who reached a triple-double. This was the case in Saturday's game between the Kings and Heat in Sacramento. The world champs brought a 6-game winning streak to Sacramento to face the surging Kings. The hometown Kings had won 4 of their last 6, and are in the middle of an extensive homestand as they look to cash in on this chance to build some legitimate momentum.

The game was ironically won in the first 4 minutes, as the Kings used 5 first quarter turnovers from Wade and James to fuel a 10-0 Sacramento run to begin the game. The Kings needed this boost and entered the lockeroom with a 9 point halftime lead. Much of the credit goes to James Johnson, who played excellent defense on Lebron in the first half. Lebron was 1/8 from the field in the first half when guarded by Johnson, compared to 3/5 in the half when covered by other Kings.

Yet the second half went Miami's way, as Lebron came out with a vengeance. He dominated the third quarter with his scoring, and then with his passing as the Kings were forced to double him. If not for an Isaiah Thomas triple at the end of the third, the Kings probably would have had little chance of countering Miami's momentum. The final 12 minutes went back and forth, going right down to the wire. A tough Tyreke Evans driving layup gave the Kings the lead with less than 20 second to play. Obviously knowing who Miami wanted to have the ball, the Kings doubled Lebron and Wade, forcing the Heat to move the ball on. It ended in Ray Allen's hand with 5 seconds left. Tyreke Evans ran him off the 3pt arc, forcing the veteran shooter to put the ball on the deck. Strong helpside defense from James Johnson challened Allen's layup attempt and saw the clock expire as Cousins pulled down the rebound.

This win puts the Kings at 2-1 so far on their homestand, with the two easiest games of the stand coming up (CLE, WAS). The Heat lose only their 5th game of the season, with a suprising three of the 5 coming against sub-.500 teams (Kings, Bucks, Bobcats). The Heat continue their roadtrip in Utah, Golden State, and L.A. before returning to Miami.

"If you're an NBA player, of course you want to score. But I thought James (Johnson) did a great job of not forcing anything offensively and focusing on playing tough D. He provides a valuable package of size and perimeter defense that we need against the likes of Lebron, Durant, and 'Melo. Even though Lebron got a triple-double, JJ made him work. Lebron shot less than 35% and had 6 turnovers to boot. - Kings Coach Randall Tiner

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 5 AST - 6 TO - 44 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 6/9 FG
Jimmy Butler: 14 PTS - 5/8 FG
Tyreke Evans: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 8 AST - 5 STL
Cole Aldrich: 11 PTS - 5/8 FG - 2 BLK - 18 MIN


Miami Heat Top Performers
Dwayne Wade: 32 PTS - 4 AST - 7 TO
Ray Allen: 18 PTS - 9 REB - 8/12 FG
Lebron James: 16 PTS - 12 REB - 14 AST - 8/23 FG - 6 TO - 40 MIN
Chris Bosh: 12 PTS - 10 REB
Mario Chalmers: 7 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST


Up next:
SAC (16-21) vs. CLE (19-19)
MIA (30-5) @ UTA (20-19)

NBA Transactions:

NBA Injury Updates:
Rockets G/F Francisco Garcia out 6-8 weeks with Broken Jaw.
Kings G/F John Salmons out 4-6 weeks with Severe Ankle Sprain.
Lakers C Dwight Howard out 1-2 weeks with Separated Shoulder.

NBA Notes:
Heat win 6th straight, now 30-5 overall.
Hornets win 5th straight, now 18-18 overall.
Mavericks lose 7th straight, now 17-21 overall.

[Vespasian92]

DeMarcus with some big games! Also I love your pickup of Jimmy Butler, great player and he's definately an upgrade at SF. Hopefully your team can make a push for the playoffs!

Demarcus is probably the only legitimate rebounder I have up front, with the possible exception of JT. Butler doesn't really need to score much (I have enough score-first players lol) except on cuts and an occasional kick-out 3, but provides great wing defense and rebounding. I don't know where we'll be at the end of the season as there's still one or two big needs to be filled.

Looking good! Barton is making great use of his minutes. Will you keep Tyreke around?

I played with Barton a little bit in my first association I did on 2k13 and actually did well with him. I'm glad I thought to give him another go this time, and I'm really liking using him off the bench. Maybe it's because he gives me some of the same talents Tyreke has, so I can use them the same way.
About Tyreke, I'm gonna wait and see what happens with him in real life first. I have a few moves I'm considering making, and the players I'm considering moving are pieces that we are rumored to be shopping in real life anyway. Hopefully free agency will be done by the time I reach the trade deadline in my association, and I'll probably make a move then.

[Vespasian92]

Thomas pushes Kings past Cleveland
Any fans holding their breath for their Kings to come back to earth might start turning blue. The Kings refused to let their momentum slip away, and came away with a win on Monday against the Cavaliers. Isaiah Thomas led the way for Sacramento with 21 points and 8 assists, who have won 6 of their last 8 games. Will Barton and Marcus Thornton combined for 30 off the Kings' bench. Alonzo Gee had a strong 23 point game for the Cavaliers, but poor performances as a team from downtown (2/14 3PT FG) and from Dion Waiters (3/10 FG) failed to give him enough help.
Kings (17-21): 103
Cavaliers (20-20): 93


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 21 PTS - 8 AST - 9/15 FG
Marcus Thornton: 16 PTS - 6/9 FG
Will Barton: 14 PTS - 3 REB - 16 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 10 PTS - 10 REB - 38 MIN
Tyreke Evans: 9 PTS - 2 AST - 3 STL - 4/12 FG - 36 MIN


Cleveland Cavaliers Top Performers
Alonzo Gee: 23 PTS - 7 REB - 9/14 FG
Kyrie Irving: 17 PTS - 3 REB - 5 AST
Tristan Thompson: 16 PTS - 8 REB
Marreese Speights: 12 PTS - 11 REB - 4/13 FG

Kings end homestand strong, drop Wizards
Looking to maintain their strong recent play, the Kings enjoyed the final contest of a 5-game homestand on Wednesday against the visiting Wizards. In an uptempo contest, the Washington backcourt shined for the visitors. In jeopardy of dropping one of the easiest games on their homestand, the Kings' Isaiah Thomas looked to take over the game. Thomas scored 22 of his 29 points in the second half and led the Kings' rally to the 117-112 victory. After 3 straight games scoring less than 20 points, Demarcus Cousins bounced back with 23 points. The Kings hope to stay hot as they head out on the road, risking their 4-game winning streak in Memphis on Friday.
Kings (18-21): 117
Wizards (15-22): 112


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 29 PTS - 5 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 23 PTS - 6 REB
Tyreke Evans: 14 PTS - 3 REB - 5 AST
Toney Douglas: 12 PTS - 4 AST
Jimmy Butler: 8 PTS - 6 REB - 3 AST


Washington Wizards Top Performers
John Wall: 30 PTS - 7 AST - 10/21 FG
Bradly Beal: 29 PTS - 5 REB - 12/22 FG
Trevor Ariza: 11 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST
Nene Hilario: 9 PTS - 9 REB - 4 AST

Kings cool off, fall to Grizzlies
They say if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The red-hot Kings were reminded of their true rebuilding status in a dominating loss to the Grizzlies on Friday. Of the Kings' 3 losses in their last 10 games, 2 of them were at the hands of the Grizzlies. This game results in a disappointing loss for Sacramento, as they had no answer for Zach Randolph inside. Z-Bo led his Grizzlies to a 9 point first quarter lead and never looked back. Early foul trouble for Demarcus Cousins hurt Sacramento's chances of fighting back inside. Cousins did end up with a season-best 7 assists in the loss, despite his poor 5/13 shooting. Tyreke Evans, who has struggled so far this month with his scoring, dropped 30 for the game. Randolph and Conley both notched double-doubles in Memphis' victorious effort.

Will Barton suffered a bruised toe in the first quarter of Friday's game, yet he did return. He seemed hindered by the injury however, losing his step defensively and going only 1/4 shooting for the game. The Kings are already without John Salmons, who is missing over a month with a severe ankle sprain.

Grizzlies (21-18): 116
Kings (18-22): 91

Memphis Grizzlies Top Performers
Zach Randolph: 35 PTS - 11 REB - 15/20 FG
Mike Conley: 15 PTS - 13 AST
Jarryd Bayless: 15 PTS - 6 AST
Darrell Arthur: 14 PTS - 6 REB
Marc Gasol: 11 PTS - 8 REB - 5 AST


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 30 PTS - 3 REB - 3 STL
Isaiah Thomas: 19 PTS - 6 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 12 PTS - 8 REB - 7 AST
Patrick Patterson: 9 PTS - 4 REB
Jimmy Butler: 8 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST

Kings give the game away in Charlotte
The usual head-hanging and mediocre play has returned. Still visibly hurt after a painful blowout loss in Memphis, the Kings faced a winnable road contest against the Bobcats. After a countless number of consecutive leader-type performances from Isaiah Thomas, the Kings second-year floor general struggled mightily in Charlotte. Despite collecting 10 assists, fatigue looked to be a factor for Thomas. His jumpers repeately fell short of the mark as he shot a very poor 4/16 from the field. Coupled with disapppointment and head-hanging from the rest of the Kings, his shooting troubles spelled disaster for Sacramento. The only King who played well was Patrick Patterson, who ran a pick-and-pop game with Isaiah Thomas to perfection. The recipient of the majority of Thomas's 10 dimes, Patterson collected 22 points for the game.
The lack of any shot-blocking on Sacramento's roster showed, as 4 guards for Charlotte scored in double figures off of easy layups. Ben Gordon led the way with 25 points.
Bobcats (17-23): 94
Kings (18-23): 92

Charlotte Bobcats Top Performers
Ben Gordon: 25 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST - 2 STL
Kemba Walker: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST
Gerald Henderson: 15 PTS - 8 REB - 6/16 FG
Ramon Sessions: 10 PTS - 7 AST
Bismack Biyombo: 6 PTS - 8 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Patrick Patterson: 22 PTS (Season-High) - 5 REB - 10/16 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 7 REB - 6/7 FG
Tyreke Evans: 15 PTS - 5 REB
Isaiah Thomas: 11 PTS - 10 AST - 4/16 FG - 4 TO
Jimmy Butler: 8 PTS - 8 REB

NBA Transactions:

Nets, Nuggets agree to small trade

Brooklyn Nets trade: Mirza Teletovic
Denver Nuggets trade: Kosta Kufous

NBA Injury Updates:
Nuggets F Wilson Chandler out 2-4 weeks with Sprained Neck.

NBA Notes:
Grizzlies win 6th straight, now 21-18 overall.

[Woogie98]

Jimmy Butler is a great improvement at the SF he has the ability to put up some great numbers and gives 110%

[Vespasian92]

Thomas, Cousins shine for Kings in OT
Playing without starting point guard Greivis Vasquez who sat out resting a strained shoulder, the Hornets welcomed the Kings to NO. Sacramento looked strong in the first three quarters, and entered the fourth with a 5 point advantage. Without their pass-first playmaker in Vasquez, Eric Gordon was forced to try and create offense for himself for the Hornets. Despite shooting an abysmal 7/21 so far in the contest, Gordon caught fire in the 4th. He scored 11 points on 6/9 shooting to bring NO back into the game. With a tie score, the Hornets actually had a chance for the game-winning shot. A cross-court pass intended for Robin Lopez deflected off of the rim and resulted in an unfortunate turnover. Lopez atoned for his team's error by rejecting Demarcus Cousins' attempt on the other end to force overtime.

Yet in the extra period, it was all Sacramento. Isaiah Thomas looked to be in control of the game, whether it was dropping assists to his bigs or closing the game with clutch free throws. Thomas went 6/6 on free throws in the final minute of overtime as the Kings dominated the overtime by a score of 16-9. Simply put, failure to execute offensively hurt the Hornets in overtime, who failed to continue their domination they had enjoyed in the paint.
Kings (19-23): 114
Hornets (19-22): 107

phpBB [video]

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 9 AST - 6/14 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 14 REB - 6/15 FG
Tyreke Evans: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 2 STL
Marcus Thornton: 15 PTS
Patrick Patterson: 14 PTS - 10 REB


New Orleans Hornets Top Performers
Eric Gordon: 28 PTS - 6 REB - 5 AST - 4 STL - 13/30 FG - 2/12 3PT FG
Anthony Davis: 18 PTS - 14 REB
Al-Farouq Aminu: 15 PTS - 10 REB
Brian Roberts: 9 PTS - 10 REB - 5 TO - 3/10 FG

Thompson surprises as Kings beat Suns
In a season where interior defense and rebounding have been the main problem for the Kings, the forgotten member of the Kings' frontcourt shined last night in Sacramento. With his minutes steadily declining over the past 3 seasons since the arrival of Demarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson made a strong case for more playing time by showcasing his energy. The 5th-year pro from Rider went to work against Phoenix's frontline of Gortat and Scola, coming away with 9 rebounds in the first half and 16 for the game. He and Cousins won the rebounding game in yesterday's contest (a rarity for this team), and each came away with solid double-doubles. Isaiah Thomas added a well-rounded 20-5-5 in the Kings' win.
Goran Dragic struggled against Sacramento's ball pressure, giving up 7 turnovers and shooting a poor 5/17 from the field.
Kings (20-23): 96
Suns (16-27): 90

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 6/13 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 11 REB - 5 AST
Marcus Thornton: 13 PTS
Jason Thompson: 12 PTS - 16 REB (Season-High) - 5 OFF REB - 2 BLK
Tyreke Evans: 10 PTS - 6 AST - 2 STL


Phoenix Suns Top Performers
Shannon Brown: 23 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST - 9/21 FG
Michael Beasley: 20 PTS - 11 REB
Marcin Gortat: 13 PTS - 8 REB
Luis Scola: 12 PTS - 6 REB
Goran Dragic: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 8 AST - 7 TO - 5/17 FG

Thomas' leadership not enough against Thunder
Kings G Isaiah Thomas shares a high-five with fans after a corner 3

A sold-out Sacramento crowd helped their Kings welcome the west-leading Thunder on Friday. Enjoying their last game at home before starting their longest roadtrip of the season of 5 games, the Kings looked for revenge from a nail-biting loss in December. Demarcus Cousins seemed to feed off the crowd's energy in the first quarter, contributing 12 of the Kings' 27 first quarter points. Sacramento's defensive strategy of doubling Durant and Westbrook paid off, as Kevin Martin struggled to make his perimeter jumpshots against the Kings' rotations. Martin went 3/15 from downtown, including 1/8 in the first quarter.

Despite Isaiah Thomas' constant production from start to finish, it was all Thunder after the first quarter. Sacramento was outscored by 20 in the final three quarters, as Durant broke free from Jimmy Butler. Durant dropped 32 for the game, to go along with his 12 rebounds. Production from any King besides Thomas and Cousins was non-extistent, as Marcus Thornton was the only other played to score in double figures. The load was too much for the Isaiah/Demarcus duo, and Sacramento went quietly in the end by 18.

Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers
Kevin Durant: 32 PTS - 12 REB - 13/21 FG
Kevin Martin: 25 PTS - 5 AST - 3/15 3PT FG
Russel Westbrook: 18 PTS - 6 REB - 13 AST - 3 STL
Serge Ibaka: 12 PTS - 9 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 29 PTS - 9 REB - 9/11 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 26 PTS - 5 REB - 12 AST - 8/10 FT
Marcus Thornton: 10 PTS
Patrick Patterson: 9 PTS - 3 REB
Tyreke Evans: 6 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST


"I'm not going to be upset or point fingers at anybody. Me and Demarcus played well together, but some other guys struggled. There are going to be nights when I struggle and when Demarcus doesn't dominate like this. We need to win and lose as a team, and we aren't going to sit around and be mad at each other" - Kings G Isaiah Thomas

Next up:
SAC (20-24) @ DEN (21-23)
OKC (29-15) @ LAL (22-21)

NBA Transactions:
Celtics sign G Jonny Flynn to 1yr/$2.39M deal.

Heat acquire veteran Miller
Denver Nuggets trade: Andre Miller
Miami Heat trade: Udonis Haslem, 2013 second round draft pick

Recieving consistent production from Chris Andersen, the Heat have considered Udonis Haslem expendable. On Thursday, news broke that the Heat flipped him for veteran point guard Andre Miller. Seemingly hesitant to trust Norris Cole off the bench, the Heat will likely look to Miller's experience once the playoffs come.

NBA Injury Updates:
Timberwolves F Derrick Williams out 4-6 weeks with Broken Foot.

NBA Notes:
Lakers lose 7th straight, now 22-21 overall.
Hornets lose 6th straight, now 19-24 overall.
Raptors win 5th straight, now 17-26 overall.

[Woogie98]

Good move by Miami

[Vespasian92]

Shorthanded Nuggets rip Kings
The tough mile-high air in the Pepsi Center is a notorious venue for a reason, and the Kings showed why in last night's loss. Even against a Nuggets team without the likes of Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Kenneth Faried, the Kings shot a miserable 32% from the field with a season-low 71 points and were blown out. 19 points from Tyreke Evans led Sacramento's losing efforts, while Javale McGee posted a suprisingly efficient double-double.
Nuggets (22-23): 97
Kings (20-25): 71

Denver Nuggets Top Performers
Javale McGee: 18 PTS - 11 REB - 9/15 FG
Jordan Hamilton: 18 PTS - 6 REB
Ty Lawson: 15 PTS - 6 REB - 8 AST
Mirza Teletovic: 11 PTS - 11 MIN


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 19 PTS - 5 REB - 8/18 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 10 REB - 5/14 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 10 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST
Marcus Thornton: 7 PTS - 3 REB

Thornton, Beal duel in Washington
After slipping a bit near the end of January, the Kings looked to stay afloat on a 6-game roadtrip prior to the all-star break. On Monday they faced the Wizards for the second and final time, whom they beat earlier this month thanks to Isaiah Thomas. Much was the same this time around, except for the hero for the Kings. Marcus Thornton stepped up against the strong backcourt of Wall and Beal, and provided a consistent offensive option for Sacramento. The Bayou Bomber fought hard with Wizards' star rookie Bradley Beal, and came away the victor. Thornton dropped a season-high 38 points, only 3 shy of his career-best, compared to Beal's 30 points. The Kings made 8 triples in the game, helped by 4 from Thornton. Thomas and Cousins both added 18 for Sacramento in a 111-108 win.
Kings (21-25): 111
Wizards (19-24): 108

phpBB [video]

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 38 PTS (Season-High) - 4 REB - 6 AST - 13/27 FG - 8/9 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 7/18 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 10 REB - 8/9 FT
Jimmy Butler: 12 PTS - 7 REB - 4/5 FG
Patrick Patterson: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 3 STL


Washington Wizards Top Performers
Bradley Beal: 30 PTS - 6 REB - 1 AST - 12/25 FG
John Wall: 19 PTS - 11 AST
Nene Hilario: 15 PTS - 3 REB
Emeka Okafor: 10 PTS - 12 REB

Cousins stifled in Kings loss
A player isn't named 1st Team All-Defense for nothing. Kevin Garnett, notorious for his impact defensively, taught the young Demarcus Cousins a few lessons in Wednesday's contest between the Kings and Celtics in Boston. Garnett dominated the matchup, even though he had an average stat line of 14-6. The young bigman for Sacramento shot an abysmal 10% from the field, only scoring 4 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. With their primary offensive option incapacitated, the Kings failed to produce offensively. Isaiah Thomas tried to carry the load and mustered 29 points for the Kings, yet still fell short in Boston 87-97. Paul Pierce came away with 20 points for the Celtics.
Celtics (23-22): 97
Kings (21-26): 87

Boston Celtics Top Performers
Paul Pierce: 20 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST - 7/13 FG
Jordan Crawford: 17 PTS - 6/17 FG
Kevin Garnett: 14 PTS - 6 REB
Jeff Green: 10 PTS - 9 REB - 2 BLK


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 29 PTS - 4 AST - 10/19 FG
Tyreke Evans: 14 PTS - 8 REB - 2 AST
Jimmy Butler: 10 PTS - 7 REB
Will Barton: 7 PTS - 2/3 FG - 11 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 4 PTS - 7 REB - 5 AST - 2 STL - 3 BLK - 1/10 FG

NBA Transactions:

Pacers trade for Beaubois
Indiana Pacers trade: Jeff Pendergraph, 2013 First Round Draft Pick
Dallas Mavericks trade: Rodrigue Beaubois

A puzzling move from Indiana's perspective, who give away their first-round selection for a backup guard who has struggled finding his way after an efficient rookie season. The Pacers also still have D.J Augustin and George Hill on the roster, so playing time for their new acquisition will likely be limited. Dallas gains a first-round selection in exchange for a player who they seemed to have given up on, so this move comes as a no-brainer for them.

NBA Injury Updates:
Bobcats G Ben Gordon out 6-8 weeks with Broken Jaw.

NBA Notes:
Earl Boykins plans to retire after this season.
Hornets lose 9th straight, now 19-27 overall.

[Vespasian92]

January Summary

No surprises awaiting this postseason
Despite a few uneven starts for the championship contenders, the top teams in both conferences are no suprise. The Finals matchup that most people would have suggested before the season is looking more and more probable, as the Heat and Thunder have cemented their dominant play. Oklahoma City still sits out front in the West, despite an average 8-7 record in January. Miami went 8-5 this month, and maintain a 6-game lead over the second-place Bulls.
The league now heads into the All-Star break and approaches the trade deadline, when the contenders will look to add missing pieces, and lottery teams to build for the future.

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




The month of January saw the Kings put together their best stretches of basketball, posting a 10-7 record for the month. For a lottery team to post that kind of record, one would think it would be all smiles and fun in their lockeroom. Yet a restricted rotation let the Kings' brass see who is part of their future and who isn't. Toney Douglas and John Salmons seem to have fallen out of Coach Tiner's rotation, for a variety of reasons. Douglas is a free agent after this season, and has commented that he will likely look for a new situation in the offseason. Yet the trade deadline is approaching quickly, so he may be leaving sooner than that if the Kings are looking to make a move at the deadline.

NBA Injury Updates:
Bucks C Samuel Dalembert out 6-8 weeks with Broken Arm.

NBA Transactions:

NBA Notes:

[Vespasian92]

Kentucky frontcourt pushes Kings
Heading to Philadelphia for the fourth stop in a 6-game roadtrip, the Kings looked to their frontcourt to carry them offensively. The Kentucky alumni duo of Demarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson produced all night, and led the Kings as they kept pace with Philadelphia's Jason Richardson. Richardson scored 29 for the Sixers, and put his team in a position to overcome Sacramento in the end. Yet a missed Evan Turner pull-up doomed the Sixers' final possesion, and the Kings came away with the win.
Cousins won the matchup with Andrew Bynum, coming away with 23 points and 11 boards. Patterson scored 18 on an impressive 90% clip.

Jure Holiday continued to miss time for the Sixers with a bruised heel, hoping for a quicker recovery and to avoiding aggravating the injury.
Kings (22-26): 105
Sixers (25-21): 103

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 23 PTS - 11 REB - 3 BLK - 5 OFF REB
Patrick Patterson: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 9/10 FG
Tyreke Evans: 15 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 3 STL
Isaiah Thomas: 14 PTS - 5 AST - 6/10 FG


Philadelphia 76ers Top Performers
Jason Richardson: 29 PTS - 9 REB - 11/26 FG
Evan Turner: 20 PTS - 4 REB - 8 AST - 9/19 FG
Andrew Bynum: 15 PTS - 10 REB
Thaddeus Young: 14 PTS - 8 REB

Stars shine in New York
With the Kings on the road in New York to face the Knicks, the big names for both teams wasted little time making impacts. With Big 3s for both teams squaring off, the Knicks fans pushed their team to the win in the end. Carmelo and Amare combined for 49 points, and overcame Cousins and Evans' combined 48. J.R Smith added 16, including a dagger 3 in the final minute. Isaiah Thomas had 16 points and 7 assists for Sacramento in the loss.
Knicks (25-21): 110
Kings (22-26): 103

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 25 PTS - 5 REB - 7 AST - 10/18 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 23 PTS - 8 REB - 10/14 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST - 5/8 FG
Will Barton: 8 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 12 MIN


New York Knicks Top Performers
Carmelo Anthony: 25 PTS - 6 REB - 6/8 FT
Amare Stoudemire: 24 PTS - 10 REB - 11/21 FG
J.R. Smith: 16 PTS - 6/15 FG
Iman Shumpert: 14 PTS - 3 REB

Peremiter barrage buries Jazz
A balanced offense carried the Kings on their final game of a 6-game trip in Utah. Eight of the twelve active Kings players made a 3pt shot in the game, and ten of the twelve scored at least 5 points in the game. Demarcus Cousins posted a strong 19-13 double-double, and Isaiah Thomas added 17 points of his own go to with 8 assists. The Kings commited only 5 turnovers in the game, keeping the Jazz out of transition. Jefferson and Millsap both had double-doubles for the Jazz in the loss.
The game was closer than the Kings would have liked, yet Patrick Patterson challenged Mo Williams' attempt at the buzzer to seal the win.
Kings (23-27): 105
Jazz (24-25): 103

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 13 REB - 6 OFF REB
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 8 AST - 7/15 FG - 1 TO
Tyreke Evans: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 5/7 FG
Patrick Patterson: 10 PTS - 10 REB


Utah Jazz Top Performers
Paul Millsap: 17 PTS - 7 REB
Al Jefferson: 15 PTS - 7 REB
Mo Williams: 15 PTS - 8 AST
Derrick Favors: 14 PTS - 8 REB

Kings win, tie season series with Jazz
Despite losing both games of a home-and-home with Utah earlier in the year, the Kings looked confident agains the Jazz this time around. After a close loss in Utah 4 days ago, the Jazz came to Sacramento as the Kings enjoyed their first game back at home. The Kings received production from an effective 1-2 punch from Demarcus Cousins and Marus Thornton. Cousins dominated the paint throughout the contest, while Thornton was looking to score as soon as he entered the game. The Bayou Bomber shot an outstanding 8/9 from the field, including 5 makes from downtown. Isaiah Thomas, while not shooting well, still contributed by adding 8 assists and a career-best 10 rebounds.
Paul Millsap's 20 points weren't enough for the Jazz, who lost the rebounding battle by a -13 margin.
Kings (24-27): 111
Jazz (26-26): 106

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 6 PTS - 13 REB - 6/8 FT
Marcus Thornton: 23 PTS - 8/9 FG - 5/6 3PT FG
Tyreke Evans: 22 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST
Isaiah Thomas: 9 PTS - 10 REB (Career-High) - 8 AST - 3/13 FG


Utah Jazz Top Performers
Paul Millsap: 20 PTS - 4 REB
Alec Burks: 18 PTS - 7/12 FG
Derrick Favors: 16 PTS - 5 REB
Mo Williams: 15 PTS - 4 REB - 10 AST
Al Jefferson: 13 PTS - 11 REB

NBA Transactions:

NBA Injury Updates:
Thunder F Serge Ibaka out 1-2 weeks with Separated Shoulder
Bucks F Ersan Ilyasova out 6-8 weeks with Broken Ankle

NBA Notes:
Thunder win 5th straight, now 34-16 overall.

[Vespasian92]

All-Star Weekend

Rising Stars Challenge Invitees
Team Shaq:
G - Kemba Walker (CHA)
G - Klay Thompson (GS)
F - Harrison Barnes (GS)
F - Donatas Monteijunas (HOU)
C - Nikola Vucevic (ORL)
G - Brian Roberts (NO)
G - Isaiah Thomas (SAC)
F - Chandler Parsons (HOU)
C - Lavoy Allen (PHI)
F - Tristan Thompson (CLE)

Team Chuck:
G - Kyrie Irving (CLE)
G - Bradley Beal (WAS)
F - Kawhi Leonard (SA)
F - Kenneth Faried (DEN)
C - Anthony Davis (NO)
G - Damian Lillard (POR)
C - Jonas Valanciunas (TOR)
G - Dion Waiters (CLE)
F - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA)
C - Tyler Zeller (CLE)

All-Star Saturday

Sprite Slam Dunk

Winner: Paul George (IND)
2nd: Blake Griffin (LAC)
3rd: Terrence Ross (TOR)
4th: Demar Derozan (TOR)

Foot Locker 3PT Shootout

Winner: Kevin Durant (OKC)
2nd: Stephen Curry (GS)
3rd: Ryan Anderson (NO)
4th: Isaiah Thomas (SAC)
5th: Kobe Bryant (LAL)
6th: Shannon Brown (PHX)

All-Star Game
Western Conference:
G - Chris Paul (LAC - 6th Appearance)
G - Kobe Bryant (LAL - 15th Appearance)
F - Kevin Durant (OKC - 4th Appearance)
F - Blake Griffin (LAC - 3rd Appearance)
C - Dwight Howard (LAL - 7th Appearance)
G - Russell Westbrook (OKC - 3rd Appearance)
G - James Harden (HOU - 1st Appearance)
F - Nicolas Batum (POR - 1st Appearance)
C - Demarcus Cousins (SAC - 1st Appearance)
F - Kevin Love (MIN - 3rd Appearance)
G - Stephen Curry (GS - 1st Appearance)
G - Jeremy Lin (HOU - 1st Appearance)

Eastern Conference:
G - Derrick Rose (CHI - 4th Appearance)
G - Rajon Rondo (BOS - 4th Appearance)
F - Lebron James (MIA - 9th Appearance)
F - Carmelo Anthony (NY - 6th Appearance)
C - Andrew Bynum (PHI - 2nd Appearance)
G - Kyrie Irving (CLE - 1st Appearance)
G - Monta Ellis (MIL - 1st Appearance)
G - Brandon Jennings (MIL - 1st Appearance)
F - Danny Granger (IND - 2nd Appearance)
F - Josh Smith (ATL - 1st Appearance)
G - Deron Williams (BKN - 4th Appearance)
C - Greg Monroe (DET - 1st Appearance)

No one knows whether to blame the fan voting or the changing of a generation in the NBA, but this year's All-Star festivities saw new blood taking the spotlight. The Rising Stars Challenge was exciting and high-scoring showce of the elite up-and-coming talent, of which there is plenty. Not often to we find young players putting up numbers like Damian Lillard (17.4 PPG, 6.9 APG) and Isaiah Thomas (18.7 PPG, 5.9 APG) and not grab starting roles in the Rising Stars game, and it just demonstrates the great number of potential young superstars.

Youth showed up in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, which is never surprising for obvious reasons. The Toronto Raptors were blessed to have two players represent them in the dunking festivities, yet neither Terrence Ross or Demar Derozan were able to bring home the dunking crown this year. In maybe the biggest surprise of the weekend, Paul George went from arguably the underdog to the champion, beating out defending champ Blake Griffin as well as the Toronto twosome.

The Footlocker 3PT Shootout saw three surprising participants, all surprising for different reasons. Joining predictable contestants Kevin Durant, Ryan Anderson, and Stephen Curry were Isaiah Thomas, Kobe Bryant, and Shannon Brown. Kobe is of course a lethal scorer, but not a player who relies on his 3PT shooting. Shannon Brown seemed much more likely to be in the dunk contest than the 3PT contest, as he is undeniably an athlete first and a shooter second. Thomas was a surprising choice simply due to his age, and the candidacy of other quality shooters such as James Harden. But the surprises didn't beat out the first three choices, as Durant narrowly beat Curry and Anderson to claim the 3PT shooting title.

Yet nowhere else was the youth movement more evident than in the All-Star game itself. A stunning 10 first-appearance players made the All-Star rosters, and 15 of the 24 All-Stars had less than 4 appearances. Hall-of-Famers and Perennial All-Stars such as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd, and Steve Nash all missed the big game in favor of the likes of Batum, Lin, Ellis, and Jennings. Many people would blame social media and the ease of online fan voting when younger NBA fans vote for players of their generation and leave off the NBA greats. Other snubs include Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, John Wall, Dirk Nowitzki, Luol Deng, and Lamarcus Aldridge.

Trade Deadline Transactions

Kings, Bobcats agree to deadline swap

Sacramento Kings trade:
Jason Thompson (72) - Toney Douglas (70) - 2013 2nd round draft selection


Charlotte Bobcats trade:
Bismack Biyombo (70) - Jeffrey Taylor (67) - Josh McRoberts (64)



Sacramento receives the defensive-minded Biyombo, whose lack of offense they hope will be nullified by the presence of Demarcus Cousins. Conversely, Biyombo provides an athletic frontcourt presence who can contest shots, two of Cousins' biggest weaknesses. Taylor was growing unhappy in Charlotte due to the Bobcats' desire to build around Kidd-Gilchrist and Gerald Henderson on the wings, as well as the presence of Ben Gordon. The Kings hope to find a consistent role for Taylor off the bench, providing a secondary wing defender who can play next to Butler or Evans.

Charlotte ends the experiment with the athletic potential of Biyombo, whose lack of offensive efficiency can be frustrating to fans and coaches. They receive an all-around purpose big in Thompson, who can either start or come off the bench behind whomever the Bobcats add up front in the draft or in free agency. The Bobcats' starting center Byron Mullens is also expiring this offseason, so this move gives Charlotte cap space to resign him or look to keep retooling the roster. Ben Gordon is expected to decline his player option worth $12M this offseason, and so the Bobcats gain further flexibility in acquiring Douglas' $3M expiring contract. They can let him expire and hit free agency with almost $20M in space (including a $7M expiring of Diop), or resign Douglas on the cheap for insurance when Kemba Walker and Ramon Sessions both expire a year from now.

Josh McRoberts asked for a buyout from the Kings, who will reportedly grant his request as McRoberts would likely be placed behind Biyombo, Patterson, Freeland, and even James Johnson in Sacramento's power forward depth chart. He was included in the deal to match salaries.

Timberwolves trade Cunningham in small deal

Minnesota Timberwolves trade:
Dante Cunningham
New Orleans Hornets trade:
Xavier Henry

The Timberwolves need depth on the wing, and they take a flyer on a young prospect who still has potential to improve. Henry has played below expectations in Memphis and in New Orleans after being drafted 12th overall, and the Wolves' front office hope a change of scenery and the right situation can help Henry reach his hype.

Struggling Rockets shake things up

Houston Rockets trade:
Royce White, James Anderson
Philadelphia 76ers trade:
Lavoy Allen, Arnett Moultrie

Struggling with injuries and with chemistry, the Rockets do some addition by subtraction. They trade two of their unhappy players in exchange for frontcourt prospects from Philadelphia. Royce White continued to cite a lack of accommodation by the Rockets of his anxiety, and so the 76ers traded for the talented forward with the hope that he can travel by bus to many games in the Atlantic division. The Rockets look towards free agency to find help for James Harden, as they use the remainder of the season to see who in their frontcourt will emerge as a part of their future (Thomas Robinson, Arnett Moultrie, Donatas Montiejunas, Terrence Jones, Lavoy Allen, Greg Smith).

Mavs looking for one more playoff run

Dallas Mavericks trade:
Josh Akognon, Jared Cunningham
New York Knicks trade:
Kenyon Martin, James White

Hoping to give an aging Dirk one more deep playoff push before blowing things up, the Mavericks acquired Kenyon Martin from the Knicks. They hope his veteran frontcourt presence, along with Elton Brand and Chris Kaman, will keep Dirk healthy enough when the playoffs come. The Mavericks currently sit 10th in the West, but are only 2 games back from the 8th place Clippers.

[Vespasian92]

Newcomers contribute for Kings, still lose
With the trade deadline passed and teams looking to work any new arrivals into their system, the Kings were no exception. Following their acquisition of Bismack Biyombo and Jeffrey Taylor, Sacramento gave them plenty of floor time in the first contest after the trade. Biyombo did exactly what the Kings staff were hoping he would defensively, blocking and changing shots inside. He also came away with a surprising 10 points to go with his 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Taylor looked to secure plenty of burn with his new team as he may be fighting Salmons, Johnson, and Barton for the wing minutes off the bench. The Swedish forward had 7 points and 4 rebounds, as well as a steal and a block, in 13 minutes of action.

In terms of the game itself, Al Horford dominated Demarcus Cousins inside and easily let his Hawks to the win. While Biyombo was effective in slowing Josh Smith (5/15 FG), Cousins failed to show enough defensive presence and let Horford achieve a 23-12 double-double. Conversely, Cousins only had 9 points and 6 boards for the Kings. Lou Williams added 18 of his own to the Hawks' victorious efforts.
Hawks (31-22): 98
Kings (25-31): 86


Atlanta Hawks Top Performers
Al Horford: 23 PTS - 12 REB - 10/16 FG
Lou Williams: 18 PTS - 6 AST - 8/19 FG
Jeff Teague: 17 PTS - 6 REB - 7 AST
Josh Smith: 11 PTS - 9 REB - 5/15 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 10 AST - 3/7 3PT FG
Marcus Thornton: 10 PTS - 4/13 FG
Bismack Biyombo: 10 PTS - 8 REB - 3 BLK - 4/6 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 9 PTS - 6 REB - 4/8 FG

Gordon burns Kings for 45
Little else needs to be said besides that. Eric Gordon was aggressive and effective from the opening tip, dropping 45 points to the delight of the home Hornets fans. Shooting 16/31 from the field, Gordon also went to the line 7 times and made them all. His heroics led the New Orleans to the 110-108 victory over the Kings in a game that ended up much closer than it should have been. Demarcus Cousins had a 20-11 double-double, and Tyreke Evans scored 27 for the Kings in the loss.
Hornets (24-34): 110
Kings (25-33): 108


New Orleans Hornets Top Performers
Eric Gordon: 45 PTS - 16/31 FG - 5 TO
Ryan Anderson: 12 PTS - 8 REB - 4/15 FG
Anthony Davis: 8 PTS - 9 REB - 3 BLK
Greivis Vasquez: 8 PTS - 9 AST - 3/15 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 27 PTS - 3 REB - 2 AST - 2 STL - 2 BLK
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 7 AST - 6/13 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 11 REB - 7/9 FG
Bismack Biyombo: 9 PTS - 7 REB - 2 BLK

Heat punish Kings, tie season series
The Heat were enjoying a lengthy homestand in Miami, while the Kings were struggling through a 5-game roadtrip when they stopped in South Beach. Miami was looking to avoid the embarrassment of losing a season-series with a lottery team, after being upset by the Kings in Sacramento earlier this season. The defending champs did exactly what they were supposed to, blowing apart the Kings in front of the Miami crowd. The Heat had 7 players score in double-figures, led by Lebron's 20. Evans led Sacramento's losing efforts with 15.
Heat (24-34): 121
Kings (25-33): 87


Miami Heat Top Performers
Lebron James: 20 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST
Dwayne Wade: 18 PTS - 7 REB - 7 AST
Chris Bosh: 17 PTS - 8 REB - 2 BLK
Shane Battier: 16 PTS - 4 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 15 PTS - 7 REB - 5/14 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 10 REB - 4 OFF REB
Jeff Taylor: 11 PTS - 4/4 FG - 13 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 8 PTS - 11 AST - 3/15 FG

Kings end skid, beat Orlando
Lost in the transitions of the trade deadline and the excitement of All-Star weekend, the Kings have quietly tallied a season-long 6 game losing streak. The missing ingredient in the skid was a lack of production from the supporting cast, even less so than usual. Sacramento received only 21.6 bench points during the last 6 games, and that includes a 12 PPG scorer in Marcus Thornton. Yet that changed on Wednesday, when the bench stepped up with 41 points. Every player who played for the Kings in the contest scored (Johnson had a DNP). Isaiah Thomas took advantage of his teammates' effectiveness, finding scoring lanes for himself or hitting them for open shots. Thomas tallied 22 points and 7 assists, with only one turnover. Demarcus Cousins had an 18-12 double-double in the win. Jameer Nelson and Glen Davis led the Magic's losing efforts with 18 and 15, respectively.
Kings (26-33): 97
Magic (28-30): 90


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 7 AST - 8/15 FG - 1 TO
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 12 REB - 7/15 FG
Tyreke Evans: 12 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 6/9 FG
Jeff Taylor: 9 PTS - 2 REB - 3 AST - 15 MIN - 4/4 FT

Orlando Magic Top Performers
Jameer Nelson: 18 PTS - 9 AST - 4 TO
Glen Davis: 15 PTS - 4 REB - 7/16 FG
Aaron Afflalo: 13 PTS - 6 REB
Tobias Harris: 5 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 3 STL - 2/12 FG

NBA Transactions:

NBA Injury Updates:

NBA Notes:

[Vespasian92]

February Summary

Heat pressing towards playoffs
Currently on a 14-game winning streak, the defending champion Miami Heat continue to mute their detractors through impressive play. Their trade for Andre Miller seems to be paying off, as the veteran point guard acquired from Denver started 8 of the last 12 games for the Heat, before being slowed by a sprained wrist. Miami has a shocking 12-game lead over the 2nd place Bulls in the East, and are a virtual lock for the #1 seed, at least in the East.

As usual, the Western Conference is more competitive than the East. The Thunder still lead the pack, yet there are some surprising contenders out West. Portland's star rookie Damian Lillard has helped the Blazers sooner than expected, as they are just 4.5 games back from OKC. The Grizzlies and Warriors both round out the top 4, and even come before the perennial-contending Lakers and Spurs. Only time will show if a seeming lack of experience will cost the frontrunners in the west come playoff time.

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


The biggest news with the team was the departure of Jason Thompson and Toney Douglas via trade for Biyombo and Taylor. Thompson was the longest tenured King, who was working on his 5th season in SAC before the trade. Thompson received a new contract with the Kings after playing out his 4 year rookie deal. Douglas is still looking for a more permanent situation, now on his 3rd different team (HOU, SAC, CHA) since having 3 relatively successful seasons with the Knicks.

Biyombo and Taylor were targets the Kings front office were very interested in, and they have stated that they believe the Kings got a quality bargain in the trade. Biyombo can bring the yin to Demarcus Cousins' yang, providing the exact skills that Cousins cannot. Taylor might end up being a steal for the Kings, as he is already an outstanding perimeter defender and athlete with a rapidly improving jumpshot and offensive game. The Kings are now crowded at the 2 and 3 positions between Evans, Thornton, Salmons, Johnson, Butler, Taylor, and Barton, the last two being young players the Kings' brass are impressed by and probably looking to find larger roles for. Johnson's contract expires this offseason, and Salmons has a team option a year from now. These are the two players most likely to be moved, as the Kings already lean on Evans, Thornton, and Butler in major roles on their team. Heading into the offseason, it will be curious to see who stays and who goes.

NBA Injury Updates:
Nuggets G Ty Lawson out 1-2 weeks with Sore Foot.
Bulls F Luol Deng out 4-6 weeks with Broken Toe.
Thunder F Kevin Durant out 1-2 weeks with Sore Ankle.
Hawks G Kyle Korver out 6-8 weeks with Broken Jaw.

NBA Transactions:

NBA Notes:
Timberwolves end Heat's 14 game winning streak with 104-99 victory
Nets lose 5th straight, now 27-33 overall.
Rockets win 5th straight, now 21-40 overall.

[Vespasian92]

McGee, Stone surprise as Nuggets rip Kings
Despite the fact that the Nuggets were missing their star point guard Ty Lawson, they were focused and dominant as they headed to Sacramento. Javale McGee seemed to have good chemistry with fill-in point guard Julyan Stone, and received plenty of easy baskets inside. McGee scored a career-best 30 points, and led the Nuggets to an easy 116-88 win over the Kings. Stone atoned for the lack of production from Lawson, and notched a 13-10 double-double. Isaiah Thomas scored 25 for the Kings in the loss.

Despite the blowout loss and the multiple highlights from McGee, it was Jeff Taylor who scored the play of the game with a posterizing dunk on Timofey Mozgov. A la Blake Griffin's poster on Mozgov, Taylor elevated from behind the Russian center and then reached over the top for the dunk.
Nuggets (31-31): 116
Kings (27-35): 88

Kings F Jeff Taylor dunks over Nuggets C Timofey Mozgov.


Denver Nuggets Top Performers
Javale McGee: 30 PTS - 13 REB - 14/23 FG
Danilo Gallinari: 23 PTS - 7/13 FG
Andre Igoudala: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 6 AST
Julyan Stone: 13 PTS - 10 AST - 5/11 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 25 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 9 REB - 7/13 FG
Tyreke Evans: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST
Jimmy Butler: 10 PTS - 2 STL - 2 BLK

Landry steps up for Warriors in win
With Andrew Bogut sitting out with back spasms, Carl Landry started next to David Lee in the Warriors' frontcourt on Wednesday. Playing against some of his former Kings teammates, Landry dominated the game with his effort. He came away with a huge 24-12 double-double, including 6 offensive rebounds. He and David Lee outhustled Demarcus Cousins, who had a very poor performance in the contest. Isaiah Thomas had a 10-assist double-double in the loss.
Warriors (34-28): 103
Kings (27-36): 96


Warriors F Carl Landry scores on Kings G Isaiah Thomas.


Golden State Warriors Top Performers
Carl Landry: 24 PTS - 12 REB - 6 OFF REB
David Lee: 16 PTS - 6 REB
Klay Thompson: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST
Stephen Curry: 10 PTS - 8 AST - 4 TO

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 10 AST - 5 TO
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 3 REB
Patrick Patterson: 11 PTS - 10 REB
Marcus Thornton: 11 PTS - 5/11 FG

Thornton, defense carry Kings at home
Only one name needs to be mentioned to determine the winner of Friday's game between the Kings and Suns: Marcus Thornton. The Kings' 6th man caught fire as soon as he entered the game, and never cooled off. The former LSU tiger scored 37 points on a shockingly efficient 58% from the floor. Due to Thornton's outstanding game, Tyreke Evans only played 13 minutes in this game, and most of those were played alongside of Thornton at the point to provide rest for Isaiah Thomas. Conversely, Thornton played 39 minutes, which matched the minute total for star bigman Demarcus Cousins. Cousins came away with 17 points and 11 boards to go with 2 blocks. Cousins' 2 rejections were part of the second major storyline to the Kings' success, which was stingy interior defense. Recently acquired rim-protector Bismack Biyombo made a strong impact throughout the contest, erasing 4 shots as well as posting a double-double. The Kings' 3 primary bigs (Cousins, Biyombo, Patterson) had a combined 8 of Sacramento's 10 blocks in the game.
Kings (28-36): 113
Suns (26-36): 104



Kings F Bismack Biyombo rejects the drive of Suns G Goran Dragic


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 37 PTS - 7 REB - 14/24 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 10 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 11 REB - 2 BLK
Bismack Biyombo: 14 PTS - 10 REB - 4 BLK


Phoenix Suns Top Performers
Luis Scola: 20 PTS - 10 REB
Marcin Gortat: 19 PTS - 12 REB - 8/12 FG
Michael Beasley: 19 PTS - 10 REB - 9/25 FG
Goran Dragic: 9 PTS - 15 AST - 7 TO - 4/14 FG

NBA Transactions:

NBA Injury Updates:
Sixers G Nick Young out 6-8 weeks with Torn Hamstring.

NBA Notes:
Heat win 14th straight, now 50-10 overall.
Bulls win 6th straight, now 38-24 overall.

[Vespasian92]

Ellis drops 30 on Sacramento
When the Bucks visited Sacramento on Sunday, they encountered no resistance to their star scorers. Monta Ellis scored 30 in the contest, including 12 in the first quarter. The Bucks took at 15-point advantage after the opening quarter and never looked back. J.J. Redick contributed 19 off the Milwaukee bench, while Demarcus Cousins had an inefficient 20 points for the Kings. Isaiah Thomas also struggled from the field for the Kings, scoring at a very poor 21%.
Bucks (31-30): 115
Kings (28-37): 94


Milwaukee Bucks Top Performers
Monta Ellis: 30 PTS - 13/33 FG
J.J. Redick: 19 PTS - 6/11 FG
Mike Dunleavy: 16 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST
Samuel Dalembert: 12 PTS - 10 REB

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 9 REB - 9/24 FG
Jimmy Butler: 16 PTS - 8 REB
Tyreke Evans: 12 PTS - 2 REB - 5 AST
Isaiah Thomas: 8 PTS - 6 AST - 3/14 FG

Isaiah leads Kings in Chicago
After an embarrassing shooting display in his previous game against the Bucks, Isaiah Thomas regained his groove in Chicago against the Bulls. He lit up MVP Derrick Rose for 24 points on a much more effective 67%. Tyreke Evans continued his up-and-down play, coming away with 22 points after a series of poor performances. Thomas' friend and fellow Washington Huskie Nate Robinson led the Bulls with 21 points and 5 assists.
Kings (29-37): 107
Bulls (38-26): 99


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 24 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 8/12 FG
Tyreke Evans: 22 PTS - 2 REB - 4 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 10 REB
Jimmy Butler: 11 PTS - 9 REB


Chicago Bulls Top Performers
Nate Robinson: 21 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST
Richard Hamilton: 19 PTS - 7/17 FG
Derrick Rose: 14 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 4 STL - 4/15 FG
Carlos Boozer: 12 PTS - 11 REB

Kobe's 38 revenges Lakers
Having 4 months to simmer over a hard-fought loss in their last meeting in November, the Lakers welcomed the Kings to L.A. looking for revenge. Despite having a sub-par season themselves, the Lakers still showed that they were the superior team. Kobe had a hall-of-fame performance, dropping 38 points on a blistering 67% shooting. The Lakers outscored the Kings by 19 in the second half, and came away with a 139-123 victory. Gasol added 28 of his own, while Steve Nash had a 13-13 double-double. The Lakers now lead the season-series 2-1, with the 4th and final matchup coming later this month.
Lakers (37-32): 139
Kings (29-38): 123


L.A. Lakers Top Performers
Kobe Bryant: 38 PTS - 12/18 FG - 10/12 FT
Pau Gasol: 28 PTS - 7 REB - 5 AST
Metta World Peace: 17 PTS - 5 REB - 6/11 FG
Steve Nash: 13 PTS - 13 AST



Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 27 PTS - 6 REB - 7 AST - 6 TO
Tyreke Evans: 20 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 5 REB
Marcus Thornton: 17 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST

Clippers disappoint, fall quietly in Sactown
Despite only having played 1 game in their past 5 days, the Clippers headed to Sacramento with an apparent lack of energy. They only mustered 3 double-digit scorers and only shot 35% for the game. CP3 was the most productive Clipper with 21 points and 6 assists, yet also had 6 giveaways. Conversely, Isaiah Thomas had 21 points and 8 dimes, with only 2 turnovers.

After his eye-opening performances earlier in the season, Will Barton had cooled off and lost some of his floor time to newly acquired Jeffrey Taylor and a confident Marcus Thornton. Yet the rookie guard from Memphis left a reminder of his worth by dropping 11 points in 9 minutes, while shooting a perfect 5/5 from the floor.
Kings (30-38): 123
Clippers (33-36): 139


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 21 PTS - 3 REB - 8 AST - 2 TO
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 6 REB - 7/16 FG
Tyreke Evans: 18 PTS - 7 REB - 5/16 FG
Will Barton: 11 PTS - 5/5 FG - 9 MIN


L.A. Clippers Top Performers
Chris Paul: 21 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST - 6 TO
Blake Griffin: 16 PTS - 10 REB - 5/14 FG
Chauncey Billups: 10 PTS - 3/8 FG
Caron Butler: 7 PTS - 2/10 FG

Cousins bounces back, Kings lose
Building chemistry with new frontcourt partner Bismack Biyombo hasn't been as easy as expected for Demarcus Cousins. Statistically, Biyombo's presence has slightly lowered some of Demarcus' numbers, specifically rebounds. Having a hustle and rim-protecting specialist frees Demarcus to focus more on his scoring. But sometimes teams worry too much about the presence of a shot blocker like Biyombo, and end up allowing other players to dominate. This was the case for Demarcus Cousins in Wednesday's contest against the Timberwolves. Wolves' frontcourt Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Love seemed focused on keeping Biyombo off the glass, and Cousins took advantage of their lack of attention. The former Kentucky center came away with 14 rebounds (his highest total since the trade for Biyombo) as well as 3 blocks. Cousins established position deep in the paint all night, and took a total of 14 free throws en route to a 28 point scoring night.

Yet as much as Cousins dominated the paint, Kevin Love dominated the rest of the floor for the Wolves. Love scored in a variety of ways, including 4 shots from downtown. Love came away with 36 points and 11 boards, and with the help of 24 from Brandon Roy, led the Wolves to the 115-102 win. Cousins failed to get enough help from his teammates in this game, and watched Isaiah Thomas only drop 11 points and Tyreke Evans use a mediocre 40% shooting to achieve his 16.
Timberwolves (26-40): 115
Kings (30-39): 102


Minnesota Timberwolves Top Performers
Kevin Love: 36 PTS - 11 REB - 4/6 3PT FG
Brandon Roy: 24 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST
Ricky Rubio: 17 PTS - 8 AST - 4 TO
Nikola Pekovic: 14 PTS - 10 REB -8/19 FG


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 34 PTS - 14 REB - 3 BLK - 10/14 FT
Tyreke Evans: 16 PTS - 3 BLK - 6/15 FG
Jimmy Butler: 13 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST
Isaiah Thomas: 11 PTS - 7 AST - 4/8 FG - 3 TO

NBA Transactions:

NBA Injury Updates:
Hornets C Robin Lopez out 4-6 weeks with Broken Hand.
Celtics F Paul Pierce out 1-2 weeks with Sprained Shoulder.

NBA Notes:
Sixers end Heat's 19-game winning steak with 108-100 victory.
C Erick Dampier announces his retirement after this season.

[Vespasian92]

Turner's career night leads Sixers
The Sixers headed to Sacramento to play the Kings on Sunday, looking to overtake the Pacers for 4th in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Taking no chances with Andrew Bynum's sore back, the Sixers rested him for the approaching playoff push. While Spencer Hawes filled in for Bynum positionwise, it was Evan Turner who atoned for the absence of the Sixers' center. Turner totaled 20 points and a career-best 15 rebounds in the contest, and helped lead Philly to the 99-91 victory. Jason Richardson added a volume-shooting 16 points on 17 attempts. Isaiah Thomas led the losing Kings with 23.
Sixers (36-33): 99
Kings (30-41): 91


Philadelphia 76ers Top Performers
Evan Turner: 20 PTS - 15 REB - 9/14 FG
Jason Richardson: 16 PTS - 6/17 FG - 3/10 3PT FG
Jrue Holiday: 12 PTS - 11 AST - 4/17 FG
Spencer Hawes: 7 PTS - 13 REB

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 2 AST - 5 TO - 6/13 3PT FG
Marcus Thornton: 16 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 11 REB - 5 AST - 6/7 FT
Bismack Biyombo: 5 PTS - 9 REB - 3 BLK

Cousins punishes Suns in the desert
The Kings, perhaps seeing the approaching end of the season with the fact they have little to play for, had lost their last 4 games as they travelled to Phoenix. But apparently Demarcus Cousins didn't get the memo. Cousins' rebounding and interior presence was dominant from the opening tip, coming away with 8 first-quarter rebounds. He also scored from all over the court, facing up Marcin Gortat or bruising his way past Luis Scola en route to 31 points on an effective 11/18 FG. Isaiah Thomas added 17 points and 9 assists, including 4 makes from downtown, to the Kings' victorious efforts.

The Kings actually didn't sweat it too much down the stretch, and the score was deceptively close. After two Isaiah Thomas free throws put the Kings up 4 with 3.7 seconds left, Shannon Brown made a miracle half-court 3PT shot to put the final score at a 100-99 margin. It was the only 3PT make from any Phoenix player besides Channing Frye. Frye went 4/9 from downtown, while the rest of the team combined for a 1/9 mark from 3PT land.
Kings (31-42): 100
Suns (32-41): 99


Kings C Demarcus Cousins elevates over Suns G Jared Dudley for the offensive tip-in.

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Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 31 PTS - 17 REB - 5 AST - 11/18 FG - 10/12 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 9 AST - 6/13 FG - 4/7 3PT FG
Patrick Patterson: 13 PTS - 5 REB - 6/10 FG
Bismack Biyombo: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 5/5 FG


Phoenix Suns Top Performers
Luis Scola: 20 PTS - 6 REB - 9/15 FG
Shannon Brown: 19 PTS - 4 REB - 6 AST - 8/20 FG
Marcin Gortat: 17 PTS - 18 REB - 8/14 FG
Goran Dragic: 4 PTS - 7 AST - 5 TO - 1/8 FG

Evans bounces back against Rockets
Despite a tough season statistically, with a general lack of consistency, Tyreke Evans came up big to lead the Kings at home past the Rockets. Evans looked like his rookie self, coming away with 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, to go with 5 steals. Cousins added 24 and 9 boards of his own to the Kings' win, while Chandler Parsons led the Rockets with 18 points.
Kings (32-43): 108
Rockets (25-49): 83

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 24 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 5 STL - 10/15 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 24 PTS - 9 REB - 10/19 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 7 AST
Bismack Biyombo: 4 PTS - 12 REB - 4 BLK


Houston Rockets Top Performers
Chandler Parsons: 18 PTS - 7 REB - 7/14 FG
Jeremy Lin: 16 PTS - 2 AST - 3 TO
Lavoy Allen: 11 PTS - 9 REB - 4 BLK
James Harden: 4 PTS - 6 AST - 5 TO - 2/13 FG

Poor shooting dooms Kings
The Hornets travelled to Sacramento for a matchup with the Kings as the season winds down. Eric Gordon dominated offensively, putting up 30 points and leading the Hornets to a 17 point lead in the 3rd quarter. New Orleans coasted to the finish, claiming a 111-105 victory. Tyreke Evans fell back into his recent funk, shooting an abysmal 3/18 from the field. His struggles bogged down the rest of the Kings, whose decent performances went to waste. Isaiah Thomas had 32 points and 8 assists in the loss, while Demarcus Cousins posted a 15-rebound double-double.
Hornets (32-47): 111
Kings (32-46): 105

New Orleans Hornets Top Performers
Eric Gordon: 30 PTS - 11/23 FG
Dante Cunningham: 14 PTS - 10 REB - 6/11 FG
Austin Rivers: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 5/11 FG
Lou Amundson: 11 PTS - 8 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 32 PTS - 8 AST - 10/19 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 22 PTS - 15 REB - 7 OFF REB
Tyreke Evans: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 3/18 FG - 10/11 FT
Marcus Thornton: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 4/8 FG

NBA Transactions:
Bobcats extend G Toney Douglas with 3yr/$6.81M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Bucks G Brandon Jennings out 4-6 weeks with Torn Hamstring.
Bucks F Ersan Ilyasova out 6-8 weeks with Torn Hand Ligament.
Suns G Jared Dudley out 4-6 weeks with Torn Achillies.

NBA Notes:
Lakers win 10th straight, now 46-33 overall.