Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "jason thompson"

Comeback kids pull one out, Kings turn back Blazers 95-92

2012-02-04T02:01:42Z

Since Keith Smart took over coaching duties last month, the Kings have had very little practice time and never had everyone on the roster available for a game.

Things changed this week when the Kings were able to get more time in between games to work on their new game plans. Add that to a healthy Marcus Thornton returning to the lineup and, wham-o!, a team with real possibilities has emerged.

After being down at the half by nine and being throttled by LaMarcus Aldridge the entire time (19 points on 9-of-11 shooting with five rebounds), Smart changed up his formula in guarding the Blazers standout forward which led to a terrific third quarter as the Kings held on the beat the pesky Portland Trailblazers 95-92 on Thursday evening at Power Balance Pavilion.

The Kings came out hustling, but some dumb fouls on the defensive end turned into easy points for the Blazers.

DeMarcus Cousins looked good early but got into foul trouble quickly and didn’t play most of the first quarter.

Aldridge has a great jump shot from inside the circle and put his skills on display early in this one. It didn’t matter who was matched up defensively against him. The way Portland was moving the ball around the court kept Kings players constantly chasing the ball, and Aldridge found himself more open than not for most of the half.

The lone bright spot in the first half for the home team was the ice-cold-as-of-late John Salmons. Salmons had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting that included two three-point bombs.

The wheels almost fell off in the second quarter as a bad mix of players had several defensive breakdowns. With J.J. Hickson, Isaiah Thomas, Travis Outlaw, Thornton and Chuck Hayes on the floor, it seemed that there wasn’t enough leadership or offensive firepower to keep up with Portland.

Smart noticed in time and stopped the bleeding by putting Cousins, Tyreke Evans and Jason Thompson back in the game with about 6:40 left in the second. Down by nine, that adjustment was enough to get Sacramento within three, until several Kings misses let the Blazers get the nine-point lead back before the buzzer.

The Kings scored six straight points as Evans and Cousins came out aggressive to open the third, until Cousins picked up two quick fouls that sent him to the pine early again.

With Cousins on the bench, it was time for Thompson to step up, and he did.

Thompson is having his best year to date and is a real force inside now for the Kings. Thompson finished with 13 points and 12 boards and was very active on the defensive end.

Thompson is fully aware of his improved play but doesn’t see it as a surprise. The way he tells it, if he didn’t have four different coaches in his four campaigns, things may be a little different for the man from Rider.

“It’s tough,” Thompson said after the contest. “Four different systems, and every coach wanted something differently out of me. For me, to keep my head and always staying ready for the future and being positive, then things can work out well.”

Good for J.T.! When you break it down, he’s been the most consistent player so far this season.

Once Evans slammed a ball home to tie the game at 63-63 late in the third, you could feel the momentum change. It seems that every time you just give the hometown faithful some hope, they jump out of their collective seats to show their support.

Thursday was no different.

The fans, who sat on their hands until this point, went crazy when Portland called a timeout to collect themselves.

When Salmons open the final stanza with a three, the fans stayed in the game the rest of the way.

Like the fans, Salmons has been waiting for his game to come around. Thursday, he had his best game of the season.

“It definitely feels good to hit shots,” he said. “When you’re not hitting shots like you’re supposed to, you get frustrated. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t frustrated. You just have to stick with it, keep going and try to continue to believe and keep working hard.”

The final moments saw rookie guard Isaiah Thomas get a jaw-dropping block and the Blazers miss two game-tying three-pointers.

Thornton had 20 in his return from a deep thigh contusion and said it’s hard to sit on the bench when you want to contribute so badly.

“It was very, very frustrating knowing I couldn’t get out there and help my team do anything,” he said. “It made me realize that me without basketball, I’m basically dead. Basketball is my life and has been my life since I was little, so I was just so happy to be out there with my teammates.”

KINGS NOTES: Evans had another solid all-around game with 18 points, five boards, five assists . . . Jimmer Fredette, Francisco Garcia and Donte Greene all had DNP-CDs (did not play - coach’s decision) . . . Chuck Hayes said he’s still being careful with his shoulder as any type of collision could dislocate it again . . . Former King Gerald Wallace was held in check and had only eight points and three boards.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

Darren Hall at www.darrenhallphotography.net/

Kings lose to Nuggets 122-93 in blowout, no one happy about effort

2012-01-27T02:49:13Z

The fans weren’t the only ones leaving the old barn early on Wednesday evening.

Quite honestly, they weren’t the only ones leaving embarrassed either.

By the time the press got into the Kings locker room after losing 122-93 in a blowout to the visiting Denver Nuggets, most of Sacramento’s players had left the arena also.

No Cousins, no Tyreke, not even Donte Greene hung out long enough to give their side of this ugly one-sided loss.

Keith Smart, the new coach of the 6-13 Kings, was alone at the podium to explain.

“Not what I expected,” Smart started his post-game press conference. “And I’m sure our fans didn’t expect that either. Kind of an embarrassing moment for our fans to watch us play that way.”

After pulling out to an early 7-3 lead behind a couple of Jimmer Fredette jumpers - who started in place of an banged up Marcus Thornton, the flood gates broke and the Kings end of the paint opened up like Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea.

Way too easy.

Drive after drive after drive after drive to the rack. The Nuggets kept coming like the incoming tide - relentlessly.

And the Kings didn’t even put up a temporary barrier to stop the avalanche.

By the end of the first quarter, the Nuggets already had 22 points in the paint on 11-of-17 shooting. And they weren’t done yet. They would finish with an incredible 92 points in the paint! This is the most since the NBA began keeping track of this statistic!

Wave after wave after wave of Denver big men and small reaching the rim with uncanny ease.

By halftime, Denver lead 66-43 and the boo birds could already be heard in the old Arco rafters.

Danilo Gallinari, Nene, Kosta Koufos, Andre Miller, Al Harrington and even Ty Lawson before he got hurt were slicing through the lane without facing stiff competition or even a good knock down.

By the half, the Nuggets were shooting almost 60 percent and the Kings were just over 42 percent from the floor.

It wasn’t that the Nuggets ran the Kings off the floor, that wasn’t it at all. It was just that it seemed almost every time a Nuggets player went into the paint, he either scored or another Nugget player grabbed the board and tired to score.

The only defense at the rim for the Kings came in the form of DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins ended up with 17 points and 15 boards. The only other King with more than five rebounds was Greene who had six.

The shocking stat of the night had to be that Evans, who is usually good for 4.8 boards a game came away with none. That’s right, a goose egg - zero rebounds.

Not the sign of a team that is throwing everything they have into trying to get a win.

Jason Thompson, one of the only ones left to speak after the tough loss, ended with nine points and five boards but knew much more was needed.

“It’s frustrating,” said Thompson from his space in front of his locker after the game. “We didn’t take care of business. We knew what the game plan was. From the start, usually come out to a good start but this time we just went against the odds. We weren’t rebounding and we weren’t playing unselfish basketball.”

That’s it! Straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

Thompson’s been here since the beginning. He’s unselfish to a fault most of the time and is finally having the kind of season the front office thought he could have when they drafted him four years ago.

Thompson knows the solution to what ails the team and holds out hope that the players can pull it off.

“We all got to look ourselves in the mirror and say how am I going to guard my man and how am I going to stop my man from scoring. At the end of the day, the great teams play team defense. But first you have to be able to stop your man and then worry about the help.”

The former Rutgers standout felt so strong about his case, he said it again.

“We all got to look ourselves in the mirror and not just worry about everyone getting buckets but worry about getting stops and rebounds and just let everything else come to us.”

KINGS NOTES: Fredette ended up with 19 points and had five three-pointers . . . The Nuggets had seven players in double figures scoring including Gallinari (23 points), Nene (16 points), Andre Miller (15 points, 10 assists), Al Harrington (10 points) and Corey Brewer (15 points) . . . Isaiah Thomas had ended with 16 points and had six assists . . . Ty Lawson hurt his foot or ankle and was seen leaving Power Balance Pavilion in a walking boot . . . To their credit, John Salmons, J.T., Thomas and Fredette were ready to answer questions from the media after the game . . . Thornton could miss another week or so with a deep bruise in his left thigh . . . Chuck Hayes should be on the floor again when the Kings travel to Utah to face the Jazz on Saturday

Resilient Kings rally back to defeat Pacers 92-88

2012-01-20T02:52:03Z

The Kings returned home after a tough five-game road trip to beat the Indiana Pacers 92-88 in a hard-fought battle at Power Balance Pavilion Wednesday night.

“I don’t know how, but somehow this group found a way,” Kings head coach Keith Smart said. “I don’t know how we did it, but this group has some resilience. They fought, they found a lineup that got us back into the game, and they closed it out. And that’s what I’m trying to get us to become: a team on any given night.”

On their eventful road trip, the Kings went 1-4 while earning their first road win, along with setting a new franchise record with only 23 points of the first half in a 99-60 rout by the Dallas Mavericks.

Sacramento came into Wednesday night with a 5-9 record, much due to their problem of making shots on the floor, and the league-worst shooting percentage at just 39.6 percent.

Despite their shooting woes continuing and only shooting 30.1 percent from the field against the Pacers, the Kings found a way to come back from a 14-point deficit going into the fourth quarter and come out with the victory.

Much of the win can be attributed to the zone defense that Smart turned to in the fourth, smothering the Pacers and only allowing eight points to be scored in the entire quarter.

“Our staff did a good job this morning in our meeting and saw that we could possibly play a zone,” Smart said after the game. “We were able to pull it out and get in the zone. The zone kind of kept them from posting our guys up, and it kept them from penetrating. It kept them on the perimeter. That’s what turned the game around.”

After trailing 80-66 after three quarters, the Kings eventually took an 88-87 lead when forward Francisco Garcia made two free throws with a little over two minutes remaining in the game.

Up by three at 90-87 with 5.6 seconds left to play, Smart decided to intentionally foul Pacers forward Danny Granger. Granger was called for a free throw violation while trying to intentionally miss the second attempt to get the ball back after making the first.

Garcia then made two free throws to seal the four-point victory for the Kings, ending their three-game losing streak.

Garcia and the rest of the Kings bench played a huge role in the victory, outscoring the Pacers bench 39-20. Garcia led the bench with 16 points, including 10 in the final quarter while rookie point guard Isaiah Thomas once again provided a spark while playing 20 minutes off the bench.

“They respect me. That’s the first and foremost,” Thomas said. “They respect me on and off the court. They know what I can bring, and I can’t let them down when I get in and get significant minutes.”

Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins recognizes the play of Thomas and understands the spark he provides the team every time he enters the game.

“Isaiah has been big for us all season,” Cousins said. “The more he plays, the more big plays he provides us.”

Thomas finished with eight points, one rebound, one assist and two steals. Five of Thomas’ eight points came in the fourth quarter.

Smart made a change in the starting roster, giving fourth-year forward Jason Thompson the nod instead of J.J. Hickson and was rewarded with Thompson’s hustle that provided nine points, nine rebounds and one assist in the first half. Thompson was only able to add one rebound to his numbers in the second half due to limited minutes.

“I’ve been very pleased with him,” Smart said of Thompson. “I’ve given him certain dynamic rules to follow, and he has been very, very good with what he’s doing, very patient. He’s being decisive. If he doesn’t have a move, he gets rid of the basketball and gets into the next play.”

Cousins once again dominated the boards, finishing with 13 points, 19 rebounds and two assists. En route to tying his career-high 19 rebounds, Cousins set a new franchise record for most offensive rebounds in a half with 10 hauled in during the first half.

“Once I’m zoned in, I’m going after everything,” Cousins said. “I’m not out there counting. I’m just trying to get everything that comes my way.”

In total, the Kings hauled in 30 offensive rebounds to go along with their 23 defensive rebounds. The Kings also made it to the free throw line 41 times but only made 68 percent from the line.

The Kings head back on the road for a three-game road trip starting with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. The team will return home to take on the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

Photos by John Hernandez

The Court Jester - Better late than never, training camp begins anew

2011-12-13T02:43:47Z

The long-awaited, lockout-shortened Kings’ season is finally underway as training camp has opened in Natomas at Sacramento’s training facility in the Power Balance Pavilion parking lot.

Here are some observations from the second and third day of the two-week training camp.

State of the Kings Address

Each training camp, Geoff Petrie, the Kings’ President of Basketball Operations, addresses the media to discuss the offseason and his early training camp observations. This year was a lot different for Petrie as he and the staff are having to cram over a months worth of moves, discussions and preparation for the upcoming season in a two-week period.

Here are Petrie’s comments regarding various items during his stand up before the gathered media.

On how he likes the current makeup of the team - “I think at the moment, we are happy where we are. The team has been reconfigured from the last season, so a new group with the potential for what we think is improvement. They all came into camp in pretty good shape considering what turned out to be a very lengthy offseason. They seem focused and energetic and everybody’s glad to be back playing basketball.”

On major differences from last year’s campaign - “I think we are going to be a better shooting team. We’re going to be a better passing team. And I think we will be better able to attack teams offensively in more ways than we were last year.”

On how much room does the team still have under the salary cap considering the signing of Marcus Thornton (4 years, $31 million) and Chuck Hayes (4 years, $21.3 million) as well as rookies Jimmer Fredette, Tyler Honeycutt and Isaiah Thomas to contracts - “We’re still about a million dollars and change away from the minimum salary.”

On how happy he was with the general shape the players came into camp in - “Yeah, I am. In general, there are probably a couple of guys that need to lose a little bit of weight, but overall DeMarcus is ten pounds lighter than he was at the beginning of training camp a year ago. Tyreke is in better shape than he was at the start of camp last year. Marcus is within a few pounds of his game weight. John (Salmons) is in terrific shape. Fredette and all the rookies are fine. Again, considering the amount of time, we are pretty good shape that way.”

Geoff Petrie also emphasized that the team has a couple of offers out there and wouldn’t be surprised if they added another piece or two to the puzzle. At this point, it seems a backup point guard and maybe another big man could be in the mix.

He also sees the amnesty dominos to fall slowly considering that many teams are waiting to see who drops who and what other late deals some teams may be able to throw together.

The Curtain Rises

At some point during each practice, the long canvas shade that keeps the media shielded from the team’s on-court activities rises to allow the gathered newsmen and women to gaze upon the balance of Coach Paul Westpahl’s training drills.

So far this season, the curtain has risen early to allow the media a long look at will be this year’s incarnation of the Sacramento Kings.

Once practice is over, Coach Westphal give his thoughts on the days workout. Here are some of those thoughts from the second and third days of training camp.

On a potential three-guard set with Jimmer, Tyreke and Marcus Thornton and how it’s looked in practice - “It really worked well. At one point, they ran off about 12 or 15 points in a row. We were picking up full court - we’ll be doing a lot more of that this year - and creating some turnovers and early shots and they got out and were explosive. So that’s a combination that can be real effective.”

On how the young guys have looks so far - “Probably the best of everybody. I thought Whiteside had his moments, and Jimmer, Isaiah and Tyler all were excellent.”

On what might be missing from last year that you’ll need this year’s team to step up and get done - “I just think we are trying to grow as a team. We’ve added some players with some experience and some versatility and ball-handling ability. We’ll be a better shooting team. Hopefully healthier and we’ll have a little more depth.”

On whether the Kings will be more of a running team the season - “I think our personnel dictates that can extend the defense a little more effectively and I think we’re doing to try and do that.”

On how John Salmons is fitting in so far - “I think he’s doing an outstanding job! He’s a real pro and he knows where he’s supposed to be and why and he’s helping the other guys. He’s been real good at both ends.”

On J.J. Hickson - “I see a real athletic, dynamic player. He’s still feeling his way with where he’s supposed to be and why, but I think he’s somebody who can bring an element of athleticism to the game every time he comes in.”

Words from the Crown Keepers

Here are some comment from various players after a couple of workouts under their belts.

Isaiah Thomas on being a leader in college and now learning from leaders in the pros - “Because (in college) I was always was the one to lead and was telling people what to do, but now they’re telling me what to do. At the same time, when I do tell them what to do, they are listening too so it’s a mutual thing with all of us. I’m just trying to learn on the flow and learn everything from the vets and the guys that have been here a while.”

Isaiah Thomas on what the coaches are looking for from him - “Just to play hard and come in and bring energy and that’s what I’m going to do whether it’s score for myself or make plays for my teammates, I’m gonna do whatever I can to help the team win and get more wins. That’s my job!”

Isaiah Thomas on getting acclimated to the Sacramento area - “I’m trying to get lost just to see if I can find my way back to the hotel and things like that. I’m just trying to get more comfortable on the court and off.”

John Salmons on his expected leadership role with the team - “I’m just being myself man. I’m not the real vocal type. I just try to come in and be a professional and lead by example. I try and come in everyday and work hard and play the right way.”

John Salmons on what has impressed him the most so far in camp - “They way they share the ball. They are all looking to find the open guy, hitting cutters. I’ve been surprised by that the most.”

John Salmons on having a former teammate - Bobby Jackson - as a coach now - “I guess the longer you play, the more ex-teammates you have as coaches (laughs). Bobby’s cool. Bobby was cool when I was here. We always got along well so we’ll get along well with him as a coach.”

J.J. Hickson on putting in extra time after practice working on his shot - “It’s very important. I’m trying to get better every day. I’m trying to get better with the team so I think it starts with the individual first. I’m gonna get my extra work in when I need to.”

J.J. Hickson on being traded from Cleveland - “I was real surprised. I started in Cleveland. They taught me everything I know up to now. I’m gonna try and come here and let my defensive principals from Mike Brown and Byron Scott roll over into this team.”

J.J. Hickson on what his best attributes are - “I think I’m best when I’m running the floor. Setting screens against the offense real quick. The scoring is icing on the cake but I’m going to do what I have to do to make me and my teammates better.”

Tyler Honeycutt on what he’s already picked up on from the veteran players - “The movement on the floor, reading screens, staying in space and running. (Francisco) Garcia’s been talking to me a lot so I’m listening to him.”

Tyler Honeycutt on Garcia’s mentorship - “He’s been kind of looking over me like a big brother telling me where to go and making sure I’m on the right spots on the floor.”

Tyler Honeycutt on the speed of the game - “It’s like going from high school to college, now it’s college to the big boys. Everybody’s taller, faster, stronger, smarter and more athletic so I’m just trying to get used to that. Getting in the weight room to get stronger.”

Jason Thompson on the new crop of talent and the future of the Kings - “It’s starting to be good. It’s good that everyone is here and healthy. We’re just getting the reps in and putting in the offense, getting used to our defensive principals and get some continuity.”

Jason Thompson on helping the young guys - “Everyone started mature. We’re easing into things with Jimmer and Tyler and Isaiah and just giving them tips and helping them out as we’re learning as well.”

Chuck Hayes on settling in - “There is a lot of energy in the building with the youth and the excitement. I’m learning. I feel like a rookie. I’m learning guys style of play. Learning where they like to shoot the ball, their strength, their weaknesses and trying to get some kind of chemistry with them on the court.”

Chuck Hayes on if he’s, at 6’6”, always played in the middle - “I’ve always been the center from elementary to junior high a little bit in high school and a little bit in college. So playing the position was never foreign to me. I’ve always been the big kid. If you asked to me play point guard, I’d look terrible, but playing center to me is something I’ve been doing my whole life.”

Chuck Hayes on his defensive mindset going against bigger guys night after night - “Every game is a marathon. It’s a 48-minute game. The point is I just try to outwork and outlast my opponent, my guy individually. I try and wear him down and make him uncomfortable. There will be some moments where he’ll get the best of me, but you got to expect that because everybody is a professional. But throughout the 48-minute game, I have to be able to outlast him when it matters.”

Jimmer Fredette on the rush to get ready - “It’s been really exciting to start my first training camp and to start with the team. Everything is pretty accelerated because our first exhibition game is coming up real soon, but we’re doing a great job of trying to stay focused, get the plays down and get our defensive scheme down and all the terminology. It’s a learning process right now, but it’s going well.”

Jimmer Fredette on what about his game will help this team and it’s cohesiveness - “The biggest thing is just to go out there and play my game. If you show them respect, they’ll show respect back to you. Get them the ball when they’re open and take your open shots and hopefully you make them. That’s how you gain respect by going out there and playing as hard as you can, making the right decisions and being a good teammate.”

Tomorrow in The Court Jester, a conversation with the former head honcho of the Golden State Warriors and new Kings' assistant Keith Smart.

Kings Donte Greene excites basketball fans with Goon Squad Classic

2011-11-24T07:07:56Z

With no end in sight to the NBA lockout, Sacramento Kings forward Donte Greene gave Kings and NBA fans something to cheer about on Sunday evening at the Pavilion at UC Davis as he hosted the Goon Squad Classic.

Greene came up with the name because him and fellow teammates Jason Thompson and Pooh Jeter are known as the “Goon Squad,” as they jump up and down before Kings games to help pump up the crowd.

Since there has not been a labor agreement between the players and the owners of the NBA, Greene decided to host the Goon Squad Classic, a charity game that benefited numerous charities both locally and nationally.

It was the first time that the Sacramento region had seen professional basketball since the Kings played their last game in April, which left fans in fear that their team would be heading down south to Anaheim.

Greene’s main goal when putting together the exhibition game was to give Sacramento basketball fans something to cheer about again, along with making money for a good cause. In association with Greene, the Circle of Success Foundation helped organize the game, along with fellow Sacramento King Jason Thompson.

Although stars such as Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant was not able to make it, and Washington Wizard John Wall was unable to play, the game featured many stars and solid lineups on both teams.

Greene was featured on the black squad, featuring players such as 76er’s big man and former King Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson and Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette.

This exhibition game marked the first time Kings fans were able to see their new rookie and 10th overall pick Fredette play in front of the hometown crowd, and he didn’t disappoint. Seemingly every time after he dribbled the ball over half court, the crowd shouted at him in an attempt to show off his “Jimmer range.” The rookie appeased the hometown crowd, draining numerous shots from well behind the three-point arc.

The purple team featured Kings Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside, rookie Isaiah Thomas and Los Angeles Laker Matt Barnes, who was greeted to an uproar of boos when he was introduced.

As expected, the exhibition game featured little defense but was a showcase of the players athleticism, featuring numerous alley-oops and long-distance threes that continued to draw “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd.

But Greene did not just give the fans an opportunity to watch basketball again — he also gave the crowd numerous free shirts, with players available for autographs after the game. Greene also took the three different pairs of shoes he wore during the game, signed them and also threw those into the crowd.

Following little defense, the game ended with Greene’s team on top 167-164 as Tyreke Evans failed to make a desperation three-point attempt that would have tied the game at the end of the first regulation.

In addition to benefiting the Circle of Success Foundation, a portion of the proceeds also benefited the Save Ourselves Foundation for Breast Cancer, Sacramento Food and Clothing Bank, Crocker Riverside 4th R and Shriners Hospital for Children.

Kings lose battle of the cellar dwellers, Cavs win 97-93

2011-03-18T17:37:58Z

When looking at the Cavaliers roster, it’s hard to find a bunch of names that roll off the tongue as if you’ve heard of them many times before. On the other hand, just to make it to an NBA roster means you have special skills and should never be taken lightly.

In this case, I don’t think a team that has the second worst record in the Association - the Kings - would or could afford to take any team for granted. They didn’t, but still came up a little short.

In a battle of teams with the two worst records in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Sacramento Kings, 97-93, in a game the Kings should have won.

From the outset, the Kings cranked up the defensive pressure by constantly harassing the Cavs’ shooters. Francisco Garcia, who has been playing very well since returning from injury, was covering his man like a wet blanket and picked up two steals and a block in the opening quarter.

Although the Kings ended the first with three steals and two blocks, the Cavs still shot 53% from the field in the opening stanza.

Samuel Dalembert, who is contributing much more than most folks thought he would, continued his fine play as of late by scoring early and often and by using his incredible wingspan for swatting away shots near the rim. Dalembert was the Kings second leading scorer and finished with another double-double consisting of 16 points, 10 boards and two blocks.

Speaking of double-doubles, Cousins ended with 11 points, a game high 16 rebounds but it was his poor shooting percentage that came back to haunt the Kings. The rookie shot only 26% for the game on 5 of 19 shooting.

After getting off to a 28-18 lead after one, things started to turn sour for the home team.

Almost immediately after he came into the game, Luther Head left with calf tightness and was soon followed to the tunnel by Jason Thompson, who appeared to re-injure his ankle at the 7:28 mark of the second quarter.

Enter reserve forward Darnell Jackson.

Grant Napear is right about this guy. Even though used sparingly, Jackson, along with guys like Pooh Jeter and Omri Casspi, provide the spark and energy that the Kings need from their bench. He scored two quick hoops in the first 69 seconds he was in the game.

The Kings opened the second half leading 51-45, but quickly saw Cleveland get right back into the game and even surge ahead in less than four minutes to a 59-55 lead for the Cavs.

The Kings would not be down for long as the Kings rained down long-range bombs and hit four three-point shots in a five shot stretch - three of them by newcomer Marcus Thornton. Thornton would end up the high scorer for the Kings with 23 points.

The Kings would hold slim lead for much of the rest of the game until Cavalier forward J.J. Hickson got the Cavs the lead with 4:31 left in the game.

Now usually, the Kings bench plays a bigger part than it did in Wednesday’s game. But on this night, the bench clearly let the team down. Only the five starters were in double figures in scoring as the bench totaled only 15 points on 6 of 20 shooting for the evening.

“I thought when we went to the bench,” Coach Paul Westphal pointed out after the game, “we didn’t really come in with the same intensity and focus that the starters had and they (Cleveland) made a nice run”

It was a back and forth game down the stretch until the Ramon Sessions hit a shot with 18 seconds left to give the Cavs a slim two point lead. Sessions led the Cavs in scoring finishing with 20 points, five boards and six assists.

Westphal decided to run a play for Cousins and let the big man find a hole and attempt a drive to the rack. Cousins got his opening and made his way into the lane. It appeared that he could have been fouled by Cavs guard Alonzo Gee at the rim, but there was no call and Cousins shot hit off the backboard, then the front of the rim and bounced away essentially ending the game.

After saying that he felt they let this one get away, Westphal talked about the final play call.

“We cleared the right side for DeMarcus and he drove to the basket, got there and the ball didn’t go in.”

For Cousins, who picked up a bloody nose without the benefit of a foul call in the last minute of the game and is learning to not complain about things like that, took the responsibility himself.

“Coach wanted me to iso and drive to the basket and try to get a layup,” Cousins said while seated in front of his locker. “I had a good drive, just couldn’t finish the layup.”

When asked if he received the ball cleanly, did he think that maybe that had something to do with the missed shot, Cousins paused and admitted that maybe it did.

“Umm, yeah, I did kind of mess it up, but I still had a clean drive and just couldn’t finish the layup.”

The maturation process of the big rookie has been nothing short of amazing since the beginning of the year. He’s gone from at times not wanting to give Westphal a high five when being taken off the floor to coming over to the coach - on his own accord - and asking what he could or should be doing.

Let’s hope we here in Sacramento can watch him grow into his potential. It would be really worth buying a ticket to witness.

Kings fall apart against Rockets 123-101, Cousins goes down late

2011-03-09T05:41:49Z

The Kings weren’t able to ground the Rockets Monday as Houston routed Sacramento 123-101 at the Power Balance Pavilion.

Sacramento got off to a decent start to the game, having a slight 30-29 lead to end the first quarter. The Kings then started to lose their lead during the second quarter, but the third was Sacramento’s worst, as they gave up 30 points and only answered with 16.

Power Balance Pavilion was not close to being filled, but the fans who were there showed as much support as they could for their Sacramento Kings despite the team’s struggles.

Forward DeMarcus Cousins scored 20 points and went 10 for 20 in field goals, tying the game-high with Houston forward Chase Budinger, who was 4 for 6 beyond the 3-point line. Cousins, however, had a collision with teammate Marcus Thornton in the fourth quarter when Thornton fell into Cousins' shin. He was able to walk off the court and said there could have been worse results.

“It felt like it was about to snap, so I just so happened to jump up,” Cousins said. “It scared me.”

Cousins said that his injury is not serious and he hopes that he can continue to play soon.

“It’s a big relief, but my adrenaline is gone, and the pain is starting to kick in,” Cousins said. “Hopefully I can go tomorrow.”

Forward Omri Casspi was also thankful that Cousins’ injury was not serious.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Casspi said. “Thank God nothing happened. He’s walking and smiling, and he’ll be ready for the game Wednesday.”

There were some familiar faces on Houston’s roster: former guard Kevin Martin, center Brad Miller and head coach Rick Adelman, who during his time in Sacramento, earned 395 victories, the most in Kings history.

Martin started for Houston and scored 15 points in 23:40 minutes but only shot 3 of 12 from the field. Miller scored seven points in 18:37 minutes of playing time.

Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal said after the game that the team did not have enough defense to help win the game.

“You’ve got to guard somebody – you can’t give up 30-point quarters every quarter and expect to win,” Westphal said. “Our defense was not good enough really ever to give us a chance to hang around in the game.”

Casspi, on the other hand, said that the team should emulate how Houston plays on offense as well.

“We just have to look at them and play the way they play,” Casspi said. “We have to watch the tape in front of us and learn the way they play.”

When asked if Houston changed its defense to stop Cousins, Westphal did not think that was the case.

“I think DeMarcus ran out of gas a little bit, and I think he was getting frustrated,” Westphal said. “I think that they continued to score every time down the floor, and it disrupted our flow."

Cousins also said that the team has a bad tendency to panic when losing a lead during games.

“We have a tendency to do that, when the lead gets out of hand and they make a run, we have a tendency to panic and then just try to do things on our own,” Cousins said. “We’ve got to play the whole game together, and we’ve got to play team together and hopefully we can change things around.”

Sacramento will stay in town and prepare to host the Orlando Magic Wednesday.

Kings let struggling Jazz back in game, lose tough one, 107-104

2011-02-09T02:16:43Z

After starting out 2-0 during this tough stretch of games, the Kings are working their way through the home part of the journey hoping to rack up some good wins against good teams before going on the road again.

The Utah Jazz were in town with their 3-9 record in their last 12 games and appeared to be ripe for the picking. Unfortunately, it was the Jazz that did the harvesting, as they held on to upend the Kings 107-104 on the strength of Deron Williams’ court magic and Al Jefferson’s play around the rim.

Utah came out firing with Jefferson (23 points, 3 steals), the offensive powerhouse acquired in the offseason, was having his way with DeMarcus Cousins on the block. Jefferson’s great footwork and post moves to the basket were too much for the younger, less-experienced Cousins, who had picked up two early ticky-tack fouls in less than five minutes. The Jazz center seemed to score his 12 points in the opening quarter with ease.

Luckily, Samuel Dalembert (9 points, 11 boards) was up to the task of bodying up against Jefferson. Dalembert came in for an effective stretch as he started to make things more difficult for the Jazz center.

Tyreke Evans picked up his second personal foul at the end of the first to put the two most dynamic Kings players in early foul trouble. The uncommon pairing of reserve guards Pooh Jeter and Luther Head played well and helped the Kings stay close while the starters were out.

By the end of the first half, the Kings had 10 players who had scored.

The Udrih/Evans guard combo was working well, as they were constantly driving to the basket and kicking to open players on the wing or top of the key.

Watching Williams (21 points, 6 boards, 9 assists) play guard for the Jazz was a treat. His lay-ups off the glass were a thing of beauty. So high up on the Plexiglas – no one could even get a fingertip on them.

Which is why when Williams went to the bench with what looked like a wrist injury, it appeared the Kings would be poised for a run. The two young superstars for the Kings – Evans and Cousins – took full advantage of Williams’ wrist issue and dominated the floor. Evans led the way with 13 points and three blocks while Cousins had 11 points and eight boards in the period to help Sacramento get a 10-point lead at one juncture in the third.

So there we were again.

The Kings had a small lead, 87-80, after three quarters. Nobody was in foul trouble. Even Deron Williams was constantly grabbing at his wrist in pain.

The table was set. It looked like the Kings would be able to hold on.

In short, they didn’t. It only took four minutes for the Kings to give up the lead and let Utah back in the game.

With the game tied, the Kings pulled ahead 97-91 with just over half the quarter left. During that stretch, Cousins picked up his fourth and fifth fouls.

Yes, Dalembert played well, but Cousins (25 points, 14 boards) was the difference-maker. Cousins was the leading scorer in the final period with seven points as the rest of the boys in purple stalled out. Even Evans (21 points) had only two points in the quarter.

Turnovers doomed the Kings. Sacramento, which finished with 20 giveaways, was led by Evans’ six, while Thompson and Cousins had four each.

Almost as soon as Cousins was sent to the pine to await the call, Dalembert picked up his fifth foul and had to take a seat, bringing Cousins back in – and maybe a little too soon. With the Kings down 101-99, Cousins readied himself to re-enter the game.

The Kings were still down by one after Cousins made a basket and the foul shot before fouling out and Dalembert had to return.

The usually reliable Andre Kirilenko got to the line twice in the waning seconds, but only made one of two on two separate trips to the line, leaving the door open for the Kings to tie on a long-range bomb.

Coach Paul Westphal had all of his reliable three-point shooters on the floor for the final eight seconds of the game. The Kings’ last shot came from Casspi, whose apparently clear look at the rim wasn’t good enough, and his shot fell short.

Westphal talked about the final play.

“We wanted to get a three up,” said a clearly disappointed Westphal. “You can’t tell who is going to get it for sure – you space the floor, you try and make them make some decisions, and you attack and take whatever three you think you can get.”

After the game, the Kings’ locker room was semi-cleared out. Evans and Cousins, who are usually very open to interviews after a win or a loss, were nowhere to be found, as they had left before the media was allowed in.

Among Casspi’s supporters were Thompson, Landry, Jeter, Dalembert and Donte Greene, who stuck around as if to not let Casspi fall on the sword alone. Casspi, who sat in front of his locker space with his head in his hands for several minutes after his shower, stood tall to answer for the missed shot.

“All the pressure is on me now to make them (three-point shots),” said a frustrated Casspi. “I’m missing a lot of shots that, I don’t know, I don’t remember myself missing those kinds of shots. I’ve been working a lot in practice. I feel like I don’t have my legs under me for some reason.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

RON NABITY

http://nabityphotos.com/

Kings push Celtics to the brink but fall short, lose 95-90 at Arco

2011-02-03T05:30:47Z

Going into the game, Sacramento was missing a few big men: Jason Thompson (sprained ankle) and Hassan Whiteside (knee strain), and then Darnell Jackson right before halftime in a freak incident.

You would think the Kings would have had no chance in matching up with the daunting Boston Celtics, the team with the best record in the NBA.

You would be wrong, as for most of the game the Kings were in it and even pushed back almost every time the Celts pushed them. If it wasn’t for Ray Allen’s fiery halftime locker room speech, the Kings may have prevailed. In the end, in a tough, physical game, The C’s from Beantown got by the hometown Kings, 95-90.

It was the first time this tough season that the Arco Arena was really rockin’. I guess that shouldn’t have been a surprise since Boston is playing like world champions and the Kings have started to show they can win the tough games.

But what was an eye-opener was how many Boston fans were in the building. At times, it sounded like a third of the fans in attendance were cheering for the boys in green, a sound that only angered the loyalists in the facility as they pumped up the noise in their collective effort to drown out the fans wearing the green and white.

Even though the Kings blocked five shots in the first quarter, it was Sacramento’s poor shooting percentage in the period (28.6 percent) that hurt the team. Boston led after one, 27-20.

The game started to get chippy in the second as the Kings were not letting the semi-cheating little things that the Celtics are known for get to them. Even DeMarcus Cousins (20 points, 6 boards, 2 blocks) kept his cool after being shoved by Rajon Rondo during a break in the action. Much like when Cousins went over to Chris Paul after Paul threw Beno Udrih on the ground in the Charlotte game, Tyreke Evans (20 points, 4 boards, 4 assists, 2 blocks) got in Rondo’s face after the shove on Cousins. It’s great to see the Kings coming together though adversity.

Donte Greene (15 points, 2 boards), who’s been getting a lot more playing time with Francisco Garcia on injured reserve, scored 13 points in the stanza to help jump-start the home team. That, along with the fire and instant energy that reserve guard Pooh Jeter brings every time he hits the floor, pushed the Kings to a 54-45 lead at the half. Jeter (8 points, 3 assists) had six points and three assists in the quarter and took a critical charge late in the period.

In a scary scene at the end of the first half, as the Kings were walking off the floor, Darnell Jackson collapsed. After several minutes and what appeared to be something like smelling salts, Jackson was able to sit up and eventually walk off the court on his own accord. The word came down that Jackson was having shortness of breath and would not return to the contest.

Boston kept the intensity going in the fourth by again helping the Kings to six more turnovers in the final quarter. Glen Davis (14 points, 4 boards) had 10 in the period for the Celts by hitting several open jumpers. With all the great interior defense the Kings were playing, it came at the expense of not rotating out far enough to cover Boston’s big men on the outside. And Boston made them pay.

Along with Big Baby Davis, Allen (22 points, 6 boards) was a key factor for Boston. Allen hit four 3-pointers to go with 9-of-15 shooting from the field.

It appeared that Sacramento would have a chance at the end, but the Kings stopped running the ball across the half-court line with two minutes remaining in the game, a choice that would cost them.

“I just thought that if we could create a turnover, that might be a little better chance than hoping that Ray Allen missed a free throw,” Coach Paul Westphal said from the podium after the game.

Even though the Celtics beat the Kings, there’s been a lot of progress made in the last few weeks and the players are noticing.

“I think we are going to be OK from here on out,” Evans said from his space in the locker room. “We just need to keep playing the way we’ve been playing. Our confidence, our starting lineup out there — I think we bring a good effort. Then the bench comes in and they do a good job too.”

Jeter, who's turning into a big crowd favorite, added this on the way out of the arena.

“I’m just glad we had the effort. We’ve been showing in a lot of games that we can play. We played against a great team and I’m glad we didn’t give up.”

GAME NOTES: After having 10 blocks in the first half, the Kings finished with only 12 . . . Udrih had a poor shooting night going 2-of-10 from the field, but did have 6 boards and 6 assists . . . Samuel Dalembert had a good night with 5 blocks and 7 boards . . . Carl Landry only played 16 minutes as Westphal thought the match-ups and the way Dalembert was playing kept Landry from being on the floor more . . . A combination of Casspi and Greene did a good job on Paul Piece holding him to 15 points . . . The Kings play again on Friday at home against the San Antonio Spurs.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

JAMES K. LEASH

http://www.sharp-eyeimages.com/

WINNING STREAK SNAPPED AT ONE

2011-01-26T22:57:03Z

WINNING STREAK SNAPPED AT ONE

Statistics predicting a Sacramento win against the visiting Charlotte Bobcats Tuesday night were overwhelming. Consider this season: the Kings had never lost a home game following a road win (such as Monday’s win in Portland), while the Bobcats had never won the first game of a road trip beginning on a Tuesday. How compelling is that!?!

Not very, as it turned out. Another statistic proved far more relevant: since their coaching change in December, the Bobcats were 8 - 6. Were that .541 winning percentage in our Pacific Division, they would trail only the Lakers.

The Kings lost by 5 points, 94 - 89. When one reporter asked Coach Paul Westphal after the game, “How disappointed are you...to not put forth a better effort tonight?”, he replied, “I disagree with you. I’m disappointed we lost. I don’t think we gave a bad effort.”

He’s right. The Kings fought and scrapped and closed the gap to 3 points with 8:20 left in the 4th quarter. Then, down by 10 points with under a minute left, Coach Westphal called a time out, and the Kings proved they still hadn’t surrendered. Within 15 seconds, they had closed the gap to a workable 5 points (two possessions).

No, the problem wasn’t effort. The shots, many of them good ones, just didn’t fall the Kings’ way.

How bad was the shooting?

It was so bad that, when Carl Landry (who shared Top Scoring Honors with Tyreke Evans at 19) threw his towel into a nearby pile of laundry, his shot was blocked by a 5-10 white guy (me...and I wasn’t even trying).

How bad was the shooting?

It was so bad that a fan named Jim, with the pressure of 14,000 people watching and a year’s worth of free Mercedes at stake, sank 3 of 10 three-point shots. The Kings as a team were only 1 for 12.

How bad was the shooting?

Tyreke Evans threw up two consecutive airballs on relatively open shots.

Despite woeful shooting, however, the Kings managed to stay in the game. Shooting only 27 percent in the first quarter, they trailed by just 2 points (thanks only to a couple of Bobcat free throws with 1.1 seconds left). Their shooting never improved by much: 36 percent in the second quarter, 33 percent in the third, and 36 percent for the game.

But always, they scrapped. They held the Bobcats to 0 assists in the first quarter. Gerald Wallace didn’t score his first bucket until 9:08 of the second quarter. The Kings outblocked the ball (5 to 1), outstole the ball (8 to 5), and outprotected the ball (only 9 turnovers).

In Westphal’s opinion, foul trouble disrupted the rotation and kept the Kings from finding a rhythm. Indeed, the foul rate kept players, coaches, and reporters scratching their heads in amazement. It took only 63 seconds for both teams to have two fouls each. It took only 212 seconds to put the Bobcats in the penalty situation. A minute later, the Kings joined them.

What probably did the Kings in, though, was the play of Bobcat center Kwame Brown. Brown had been considered a bust ever since he was Michael Jordan's Number One draft pick for Washington 10 years ago, and Jordan’s judgment was again questioned when he brought Brown to Charlotte. But, with Jordan sitting in Arco Arena, Brown’s 18 rebounds (11 in the third quarter alone) showed that, this season, he has finally found his niche.

For the Kings, the season goes on. Next up is a road game against the Lakers, who beat the Jazz by 29 points on the same evening that the Bobcats handed the Kings their 33rd loss in 43 games. Asked after the game when he would stop dwelling on the Bobcats and start focusing on the Lakers, Kings forward Jason Thompson assured me, “Probably tomorrow.”

SCOOP

I was looking forward to this game in order to interview Larry Brown, arguably the best teacher among NBA coaches. I used to watch him play when he was a star at my hometown high school, and was sure that our shared alma mater would give me access to a story on what he might emphasize if he coached the Kings, and how he might nurture the immense potential of DeMarcus Cousins.

Brown lost his coaching job with the Bobcats the day after I was assigned the game.

Now without a scoop, this will have to do: Bobcat Eduard Najera is the only Mexican in the NBA. What is his favorite restaurant in Sacramento? “El Centro,” he replied with an emphatic smile. “I always go there...had dinner there last night!”

Kings to Host First-Ever “Kings for the Community Night”

2011-01-06T18:49:47Z

Tonight's contest between the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets marks the first-ever “Kings for the Community Night,” as over 600 tickets to the game were donated by Kings players and the team’s basketball operations staff for local youth and special groups to enjoy the NBA experience. Throughout the 2010-11 regular season, more than 6,000 tickets will be donated to deserving children and groups in the Sacramento region through the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community” program, made possible by the Kings along with presenting partners Wells Fargo and U.S. Army.

Groups attending the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community Night” include: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Area, Foster Family Service, Institute for Advancing Unity, La Familia Counseling Center, Inc., North Roseville Recreation, Education and Creativity Center, Roberts Family Development Center, Sacramento Children’s Home, St. Francis Home for Children and the Wind Youth Center.

Introduced prior to the 2007-08 season, the “Kings for the Community” program was developed by Kings players and personnel as a way to give back to the community. In addition to the donation made by Kings players and personnel for the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community Night,” special groups and children have been attending Kings home games throughout the 2010-11 regular season courtesy of season tickets purchased by Kings players Beno Udrih, Francisco Garcia, Carl Landry, Donté Greene, Jason Thompson, Omri Casspi and Tyreke Evans. Kings players DeMarcus Cousins and Pooh Jeter purchased a significant number of group tickets for tonight's game as well.

“I will always remember my first NBA game,” said Cousins. “Being able to give the opportunity for kids to come out and have a good time feels pretty good, especially since they may not be able to attend a game otherwise.”

“I love playing in Sacramento,” said Jeter. “We live in an amazing community here and for us, it means so much to be able to give back to this community and help provide the NBA experience to others.”

"I want to congratulate our players and staff on their ongoing commitment to groups and people in need who live in our community,” said Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. “Cooperative acts of kindness such as these, many times, can lead to enjoyment and inspiration to those currently less fortunate."

All special groups in attendance at the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community Night” will also receive T-shirts, courtesy of Wells Fargo and U.S. Army.

Disclosure: Alexander Sigua is the Public Relations Manager for Maloof Sports & Entertainment.

Kings pull the shades down on the Suns, comeback and win 89-84

2011-01-04T01:20:08Z

It was the first home game of the new year. A fresh start. A new beginning. A chance to recapture the home team magic.

As the opponent was another revamped version of the run-and-gun Suns, the Kings would have their hands full trying to keep Phoenix's mad bombers at bay.

With some great defensive pressure in the final quarter and the outstanding play of rookie DeMarcus Cousins – playing like a larger version of last year’s rookie of the year, Tyreke Evans – the Kings provided another fantastic fourth-quarter comeback and held on to beat the Suns 89-84 at Arco Arena on Sunday evening.

It was a slow start for the Kings as the Suns’ Mickael Pietrus (7 points, 4 rebounds) and Steve Nash (20 points, 12 assists) were free to roam around the three-point arc and nail mid- and long-range jumpers the entire first quarter.

Add that to the poor shooting and turnover-ridden Kings, and the Suns led after one, 27-17.

The only real early spark plugs for the home team were Francisco Garcia and Jason Thompson. Garcia had two blocks and eight points in the opening quarter, and Thompson was near the rim early, snatching up rebounds.

The Kings opened the second with seven unanswered points before a foul-plagued Vince Carter (17 points, 5 fouls) scored to break the Kings momentum. The Kings grabbed the lead on a couple of Evans free throws but eventually gave way to the Suns, who finished the first half scoring eight straight points.

The Suns led at the half, 48-39.

As I sat in my upper perch, I kept wondering if the Kings would be able to stop the most basic play in basketball: The pick and roll.

Any time Steve Nash wanted it, it was open. He would just have Marcin Gortat set a pick on the top of the key, and then Gortat would slide off of Nash and roll to the basket as Nash was getting him the ball. An easy two points every time.

The Kings were torched on that same play way too many times in the first half as noted by Gortat, not one of the Suns’ leading scorers, having 11 points at the intermission.

Sacramento opened the second half with a little run to close to within four points at 50-46. But as he always seems to do, Nash, the two-time league MVP and 15-year veteran, did not let the Suns set quietly that night. Nash scored 10 of his team-high 20 points in the third, and the Suns led after three, 73-65.

Even though it appeared that DeMarcus Cousins was on his usual foul pace, the rookie kept his cool and played most of the fourth quarter with five fouls. He would not pick up his sixth.

Now that is the maturation the Kings have been waiting for.

As the Kings fell behind by 14 early in the fourth, the play and speed of Pooh Jeter started to become a problem for the Suns. Jeter, who replaced Beno Udrih on the floor because Udrih banged knees with Nash in the third, started to run circles around the Suns defense.

As noted by Garcia after the game, Jeter’s play and the defensive intensity provided the fire for the resurgence, and the Kings started their run.

Down by 10, Cousins just wouldn’t be denied. He muscled his way into the lane for some easy baskets as well as hitting some nice jumpers. The most exciting part of Cousins’ game is really starting to develop. The big man can pass the rock!

With the score getting close, the Kings heated up late on Jeter’s drives into the lane and guys started hitting open shots. Casspi and Garcia hit back-to-back jumpers to get the Kings within three, 87-84, with 3:30 left in the game.

The “defense” chants permeated the half-full Arco Arena as the fans hadn’t given up yet, and it payed off. The Suns didn’t score in the final 3:17 of the game.

After Cousins threw up a crazy Evans-like layup shot near the rim and it went in, he tied the game from the foul line at 89 with 1:45 to go.

Arco was rocking as Casspi nailed a cold-blooded three to put the Kings ahead with 25.6 seconds left in the game.

In a move that should show the bonding of this team to the naysayers, Coach Paul Westphal asked Evans after the Casspi three if he wanted to go back in the game for Jeter, and Evans clearly shook his head no. A classy move by both guys, and it shows the true cohesiveness of this season’s group.

“That’s team!,” said an excited Jeter. “He showed he’s a good teammate right there. That’s my brother – I love that dude! Everybody would do that on this team. I’m just happy he gave me that opportunity.”

The Kings won 89-84.

Cousins had a season-high 28 points to accompany his eight boards, six assists and was perfect from the free throw line going six of six. After the game, Cousins let the gathered masses take note that more good things are coming for this version of the Kings.

“We are making plays when we need to – down the stretch,” he said. “And we are (all) benefiting from it.”

GAME NOTES:

Kings out-rebounded the Suns 60-32, but the Suns took three more shots and had eight steals versus two for Sacramento . . . The Kings had three players with double-doubles – Garcia (20 points, 11 boards, 3 blocks), Casspi (14 points, 10 boards) and Carl Landry (11 points, 12 boards).

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEVEN CHEA, the best in the biz!

http://www.examiner.com/concert-photography-1-in-sacramento/steven-chea

or check out his SacPress splash page at:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/tag/stevenchea

Kings and Wells Fargo make surprise visit to Shriners Hospital for Children

2010-12-13T20:37:06Z

Young patients at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento received a King-sized holiday surprise Sunday afternoon from some special guests.

Kings players DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Carl Landry and Luther Head, Kings mascot Slamson, members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team, Regional Vice President of Wells Fargo and Kings Ambassador Chevo Ramirez and Wells Fargo Vice President of Marketing Rick Cwynar teamed up to visit children and families at the Shriners Hospital for Children and host a Kings Pizza Party.

Amidst the energetic music and festive atmosphere, the young patients received autographs, took photos and spent quality time socializing with their newfound friends from the Kings and Wells Fargo.

"It's very kind of them to visit because they've come to cheer us up," said Abigail Minnett, one of the many children enjoying Sunday's festivities. "It makes me feel very special."

The patients received goodie bags courtesy of the Kings and proud Kings partner Wells Fargo along with all the pizza they could eat courtesy of proud Kings partner Round Table Pizza.

"It definitely feels good to put a smile on these kids' faces," stated Landry. "The Sacramento Kings are a huge part of this community, a huge part of the city of Sacramento and the surrounding areas, so for us to have the opportunity to interact with our fans and give back to this hospital is great."

Supported by donations, Shriners Hospital for Children - Northern California is a regional pediatric medical center providing the gift of specialized pediatric care to children with orthopedic conditions, spinal cord injuries, burns and scars from any cause. Any child 18 years or younger is eligible for care, providing the child's condition is within the scope of services provided. Care is provided without financial obligation to patients or their families.

"For many children, the opportunity to meet a sports star is a dream come true," said Penny Lees, Manager of the Therapeutic Recreation/Child Life program at Shriners Hospital. "Sunday's event holds special meaning because some of our patients went on an outing to the Kings game earlier this week. At the pizza party, they have an opportunity to visit with players they saw at ARCO Arena."

"When you see the players walk into the room with the goodie bags, the kids' eyes just light up," said Cwynar. "They're just amazed by their size, they're so big, they watch them on TV all the time, they've been looking forward to seeing them all day and it's just a fantastic event. They can spend some time with the kids, sign some autographs, give out some goodie bags and share some pizza with them. It's a fantastic event and something we look forward to around the holidays."

Sunday's surprise visit was part of Maloof Sports & Entertainment's ninth annual "Season of Giving," which consists of a series of charitable events and projects as part of an ongoing effort to make a positive and meaningful difference in the lives of children and families in need. Kings players, members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team, Slamson and volunteers from Maloof Sports & Entertainment and Wells Fargo will participate in three weeks of charitable giving and holiday fun benefiting children and families throughout the Sacramento region.

Additional “Season of Giving” events this holiday season include the donation of a “Holiday in a Box” from Maloof Sports & Entertainment and Wells Fargo to 200 deserving families, a surprise donation of 100 bikes and helmets to local children from Tyreke Evans and Wells Fargo, Francisco Garcia’s donation of a “Holiday in a Box” to local deserving Latino families, a surprise visit by DeMarcus Cousins to the UC Davis Children’s Hospital and participation in the CHiPS for Kids Toy Drive at Cal Expo.

For more information about Shriners Hospital for Children - Northern California, please call 916-453-2000 or visit shrinershospitals.org.

Disclosure: Alexander Sigua is the Public Relations Manager for Maloof Sports & Entertainment.

Kings could not cool down red-hot Heat, fall 104-83 to Miami

2010-12-13T07:33:01Z

The Sacramento Kings could not stop the firestorm the Miami Heat lit and were defeated 104-83 in front of a nearly sold-out raucous crowd at Arco Arena.

Sacramento has lost nine of its last 10 games and has only won three games at home so far this season.

Miami increased its winning streak to eight games and has won each of those games by double digits and each of its wins this season were by nine points or more. The Heat have made a turnaround since Nov. 27 after a mediocre 9-8 start this season.

There were 16,396 screaming fans in attendance, cheering on their Kings to pull off an upset victory and jeering the controversial forward LeBron James. The waves of boos heard each time he held the ball was almost reminiscent of the Miami-Cleveland game Dec. 2. Even when James took a shot during practice, the crowd still gave him an earful.

Sacramento was off to a strong start in the first quarter and was leading 24-17 by the start of the second quarter. The Heat then outscored the Kings for the rest of the game.

Although the Kings had trouble containing the Heat, forward Omri Casspi said after the game that every team will be tough to defend against.

“There’s a lot of guys that are tough to guard in the NBA," he said. "LeBron, Kobe, Carmelo. They keep coming. They’re a good team. They have three superstars making tough shots — it’s hard to stop.”

Casspi scored a team-high of 20 points off the bench and was 5-7 behind the three-point line. Forward Jason Thompson had 13 points and five rebounds, and guard Beno Udrih had 12 points and seven assists. Center DeMarcus Cousins only played for about 21 minutes and scored six points and grabbed six rebounds.

A continuing concern for the Kings is guard Tyreke Evans’ foot problems. After scoring only five points and going 2-10 from the field, the 2009-10 Rookie of the Year still did not look comfortable on the court.

“I’d have to say if he was OK he can play better than that,” Head coach Paul Westphal said. “We are concerned about him. He struggled.”

Thompson said that Evans’ foot issues were also a concern for the team as well and wants him to stay healthy.

“It’s a tough situation,” Thompson said. “I know he doesn’t want to make it affect the team. He obviously doesn’t want to make it a future injury as well.”

Guard Dwyane Wade of the Heat scored a game-high 36 points, 13 of them coming in the second quarter while James scored 25 points, with 14 of them coming in the third.

“Tonight we saw up close and personal how difficult it is to guard either one of those guys, let alone both of them in the same game,” Westphal said.

As the game progressed, both James and Wade started to showboat after making some big plays, whcih only amplified the crowd's jeers.

James taunted the Kings bench after sinking a three-pointer late in the third quarter and was immediately hit with a technical foul for his actions. Wade caught a missed shot with one hand and dunked the ball all in one motion in the fourth and danced under the hoop after the point. The refs did not call a foul for his theatrics.

“I think even if the game was close, they’ll try to do some showboating as well," Thompson said. "I mean, that’s just the personalities that the guys have."

Sacramento’s next game will be on the road against the Houston Rockets in the first of a three-game road trip. The Kings will then return the Arco and host the Rockets, the first game of a five-game home stand that will last for the remainder of December.

Photos by Jim Leash, www.sharp-eyeimages.com

Turnovers, missed free throws bury Kings

2010-11-22T23:40:43Z

On an afternoon mired in careless ball handling and poor shooting by both teams, the visiting New Orleans Hornets narrowly defeated the Sacramento Kings 75-71 in a Sunday matinée at Arco Arena.

Both teams started the game out slowly despite an 11-2 first-quarter run by the Kings led by Tyreke Evans’ six points and highlighted by an authoritative alley-oop dunk by Donte Green from Luther Head. However, Sacramento set a trend of turning over the ball early with five in the first quarter.

It appeared that Sacramento was poised to get some quality production off of the bench as Jason Thompson entered the game and quickly tacked on six points that included a slick turnaround jumper from seven feet inside the key.

Surprisingly, Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal elected to bench Thompson until in the last minutes of the fourth quarter. With Sacramento receiving little to no scoring from its big men, Westphal’s decision to leave Thompson on the bench for a majority of the game was perplexing.

After a relatively quiet first quarter, Hornets point guard Chris Paul led the way for his team in the second quarter with seven points and three assists.

Despite his contributions in the second quarter, Paul was noticeably reluctant to shoot the ball for a majority of the game, often electing to pass even when he was wide open on more than one occasion. Paul finished with only nine points, but he also added 14 assists and five steals.

Kings center DeMarcus Cousins had a considerably rough night in nearly every aspect of his
game.

The rookie had only three field goals in 11 chances and finished the day by fouling out in the fourth quarter.

After his promising first-quarter production, Evans all but disappeared in the remaining three quarters. The Kings’ leading scorer added only three more points in three quarters, finishing with nine on the afternoon despite grabbing seven rebounds and four steals.

Evans shot four for 12 from the field, a reflection of the Kings’ shooting issues throughout the day as they finished with a 38.7 percent when shooting field goals.

After both teams hit the locker rooms at the half tied at 39, the Hornets started to take advantage of the Kings’ poor shooting.

It started when the Kings’ interior defense shut down, leaving New Orleans center Emeka Okafor alone down low for an easy two-handed dunk.

Forward David West contributed seven points in the quarter while Paul seemed to be at the center of nearly every play, adding five assists and two steals as the Hornets took a three-point lead going into the fourth quarter at 59-56.

After replacing a struggling Omri Casspi last night in the starting lineup, Donte Green shouldered a bulk of the offensive load for Sacramento as he recorded a double-double that included 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. The highlight of Green’s day occurred on his second alley-oop dunk in the third quarter that seemed to give brief life to a largely quiet crowd of only 12,000.

The Hornets barely pulled away in the fourth quarter despite numerous second- and third-chance opportunities.

Shooting only 32.2 percent as a team on the day, the Hornets managed to take advantage of the Kings’ six turnovers in the fourth quarter. Sacramento turned the ball over 22 times on the day, which ultimately led to 23 New Orleans points.

At the midway point in the fourth quarter, point guard Luther Head nailed a big go-ahead three-pointer to put the Kings ahead 64-63, but Head immediately fouled Hornets backup center DJ Mbenga, who completed a three-point play to put New Orleans back on top 66-64.

Despite a three-point play of his own in the closing minutes of the game that brought the Kings within two points, Cousins’ struggles came to a head in the fourth quarter as he was picked down low on a baseline drive, then later elected to pass the ball with only four seconds on the shot clock, which ultimately led to a shot clock violation and yet another Kings turnover.

The Hornets then ran out the clock to win 75-71 and improved to 11-1 overall on the season. Free throws ended up being a big difference in the game for the Hornets as they went 93.8 percent from the charity stripe while the Kings shot a paltry 60 percent at the line.

Sacramento’s woes at home continued as the Kings dropped to 2-6 at Arco Arena and 4-8 on the season.

In the second quarter, the Kings paid tribute to Jerry Reynolds and his 25 years of service as the Kings’ local color commentator and analyst.

The Kings travel to Utah on Monday, where they will play the Jazz in Salt Lake City at 6 p.m.

Photographs by David Alvarez Photography

Losing Streak Over!

2010-11-20T23:40:43Z

►►► GAME COVERAGE ►►► FOLLOWED BY GAME NOTES ►►► FOLLOWED BY COMMENTARY

♦ THE GAME

The ordeal is over. The Kings finally won a game. Avenging their lone loss in the 3-game road trip that opened their season, the Kings beat the New Jersey Nets at Arco Friday night, 86 - 81.

The Kings had played New Jersey in the second game of the season. In that game, they had fallen behind by 18 points, but surged in the 3rd quarter and actually held an 8 point lead with less than 4 minutes to play. Sadly, New Jersey outscored the Kings 17 - 3 in the final 3:41, and won going away.

Having started the season by taking 2 out of 3 road games, the Kings had returned to Sacramento feeling confident. With the Lakers being the only elite opponent in Sacramento’s first 7 home games, expectations were high. Nevertheless, the Kings entered last night’s game sporting a 6-game losing streak.

As has happened all too often this season, the Kings started slowly. They looked lethargic and unfocused. Four and half minutes into the game, they were shooting only 14%, the Nets were shooting 56%, and the Kings owned the short end of a 10 - 4 score. Paul Westphal called a time out, and the game was never the same after that. The Kings were competitive to the very end.

Coach Westphal maintained that he simply said, “Get the ball to Carl [Landry]. Let’s go inside a little bit.” It worked.

In the next 90 seconds, Landry sank 3 jump shots and tied the score. Less than two minutes into the following quarter, the Kings held what was to be their largest lead of the game, 8 points. They maintained that lead for most of the quarter, but New Jersey stormed back and, with a little over a minute left in the half, the Nets enjoyed what was to be their own largest lead of the game, 7 points.

Tyreke found the range on his jump shot just in time to score 5 points in the closing minute, leaving the Kings trailing 46 - 43 at half time.

What really did the Kings in during their October meeting was the play of Devin Harris and Brook Lopez, who scored 21 and 29 respectively. So, it was unsettling to know that neither Harris nor Lopez had scored at all in the first quarter. In fact, Lopez’s first basket came with only 2 minutes left in the half, and both players entered their locker room having tallied just 4 points each. The worry was, if the Nets led without Harris and Lopez playing well, what would happen if either or both of these stars found their touch?

In the third quarter, the two teams played head-to-head. That 12-minute span saw 6 ties, and the teams were never separated by more than a bucket — a two-point bucket at that.

The Kings entered the fourth quarter with a one-point (64 - 63) lead. I could almost hear Grant Napear, TV voice of the Kings, informing viewers “When the Kings take a lead into the fourth quarter at home, they win X% of the time.” But, I didn’t have to wonder what percent it was. The sad is fact is, this year’s Kings had NEVER before taken a lead into the fourth quarter at home.

That uncharted territory proved exciting...and rewarding. The Kings lock down defense held the Nets to only 18 points, none coming on three-pointers. On the other hand, the Kings made shots when they needed to. A perfectly timed three-quarter court pass from Beno to Cisco on a fast break and a three-point basket by Beno to seal the deal were just two of the highlights. It was good to see Paul Westphal smiling at the end of a game.

♦ GAME NOTES

• Here’s a statistical anomaly. The Kings free throw percentage in tonight’s game, a shade under 70%, was even lower than their disappointing season average. In fact, of the 8 times they went to the line for two foul shots, they converted both opportunities only twice, missing one of two 75% of the time.

However, 5 of those 6 misses came on the second attempt. If a player only makes only one of his foul shots, that is the better permutation, because it leaves open the possibility of an offensive rebound. Indeed, twice those misses resulted in offensive rebounds and subsequent field goals.

The bottom line is that while they sank 16 of 23 foul shots (69.6%), those 23 foul shots resulted in 20 points. So, in a sense, it was equivalent to an astounding 87%!

• Breaking precedent, the Kings correctly spelled my name on the place card at my seat. I no longer have to pretend that I’m Frank Haywood.

• During half-time, I stumbled upon Slamson in one of his private moments. For the first time ever, I got to see the face behind the mask. My personal Journalistic Code of Ethics prevents me from any specific description, but I will tell you this: she’s drop-dead gorgeous.

Just kidding. Slamson is a man, and that’s all I’m going to say.

• Note to my editor: the Kings have won 100% of the games I have covered, a statistic you might want to consider when assigning future games. I’m just sayin’.

♦ COMMENTARY

I couldn’t help wondering what effect it had on the Kings to look out and see an arena that seemed only 1/5 full at tip-off. (Fans kept arriving and, by game’s end, the announced attendance reached 11,766.)

Kings players are too professional to admit that empty seats hurt their effort. When asked if it is harder to get energy, I got answers like, “No, you gotta come out ready to play regardless of it’s 2 people in the stands or 30,000,” and “No, not really,...we gotta play hard...we gotta go out there and play the game whether our fans are there or not.” They can’t publicly admit otherwise.

Still, when I reversed the question and asked if it would be easier to find the energy if the arena were full, I got smiles and subtle nods. Which brings us to the elephant which is missing from the room: us, the fans.

There is a reason why Kings supporters used to be called “The Greatest Fans in the NBA.” Even before the Webber/Divac era, when a home loss was a pleasant surprise, our fans were renowned. Yes, there’s a reason why fans are honored with a retired “Number 6” jersey in the rafters. Fan support became the Kings’ Sixth Man — not in the sense of a player sparking the team off the bench but, even better, an extra player who was on court all the time.

In other words, thanks to raucous and loving fan support when the Kings played at home, they essentially outnumbered their opponents 6 to 5. In that sense, the Kings have played the last few years “shorthanded.”

Why have the King slid into NBA oblivion? The loss of C-Webb's talent and star power is one easy answer. The loss of Vlade’s talent and influence is another. But, a more difficult answer for Sacramento to confront, spoiled by years of success, is the loss of our Sixth Man.

To this reporter, the loss was never better epitomized than by F.P. Santangelo, who was then one of KHTK’s “The Rise Guys.” He criticized the talent level of the Kings, complaining “We deserve better than that! We’re the best fans in the NBA!”

If those were not his exact words, they were close. The point is, once you attack your own team’s talent by saying “We deserve better than that,” you have already disqualified yourself from being “the best fans” anywhere. By definition, the best fans support their team. It’s what Sacramento did before the glory days, and there’s just no reason not to do it now.

Creative promotions make tickets surprisingly affordable. Would the Maloofs want you to pad their revenue by buying $100 worth of overpriced nachos and hot dogs? Sure. But, would the players want you just to be there cheering for them? Definitely! (And, if you’re hungry, I recommend the very reasonably priced roast turkey sandwiches. Tell them Fred sent you. No, better still, tell them not to forget the pickle.)

►► CREDITS: All photographs are by Steven Chea. Thanks, Steven, for providing a huge selection of great pictures to choose from!

Sacramento Kings remain cold at ARCO

2010-11-15T16:47:55Z

If you live, work, or play in Sacramento I’m sure you’ve seen the new Sacramento Kings billboards. There is one in particular right off of I-80 that reads “Bigger. Badder. Better.” One player who is pictured on that billboard, and a handful of other billboards around the area, is Kings Rookie DeMarcus Cousins. He and his teammates took on the Detroit Pistons in a matinee game Sunday at ARCO Arena, whether they lived up to the third and final word of the billboard is still yet to be determined.

The Detroit Pistons started the season off with five straight losses but won three of their last four before they suited up to play the Kings.

Sacramento, on the other hand, won two of their first three but have lost five straight counting tonight’s frustrating 96-100 loss. This being the fourth straight game the Kings were held under 100 after scoring over 100 in their first four games.

Although the Kings were able to take the lead early in the first quarter, something they weren’t able to do in the games they’ve won thus far, the Pistons took the lead midway through the first and didn’t look back.

“They had some big time shot makers making shots,” said coach Westphal. “Ben Gordon walked up with a coldblooded three and then hit that one from the corner. It was really contested. (Tayshuan) Prince made some huge plays and huge buckets. We didn’t quite get it done.”

While the Kings have struggled turning the ball over as of late, that wasn’t the reason they fell in this one. You can point the finger at the two most important lines on the court, the free-throw line and three-point line. The Kings shot 66 percent from the foul-line and 11 percent from the arc, making only 2 of 18 three-pointers. While the Pistons made one more three and shot half as many as the Kings. Detroit also made 15 of their 19 free throws.

“We’re getting the shots we want. As a team we just need to knock ‘em down,” said Luther Head after the game. “As shooters, we need to take it a little more personal than that, that’s what we’re here to do.”

Head scored 13 points off the bench, shooting five for eight and making one the teams two three-pointers. Jason Thompson was also strong off the bench, scoring 10 points and grabbing 5 boards in his 17 minutes of play. Tyreke Evans, who scored 20 points this afternoon, logged almost 40 minutes in on the floor but it was apparent that the nagging ankle injury is still with him.

A lot has been expected from “Boogie” Cousins and he knows it. He also knows that with being a rookie, he’s not going to get many calls his way.

“I can’t control the refs,” said Cousins, who had four fouls and picked up an early technical after voicing his opinion. “If I get the calls, I get them. If I don’t I just try to play through it, that’s basketball. That’s the way it is.”

Cousins, who was recently taken out of the starting lineup, came off the bench and had a rough night, turning the ball over six times. Although he did tally eight rebounds, he’s still got a lot to learn, and that will come in due time.

Unlike the Kings, the Pistons had bright spots throughout their box score. Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince combined for 27 points, making 13 of 23 shots. Young point guard Rodney Stuckey added 17 points and 7 assists on the afternoon as well.

The Kings will have some time to work on those not so “free” free-throws Monday and Tuesday before they host the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

The jury is still out on that billboard, but by the end of the year maybe, just maybe, the Kings will have us thinking that the third word on that billboard is the most accurate.

Photos courtesy of Steven Chea

Kings beat Cavs and start season 2-1 for first time since 2003

2010-11-01T01:36:18Z

Coming off a tough loss, the Kings rolled into Cleveland (1-1) to face the Cavaliers hoping to salvage a winning road trip and start the season above .500 for the first time in a long time.

As the final whistle sounded, and even though the Kings stumbled at the finish line, Sacramento didn’t make the same mistakes as the night before and held onto their late-game lead to pull out the victory 107-104

The Kings started out nicely as Tyreke Evans made his presence felt early with one of those whirling dervish moves between three guys that only “Reke" can pull off. A few minutes later, he dropped a 26-foot three and the Kings took an early four-point lead at 11-7.

Trouble arose when Ramon Sessions scored eight of the first 18 points for the Cavs and was finding his way into the paint too easily.

With the Kings missing shots and doing a poor job maintaining possession — losing the ball three times within a three minute span — the Cavs pulled ahead by five on an Anderson Varejao mid-range jumper.

Things started to even out and the high-scoring first quarter ended with the game tied 34-34.

The Kings came out cold in the second quarter missing several shots and falling behind by 11 before Jason Thompson, who only played 12 minutes, sank a 10-footer to stop the bleeding. Seven more unanswered points by the Cavs put the lead at 16 with no end in sight.

It could have been much worse.

DeMarcus Cousins was not only playing like he was tired, by lagging up and down the floor, but by making rookie mistakes. But I guess we should expect some of that right now. It is only his third professional game after only one year of college.

As for the Cavs, they slowly capitalized on the Kings woes. Ryan Hollins, Jawad Williams, Sessions, J.J. Hickson and Anthony Parker all had Cavs second-quarter contributions.

Cleveland led at the half, 67-53.

Samuel Dalembert opened the second half as a starter and it paid off with a block and a couple of boards in the opening minutes of the half.

A quick sideline camera shot shows the rookie Cousins was not sporting his best smile.

About halfway through the third, the tide started to turn. The Kings finally showed some life.

Evans was either making jumpers or slashing into the lane and getting hacked on the way. He helped the Kings make a run and cut the lead to five before dropping a long-range three that cut it to two.

Moments later, Darnell Jackson sank a couple of foul shots and drained a long jumper that gave the Kings a 84-82 lead going into the final quarter.

Omri Casspi opened the fourth with another long-range bomb and was simply on fire.

The Kings led 92-86 with just over nine minutes remaining. It was starting to have the feel of the tough loss from the night before until Casspi kicked it up a notch.

To this point, Casspi had played like a man possessed. He drained another three and followed that with a sweet assist to Evans, who finished with solid numbers racking up 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Casspi's intense defense and scoring throughout the game was a main reason the Kings pulled this one out. He finished with 20 points, hitting five threes along with four boards and two steals, but it didn’t help the Kings guarantee the win as he missed both of his free throws with six seconds left in the game.

Even though Cousins made the heart stop again as he blew his chance to put the game out of reach, the clock expired on a wild length-of-the-court shot that fell short and wide, and the Kings won 107-104.

Coach Paul Westphal thought it was a good road trip for the Kings. While he couldn’t help but wonder if the team could really be 3-0, he realized that Sacramento was behind double digits in each of the three games so far, and just winning two of those games was quite an accomplishment.

As the press conference came to a close, Westphal couldn’t let the moment pass without complimenting the referees at the style of officiating he saw during the game, compared to the previous game’s constant whistle-blowing.

“We are not supposed to comment on the officials, but I think we can give them a compliment,” Westphal said. “It was a man’s game out there and that’s the way you like to see the game called.”

Kings let one drift away on the Jersey shore

2010-10-30T10:55:25Z

Could the Kings start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2000?

That was the question on every Kings fan’s mind entering the game in New Jersey as the Kings took on the Nets (1-0).

Unfortunately, the answer for those nonstop cheering Kings fans back home was no as the Kings faltered at the end by having too many big men in foul trouble and missing big shots. The Kings lost a close one 106-100.

Even though the Kings scored the first bucket, a long jumper by DeMarcus Cousins, it was the Nets who started the quarter hot as Carl Landry missed several shots and seemed out of sorts until he was substituted halfway through the quarter.

Brook Lopez, the young outstanding center for the Nets, started off quickly with 11 points in the opening quarter.

For the Kings, Omri Casspi led in scoring with five points, and Cousins, Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans each had four as the Kings trailed 29-21 after one.

Nothing changed early in the second as the Kings’ shooting remained frozen in time – just a carryover from quarter number one.

Udrih missed, Landry turned it over, Luther Head walked – it was like fingernails on a chalkboard: painful.

Before you knew it, it was 42-30 Nets, as Jordan Farmar, ex-Los Angeles Laker, racked up seven points early in the second and was joined in the scoring parade by Lopez and guard Devin Harris.

The only bright spot for the Kings was Cousins, who was perfect from the line in the quarter going six for six from the charity stripe.

Evans tried to take over the game late in the second with a flurry of activity, scoring 10 points. Darnell Jackson had five quick points near the end of the half with most coming from the line.

The Kings’ slight comeback, along with the Nets missing their last three shots, closed the first half having the Nets leading by eight at 61-53.

New Kings correspondent Jim Gray caught up with Evans at the halftime break.

“The refs are calling ticky-tack fouls,” Evans said, “but that can’t stop us from playing a good game.”

Sorry Tyreke, but come out and play well they did not.

After a couple of early Landry buckets, the Kings got stagnant. Even Udrih missed two free throws in a row.

The Kings didn’t have much to cheer about until late in the period when Jackson’s aggressive play earned him five points in a three-minute stretch and the team defense of the Kings held the Nets to 15 points in the third.

The third ended with the Kings trailing by one, 77-76.

The fouls were starting to catch up with the Kings. It wasn’t that they had a truckload – the teams were about even at this point – it’s just that the big men of the Kings were the ones picking up the fouls. They were also the ones scoring. Therein lied the rub.

Cousins (12 points, four rebounds), Landry (14 points) and Jason Thompson (two points, one rebound) were all being rotated because none of them could stay on the floor for any meaningful stretch of time. If fact, Thompson only played 14 minutes because of the situation.

Despite the circumstances, the Kings came out a little quicker than the Nets in the final stanza as several of the players hit jumpers. Garcia led the way with eight points in about eight minutes of play.

The Kings got out to an eight-point lead with 3:40 to go on a creative up and under by Evans.

That’s when the music stopped. And when it did, the Kings were left without a chair to sit in.

Sacramento missed six straight shots while New Jersey wasn’t missing much at all. New Jersey scored 14 unanswered points to essentially end the game.

Harris had nine of his 21 points in the fourth and finished with five boards and 10 assists, and Lopez scored consistently each quarter, finishing with 29 points and six rebounds while the Nets shot 52.5 percent from the field.

A late Garcia three-pointer cut it to two at 102-100 with 15 seconds left, but Farmar, who finished with 14 points off the bench, hit the free throws at the end as the Kings let this one slip away.

Kings standouts in the disappointing loss included Garcia with 18 points, three boards, two assists, two steals and a block; Udrih with 14 points, five boards and four assists; and Evans capped off a good first start of the season with 18 points, four boards and seven assists.

Afterward, Head Coach Paul Westphal said he thought they had a chance to win the game but had many shots go in and out while the competition's shots were sinking cleanly.

He also recognized that the foul trouble was a serious factor in the team not pulling out the win.

“That’s (missing shots) not the whole story of the game though,” said a disappointed Westphal. “We foul too much, and we have all our big guys sitting on the bench all the time – it’s hard to play.

“When you take 91 shots and the other team gets 63, you’re supposed to win the game.”

The Court Jester - A new dawn for the Kings

2010-10-27T07:54:23Z

The wait is over. The off-season is behind them. The up-and-coming Kings are primed and ready to pounce on opponents this season, giving weight to the slogan – Here We Rise.

The Sacramento Kings take to the hardwood Wednesday in their season opener as they travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves, embarking on a three-game road trip.

HERE – Sactown is their home

Even following year after year of speculation that the team will somehow abandon our little town for the riches of Las Vegas or the South Bay or even back to the familiar Kansas/Missouri border has never materialized, the arena situation and the current economic crunch continues to put the topic back in the spotlight and deters from what could be the bigger picture. The Kings are gearing up for a run at the playoffs.

Coming from a 17-win season in 2008-09 under Reggie Theus and Kenny Natt to a 25-win season under current leader Paul Westphal was considered a decent jump in wins, bearing in mind the coaching change and the addition of new leader and rookie sensation Tyreke Evans.

Even though Theus was able to help bring 38 wins to the River City just a couple of years ago, the town never really thought that the team was on the right track.

This year, by most expert accounts, Westphal’s group is poised to make another decent jump in the win column. Those with inside knowledge of all things NBA have put that number anywhere from the low 30s to low 40s.

If that happens, and the fans come out to support this retooled team, then the future looks brighter in Sacramento than it has since the days of C-Webb, Vlade, Christie and Bibby.

WE – The town and the team bonding as one

It takes two to tango, and the world of pro basketball is no different. Any great team requires great fans. Those great fans, in turn, deserve maximum effort on the court.

Kings fans have never been short of praise for their team. Sacramentans have been very patient watching their team work the draft and bring in help that will hopefully catapult the Kings into the uppe stratosphere of the Association.

For the community, it’s time to start climbing out of the Western Conference cellar and reach for the next rung – the playoffs.

As for the players, they have been out in the community either donating time or tickets or both to underprivileged and sick children and their families.

From Evans’ meeting sick children and handing out tickets at the Kiwanis Family House to Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih stopping by a youth center in West Sacramento and doing the same to newly acquired Samuel Dalembert rallying the troops to continue helping Haiti after their devastating earthquake, Kings’ players are always active in the community.

The Maloof family emphasizes and expects players to donate their time away from the court to help those who as not as fortunate.

RISE – The maturation process right in front of your eyes

With so many new faces and the minor injury situations that occurred during training camp, it will take some time to adjust to Westphal’s game plan and get everybody on the same page. Once these players get firing on all cylinders, there is no telling how far they can go.

In looking at the late addition last year of Carl Landry and this year’s acquisitions of Dalembert, Darnell Jackson, Antoine Wright and draft picks DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside, the current band of basket-makers has more size than any Kings team in the last 10 years or more.

Newly signed Pooh Jeter and Luther Head will help Evans and Udrih in the backcourt during the long season also.

The continued development of Omri Casspi, Donte Greene, Jason Thompson and last year’s rookie of the year, Evans, would all be signs of an improved team. When the Kings start to show some cohesiveness, at some point, sunglasses will be required.

The tagline fits. Here in the land of hopefulness, the slogan goes - Here We Rise.

Kings fill library shelves during NBA Cares Week of Service

2010-10-25T06:34:24Z

Books - the basic building block in the foundation of learning - were missing from a new high school in Natomas, and it sounded like a job for the community-minded Sacramento Kings.

As part of the 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service and to celebrate the five-year anniversary of NBA Cares, the Sacramento Kings landed the Kings Karavan bus along with several players on Saturday at Natomas Pacific Pathways Preparatory School (NP3) for a community book drive in an effort to fill those barren shelves in the school’s library.

The slight drizzle turned to rain as the temperature dropped and the waterproof ponchos were handed out.

That didn’t stop Darnell Jackson, Pooh Jeter, Jason Thompson and Donte Greene from coming out to gather books from the vehicles driving through various collection drop boxes steadied by Kings Breakers and Sacramento Kings Dance Team members, as well as students.

Since NP3 opened almost two years ago, the library has had computers but very few tangible reading sources. The shelves are almost completely empty, but after today’s campaign, the wooden racks will have many more reading options available to the students.

Principal Tom Rutten was more than pleased to have the Kings in attendance helping collect the reading material for the students that are eager to learn.

“It’s awesome,” Rutten said, smiling. “For them to be willing to take the time and their commitment to the community, it’s just fantastic. We haven’t set a total of how many books we wanted, we just want to get the books into the kids' hands so that they are reading.”

There were several students giving an assist to the Kings personnel on hand.

“We don’t really have much,” student Zohaiv Arshad. “Some of the things that are missing are the sports programs and our library. We are always in the library, but there were computers in there but no books. We thought it would help the future of the school if we got a library.”

Jeter, a Kings player in his first year with the team, always appreciates when an organization such as the Kings partners with the community.

“It’s great that the Sacramento Kings and the community have that kind of relationship,” Jeter said. “This is something that all the kids need. Read to achieve.”

Jackson, a forward acquired by the Kings in the trade that sent Jon Brockman away, agreed with Jeter, saying that when kids go off to college or to reach that next level, they need to know how to read.

The rain couldn’t keep the determined donors away as cars made their way through the maze of kids, dancers and, of course, Slamson.

Collin Pitts, a child who came through hoping to see a few Kings players, was even luckier than that, as Slamson climbed into the backseat of his mom’s car and almost hitched a ride home with the youngster.

Since the inception of the NBA Cares program, the league, its teams and its players have donated more than $145 million to charity, completed more than 1.4 million hours of community service and created more than 525 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.

If you would like to donate a book or two, please visit NP3 at 3700 Del Paso Rd. All donations are greatly needed and will go a long way in building their library collection.

Kings Karavan keeps cruisin' along

2010-10-23T01:14:45Z

As the NBA season kicks off, the Kings are ramping up their promotions, both on and off the court.

New this season is the Kings Karavan – a 40-foot Kings-branded luxury bus that will be cruising in the greater Sacramento area in search of “ Here We Rise” placards on fans’ cars. It will also be making stops throughout town in October looking for the best fans in the NBA.

The Karavan joins Slamson, the Sacramento Kings Dance Team, the Kings Breakers, the Here We Rise campaign and more in this year’s push for greater awareness of the new Kings players and new ticket promotions.

Thursday, the Karavan made its whistle stop at the Capitol. Loaded with Slamson, some SKDT members and even a few Kings Breakers, they were anxiously greeted by packs of kids waiting on the steps when the Karavan rolled up.

The California AfterSchool Network was having an event at the Capitol, and Jeff Davis, a representative for the group, said the Karavan stop was a great experience for the kids.

“It means a lot to have the Kings come out here and support after-school programs,” Davis said. “The programs are a benefit to the youth in their physical activity and their academics, their leadership and their positive development of youth beyond academics and the after school hours.”

An impromptu break dancing contest broke out between the kids and the Kings Breakers. A circle formed as all the kids got a chance to show off their moves.

Shawn Saephanh was visiting with the kids group and wanted to see how his dance skills compared to the Kings Breakers.

“As we keep practicing and dancing, we improve, and it’s fun,” Saephanh said, adding that the Breakers have been role models for him.

Danielle Norquist is in her first year on the SKDT (Sacramento Kings Dance Team) and said she loves this part of the job.

“It’s great because you get to see everyone’s smiling faces,” Norquist said. “It’s something I’ve always loved to do, and if you can make a difference in any way, then I’m there doing it.”

Slamson is a hit wherever he goes, and it was no different Thursday. He signed autographs and wrestled with the kids, who seemed drawn to him.

One way to meet the folks on the Karavan is to have a “Here We Rise” placard in your car’s back window. If they find your car, there’s a chance they will stop you and give you some Kings prizes.

The Kings Karavan will make its way through Woodland, Vacaville and Sacramento until the end of the month.

The Karavan will be at Natomas Pathways Prep (NP3) located at 3700 Del Paso Road from 3 - 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Also on Saturday, in conjunction with the bus stop at Natomas Pathways Prep, the Kings will host a community book drive that is part of the 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service. To celebrate the five-year anniversary of NBA Cares, Kings players Darnell Jackson, Donte’ Greene, Jason Thompson and Pooh Jeter will be on-hand at NP3 collecting books from Kings fans to help fill the empty bookshelves of the NP3 library. All fans who donate books will receive an exclusive opportunity to purchase specially priced tickets to the Kings Home Opener for only $10

On Sunday, the Karavan stops at the Carl’ s Jr. located at 289 Orange Drive In Vacaville from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

For a complete list of future scheduled stops of the Kings Karavan, click here. If you would like a Here We Rise placard, visit Herewerise.com.

There are only 3,400 tickets left for opening night – Nov. 1 – when the Kings face the Toronto Raptors. For more information on tickets, click here or call 1-888-91-KINGS.

Photos courtesy of Kati Garner

Sacramento Kings to Host Community Book Drive as Part of 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service

2010-10-19T17:45:20Z

The Sacramento Kings will host a Community Book Drive at Natomas Pacific Pathways Preparatory School (NP3) - 3700 Del Paso Road, Sacramento, CA 95834, on Saturday, October 23 from 3–4:30 p.m. as part of the 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service and to celebrate the five-year anniversary of NBA Cares, which the league and its partners launched on Oct. 18, 2005. Through the NBA Cares program, the league and its teams and players have donated more than $145 million to charity, completed more than 1.4 million hours of community service and created more than 525 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.

Kings players DeMarcus Cousins, Donté Greene, Jason Thompson and Pooh Jeter will be on-hand at NP3 collecting books from Kings fans to help fill the empty bookshelves of the NP3 library. In addition, all fans who donate books will receive an exclusive opportunity to purchase specially-priced tickets to the Kings Home Opener for only $10 (estimated gate rate: $25.50).

Players will be available to greet and interact with fans. Additionally, the Kings Karavan, featuring Slamson and members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team and Kings Breakers, will be on display and exciting Kings prizes will be awarded to Kings fans on-site. Fans will also be treated to music and complimentary snacks. Fans are encouraged to check Kings.com for recommendations on book titles to be donated.

NP3 was created to offer students an enhanced educational experience including a four-year law curriculum exploring the foundations of our legal system, criminal law, Constitutional law and economics and civil law in addition to a college prep liberal arts curriculum.

Beginning Oct. 18 and continuing through Oct. 25, NBA teams and players will host a variety of hands-on service events in a continued effort to give back to children, families and the community, and to increase fan awareness about the importance of service. With assistance from community members and partners, the NBA family will support health, education and environmental-awareness efforts through several projects throughout the week.

To learn more about the 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service, please visit NBACares.com.

Disclosure: Alexander Sigua is the Public Relations Coordinator for Maloof Sports & Entertainment

Kings provide balanced attack in win over Warriors

2010-10-13T23:55:52Z

With the Kings down Beno Udrih and Samuel Dalembert out and the small forward position up for grabs, Coach Paul Westphal is still searching for a winning starting lineup.

The Golden State Warriors held it close for three quarters Tuesday, but it was the Kings who secured their second preseason win by pulling away in the final period to win 116-97 at Arco Arena.

The Kings had six players scoring in double figures and a balanced rebounding effort making for a solid fourth quarter. A three-point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter turned into a 22-point lead late in the game thanks to a strong defense and converting turnovers into points.

Both teams had stretches of sloppiness, each with more than 20 turnovers. That, along with 59 total fouls in the game, made for an interesting evening.

The starting lineup was Tyreke Evans, Carl Landry, DeMarcus Cousins, Luther Head and Donte Greene. Head started in place of an injured Udrih.

Things started out quickly for the Kings as they opened with a 10-2 run that was aided by two early turnovers from the Warriors.

Greene was really asserting himself, racking up six points, four rebounds and two steals. He has not received many minutes yet this preseason, but he looked refreshed in his first preseason start.

The Warriors, who will have an improved inside-outside game this season with Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry and newly acquired David Lee, attained a six-point lead late in the first quarter as they rebounded nearly every missed shot by the Kings and scored.

As the first quarter ended, the Kings were only down 30-29.

The second was a low-scoring and sloppy quarter. Even though the Warriors incurred four fouls in less than two minutes, the Kings had seven personal fouls and seven turnovers of their own.

Omri Casspi's aggressiveness helped keep the Kings close as he had six points and three rebounds in the period.

After a disjointed second quarter, the Kings led 53-51.

Fouls plagued the Kings in the third quarter. Cousins and Jason Thompson fouled out. It appeared that without them, the middle would open for the Warriors and allow them to drive unobstructed to the rim. If it wasn’t for Evans’ outstanding play in the third, the Kings could have easily trailed going into the fourth.

The fourth quarter got under way with the Kings leading 80-77. Cousins hit a nice three early on, and both he, Head and Jeter led the charge on the court with hustle and determination, helping their team clinch the win.

Good performances from Greene (10 points, 4 boards, 3 steals), Carl Landry (15 points of 7 of 10 shooting), Cousins (20 points, 8 rebounds), Evans (17 points), Head (15 points, 2 steals) and Casspi (11 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks) helped create a balanced attack for the Kings.

“The guys did a much better job of getting back on defense,” Westphal said. “They kept the paint tight in many of the half-court sets, and offensively we moved the ball like we want the Kings to move the ball. We dominated the boards, played good defense, and I thought we made really good decisions as far as sharing the ball and getting the ball inside out and attacking the
rim.”

Westphal said that Darnell Jackson did a good job of coming in when the other Kings big men were in foul trouble. He said he gave great minutes – plugging the middle, rotating on defense, covering up and getting rebounds in traffic.

Jackson is not as easily satisfied.

“My effort was okay, but I want to really give credit to my coaches; Coach Mario (Elie) and Coach Truck (Robinson),” Jackson said. “Those two coaches talk to me every day. When you include Coach O (Otis Hughley), those three right there are talking to me every day saying, ‘C’mon Jack, c’mon Jack.’ My whole mindset is to soak everything in on and off the court.”

The strangest stat of the night is that even though the Kings were outscored in the paint 54-34, they out-rebounded the Warriors 46-33.

The only two Kings to not get any floor time were Marcus Landry and Antoine Wright who, ironically, are both trying to nab a wing spot with the team.

The Kings will go on the road to Las Vegas to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Francisco Garcia will not make the trip, as he had a slight sprain of his ankle during the game. Dalembert may also miss four to six weeks, after an MRI confirmed his left adductor strain.

Kings Players to “Paint the Town” by Greeting Fans Throughout Sacramento

2010-10-13T23:00:44Z

As part of the NBA Cares campaign, “Paint the Town,” the Sacramento Kings will be greeting fans throughout the Sacramento region Saturday, October 16 and Sunday, October 17 to thank them for their support in advance of the 2010-11 Kings season.

The entire Kings training camp roster, members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team, Slamson and the Kings Breakers will interact with the Sacramento community at various locations. Fans are encouraged to attend and players will be available to greet and interact with fans.

Additionally, the Kings Karavan, a Kings-branded bus, will be on display at select locations and exciting Kings prizes will be awarded to Kings fans on-site.

Following is the full schedule of “Paint the Town” locations:

Saturday, October 16 (Four Locations):

2-3 p.m. - Carl's Jr., 2241 Del Paso Road, Sacramento (Players: Tyreke Evans, Marcus Landry)

3:30-4:30 p.m. - Elk Grove Library, 8900 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove (Players: Carl Landry, Francisco Garcia)

3:30-4:30 p.m. - Old Sacramento (Players: Donte' Greene, Beno Udrih, Luther Head)

5-6 p.m. - Fountains at Roseville, 1162 Roseville Parkway, Roseville (Players: DeMarcus Cousins, Pooh Jeter, Connor Atchley) *Kings Karavan on-site

Sunday, October 17 (Three Locations):

10:30-11:30 a.m. - Folsom Lake Ford & Kia, 12755 Folsom Blvd., Folsom (Players: Samuel Dalembert, Antoine Wright) *Kings Karavan on-site

4:30-5:30 p.m. - Arden Fair Mall, 1689 Arden Way, Sacramento (Players: Jason Thompson, Darnell Jackson, Joe Crawford)

6-7 p.m. - Sacramento International Airport, Terminal A (Players: Omri Casspi, Hassan Whiteside)

Disclosure: Alex Sigua is the Public Relations Coordinator for Maloof Sports & Entertainment

Rookie Cousins get double-double in Kings preseason win

2010-10-08T08:12:35Z

The new-look Kings took the hardwood on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns for the first exhibition game of the year and came away with a 109-95 victory against their Western Conference rivals.

It was a time to let Head Coach Paul Westphal see how the younger guys have improved and give him a chance to figure out who will be on his final roster.

For the fans, it was a time to have renewed enthusiasm. A time to see the future. A time for hope once again.

For the players, it was and a chance to bang on someone else besides each other. For the training camp hopefuls who wandered into town a few weeks ago, it was a chance to prove they belong.

And at the end of the day, most everyone seemed to have their wish fulfilled.

The Kings started out a little sluggish as the big men of the Suns were able to get to the rim way too easily. Sacramento was not rotating in time, and it led to several open drives to the basket for Phoenix.

Suns guard/forward Jason Richardson looked early on like he was going the be the Kings killer this game. Richardson, who’s in his 10th season and was the only Suns projected opening-day starter to get significant playing time besides center Robin Lopez, had a nice three and was the leading scorer for the Suns with 4:32 left in the first quarter with six points. No one was stopping Richardson’s drives to the middle or guarding him out on the three-point arc. Lucky for the Kings, Richardson only made one of his five three-point attempts.

The Kings, on the other hand, were getting support from an unlikely candidate – surprising starter Marcus Landry. Landry, who finished with 11 points, two rebounds and was three of five from the three-point line, provided some early offense and the defensive stability that the Kings have been searching for.

Westphal said he was impressed. Considering that Landry has led the team in rebounding and charges drawn since the beginning of training camp, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Westphal is starting to have a soft spot for the younger Landry.

With that said, Marcus Landry is flat-out a solid basketball player. The things that Landry can offer are what the Kings sorely need: stability, effort and basketball smarts. He can even nail the open three. Westpahl said that you can be assured that is not a case of nepotism. The kid can play and was part of the reason the Kings didn’t get run off the floor early in the game.

Carl Landry was able to have one of his dreams come true: playing alongside his little brother in an NBA setting.

“It felt really good, and I’m real proud of him,” Carl said. “He had a really good game. He was trying to push me, as I’m still struggling a little bit. To have your brother out there with you – that’s amazing!”

Tyreke Evans was showing off his new shooting form and ended up making nine of 17 shots and had scored 26 points by game’s end. Evans also made two of three from long range. The offseason work he’s put in is starting to show, and if he can stay with it, the fans will be seeing some huge scoring nights from him.

Despite the efforts of Omri Casspi and Pooh Jeter off the bench, the Kings trailed 31-26 after the first quarter. That was a little scary considering that two of the Suns starters – Steve Nash and Grant Hill – were pulled after playing just under six minutes and the Kings were treating it like more of a regular season outing, as the starters ended up logging significant minutes.

Things got a littler dicier when the Suns opened the second quarter with a 5-0 run to bring the score to 36-26 with 10:54 left in the half. If it wasn’t for rookie sensation DeMarcus Cousins, Casspi and Jeter stepping up the defense, things would have been worse.

Somewhat reminiscent of Sunday’s open practice, Donte Greene didn’t make an appearance until there was 6:12 left in the first half. There is no telling if it means anything at this point, but it was a little strange considering that the Kings didn’t have Samuel Dalembert, Hassan Whiteside and Darnell Jackson suited up for action. That’s three big guys on the sideline and a 6-foot-11 Greene not playing much and, when he did, not having a real impact.

Late in the second quarter, Casspi was turning up the heat defensively and had a great block called off because of a foul. Casspi finished the half with eight points, four boards and two assists.

Jeter was another of the new “bench mob” that was hustling after loose balls, causing chaos for the Suns. Jeter, who has spent the last few seasons playing for different teams overseas, is starting making his mark on this team. He was three of four from the field and had six points along with two steals before the second quarter ended with the Kings down 58-51.

Once the clock got rolling in the third quarter, you could sense that Westphal had been in their collective ear during halftime. The Kings came out a different team.

Gone were the open drives down the lane that the Suns were starting to get used to. The Kings defensive rotation was starting to click. The chemistry is still evolving, and the process of learning how to play as a team is still in its infant stages.

Evans came out on fire. On one drive, he had a behind the back dribble-drive that was reminiscent of last year and got him to the charity stripe. A minute later, he took a nice pass from Carl Landry and converted. Add that to the three he nailed a moment later along with a Cousins follow on an Evans miss, and the Kings took their first lead of the game 63-62 with 9:03 left in the third quarter.

The elder Landry, Cousins and Evans were really starting to click at this point. You could feel the energy and momentum starting to shift.

Moments later, Cousins had an awesome dunk off a missed shot. After a couple of Marcus Landry long-range bombs, the Kings held a small lead 74-70 with 4:46 left in the third.

Back to Greene’s game for a moment. While he took a nice charge late in the third, he dropped a hard pass from Jason Thompson and missed a wide-open three on a setup from Jeter. Greene received less than 11 minutes on the floor the entire game. Of the personnel who played, only Luther Head and Antoine Wright had less time on the floor.

Because of sloppy play near the end of the quarter, the Suns managed to battle back and tie the game 80-80 after three.

Keeping in mind that the Suns barely gave their probable opening day starting lineup any time on the floor together, the Kings started to pull away in the fourth.

Yes, having all five of the Kings starters play at least 22 minutes was a difference-maker, but the atmosphere was changing regardless. The crowd was really into it even though it wouldn’t count in the standings.

The Kings opened the fourth by showing some full-court defensive pressure and not just letting anyone walk into the lane as they did in the opening period.

Thompson had a nice block and combined to complete a give-and-go with Beno Udrih that gave the Kings a 91-88 lead with 7:08 left in the game. As the crowd started to sense the change on the floor, the first chants of “Defense . . . Defense” were heard throughout the facility.

Thompson was making his presence felt on each end of the floor. He had a great all-around game that included 17 points, 10 boards (five of which were offensive), four assists, one steal and three blocks.

Evans, who finished with 26 points, three rebounds and five assists, ended up being two of three from downtown. Not bad for a guy who last season was, at times, considered to be an inconsistent gunner from that range.

The Kings had some very balanced scoring once the clock wound down to zero. In all, six players (Marcus Landry, Cousins, Evans, Udrih, Thompson and Jeter) finished in double figures in scoring, and two Kings – Cousins and Thompson – had double digits in rebounds.

The only two suited players who didn’t get any court time were Connor Atchley and Joe Crawford. While these guys have been great for the rest of the team to bang against during practice and are giving their all, I think that unless the Kings come down with an unforeseen injury situation, both of these guys will not be on the opening-day roster.

Now if the team can get Dalembert, Whiteside and Jackson healthy, the inside presence the team has missed for many years will be a thing of the past. Even missing all those big men, the Kings still out-rebounded the Suns 47-36.

Now that’s not only news, but new.

After the game, Coach Westphal wanted to recognize one of the harder workers on the Kings roster by giving Jason Thompson his due.

“He’s making great strides,” said the second-year Kings coach. “You take him for granted, his effort, but every practice and every game you know that he is going all-out, and he’s really made a strong case for himself. He’s better than he was last year and better last year than the year before that. Hard work pays off.”

This new chapter in the life of the Kings, whenever it takes it’s full form, will be something the fans of this town have been clamoring for since the days of Vlade, C-Webb and Bad Brad left town.

The time to create new memories lies just around the bend. Even though the fans have heard it before, patience will be the biggest virtue the loyalists can have this season. If so, the rewards and the victories will soon begin to pile up.

Did you go to the game? The Court Jester would love to hear from you. Please put any comments, questions or criticisms below and I will respond.

The Curtain Rises - Fans Get First Look at New Kings

2010-10-06T00:09:56Z

It all began just like any other training camp gathering. The players hit the floor to do some stretching, jogging and even doing the “monster walk” to get flexible and be ready to bang some bodies. It was a day like any other day this past week. Except this time, there was a major difference. The practice had been moved out of the Kings’ practice facility and over to Arco Arena. Oh, and one more thing. There were people watching – lots of people.

The Sacramento Kings raised the curtain on their new-look team on Sunday for all to see for the first time since making some major acquisitions and building their team with draft picks in the off season.

It was the first scrimmage held this year that the general public could witness. For the fans, a time for hopefulness is upon them again. For the players, a time to prove they belong. By all accounts, progress has been made on both fronts, as the people were ready with bated breath.

The assembled masses packed about two-thirds of the lower bowl as the rest of the arena seating was roped off. Not a bad get-together for a game that would not even light the scoreboard until later as it appeared that they were not going to keep score for quite a while.

While many came to see this year’s first-round draft pick DeMarcus Cousins hit the hardwood at Arco for the first time, there were plenty of cheers to go around. Besides Cousins, the largest applause of the afternoon went to Omri Casspi, Tyreke Evans and, surprisingly, newcomer and possible new fan favorite Pooh Jeter.

After Head Coach Paul Westphal thanked those in the crowd and assured them that this year’s product will be fun to watch, it was time for the tip.

The players were split into two teams – black jerseys and white jerseys.

The starters for the black team were Marcus and Carl Landry, Samuel Dalembert, Evans and Beno Udrih. The reserves for this opening-day type of lineup were Casspi, Darnell Jackson, Joe Crawford and Luther Head.

For the white team, the starters were Donte Greene, Jason Thompson, Francisco Garcia, Jeter and possible rookie-of-the-year Cousins. Off the pine for the white squad were Antoine Wright, Connor Atchley, J.R. Giddens and Donald Sloan.

Some of the first-quarter action included a nice dunk by rookie sensation Cousins, a couple of beyond-the-arc net-swishers by Casspi, and Jeter pushing the ball hard up the floor.

Jeter’s biggest cheerleader this camp has been the coach himself. During the opening period, Westphal could be heard encouraging Jeter.

“Way to push it Pooh, way to burn,” Westphal said from his sideline position.

After Thompson just missed a couple of shots, Evans came thundering down the lane for a score and the foul. Soon thereafter, Thompson redeemed himself by taking one to the rack and picking up a foul along the way.

Late in the first, the white team started to show some great defensive pressure and nice rotation. On one set, there was great rotation by Atchley and Jeter to block an Evans attempt to get to the rack. In short, Evans was denied.

Other first-quarter observations include Cousins knocking Carl Landry down while driving to the hoop. Landry was standing outside the circle and was promptly knocked on his rear. Evans’ instinct is still to drive the lane, but there was see improvement on his mid-range jumper as the game continued.

The second quarter was a chance for some of the so-called “fringe” players to display their skills.

Crawford seemed to muscle into the lane fairly easily at times, and Jackson was a beast on the glass, which included a real nice tip-in early.

Jackson had a real nice game, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Even after putting up respectable numbers, he still wasn’t going to be easily satisfied.

“I think I did pretty good,” Jackson said. “There were some little things I messed up on. My coach from Milwaukee told me that I had to master the little things first to develop your game. My biggest thing when I’m out here is to try and do every little thing right. My role here is to try to be the banger, try to be the dirty guy by diving on the floor and trying to get rebounds and extra possessions for my teammates.”

At this point, newly acquired Dalembert was seen gabbing his left knee after a rebound and was not really much of a factor in the game. One could assume that he is not completely healed yet and has not been able to compete in every practice. He looked a little rusty and didn’t have much lift on his jumper or when rebounding. No worries though, as it’s not a long-term thing. He should be in game shape just around the corner.

It was at this juncture that I wondered where Greene was and why I wasn’t noticing him much. Don’t misunderstand me – he was trying. It’s just that he wasn’t a factor. During one stretch, he dropped a nice alley-oop from Sloan, went one of three from the free throw line and resorted to some of last year’s antics of lagging behind in transition or rolling his eyes after getting beaten. There are a lot of guys who want the kind of time Greene received last season. Maybe he’s just feeling the pressure a little.

Near the halftime break, Marcus Landry nailed a nice shot from downtown. Soon after, Assistant Coach Mario Elie, who was coaching the white team, told the bench that the younger Landry was “killing” Greene.

Marcus enjoyed his time on the floor with his older brother.

“It was good,” he said, “and as we keep playing together, we’ll get to know each other a little more as players. We’ll just blend together. You don’t really think about it too much while you’re out there, you think of him as just another player. We go home, and you have somebody there that is going to stay on your case, and I’m staying on his case. It’s good.”

After a short break, the all the Kings men returned to the hardwood. The only differences in the lineup between what was trotted out to the floor in the first quarter was that the black team had Casspi and Jackson replace Dalembert and Marcus Landry, and the white team started Wright instead of Greene. I guess I wasn’t the only one who noticed Greene’s sub-par play.

Jackson, who came to the Kings in the Jon Brockman trade, started to get his. He kicked out a rebound and was rewarded with an immediate pass back to slam one home. If that wasn’t enough, he came back down on the next possession and dropped another two points. That was enough to again get Westphal to say some nice things about Jackson.

“He continues doing what he’s been doing in practice,” Westphal said. “He’s making a very strong case for himself because of his all-around play.”

Evans had a burst of greatness during a third-quarter run that included hitting a couple of nice jumpers and continued driving into the lane and “rekeing” havoc.

As much as Evans was the spark plug for the black team, Jeter was nearly his equal for the white team. Jeter was constantly pushing the ball quickly up the floor and making good decisions. Back-to-back dishes by Jeter – one to a quick-cutting Wright and the other to Atchley for a lay in – and a nice layup shortly thereafter, are some of the reasons that Westphal likes this kid so much.

Not to kick a guy when he’s down, but Greene had another disappointing stretch in the third. On one play, he didn’t come all the way to get the ball from the passer. Subsequently, he missed the jumper.

With the black team leading for the majority of the game, time was getting short for the white team. Assisting them in their comeback were Cousins, Wright, Jeter and Garcia, who had a very nice game. Garcia and Jeter were the glue that helped their team make a run for the win.

With 24 seconds left in the game, the white team made it a one-point game on a Garcia drive to the bucket. Almost immediately, Udrih ran the ball up the floor and scored on a well-defended layup for the black team. Besides a Marcus Landry dunk at the end, that was the end of the scoring.

When the scoreboard dimmed, the game was over, and the black team won 79-74.

As I caught up with Jerry Reynolds on the way to the parking lot, I asked him about his thoughts, and he told me in typical Jerry Reynolds fashion.

“I thought it was good – a lot of fun to watch,” Reynolds said. “In something like this, they are trying hard. You know, the Kings won, and that’s the main thing.”

Yes, Jerry, the Kings did win. And if this is the effort they will collectively bring every night when it counts, the fans have a lot to look forward to every single game this season.

NOTES: During practice on Monday, Westphal advised the media that Sloan and Giddens had been cut.

Also, on the injury front, out for Tuesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns will be Dalembert, Hassan Whiteside and Jackson with some minor issues. Jeter is listed as questionable with a minor groin strain, but did practice some on Monday.

Westphal also stated that he “was in no hurry” in regards to cutting the roster any more right now. He said he would like to get to know the rest of the new guys a little better over the next few days.

Did you go to the scrimmage? If so, I'd love to hear your take. The Court Jester would love your feedback. You agree, disagree or just plain think I'm crazy, please put your comments below and I will respond.

Photos courtesy of Mark Needham

#1 Coach Westphal surveys the floor

#2 Darnell Jackson, Tyreke Evans and Samuel Dalembert

#3 Practice drills

#4 Long-time Kings braodcaster Gary Gerould

#5 Pooh Jeter

#6 Donte Greene driving to the rack

#7 Antoine Wright

#8 "Hitting the Glass"

#9 "Hitting the Glass 2"

#!0 "Hitting the Glass 3"

#11 Jeter stretching

#12 Francisco Garcia getting ready

#13 Shootaround essentials

#14 The Brothers Landry

#15 "The Monster Walk"

#16 "If You Build It, They Will Come"

#17 Slamson

The Court Jester - The Cream Starts to Rise

2010-10-04T04:40:44Z

Kings training camp continued last week with two-a-days Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as the guys got in some significant work on the hardwood. Finally, on Friday, the team went to one practice per day for most of the rest of camp.

With much preparation before the first practice, which is open to the public on Sunday, the guys are learning new sets and gearing up for the preseason.

Training Camp – day three

Lob Pass

Samuel Dalembert and Antoine Wright were available for the morning workout . . . More five-on-none as they worked on setting screens and making sure the players know where to be on some of the new sets the team has put in this year . . . Lots of guys stayed after practice today, including Beno Udrih, Dalembert, Joe Crawford, Carl and Marcus Landry, Luther Head, J.R. Giddens, Pooh Jeter, and a few others all throwing up some extra shots . . . The elder Landry has been spending a lot of time after the workouts working with the coaches on his post moves and practicing his free-throw shooting . . . Udrih helped Dalembert on shots from the stripe . . . Crawford and Jeter spent time with Mario “The Jedi” Elie working on their outside shot . . . Wright worked hard on the elliptical machine after the workout, trying to get his left quad ready for the tougher evening scrimmage.

Beyond the Inner Curtain

The following are Coach Paul Westphal’s annotations to the media:

On Pooh Jeter: He’s a standout in every way.

On Landry’s potential to play the small forward position: Probably not much time there, maybe in a zone defense. It would be pretty hard for Carl or Jason (Thompson) to guard the other three, but it’s certainly not something we are ready to focus on yet.

On Marcus Landry: Wednesday (evening) he had an outstanding of the offensive boards. Although he is still learning the pace of the game, he brings some great strengths to the table. One thing I don’t have any doubts about is that he can do high level is rebound.

On Hassan Whiteside: He’s very smooth and once in a while will come from the weak side and block a shot that nobody’s ever had blocked before in this gym.

On Whiteside needing to be patient: It’s hard for any young player to stay aggressive and have a long-term goal without some short-term gratification, but that’s his world right now and we are trying to keep him focused. He’s doing a good job of that.

On having brothers on the same team: We have to put them on different teams because they only pass it to each other (speaking jokingly on Marcus and Carl Landry).

Knights of the Hardwood

It’s not often that a new player will come into training camp and find someone he knows well. Then again, it’s not every day you get to play against your brother outside of the driveway escapades of days gone by.

That is not the case this season as the brothers Landry, Carl and the younger Marcus, have had the opportunity to challenge each other for the first time since those days in the front yard.

Carl was admittedly tough on his younger sibling during their childhood rivalry. Some days even ended in a fistfight or two. But in the Landry household, it was just part of growing up. Tough love at it’s best.

“I was always the big brother, so I felt like he was soft and weak, so I always beat up on him,” Carl said. “It always ended good.”

The elder Landry did pave the way for Marcus. Carl is two years older and had a chance to go to college first and show Marcus that not only was attending a university possible, but playing hoops was also open to him.

“He had somebody to look up to that went to college so he knew he could go,” Carl said. “I wouldn’t say I paved the way for him; I just gave him some hope. A lot of kids these days, they still know it’s a one in a million shot, but they get down on themselves and they think there is no hope. My brother has seen the light at the end of the tunnel. He saw my work ethic and he continued to work. I just tried to lead by example and be the big brother I am.”

Marcus has taken the longer road. Since having a child around the time he was getting ready for college, he decided to stay closer to his son and ended up attending Wisconsin instead of Purdue like his brother. It didn’t matter really. The brothers were always taking a different direction.

“We were always competing against each other,” the elder Landry said. “If I wanted one thing, he wanted another.”

As to what Carl sees his brother’s chance in making the Kings roster? Carl knows he has some very valuable tools that the Kings can utilize.

“He can offer defense, is a good guy on and off the court, and he’s not going to make too many mistakes,” Carl said. “He’s focused and he wants to get better. You want guys on your team that want to get better that are coming in early and staying late — guys that are not messing up in practice. He’s one of those guys. I think because he has that mindset, he’ll play in this league for a long time.”

Marcus never had a problem with looking up to his older brother. The early success Carl had wasn’t lost on Marcus. If fact, it inspired him to reach for his own personal greatness and he has a message for Carl.

“At a really young age he was somebody I looked up to,” Marcus said. “I never really tell him that, but he was playing basketball and making teams, and I said, ‘Everything he does, I want to do better.’ He’s been a good example and a good leader. It’s the way he goes about things that is keeping me focused.”

Staying focused must get a lot easier since the days of banging bodies with the more mature Carl in the front yard. Back then, there were some real battles between the two and it took a while for Marcus to realize what Carl was breaking him in for.

“Now that I look back on it, I realize he was trying to make me better instead of just teasing me,” the younger Landry said. “He would always make me go left and would never, never let me go right, so I would lose all the time. I’d be mad because he’d be laughing or throw the ball out of bounds or he’d steal it, but it made me a better player.

“It helped me because it made me realize that you better get a left hand and you better get it good quick because guys do their scouting reports. I probably recognized in my senior year of high school that what he was doing for me was probably best for me.”

As with any sibling rivalry, there are times when things went to far.

“It did end in some fights because I was mad when I lost,” Marcus said. “I remember one time when the game was on the line. He was going to shoot and I turned around to box out and he threw the ball off my head and that really got me going. Some days ended in fights, but we’re still brothers, you know.”

Marcus tried to pass the torch, at least on the punishment part, to another of the Landry children: his younger sister.

“She held her own,” Marcus said. “Things ended with some fights with her too. It was just tough family love out there on that court, but she could hold her own. We knew we couldn’t do that much since we would get in trouble when we got back in the house. We kind of had to mellow it down for her, but still gave her that tough love.”

It sounds like the entire Landry family is a family of tough, gritty and determined kids.

Marcus has decided to take the coaches’ advice and work on what they tell him do work on. Things that will help him make the roster. In his case, they have asked him to knock down shots, rebound and defend. And that’s all he is trying to do. That’s very impressive for a young guy.

This could be the year. Even his mind is coming to grips with the fact that he is good enough to help an NBA team.

“Everything is starting to come together,” Marcus said. “I think that maybe I don’t know how good I can be at this level. This is my second year and I’m just soaking it all in. My main focus is mentally, and everything else will improve. It’s my mental game of being competitive and having that killer instinct all the time.”

If he can just summon those reminders of his daily battles with his brother from the days on the concrete driveway out in front of the house, he will be just fine in his quest to join his brother in the NBA. And maybe, just maybe, even on the Kings.

Photos Courtesy of Mark Needham

#1 Omri Casspi

#2 Carl Landry

#3 Antoine Wright

#4 Connor Acthley

#5 Casspi, Atchely & Coach Carril

#6 Luther Head

#7 Jason Thompson

#8 Carl Landry

#9 Casspi & Achtley

#10 Gavin Maloof w/ Pooh Jeter

#11 Marcus Landry

#12 DeMarcus Cousins

#13 Marcus Landry's towel

The Court Jester - Camping in the Capital, The Early Days

2010-10-01T09:06:11Z

Kings training camp kicked off Monday, and when the day was over, it was all sweat and smiles at their facility in Natomas.

The Court Jester was there, and here are some observations:

Training camp – day one

Lob Pass

The Kings worked on defense and five-on-none offense as the guys were trying to find their spacing and where to be on the floor in certain sets . . . Head Coach Paul Westphal was seen checking notes from his back pocket making sure he was staying on-track . . . Samuel Dalembert was helping guys find the right spot on the floor during a certain set . . . Hassan Whiteside was setting some nice screens and really looking bulked up . . . Pooh Jeter was looking to get others involved and was really calm under pressure . . . First-round draft pick DeMarcus Cousins was hustling and running up and down the court well.

Beyond the Inner Curtain

The following are some of Westphal’s annotations relayed to the gathered media after practice:

On Luther Head: He needs to find a spot for himself – do something the other players aren’t doing as well and succeed at it.

On Hassan Whiteside: He has taken the coaches’ recommendations to heart when he first came in, and it’s paying off for him.

On Pooh Jeter: A very mature player, and he is the fastest player on the court whenever. The staff likes his decision-making the most.

On Jason Thompson: He’s a real versatile player at the four and the five spots and has gained the experience to play without getting into foul trouble. Besides Jeter, he came into camp in the best shape.

On Samuel Dalembert: He was very engaged, trying to do the right things defensively and answering a few questions from some of the other players about where to be on the floor.

The Spoken Word

Cousins on playing defense in the NBA: “There is a lot more to defense than you think . . . You’ve got to talk a lot, and you’re the basically the eyes of the floor.”

Jeter on being in Sacramento: “I’ve been here three weeks, lifting and playing and getting that chemistry. I was working a lot with Donte (Greene), Jason and ’Cisco (Garcia) a lot. ’Cisco lives in here really, these last three weeks. We are in here all day and encouraging each other. I feel like this is home since the team gave me my first shot five years ago and now this time.”

Jeter on hoops: “Basketball is really my life. I don’t do much else. They’re going to have to tear my jersey off before I stop (playing).”

Carl Landry on the extra floor work: “I ran through some set and some defensive principles, and it feels good to get my feet wet. Every day I’ve got to be in the gym, and as one of the older guys on the team, I’ve got to lead by example by being here early and staying late. It’s not only for myself, but for my teammates.”

There was also a closed practice later in the evening in which Dalembert and Antoine Wright did not participate. Dalembert has a slight left groin strain, and Wright had a left quad issue, and both got treatment instead of floor work.

Training camp – day two

Lob Pass

Another day of two-a-days was in store for the team as the drills became more complex . . . There was much more running up and down the floor as players were out late working on fast breaks bringing the ball up and back a few times before letting the other group come to replace them . . . Assistant Coach Pete Carril still had the spark to share his vast knowledge with the players and was spending some extra time on the floor today with Tyreke Evans . . . Westphal was working with the big men along with Truck Robinson . . . Head’s jump shot really propels him forward as he releases the ball, and he lands a few feet forward from where he starts . . . Dalembert and Wright didn't practice in the morning as Wright was getting treatment and Dalembert was watching and talking up his teammates.

Beyond the Inner Curtain

The following are Westphal’s annotations to the media:

On what was being accomplished that day: “We are laying the groundwork, and we’ll come back tonight for some competition. The night practices are much more like playing the game.”

On first impressions: “The guys came in here in pretty good shape. They are working hard and putting the team first. A lot of them are putting in a lot of extra time.”

On Garcia basically living at the facility: ’Cisco is always around, and you’re afraid you might trip over him if you come in here at night – he’s a real hard worker.”

Knights of the Hardwood

It's early in the camp, but so far, the talk of the practices has been rookie Eugene “Pooh” Jeter and his tireless dedication to the sport he loves. I spoke with him and one of his biggest supporters, Bobby Jackson, as I caught up with both of them after they put in an extra 45 minutes being involved in a three-point shooting contest with Connor Atchley and Joe Crawford. Even though Jackson could still put up the rock, today his role is being a mentor and helping the younger guys get with the program.

“Pooh is always the first and last person in the gym,” Jackson said. “He’s been overseas, and they normally take that attitude of being a workaholic. He’s really a leader – he’s always getting people in their spots, always talking. If he was about 6-foot-1-inches or 6-foot-2-inches, he’d probably be a starter in this league. He’s been running a team for a long time, and we love him and what he brings to the table. He wants to win.”

For the normally reserved Jackson, this was high praise.

The former Sixth Man of the Year Award winner really had a hard time not talking about how impressed he has been with Jeter’s performance.

“He’s pushing guys,” Jackson said. “Even in pick-up games, he wants to win. You can tell he has that winning attitude. He’s going to tell you if you’re doing something right, and he’s going to tell you if you do something wrong. To be a reserve guard, you need to be vocal leader. You need to keep that second unit stable and on the right page.”

“If he plays hard, the sky is the limit for him,” Jackson said. “He’s fast and a pest on the defensive end. I really think he has a chance to be a household name in this league. He’s always been a positive guy and doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. You need the kind of guy that changes things and puts energy in the game.”

Jeter, still humble even after spending five years trying to make his dream come true, is as positive now as the day he walked into the Kings’ summer league camp many years ago.

Of all the things that have changed over the years, Jeter was happy to find that Jackson was still part of the scenery.

“Before I came here, I knew Bobby Brown, and he was telling me about Bobby Jackson and telling me how cool he was and how he worked with him,” Jeter said. “It’s a tremendous opportunity, and I’m glad God put people like that in my life.”

Jeter, a deeply faithful man, spent some time in Israel working on his game overseas. And when speaking about his blessed life, he’s the first to give credit to God.

“I’m a real spiritual person,” Jeter said, “so living in the Holy Land was the way to spend my last year abroad.”

Jeter was given his nickname by his grandmother after Winnie the Pooh. Since the third grade, the only person he can remember calling him Eugene is his father. His dad owned a music store in Inglewood, Calif., and he said he thinks that helped him with the karaoke singing he had to do for a promo that fans will hopefully see later this year.

As for the influence Jackson could have on him, Jeter said he would love to follow in his footsteps.

“I would love to do what Bobby did,” Jeter said. “I get great advice from him and am glad he’s here. Guys like him and Spud Webb and Tiny Archibald paved the way for people like me. If it wasn’t for them, there wouldn’t be many little men in the league.”

Early indications are that Jeter is on the right track to make a difference on the court this season for the Kings. But more than that, Jeter said he would love to set an example for others in the community.

“I just want to go out there and be a role model for the kids,” Jeter said. “I want to show people that I’m a good person and that my attitude is even better than the way I play.”

If Jeter’s play on the court is anywhere near as refreshing as his personality, dedication and perseverance, the fans are in for one heck of a show.

Photos courtesy of Mark Needham

#1 Tyreke Evans chatting with Francisco Garcia

#2 Connor Atchley

#3 Samuel Dalembert

#4 Tyreke Evans w/ Pete Carril

#5 Joe Crawford and Pooh Jeter shooting jumpers

#6 The Legendary Pete Carril

#7 Pooh Jeter from downtown

The Court Jester - And Now For Something Completely Different

2010-09-29T04:21:28Z

It was like driving up to Mendocino County and getting out of the car only to find yourself standing in the Land of the Giants – big, strong redwoods that could be seen out of every corner of your eye.

The evidence was clear. The new direction has been established. This year, the Kings will not go quietly into the night.

The abundance of wingspans and altitude was on display as the Sacramento Kings opened their 26th annual media day at Arco Arena on Monday. With all the local news outlets and many national folks on-hand, the question of the day was clearly the acquisition of several new big men and how the team’s newfound height would impact the team.

“I think we’ve changed our team radically.” said Head Coach Paul Westphal. “Sam (Dalembert) has been a double-double guy that can help our shot blocking, having Carl (Landry) here from the start of the season (will help) and Jason Thompson has continued to improve his game. Then we drafted two very talented young big men who are both very good rebounders. So all of a sudden we have size where this time last year we didn’t, and that is an exciting change.”

And the excitement can be felt across the first floor of the arena on this day as a new season always brings abundant optimism.

As longtime President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie declared, the start of a new season is always a time for confidence.

“This is always a fun time of year,” Petrie said. “You have a new team with hopefully a new look – it’s always an exciting time to get started and see what it turns into.”

Petrie isn’t the only one ready to see what this new-look team can bring on a nightly basis. Thompson, who is in his third campaign, said he really likes the competition the team brought in this year and feels like it will push him to become the player he wants to become.

“The really competitive teams in the league, you look at their depth chart,” Thompson said. “With the additions we’ve added, we have one of the deepest teams in the league.”

It’s not only deep, but also deep at a couple of positions where the Kings haven’t had that luxury in quite some time.

Donte Greene is looking forward to joining the other frontcourt monsters in causing havoc for the opposition.

“It will help a lot on the defensive end by blocking shots,” said the 6-foot-11-inch Greene. “(We will be) clogging up the lane and making sure guys don’t get easy buckets.”

Now that’s something that local folks have been dying to hear for many a moon now. Good, hard play, standing your ground and knocking a guy down if it comes to that. This will be the new calling card of this incarnation of the Kings.

Looking for another reason to beam? How about the young guys who have been brought in to fill out the last of the lineup card?

It’s been easy to see how enthusiastic the camp invitees are based on the endless smiles at the arena.

J.R. Giddens, one of the longshots to make this team, said this is what he lives for – a chance to make an NBA roster going into October. He considers himself to be a “human spark plug” with his outside shooting, athleticism and loads of energy to expend.

As for some of the other new faces on the training camp register, Joe Crawford said he knows he can’t take a play off if he is to be successful and admits that his intensity on the defensive end may make the difference between staying or leaving once the season starts.

Luther Head, an outside shooter who can also bring the ball up the court, said he believes he can help the young guys get more out of their game.

“I’m a student of the game,” said Head, one of the men who has a great chance of catching on in Sacramento. “I can bring a lot of things the younger guys don’t already know about the NBA.”

Even though Head has had some legitimate NBA game experience, he is still young and is looking forward to being pushed by the other invitees.

“I feel like a vet with all the young guys,” Head continued, “but it’s good for me, as it puts more energy in me.”

Antoine Wright has been brought in to fill out the important wing position that can be played by either a two guard or a small forward. And if there is one thing he has learned over the 290 games he’s played in the league, it’s taking everything that the coaches have to offer and making it happen on the court.

“It comes down to knowing coverages,” said Wright, who started 52 games during the 2008-09 season for the Dallas Mavericks. “Being comfortable with the schemes and being able to execute. It’s not all about a one-on-one game. You have to scheme, and I think it’s the guys that execute that are going to get the minutes.”

Of all the guys I had a chance to meet, Pooh Jeter (pronounced jet-er) seemed to understand the calm before the storm more than anyone.

Jeter, who has spent the last five years trying to catch on with a pro team in the states, has had to end each attempt by signing across the pond to continue work in his dream job.

He spent last season overseas playing in Israel and earned the All-Israeli Premier League Sixth Man of the Year Award. It’s never say die for the kid who continued to make the pilgrimage to Las Vegas each year trying to assure himself a spot on a fall roster.

“I believed that every year I would hook on,” the diminutive Jeter said. “I told myself that this was my fifth year in summer league, and this was going to be the last time. If it didn’t happen, I was getting a lot of offers from overseas, and that’s the approach I took, and now I’m here.”

The time for talking is done. It’s Westphal and wind sprints for now at the Kings’ training facility. One can only hope that every guy on the preseason roster is as ready as Jeter seems to be.

“I’ve prepared a lot for this moment,” Jeter said. “It’s time to get going, and I’m excited.”

And so are we Pooh, so are we.

Photos courtesy of Brandon Darnell

Photo #1 Paul Westphal, #2 Omri Casspi, #3 Hassan Whiteside, #4 DeMarcus Cousins, #5 Pooh Jeter

The Court Jester would love your feedback. You agree, disagree or just plain think I'm crazy, please put your comments below and I will respond.

The Court Jester - King's Training Camp / Preseason Preview - Pt. 2

2010-09-28T05:31:44Z

In the second part of my two-part look at the Kings prior to training camp and preseason activities, I focus on the forward situation and possible lineups that Head Coach Paul Westphal could throw out there to start the season.

Since going to print with part one, the Kings have added one more forward to the roster. Marcus Landry is a 6-foot 7-inch second-year forward out of Wisconsin who is also Carl Landry’s younger brother. Add to that the previously mentioned forwards – Conner Atchley, Darnell Jackson and six-year pro Antoine Wright – and you’ve got four players vying for maybe one spot.

I think that this is so much easier to do than calculating what the staff will do with the guard situation. I believe that the choice is, barring some bizarre incident or major improvement in one of the younger guys, the veteran Wright.

Let’s quickly take a look at the other candidates:

Conner Atchley, a 6-foot 10-inch forward/center out of Texas, averaged only 4.6 points per game with only 3.1 rebounds a contest. Add that to his paltry .397 shooting percentage, and he is really just a roster-filler at this point.

Darnell Jackson, a 6-foot 9-inch forward out of Kansas a few years back, shot an incredible .626 from the field with averages of 11.2 points and 6.7 boards per game. Even with the limited minutes given him in his short stint at the pro level, he has shown a nose for the rim. Ironically, after getting a couple of opportunities to get some minutes for Cleveland, he finished the season with Milwaukee. With the Bucks, he was relegated to the pine and got no attention at all.

Marcus Landry, a 6-foot 7-inch prospect from the University of Wisconsin, was coincidentally included in a trade that also involved J.R. Giddens, another Kings’ training camp hopeful. As a non-draftee in the 2009 draft, he managed to get some limited time with the New York Knicks and one game with the Boston Celtics before being assigned to the Maine Red Claws in the NBA D-League.

And lastly, the most experienced player in the group: Antoine Wright. The well-traveled Wright’s previous flight plan looks like this: two years in New Jersey with the Nets, then on to Dallas for the 2007-08 campaign but back to the Nets before the season ended, then played for the Mavericks for 2008-09 before spending last year with the Toronto Raptors.

Let’s dismiss Atchley right away, as he doesn’t seem to fit a need. Now that the Kings have several new big men in Samuel Dalembert, DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside, there really is no need for him. It sounds funny to say considering the lack of decent big men on the Kings roster in recent years.

If you throw in Donte Greene and Jason Thompson, the Kings have five players over 6-foot 11 inches. I can’t even remember when we had that kind of length in the frontcourt. Atchley’s out. Let’s move on.

The younger Landry is another training camp roster-filler. It was nice of the Kings to give him a home before the season starts. But unless he does something he is not really know for, like scoring in large clips, his services won’t be needed. At 6-foot 7-inches, I think he will be lost in the shuffle. I’m sorry Marcus, but there is only room for one Landry on this roster. Try again next year when your brother may not even be here if the younger guys continue to develop.

Jackson is the one who has me raising my “People’s Eyebrow.” We know what we are getting, for the most part, with all the other guys. Jackson is intriguing. Originally he was considered a throwaway that was lumped in with the Jon Brockman trade. But given the fact that he was a driving force behind the Kansas Jayhawks’ 2008 championship season, he may be able to offer up some help. He will need to be strong in camp if he is to be considered at all. Again, all of these guys except Wright have very little, if any, experience, and I think that is the key. They need balance. A nice mix of veterans and youth that can bring the spark and fire up this town.

Wright may be the guy who brings that kind of energy. Except for his rookie year, Wright has played in 56 or more games per season. Even though his field goal percentage has hovered just around 40 percent the last four years, he still appears to have something left in the tank. Training camp will really be the test for Wright. Wright needs the Kings more than they need him. Does he still have the hunger to bang game after game and make the sacrifices that will be placed upon him?

He will need to understand that unless the Kings lose a few guys to injury or make a trade for a shooting guard of small forward of star quality and lose a couple of their forwards in the process, he will not get a lot of time.

Facts are facts. The Kings are finally loaded with frontcourt help. And they need to make this an advantage this season. Having Wright around makes a lot of sense. With a boatload of younger talent now, Wright’s seasoned play may bring a needed benefit to the roster. Maturity and stability is what the team will look for in Wright. If he can bring those two things, he will have a spot guaranteed.

The other big question to be settled this preseason is what kind of rotation Westphal is looking for and how he sees the pieces fitting together.

When looking at how to assemble a starting team, you have to follow my logic the rest of the way. There are a few things you need to know, and these are critical as we go forward in understanding my thinking.

1. Carl Landry is NOT a small forward.
2. Donte Greene is NOT a shooting guard or a power forward.
3. Francisco Garcia is NOT a point guard.

If you can accept these realities, the reasons that follow will make much more sense.

Let’s begin with what one so-called expert and a Kings insider both think about the current situation.

The roster that Foxsports.com has concluded the Kings will throw out on the floor, once again, not counting Evans’ one-game suspension, will be as follows:

G Tyreke Evans

G Donte Greene

F Omri Casspi

F DeMarcus Cousins

C Jason Thompson

I have one huge problem with this projected lineup. While I don’t mind the frontcourt possibilities by throwing Cousins, Thompson and Casspi out there, I think I would switch Cousins and Thompson. I’d let Cousins play center and Thompson be the four. Thompson has a little quicker feet, and I think he would have an easier time covering the opposing power forward. That will free up Cousins to cover the basket and use his shot-blocking prowess to guard the rim. Either way, I love having to make the other team get around two guys over 6-foot-11 just to get to the rack.

That leaves the huge problem I still have left. Greene is 6-foot 11-inches. He is not, I repeat, not a shooting guard. This was a hot topic in the Needham house all last season. Greene can run the floor on the break. That’s great, but unless he is able to pass almost immediately upon arriving at the other end of the floor or before, he is stuck. He has shown zero ability to pull up with the jumper at the end of a dribble. That is what defines a shooting guard. Occasionally, Greene can hit a jumper, but it is well after the play has developed. He may catch a pass off a screen and drain one, but other than that, he is horrible at pulling up off the break and sinking one.

Don’t get me wrong – I love Greene’s athleticism. If he can continue slashing to the basket and catching easy passes under or close to the rim and scoring the ball, he is a great asset to the team. Besides that, it seems that Evans really likes being on the floor with him. Don’t underestimate how important that will be. Evans is so important to this team that he will get what he wants a lot of the time, as Westphal will have to concede at times to his budding superstar.

During a recent interview for nba.com, Sacramento’s Director of Player Personnel

Jerry Reynolds proposed this lineup:

G Evans

G Garcia

F Casspi

F Landry

C Dalembert

At first glance, this looks like a lineup I could live with. But let’s scratch away at some of the issues I see with this group of guys.

First off, Garcia is still somewhat of an unknown commodity. Even though he has five years under his belt on this team, he was hurt almost all of last year. Add that to that the fact that we really do have a different chemistry this season and, I believe, time will tell as to how Garcia fits in. He definitely has something to offer that this team needs. I just think that the spark he provides would be more necessary off the bench.

There is no reason to not put Beno Udrih out there as a starter. All he did last year was have his best season yet. If you really dig inside the numbers, you can see why. There is a great stat by Dean Oliver, founder of a great NBA stat analysis website called powerbasketball.com, that is called “approximate value,” or “AV.” It is fairly complex on how he not only came up with this stat, but also fine-tuned it along the way to make sure it is relevant. It is an accumulation of the good things a player does on the court, but then he takes away the bad things that one does. After that, he has finished off the formula with a calculation that gives the player a rating from 1-20.

After grasping how important this stat was, it struck me how important Udrih really is. On that chart of AV, the top three were Evans, Thompson and Udrih. Landry and Greene are almost half of what Udrih is. It’s a huge difference.

Before uncovering this stat, I already believed that the three most indispensable players from last year were Evans, Thompson and Udrih. This new knowledge confirms my suspicions. No doubt about it: Udrih needs to be in the starting lineup.

The “versatility index” or “VI” is another stat developed by Oliver. This stat tries to calculate how well rounded a player is. In this category, the top four were Evans, Kevin Martin, Thompson and Udrih once again. Take out Martin, and they place exactly the same. This time, Landry lags only a little behind Udrih, but they both are far ahead of Greene.

Coincidence? Not hardly. Numbers do mean something. They are what contracts are based on. They are the heart and soul of the value of a player or a team.

Saying that, there is one stat that some people get way too excited about. The dreaded plus/minus category is a horrible judge of basketball proficiency. If you take a look at efficiency or EFF, you will really see a better evaluator of talent.

All you Sergio Rodriguez fans pay attention. Rodriguez was in six of the top 12 starting lineups in terms of having a positive plus/minus last season. A closer look behind the numbers proves this. Rodriguez’s EFF was worse than anyone who is left on the team. He was also inferior in AV to everyone except Garcia, and I attribute that to ’Cisco not getting a lot of time. Rodriguez was tied for last in the versatility index with Greene. Rodriguez had to go. But I digress.

As for why Landry is not in my starting five, I think we have better options now that we have some length on the team. Remember, it’s not about who has the biggest contract or who did well last campaign. It’s about the here and now. On this year’s roster, the Kings will need a strong bench. Honestly, it may be the most important year for the team’s reserves in a long while.

With all this in mind, here is what I propose as the first five:

G Udrih

G Evans

F Casspi

F Thompson

C Dalembert

In a perfect world, here are the back-ups for each of those positions:

G Pooh Jeter (or whoever makes it on the team out of training camp)

G Garcia/Head

F Greene/Wright

F Landry

C Cousins

Why do I fancy this setup?

Starting with both Evans and Udrih on the floor gives Westphal several advantages that the other options don’t offer. Either one can run the point. Either one can shoot. Plain and simple – neither Greene nor Garcia offer that on a steady basis. Greene is the worst shooter of the four at just over 44 percent, and his gunner mentality does cost the team at times. Garcia, as well-rounded as he is, averaged 1.8 assists per game, and Greene averaged only half of that.

Truth be told, as stated in part one, the Kings need Jeter or someone like him to make an impression this year. When the situation occurs, as it often will, when Evans and Udrih are off the floor at the same time, a real leader and floor general will not be there. It presents a scary scenario – one that the Kings had trouble overcoming last year as well.

Contrary to popular belief, the Kings have enough scoring, if a few things fall their way. Evans needs to continue to develop and will. Obviously. His maturity this year will be the key to the season. Casspi, Greene and Thompson all should improve their scoring averages. The combination of a reinvigorated Dalembert, as well as an eager-to-please Cousins, will easily improve the frontcourt scoring potential. Newly signed Wright will also be an asset in this area.

When I think of having Greene, Landry, Garcia, Cousins and even Wright coming off the bench, chills run down my spine. Instant energy, spunk and a lot of intangibles will be the calling card of this group.

Scoring will be better. Enough said.

On the other side of things, the defense will be much improved as the Kings can now clog the lane for the first time in what seems like forever. Lots of possible combinations abound. They could have three guys at 6-foot-11 or better on the floor at the same time. And we’re not talking a bunch of Joe Kleine-like guys, either. They have some real athletes this year.

Dalembert will be guarding the rim along with Cousins and Thompson, and even Hassan Whiteside can come of the bench for a segment or two. Having a bunch of 6-foot 11-inch monsters to swamp the lane will completely change the way other teams think about penetrating on the Kings.

It will be completely different than last year. And all for the good, I’d bet.

As the season progresses, I’d like to see if Garcia can develop into a solid two guard who is capable of earning premium minutes so that Evans can flourish as the point. Along with that, have Cousins move into the starting five and move Dalembert to the pine. He won’t be here next year, realistically, anyway, so get Cousins primed for the long haul next season. Maybe Whiteside can show he belongs over the course of the year. If so, that really makes for some exciting combinations on the floor.

At the end of the year, my dream lineup would be:

G Evans

G Garcia

F Casspi

F Thompson

C Cousins

They would then have Landry, Greene, Dalembert and even Whiteside waiting in the wings to cover the frontcourt. Udrih would be a spark plug off the bench if he got enough minutes – and he would.

Make no mistake about it – this is a season that will impact the Kings for several years to come. Will Evans continue his improvements and show that his leadership ability is not in question? Can Garcia go injury-free and finally live up to his potential? Will Cousins be a pro and take the coaching he will need to succeed? Is Casspi a starter, or will he be relegated to coming off the bench?

Lots of questions lie ahead. The path to improvement is a rocky road. The list of things that can go wrong is endless.

With a steady hand of guidance and the willingness of the guys to buy into Coach Westphal’s philosophy, this team looks better on paper than it has it many a moon.

Westphal can lead these players to the watering hole. Now let’s just hope that the guys are willing to drink the Kool-Aid.

The Court Jester would love your feedback. You agree, disagree or just plain think I'm crazy, please put your comments below and I will respond.

Fans Invited to see New-Look Kings

2010-09-23T22:37:47Z

On October 3 at 4 p.m, Kings fans will have their first opportunity to welcome the new group of Kings at ARCO Arena. It will be the first chance for you and your friends and or family to see the new talent in action.

Coach Paul Westphal and his assistants will be leading the full practice, including a full-court scrimmage between teammates. Unlike the Las Vegas Summer League, you will be able to see the 2010 Rookie of the Year play with his new teammate and potential 2011 Rookie of the Year, DeMarcus Cousins.

Admission is free and you won't have to worry about paying for parking. If you are interested in attending you will need to R.S.V.P.

If you haven't looked at the roster lately here are the players currently on the 2010-2011 Sacramento Kings roster:

17 Connor Atchley F-C 6-10 225 05/31/1985 Texas
18 Omri Casspi F 6-9 225 06/22/1988 Yavne, Israel
31 Joe Crawford G 6-5 207 06/17/1986 Kentucky
15 DeMarcus Cousins F-C 6-11 270 08/13/1990 Kentucky
10 Samuel Dalembert C 6-11 250 05/10/1981 Seton Hall
13 Tyreke Evans G 6-6 220 09/19/1989 Memphis
32 Francisco Garcia G-F 6-7 195 12/31/1980 Louisville
8 J.R. Giddens G 6-5 215 02/13/1985 New Mexico
20 Donte' Greene F 6-11 226 02/21/1988 Syracuse
9 Luther Head G 6-3 185 11/26/1982 Illinois
41 Darnell Jackson F 6-9 253 11/07/1985 Kansas
5 Eugene "Pooh" Jeter G 5-11 175 12/02/1983 Portland
24 Carl Landry F 6-9 248 09/19/1983 Purdue
42 Marcus Landry F 6-7 230 11/01/1985 Wisconsin
23 Donald Sloan G 6-3 205 01/15/1988 Texas A&M
34 Jason Thompson F 6-11 250 07/21/1986 Rider
19 Beno Udrih G 6-3 205 07/05/1982 Sempeter, Slovenia
33 Hassan Whiteside C 7-0 235 06/13/1989 Marshall
3 Antoine Wright F-G 6-7 215 02/06/1984 Texas A&M

The first chance you will have to see the Kings take on another NBA team will start the following week as the Kings prepare to take on the Phoenix Suns at ARCO on October 5.

The Court Jester - King's Training Camp & Preseason Preview - Pt. 1

2010-09-21T06:25:26Z

Every year at this time, a group of young NBA hopefuls gather at the Sacramento Kings’ training facility in an effort to impress the coaching staff enough to get a shot at their dream – making an NBA roster.

Usually, prospective players are brought in only to give the main roster someone to scrimmage against or in case someone goes down with an injury. The difference this year is that it looks like two of them have a real chance of making the team and getting playing time.

With 10 spots all but sealed-up, there should be some real competition going on during training camp and early in the preseason.

In this two-part look at what the Kings’ options appear to be in searching for the ultimate starting lineup, I will analyze who should be starting and why, and who should make the team from the group of young talent that is just drooling at a chance to make the roster.

With training camp starting next week, the 10 who will be on the team barring some major trade or injury situation are as folows.

At guard are Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans.

In the forward position, there are several players who are trying to show they deserve significant time on the floor: Omri Casspi, Francisco Garcia, Donte Greene, Carl Landry and Jason Thompson.

At center, they have DeMarcus Cousins, Samuel Dalembert and Hassan Whiteside. Eugene “Pooh” Jeter has signed a two-year deal with the second year not guaranteed, and Antoine Wright has signed for one year.

That’s 12 players with contracts. Knowing that Jeter and/or Wright could be waived and just paid off with little salary consequence, the last few spots on the opening-day roster will be up for grabs.

To date, the other training camp invitees are Connor Atchley, Joe Crawford, J.R. Giddens, Luther Head, Darnell Jackson and Donald Sloan. Out of those, only Sloan is guaranteed anything, and that is just $10,000. After watching Sloan during the Las Vegas Summer League, his showing was lackluster at best. I would bet he won’t make the final roster.

The Kings are in a rare situation as of late. Not having any real veterans who are assured to make the team is not the norm.

Since guys like Ime Udoka, Andres Nocioni and little-used Kenny Thomas are not around this campaign, someone in this group should get some significant playing time.

Sacramento really has only two point guards. Francisco Garcia can bring the rock up the floor, but I really don’t think that is the position the Kings want to put themselves in. He is a two guard at heart and really as good a small forward also. Unless Coach Paul Westphal falls in love with him or he’s setting the hoop on fire with made baskets during preseason, I don’t really see him getting the start on opening day (not counting Evans’ one-game suspension). Considering all that, we still must throw him in the mix to play quite a few minutes at one guard spot or the other. Going into the year with only two and a half guards is living on the edge.

So let’s accept the fact that we should hope that one of these point/shooting guard invitees play well enough to not only make the roster, but also have a chance of making a difference during the long season.

Let’s take a brief look at the contenders:

Joe Crawford, a guard out of Kentucky a few years back, had a very brief stint with the New York Knicks. He’s a 6-foot 5-inch shooting guard with decent hands. While on the Wildcats, he averaged 18 points and 3.4 assists per game his senior season. Director of Player Personnel Jerry Reynolds said Crawford is a good defender, but his offense was what he questioned.

J.R. Giddens, a shooting guard with a little NBA experience the last two years, was Mountain West Co-Player of the Year his senior year of college. Giddens offers a little bit of everything as his final season numbers reflect – 16.2 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and an astonishing .626 shooting percentage! It was the very good player in a good conference scenario.

Donald Sloan, the leading scorer from the New Mexico Aggies, didn’t do much in the previously mentioned summer league. Although he averaged 17.8 points per game in his last year in college, he failed to shine in Vegas. Some might say he got lost in the shuffle that can be the summer league. I say he got enough time to prove himself.

Take Jason Thompson’s younger brother Ryan, for example. He was also on the Kings’ summer roster and fared somewhat better. The younger Thompson averaged more points, rebounds and a better shooting percentage, all while getting a little less time on the floor. Having watched every game over the summer, it sure looked like Thompson had more to offer than Sloan. For the record, Thompson is looking to catch on with the San Antonio Spurs this season.

Pooh Jeter has been trying to get on with an NBA team since 2006. He had an outstanding summer run with the Cleveland Cavaliers averaging 14.4 points per game and 5.4 assists all while shooting an admirable 48 percent from the field. In the 2008-09 season, he played with ViveMenorca and Unicaja Málaga out of Spain and averaged 16 points, 3 assists and 3 boards while playing 32 minutes a game.

During the 2009-10 campaign, he was in Israel playing for Hapoel Jerusalem. Even though he only averaged about 10 minutes per game, he still put up almost 11 points per contest.

And last is Luther Head, the candidate with the most professional experience. Head has spent time with the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers since 2005. He averaged 7.6 points per game in only 17.3 minutes with Indiana last year and is a career 38 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

Not really an assist guy, Head could really add a boost from the outside. His magnus opus last season was a 30-point outburst on Dec. 30 against the Memphis Grizzlies. In that game, he also had seven rebounds, made all six free throws and sank four three-pointers. In all, Head scored more than 10 points in16 games. It seems that when given significant time on the court, Head can deliver. For his impact to be felt, he is going to need to average at least 20-25 minutes a night.

The competition is going to be fierce. There seems to not be enough room for more than one of them if we are to believe that the late summer acquisition of 6-foot 7-inch forward/guard Antoine Wright means anything. If Wright makes the squad, it will certainly only leave one unassigned spot.

Of course, the Kings, along with many other teams, find a way to keep an extra player or two just in case. And that method is known as the injured list. Considering that you can have up to three players on the list during the season, a team can really break camp with up to 15 players. Not very often will a team use all three spots. But usually you can’t look around the league without finding a player or three that come up with plantar fasciitis or some other unprovable injury that is just waiting his time for someone to really go down.

So, whom do you keep? Is it a critical question whose answer is going to mean the difference between a possible .500 season or making the playoffs? Realistically? I think probably not. Possibly? Yes, it could matter, and I’d feel better if a couple of these men grabbed the brass ring while they had the chance.

After all this information – it boils down to this. The Kings really need someone who can handle the ball. I think that cutting down on being third-worst in turnover ratio last year is more important than trying to increase the sixth-worst scoring average. Besides, most of this young team is only going to get better at the offensive game.

The Kings just flat out need another guard.

Evans is still young and may get into foul trouble on occasion. And Udrih is better off not playing starter-like minutes for the entire season. They really look like they need a guy who can run and pass and play some decent defense.

They may get lucky and be able to hold onto two of these guys if the injured reserve list works out for them. That would be the ideal. That way they could grab a guy who is more of a scorer to shore up the shooting guard position. Remember, this is based on that the Kings will not sign some well-known, semi-superstar right before the season starts or something else crazy.

In scouting this group of guys and assuming that none of them have really raised their game in the offseason, the Kings should grab the two guys who have the legitimate experience.

The real ball handler here is Jeter. This young man has busted his tail overseas for years now and finally deserves his shot. He can provide an even keel on the floor and will keep up with the rest of the guys on the break. He can deliver the ball nicely and will afford assured stability while on the hardwood. He really impressed in his stint during the summer, and his minutes should be limited, so there isn’t much concern here.

For the other guard spot, unless Crawford or Giddens really surprise, I think you need to run Luther Head out there. He could be a blessing in disguise, or he could be just about out of his 15 minutes of fame.

I think chemistry is going to be the question with him. Will he just be happy to be on an NBA roster again? One that really looks like it is on the "rise", so to speak? And will he gel with the younger stars on the roster? At this point, he really is a young veteran. Let’s give him a chance and see if he can fit in. He skill set is one that the team could really benefit from.

Head and Jeter are my picks to shore up the shortage of guards on the Kings.

I’m convinced that Head can come off the bench for 8-10 minutes maybe twice a game and put up some points. Maybe he won’t have quite as many rebounds, but kind of Bobby Jackson-like minutes, best-case scenario.

Jeter will be able to bring the ball up the court and get it to guys who are darting through the lane. His improved focus on passing the ball really showed during the summer. He ran circles around defenders and reminded me of a poor man’s version of Steve Nash.

They’re worth the gamble. If they don’t work out, the team can make a run without them or whoever ends up being our 11th and 12th men. The waiver wire is ready for the picking right before the season starts. We may even be surprised by who lands on waivers when preseason is over.

Once again, that’s why the Kings should give them the shot. They both work hard and have made improvements in their game. They offer what the Kings are truly lacking. No doubt about it, if they play the way they are capable of, they can help.

Coming soon in part two, I will take a brief look at the forwards and centers who are trying to show what they can offer. I will also examine the possible lineups the Kings will run out there and a couple that they probably won’t, but should.

Photos are Pooh Jeter and Luther Head

A close look at the Sacramento Kings 2010-2011 schedule

2010-08-17T23:15:41Z

For the past five seasons the Sacramento Kings have opened up the regular season on the road facing teams that were above .500 the previous year. This year they will again start on a three-game road-trip in late October, but won’t be playing the likes of Dallas, Houston or Orlando.

Instead, the Kings will travel to Minnesota, New Jersey and Cleveland – two of those teams are young, and the other team is in a downward spiral looking to stay afloat in the east after the departure of its superstar.

Besides their games against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and a game at Phoenix, the Kings have a pretty soft schedule to start the year.

With only one back-to-back game in November, the Kings will have enough time to become familiar with the new guys and mold as a unit.

Three games in November will be broadcast on national television.

The Lakers game on Nov. 3 will be on ESPN, the game on Nov. 21 will be shown on NBATV and the game against the Clippers on the 25th will be on TNT.

The Kings will start off December at the Staples Center taking on the Lakers and, the following night, playing Dallas.

After a game against the revamped Miami Heat, the Kings will go on a three-game road trip to Houston, New Orleans and Oklahoma City.

The ensuing five games will be at home, where they will take on teams that had a combined 44 percent win percentage.

The 2010 half of the season will be the easiest part of the 82-game schedule. If the Kings can stay healthy and out of trouble, they should be able to win about 12 or 13 games for that portion of the season.

At first glance, you might think sarcastically, oh great 12 wins, who do I call for season tickets? But if you compare that amount of wins to last year’s seven wins in the first 30 games, the improvement is obvious.

Just because their schedule may be a bit modest the first couple months doesn’t mean winning will come easy. They will still have to play well together and work hard on both ends of the floor.

Because you play the same teams the same amount of times each year, an easier schedule early on means the second half of the schedule will be even tougher.

Not only are 10 of the 16 games in January on the road, six pairings of games will be on back-to-back nights.

February won’t show them a lot of love either, with only two of their games being played against teams that didn’t make the playoffs last season.

The last two months of the regular season will be a bit kinder to the Kings.

In March, the Kings will play four straight at home, four on the road, then again four straight in ARCO Arena.

These were months that in recent years had Kings fans looking at the draft lottery, but this year they should hope for something different.

With a young team like the Kings have – the oldest players having eight and six years of experience – young guys like Tyreke Evans, Carl Landry and Jason Thompson will have to improve on their games while new guys like DeMarcus Cousins, Samuel Dalembert, and Hassan Whiteside will have to prove people wrong.

I don’t expect the Kings to make the playoffs, and neither should you, but a season in which there is no noticeable improvement based on their record and actual play would be a failure.

The Sacramento Kings won 25 games last year, and based on the improvements to their size and post-defense, along with another year of the core group of guys being together, the over/under for wins this year will be set at 34 wins.

Playoffs would be the ideal place for the Kings to be, but when you’re in a conference that had all eight of its playoff teams win 50 or more games, you have to realize your time for the playoffs will come, just not as soon as you’d like.

Pictures taken by Brendan Luna and myself.

Breaking down the new Kings roster

2010-08-04T16:56:39Z

What a difference one off-season makes. In a span of three months, the Sacramento Kings lost six players from last season’s roster and gained seven new players.

It’s a welcome change for a team that’s trying to climb back into the NBA playoffs after being absent the last four years.

Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie and the rest of the staff were busy this summer what the team’s transactions looks like:

Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Samuel Dalembert.
Drafted DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside.
Signed undrafted guard Donald Sloan.
Signed-and-traded Jon Brockman to the Milwaukee Bucks for Darnell Jackson and a 2011 second-round pick.
Signed Antoine Wright and Pooh Jeter.
Did not re-sign Dominic McGuire, Sean May and Ime Udoka.

Overall, the Kings drafted two players, traded for two players and signed three players.

The Kings returning players include Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih, Francisco García, Donté Greene, Omri Casspi, Carl Landry and Jason Thompson.

Head coach Paul Westphal has a new team to work with. Here's an early look at the team's roster:

Key

Positions: PG = Point guard. SG = Shooting guard. G = Both guard positions. SF = Small forward. PF = Power forward. F = Both forward positions. C = Center.

Statistical Categories: PPG = Points per game. RPG = Rebounds per game. APG = Assists. SPG = Steals. BPG = Blocks. MPG = Minutes. (SL) = 2010 Summer League.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Tyreke Evans, G, 6 feet 6 inches, 220 pounds, second year, 20.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.5 SPG.

Evans had a phenomenal rookie season. Not only did he win the Rookie of the Year award, he became the fourth player to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in his first season.

Only 20 years old, he was able to take more shots at the rim per game than any player in the NBA, averaging 8.3 attempts. He averaged five made shots per game at the rim, tying LeBron James at first place.

What’s missing from his offensive repertoire is a jump shot, which is one of his focuses during the summer. If he develops a consistent jumper in his NBA career, he will be unguardable one on one.

An ankle injury knocked him out of contention for the Team USA roster for the FIBA World Championships in Turkey, but he will be ready to go when training camp begins.

Carl Landry, F, 6 feet 9 inches, 248 pounds, fourth year, 16.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG.

Traded to the Kings last season from the Houston Rockets, Landry, 26, is training this off-season to be able to defend the small forward position. At his height he may be an undersized power forward, but he’s proven to be an effective one.

He’s an efficient scorer who can finish at the rim with a dunk, a skill the Kings haven't had in a while. Landry's size and quickness enables him to get past defenders and to the basket.

He also has a good mid-range jump shot inside the arc. He doesn’t rebound the ball well, but the additions of Cousins and Dalembert well fill that void.

Landry is in the last year of his contract, so he should pick up his play like any player looking to land a big payday next summer. Living in a house instead of a hotel room should help too.

Beno Udrih, G, 6 feet 3 inches, 205 pounds, seventh year, 12.8 PPG, 4.6 APG, 1.1 SPG.

Udrih ,28, made an unbelievable 180-degree turn in his performance. He went from his worst season in 2008-09 to his best season in the next.

In the 2008-09 season, his scoring decreased and his turnovers increased, but he enjoyed a career year the season after. He also proved the he could stay healthy, missing only three games last season.

He shot well from just about everywhere on the court, shooting 49.3 percent from the field, tying the New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul for No. 3 in the NBA among guards.

He was also No. 4 in two-point field goal percentage among guards at 53 percent.

His shooting gives him the ability to play both guard positions while Evans is on the floor, and as he enters his third season, it would be a welcome sight for him to improve on his success.

Jason Thompson, PF/C, 6 feet 11 inches, 250 pounds, third year, 13.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1 BPG.

A surprise lottery pick in 2008 by the Kings, Thompson, 24, had a great first two months last season, averaging 15.3 PPG and 9.2 RPG. His play, however, became sporadic, averaging 10.6 PPG and 8 RPG the rest of the season.

Injuring his back and losing the starting power forward job to Landry didn't help either, but he's a potential double-double machine in the future.

Thompson has shown that he can score the ball and rebound and stay healthy throughout the season. He's only missed five games due to injury in his career. He played in all 82 games in his rookie season.

He rebounds the ball well and has a good mid-range jumper, but he needs to work on it from certain areas of the floor.

Through only two seasons, Thompson has shown that he can be an effective player in the NBA.

Omri Casspi, F, 6 feet 9 inches, 224 pounds, second season, 10.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG.

Casspi, 22, came in as a surprise in the NBA. He became the first Israeli to play in the league, the team's best small forward and a superstar back home.

Casspi has shown that he shoot from the wings beyond the arc and on the inside, although his shooting on the left of the basket needs help.

He had a hot start, but fatigue set in as the season progressed. Casspi will have to improve his conditioning to stay on the floor longer.

He’ll also have to improve his free throw shooting, which is odd considering he shoots well from everywhere else on the floor.

Casspi said he feels stronger, having gained 15 pounds, and now weighs 224 pounds, though he's listed at 225 pounds on the roster. His strength gain gives him confidence that he can even guard power forwards.

Recently, Casspi had a sensational game playing for the Israeli national team against Great Britain. He posted 27 points, five rebounds, four steals and five blocks in his team's 86-82 win.

Israel is trying to qualify for EuroBasket 2011.

Donté Greene, F, 6 feet 11 inches, 226 pounds, third season, 8.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.7 BPG.

Traded to the Kings in the summer of 2008 from the Houston Rockets, Greene, 22, has shown progress from his rookie season with the Kings. With the exception of free throw percentage, his stats went up across the board.

He also opted to shoot more shots inside the arc instead of catching and shooting for a three-pointer. He spent time at the shooting guard and power forward positions last season, but he's best suited to play at small forward.

His length and mobility allows him to guard those three positions. He's noticeably taller than the he was the season before as well.

Despite his height and athleticism, he rebounds the ball poorly, but the additions of Cousins and Dalembert will make his rebounding a non-priority.

He and Casspi will battle for the starting small forward job in training camp, but it's a battle that will be good for them and the team.

Francisco García, SG/SF, 6 feet 7 inches, 195 pounds, sixth season, 8.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG.

Drafted in 2005 by the Kings, García, 29, is the last player remaining from the 2006 playoff team, which shows how much the team has changed since he was a rookie.

In the 2009 preseason, he broke his right wrist in a freak weightlifting accident that limited him to 25 games last season. He's missed 74 games in the past two seasons.

Only time will tell if García can play like he did in the season before and be a valuable shooter off the bench.

He made a few key three-point shots in late-game situations in his breakout 2007-08 season and filled in well during the absence of Kevin Martin and Ron Artest.

Even during his own absence on the court last season, García was Casspi's mentor off the court and is known as a vocal leader on the team.

He'll be hoping to take his vocal skills next season not only in the locker room but on the court as well.

THE NEW GUYS

DeMarcus Cousins, C/PF, 6 feet 11 inches, 270 pounds, rookie, 14.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.2 BPG (SL).

There’s no other way to put it. Cousins was a beast in the Las Vegas Summer League.

He showed a variety of skills: scoring in the post, in multiple ways, and from mid-range, rebounding, defending, passing and running the floor. It's no wonder he likes how Pau Gasol plays.

He even hit a game-winning hook shot with 2.9 seconds left in his fourth game. His conditioning came into question after he was noticeably tired, and his performance faltered after playing six games in seven nights.

His on-court maturity has been brought up even before he was drafted, but most forget that he's only 19 years old, turning 20 this month.

His play earned him Rookie of the Month honors for the month of July and turned a lot of heads, including Nike. If he plays like he did in summer league, there no doubt that he will be in the running in the Rookie of the Year race.

Cousins made it clear that he wanted next year's ROY award, and he wants to help the Kings win. Luckily, he has Evans to learn from about the ROY race.

With Evans' ability to get to the basket and Cousins' size and skills around the rim, the duo could be a force in the NBA for a very long time.

Samuel Dalembert, C, 6 feet 11 inches, 250 pounds, ninth season, 8.1 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.8 BPG.

Dalembert, 29, is a big man who’s a defensive specialist. He is one of the best rebounders and shot blockers in the NBA, something the Kings needed the most.

His offensive game is limited to alley-oops and cleanup shots, but he said he was never called to do anything more. It's understandable while he was playing with scorers like Allen Iverson and Andre Iguodala and shooters like Kyle Korver his whole career.

For at least one season, he will have players like Evans and Landry to pick up the scoring load while he does what he does best - playing defense - because that's what he was brought in for.

It's what he's known for around the league.

Like Landry, Dalembert is in a contract year. His play should be at its peak this season to ensure himself that he gets one more big contract.

Antoine Wright, SF/SG, 6 feet 7 inches, 215 pounds, sixth season, 6.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG.

Wright, 26, was one of the last serviceable swingmen in free agency, signing a one-year deal. He can defend shooting guards and small forwards and can shoot the long-range two-pointer.

Basically, he’s Ime Udoka’s replacement, only six years younger.

Playing for a bad Toronto Raptors team, he shot 43 percent within 16-23 feet of the basket. While playing for the playoff-bound Dallas Mavericks the season before, he shot 48 percent from the same distance.

Wright is good insurance if a shooting guard or small forward goes down to injury. It's always good to fill out the positions on the roster. It's better to have an emergency kit you never use than to need one and not have it.

Hassan Whiteside, PF/C, 7 feet, 235 pounds, rookie, 6.8 PPG, 5 RPG, 2.3 BPG (SL).

Whiteside dropped to the Kings in the second round, where they took him at No. 33. A long, lean, athletic shot blocker, he’s a project player who's only 21 years old.

He’s shown athleticism and some offensive prowess on his post moves, which he has worked on with Hakeem Olajuwon, but he’ll need to gain some muscle to be an even more effective player.

However, gaining weight means that he may lose some athleticism.

He’s in trusted hands with coaches Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Truck Robinson and now Cousins' high school coach and the Kings' new assistant coach, Otis Hughley, to help guide him in his first NBA year.

If he adds muscle and polishes his offensive moves, he’ll be a valuable asset for the Kings moving forward

Pooh Jeter, PG, 5 feet 11 inches, 175 pounds, rookie, 14. PPG, 5.4 APG, 1 SPG (SL).

Jeter, 26, played well in Vegas with the Cleveland Cavaliers and previously played in Ukraine, Spain and Israel.

He hit the game-winning three-pointer with 6.9 seconds left against the Chicago Bulls, finishing with 20 points and 7 assists for the game.

While playing in Israel Jeter has shown to be a good on-ball defender, a good shooter and a good floor general. He needs to improve his close outs on shooters and his small size puts him and a disadvantage, but he's only a back-up point guard.

Jeter had played on the Kings’ preseason roster in 2006 and on their summer league team in 2007, but his play this year earned him a one-year deal with the Kings.

Donald Sloan, PG, 6 feet 3 inches, 205 pounds, rookie, 3 PPG, 1 APG (SL).

Although the Kings had interest in him before the draft and signed the 22-year-old to a one-year deal afterward, Sloan did little in summer league to convince the Kings he deserved it.

Sloan was unimpressive in Vegas but he could be on the training camp roster. Reportedly, only $10,000 of Sloan's contract is guaranteed. Maybe that’s why the team brought in Jeter.

The Kings have had mixed results bringing in undrafted point guards at the beginning of the season.

Although they brought in Ronnie Price, who has an established role with the Utah Jazz, Mustafa Shakur has had trouble staying and playing on rosters since they brought him in 2007, and Bobby Brown, who signed in 2008, has seen four teams in two seasons.

Sloan looks to be heading the way of Shakur.

Darnell Jackson, PF, 6 feet 9 inches, 253 pounds, third season, 0.8 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 4.4 MPG.

Jackson was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks for Jon Brockman. At 6 feet 9 inches, Jackson is an undersized power forward whose contract is completely non-guaranteed.

He could be waived by the team at any time for any reason, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he stuck around for training camp. After all, he did pick out No. 41 as his uniform number.

After being drafted by the Miami Heat and traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers the same day, Jackson has seen little floor time in his career. He only played one game for the Bucks after he signed with them.

Looking at all of the new players the Kings have acquired, it's a dramatic change from last season's team, especially from the team the Kings started with at the beginning of the season.

Kings Roster Early November 2009:

C - Spencer Hawes, Kenny Thomas

PF - Jason Thompson, Jon Brockman, Sean May

SF - Desmond Mason, Andres Nocioni, Omri Casspi, Donté Greene

SG - Kevin Martin, Francisco García

PG - Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih, Sergio Rodriguez

Kings' Roster May 2010:

C - Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson

PF - Carl Landry, Jon Brockman, Sean May

SF - Andres Nocioni, Omri Casspi, Donté Greene, Dominic McGuire

SG - Tyreke Evans, Ime Udoka, Francisco García

PG - Beno Udrih

Kings Roster August 2010:

C - Samuel Dalembert, DeMarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside

PF - Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Darnell Jackson

SF - Omri Casspi, Donté Greene

SG - Tyreke Evans, Francisco García, Antoine Wright

PG - Beno Udrih, Pooh Jeter, Donald Sloan

With this roster, the Kings most likely won't make the 2011 playoffs in the highly competitive Western Conference, but the team is taking a step in the right direction.

Ryan Thompson, Jason's younger brother, could be part of the roster too. He was invited to the Kings' training camp this fall, but he's still considering other options.

With a lot of cap space available and an impending lockout next summer, the Kings could be in position to makes some significant moves next summer.

The last time the Kings became competitive in the West was during the NBA Lockout of 1998, when they drafted Jason Williams, traded for Chris Webber and signed Vlade Divac.

After that, the Kings were pretty good and only got better.

Until they do become playoff contenders, the Kings have to build their team, but they've got some good pieces to start with.

Donté Greene photo by Johnathan Mendick.

Rest of the photos by Rob Small.

Kings prepare for Vegas Summer League

2010-07-10T04:33:21Z

Now that the LeBron talk has settled, and we know he isn’t coming to Sacramento, we can put all our attention and focus on the young group of guys we’ve got going into next year.

The Kings’ draft selections, DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside, stepped on the court Friday at the Kings practice facility to show the coaching staff what they have. Although Cousins and Whiteside showed in college that they’ve got the athleticism and talent to be drafted by an NBA team, many of the players at the practice facility are trying to prove their worth and find a spot on the Kings' roster.

Even though it isn’t mandatory that they play in the Summer League, Omri Casspi and Donte Greene joined the rookies before they head to Las Vegas.

“I’m a veteran now, so I just try to come out show some leadership,” said Greene. “I could have chosen to work out (during the summer) and not play, but I wanted to come out and show the coaches that I’m ready for the starting job and keep it for the whole season.”

Greene, who was drafted in 2008 by the Houston Rockets, stood out in the Summer League in his rookie season, averaging 22.6 points per game in Las Vegas and finishing the league second in scoring.

Although the players may be fighting for a spot, their performance in Sin City will be scouted by other teams as well. Greene played Summer League ball for Houston but a few months later was traded to Sacramento in a deal with Ron Artest. Last season, shooting guard Wesley Matthews had a spot on the Kings Summer League squad but got substantial minutes from the Utah Jazz during the season.

Casspi, who is petitioning for the same spot as Greene, started working out in Vegas on June 1. Casspi was trying to get bigger. It was obvious how hard he hit the dreaded "rookie wall" last year. How Omri and Greene play in Vegas may determine who will join Tyreke Evans and the rest of the starting five come fall.

Cousins may be another player contending for a starting spot. He was taken in the top five, but the opportunity for the 6-foot-11, 270-pounder to start in October is there. His first test will come Monday, when he goes up against live competition.

“All the talk, all the negative, that’s my fire,” said Cousins. “I think what we’re trying to focus on this year is being a lot tougher and more defensive.”

That mindset is a first for the Sacramento Kings. Adding Evans, Jon Brockman and Casspi in last year’s draft planted the idea that the Kings may become a stronger, meaner team. They drafted tougher and taller with this year’s picks of Cousins and Whiteside.

Both players displayed their ability to use their height, and Cousins, that he could use his weight. He showed everyone that he was the strongest player; he pushed other players around and got to the paint pretty easily.

Cousins also showcased a smooth stroke from 17 feet. Midway through practice, Whiteside exhibited his athleticism and 7-foot-8 arm span, when he pulled the ball from what seemed to be the rafters and dunked it hard. Whiteside did a good job of protecting the rim in drills, blocking shots in one-on-one drills and in the scrimmage.

Assistant Coach Mario Elie led the practice and will be head coach in Las Vegas.

“It was a great day today, we got a great group of kids,” he said after practice Friday morning. “What DeMarcus did was so impressive today with his rebounding, his passing, playing a scrimmage game, telling his coach that he wants the ball down the stretch, making plays. I’m real excited about having him this summer. I’m not saying that everyone else didn’t play well today, but DeMarcus really stood out in my eyes.”

Other players also stood out.

Lee Cummard, a 6-foot-7 guard/forward out of BYU,made a handful of threes in drills. Cummard also stayed a few minutes after the rest of the players went into the locker room, working on free throws.

Sylven Landesburg and Dionte Christmas didn’t play well early on, but looked a lot better in the second half of the morning practice. Landesburg showed an ability to get to the rim, similar to that of Tyreke, while Christmas showed his shooting ability by making a few long-distance jumpers. The chance for one of these players to make the roster is there but it is a spot that won’t come easy.

Ryan Thompson, brother of Kings forward Jason Thompson, was unable to practice because he left Friday morning from Orlando. Thompson is a step ahead of his teammates as he just finished Summer League play in Orlando for the Boston Celtics, where he averaged just over 9 points per game. He is another player who could be that last guard added to the Kings.

“We’ve got a pretty intelligent group. These guys are picking (the offensive and defensive schemes) up very quick. They know what’s at stake," Elie said. "We have roster spots, so they know we’re one of the teams that, if they have a good showing, they may get invited to training camp.”

Newest Kings arrive in Sacramento

2010-06-27T16:19:50Z

At this time last year many were mourning the loss of Michael Jackson and Billy Mays as well as digesting the draft pick of Tyreke Evans. Before last year's draft, many fans had their eyes on Ricky Rubio, who has yet to play a minute with an NBA team.

This year was different. Kings President of Basketball Operations had his eyes on the same player as most Kings fans. That man was Kentucky forward DeMarcus Cousins.

“I think in DeMarcus, we got an exceptional talent at the center position. He’s going to get us great size and skill in that post,” said Petrie. “He’s an outstanding passer, and we’re just really excited to add him into the frontcourt we have now with Samuel, Carl and Jason,”

At Kentucky, Cousins established himself as a top pick in the draft by scoring 15 points per game and close to 10 boards a game. Cousins was a first-team All-American and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. Whiteside boasted strong statistics as well, averaging 13.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg and blocked an average of 5.4 blocks a contest.

With the Kings’ second round selection the Kings drafted Marshall center Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside is a legitimate 7-footer who poses a presence down low to opposing centers because of his combination of size and athleticism. After the draft, both Petrie and Westphal talked about the new additions to the Sacramento Kings.

“With Hassan, we had him in here twice for workouts. Great athlete, still needs to learn how to play some and mature a little bit, but he shoots the ball very well, he has an incredible knack for blocking shots off the ball and he’s somebody that we’re really looking forward to working with.”

“We went from a team that really scrapped to hold our own on the boards, to a big team. I think that adding size has been very important when we look at the teams we have to compete against in the West,” said coach Westphal. “Portland and the Lakers in particular, and you can go down the list. We were giving up size every game, and we have got some answers to size now that we can try out with these guys. It’s really nice.”

On Saturday both rookies went on tour; first meeting Petrie , coach Westphal and Sacramento media at ARCO Arena to welcome them to their new home.

“This is the place I wanted to be,” said Cousins. “I am very happy to be here. I hope I can come in here and contribute to the team and help the team get some wins and toughness.”

The questions as to the red flags of Cousins were quickly answered by Petrie.

“We did a lot of background on DeMarcus. We had him out here for visits, we spent time with him, we interviewed him in Chicago and had a very lengthy interview there,” said Petrie. “We spent a lot of time talking with people that have been involved with him throughout his development as a young player, starting back in junior high school and high school. People that have no real particular axe to grind or anything to gain by what they say or they don’t say. I think the message that came back was very consistent.”

Next stop on tour was a trip to Roseville where the new players were greeted by a large group of ecstatic Kings Fans, and no the dry heat did not quiet down the crowd. The Sacramento Kings Dance Team, Kings Breakers and Slamson were also a part of the Kings Rookie Rally. Some fans were in University of Kentucky gear while others were already wearing the number 15 of DeMarcus Cousins.

At this time next year you may find a similar scene. The scene being that our most recent selection was a top rookie in his class and ultimately the Rookie of the Year. There is a lot more pressure riding on this season as expectations will be higher.

Las Vegas Summer League

In a few weeks, the teams younger players will be off to Vegas for the Las Vegas Summer League from July 9-18. Along with Cousins and Whiteside will be a few undrafted rookies. One rookie being Ryan Thompson, younger brother to Kings forward Jason Thompson who the Kings drafted with the 12th pick in 2008. Ryan is a 6-foot-6 guard who worked out with the Kings a few weeks ago.

Other additions to the Kings Summer League roster were Tennessee forward Wayne Chism and Virginia guard Sylven Landesberg. Jon Brockman, Donte Greene and Omri Casspi are also expected to join the team in Vegas for some early NBA action.

Kings host six draft prospects at practice facility

2010-05-14T05:13:41Z

The Sacramento Kings welcomed six college seniors hoping to make the jump into the NBA this summer.

Jerome Randle from UC Berkeley (Cal), Houston's Aubrey Coleman, Kansas State's Denis Clemente, South Carolina's Devan Downey, Tasmin Mitchell from LSU and Michighan State's Raymar Morgan are preparing for the 2010 NBA Draft, competing for a spot on one of the league's 30 team rosters.

Six other players, including the Kings' Jason Thompson's brother and Rider product Ryan and Seattle University's Charles Garcia, dropped by the practice facility on Tuesday.

Out of the six players who participated in today's workout, Randle, who played about 80 miles away from Sacramento, is the only player who is projected to be drafted in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft. The rest are projected to be undrafted.

Randle averaged 18.6 points and 4.3 assists per game last season. He played with current Magic forward Ryan Anderson. Anderson played at Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills two years ago. Although Randle said his role at Cal was to score, he wants to lead a team as a point guard.

"I'm really comfortable," the speedy guard said about being a leader on the court. "One thing is you have to take your time. A lot of people just want to speed up the game. If you just take your time and take it possession by possession, I feel like I'll be alright.”

Coleman led the nation in scoring, finished second in steals per game and shot an average of 15 free throws attempts last season. Although he's listed at six-feet-four-inches, he fits the mold of undersized shooting guards in the NBA like Eric Gordon of the L.A. Clippers, O.J. Mayo of the Memphis Grizzlies and Ben Gordon of the Detroit Pistons.

Coleman, however, was tired after flying from a workout with the Miami Heat across the country.

"The Heat, they really wanted to see if we were in shape," he said. "This workout was a little lighter than the Heat’s was."

Coleman was the top scorer in NCAA college basketball last season, scoring 25.6 points per game, and finished second in steals with 2.7 per game. He also rebounded the ball well for his height with 7.4 rebounds per game.

Although he was one of the best scorers in the nation, Coleman said he could set up his teammates as well and that he'd fit well with the Kings.

"I'm a playmaker when my shot's not falling," he said. "I lead the nation scoring and No.2 in steals, and I (rebound) too. I took a look at this team, and I think they could use a scorer."

Clemente, a Puerto Rican native, was the second-leading scorer for the Wildcats, averaging 16.6 points and 4.2 assists per game. He said he models his game like fellow Puerto Rican and Dallas Mavericks guard Jose Barea and Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis.

"I want to be there," Clemente said about making the NBA. "To be there, you've got to work, you've got to be dedicated to play basketball. I'm ready to be at this level."

Clemente is familiar with Kings swingman Francisco Garcia, who is from the Dominican Republic.

"That's an inspiration for me to see somebody who came from the (Caribbean islands) and play in the NBA," he said.

There are 450 roster spots in the NBA and most of them are already taken. If any prospects aren't drafted this summer, they still have a chance to make a roster by playing for a team in a summer league or surviving a training camp roster in the Fall. They can also try out for a National Basketball Developmental League team as well and hope to be called upon by its NBA affiliate.

Just because a player doesn't land on a roster before the season starts doesn't mean his career is over. Former King and current Chicago Bulls player Brad Miller was not drafted in the 1998 NBA Draft, and he played in Italy.

The Charlotte Hornets, now in New Orleans, picked him up as a free agent after the NBA season began. Later in his career, he became one of the only five undrafted players in history to play in the NBA All-Star Game. He played in back-to-back all-star games from 2003-04 with the Pacers and Kings, respectively.

Sacramento is one of many stops across the country for these prospects. Maybe one of them might be back to play at Arco Arena, right next door to the practice facility where they were trying to make that dream a reality.

Kings streaking comes to an end

2010-04-09T06:49:05Z

The last time the Sacramento Kings faced the Los Angeles Clippers, they won. That game was the last win the Kings had before the losing streak began.

The Kings snapped a five-game losing streak at Arco and an eight-game losing streak overall.

The Sacramento Kings (25-54) beat the Los Angeles Clippers (27-52), 116-94.

In the last contest between these two teams, Beno Udrih recorded his first triple-double the game after Tyreke Evans went down with his concussion in Milwaukee. Udrih played well tonight, but he didn’t have to do nearly as much as the last time these teams met.

The Kings got the lead early, having a 33-27 lead after the first quarter. Evans had 10 points in the first, and Jason Thompson added eight.

The Kings didn’t slow down in the second quarter, scoring 30 while keeping the Clippers to 20 points.

In the third quarter the Clippers made a run and were able to cut the 19-point-lead to single digits. Chris Kaman and Drew Gooden chipped away at the lead after they began to make open shots and penetrate down low.

Kings Head Coach Coach Paul Westphal called a timeout, and that was the end of the Clippers’ run.

The Clippers scored just four points in the first 5:57 of the fourth quarter. At that point the Kings had the win in their grasp, as they had a 104-80 lead.

“That was a nice picture of how we want to play,” Westphal said after the game. “I’m pleased that our guys have kept their focus and kept their intensity and could come out and play that efficiently.”

The Kings shot 54 percent and out-rebounded the Clippers 47 to 32.

Thompson and Carl Landry combined for 36 points and 25 rebounds. It was one of the better games the two have played together.

Evans had his jumper going tonight, shooting 12 for 19 and scoring 28. He also added 7 assists and 6 boards.

“We’ve been struggling playing some tough teams,” Evans said. “We played (other teams) good, but down the stretch we couldn’t come out and get the win, but this one we didn’t let up.”

Different Night, Same Result

2010-04-07T19:14:22Z

In one hand we have a team that has been in the playoffs the last twelve years and is getting ready for the playoffs as the regular season comes to an end.

In the other hand we have a team that will not be in the playoffs and hasn’t been in the playoffs since 2005-2006. Until the 4th quarter you would not have been able to tell which team was which.

The Sacramento Kings (24-54) hosted the San Antonio Spurs (48-29) on Bobby Jackson night at Arco Arena.

It was a night that celebrated the career of a player who brought many memories to Sacramento and their fans. One of those memories is the 6th Man of the Year award, which is given to the best player off the bench in the NBA.

Being that the night focused on the fruitful times of the Sacramento Kings past; showing old clips of the team and video of former Kings wishing luck to number 24, there was hope that the Kings would break the current losing streak.

That hope held on until the 4th quarter when San Antonio kept going and the Kings did not.

The Kings kept it close until then. Both teams scoring 18 in the first quarter and 29 in the second.

Donte Greene had a big second-quarter, scoring 12 points and making the first four shots of the quarter.

Sean May was also productive in the first half, shooting 5 for 6 and scoring 10 points.

The problem was both players finished the game with the same amount of points they scored in the first half.

It seemed as though Manu Ginobli was in control of the game.

“(Ginobli) decided to let us hang around until we weren’t going to be able to hang around anymore,” said Coach Westphal after the game. Although Ginobli only scored 5 points in the first-half, he finished strong with 11 in the fourth-quarter.

Tim Duncan and Antonio McDyess recorded double doubles and Richard Jefferson led the Spurs with 18 points.

Former King Garrett Temple also played well filling in for Tony Parker, who sat out the last 16 games because of an injury to his hand. Temple scored 15 points and had 4 assists.

“We were sorry to see him go,” said Westphal. “We were impressed with Garrett and wanted to keep him around but he saw a better opportunity there particularly for a team going to the playoffs. He caught on and he’s done a nice job for them, I’m happy to see that for him.”

Evans and Landry led the game in scoring, combining for 42 of the Kings 86 total points. Only 14 of the 39 second half points came from someone besides Evans or Landry. Three of those points came from a late three by Jason Thompson. It was the first three of his career.

Evans finished the game with 22 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Evans now needs 79 points and 1 rebound in the last four games of the season to reach the 20-5-5 mark.

This historic mark that is thought to ensure a Rookie of the Year award for Evans, would be the first major award given to a Kings player since Jackson won his Sixth Man of the Year award in 2003.

Kings players help renovate North Roseville R.E.C. Center

2010-04-05T06:30:51Z

The Sacramento Kings had the day off Friday but instead of relaxing, players were hard at work refurbishing the North Roseville R.E.C. Center as part of the seventh annual Cesar Chavez Day of Volunteerism. It was sponsored by Maloof Sports & Entertainment in partnership with Wells Fargo.

The wet and windy weather did not put a damper on anyone’s spirits, including the Kings and the kids at the center.

The team's generosity showed inside the center and out in the form of the Kings Reading and Learning Center and new landscape players put in Friday. The basketball court also was renovated, for which the Kings donated official NBA-size rims.

After the work was done, festivities kicked off with a ribbon cutting. Wells Fargo officials Rich Cwynar and Chevo Ramirez, and Machel Miller, executive director of North Roseville R.E.C. Center, thanked those who helped with the renovation. When Ramirez presented Miller with a surprise check for $10,000, it was a special moment.

Rookie Kings guard Tyreke Evans then cut the ribbon and opened the center.

Evans said he was happy to see the kids' reaction to him and the other players, and to see the impact they had on the youngsters.

“Just coming out and seeing the kids’ faces and their smiles meant a lot to me,” he said. “Coming out here and helping out was the right thing to do.”

Kings center Jason Thompson entertained the kids, hoisting a piñata for them to hit.

“Being able to help out this community and having this kind of opportunity to interact with our fans is a great thing,” he said. “I remember when we were helping out putting together the courts, putting in the new computers and just seeing the kids’ smiles on their faces afterward was amazing.”

Kings forward Francisco Garcia said that he had a personal connection with some of the kids at the center, which serves a large Hispanic population.

“It was definitely nice to reach out to the Hispanic community here,” Garcia said. “It’s great to be an example for Hispanics and to have a positive influence on the kids here.”

Ramirez said that it was a privilege to partner with Maloof Sports & Entertainment to reach out to this community and neighborhood.

“A lot of these kids out here have single parents or parents who are unemployed, so this is a great thing to have for them.” he said.

Ramirez highlighted one of the renovations that enhance learning.

“With the new garden that was put in, the kids can now learn to plant and grow their own vegetables, eat them and learn how to eat healthier,” he said.

Miller said that an important part of the day was having the kids meet the players.

“People say I spoil my kids, but the thing is, I strive to give these kids things they would never be able to get,” she said. “Being able to get free tickets to take the kids to the games means a lot because they can’t afford it and probably don’t have any transportation to get there.”

Miller said that the Kings’ work on the renovation meant a lot to her.

“It’s not just the work that they put in, but just the fact that they put aside time and have Slamson (Kings mascot) out here is great,” she said. “When you’re at a game looking down at the players, you’d never be able to meet them and for the players to come out here and make an impact is something special.”

Ramirez credited Miller for her hard work and dedication in making the North Roseville R.E.C. Center flourish.

“Machel is out here every single day helping these kids out," he said. "That’s the way to do what’s right for the community.”

Photo Credit: Jay Canter Photography, www.jaycanter.com

Roy shows possible R.O.Y how it's done

2010-04-04T17:47:20Z

After being on the road the last six games, the Sacramento Kings were able to be back in Arco, playing in an environment they are use to. Unfortunately the outcome was something they were used to on the road as well.

The Sacramento Kings (24-53), who were trying to avoid a season high seventh consecutive loss, hosted the playoff-bound Portland Trail Blazers (47-30), who finished with a record of 11-2 in March.

Many eyes were on R.O.Y candidate Tyreke Evans before the game, as he approaches the historic 20-5-5 mark. During the game the other Roy was the one who stood out. The 2006-07 Rookie of the Year, Brandon Roy, showed the value of a few years experience. The Trail Blazers beating the Kings, 98-87.

Brandon Roy led the game in scoring, shooting 8 for 14 and scoring 24. Evans only contributed 6 points on 2 of 12 shooting.

In 66 games this year Evans has scored in single figures only four times.

Even with Evans’ struggles the Kings were able to keep within reach…until the fourth-quarter. Forward Nicolas Batum made consecutive three’s late in the fourth to bury the Kings.

The Kings were unable to score in the last 3:06.

After the game Roy still had good things to say about Evans. “I think (Stephen) Curry has had a good year, but the (award) goes to Tyreke. It’s hard to reach 20-5-5 in this league. Curry did a good job of pushing him and at the end of the day Tyreke will get the nod."

Four players on the Trail Blazers starting five had 20 points or more, Batum and LeMarcus Aldridge adding 21, Andre Miller scoring 23 and Roy tallying 24. Marcus Camby was the only starter on the Trailblazers to score in single digits, scoring 2 while grabbing 15 boards.

Although Evans didn’t have a night that he could put on his R.O.Y resume, other Kings played well enough to stay in reach of the Trailblazers.

Beno Udrih had a team high 22 points, dished out 6 assists and added 7 rebounds. Udrih has played well recently averaging 18.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 9.6 apg in his last nine games.

Jason Thompson who started at center due to a season ending injury to Spencer Hawes, had a good game as well, scoring 18 points and blocking four shots. Carl Landry had a team high 9 rebounds scored 14 points. Omri Casspi, who was out the last two games because of a virus, produced off the bench, scoring 13 points on 5-9 shooting.

“The Kings played hard, they didn’t go away like a team that made due with not being in the playoffs,” said Roy in an interview after the game. “It wasn’t pretty but we got it done.”

The Trail Blazers have had the Kings’ number this year, as the Kings fall to 0-4 in the season series. Evans’ impact in this game was similar to his last game against Portland where he only scored 10.

“I don’t think (Tyreke) will necessarily have trouble against anybody because he is such a good player,” said Coach Westphal in his post-game press conference. “Certainly the combination of Batum and Camby and no free-throw’s makes it kind of tough.”

Evans Back, Kings Still Lack

2010-03-31T02:56:35Z

Even with rookie guard Tyreke Evans back on the floor for the Sacramento Kings (24-51), they fell short to the Indiana Pacers (27-47), 102-95.

Although the Kings started off hot, taking a 15 point lead in the first half, the pendulum swung towards the Pacers in the second.

After being out 5 games with the concussion he suffered in Milwaukee, Tyreke Evans made it seem as though another triple-double was in the making. While only scoring four points in the first half, Evans grabbed 5 rebounds and dished out 8 dimes.

Jason Thompson was able to produce coming off the bench, leading the team in scoring with 14 points as well as 4 rebounds.

The second half was a different story.

While the Kings were only able to put 14 on the board in the third quarter, forward Danny Granger scored 25 points in the second half. Granger made 13 of 20 field goals and sank 4 three’s, finishing the game with 33 points.

“It’s not surprising that Granger could go off, he’s been doing that to everybody,” said coach Westphal. “But it’s still disappointing that we didn’t do a better job of controlling him and executing our offense.”

The Kings had 16 turnovers and Tyreke added 7 to that total.

Although Jon Brockman and Tyreke Evans were able to play tonight, the injuries continued. Francisco Garcia (wrist), Sean May (knee), Dominic McGuire (foot), and Omri Casspi sat out due to illness. Dominic McGuire sustained his foot injury in Cleveland and will be out the remainder of the season.

“It’s unfortunate that we have so many guys hurt, it’s tough being short handed,” said Brockman before the game. “You know were just gonna fight like we fought all year and go out and give it our best shot.”

Tonight was one of those nights where their best shot wasn’t enough.

Even with three players contributing double-double's (Evans, Thompson, and Landry), the lull had in the third quarter is what led to the loss.

The Kings take on the Timberwolves tomorrow night in Minnesota, hoping to make it win number three in their season series.

Lakers show Kings how it's done

2010-03-17T19:50:52Z

There were undeniable truths when watching the Kings lose 106-99 Tuesday night to the Los Angeles Lakers at Arco Arena before a sellout crowd of 17,361.

In many ways, the defending champions were everything the Kings could hope to become. As a unit, the long, athletic Lakers knew where to go on the court, when and how to get there and what to do when presented opportunities.

Following a win the night before in Oakland against the Golden State Warriors, Kobe Bryant opened the game against the Kings super-aggressively with 12 first-quarter field-goal attempts. He helped set the tone, scoring a team-high 30 points, and the rest of his team followed.
The natural matchup of Bryant vs. Kings rookie Tyreke Evans loomed over the contest. Evans, who led the Kings with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, encountered one problem which Bryant did not.

The size of the Lakers front line with seven-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, often supported by 6-foot-10 Lamar Odom coming off the bench, made it difficult for Evans to get all the way to the basket. It was to blame for the rookie's 7 of 19 field-goal shooting.

Los Angeles (50-18) was able to clog the middle defensively and forced the Kings to take a number of challenged jump shots they were not consistently capable of making.

With half of Arco Arena sporting Lakers gold, that was all the Lakers fans needed to dominate the Kings fans as their team dominated on the court.

Sacramento's Carl Landry played his first game as a King against the Lakers and wondered what was going on as early as the pre-game workout.

"What's with all the Lakers jerseys in here?" said Landry, who had a solid 15-point, 10-rebound effort.

Kings coach Paul Westphal said he could not complain about Sacramento's effort.

"I can't ... be super down about our effort against the NBA champions," he said. "It's really fantastic to have this building full, even though there were too many Lakers fans for my taste, it's a great thing to have that support. I thought we played a good basketball game in a lot of ways - solid.

"We need to get a few more rebounds against a team that has great size. (We) need to knock down a few more shots and need to make a few more experienced plays the Lakers are great at because of how long they have been together, their cohesiveness and how good they are."

Sacramento fell behind 30-17 one possession into the second quarter, but rallied behind the combination of reserves Andres Nocioni,

Jason Thompson, Omri Casspi, Francisco Garcia and Evans to get its first lead at 35-34. The Lakers led 49-48 at the half, but seized control early in the third quarter by limiting the Kings to a 38 percent field-goal shooting.

It was easy to see how hard the Kings were working to get a rare good shot, while the Lakers were able to go inside to Bynum (21 points on 9 of 14 shooting) and Gasol (28 on 12 of 14 shooting).

Thompson said he noticed how poised the Lakers performed.

"You're talking about a team that has all but one guy (former Kings swingman Ron Artest) that won the NBA title last year and played in the Finals the year before," Thompson said. "Sure, they have Kobe, but they have a number of guys who know how to step up and will step up in given situations. That's not just scoring, but being where they are supposed to be when they should be there.
"That's just experience and there is only one way to get that. We haven't been together long enough."

Kings can't handle Thunder

2010-03-08T08:13:21Z

A quick look at the statistical breakdown of a game often reveals little about how the game was won or lost.

The Oklahoma City Thunder's 108-102 victory over the Kings on Sunday was explained quite fully in by the box score.

The Thunder (38-24) outrebounded the Kings 45 to 33, including a 16-9 advantage in offensive rebounds. The Thunder converted that advantage into a 23-11 second-chance points margin that the Kings had difficulty overcoming.

Sacramento (21-42) also hurt itself at the free-throw line. The Kings made just 15 of 24 (62.5 percent) free-throws, while Oklahoma City shot 22 of 25 (88 percent) from the line.

Those factors nullified the Kings outshooting the Thunder in field-goal percentage and three-point field-goal percentage.

Oftentimes, it's the little things that determine a game's outcome and that's how it worked at Arco Arena before a crowd of 12,081.

There is no statistic for getting to loose balls, but it appeared as if the Thunder won the battle for about 80 percent of the balls up for grabs.

Kings newcomer Carl Landry had a solid game with 20 points and eight rebounds, but said the fault was with his team.

"They wanted it more than us," he said of the Thunder. "They won't do that to us all the time. But they were quicker to the ball and they outworked us. I gave up a couple of rebounds (Sunday night) and so did my teammates."

The game was physical and aggressive. Four technical fouls were called by the officiating crew of Greg Willard, Tommy Nunez and Gary Zielinsky. Three, all in the first half, were called on the Thunder.

Thunder forward Kevin Durant, who scored a game-high 27 points, said the consistent talking between the teams was a result of competition.

"We know (the Kings) and they know us," said Durant, who got what he said was the second technical of his career. "There is nothing personal between us. We're young and they are young. We just wanted this win really bad.

Durant also added eight rebounds and five assists, while point guard Russell Westbrook had 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists sandwiched around receiving six stitches from an inadvertent elbow by Landry.

Westbrook, who likely will join Durant as an All-Star soon, used his speed and strength to get into the lane consistently to score of or get shots for his teammates.

The Kings often played off Westbrook and still couldn't stay in front of him.

"He's very fast and very good," Kings coach Paul Westphal said said Kings coac Paul Westphal of Westbrook.

The second-year guard from UCLA, who had a ridiculously sick dunk here for the Bruins during an NCAA tournament game, said he likes it when defenders play off him.

"It makes it easier for me when they do that because they don't know when I'm going to shoot or just keep going to the hole," Westbrook said.

Kings guard Tyreke Evans scored a team-high 24 points and also had seven assists, but may have had the most impactful moment of the night when he banged knees with Thunder forward Nick Collison.

"It just stung a lot at first," the rookie said. "It felt all right once I started running."

Jason Thompson returned to action for the Kings after missing five days with a lower back injury. Thompson came off the bench to score 11 points and grab a team-high tying eight rebounds in 30 minutes.

Tyreke Tuesdays: Late-game heroics highlight Evans' week

2010-03-02T06:54:49Z

Finishing out the month of February, rookie guard Tyreke Evans led the new-look Sacramento Kings to two straight wins against the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers.

He averaged 24.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.3 steals, leading the team to a 2-1 record for the week.

Although he scored 28 points and 13 assists with only two turnovers, the Kings were embarrassed by the Detroit Pistons at home, losing 101-89.

Although the Kings were down by as many as 30 points late in the third quarter, Evans scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to cut into the lead.

The team found out that it lost starting big man Jason Thompson to a back injury until mid-March.

The Kings took an entirely new identity when the Jazz came into town. Beno Udrih was inserted into the lineup, replacing Donté Greene. He and Evans would form a backcourt tandem in a highly competitive game.

Evans posted 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in an uplifting win against an elite team, beating the Jazz 103-99. He had a spectacular crossover dribble near the end of the game against all-star guard Deron Williams to seal the game.

Udrih worked well beside Evans, scoring 25 points and dishing four assists.

Two nights later, the Kings looked to even the season series against a Clippers team that had beat eight days earlier. Evans scored 22 points and notched five rebounds in the game, but he scored two crucial baskets to help the Kings stop the Clippers' rally, winning by a score of 97-92.

For the month of February, Evans has averaged 20.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, seven assists and 1.4 steals per game. It is his best statistical month of his rookie season, despite the Kings winning only four games last month.

Evans also disproved any belief that he can't be a point guard in the NBA. His feat of seven assists per game was ranked No. 12 in the month of February, beating out the Orlando Magic's Jameer Nelson and the Denver Nuggets' Chauncey Billups. Both players have been all-star point guards.

Now, Evans will face the Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook, Houston Rockets' Kevin Martin and Dallas Mavericks' new addition Caron Butler, on the upcoming road trip. The team will face the Thunder again when it returns home.

Each team is jockeying for position in the western conference playoff race.

Charity starts at home for Kings

2010-02-17T08:29:11Z

The NBA is not known for giving away opportunities.

Yet that's what the Kings did Tuesday to help the Boston Celtics to a 95-92 victory.

The victory didn't come without a fight, and the 14,439 fans felt the pain at Arco Arena.

There have been games this season in which the Kings have missed free throws and sabotaged their efforts.

However, never have they done so as blatantly as they did Tuesday night. Sacramento missed eight of 10 free throws during the fourth quarter. Six of those misses came during the final 1:32.

Kings coach Paul Westphal openly admitted his team lost the game by shooting so poorly at the free-throw line.

"I don't know how to measure frustration," Westphal said after his team's record fell to 18-35. "It's obvious that we lost the game at the free-throw line. That's the big difference. We missed nine free-throws in the second half, just about all of them in the fourth quarter, it seemed like."

The worst came with 4.2 seconds remaining. Boston (33-18) led 93-91 after Omri Casspi made the first of two free-throw attempts. Casspi tried to miss the second shot legally, which meant the ball had to touch the rim. Once the ball hit the rim, it could be rebounded, potentially by one of Casspi's teammates which could give them the opportunity to tie the game.

Casspi's shot hit the backboard hard, but then hit the front of the rim and fell through the net.

On the other side, Boston made each of its seven free-throw attempts during the fourth quarter.

"We missed free throws and they made theirs," Casspi said. "The one I tried to miss (Tuesday night), I made it."

Casspi scored a team-high 19 points and shot more accurately from three-point range (3 of 5) than from the free-throw line (2 of 6).

Jason Thompson came off the bench to have an otherwise solid game with 17 points, and a game-high tying 11 rebounds, but missed two free-throws with 16.5 seconds remaining and the Celtics leading 89-87.

Thompson made his only previous pair of free-throws.

"I didn't feel any nerves or anything," he said. "The first one was long, so I adjusted on the second one and it was short. The experience will help, but this hurt."

No matter the victor, the losing team would have felt like they were handing them the win on a silver platter. Both teams played solid defense, but both also missed numerous point-blank shots at the basket.

Boston coach Doc Rivers lamented his own team's mishaps. "We counted about 12 lay-ups we had at the basket that we didn't convert."

Yes, but his team didn't miss eight of 10 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter.

Kings can't stop Spurs

2010-02-04T08:07:45Z

A two-point loss may look respectable, but Sacramento's 115-113 defeat by the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday night at Arco Arena was as painful as any of their recent losses.

The defeat in front of 12,934 fans included a Tyreke Evans scoring burst of 13 points during the game's final 1:39, which helped the Kings close what was a 107-94 Spurs advantage with 2:23 remaining.

Evans returned to action Tuesday night after missing Monday night's loss in Denver.

The rookie scored a career-high-tying 32 points to lead all scorers and also had a team-high seven rebounds and eight assists. However, neither he nor his teammates could prevent the Spurs (28-19) from winning their 13th game in their past 14 games against the Kings.

San Antonio, which played without point guard Tony Parker (sprained left ankle), began its annual eight-game road trip with double-digit scoring from six players.

Second-year point guard George Hill stepped into Parker's shoes and scored a career-high-tying and team-high 23 points, and handed out a career-high nine assists in 42 minutes.

Steady Tim Duncan scored 22 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds despite playing just 29 minutes because of early foul trouble.

Super substitute Manu Ginobili scored 20 points and had six assists in 29 minutes. Ginobili's ability to slash through the lane highlighted and attacked a major Kings defensive weakness.

Said Kings coach Paul Westphal of the Spurs as well as his squad, "(The Spurs) played 48 minutes of tough, smart basketball. They knocked down shots and exploited us. They really are great at getting to the basket and we are very poor at protecting the basket."

Moreover, the Kings played without power forward Jason Thompson, who is expected to miss two games to attend a funeral.

Thompson, whose six-week slump has coincided with Sacramento's 18 losses in its past 21 games, could have been used around the basket against the fundamentally sound Spurs.

San Antonio had a fourth player - DeJuan Blair - reach the 20-point mark. The 37th pick overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, Blair made his first nine field-goal attempts on the way to 20 points.

Westphal, whose Kings three times passed up Blair in the draft, joked about it after the game.

Blair's knees were ruled too troublesome by many doctors and that's why his first-round talents and skills dropped into the second round.

"I don't know who those doctors were that said (Blair's) knees weren't OK to draft," Westphal said. "(It looks) like they flunked out of college and should be driving a cab, because that guy is unbelievable."

The Kings certainly were competitive with the Spurs. The game had 15 lead changes and was tied 15 times. But the Kings never could gain any control in the contest.

Kings center Spencer Hawes made nine of 14 field-goal attempts en route to 18 points. "That is like our theme," said Hawes. "We get too far down and we go and try to make a comeback. We just fall too short."

The Kings meet visiting Phoenix Friday night.

Magic make Kings disappear

2010-01-13T08:41:48Z

When things are going well for shooters, it is said the basket looks as big as the ocean.

During the fourth quarter of Sacramento's 109-88 loss to the Orlando Magic Tuesday night, the basket looked like a thimble.

And one with a big, mobile, elastic-like hand in front of it. That hand belonged to Magic center Dwight Howard, whose presence and mobility played a major role in the Kings making just four of 22 field-goal attempts.

That 18.2 percent fourth-quarter field-goal shooting percentage changed a 78-76 Kings lead entering the final quarter into a early walk to the parking lot for the crowd of 14,426 at Arco Arena.

The Magic out-scored the Kings, 25-6, during the nine and a half minutes of the fourth to turn a hotly-contested game into an Orlando laugher.

Even Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, who wears a smile during a game as often as he breaks out into hilarity, managed a deep grin as his unit of three subs (former Kings first-round pick, Jason Williams, Oak Ridge High School star Ryan Anderson and Mickael Pietrus) along with Howard and JJ Redick (starting for injured Vince Carter), played every minute of the fourth quarter.

"Guys came off the bench and locked off the lane," said starting forward Rashard Lewis, "And instead of guys going to the basket like they were during the first three quarters, they had to shoot jumpers - and they weren't making them."

Sacramento's absence of post scoring ability reared its head again. It is extremely difficult to score predominantly from the perimeter, and the Kings were out-scored, 52-26, in the paint.

Forward Jason Thompson blamed himself, as he has recently, for the team's troubles. "I'm supposed to be one of the team's leaders," said Thompson, who started at center and had just six points, five rebounds, three turnovers and no assists in 19 minutes. "I've never played like this in my life and I've got to get out of this to help the team."

Orlando (26-12) received a game and season-high 30 points from Howard, who also grabbed 16 rebounds, handed out five assists and had three steals and blocks each.

Howard's block total was tripled by his number of shots changed.

Kings swingman Donte Greene said it's a good idea to know where Howard is hanging out.

"You always have to be aware where he is," Greene said of Howard. "Him and (Cleveland's) LeBron (James) are the best shot-blockers, to me." Howard only blocked one shot in the fourth, but his presence encouraged the Kings to attempt seven three-point field-goal shots.

The Kings, who shot just 34.9 percent for the game, made none of their fourth-quarter threes.

Coach Paul Westphal's squad played well before the basket turned into the thimble.

"I hate to let that fourth quarter put a damper on a game where we did so many good things against another top team," he said, "but the fourth quarter obviously is going to leave a bad taste in our mouths."

Westphal said a mouthful there.

Kings have exceeded low expectations

2010-01-08T04:56:49Z

Before the NBA season started, many experts predicted the Sacramento Kings would be near the bottom of the league after finishing with a 17-65 record last season.

This prediction came before star guard Kevin Martin and last season's top bench scorer Francisco García went down with wrist injuries. Many also criticized the pick of rookie guard Tyreke Evans, citing that he was not the point guard that the Kings needed in a point guard-heavy draft. The Kings were bashed for hiring Paul Westphal as head coach, many critics saying that he hasn't coached an NBA game since 2000, when he coached the Seattle SuperSonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder).

It was supposed to be the perfect recipe for a team destined to be the league's worst. But that's not what happened.

With 48 games left the Kings have a record of 14-20, Evans has become an NBA star and a favorite for rookie of the year and Westphal has been mentioned as a coach of the year candidate.

The team overhauled the entire coaching staff, with the exception of Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Pete Carril, and hired four new assistant coaches: Jim Eyen, Bryan Gates, Mario Elie and Truck Robinson.

"They're brilliant," Martin said about the coaching staff before the season began. "They have coaches that have been there. (We) got a coach (Robinson) that led the league in rebounding who can teach Jason (Thompson) and (Spencer Hawes) how to do things like that."

"We have a very knowledgeable head coach that can teach even players like myself how to make the game a lot easier and lead this team," he said.

The Kings did not make a blockbuster trade or sign a big-name free agent over the summer. They traded the draft rights of Jeff Pendergraph to the Portland Trail Blazers for point guard Sergio Rodriguez and the draft rights of forward Jon Brockman.

The Kings also signed swingman Desmond Mason and big man Sean May. Mason was waived in favor of signing another swingman, Ime Udoka. May, after starting his first five games, hasn't played since Dec. 12.

They have been the surprise team of the season so far. They overcame a 35-point deficit in a game against the Chicago Bulls and have competed whole-heartedly against the league's elite instead of giving up.

The Kings enjoyed early success in the season because of the rookies' immediate contribution, the development of the young frontline of Hawes, Thompson and Donté Greene, Andres Nocioni's steady production and the re-emergence of veterans Beno Udrih and Kenny Thomas.

The Kings have played well at home and established themselves as one of the best teams in the NBA with an 11-8 record at ARCO Arena.

But the team still has improvements to make. The Kings' road record is 3-12 and they still needs to learn how to close out games against the league's elite teams.

"We want to get to the place the Lakers are," Westphal said after an emotional double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 26. "Where somehow, some way, you find a way to win those games, and we're working hard on it."

The Kings suffered another emotional loss to the same team in Los Angeles when superstar Kobe Bryant hit the game-winning three-point basket as time expired. The Kings blew a 20-point lead that game.

The emotions from the loss carried over to Sacramento the next night, when the Kings lost to a rested Dallas Mavericks team 99-91.

"We're going through some adversity right now," Thompson said after the loss to Dallas. "We've just got to learn from these games and go in and play better."

Even though the team is going through a rough patch right now, it has many positive things to look at early in the season.

The Kings top draft pick, Evans, has been spectacular for the whole season, averaging 20.3 points, 5.1 rebounds 4.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks per game.

He's impressed many players in the league and Bryant is no exception.

"Tyreke Evans is going to be a hell of a player," Bryant said after a 112-103 victory over the Kings. "I really love that pick-up. He was my sleeper in the draft. (The Kings start) with him, so he has a really bright future."

Evans has had help from fellow rookies Brockman and Omri Casspi.

Casspi, the first Israeli-born player in the NBA, has become one of the best three-point shooters in the league. Brockman, a former University of Washington teammate of Kings center Spencer Hawes, grabs four rebounds per game in 11 minutes per game.

Casspi has become one of the best shooters in the league while Brockman's work ethic and tenacity has frustrated opposing players. Both players aren't pushovers.

"When everyone's playing as tough as we are, it changes the rhythm of the game," Brockman said.

Last season, the Kings were seen around the league as a soft team, but the entire mentality of the team has changed. The toughness that the team plays with enables them to stay in games.

This season, they have been competitive to the end of games against the league's top teams, despite losing most of those games.

With Martin, the Kings' top scorer from last season, coming back next week and García returning after the all-star break in February, the Kings are looking to get better as the season approaches its midpoint.

Suns eclipse Kings

2010-01-06T08:00:21Z

Right now, collectively, the Kings couldn't finish a sentence.

The Kings Tuesday night staged a valiant comeback from a 20-point second quarter deficit before falling 113-109 to the Phoenix Suns before a crowd of 13,630 at Arco Arena.

Sacramento thrice tied the game in the fourth quarter, but never could take the league in spite of multiple possessions.
The Kings lost their fourth straight game and fell to 14-20, while the Suns, who had lost seven straight road games entering the night improved to 22-13.

Kings coach Paul Westphal admitted the frustration that stems from close loss after close loss.

"This 'close but no cigar' is going to end," the coach said. "I don't know when, but it's going to end. I feel for the players. They are playing hard. (The Kings) played a great fourth quarter, a great second half and executed down the stretch. They got excellent shots every time. ... (had) hustle plays. ... and still we came up short. Is it upsetting? Yes.

"But we will not be discouraged and we will start winning these games. For whatever reason, we've had a string of having our heart pulled out of our chest, but ... this team is coming back."

One of the reasons why the Kings continue falling into holes is an absence of inner defense. They give up way too many uncontested layups during the course of a game. Those make it easier for opponents to string together points and build leads.

Sacramento received another spectacular performance from rookie guard Tyreke Evans, who had team-highs of 27 points, a career-high tying 11 rebounds and seven assists. Rookie forward Omri Casspi scored a season-high 24 points and did everything from grabbing seven rebounds to defending Phoenix point guard Steve Nash.

Second-year power forward Jason Thompson had his 13th double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Kings received yet another spark off the bench from forward Jon (Wildman) Brockman. He scored six points on three of three shooting and grabbed eight rebounds in 23 minutes.

Said Westphal, "I don't know what you can say about Jon Brockman. What an unbelievable performance he gave us in the second half. We were out-rebounded by nine in the first half and then ended up out-rebounding them by eight."

The Kings fruitless effort can be summed up by one offensive trip down the floor. Westphal called time with 1:10 left and the Kings trailing, 105-103. Evans drove down the middle and got to the rim, but missed the lay-in. Thompson missed a tip-in and Evans then missed a follow. Nash followed with excellent use of a pick-and-roll with Amare Stoudamire to get wide open and drain a 21-footer to give Phoenix a 107-103 lead with 44.5 seconds left.

Nash then made four of four free-throw attempts during the game's final 12 seconds to begin the Kings' heart surgery - again.

Kings fall flat to Sixers

2009-12-31T08:02:40Z

The Kings encountered unforeseen adversity Wednesday in the form of the Philadelphia 76ers and themselves.

The result was a 116-106 defeat by the Sixers before a disappointed crowd of 13,516 at Arco Arena.

Sacramento was thoroughly outclassed during the game’s final three quarters and truly had no one to blame.

“We weren’t ready to play,” swingman Donte Greene said. “I think we took them lightly. I know I did and that’s not the way we play.”

Kings power forward Jason Thompson said his team did not play with the usual components for success.

“They were getting to loose balls and it seemed (Philly) wanted it a little more than we did,” said Thompson, who finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds. “(The Sixers) were scrappier than we were and that’s not the way it’s been, especially at home.”

The Kings finished their four-game home stand 1-3 after playing well in defeats to Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers as well as Monday’s victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Perhaps the Kings had been letting their adoring fan base affect their game.

That seemed to be what Kings coach Paul Westphal indicated following the loss that dropped their home record to 11-6. Granted, the Kings (14-17) played their second straight game without rookie guard Tyreke Evans (sprained right ankle), but that was no reason for a lackadaisical approach by a sub-.500 team.

“We were ripe to be picked off (Wednesday),” Westphal said. “We need to learn we’re not as good as people say we are, unless we go out and play like that. We had a chance to build a nice lead and dictate the way the game was going to be played, and we let that get away.”

Sacramento twice led by 13 points in the second quarter. Omri Casspi was a big factor, scoring 11 of his team-high 21 points in the first period. The Kings consistently searched for mismatches and found them for success at the offensive end.

Yet, they played sloppily and carelessly throughout most of the first half.

Meanwhile, the Sixers gained momentum with their ability to score virtually at will with 33 points in the second quarter. Philadelphia’s reserves had a tremendous impact with 17 of those points, led by former All-Star forward Elton Brand.

The Sixers performed at a higher level than their 9-22 record would suggest. They won their second consecutive road game by using a balanced attack that featured six players in double-figure scoring, led by guard Louis Williams' 22 points.

Veteran All-Star guard Allen Iverson's minutes are being regulated but that didn't prevent him from scoring 20 points in 32 minutes.

Iverson returned to action Monday in a victory over Portland after missing the previous four games due to left knee arthritis and a left shoulder contusion.

Philadelphia coach Eddie Jordan said Iverson has been a welcome addition to his squad.

“The guys like playing off him and he knows how to play,” said Jordan, who is a former Kings assistant and head coach. “Allen knows it’s a medical thing as far as his minutes and so do I. I’d like to play him more.

“But he gives us some things we didn’t have before.”

Iverson said dealing with the reduced minutes is tough on him.

“It’s one of the most frustrating things that I’m dealing with because I’ve never had to deal with it in my career,” he said. “Hopefully, I can get through it mentally, then I don’t have to deal with it late in the season.”

The Kings had to deal with their own inconsistencies throughout the night. The game was tied 76-all late in the third quarter when swingman Rodney Carney came off the bench to stick three consecutive three-point goals. The nine points spanned 2:22 of the third and fourth quarters to give Philadelphia a working margin that never dropped below a four-point advantage.

The Kings continued to struggle to convert around the basket and had the game’s outcome been decided by missed layups, Sacramento would have won by a blowout.

Evans, Kings earn praise from Cavs‏

2009-12-26T22:36:36Z

The Sacramento Kings (13-15) may have lost to an eastern conference power in the Cleveland Cavaliers (23-8) on Wednesday night, but the team's rookie guard Tyreke Evans impressed all-stars LeBron James and Mo Williams.

Evans posted 28 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, a steal and a block in an 117-104 overtime loss to the Cavaliers.

"He's a terrific young player," Williams said, who defended Evans for much of the night. "Six-foot-six-inch point guard who can handle the ball...has a quick first-step. You know he's a match-up problem waiting to happen."

James always steps up to defend the opposing team's best player down the stretch, and Evans was no exception.

"Tyreke's going to be a great player," James said. "They got an unbelievable guy here in Sacramento. They should be really excited about him. He'll take them to a championship, definitely."

Evans wasn't the only player to impress the Cavaliers. Cleveland head coach Mike Brown said that the Kings played well as a whole, mentioning Jason Thompson, Spencer Hawes and Omri Casspi.

"It's a much improved team," Brown said. "Coach (Paul) Westphal has done a nice job with that group of guys. They have some nice young talent with height and athleticism. They play hard."

Williams agreed with his coach's statement.

"We expected them to come out with a lot of energy," Williams said about the Kings.

The Kings will have to exert the same energy against long-time division rival and defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers tonight.

The Lakers, who are tied with the Boston Celtics for the best record in the league (23-5), will play without former King Ron Artest, who injured himself tripping over a box and falling down a flight of stairs at home.

The team is also coming off a 102-87 loss against the Cavaliers on Christmas day.

Photo by Rob Small.

Kings take another test

2009-12-26T05:42:38Z

Each NBA game is a test.

Some teams test for greatness; others search for legitimacy.

The Kings take legitimacy test No. 2 tonight when they host the defending world champion Los Angeles Lakers at Arco Arena.

They lost their first test when they went up against Cleveland at home in the first of a four-game homestand. They now face the Lakers before meeting Denver on Monday and Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Tonight's game is another opportunity for the Kings (13-15) to show they can consistently compete with the league's best. Sacramento lost to the Cavs, but certainly showed the ability to go head-to-head with one of the league's best teams.

Christmas day, the Lakers got spanked 102-87 at home by the Cavs. Los Angeles is now tied with the Boston Celtics for the NBA's best record at 23-5.

Meanwhile, Sacramento is 2-10 in games against teams with .500 records. What could transform a mediocre team into a playoff contender? Success against the league's best teams, the ability to win on the road and the ability to defend the home court.

Poise and execution under pressure usually accompany maturity and togetherness, qualities the young Kings do not yet possess. That's one reason why the Kings offense stalled late against Cleveland. Sacramento did not score in overtime.

Sacramento coach Paul Westphal has used 11 different starting lineups this season as he attempts to find the best matchups for his squad. Westphal opened the Cavs game with Tyreke Evans (20 years old), Donte Greene (21), Omri Casspi (21), Spencer Hawes (21) and Jason Thompson (23). That starting lineup is the youngest since the franchise moved from Kansas City to Sacramento in 1985.

That configuration of youth usually is not a recipe for success late in games.

Moreover, Westphal used Casspi, Thompson, Hawes and Evans 41 minutes or more. Clearly, fatigue played a role in Sacramento missing each of seven overtime field-goal attempts.

The Kings are a developing product. Westphal's youngsters don't get the necessary experience until they take a couple of losses. One of Westphal's strengths is seeing the big picture.

Evans has gained a quick reputation for taking over games. The Cavaliers, one of the NBA's best defensive teams, were not going to allow Evans to single-handedly defeat them. Neither will the Lakers. Westphal knows this as well, but realizes Evans must learn how to use that defensive attention against his opponents.

"Did the ball stick in his hands a little bit too much sometimes?" Westphal asked of Evans. "Sure. He's not the only one in play. There's me, there are other players on the floor that allowed that to happen. We need to correct that.

"We want (Evans) shooting and we want him attacking. We just want to do it a little bit differently and a little more subtly. That will come."

If Westphal can receive consistent performances from Hawes akin to the one against the Cavs, it would go a long way toward taking the heat off of Evans. Hawes' aggressiveness at times mirrored that of his former University of Washington teammate Jon (Wildman) Brockman. Hawes grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds to combine with 17 points and three blocks.

However, the Lakers will bring an angry, large and talented front line for Hawes to battle.

Young Sacramento Kings: Entertaining and growing before your very eyes

2009-11-28T08:51:58Z

As a sports fan watching your favorite teams throughout the years, don't you ever get that excitement and sense that you are witnessing something special? You savor every moment, whether you watch a win on the tube, or take in the sounds and roars of the crowds live at the game. You follow the personalities and drama unfold through every highlight, lowlight, and newspaper article. I felt that way in the middle of the 1998-1999 season, when Kings GM Geoff Petrie assembled the greatest nucleus to ever don Sacramento Kings jerseys and take the league by storm for the next 6 seasons. Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, J-Will, Peja Stojakovic, you know the names. They are etched in every Sacramento fan's memory bank for all eternity.

Fast forward to this 2009-2010 season. New coach (Paul Westphal, the 4th coach in 5 years), new players (over half the players on this season's roster were not in a Kings uniform last season), a new philosophy and direction. Geoff Petrie and his crew took their magic eraser and essentially started all over, trying to forget the past four years of declining seasons and wins, with the low point being last season's campaign in which the team won a paltry 17 wins.

The question is: Is the direction an upward swing? Before I answer this question, I want to preface my answer by stating that I am a die-hard Kings fan. That being said, I stay on the bandwagon both through good times and bad, but don't sugarcoat and have blinders on when my favorite team is stinking up the joint. Last year was unwatchable. The team was in shambles from the top down. Petrie, who has been labeled a genius around the league for his draft track record in finding young talent, assembled a roster whose talent was questionable. The team decided to fire Coach Reggie Theus in the middle of the season, only to replace him with Coach Kenny Natt, who fared even worse during his brief interim stint. The game play on the court was lackluster in effort, uninspired, and just plain boring. The team last year lost many fans that were on hanging by a thread. They showed as much by their unwillingness to support the product on the court by not renewing their season tickets or not deciding to take their families to watch an occassional game at Arco.

For all the negative bullets I cited, I must give kudos to the Kings for recognizing the issues of the team as they addressed them in a fashion that has yielded positive results on the court up to this point. Coach Westphal has implemented his system of basketball to his team and infused enthusiasm, direction, and leadership. The guy can coach. Period.

Geoff Petrie did away with the borderline players on the last year's roster, kept the promising talent he drafted the past years (Top Scorer Kevin Martin, Power Forward Jason Thompson, SF Donte Greene, and Center Spencer Hawes), and added, in my opinion, the top candidate for Rookie of the Year thus far, Tyreke Evans. He also drafted fellow rookies Omri Casspi and Jon Brockman to the fold, to add athleticism and toughness to the team, characteristics lacking previously. Sprinkle a few cagey vets in the fold for good measure in Sean May, Andres Nocioni, Kenny Thomas, and Ime Udoka, and you have a face lift you can be proud of going forward.

Where does this leave us fans in the big scheme of things? The upside of this current roster has serious potential. It is evident by watching a handful of home games live this year at Arco in how well they play thus far, holding court 6-2. This team defends (yes, I said it... DEFENDS!), passes, plays as a team, rebounds, and plays HARD from the tip-off until the end of the game. The passion is evident, and the crowds I experienced at Arco feed off that. The games at Arco are fun again! They have made a believer in me, who, after nearly chucking my purple and black Kings colors forever after last year's abysmal season, find optimisim in following this new band of young talent. Don't believe me? Before you pony up some hard earned dollars to watch them live, dip your big toe in the water and watch a game or two on TV. If you haven't watched a game since last season, I guarantee you'll see a significant change.

I make no bold statements in that the Kings are going to be contenders in the forseeable future, let alone make the playoffs with the stacked Western conference. Make no mistake, the Kings will still have some growing pains to smooth out before this will be a reality. The fun part of being a fan is, when they are back in the thick of things, competing for the title once again, you were with them during these rough patches on the way to the top. If you fell off, come right on back. I have a seat right next to me on the bandwagon. Its filling up fast.

What’s up Kings fans?

2009-10-07T03:30:27Z

What’s up Kings fans?

JT is back!

This Friday and Saturday my teammates and I will be “Painting the Town Purple,” and we want to see you out in the community.

I remember Paint the Town last year. It was fun to meet the fans, explore the city and see Old Sac. Old Sac kind of has that New Jersey boardwalk-type feel to it. I had some Salt Water Taffy, relaxed and had a lot of fun being around the people who support us. I met people who hadn’t seen me play, but knew who I was and came out to support the Kings. I had a good time. I took some pictures, signed some autographs and kissed some babies! It’s just good for us to get out and meet the fans, because we know everyone can’t make it to all of our games, but we appreciate everyones’ support.

Participating in Paint the Town is great because it creates a lot of buzz and gets everybody excited about the season. We know we want to do better than we did last year. Our team has the defensive mindset. We know we have a lot of guys who can score. Our bigs are versatile. Our guards can shoot the lights out. I think it’s going to come down to who can get the most stops and rebounds and then start running on offense. We’re focused on getting stops and rebounds.

We believe we have our General, per se, in Coach Westphal, and our team is ready to form a line and get this city excited. We want tomake ARCO Arena one of the hardest arenas to play in again.

Now that I’ve lived here a year, I just like how clean the city of Sacramento is. It’s one of those cities where there aren’t too many distractions. I think Mayor Kevin Johnson does a good job with security, and everywhere I go people treat me with respect. People of Sacramento really know how to treat people right and it keeps everyone out of trouble.

I want everyone to come and support us at Paint the Town and ARCO. It’s a totally different season and new team. We want to forget about last year, although I still have it in the back of mind to get better for you all. It’s not just putting the ball in the basket or anything like that. If we have as many fans’ support as possible and get ARCO rocking, it makes me, and I know it makes other players, energized and gets us going.

And don't forget to follow me at Twitter.com/jtthekid