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, wh

During an NBA season in which the positives for the Kings are more innate than tangible, rookie guard Tyreke Evans Monday night ensured his first professional season statistically will rank among the best in league history. That it came during a 117-107 defeat by the Houston Rockets and former Kings guard Kevin Martin before a supportive crowd of 14,549 at Arco Arena clearly had become a secondary issue before the game ended. Most of the fans came to cheer one of the few things enjoyable about the team's 25-56 mark with a season-ending game tonight in Los Angeles against the Lakers. Evans struggled through fatigue and nerves, but eventually scored 24 points to assure season game average

Tyreke Joins the Elite Prior to the game, the conversational topic of choice was Tyreke's chase of the 20-5-5 title. (That is, he was on track to join Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Oscar Robertson as the only players ever to average at least 20 points/5 rebounds/5 assists per game in their rookie season.) He had already garnered enough rebounds and assists to guarantee the necessary minimum, so the remaining suspense was to score 24 more points before completing the trifecta. We all hoped he would do it tonight, but no one had given any thought to his doing it before halftime. Yet, the first half played out more like a Hollywood script than an actual game. There was Kevin Martin, re

The Dallas Mavericks began Saturday night's game with the ultimate mismatch in high-scoring 7-foot forward Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki scored what looked like an easy 39 points to befuddle the Kings during a 126-108 victory before a crowd of 15,247 at Arco Arena. The Kings rarely showed an ability to slow the Mavericks (53-27) offensively. Dallas' offense was orchestrated magnificently by maestro Jason Kidd, who earned his 105th career triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. Dallas jumped out to a 17-point lead in the first quarter to seize control of the game. Only briefly during the second quarter did the Kings show any sign of being able to compete. Sacramento (25-55)

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 ent

 It still has not been announced by the Kings or the NBA, but the trade that sends Kevin Martin to the Houston Rockets also will send guard Sergio Rodriguez to the New York Knicks. The Kings will receive forwards Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey from Houston and veteran guard Larry Hughes. Hughes has a $13.6 million contract that expires at the end of this season.   The Rockets get Martin, center-forward Hilton Armstrong from the Kings and rookie forward Jordan Hill and veteran forward Jared Jefferies from the Knicks.  Landry, 26, a tough-guy scorer, gives the Kings a legitimate low-post threat they've lacked for years. Hughes, 31, is a talented defender, who never has been able to consiste

One of the Kings' trademarks this season has been the ability to compete on a nightly basis. They failed to meet their own standard Wednesday night during a 130-98 blow-out loss to the Golden State Warriors before a crowd of 17,023 at Oracle Arena. But the more important competition Wednesday night appears to have been off the court, as the Kings reportedly have agreed to a even-player trade involving scoring guard Kevin Martin, center Hilton Armstrong, point guard Sergio Rodriguez and forward Kenny Thomas. The four Kings appear to be going to the Houston Rockets for a package that includes swingman Tracy McGrady, athletic rookie Joey Dorsey and power forward Carl Landry. The Kings orga

 The Kings have been having a roller coaster season. The team is undeniably better than last year, but its recent monthlong collapse has left it with a 18-35 record. This tally has been accompanied off-court by injuries, trade rumors, and uncertainty about a new arena and the Kings' future in Sacramento. While it's a turbulent time to be a Kings fan, most fans who attended Tuesday's home game remained optimistic and excited about the future. "They're pretty good," William Yu said. "They're making a lot of progress," added the 38-year-old engineer. "They play all the way, and they're fun to watch," warehouse operator Jerry Sudderberg said. Much of the optimism centers around the front-

In Kingsland, just when you think things can't get any worse, there's another game.   This game came Friday night, and the words terrible, ugly, horrible and help came to mind during Phoenix's 114-102 victory over the Kings before a disappointed crowd of 14,922 at Arco Arena.   The Kings (16-33) lost their fifth straight game, their 12th in the past 13 and 19th of the past 22. They have lost nine of their past 12 home games and now begin a three game pre-All-Star Game road trip to Toronto, New York and Detroit. Sacramento has won just three of 24 road games.   How bad was it? Well, six Phoenix players, including all five starters, reached double-figure scoring, led by forward Amare S

These weren't the Kings Gerald Wallace remembered. So there was no motivation for Sacramento's No. 1 pick in 2001 to score a season-high 38 points to lead the Charlotte Bobcats to a 103-96 victory over the Kings before a crowd of 14,186 at Arco Arena on Saturday night. Wallace was with the Kings for three seasons before the Bobcats selected him in the expansion draft. Now, he's a first-time NBA All-Star and playing with the best team he's been on. "Oh, yes, by far, this is the best team," said Wallace, after going 12 for 18 from the field, 12 of 15 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds, blocked two shots and picked up two steals. It was a far cry from the da

The Kings, who won an NBA-low 17 games last year, began this season with nowhere to go but up. They've begun that process by improving their competitiveness and athleticism. It started with draft picks Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi and trading for Jon Brockman. Each has played at a higher level than could have been anticipated. However, the Kings' 15-28 (.357) record is tied with Philadelphia and Detroit as the NBA's fourth-worst. There have been numerous losses in which  the team was positioned to win. However, pro sports is a bottom-line business - you win or lose.The Kings have lost seven straight - 12 of 14 and 14 of their past 16 following Saturday night's 115-84 loss in Miami that

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