Tyreke Evans is the 2010 T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Year, a very different award than when Kings Vice President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie and coach Paul Westphal played in the '70s. "It was the can and string Rookie of the Year when we played," Westphal said. Yes, the world is different. The basketball world is different, but the game remains very much the same.  Petrie actually won the award (sharing it in 1970 with Boston's Dave Cowens) when there was no marketing arm attached to such things. Both Petrie and Cowens progressed to have solid NBA careers, although Petrie's career was cut short by knee problems. The level of hype with winning the award then is nothing like i

 It's Tuesday, April 27 and I don't know if Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans has been voted the 2009-10 Rookie of the Year. And I don't care. The announcement likely will come within the next few days. And then what? The state is no longer bankrupt? Thieves no longer will steal? The Kings no longer finished with 25 victories in 82 games? I don't think so. It's an individual award in a team game. It's so so-what. Yes, Tyreke Evans deserves the Rookie of the Year in my opinion. He's a bad boy who will turn 21 Sept. 19. That means he'll likely improve immeasurably over the next few years. So check him out four years from now when he matures into a 25-year old man. Imagine this young fella

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

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)

It was Bobby Jackson night at Arco Arena, but that celebration wasn't enough to distract Manu Ginobili and the San Antonio Spurs. Ginobili struggled through three quarters and then scored 11 points during a five-minute fourth-quarter spurt to lead the Spurs to a 95-86 victory before a crowd of 11,732. The defeat was Sacramento's eight straight and fifth consecutive at home. Once again, the Kings (24-54) played well until the game was up for grabs. The score was tied at 79-79 midway through the fourth quarter until the Spurs ran off 12 straight points to take control of the game. Ginobili, who entered the fourth quarter having made one of six field-goal attempts and with just five points

For the basketball game's first 42 minutes, it was difficult to determine which team was playing for an improved Western Conference playoff seed and which had little more than pride as a reason to play. Ultimately, the true picture became clear Saturday night at Arco Arena when the Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the Kings, 98-87, before a crowd of 12,875.   The Trail Blazers scored 18 of the game's final 23 points during the final six minutes. Portland (47-30) is in eighth place in the playoff race with five games remaining. The Trail Blazers are just three games behind four teams (Dallas, Denver, Utah and Phoenix) tied for second place in the conference. Sacramento (24-53) lost its

 For a couple of years, the Kings have been making plans for major change entering the 2010-11 season. That change was anticipated to occur on the court via trades and free-agency. The Kings announced change in their management team Monday along with the resignation of president John Thomas, effective April 2.  Joe Maloof will become the Chief Executive Officer of Maloof Sports and Entertainment, while his brother, Gavin, will become the President. Matina Kolokotronis has been named President of Business Operations for the Kings, while Geoff Petrie remains Kings President of Basketball Operations. Perhaps the most interesting portion of the Kings release was the announcement that Kevi

 While the NBA season quickly moves to an end, the Kings and power forward Carl Landry have to work out something. Despite a fourth-quarter collapse that led to a 102-85 loss Monday night to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Kings, for a few minutes, appeared to have a way to get the ball to Landry. Moreover, Landry, whom the Kings desperately would love to make their low-post threat, appeared ready to inherit the position. Landry, who scored a team-high 23 points on nine of 13 field-goal attempts, made the best of his offensive opportunities. And the Kings were hanging quite nicely with the Grizzlies (38-33), one of the NBA's more talented young squads. Ultimately, though, Sacramento (24-47

 Six high school basketball games Saturday at Arco Arena decided the Northern California boys and girls representatives for next week's state championships at RaboBank Arena in Bakersfield. Four more games were played Saturday at Folsom High to determine the remaining NorCal representatives against the Southern region. For these basketball players, it was the biggest day of their lives.  The Sacramento-area representatives struggled throughout the day until the Oak Ridge High Trojan girls team advanced to the Division I championships with a hard-fought 52-42 victory over the longtime NorCal power Berkeley Yellowjackets. It's amazing to watch what high-school basketball has become.  Th

 Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans underwent x-rays and a CAT scan Saturday morning to re-examine his jaw, injured during the latter portion of Friday night's 114-108 double overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. No fractures were found during Saturday's examination and Evans will be re-evaluated Monday. The Kings left today for Los Angeles to meet the Clippers Sunday afternoon and will return in the evening in preparation for Monday's night's game at Arco Arena against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Kings announced in a release that Evans also suffered a slight concussion in the collision with Milwaukee's Ersa Ilyasova.  

 The Kings lost a game Friday night at Arco Arena. However, that was secondary to the loss of their rookie of the year candidate Tyreke Evans. Evans suffered a concussion and some facial lacerations during the fourth quarter of Sacramento's 114-108 double-overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks before a stunned crowd of 12,098. Evans went down during a wild scramble for a loose ball underneath the Kings basket with 27.3 remaining in regulation following a shot attempt by Kings forward Carl Landry. Evans remained on the floor after Landry was called for a foul. Evans eventually was helped back to the Kings bench for a brief period before being helped to the Kings locker room. Landry sai

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

There was a point Wednesday night at Arco Arena when Kings rookie Tyreke Evans was a little embarrassed. After all, it was a night designed and orchestrated by his team's management to promote him for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award. As if he needed the t-shirts with Reke for ROY across the front to earn the award. Evans provided his own legitimate promotion with his first NBA triple-double (19 points and game-highs of 10 rebounds and 10 assists) to lead the Kings to a commanding 113-90 victory over the Toronto Raptors before a crowd of 13,412. Both Evans and the Kings had a slow start amidst all the hype. The Raptors led 45-40 at the half and Evans was three for nine from the field

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 fi

These are the best high school basketball teams, girls and boys, the area has to offer. It's the Sac-Joaquin Section 2010 championships. As I sit and watch and more importantly listen to the comments and reactions of teams' supporters, one question comes to mind. Can each team in every game be getting cheated? The obvious answer is "Of course not." Granted, the obvious biases belong to the parents, friends and relatives of the participants. Generally, officials could care less which teams win or lose. Officials are likely to have a slant toward a playing style more so than a team. Indeed, because humans are involved, should officials run into a team with consistency, there is the p

Competition can come in many forms and styles and the Sac-Joaquin Section Les Schwab Tires 2010 high school basketball championships  was a perfect example of that Friday night at Arco Arena. Approximately 5,000 hoop fans saw four section championships decided in different fashions.   Perhaps the most competitive battle came out of the Boys V section title game when Victory Christian of Carmichael outlasted Ripon Christian 68-64 in overtime. Both teams squandered possessions at the end of regulation to win the game, but sophomore Clayton Coppernoll made a three-pointer from the right wing to help coach Bob Grexton's senior-laden squad to win the section.   "They've been talking about

It's been the rare occasion when defense and sound ball handling have been staples of a Kings victory. Sunday night at Arco Arena was one of those rarities, as the Kings limited the Los Angeles Clippers to 37.3 percent field-goal shooting on the way to a 97-92 victory before a crowd of 13,071 fans. The 92 points by the Clippers (24-35) were a season low for a Kings opponent. The Kings (20-39) won their second straight game partially because they committed just nine turnovers. Only thrice this season have the Kings limited their turnovers to fewer than 10. They did so during Friday's win over the Utah Jazz as well as Sunday night. Two in a row might not be much for the league's up

Had the teams changed uniforms late in Friday's 103-99 Kings victory over the Utah Jazz, a basketball observer couldn't be faulted for thinking it was just another victory for the opponents.   However, this was not a mirage at Arco Arena.   The Kings, who had lost five straight and not won a home game since Jan. 26, made the winning plays down the stretch. Sacramento (19-39) held Utah (37-21) to just one field goal  during the final four minutes to overcome four of 10 fourth-quarter free throws and received clutch play from the starting backcourt of Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans.   The Kings are 7-5 in the 12 games Udrih and Evans have started in the backcourt this season.   The pair

 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