GAME RECAP At first glance, Saturday’s game between the Sacramento Kings and the New Jersey Nets was a match up between two equally struggling teams. The Nets carried an 18 - 35 (.340) record into Power Balance Pavilion, while the Kings, last in the Pacific Division, were 18 - 33 (.353). But, the Kings play better at home so, Advantage: Kings? Not necessarily. The New Jersey Nets are one of only two teams to play better on the road than at home, and the only team to play substantially better. So it was that the Nets left town with a 111 - 91 win, and remained undefeated on their current swing west. The home team started well. Playing crisply, the Kings led throughout the first quarter.

In hockey, the joke is: I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out. At Power Balance Pavilion Tuesday night, there was a celebratory love fest with Gavin and Joe Maloof, Mayor Kevin Johnson, the Sacramento Kings, and about 14,000 fans. This was the first home game since a financing plan was announced for a new arena. Along with the celebration, there was also a game. Even Isaiah Thomas, whose 18 points and 8 assists helped defeat the Utah Jazz 103 - 96, was happy for Sacramento. Although one of the possible relocation destinations for the Kings was his native Seattle area (he grew up in Tacoma as a Laker fan), he also knows what it’s like for a city to lose its NBA team. Besides, he t

Game Summary Going into Saturday’s game against the Sacramento Kings, the Phoenix Suns had every reason to be confident. One of only five teams to have a better record on the road than at home, they had won three of their last four games, including two straight road games. Moreover, they had beaten the Kings in 17 of their last 22 encounters. Having just stunned the "Best in the West" Oklahoma City Thunder, the Kings also had every reason to be confident. Sporting a 7 - 4 record at Power Balance Pavilion, they had won four of their last five games, while the three losses in the past seven games were by a combined total of a mere 8 points. Moreover, they had beaten the Suns in their most

Sacramento played catch-up for most of Tuesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns. Kings’ leads were brief and meager. In fact, their largest lead was only 6 points, but fortunately it came when just 13 seconds remained in the contest. Having come back from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit, the Kings eked out a 2-point lead with less than a minute to go. It was precarious. Tight games come down to converting foul shots and, in an anomaly, the Kings’ field goal percentage at that point (53%) was actually higher than their free throw percentage at that point (51%). Nevertheless, when free throws were needed, free throws were made. Tyreke Evans sank two, Marcus Thornton sank two, and the game

It’s an enjoyable new tradition: on every February 28 during this decade (yes...both of them), the Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers. In 2010, it was by 97-92, while this time around, the final score was 105-99. The event could well be called “Double Throwback Night,” or maybe “The Throwest Back Night Ever.” On one hand, it was Throwback Jersey Night, as the Kings wore uniforms honoring their previous incarnation as the Royals (Rochester Royals, and then Cincinnati Kansas City Royals). More important to the outcome of the game, if not the fate of the franchise itself, it also became Throwback Fan Night. Arco Arena was filled to the brim, just like in the old days, when lovin