Kings Korner

Locked Out

Yes, the lockout is still postponing the start of the NBA season. The players association and the owners are said to still be miles apart from an agreement. The players are willing to sit out the whole season if a deal is not made that benefits both parties. As you've seen, the players are serious about missing the whole season as many have fled overseas and signed contracts with European teams.

DeMarcus Cousins is the lone Kings player that has been linked to multiple European teams according to his agent. All I hope for is that Cousins does not sustain a serious injury whether it be playing basketball or throwing punches at another player. Maybe the physical style of play in Europe will benefit Cousins.

I've been playing the what if game since the end of the draft. What if Jimmer is all that he's said to be. What if Tyreke stays healthy all season alongside DeMarcus Cousins. What if newly acquired JJ Hickson is the last piece we need in a playoff run. (Hickson was acquired from Cleveland for Casspi; I LOVE this trade. Hickson is an energetic forward who has tormented the Kings in the past.)

What ifs are the only thing NBA fans can do or think. No basketball would set back the development of the Kings as players and as a team. Not to mention the one year extension Sacramento received in order to find funding for a new arena.

Sacramento has made some small progress in the arena situation. Designs have been released which look amazing. A picture can be found above of a design for a new arena.

At least the NFL figured things out, c'mon NBA.

Jimmermania Hits Sacramento

With the 10th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Jimmer Fredette from BYU. Those were the words spoken at the Prudential Center in New Jersey and the buzz hit Sacramento just minutes later. The 6'2 guard from Brigham Young was absolutely stellar on the floor racking up points like no other. It seemed like there wasn't a spot on the floor Jimmer couldn't shoot from and entering the draft, all talks focused on where Jimmer would land.

Prior to the draft, the Kings were involved in a three-team trade that sent Beno Udrih and the 7th pick to Milwaukee in exchange for former King John Salmons and the Bucks 10th pick. This trade to me was a giant signal that the Kings were seriously considering drafting Jimmer. Beno was the only pure point guard in the Kings rotation and with his departure he left a giant hole in the roster. Salmons immediately fills a need at Small Forward but how much can Salmons really contribute?

Fast-forward to the end of the draft. The Kings managed to add PG Jimmer Fredette (10th pick), SF Tyler Honeycutt (35th pick), and PG Isaiah Thomas (60th pick).

I loved the Honeycutt pick. At UCLA, Honeycutt became their best defender and an excellent passer. Throw in the three point shot and range and the Kings just picked up a SF who I believe will eventually start. Isaiah Thomas came from Washington and at just 5'9 managed to run the Husky offense with swagger. Thomas brings with him toughness and a great work ethic. Thomas was named the 2011 Pac-10 Tournament MVP and was also named to the Pac-10 first team. I'm extremely excited to see these three rookies in action next year, lockout pending.

There was a lot of positivity and negativity surrounding the Kings pickup of Jimmer. Some believe the Kings have to many shooters on the team. Others believe the chemistry won't be there and that Jimmer is going to take shots away from Cousins, Thornton, and Evans. Others believe Jimmer can immediately step in and start on this run and gun Kings team.

From an organization standpoint, this is an A+ pick. Who better to help get people over to Power Balance Pavilion than Jimmer. There was approximately 5,000 people at Arden Fair Mall to help welcome the rookies; that's almost half of the total capacity at PBP. Jimmer WILL help sell tickets, but if the team continues to lose, will the people still go?

From a team standpoint, it's a high-risk, high-reward pick. If Jimmer comes in and the Kings come out firing, then the Kings organization looks spectacular. If Jimmer comes in and the losing continues then the blame game starts.

Expect the Kings to try and re-sign Dalembert and if not look at free agency for some answers. I fully expect the Kings starting lineup to be young and fast. I expect to see:
1. Jimmer Fredette
2. Tyreke Evans
3. John Salmons
4. DeMarcus Cousins
5. Samuel Dalembert (pending)

All aside, I cannot wait to see how the team meshes and plays together. I hope Jimmermania helps keep the Kings in Sacramento and I hope this upcoming Kings season is not a disappointment.

Maloofs Give Sacramento One More Year

With the deadline looming and the city of Sacramento waiting, the Maloofs finally made a decision on relocating. They've decided to give Sacramento one more chance and one more year.

This news came bright and early this morning as the city of Sacramento finally got the answer it's been waiting for since the rumors began. Like always there is one condition to the stay; if there is no new plans established for a state-of-the-art facility by March of next year then the NBA will fully support the Maloofs in relocating the franchise.

As Kings' fan, we can now take a sigh of relief and look forward to at least one more year of basketball here in Sacramento. The focus now shifts to the mayor, the city, and the Maloofs as they try to break grounds on a new arena. Recent numerous attempts have failed but the vibe in Sacramento is definitely now a positive one.

If plans fail then it's a farewell to the Kings as they are already said to leave and look for a new home before the start of the 2012-2013 season.

Billionaire Ron Burkle has made contact with the Maloofs and entertained the idea of taking the team of their hands. Burkle has stated that he would not move the Kings. There's been recent reports that the Maloofs are financially strapped and if so, the situation with Burkle can become an option. For now, the Maloofs have made it clear that they are not looking to sell the team. That can of course change within the next months.

The NBA playoffs on the other hand are in full effect. The first round views reached an all-time high as the playoff atmosphere took over. We saw San Antonio go down to the 8 seed Memphis and in the east we saw Atlanta dethrone the Magic. Prior to the beginning of the season I made my finals prediction; Lakers vs. Heat. So far that seems to be a possibility. The Heat are looking strong against the Celtics while the Lakers look to open strong against the Mavericks.

The NBA draft is the next closest thing we have to basketball following the playoffs. Sacramento has great odds of grabbing a high first round pick and are looking to add some nice pieces to this young team. I would love the team to either draft or sign a point guard or a small forward.

And Now We Play The Waiting Game

Following last weeks home loss to the Thunder then Wednesday's overtime thriller loss against the Lakers, the city and fans of Sacramento could do nothing but cheer on the team and wait. Wait for the Maloofs to dig the knife deep inside the heart of the city that loves its team.

The Maloofs once again received an extension on the relocation to May. The city is doing everything it can to block this move, signing petitions, rallying fans, and even sending letters to the mayor and commissioner. There was also new rumors of a potential billionaire interested in buying the Kings or bringing a new team to Sacramento. The man rumored is Ronald Burkle.

There was also rumors of a new non-profit arena plan being investigated but all this new information is just rumors. Until the day comes where there is official news being released, all the city can do is hang on to that hope and fight for the team.

I feel another year here in Sacramento can't hurt the owners and can also lead the way towards FINALLY establishing a new arena.

The Kings ended the year on a good note competing with the big boys and closing out some of those close games.

The Duo of Tyreke, Thornton, and DeMarcus looked promising, but the Kings have to build on that and keep looking for pieces to the puzzle.

Dooms day looms.

Another Successful Road Trip

Sacramento went on its final road trip of the season last week and ended it with a bang. The Kings traveled to Texas to face Houston and San Antonio, then traveled to Memphis to face the Grizzlies, and finally came back to California to face the Golden State Warriors.

The Kings delivered a huge blow to the Rockets playoff hopes in the first game of the road trip. Houston came into the ball game three games back of Memphis and ended the game with their hands on their heads, in disbelief. Kings won in convincing fashion, 104-101.

The Kings then got blown out in San Antonio and lost a close one in Memphis. Memphis was able to secure a playoff spot in the win against the Kings and are looking to make some noise in the playoffs. I know for sure that nobody wants to see Randolph and the Griz in the first round of the playoffs.

Back in California, the Kings used a fourth quarter run to defeat their neighbors, the Golden State Warriors. The Kings received great contribution from the bench (40 points) and the stellar play from Marcus Thornton in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. Thornton scored the Kings final six points, including a 22-foot dagger over Stephen Curry.

The Kings now play their final two games at home against the Thunder and the Lakers. Who knows if these final games will be the final Kings games in Sacramento. For now, all we can do is cheer for a great finish.

The Anaheim Royals of Sacramento?

The Kings 4 game winning streak came to an end in a home and away series with Denver. The first game was in Denver where the Kings could not pull away from the Nuggets and ended up struggling in the fourth quarter.

The Nuggets pulled away 104-90 in game 1.

Both teams then traveled back to Sacramento to play the second game on a Friday night.

The Kings kept it close throughout the game but could not contain the Nuggets in the fourth quarter. Especially Raymond Felton who scored 14 of his 18 in the fourth quarter.

The Kings lost 99-90 in game 2.

The Kings then hosted a struggling Utah on Sunday and added to the losing streak the Jazz are on.

17,215 people filled up Power Balance on Sunday, possibly the biggest crowd of the season, and were not disappointed.

The Kings played a great game start to finish and never let Utah get back into the game in the fourth quarter.

Tyreke Evans led the Kings with 24 points and 10 assists as he has seen increased minutes since returning from his injury. DeMarcus added 17 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assits, and 5 steals.

Sacramento won 106-97.

Sacramento now travels to Houston to start its 4 game road trip, the last road trip of the season. They'll be facing Houston, San Antonio, Memphis, and Golden State.

After the road trip, Sacramento comes home for its final 2 home games of the season and possible last SACRAMENTO KINGS games.

The City of Anaheim approved a $75 million bond deal to help lure the Kings to Anaheim. This does not mean that the Kings are leaving for sure, it just leaves the city in misery till word is out.

The Kings have until April 18 to file for relocation and you better bet Sacramento is doing everything it can to stop this from happening.

Lets hope and pray for the best.

Make that Four in a row

I had the pleasure of being in attendance at the Kings vs Suns game Tuesday night and man was Power Balance Pavilion loud. Attendance at PBP was 13,774 and the Kings fed off the crowd all night.

The Kings were playing their first home game since their season-best 4-1 road trip. The Suns on the other hand were coming off a loss to Dallas and having lost 3-4 games.

The Kings had a slow first half but it was the energetic play of Donte Green that kept the Kings in the game. Donte scored 12 of his 18 points in the first quarter.

Everytime the Suns made a run, the Kings answered right back. This happened twice in the game, each time the Suns grabbed a double digit lead.

The Kings used energy and defense to come back in the fourth quarter and keep it close. Marcus Thornton had a quiet game, although scoring 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, but it was his three point shot with 53 seconds left that gave the Kings the lead and eventually the 116-113 win.

The Kings out-dished Steve Nash and the Suns 31-28 (assists) and also out-rebounded the Suns 50-39.

The Kings continuously gave the Suns easy fast break points but were able to fix that in the second half and even get fast break points of their own. It was an all-around great win for the Kings minus the turnovers and free throws.

Make the four in a row for the hot Kings and are looking to make it five in a row in Denver against the Nuggets. The Kings also play the Nuggets at home on Friday night.

The Nuggets have been on a tear since trading Carmelo Anthony (have won 7 of last 9 games). They lead the league in points scored and are looking to make some noise in the playoffs.

THINGS TO WATCH:

Keep the assists coming
Kings Bench vs Nuggets Bench
Getting back on Defense
Turnovers

Welcome Home Dalembert

With the 26th pick in the 2001 NBA draft, Philadelphia selected Samuel Dalembert from Seton Hall University. Dalembert spent eight seasons with the Sixers defending the paint and occasionally scoring. Dalembert was then traded to the Kings in exchange for Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni before the start of the 2010-11 season.

Dalembert made his first trip back to Philly since being traded and man did he come up big. With the game in Overtime, Dalembert was fouled up two and made both free throws to put the Kings up four. Those clutch free throws sealed the game and helped add to Sammy's great game.

Marcus Thornton played the second half of his life. After only scoring three points in the first half, Thornton came out firing in the third quarter. Marcus scored 19 points in the third quarter and helped keep the Kings in the game.

It looked once again like the Kings weren't going to be able to close out the game as they kept giving Philly a reason to stay in the game. Marcus Thornton made two free throws to give the Kings a two point lead with 10 seconds to go. Andre Iguodala then made one free throw and missed the other.

Beno Udrih was now at the line looking to give the Kings a three point lead and was successful. As you know tho, a Kings game is not over until there is no more time left. With four seconds left former King Spencer Hawes gave Lou Williams a pass at half-court and Williams dribbled to the three point line, pulled up, and wouldn't you know: swish.

While Lou Williams was driving, Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton were in the paint having a nice cup of tea not defending the three point line. Ummmmmm, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? But then again, its typical for the Kings to give the opposing team any chance possible of coming back.

In overtime, Donte Green and Beno Udrih came up huge each with a three along with DeMarcus Cousin's three-point play. With the game coming to an end it was only right that Dalembert be the one sinking the dagger. Two clutch free throws followed by a kiss to the crowd. Dalembert tallied 13 points and 19 rebounds. Marcus had 32 points. Jrue Holiday led the Sixers with 28 points. What a finish.

The win in Philadelphia gave the Kings a 4-1 road trip and a three game winning streak, the first of the season.

The Kings now head home with a successful road trip in their bags and some smiles on their faces. They will now be getting ready to face the Suns in a Tuesday night showdown.

I'll have the liberty of being in attendance Tuesday night at Power Balance Pavilion to watch Steve Nash and his Suns. Should be a good one.

THINGS TO WATCH FOR:

I shouldn't even have to write it anymore; TURNOVERS
Kings vs Steve Nash
ME in the crowd

Kings Making Late Playoff Push?

Are the Sacramento Kings making a late playoff run? With the win in Indiana on Friday, the Kings have won 3 out of their last 4 games now. The Kings are only 23 games behind 8th place Memphis with 11 games left in the season. If I do the math correctly then there is a chance, right?

Let's be real here, if anything the Kings are making a case for the NIT tournament. The NIT tournament in other words is the "We aren't good enough to make the NCAA Tournament" for college basketball. How awesome would that be for NBA fans; a end of season tournament for the losers. I would watch. For now, ending the season strong is all that Sacramento is playing for.

Tyreke Evans made his return from injury (Plantar Fasciitis) on Friday and boy was he missed. Although he only played 17 minutes, Tyreke dished out eight assists and scored six points.

The Kings bigs dominated all game as both DeMarcus Cousins and Samuel Dalembert grabbed double-doubles. Cousins had 18 points and 14 rebounds while Sammy had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Donte Greene had another strong outing off the bench for Sacramento tallying 15 points in 18 minutes.

When it looked like Indiana was going to make a run, Sacramento answered back several times and maintained control of the game for four quarters. Kings had a surprising 13 TURNOVERS and a high of 27 assists. Danny Granger for the Pacers was held in check all game as he only managed 20 points, 11 of those from the free throw line.

Now that Tyreke seems to be back what will Westphal do with the rotation? Well if i ran the team here is what my starting five and rotation would be:

Tyreke Evans
Marcus Thornton
Francisco Garcia
DeMarcus Cousins
Samuel Dalembert

I would then have Beno Udrih or Jason Thompson be the first ones of off my bench followed by Pooh, Donte, or Taylor depending on the situation.

The Kings end their 5-game road trip on Sunday in Philadelphia and are looking to avenge their terrible 22 point home loss that occurred almost a week ago. The Sixers are currently in 6th place in the Eastern Conference standing and are looking to build on that.

THINGS TO WATCH:

Sixers dribble penetration
Pounding the paint
Assists to turnover ratio

DEFENSE

How about the Sacramento Kings playing DEFENSE in the second half. And not just for a five minute stretch, but the whole second half. The Kings limited the Bucks to only 34 points in the second half while Sacramento netted 44 points.

Make that the second win on this five game road trip for the Kings, and they did it after getting blown out in Chicago by 40 points. Marcus Thornton led the Kings once again with 27 points and Beno added 25 points. The Kings back-court combined for 52 points and 10 assists while the Duo of Brandon Jennings and former King John Salmons only managed 14 points and 9 assists.

Leading the way for the Bucks was Carlos Delphino. He had a game high of 30 points but only eight of those were scored in the second half. A lot of that had to do with the great Defense played by Donte Greene. Delphino was 3-9 from the floor in the second half with the lengthy Greene playing him tight.

Kings and Kings fan received some great news on Wednesday learning that guard Tyreke Evans will be available to play Friday against Indiana. This give the Kings a back-court featuring Tyreke, Marcus, and Beno. It'll be interesting to see the rotation but I am personally excited to see the Tyreke-Marcus tandem.

THINGS TO WATCH FOR-

Danny Granger lockdown
Rebounding the ball
turnovers once again
4 quarters of Defense

Windy City Blowout

Back to back games, back to back blowouts for the Kings. The second game, however, landed in the Loss column and it wasn't pretty. The final score was 132-92, a 40 point disaster.

Once again the Kings continue to turn the ball over and give up easy buckets. 22 Kings turnovers led to 35 points off turnovers for the Bulls. The Bulls on the other hand only committed 10 turnovers and allowed 12 points off turnovers. The Kings turnovers also helped Chicago score a lopsided 36 fast break points to a Kings 7. That's a 29 point different if i do my math correctly.

Marcus Thornton once again led the Kings with 25 points on 9-14 shooting. The Bulls on the opposite end played a complete game offensively and defensively. Every Bulls starter was in double figures and the Bulls bench contributed with 52 points. Kings bench scored a mere 22 points.

Tyreke was cleared to practice last week and is looking to come back into action sometime in this 5 game road trip. Hopefully he can provide a spark for the Kings and create a nice duo with Marcus Thornton along his side.

The Kings are in Milwaukee for game 3 of the 5 game road trip on Wednesday.

Slammin Sammy

The Sacramento Kings got their 17th win of the season in a blowout of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yes, it was against one of the other worst teams in the NBA but a road win is a road win for the Kings.

The Kings top performer was Slammin' Sammy who scored 26 points, 17 rebounds, and added 2 blocks. Marcus Thornton neared his first triple-double as a King but fell 2 rebounds and 1 assist shy. Marcus ended the game with 23 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds.

Demarcus Cousins was ejected close to the end of the 3rd quarter after getting his second technical foul for shoving two Wolves players. The Kings then went on to start the fourth quarter on a 17-0 run led by the bench. Donte Greene and Pooh Jeter ignited that run and both ended the game with 13 points each. I am the BIGGEST fan of Pooh and if i were the head coach of the Kings with no Tyreke, i would without a doubt start Jeter at point guard. The guy creates, dishes, and provides energy every time he hits the floor.

The Kings play Chicago tonight in game 2 of a back-to-back. Sacramento is looking to win 2 games in a row for only the second time this season and it won't be easy against east powerhouse Chicago.

THINGS TO WATCH:

The play of Derrick Rose and who matches up with him.
Demarcus Cousins keeping his cool.
TURNOVERS!
The rise of #23 Marcus Thornton.
Who is scoring in the 4th quarter?

March Madness

March Madness continued inside Power Balance Pavilion on Friday. No, it wasn't a buzzer beating half court shot nor was it a 16 seed beating a 1 seed, it was just another horrific loss for the Sacramento Kings. Following a Wednesday night loss to the worst team in the NBA (Cavs), the Kings failed to do anything right against
Philadelphia.

21 turnovers, 27 points off turnovers allowed, and 29-84 (34.5%) shooting sum up the Kings night. Philadelphia on the other hand played a good game start to finish. Point Guard Jrue Holiday led the way for the 76ers with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. The 76ers were able to get too the paint whenever they wanted and no Kings defender seemed to care.

The only bright spot I can take from the game is Demarcus Cousins' double-double. Cousins tallied 19 points and 12 rebounds but the rookie did commit four turnovers. It was also newly acquired Marcus Thornton's first bad game since joining the Kings before the trade deadline. Thornton had 7 points and 6 turnovers and was 0-6 shooting from beyond the arc.

It's hard to believe that the relocation drama is not affecting the players or coaching staff. This news has plagued the area of Sacramento since it was first announced and brought continued pain and disbelief that wasn't already caused by the Kings on the court. The whole city of Sacramento is praying and crossing their fingers that the Maloofs do not move our beloved Kings to Anaheim or out of Sacramento.

The Kings are traveling to Minnesota to play the Twolves on Sunday. Lets hope Thornton can shake off the game against the 76ers and come out firing. The Kings are 1-8 in this month of March that has caused madness throughout the city.