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Sacramento Kings News

Kings' Cousins eligible for showcase on All-Star Weekend
February 9
Sacramento Bee
 
"Kings center DeMarcus Cousins is among 18 players eligible for the inaugural Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend in Orlando, Fla. The game will feature nine rookies and nine second-year players. Former All-Stars and current TNT studio analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal will serve as general managers and draft from the 18-player pool to form two nine-man teams. The draft will be held Feb. 16 on NBA TV, and the game will be played Feb. 24."
Rally falls short; win streak ends
February 8
Sacramento Bee
 
"Kings coach Keith Smart has said repeatedly his team has no superstar and any given night a different player could show up as the star of the game. Tuesday night, those players came off the bench and nearly rallied the Kings to their fourth consecutive win. But Donté Greene's three-point attempt hit the rim just before the final buzzer as the Kings lost 86-84 to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center."
Will Thomas be a rising star?
February 8
Sacramento Bee
 
"Isaiah Thomas has a chance to be drafted again. Instead of the traditional format where the top NBA rookies play the best second-year players during All-Star Weekend, former stars Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal will serve as general managers and draft two teams from a pool of first- and second-year players in the Rising Stars Challenge. The list of players to be drafted for the game will be announced today."
Timberwolves 86, Kings 84: Nikola Pekovic scores, Ricky Rubio assists in Minnesota's victory
February 8
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Center Nikola Pekovic had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and point guard Ricky Rubio contributed six points and a season-high 14 assists to lead Minnesota past Sacramento on Tuesday night at Target Center. Marcus Thornton led Sacramento with 22 points. MEANING: The Wolves proved they could win without Kevin Love, who missed the first game in his two-game suspension for stepping on the face and upper body of Houston forward Luis Scola on Saturday night. The Wolves had a solid team effort, particularly on the boards, where they figured they would miss Love the most. The Wolves outrebounded Sacramento 49-48."
Hornets fall short against the Sacramento Kings 100-92
February 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"With the season more than a third completed, Hornets Coach Monty Williams has seen his team blow its share of leads, turn the ball over at critical times and lose games on a regular basis. With only 10 available players because of injuries to guard Jarrett Jack (sore left knee), forward Carl Landry (second degree MCL sprain), forward-guard DaJuan Summers (knee swelling) and forward Jason Smith (concussion), Williams didn't catch a break Monday night against the Sacramento Kings."
Cousins, Kings rally to beat Hornets
February 7
Sacramento Bee
 
"DeMarcus Cousins had a first half that pretty much summed up the Kings'. His shots weren't falling. He was being knocked down. He was frustrated. That usually has meant a loss for the Kings, but for the third game in a row, they figured out how to win. The Kings fell behind the injury-depleted New Orleans Hornets by 18 points in the second quarter, but Cousins led them back in the second half for a 100-92 victory Monday night at New Orleans Arena."
Kings' Thornton, Smart linked by Louisiana roots
February 6
Sacramento Bee
 
"Keith Smart and Marcus Thornton have been in a battle the past few days – for tickets. The Kings head coach and shooting guard are natives of Baton Rouge, La., near where the Kings play the New Orleans Hornets tonight. So, naturally, both said they are trying to secure as many seats as they can in New Orleans Arena. Not that it sounds as if their respective family members would mind sitting together. "My mom and his family all go to the same church," Thornton said. "His brother plays the drums there. So we're all connected in some kind of way.""
Seattle plans for a new basketball arena, eyes Sacramento Kings
February 6
Sacramento Bee
 
"Seattle officials have been in talks for eight months on plans to build a new arena, and they have an eye on the Sacramento Kings, according to news reports this weekend in Seattle. The Seattle Times reported it obtained documents Friday indicating that city's mayor's office has been working behind the scenes with a San Francisco businessman who hopes to buy a team and bring it to Seattle if an arena can be financed. The documents include an email updating Seattle officials on Sacramento's efforts to build a new arena to keep the Kings here, the Times reported. Seattle, which lost the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City several years ago, has tried and failed several times to replace its"
Whiteside won't be in the 'dark'
February 5
Sacramento Bee
 
"There probably won't be a lot of playing time for second-year center Hassan Whiteside, but coach Keith Smart said now is the right time for Whiteside to return from the NBA Development League. Whiteside was recalled from the Reno Bighorns on Friday and was inactive Saturday when the Kings hosted the Warriors. Whiteside had been assigned to the Bighorns on Jan. 1. Smart said it is important that Whiteside start learning the new system the Kings are running. Whiteside was sent to the Bighorns with rookie Tyler Honeycutt four days before Smart replaced fired Paul Westphal. "If there's an opportunity or a window to bring him up and he gets a chance to be on the floor, gets a chance to play, I"
Fredette's education continues as Kings rookie
February 5
Sacramento Bee
 columnist Ailene Voisin
"Jimmer Fredette is a rookie, and he will be a rookie next week and the week after that. So for those wondering why the former BYU standout has spent the past two games on the bench – and hello to all you impassioned tweeters from Utah – that's the short answer. The long answer is that Jimmer walked into a mess. The Kings and their coaching change. The Kings and their crowded backcourt. The Kings and their one-on-one style of play. The lockout that forced cancellation of the summer league and traditional training camps, shoving all the usual dramas into a compressed 66-game season. But the thing about the NBA? A rookie's existence often is more fluid than political exit polls. Fredette and"
In end, Kings win it as a team
February 5
Sacramento Bee
 
"Before the Kings took the floor for overtime, DeMarcus Cousins gathered his teammates to deliver a message. This wasn't going to be a game won by one player. The team had to win the game. Sure enough, all five players on the floor had their moments in overtime as the Kings won 114-106 over the Warriors on Saturday night at Power Balance Pavilion. It was a situation ripe for finger pointing after Sacramento blew an 87-76 lead after three quarters. The Kings, however, did as Cousins suggested and won their second consecutive game. "Usually when we get in situations like that in the past, we have the tendency to try do it one-on-one or do it by ourselves," Cousins said. "I made it clear:"
DeMarcus Cousins thrives under Keith Smart
February 5
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and 20 rebounds Saturday night for the Kings in their 114-106 overtime victory over the Warriors. Much of that can be attributed to Keith Smart, who seems to have changed Cousins' attitude since becoming head coach Jan. 5. "He wants to be good, and he wants to be an All-Star," Smart said. "They all have a couple of things in common. They are workers, and they get their teammates to follow them. That's what he needs to start doing, and he's really putting forth the effort." Paul Westphal, who was 51-120 in two-plus seasons as Sacramento's head coach, was fired because he couldn't control the talented but volatile Cousins. Westphal released a statement"
Isaiah Thomas earns trust, minutes with tough play
February 4
Sacramento Bee
 
"The Kings had fallen behind by two points midway through the fourth quarter Thursday night, and Isaiah Thomas had just turned the ball over. The rookie sprinted back on defense and found himself near the basket with Portland's Wesley Matthews, Gerald Wallace and Jamal Crawford coming on a fast break. Thomas, 5-foot-9, decided he wouldn't take on the biggest of the trio, Wallace, and would try to steal the ball or force a miss by Crawford or Matthews. Matthews, eight inches taller than Thomas, kept the ball and Thomas blocked the layup attempt. "I had nothing to lose," Thomas said. "(Matthews) took it himself and I did the best I could to make a play, and I got a play on the ball.""
Thornton leads Kings over Blazers
February 3
Sacramento Bee
 
"Marcus Thornton joked Wednesday afternoon that the padding he's wearing to protect his injured left thigh made the Louisiana native feel like New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Then in the fourth quarter Thursday night, Thornton took a hit like a football player when Portland forward Gerald Wallace landed on Wallace's neck in a collision under the basket. "I was kind of woozy at first," Thornton said. "… I was saying I was ready, but I really wasn't. I was kind of wobbly." Thornton managed to make two free throws before being examined for a concussion and neck strain. Thornton returned and, after the Trail Blazers took a two-point lead with 6:03 to play, scored five unanswered"
Team's bad habits hard to break, Cousins says
February 3
Sacramento Bee
 
"Kings coach Keith Smart would like it if the team wouldn't do things that make it easier to defend, such as standing and holding the ball. The Kings promise they are working on that. "Those are old ways we've got to get rid of," said Kings center DeMarcus Cousins. "It's easier said than done. When you've been in that mode two or three years, it's hard to get rid of." When the Kings have fallen into that habit, they have been forced to take tough shots and have become turnover-prone. Avoiding that was an emphasis before the Kings played the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night at Power Balance Pavilion. In Sacramento's losses in the first two games to the Trail Blazers this season at"
Sacramento 95, Portland 92: Same old story as Blazers falter on the road
February 3
Oregonian
 
"Sacramento is a little more than 380 miles away from Los Angeles. But Thursday night's game between the Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings might as well have been played on some studio lot deep inside Hollywood. Blazers fans have seen this movie before. It was the same story on a different day for these maddening Blazers, who blew yet another early lead and suffered yet another road defeat, falling 95-92 to the Kings before 11,740 at Power Balance Pavilion. "We gave the game away, plain and simple," Jamal Crawford said."
Trail Blazers again fold on the road, lose at Sacramento 95-92
February 3
Oregonian
 
"The Portland Trail Blazers lost their fourth consecutive road game, again blowing a second-half lead and failing to find offense late in Sacramento on Thursday night. One night after blowing out the Charlotte Bobcats at home, the Blazers started off hot behind LaMarcus Aldridge but then faded in the second half. Marcus Thornton scored 20 points and John Salmons had a season-high 19 for the Sacramento Kings, who snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the Blazers 95-92 on Thursday night."
Evans, Cousins ready to take leadership role with Kings
February 2
Sacramento Bee
 
"It's pretty simple to Kings coach Keith Smart. If the Kings are to begin playing well and improve, DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans have to play well. Since becoming Kings coach Jan. 5, Smart has seen improved play from both of his young players. His challenge to both is for them to set the standard of play and hard work for their teammates and to take steps in becoming leaders for the Kings. "I believe your game has to speak for yourself," Smart said. "And if you're playing great and at a high level every night, your teammates understand that, 'Man, he's bringing it every single night.'"
Gavin Maloof expresses support for Petrie, Smart
February 1
Sacramento Bee
 
"Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof sat courtside before tipoff against the Warriors at Oracle Arena on Tuesday night and expressed support for his head basketball decision maker and head coach. Maloof said any reports the team is considering replacing basketball president Geoff Petrie are "totally false." "Geoff's always been a part of the family," Maloof said. "We're in a rough stretch, but so what? Things will turn around.""
Kings' turnovers add up to loss to Warriors
February 1
Sacramento Bee
 
"Kings coach Keith Smart said he took responsibility for some things he did Tuesday night at Oracle Arena that led to his team's fifth consecutive loss. What were those things he won't do again? "That's between me and myself," Smart said with a smile. In a game you could say they gave away, the Kings lost to the Warriors 93-90."
Golden State Warriors hold off Sacramento Kings
February 1
Oakland Tribune
 
"It took coach Mark Jackson well into the third quarter Tuesday to find an advantage to exploit. And when he found it, he rode it to a 93-90 victory over NorCal rival Sacramento. The advantage was the second unit, known as the Dub-stitutes: guard Nate Robinson, swingmen Brandon Rush and Klay Thompson, forward Dominic McGuire and big man Ekpe Udoh. Those five turned a nervously close game into a much-needed Warriors victory. Golden State's bench outscored Sacramento's 43-21. In the fourth quarter, Golden State's backups outscored the Kings' starters 25-11."
Backcourt-challenged Warriors slip by Kings 93-90
February 1
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Coach Mark Jackson picked an unfortunate night to reaffirm his confidence in the Warriors' tiny backcourt. Before the team went against a defensively flawed pair of Sacramento guards Tuesday night in Oakland, it seemed a safe time for Jackson to stand behind his statement that in Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, the Warriors had the "best backcourt in the business.""
Warriors' Jackson asserts himself in bench-led win
February 1
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"There has been a growing suspicion that the Warriors' bench is their secret weapon, defensively superior to the starting five and worth a longer look as the season goes on. Coach Mark Jackson didn't just play around with that theory Tuesday night - he played the hand outright, with spectacular results. It was only the Sacramento Kings, in a game likely to draw little notice around the league, but this 93-90 win was built around Jackson's first truly bold show of authority. Monta Ellis? Take a seat for this stretch drive. Stephen Curry and David Lee? You'll ride the pine as well."
Ex-Warriors coach Smart is fit for the Kings
January 31
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Vittorio Tafur
"Keith Smart's Kings have lost four straight games, but he wouldn't trade places with anyone. No, not even Mark Jackson. Smart, the Warriors' head coach a year ago, returns to Oakland tonight to take on his old team and its head coach, Jackson. And Smart's excited about his 6-14 team and its improvement. "I am in love with the team I am coaching right now," Smart said. "I am looking forward to seeing some old friends in Oakland and to playing the game - but for a chance to get a win, not for any vindication reasons.""
Kings' Evans receives Smart advice
January 30
Sacramento Bee
 
"The evolution of Tyreke Evans' game can be traced back to Indiana. That's where Kings coach Keith Smart, as a college player, met Indiana University legends Isiah Thomas and Quinn Buckner, two of the best point guards to come through the program. They introduced Smart to the idea of mapping out the floor. Rather than just drive to the rim with no plan, they told Smart he should know where to deliver the ball at all times based on where defenders rotated from. "When you make a move in one area, you're going to cause a response," Smart said."
Bummer, Jimmer: Kings denied late-shot heroics
January 30
Sacramento Bee
 
"The storyline was set up perfectly. Jimmer Fredette was back in the state where he became a national phenomenon. And he took a three-pointer to give the Kings the lead late in the game. But there would be no fairy-tale ending to this game. Fredette's shot with 5.9 seconds to play was off, sailing out of bounds, and the Kings would go on to lose to the Utah Jazz, 96-93, Saturday night at EnergySolutions Arena."
Jimmer Fredette has heroic opportunity, but Jazz win
January 29
The Deseret News
 
"After 47 minutes and 50 seconds of loud cheers and boos from a split-personality crowd, exciting and error-filled hoops, and unexpected performances, both good and bad, the outcome of the Sacramento Kings-Utah Jazz game was up for grabs. The underdog Kings had possession, trailing by two. The clock was ticking down. The raucous EnergySolutions Arena crowd was gasping at the scenario that had unfolded. And suddenly, after he fought his way through a scrum, the basketball ended up in the hands of one Jimmer Fredette behind the 3-point line. Of course it did. What happened next riled up anti-Jimmerites who'd booed the heck out of the former BYU star every time he touched the ball all night,"
Jimmer Fredette's game vs. Jazz leaves fans conflicted
January 29
Salt Lake Tribune
 columnist Gordon Monson
"As Jimmer Fredette played through the Jazz-Kings game at EnergySolutions Arena on Saturday night, he heard a lot of cheers and a few boos. It was a little weird for him, being back in Utah again. This time, for a team almost everybody in the building wanted to see lose. And based on the Kings' record and awful performances of late, there was a decent chance that would happen. What he didn't know until the end was this: He could have changed the outcome and won the game. All he had to do was hit an open 3-point shot with a few scant seconds left, the Jazz up by two. Instead, he air-balled his attempt, and the game ended, after an additional free throw, 96-93. "We were in a position to win,""
Jimmer Fredette still just another NBA rookie
January 29
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"He almost gave them a show they never would have forgotten. Then again, the sight of Jimmer Fredette air-balling the Sacramento Kings' final shot of the game in their loss to the Utah Jazz might be unforgettable itself. The former BYU superstar will likely be kicking himself for missing the big shot — a contested 25-footer with five seconds left. Many in the crowd were holding their breath, waiting for the ball to sink through the net. For Kings coach Keith Smart, it's all a part of the process. "We have a first-year player in a situation trying to do the right thing, and it's a whole different story if he made that shot," Smart said. "But it's something that you learn and you grow from"
Utah Jazz edge Sacramento Kings, 96-93, after Fredette misfires
January 29
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Gordon Hayward spent the whole game attacking. He scored eight points during the first quarter, 12 by halftime and was the Jazz's most aggressive and dynamic player during a night that saw normal stars Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap struggle. But when Hayward walked off the court Saturday at EnergySolutions Arena, the only look on his face was relief. Utah had outlasted and overcome Sacramento. Barely. Led by Hayward's team-high 21 points, five rebounds and four assists, the Jazz downed the Kings, 96-93. But Utah (11-7) watched a 12-point lead with 6 minutes, 8 seconds to go suddenly turn into a slim one-point advantage with 30.5 left on the clock. After recently failing to finish games and"
Bummer, Jimmer: Kings denied late-shot heroics
January 29
Sacramento Bee
 
"The storyline was set up perfectly. Jimmer Fredette was back in the state where he became a national phenomenon. And he took a three-pointer to give the Kings the lead late in the game. But there would be no fairy-tale ending to this game. Fredette's shot with 5.9 seconds to play was off, sailing out of bounds, and the Kings would go on to lose to the Utah Jazz, 96-93, Saturday night at EnergySolutions Arena. "I caught it … shot it … possibly contact, maybe not," said Fredette, who was being guarded by the Jazz's Earl Watson when he lofted the shot. "But the ball didn't go in, and that's what happens." The miss ended a Kings rally from 13 down in the fourth quarter to pull within one late."
Hayes back in lineup as player, mentor
January 29
Sacramento Bee
 
"Chuck Hayes returned to the Kings' lineup Saturday night when they played the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. He might not be back for long. Hayes left the game with 4.2 seconds to play, holding his arm in pain. He had missed the previous 11 games after dislocating his left shoulder Jan. 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Hayes was holding his left arm as he left the floor after committing a foul in the Kings' 96-93 loss. He had eight rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes. Kings coach Keith Smart said he didn't know the extent of Hayes' injury and that the team would have more information today. Hayes left the arena without his arm in a sling. Smart welcomed Hayes back as an extension of"
Chuck Hayes feels ready to play, awaits doctors' OK
January 28
Sacramento Bee
 
"After two days of practice, Chuck Hayes is ready to play. Hayes said he'd like to play tonight in Utah after experiencing no pain in his left shoulder, which he dislocated Jan. 5. Kings head coach Keith Smart said Hayes would return if he gets the approval of the team medical staff. "Once the doctors tell me – and our trainer tells me – he's cleared to go, then I'll work him into the lineup," Smart said. Hayes has missed the past 11 games after suffering the injury when he collided with Milwaukee's Drew Gooden. He said his shoulder has been "pulled a little bit, bumped into a little bit" in practice with no problems. The toughest thing for Hayes is playing with a shoulder brace, which"
Kings visit 'state of Jimmer' as Fredette returns to Utah to play Jazz
January 28
Sacramento Bee
 
"Two of Jimmer Fredette's teammates have witnessed how revered he is in Utah. In September, during the NBA lockout, Tyler Honeycutt and Isaiah Thomas played in a charity exhibition game hosted by Fredette at BYU. Thomas recalled the experience in Utah, or as he called it, "the state of Jimmer," where Fredette's fans flock to him. "It's unreal," Thomas said. "He's like a god out there, he really is. I've seen people cry over him, being right next to him. That's like some Michael Jackson stuff." Fredette will play in Utah tonight for the first time as a professional when the Kings visit the Jazz. Fredette has had sections of fans at every arena the Kings have visited this season, but"
Kings ponder poor defense in wake of Nuggets' drubbing
January 27
Sacramento Bee
 
"After watching the Denver Nuggets do more work in the paint than Monet on Wednesday night, Kings guard Tyreke Evans said he went home and watched the game before returning to the team's practice facility Thursday morning. He was not pleased with what he saw. "The guy that was (guarding) the ball was just letting the guy go," Evans said Thursday, a day after the Nuggets scored 92 points in the paint in a 122-93 win at Power Balance Pavilion. "It was just terrible defense. "I understand we should help (on defense), but how can you help when it's that easy? You put the guy that's helping in a bad position. … It was just bad." Defending the middle has been a problem through the first quarter"
Many Jazz fans find themselves torn with Jimmer headed to town
January 26
The Deseret News
 
"The Jazz have a big game Saturday against the struggling Kings, but it's not the Kings themselves that make this game a big deal, it's the guard who comes off the bench that makes this a marquee match, Jimmer. Jimmer Fredette is headed to the Energy Solutions Arena for the first time as an NBA player."
Injured King, Thornton to sit out 1-2 weeks
January 26
Sacramento Bee
 
"The Kings will be without leading scorer Marcus Thornton for one to two weeks because of a "significant hematoma in his left thigh," the team announced Wednesday. The injury was diagnosed after an ultrasound test on Thornton's leg. Thornton was found to have a left thigh contusion and missed three games after being kneed in his leg by Orlando center Dwight Howard as he set a screen Jan. 8."
Kings' defense vanishes in loss to Nuggets
January 26
Sacramento Bee
 
"It was almost fitting how Denver Nuggets guard Corey Brewer scored the final points for his team. They came on a dunk off a missed free throw. In short, they were an easy two points, and the Kings gave up way too many of those in a 122-93 loss Wednesday night at Power Balance Pavilion."
Gallinari helps Nuggets rout Kings; Ty Lawson sprains his left ankle
January 26
Denver Post
 
"On a day when the Nuggets took major steps toward solidifying what they feel is a strong, talented young nucleus of players, the need for such depth was underscored. The Nuggets may be without a third young star as point guard Ty Lawson sprained his left ankle midway through the second quarter of a 122-93 destruction of the Kings at the Power Balance Pavilion on Wednesday night. The Nuggets scored a franchise-record 92 points in the paint. "I thought our passing tonight was spectacular," said Nuggets coach George Karl. "We were getting a lot of easy baskets underneath the defense.""
Jamal Crawford's 'fresh start' helps carry Blazers over Kings
January 24
Oregonian
 
"He talked to Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan. He talked to LaMarcus Aldridge, Raymond Felton and a host of other teammates. Even team president Larry Miller earned a one-on-one chat with Jamal Crawford, who has been searching for any sliver of advice that might help him break out of a season-long funk. Finally, on Sunday night, Crawford decided he was done talking. "I cleared my head and said, 'This was Day One all over again,'" Crawford said."
Blazers-Kings: LaMarcus Aldridge, Craig Smith bring new elements to power forward position
January 24
Oregonian
 
"Sometimes you just need the obvious. For the Blazers, coming off a disappointing 2-4 road trip that ended with a defeat to a bad Detroit team, a little dose of Sacramento -- young, short-handed and prone to bad shot selection -- was just what they needed. Portland won 101-89. The game wasn't exactly a masterpiece, and while you would have hoped the Blazers could have stretched the lead to where coach Nate McMillan could sit his starters for the entire fourth quarter, the win itself was more important. The star of the win was obviously Jamal Crawford (26 points, five assists). But the game also had two positive developments at a key position for Portland: power forward."
Blazers break Kings early, cruise to victory
January 24
Portland Tribune
 
"When shots aren't falling and you're not playing as you'd like, who you gonna call? Slump-busters. Sacramento was just the antidote the Trail Blazers needed after a disappointing 2-4 road trip, the Kings falling 101-89 Monday night at the Rose Garden in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicates. Portland (10-7) broke the game open with a 20-2 spurt late in the second quarter and coasted to its seventh victory in eight home contests."
Kings' Greene gets his first start of the season
January 24
Sacramento Bee
 
"Donté Greene doesn't mind if Kings coach Keith Smart plays him at small forward or power forward. "It just depends on what play (Smart) wants to run," Greene said of where he plays. Greene started his first game of the season Monday when the Kings played the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden. He scored 12 points in just over 23 minutes in the 101-89 loss. Greene has come off the bench to play either forward spot this season."
Three-minute span is quite damaging
January 24
Sacramento Bee
 
"All it took was about three minutes for a close game to become a blowout. It's a trend the Kings know all too well. This time it was the Portland Trail Blazers who blitzed the Kings with a 13-0 run in the second quarter to put away the Kings in what became a 101-89 loss for Sacramento on Monday night at the Rose Garden. "The name of the game is to put the ball in the basket – and when you can't do that it puts pressure on you now, having to get a stop over and over again," said Kings coach Keith Smart. "Against a good team they're going to continue to get second-chance opportunities to score if you can't get a basket to keep the game even or break a run.""
Coaching stint in minors helps Smart
January 23
Sacramento Bee
 
"Taking over an NBA team after an in-season coaching change is not easy. But Kings coach Keith Smart is in an especially tough spot, doing so in a compressed 66-game season that gave him only two weeks to get to know the players as an assistant coach. Smart relies on his coaching experience in the minor leagues to help him deal with the situation."
Prestige varies for rookies Rubio, Fredette
January 23
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Bruce Jenkins
"As we eavesdrop on a mythical party for NBA rookies, we see Ricky Rubio in a far corner of the room. Quiet guy, doesn't say much. But there sure is a big crowd around him. Some of those admiring women are getting downright pushy. Outside the building, wearing a spiffy new overcoat, Jimmer Fredette is parking Maseratis. He's really a heck of a guy, Jimmer. Aims to please. But he's stuck between roles in the wilds of Sacramento, a city deeply concerned about losing the franchise. Someday, probably in a different uniform, he'll be a solid shooting guard in a responsible half-court offense - perhaps along the lines of Orlando's J.J. Redick. At the moment, he's dealing with me-first teammates,"
Outlaw finds playing time scarce
January 22
Sacramento Bee
 
"Kings forward Travis Outlaw had to round up a lot of tickets Saturday. Outlaw, who played at Starkville High School in nearby Starkville, Miss., had nearly 30 family members and friends come to Saturday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Outlaw's playing time has declined considerably recently. Entering Saturday's game, he had played more than seven minutes once in the previous six games. He played 19 minutes and had eight points in the Kings' 128-95 loss to the Grizzlies. The Kings claimed Outlaw off waivers after New Jersey released him as its amnesty player, which relieved the Nets of the four years and $28 million left on his contract. The Kings have to pay"
If Kings leave town, will we be 'Podunk'?
January 22
Sacramento Bee
 
"We ran into a friend recently at a local watering hole and naturally the subject turned to sports – specifically the Kings and their future. He's a huge sports fan from the East Coast who moved here about 12 years ago, so he's been in Sacramento for some of the Kings' best – and worst – years. He owns a successful local business, employing dozens of people, owns his home, etc. – he's put down some roots. His business doesn't depend on the Kings, he said, yet he has strong feelings about their future. He wants to see an arena built, doesn't want to see the Kings leave town. "I don't want to live in Podunk," he said. "If the Kings leave town, that's what we'll be – Podunk." Some folks insist"
Injured Chuck Hayes 'felt real good' in practice
January 21
Sacramento Bee
 
"Chuck Hayes studies the Kings' opponents as if he's still in the starting lineup. But Hayes hasn't played since dislocating his left shoulder Jan. 5 against Milwaukee, an injury that looked to keep him out three to four weeks. Hayes is making progress toward returning, as he took part in Thursday night's practice at the Spurs' facility. "It felt real good," Hayes said. "I'm excited, I can't wait to play. Wish I could play today (Friday), or sometime on this road trip, but it's not my call." Kings coach Keith Smart would welcome Hayes' veteran presence back on the court. The Kings worked on running the offense and shooting, Smart said, and Hayes didn't have a lot of soreness Friday."