Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
7 p.m. Pacific on Comcast SportsNet California
The Kings nearly beat, and should have beaten, the Warriors at Oracle this week, so understandably, we're all hoping for and possibly expecting a win. (It's hard to expect wins with a team this inconsistent.) That the Kings knocked off the Blazers in Marcus Thornton's return -- moving to 6-9 with the guard in the lineup, just 1-6 without him -- is another positive indicator.
But this is Sacramento, y'all.
The red flag is that Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry didn't do anything on Tuesday; Monta scored 12 on 5-17 and Curry scored three points. You can't exactly count on that again ... and the Warriors still won. David Lee gave Jason Thompson all he could handle, and the Warriors' designated shooters (Dorell Wright and Brandon Rush) were on fire.
Of course, the Kings were without Thornton, and Jimmer Fredette didn't do much in his place (5 points, 2-6 shooting). DeMarcus Cousins was a tank, and it's reasonable to expect he can replicate that performance against Andris Biedrins and Ekpe Udoh.
Tyreke Evans had a helluva game Tuesday, though he faded late ... the Kings (as always) need a good performance from him to excel. Will we get it? Can the team put together another two-game winning streak?
Game's at 7. Game threads at 7 and 8:30. Let's go Kings!
0 recs | 48 comments
Get this one Kings
Kings should have beat the Warriors last game. I’ll be there tonight. I saw that it’s almost sold out and I’m just hoping that it’s not a shitload of Warrior fans. The Warriors and Lakers can be the two most annoying games to go to when it’s filled with opposing teams fans. For some reason the fans of both those teams feel that it is their duty to be obnoxious douchebags the entire game.
HeuristicLineup - February 4, 2012
Im sorry, but...
Laker “fans” at Arco are 10x more annoying than any Warrior fan could ever hope to be…
Ryan J - February 4, 2012
When was the last Kings/Warriors game you've gone too?
They’re all kinds of obnoxious
HeuristicLineup - February 4, 2012
Even the preseason one this year was completely rediculous
even after the Warriors lost all they did was talk crap
prowseinthehouse - February 4, 2012
Yes
At least the Warriors fans are actually fans, and like us stick with their team through thick and thin.
Aykis16 - February 4, 2012
Them being actual fans, does not make them any less obnoxious
HeuristicLineup - February 4, 2012
Never had a problem with one
either at Arco or Oracle.
wallywagon11 - February 4, 2012
They're awful
Many of them spend more time standing with their back to the game than watching the game.
otis29 - February 4, 2012
do you mean the ones in front of you just stare at you the whole game?
wallywagon11 - February 4, 2012
just stare at you the whole game?
haha, he’s either really pretty or really ugly?
Skeptic con Urquell - February 4, 2012
Agreed
I especially love how willing they are to insult their team. The variety of comments directed at Biedrins from the Dubs fans around me last season was impressive! Props to them though- they can be annoying (as I’m sure we are at Oracle) but they’re support the team through thick and thin and travel hard.
All that said, it sucks when the road team has enough fans at Arco that they get noticable cheers. Shut these Bay Area guys down Kings!
lead_pipe - February 4, 2012 via mobile
I especially love how willing they are to insult their team
You think they are they only one who insults their own players
Widowwolf - February 5, 2012
not true
KingsFanInPortland - February 4, 2012 via mobile
I'll be there too
We should start a warriors suck chant if they start the douchery.
ThomasGQ - February 4, 2012
We got this. I'm confident.
Letsgokings13 - February 4, 2012
I wouldn't say I'm confident,but I am hopeful.
On paper this should be a win and that’s kinda what makes me nervous.
ResetSmith - February 4, 2012
I'm confident because
We are playing pretty well at home. We have MT23 back along with Hayes (I know he played in Oakland last time). We beat a good, deep portland team (regardless of their road troubles), while DeMarcus didnt play much, Building off the recent win+being home+healthy line up+ playing norcal rivals+ almost sell out crowd (although a lot may be warriors fans) = win for me tonight. I’m just optimistic with home games against lower caliber teams.
Letsgokings13 - February 4, 2012
Cautiously optimistic?
SayWhat? - February 4, 2012
Little more nervous with Udoh than Biedrins.
wallywagon11 - February 4, 2012
I'm not
Udoh tries to block anything so he will be jumping up a lot. Perfect for DeMArcus to draw fouls if he notices it. As well, DeMarcus is 10x stronger
Letsgokings13 - February 4, 2012
I'd love to see lots and lots and lots of this
http://youtu.be/gcA4SbBiXr8
HeuristicLineup - February 4, 2012
Actually... This is far too bad ass to not make this a .gif
HeuristicLineup - February 4, 2012
Owned!
rubenho - February 4, 2012
DMC has struggled against shot blockers
So I think it’s a valid concern. Udoh played pretty good defense last time we played them too.
I do agree with you that Udoh isn’t disciplined enough yet and a few good head and pump fakes could go along way against him.
Crocoduck - February 4, 2012 via mobile
Udoh did alright the other night
as soon as Biedrins got in foul trouble, things went bad for the Kings
wallywagon11 - February 4, 2012
But we have this guy
CowbellKings - February 4, 2012
Oh yeah. Nobody expects IT, putting the Yeti back from whence he came
Now, where is the pre game haiku?
betweentheeyes - February 4, 2012
What nobody sees
The Yeti holding IT
Up high by the knees
CowbellKings - February 4, 2012
Nope
because he was mesmorizing Tyreke above the hoop until Aldridge smashed him.
PurpleHurts - February 4, 2012
Big Game
This is an important game (considering it is between a 8-12 team and a 7-15 team).
Golden State is getting close to .500, and the Kings have a golden (pun intended) opportunity to really gain some momentum. Our next two games come against New Orleans and Minnesota … Not to say they will be easy, but at least those are two teams we can compete with… Two teams that shouldn’t blow us out.
I’d also like to see Hayes in early to cover Lee, who seems to kill us every time we play the Warriors. Hayes did a respectable job on LA when JT couldn’t stop him… and JT hasn’t shown the ability to slow down Lee either.
Xypteras - February 4, 2012
...only Kings fans call two wins in a row a "steak"....
rubenho - February 4, 2012
Does two wins in a row not qualify?
jveezy - February 4, 2012
mmm
chenp22 - February 4, 2012
Bring out the Mogwai tonight!
Olde Greg - February 4, 2012
wallywagon11 - February 4, 2012
Take two
wallywagon11 - February 4, 2012
I will take credit for calling him Mogwai first thank you very much,,Great ’shoppe though
Widowwolf - February 5, 2012
No, thank you!
Perfect nickname to give him in light of the Yeti being extinct around here these days.
Olde Greg - February 5, 2012
And it's kinda too bad
That “MogwaIsaiah” doesn’t roll off the tongue very smoothly.
Olde Greg - February 5, 2012
After giving up huge numbers in the paint all season, the Kings have found some interior defense
Against Utah whose leading scorers are their Center and PF, and Portland whose leading scorers are their PF and SF, the Kings came up with a defensive scheme. The won points in the paint in Utah by 8, Portland by 2, and killed GS by 20.
We were -2 in 2nd chance pts against Utah, +7 against GS, and +8 against Portland. We were -2 pts in Fast Break Pts in the 3 games and a -1 in Points off of Turnovers. We were a combined -2 in rebounding against Utah and Portland, and a +20 against GS.
Where the Kings have been hurt all season is Points off the Bench. Against Utah our bench was outscored by 32, GS bench won by 42, and Portland outscored us by 13.
We seem to be learning how to defend the Paint, but the 3pt line still posses a challenge at least against GS it was. It’s going to be interesting to see what Coach Smart does differently, since he took the blame for the last lose to GS. My hope is that he adds some more offense to the backup rotations. And, now with Hayes & Thornton back maybe he won’t have to sit our starting backcourt at the same time or play a lineup that includes low scoring Hayes and Hickson at the same time either.
I liked our chances in Oakland, and I certainly feel as strongly now. If Smart can get us playing solid defense after just about 6 days of practice, I just wonder what this team would look like if we’d had him for a full preseason.
HighTops - February 4, 2012
Well said
Over the look of the team is better, and i would even say the team won 2 games directly becuase of tactical changes by Smart, Pacers and Portland. Next up and coming coach
cqaguilar - February 4, 2012
Yep, changes in running & defending the fast break and now interior defense, What's Next?
I didn’t see much if anything that different over the 1st game. He did keep either Thornton or Evans on the court with the reserves. And, I thought that they ran too many iso’s with Hickson. If your going to put a front line of Hayes, Hickson and Outlaw on the court together, you better have a PG that can put up some alley-oops or at least penetrate and dish in the paint. Also, I’m not sure that Garcia is much of an alternative to Outlaw. Neither one is going to into the flow of the game playing only 4 minutes each.
HighTops - February 5, 2012
I dont know about Y'all but i got me some new shoes and ready to do some serious dancing after this win
1damutt - February 4, 2012
Those look like something DeMarcus might wear
Boogie shoes
betweentheeyes - February 4, 2012
I will pay you
10,000 ziller bucks for those shoes….
fffindeed - February 4, 2012
new shoes?
bowing shoes that someone scribbled on with colored sharpies?
Skeptic con Urquell - February 4, 2012
How many Ziller bucks does it cost for a Honeycutt jersey out the gift shop?
1damutt - February 4, 2012
Watching an entertaining match up: Rox v Pups. The Adelman Bowl. Minny has been leading mostly all game
The Wolves guards are playing well – Rubio, Ridenour and Barea. The Rox SGs not so much: KMart and Lee. Which begs the question: What happened to Courtney Lee? I remember a time when we Kings fans coveted him.
Nice frontcourt matchup: Love v Scola, Beasley/Derrick Williams v. Chanderl Parsons/PatPat, SammyD v. Pekovic?.
Lowry an All-Star this year?
betweentheeyes - February 4, 2012
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