Warriors-Kings Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Nov 04 2012 5:21PM

The Sacramento Kings have made strides defensively from last season, but the winless team needs to be much better offensively as well.

The Kings look to avoid their first 0-4 start in four seasons in Monday night's home opener against the Golden State Warriors, who are seeking their first 3-0 road start in 18 years.

With the Kings ranking last in the NBA last season in scoring defense (104.4 points per game) and field-goal percentage defense (47.6), coach Keith Smart put an emphasis on improving those numbers coming into 2012-13. The result has been Sacramento giving up 97.0 ppg and 39.2 percent shooting, while Kings opponents have gone 8 for 48 (16.7 percent) from 3-point range.

Sacramento's second-half defense has been even more impressive, as the club is allowing an average of 42.0 points and 34.8 percent shooting.

The Kings limited Indiana to 35 total points in the third and fourth quarters Saturday, but couldn't overcome giving up 38 in the second quarter of a 106-98 double-overtime loss.

"We gotta figure out a way to keep that (second-half) defense for 48 minutes," guard Tyreke Evans said. "We get down and then we try to pick it back up. We can't do that. We've got to start from the beginning. I think that's how we're going to get our first win."

Improved shooting might also help that happen. The Kings, who opened 0-4 in 2008-09, are scoring 88.3 points per game and hitting 37.5 percent from the field.

"The thing is, we were so focused on being a defensive team. We kinda want to worry about the offense now," said big man DeMarcus Cousins, who's shooting 38.9 percent - well below his career mark of 43.8.

The Warriors (2-1) have not won their first three road games since 1994-95. In their last trip to Sacramento on March 13, Golden State won a season-best third consecutive road contest 115-89.

The Warriors are looking to build on Saturday's 114-110 road victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. A day earlier, reserve guard Brandon Rush was lost for the season with an ACL tear.

"We don't quit," coach Mark Jackson said. "We had every reason to quit, but we gutted it out and we defended."

That defense and the team's rebounding could improve with center Andrew Bogut expected to return after missing one game, with rookie Festus Ezeli recording eight points and five rebounds in his place Saturday. For the time being, the Warriors do not plan on playing Bogut on back-to-back nights due to the fractured left ankle he suffered last season Milwaukee.

The Warriors are outrebounding opponents by 5.3 per contest, with David Lee and Carl Landry leading the way with 50 combined boards.

The Kings, who have been outrebounded by an average of 12.0, had a 199-158 advantage on the glass against Golden State last season but dropped three of four.

Kings hold off Warriors 94-92 for first win

By ANTONIO GONZALEZ
Posted Nov 06 2012 1:42AM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Keith Smart saw a black tarp that covered an advertisement fall from the scoreboard above center court and ran out to grab the piece of plastic while his Sacramento Kings played defense on the other end. Officials whistle the play dead, and Smart sprinted back to the bench like a running back holding a football, drawing roars from a rare sellout crowd.

While Sacramento's aging arena might be falling apart, the Kings managed to hold things together in their home opener.

DeMarcus Cousins scored 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and the Kings nearly blew a 16-point lead before holding off the Golden State Warriors 94-92 on Monday night to avoid an 0-4 start.

"I saw something that was a problem, and I had to rectify that problem immediately," joked Smart, the former Warriors coach. "And I think I did a good job. I was worried about slipping, though."

Sacramento steady enough.

Cousins outworked slow-footed Andrew Bogut and every other Warriors big man to help the Kings go on a 16-0 run during the third quarter to bust open a tie game. Bogut hardly looked to be at full strength, though he again refused to make excuses, saying "I'm playing in the NBA. If you are out on the court, you are healthy."

The 7-footer from Australia had 12 points and three rebounds while playing almost 19 minutes as Golden State's new franchise center - and his surgically repaired left ankle - eases back into shape.

Klay Thompson had 22 points and David Lee scored 20 to bring the Warriors within a point in the final minute. But Thompson missed a potential tying jumper and Stephen Curry missed a 3-pointer as time expired to seal Golden State's first road loss this season.

"The game was lost when the lead went from 6 or 7 up to 16," Lee said. "From there, you pretty much have to play perfect basketball before you get back into it."

After losing the first three games on the road, a return to California's capital city ignited Sacramento's stagnant start this season.

The Kings wore their black road uniforms for the "blackout" theme and the Warriors stayed with their blue road jerseys. Fog machines filled the floor during pregame introductions, which included team dancers in black hoods and Medieval gear, and the announced crowd of 17,317 seemed to lift Sacramento throughout.

Thornton threw an alley-oop that rookie Thomas Robinson finished for a one-handed slam on an uncontested fast break, and Aaron Brooks followed with a 3-pointer to give Sacramento a 47-35 lead in the second quarter. Thornton finished with 16 points and Brooks had 12 points.

Bogut played the first 5:17 and sat out the rest of the first half. At one point, he also took the shoe off his left foot while sitting on Golden State's bench.

The Warriors tied the score at 56-all on Curry's 3-pointer with 8:52 remaining in the third quarter. But they didn't make another basket for more than six minutes, when the Kings scored 16 straight points behind a flurry of defense, rebounding and overall effort.

Cousins had the final five points during Sacramento's surge, including ripping a rebound away from rookie Festus Ezeli and drawing a foul to start a three-point play.

"I've started the season off pretty rough," Cousins said. "I know the way I play affects this team in a lot of ways. I knew I had to step up tonight."

Seemed everybody on Sacramento's side did.

Smart's nifty move in the second quarter came during his team's first-half spurt. And in separate second-half incidents, three more pieces of plastic fell down from the scoreboard hanging above center court. Some fans even chanted "New Arena!"

The Kings almost crumbled on the court, too.

Curry made a 3-pointer and Thompson converted a layup through traffic with a little more than 2 minutes remaining to bring the Warriors within three. Thompson's two free throws sliced Sacramento's lead to 93-92 with 31.3 seconds left.

After Cousins missed a difficult running shot, Golden State called timeout with 10.3 seconds remaining. Thompson then missed a contested shot near the free-throw line, James Johnson grabbed the rebound and was fouled.

Johnson missed the second free throw to give the Warriors another chance with 1.3 seconds to play. Off the in-bound play, Curry missed a 3-pointer over big man Chuck Hayes as time expired.

"I thought it was in," Hayes said. "When Klay Thompson shot the other one, I thought it was good. Those are two guys when the ball leaves their hands, you think it's good."

Golden State was trying to start 3-0 on the road for the first time since 1994-95, when it won at San Antonio, Denver and Utah. The Warriors won at Phoenix and the Los Angeles Clippers already this season while losing their only home game to Memphis.

The Kings haven't started 0-4 since 2008. All four of those games were on the road that season, when Sacramento finished with an NBA-worst 17-65 record.

NOTES: Thompson played through a toothache. ... Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson chatted with players from both teams from his courtside seat during pregame warmups.

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Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP

Notebook: Kings 94, Warriors 92

James Ham, for NBA.com
Posted Tue Nov 06, 2012 3:12 AM - Updated Tue Nov 06, 2012 3:12 AM

THE FACTS: After losing their first three games on the road to start the 2012-13 NBA season, the Sacramento Kings used a little home cooking, a big third quarter and a lot of luck in the final seconds to beat the Golden State Warriors 94-92 Monday at the newly renamed Sleep Train Arena.

DeMarcus Cousins led all players in both points with 23 and rebounds with 15 in the win. Super-subs Marcus Thornton and Aaron Brooks combined for a big 28 points off the bench for the home Kings.

Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 22 points and seven rebounds, but missed a crucial shot which would have given the Warriors the lead in the waning seconds. David Lee added a solid 20 points and six rebounds in the loss.

QUOTABLE: "Yes. I thought the Klay Thompson shot was going to go down. I thought my initial defense on him was good, but when he stopped and shot, I thought it was good. Curry's catch and shoot -- I thought that was good. But it wasn't." -- Chuck Hayes on whether he thought the final shot attempts by the Golden State Warriors were going to go in

THE STAT: The focus of Kings training camp was defense, defense, defense. Although the wins haven't been there, the defensive intensity has. Coming into Monday's matchup, Sacramento's defensive rating was 98.1, good enough for seventh in the league. They held true to form, limiting the Warriors to 92 points on 39.7 percent shooting.

TURNING POINT: After blowing a 10-point lead in the third, the Kings hit the gas, going on a 16-0 run to take a 72-56 lead. The Warriors made it interesting down the stretch, but the third quarter run was too much to overcome.

QUOTABLE II: "We felt we wanted the crowd to get their monies worth, all the way to the last drop." -- Kings coach Keith Smart

HOT: After a so-so start to the season, Cousins came out of his shell in the third quarter. The Kings big man scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds in the third, finishing with a solid double-double.

NOT: Tyreke Evans went scoreless through three quarters, missing all seven of his shots. The Kings' starting shooting guard finished with just three points in 29 minutes.

GOOD MOVE: Cousins had a brush-up with Andrew Bogut in the third which cost both players a technical foul. Moments later, he picked up a quick foul and appeared destined for the bench. Smart gave him some rope and instead of hanging himself, Cousins responded with a huge quarter.

BAD MOVE: After watching Bogut limp around with his shoe off during his bench time, you have to wonder if the Warriors aren't better served waiting another month or so before letting last season's prized acquisition test his troublesome ankle.

NOTABLE: For the fourth season in a row, the Sacramento Kings sold out their home opener. An impassioned 17,317 were loud and effective in the win.

UP NEXT: For the Warriors, Wednesday vs. Cleveland, Friday @ L.A. Lakers, Saturday vs. Denver. For the Kings, Wednesday vs. Detroit, Friday vs. San Antonio, Sunday @ L.A. Lakers.

• Warriors: Bazemore, Rush
• Kings: Salmons

• Warriors: Bogut
• Kings: Cousins

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, CA
• Officials: #19 James Capers, #29 Mark Lindsay, #38 Michael Smith
• Attendance: 17317
• Duration: 2:16