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Kings at Warriors Highlights: 11/28/15

Shahbaz Khan

The Kings gave the Golden State Warriors their biggest scare of the season on Saturday night. Despite falling behind by double-digits on multiple occasions, Sactown found a way to climb back in the game time after time, eventually taking a 79-78 lead halfway through the final frame.

Marco Belinelli and Rudy Gay led the team with 22 points apiece, but the Kings most notable performance came from Rajon Rondo, who tallied his 23rd career triple-double and first with the Kings.
In addition to an impressive statistical output, Rondo played near-perfect defense on reigning MVP Stephen Curry, holding the PG to a 2-10 mark from beyond the arc and causing six turnovers.

The Kings are hopeful DeMarcus Cousins will make his return to the court on Monday night at Sleep Train Arena versus the San Antonio Spurs.Rajon Rondo Triple-Double Highlights

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Rondo Records Triple-Double in Loss

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Rondo Triple-Double vs Warriors

sacjwise

While Kings VP of Basketball and Franchise Operations and team legend Vlade Divac was on KHTK Sports 1140's morning radio show, he was posed a very interesting hypothetical.

Who would win in a matchup between arguably two of the most exciting teams of the last 20 years; the 2002 Sacramento Kings or 2015 Golden State Warriors?

"It would be five overtimes," said Vlade initially.

But as hosts Carmichael Dave and Dave Mason dove deeper into the positional matchups of the dream series, Vlade made his case.

Hear how Divac thinks the series would have gone in the below audio clip:

Plus, share who you think would win and why in the comments below!

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2002 Kings vs. 2015 Warriors

Steven Wilson

Despite a strong debut from rookie Nik Stauskas (9 first-half points), a smothering three-point defense that held Golden State to 22-percent from long range, and a double-double from DeMarcus Cousins (21pts, 11rebs), the Sacramento Kings couldn’t manage a win in their 30th-season home opener.

The Warriors used a 48-28 second-half to earn the victory and snap Sacramento’s ten-game winning streak in home openers.

Following an inspirational pregame ceremony and an eye-popping on court display showcasing legends and current superstars, the 2014-15 season began for the purple and black.

On a night that the organization honored the original 1985 team, the current squad came out strong. The Kings jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, but the Warriors stormed back with a 10-3 run. As the starters subbed out, Head Coach Michael Malone called upon his reserves to carry the load.

Playing against his former team, Carl Landry provided a key spark in the first half with six points off the bench and six rebounds, five of which were offensive boards.

Ramon Sessions then helped the Kings retake the lead early in the second quarter as he sped past the defense in transition, drew contact from Warriors center Andrew Bogut and converted a layup. The ensuing free throw gave his team a 29-27 lead with 9:23 to play before halftime.

Although the Kings hit just 26-percent of their attempts in the second frame, they outscored the Warriors 26-22 thanks to strong defense and a stellar free throw percentge. The purple and black made 15-of-17 free throws in the quarter including eight from DMC.

A normally high-powered offense, the Warriors were off from beyond the arc as they hit just 10-percent (1-of-10) of their attempts through the first two periods of play. Klay Thompson ended up as the only player on Golden State to drain a three in the first half. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry kept the visitors in reach scoring 12 of his game-high 24 points by hitting 3-of-5 field goals and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe.

Understanding the threat the Warriors pose in transition, the Kings defense was on point in the first half, which helped the home team earn an 11-7 advantage in fast-break points to take a two-point lead at intermission, 49-47. The Kings also outrebounded the Warriors, 30-21 and 11-3 in offensive rebounding in the first stanza.

Although both offenses were sluggish early on, Golden State’s backcourt came alive in the second half and Sacramento’s faded. Curry added 12 more points to his stat line, while Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green both tallied 8 leading the blue and yellow to a 47-percent clip in the final half.

On the other end, Cousins was productive with eight points of his own, but the rest of the team combined for just 20 points in the final two periods. The Kings were held to 30-percent from the floor and just 9-percent from beyond the arc as the Warriors closed out the win on Sacramento’s home court.

Stepping on the floor for the first time with less than five minutes left in the first quarter, Nik Stauskas earned a standing ovation from his home crowd. As the opening period wound down, the rookie shooting guard connected on a trey from the far corner – his first basket in his NBA career – and the crowd went wild.

Stauskas shined in the first half tallying nine points on 3-of-5 shooting and adding two threes in just under 12 minutes of action.

Midway through the second quarter, fans turned their attention to the World Series.

The anticipation was palpable. As the final pop-up of the World Series hung in the air so too did the reactions from Kings fans. Turning to see the TVs inside the luxury suites inside Sleep Train Arena, fans saw exactly what they wanted – A game-7 win for the San Francisco Giants.

The crowd erupted, fans high-fiving each other and suddenly the sea of purple had a tint of orange to it. Fans –whether Golden State or Sacramento – united as one in unison to cheer for Northern California’s most recent sports accomplishment.

Just before the game, the organization honored a fallen member of the Kings family and all impacted by the recent Sacramento tragedy.

The crowd fell silent and the only light visible inside Sleep Train Arena illuminated Seat 5, Row A in Section 106 in honor of the life, service and commitment of long-time Kings fan &amp; Season Ticket Member Deputy Danny Oliver, and Placer County Detective Michael Davis.

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Recap: Kings Fall to Warriors in Home Opener

Sacramento opens the 2014-15 campaign against the in-state rival Golden State Warriors. Hear from newcomers Nik Stauskas and Ramon Sessions as they prepare to slow the “Dubs” potent backcourt.

Broadcasts: TV – CSNCA
Comcast - 34 / 721
Dish - 441 / 9579
DirecTV - 698-1
AT&amp;T - 768 / 1768Radio – KHTK Sports 1140 AM

'Ray Vegas' Tips-In Game-Winner in Preseason Finale

In the fourth quarter against the Lakers on Friday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Ray McCallum repeated his Las Vegas heroics, which earned his Summer League Championship game MVP honors. No. 3 led the Kings back from a double-digit deficit and tipped-in a game-winning layup as time expired.

Afterwards, Head Coach Michael Malone said the second-year point guard from Detroit will now be aptly known as “Ray Vegas.” McCallum scored 7 points in the final frame, while Nik Stauskas added 10 as the purple and black closed the fourth quarter on a 17-3 run to steal the 93-92 victory over the Lakers and finish the preseason with a 3-4 record.

In all, Sacramento outscored L.A. 29-16 in the final 12 minutes. DeMarcus Cousins paced the offense through the first three quarters with a game-high 21 points and earned his third consecutive double-double by adding 10 boards. Derrick Williams (14pts), Ramon Sessions (13pts) and Stauskas (10pts) all joined their center in double-figures.

Tonight’s showdown with in-state rival Golden State will officially tip-off the Kings 30th-season in Sacramento. After purchasing the Kings in 1983, new owners, Joseph Benvenuti, Frank and Gregg Lukenbill, Bob A. Cook, Frank McCormick and Stephen H. Cippa petitioned the NBA Board of Governors to move the team from Kansas City, Mo. to Sacramento, which was approved April 16, 1985.

The Kings first game in Sacramento was played in front of a sellout crowd on October 25, 1985 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Over the next 29 seasons, Sacramento Kings fans became known as one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports, creating a legendary home court advantage.

Wednesday’s contest against the Warriors will be the first of many commemorative moments this season as the organization plans to celebrate legendary moments, players and fans throughout the 2014-15 season. A limited edition 30th season T-shirt is on sale exclusively at www.KingsTeamStore.com.

Before the opening tip of the 2013-14 season as the lights dimmed and the announcer began his introductions, goose bumps crept up Ben McLemore’s arms – the anticipation and jubilation overcame the 20-year old shooting guard.

“It felt like I was home,” said No. 23 about the arena’s energy. “I was very excited and happy to be playing in my first real NBA game. There was a ton of energy and enthusiasm – the fans are so crazy here and they showed me so much love and support. I was excited to go out there and perform.”

It didn’t take long for him to find the net – a special moment in any player’s career – and the anxiety faded.

“I had a few jitters,” he admitted. “My first points in the books came on a three against Denver – it felt so good. That’s when I realized I had made it to the NBA.”

As McLemore drained his first bucket, fans rose to their feet in unison to celebrate and cheer for their new rising star.

“Coming from a big program like Kansas and the ovations they gave me, I got the same treatment here,” said McLemore.

Now on the verge of his second season in the League, Sacramento’s young guard is primed for success and ready to prove doubters wrong.

“I’m ready to get this season going,” said McLemore. “I think this is the year for us to surprise a lot of people and teams.”

The Kings added many talented veterans this offseason including point guard Ramon Sessions, who says he never takes his opportunity for granted.

“This is my eighth year and I still get butterflies,” he admitted. “I’m just as excited as I was in my first year. Any time you get to start a season in the NBA, there’s nothing like that first game.”

“I can’t wait to see the crowd. I know they’re going to be excited. That first night, when they do the starting lineups, everything is a little different and it’s [even more special] because it’s a cross-town rivalry with Golden State.”

With an anticipated sell-out crowd inside Sleep Train Arena, the noise will be deafening, the energy will be palpable and the teams will be fired up for the start of a new season.

“There’s nothing like it,” concluded McLemore.

Led by the potent “Splash Brothers” – Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson – Golden State finished last season with 51 wins and the sixth-seed in the 2014 NBA Playoffs. Curry and Thompson have been the NBA's top 3-point shooting duo in each of the last two seasons draining 261 and 223 threes, respectively.

The Warriors backcourt duo leads a team that returns their top seven players in terms of minutes played from last season including swingman Andre Iguodala, forwards David Lee, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes, and center Andrew Bogut.

“To play a challenging team like Golden State early is good, we know we have to improve our defense and you can’t ask for a better team than Golden State to help us with that,” said reserve point guard Ramon Sessions. “They’re a team we know that’s going to run the floor, shoot threes and we have to be ready.”

The Warriors led the NBA in scoring during exhibition action scoring 110 points per outing and finishing their 8-game slate with a 6-2record. First-year head coach Steve Kerr also witnessed his team finish first the League in shooting percentage (.513), assists (28.1 apg) and point differential (+11.0).

After dropping all four matchups to the blue and yellow last season, the Kings will need a strong performance from their defense to pull out the win.

“It’s definitely takes a team effort, but it starts with the guards,” said Sessions. “They have Curry and Klay Thompson – two dynamic guys in the backcourt. It’s going to take a team effort, it’s going to take all five of us to get stops.”

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Game Preview: Kings (0-0) vs. Warriors (0-0)

On Wednesday, October 29th the Kings will tip-off their 30th season in Sacramento. The purple and black will begin the 2014-15 campaign with a big-time matchup against the in-state rival Golden State Warriors, while looking to extend an impressive 10-year winning streak in home openers.

Both teams were the only two squads in the League to feature two players from the gold-medal winning U.S. World Cup team in DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

With a handful of new faces on the team, fans from across the nation won't have to wait very long to view Sacramento’s new squad thanks to the first of seven nationally-televised appearances less than one month into the regular season.

Looking to make a statement in front of their first national audience on TNT, the Kings will square off with Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls inside Sleep Train Arena on Thursday, November 20th. After earning the 2011 NBA MVP, Rose missed the majority of back-to-back campaigns due to injuries, yet is expected to be back at full health this year setting up enticing backcourt matchups against Collison and Co.

After dominant performances against the Windy City last year, the Kings will look to Cousins – who shot 70.2 percent from the field during his FIBA World Cup tournament run – to lead the team to another victory at home, where Sacramento holds a slim 15-14 series lead over the Bulls since 1985.

Kings vs. Rockets | December 11, 2014 | Find Tickets &gt;&gt;

The Kings backcourt will be once again be faced with a tough task as the Western Conference boasts an incredible list of top-tier guards including Houston's James Harden, who averaged 32.5 points and 5.3 assists in four games against Sacramento in 2013-14. Last time the Rockets No. 13 was in Sleep Train Arena, the sixth-year pro shot 50-percent from the floor, amassed a season-high 43 points and connected on six long balls – all in just three quarters of work.

After that loss, Head Coach Michael Malone stated, “That’s the best team in the NBA since Jan. 1st and we [allowed] them to come in and establish their dominance very early in the game.”

The Thursday-night showdown with Houston on Dec. 11 will also showcase an interesting Summer League championship game rematch. While the Kings – led by Ray McCallum’s 29 points – were able to take home the trophy, Rockets’ rookie Nick Johnson and second-year guard Isaiah Canaan showed why they are two talented up-and-comers in today’s NBA.

Kings vs. Thunder | December 16, 2014 | Find Tickets &gt;&gt;

Five days after hosting Houston, the Kings will look to take down another Midwest powerhouse as they face reigning NBA-MVP Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder. In that game, OKC Head Coach Scott Brooks will look to extend a 10-game win streak against Sacramento, while the Purple and Black will look to repeat recent history.

Two seasons ago, the Purple and Black were able to stun Durant, Westbrook and the Thunder in a nationally-televised game on Feb. 9, 2012, mounting a 106-101 comeback victory in front of a sell-out crowd at Sleep Train Arena led by Cousins’ 19 points and nine rebounds.

Last season Ben McLemore posted promising and efficient numbers against one of the best defenders in the League – Thabo Sefolosha – averaging 13 points, 3.8 boards and 2.3 assists in four contests against the Thunder. Although Sefolosha has switched teams, McLemore's best offensive outing came against the former OKC standout this past March when No. 16 led the team with 18 points thanks to three triples and five freebies from the charity stripe.

Tuesday night’s game against Oklahoma City will also feature a special halftime ceremony for three-time NBA All-Star and Kings legend Peja Stojakovic. The two-time All-Star 3-point champion and the Sacramento-era leader in threes made and triples attempted will make his way back to the arena that once so prominently showcased his offensive prowess. This time, his #16 jersey will hang in the rafters for good.

“My time in Sacramento were the best years of my career and truly some of the best years of my life,” admitted the 37-year-old Stojakovic to the media at the time of his retirement in 2011. “I am proud of what we built in Sacramento and the connection we made with the fans and the community. Kings fans are some of the best fans in the world, and it was an honor to play for them.”

Kings vs. Knicks | December 27, 2014 | Find Tickets &gt;&gt;

Before the year ends, the New York Knicks visit Sleep Train Arena to face the Kings on NBA TV. Last season, the teams split their matchups – each posting wins in front of the opponent’s home crowd. In both, Carmelo Anthony exploded for a pair of 36-point outings, but could only lead his team to victory in Sac-Town.

Sacramento – which upset the Big Apple’s team in overtime on Feb. 12, 2014 thanks to 20 points and a late, clutch bucket from Rudy Gay – will be fresh off a contest against Phoenix. That’s good news for the home team though as No. 8 performs his best in back-to-back games. The Baltimore native’s scoring average rose to 20.1 without a break between games last season, while coincidentally, Anthony’s scoring dipped from 29.8 to 27 points per game with 0 days of rest according to Yahoosports.com.

Kings vs. Cavaliers | January 11, 2015 | Big Game Pack &gt;&gt;

LeBron James makes his first appearance in California’s capital since signing with his hometown team as the new year gets underway. The Kings will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, January 11th in front of an expected sell-out crowd.

Last season - while “The King” was part of the Miami Heat - the Kings pulled off a thrilling overtime victory inside Sleep Train Arena, 108-103, thanks to 27 points from Cousins and 26 from Gay, who added a game-tying step-back jumper with 1:03 on the clock, and a big three in overtime.

Rudy’s big game against Cleveland’s No. 23 falls in line with a few of his past performances against the 4-time NBA MVP.

Sacramento holds a 21-34 record against the Wine and Gold since moving cities, including a split between the two teams last season. Despite his stellar summer – which included a World Cup MVP award – Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving struggled to find his stroke against The River City in 2013-14. The third-year pro averaged just 10 points per outing, shooting 30.8-percent from the floor and was held to 7 points (3-for-14) in 31:30 minutes of action on January 12th as Cousins and Co. earned a 124-80 rout.

Kings vs. Mavericks | February 5, 2015 | Find Tickets &gt;&gt;

Nearly one month later on February 5th, 12-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons and the Dallas Mavericks come to town in the final meeting of the season between the teams. Although he’s been nicknamed the “Dunking Deutschman” in the past, Nowitzki wasn’t the one dunking last year when the Mavs were in town.

That slam from Cousins ignited his team to a 112-97 victory at home to push the Kings series lead to 32-27 since 1985. Showcasing his dominance near the net, No. 15 finished 60-percent (377-for-628) of his shot attempts at the rim in 2013-14.

While DMC posted stellar numbers in last year’s series – 25.7 ppg, 9 rpg and 2.6 spg – Gay had even more of an impact. The 6-foot-8 forward led the team in scoring in the final three matchups averaging 32.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game against Dallas. Derrick Williams added an efficient 11. 3 ppg, but the Mavs were still able to claim the series, 3-1.

Kings vs. Spurs | February 27, 2015 | Find Tickets &gt;&gt;

On February 27, 2015, the Kings will welcome the defending champion San Antonio Spurs to Sleep Train Arena. Many eyes will be on Big Cuz as he squares off with five-time NBA Champion Tim Duncan in the low-post. Sacramento’s 6-foot-11 center – who averaged 22 points and 13.5 rebounds against Duncan and the Spurs last year – is known for making his impact felt.

According to NBA.com, the former Kentucky Wildcat finished fourth in the League with a PIE (Player-Impact Efficiency) of 18.2-percent for players with at least 62 games played. Only Durant, James and Kevin Love had higher PIE’s in 2013-14 with their respective teams. Although he’s headed into his 18th season, Duncan ranked 16th on the list (15.4).

Kings vs. Clippers | March 18, 2015 | Find Tickets &gt;&gt;

In mid-March, the Los Angeles Clippers head north to face the Kings on their home court. The final matchup of the series will feature four-time All-Star Blake Griffin and last season’s League-leading rebounder DeAndre Jordan paired against the Kings frontcourt defense. The Purple and Black will lean on Cousins and 12-year pro Reggie Evans, who is known for his outstanding rebounding abilities, to help slow down the Clipper attack.

Last year, No. 30 nearly notched a double-double against LAC, cleaning the glass 12.5 times and scoring an average of 8 points in two meetings. He also ranked second in the NBA (50+ games played) with a rebounding percentage of 21.6, trailing only Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons. His defensive presence in the paint and his ability to limit second-chances will be crucial against the physical L.A. front.

Kings vs. Lakers | April 13, 2015 | Legends Pack &gt;&gt;

Rounding out the top matchups of the year, perennial All-Star Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers will make two appearances in Sacramento this season, most notably in the final home game of the regular season on April 13th. With raucous “Beat L.A.” chants ringing throughout Sleep Train Arena, the Kings will look to win back-to-back games against the Lakers for the first time since 2005.

On April 2, 2014, point guard Ray McCallum helped lead his team to a 107-102 victory as he tallied a career-high 27 points at a 54.5-percent shooting clip. His 12-for-22 shooting performance also included five assists and four boards in 46 minutes of action in front of the home crowd.

''Sometimes in this league the opportunity only comes once,'' McCallum told the Sacramento Bee after that game. ''I'm trying to take advantage of it. The game is definitely slowing down and I'm getting more comfortable.''

This time around, No. 3 and the rest of the Kings backcourt will be responsible for having to slow down Bryant – who enters his 19th season. Last year, L.A.'s star shooting guard missed all but six of the 82 games which led to Los Angeles’ worst season in the history of the organization.

No. 8 averaged just 13.8 points – the second-lowest mark of his career – and 4.3 rebounds per game, but if Bryant returns to form this season – like his coach predicts – then Sacramento will have to be ready.

Whether it’s Harden’s return to Sleep Train Arena or James’ one-and-only stop in Sacramento, you won’t want to miss the biggest games of the season. Secure a seat today by visiting Kings.com/biggamepack.