Oklahoma City Thunder

Kyle Ramos

The Kings are on the heels of their best offensive performance in nearly 23 years, downing the Phoenix Suns by a score of 142-119 at Sleep Train Arena. The 142 points were the most points scored by Sacramento since a 154-98 victory over visiting Philadelphia on Jan. 2, 1993

DeMarcus Cousins led the way with 32 points and nine rebounds, but the high team score was a result of a balanced attack, in which the team saw six players score in double digits.

Darren Collison scored 21 points off of the bench, to go along with Rajon Rondo's 15 points and 15 assists and another 19 points from Marco Belinelli. Additionally, all 12 Sacramento players who took the court scored at least two points.

The Kings will now take on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that has been on a hot streak of late, winning their last four games in a row. OKC has also won 13 of its last 15 contests, including a narrow 98-95 victory over Sacramento earlier this season.

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Preview: Kings (13-20) at Thunder (24-10)

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Led by Rudy Gay, who tallied a game-high 28 points and nine rebounds, Sacramento ended its 12-game losing streak to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday at Sleep Train Arena. The win was the team's first against OKC since Feb. 9, 2012. It was also the largest margin of victory against the Thunder since they moved to Oklahoma City prior to the 2009-10 season.

“You look for these wins throughout the season – beating a quality team, beating a very well-coached team with talented players. Anything you can do to build our confidence, that team confidence – we’ll take it. I thought tonight was the first night in a real long time where we really committed on the defensive end; I don’t know if it was the state, the game of playing a team like OKC, but I thought our sense of urgency was really high today.”

Throwback Highlight: Last Time Kings Defeated Thunder

Continuing the six-game homestand, Sacramento hosts Denver on Friday at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings have won the first two matchups in the season series and are looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since Nov. 22 and 25.

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Kings Silence Thunder

On a night in which Kings fans will remember for a long time, the team honored one of their greatest in a halftime ceremony for the ages.

The franchise’s all-time leader in three-pointers made, Peja Stojakovic was celebrated in front of the Sacramento-faithful, receiving a standing ovation and a “PE-JA PE-JA” chant, while stating his love for the fans and organization.

“I stand in front of you, at the same time, very honored and humbled,” said Stojakovic. “I want to thank you fans. You have always supported us, you are the best and loudest fans in the world.”

No. 16 was also joined at center court by former teammates Vlade Divac, Doug Christie, Bobby Jackson, Scot Pollard and Brad Miller.

“I want to thank my teammates,” continued Peja, “I told them before the game ‘this isn’t about me, this is about us,’ as my jersey goes up there, you guys go up there with me in my heart.”

On the court, the Kings current star forward Rudy Gay did his best to carry the 2014-15 squad to victory over a resurgent Oklahoma City Thunder.

With Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant returning from injury seven games prior, OKC had rattled off seven victories in a row.

Led by Gay’s 22 points, six rebounds, three assists and one “Rudiculous” poster dunk on Serge Ibaka, Sacramento was able to take a fourth quarter lead with just under eight minutes to play.

Along with No. 8, Carl Landry had a huge final frame to help the home team grab the lead. Landry tallied six points in the first six minutes of the fourth giving Sacramento its first advantage of the game, 86-85. Carl would finish with 14 points, four rebounds and one assist.

However, the Thunder’s dynamic duo of reigning NBA MVP Durant and three-time All-Star Westbrook took over, scoring 14 of their team’s final 16 points. The duo was also able to contain the Kings, holding them to six points over the final 7:37.

“Durant and Westbrook are two of the best players in this league and they’re going to have runs," stated Head Coach Ty Corbin. "They’re going to make plays and we just have to continue fighting and trying to make them work hard for everything that they get.”

Sactown saw solid production from the bench, led by Landry and Ramon Sessions. Sessions, who is averaging six points and a shade over two assists per game this season, chipped in 11 points and four assists off of the bench. While Derrick Williams, Ryan Hollins and Nik Stauskas added a combined 19 points and 11 rebounds.

The loss drops Sacramento to 11-14 and is its fourth-straight loss and third-straight at home.

In the halftime ceremony, Peja’s close personal friend, Vlade Divac, had nothing but glowing things to say about his former teammate.

“It’s my pleasure to be here and share this special moment with my good friend Peja,” said Divac.  “Today we are celebrating a beautiful career for one of the best shooters in league history.”

“Peja, I used to play with a lot of guys but you were definitely one of the best teammates I ever had,” concluded Divac.

Stojakovic ranks as the franchise leader in three-pointers made (1,070) and attempted (2,687) and free throw percentage (89%), he also ranks second on the Kings all-time scoring list with 9,498 points scored.

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Thunder Outlast Kings

Steven Wilson

The Sacramento Kings have never won their first four road games to start an NBA season and that drought will continue as the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped the River City’s five-game overall win streak on Sunday with a 101-93 victory inside Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Despite 23 points from Rudy Gay and 16 apiece from DeMarcus Cousins and Ben McLemore, the Kings were outscored in three of the four quarters allowing the Thunder to shoot 46-percent from the field in the game.

Although the purple and black have overcome deficits in four of the past five outings, OKC’s strong start gave them enough momentum to earn the victory on their home floor.

OKC connected on 10-of-17 attempts from the floor en route to a 24-17 lead after one quarter. Jeremy Lamb led the Thunder with 9 points, while Serge Ibaka and Reggie Jackson each tallied four.

The Kings, on the other hand, shot just 35-percent in the first 12 minutes including a lackluster 17-percent clip from beyond the arc. Reggie Evans converted a three-point play to end the first period to give Sacramento a little momentum heading into the second period.

Omri Casspi helped the purple and black cut the lead to single digits, but OKC used an 11-6 spurt to retake a double-digit lead, 38-27, with five minutes left before halftime.

Gay and McLemore kept the visitors close as they each connected on back-to-back threes at the four-minute mark in the second quarter. No. 8 reached double-figures in the opening half on a fast-break layup one possession later, but Jackson answered with a three just before the halftime buzzer to give the Thunder a 52-39 lead at the break.

Normally a strong glass-cleaning team, the Kings were outrebounded, 25-15, and were outshot - 37% for Sacramento and 49% for OKC - in the opening 24 minutes.

The first minute and a half of the second stanza wasn’t much better. The Thunder scored four-straight points to take a 56-39 lead, but then DMC and Co. started to find their groove.

The 6-foot-11 big man kick-started an 13-0 Kings run as he sandwiched a steal on the defensive end with two straight buckets, the second of which was a 180-degree spin and slam. Rudy added to the offensive spurt with a steal of his own and a fast-break, two-handed jam.

Despite OKC breaking the drought with a pair of buckets, the Kings continued their scoring barrage pulling within one point, 58-57, on a jumper by Boogie. Adding his mark on the game, Darren Collison tallied 10 of his 12 points in the third quarter including his first triple of the night just before the period ended.

In all, the Kings outscored the Thunder 26-15 and hit 10-of-17 shots in the third frame to close the gap and enter the fourth quarter within one possession, 67-65. The visitors’ defense was key to the comeback as the River City forced 9 OKC turnovers in the first 12 minutes of the second half.

OKC stormed out to another double-digit lead in the fourth, but Carl Landry kept the game within reach with a pair of buckets before Casspi added a layup of his own. The starters returned with 7 minutes left in regulation and quickly cut the lead to six, 85-79, thanks to a floater from Gay.

Collison pulled his team within four, 87-83, as he drained a long two just in front of the Thunder bench with three minutes to play. After a timeout, DMC showed his poise as he pulled the Kings within two earning his 7th field goal of the game on a soft tip-in thanks to a nifty lob from Gay.

Jackson added two more free throws for the Thunder before Sacramento attacked again. This time, Boogie was sent to the charity stripe where he connected on one-of-two free throws.

In the final two minutes, though, the Kings couldn’t close the gap. OKC added a free throw and a put-back layup to take a six-point lead and extended their lead to eight before the final buzzer sounded.

Leading their team back and making the game close down the stretch, Boogie scored 12 of his 16 points after intermission on Sunday, while Collison tallied all 12 of his points in the second stanza.

After starting 0-for-5 from the floor, Collison found his groove on a drive to the hoop at the start of the third before draining an 18-footer from the right wing. DC7 then added a three-point play as he drew the foul from Jackson on an open-floor layup. No. 7 also got his teammates involved with his seven total assists including an alley-oop dish to Rudy Gay in the third frame.

Meanwhile, Big Cuz had a solid all-around game. The Kings star finished 7-of-15 from the field for 16 points, while adding 7 boards, 4 steals, 2 blocks and an assist.

Averaging 12.5 ppg over the past two games, McLemore used that momentum to tally a quick five points early in the first quarter and kept up the pressure on the Thunder defense all night long. Ben finished the night with the team’s best plus-minus ratio at positive 15.

No. 23 found the hoop first for the Kings as Gay found him for a spot-up three from the corner. The second-year guard followed that up with a fade-away jumper from the baseline for the team’s second bucket. McLemore added a three before halftime and added another big triple in the final 1:30 of regulation.

Fresh off a 15-point outing and a monumental trey against Phoenix in double-overtime to set up a go-ahead bucket from Rudy Gay, McLemore added another big play for Sacramento with time winding down on Sunday. Pulling his team within striking distance, McLemore drained a triple from the corner thanks to a perfect feed from Gay – the long-distance jumper tied his career-high (4).

No. 23 also connected on an impressive fade-away jumper from the baseline after creating separation from the defense with a long side-step earlier in the fourth period. In all, McLemore hit four threes and tallied 16 points finished in a tie for second on the team.

Playing without 4-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant (out 6-8 weeks with foot injury) and 3-time All-Star Russell Westbrook (out 3-4 weeks with hand injury), the Kings turned their defensive focus to Serge Ibaka, Jeremy Lamb and Reggie Jackson.

Lamb was strong in the first scoring nine points, while Jackson - OKC’s speedy reserve point guard - stepped in following the Westbrook injury and scored BLANK first half points. No. 15 for the Thunder entered the game averaging 19.3 ppg in three outings and was strong once again on Sunday afternoon scoring a team-high 22 points. Jackson finished the first half 4-of-10 from the floor for 11 points in 22 minutes, while Ibaka tallied 10 points, 7 rebounds and a solid three blocks in the first half.

In the end, the Thunder didn’t need Durant and Westbrook as the team shot 46-percent from the floor and 33-percent from deep to seal the win.

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Kings Comeback Falls Short in OKC

Flashback to the final week of September during the Sacramento Kings official Training Camp − Coach Michael Malone is on the sideline in front of the team’s branded backdrop surrounded by media members. When asked about the importance this week will have on the season, he ponders the question before responding.

“[Training Camp] isn’t just about offense, defense and X’s and O’s,” said the Kings leader at the time. “The more important thing is relationships and building a bond and a trust with each other.”

Six weeks later, the team looks impeccable with a 4-1 record following back-to-back wins over the Denver Nuggets, the second in convincing fashion. After a 28-win season in 2013-14, the Kings have looked like a new team so far this year and the turnaround has been impressive.

It has taken time for Sacramento’s front office to piece together this now tight-knit group − a squad with fight, heart and a never-say-never attitude.

“We’re definitely a team that’s trying to change the culture of this organization,” said forward Carl Landry, “to get it back on track, where this team once was. We just have to take it step-by-step and day-by-day.”

Some teams may relish in the fact their team is 4-1, but these Kings are different. They recognize the continued need for improvement. While still enjoying a hard-earned win, each player is responsible for bringing a tireless work ethic to practice every single day.

“We’re hungry,” admitted Landry. “Every practice, we’re trying to get better. Every game, we want to continue to win. We know it’s not a sprint − it’s a marathon. We have to continue to take it game-by-game.”

Wednesday’s comfortable win over the Denver Nuggets not only gave Sacramento its first 4-1 start since the 2001-02 season, but it gave the Kings a little breathing room heading into a tough four-game road-trip.

“Thank goodness we’ve been able to start the way we have and build a 4-1 cushion,” said Head Coach Michael Malone after practice on Thursday. “We talked about that on Media Day in our team meeting. We wanted to have a great month of October so we could try to steal some games early, knowing that our schedule is very demanding.”

Over the next week, the purple and black will face Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Memphis, teams with a combined record of 12-7 and 11-3 if you remove the Thunder’s 1-4 mark.

“I think it’s going to be a great test,” Malone continued. “Any time you go up against the likes of Phoenix, Memphis, OKC, Dallas, you’re going to have a great understanding of where you’re at [as a team] when you come back.”

Boasting one of the best center-small forward combos in the game, the Kings will be counting on DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay all year long. The dynamic duo has been stellar through five games averaging a combined 48.4 points and 16.8 rebounds per game.

Rudy and DMC are also leading the charge off the court and in the locker room showing leadership and poise even through adverse times. Their guidance has created a close bond between everyone on the team.

“The guys have come together − we have a tremendous group,” said Coach Malone. “I’ve noticed a significant change with DeMarcus and Rudy and how vocal they’re being and how positive they’re being even if maybe we’re going through a rough time during a game − there’s a lot of positive feedback.”

After the home opener − a loss to Golden State − the Kings remained calm. Instead of panicking, the team responded with four-straight wins, including victories over Portland and Los Angeles. A large part of that is due to the veteran leadership on the team.

“You can see it on our bench during the game,” said Malone. “Our bench is up, our bench is in to the game and like we always say, it’s amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit − we all just want to win and I think guys are checking their egos at the doors.”

In all, Sacramento has nine players with at least five years of experience in the NBA. Although they haven’t played a full season together, the core of the Kings is a close-knit group of young and talented young men.

“We have a good mix right now [of veterans and young guys],” said Malone. “When you see guys up and supporting their teammates throughout the game, I think that bodes well for your team’s camaraderie and chemistry.”

Oklahoma City Thunder

Preview: Kings (13-20) at Thunder (24-10)

Kings Silence Thunder

Thunder Outlast Kings

Kings Comeback Falls Short in OKC

Kings Notes: Changing the Culture