New Orleans Pelicans beat Kings, 105-98, to advance to first round of playoffs

The New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas takes a shot over Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) in the first half of the NBA Play In game at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans on Fri Apr 19, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Sacramento Kings, fresh off a huge thumping of the Golden State Warriors last Tuesday night, were beaten by the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans’ star forward, Zion Williamson, suffered a leg injury in the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday night. The Pelicans are now the eighth seed in the Western Conference and will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night in OKC. The Lakers are the seventh seed and will play the defending NBA Champions, the Denver Nuggets. The Pelicans were in control for most of the game defeating and knocking out the Kings of the post season with a 105-98 play in win at Smoothie King Arena.

The Kings had met the Pelicans five times during the regular season. The Pelicans won all five. In one game, with Williamson injured, the Pelicans put 130 points on the board to beat the Kings. The Kings had two key players out with injuries. Malik Monk, a great coming off the bench, and Kevin Huerter, a good three-point threat, would not dress for the game.

The Kings hoped that Keegan Murray could play as he did against the Warriors. Murray put 32 points on the board and made eight threes. Rookie Keon Ellis, who was undrafted from the University of Alabama, scored fifteen against the Warriors, and his defense slowed down Stephen Curry’s efforts last Tuesday night.

One of the keys to the Pelicans’ win was their bench. The Pelican bench outscored the Kings’ bench 34-12. The Pelicans had three bench players in double figures. Larry Nance, Jr had 13, Naji Marshall,11, and Jose Alvarado 10. The Kings’ Damion Mitchell had ten for Sacramento.

The Pelicans and Kings started the game with a highly competitive first quarter, with the Kings managing to edge ahead with a 24-22 win. However, the Pelicans’ offense came alive in the second quarter, scoring 32 points and holding the Kings to just 21 points. This strong performance allowed the Pelicans to finish the first half with a 54-45 lead, a lead they would maintain for the rest of the game.

The Kings won the second half 53-51, but it was not enough to overcome the nine-point first-half deficit. De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 35 points. Fox was an offensive force, but he could do it alone. The Kinks’ Domantis Sabonis had a double-double with 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Sabonis showed off his passing skills as he recorded seven assists. Former Warrior Harrison Barnes tallied 17 points. Keegan Murray had a tough night. He was brilliant against the Warriors last Tuesday. He was a dud on Friday night in New Orleans. Murray scored 11 points and made two three-pointers and seven tries. Keon Ellis, who played so well against Golden State, did not score a point. 

Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans with 24 points. The Pelicans’ big man, Jonas Valanciunas, had a double-double with 19 points and 12 boards. Trey Murphy added 16. The veteran guard, C.J. McCollum, tallied seven. Even with McCollums’ off-night, the Pelicans had enough firepower to beat the Kings.

The playoffs start on Sunday. The Pelicans face the OKC Thunder, the Lakers play the Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves tip off against the Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Clippers play the Dallas Mavericks.

In the Eastern Conference first round, the Boston Celtics will play the Miami Heat, The New York Knicks will see the Philadelphia 76ers, The Milwaukee Bucks will go against the Indiana Pacers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers will battle the Orlando Magic.

It had to be a crushing defeat for the Kings. The Kings had a year to think about their loss to the Warriors last year, who beat them in the seven-game series. The Warriors and the Kings will be in the playoffs this year. The Kings’ front office will have to assess their roster and make moves to get them back into the playoffs next year. 

Sacramento Kings podcast with David Zizmor: Kings battle Pelicans in Play In game Friday at Smoothie King Center

The Sacramento Kings guard DeAaron Fox (5) has a little better reach to throw down on the Golden State Warriors guard Draymond Green (23) and Klay Thompson (11) at Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento on Wed Apr 17, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with David Zizmor:

#1 David how surprised were you that the Sacramento Kings were able to defeat the Golden State Warriors in a one game Play In and short handed missing Malik Monk and Kevin Hureter.

#2 On defense the Kings were able to shut down Klay Thompson and shut him out how key was that for the Kings victory.

#3 The New Orleans Pelicans are no push overs their next on the Kings docket in the one and done play in. The Kings were 0-5 during the regular season against the Pelicans. With Zion Williamson out how important is it for the Kings to shut down CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy and Brandon Ingram to have a chance to win on Friday night?

Join David Zizmor for NBA Playoff analysis at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings Play In recap: Short handed Kings capitalize on Golden State 118-94

Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) lights the victory beam at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento after defeating the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Play In game on Tue Apr 16, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Tuesday night. However, it was game 83 for the Kings this season. The Kings finished the regular season on Sunday and found themselves as the #9 seed in the Western Conference.

It was a lackluster finish for the Kings, who went 2-6 over the season’s final eight games. Yet, the Kings had one thing on their minds: revenge. The Kings played the #10-seeded Warriors in the first game of the NBA Play-In Tournament.

The winner would advance to play the loser of the #7-#8 seeded play-in loser for a chance at the #8 seed in the playoffs. The last time the Kings saw the Warriors in post-season action was last season, when the Warriors defeated the Kings in game seven behind a 50-point Stephen Curry performance.

On Tuesday night, the Kings looked to flip the script and send the Warriors home. The game tipped off inside a raucous Golden One Center at 7 PM PST in Sacramento. The Kings defeated the Golden State Warriors 118-94 on Tuesday night.

Game recap: In the first quarter, the Kings started the game looking good. The Kings defense limited the Warriors to only 22 points in the first quarter. On the offensive end of the floor, the Kings managed 31 points in the first. Keegan Murray started the game red-hot for the Kings with 14 first-quarter points. The Warriors got seven points from Draymond Green in the first quarter. The key to the game in the second quarter would be to keep the defensive intensity high.

In the second quarter, the Kings kept the lead going. With 5:30 to go in, the Kings still led the Warriors 46-34. The Warriors struggled until that point to get on an offensive rhythm. However, the Warriors would pull closer as the quarter ended.

The Warriors offense would pick up a bit of a rhythm, ending the first half to come within four points at 54-50. The Kings were outscored by the Warriors 28-23 to go into halftime in much better shape than the end of the first quarter. Jonathan Kuminga would lead the Warriors with 10 points in the first half. Keegan Murray led the Warriors with 14 points.

In the third quarter, the Kings took back the big lead. The Kings dominated the third quarter behind an offensive outburst that saw them outscore the Warriors 37-26. The Kings would take a 91-76 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The Kings leading scorer through three quarters was Keegan Murray, who had 26 points. Steph Curry was leading the Warriors through three with 16 points. Could the Kings hold on going into the fourth quarter to defeat the Warriors and send them home for the season?

In the fourth quarter, the Kings didn’t flinch. The Kings kept the pressure on the Warriors and didn’t allow them to get an inch on the offensive end. The Kings outscored the Warriors 27-18 in the final quarter of action.

The loss for the Warriors potentially marked the end of the dynastic run of Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green. Asked postgame, Curry and Green didn’t have many concrete answers other than, “they want to win and do whatever it takes to win.” Murray led the Kings in victory with 32 points. Curry led the Warriors with 22 points.

Up Next: The Kings will travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans in the win or go home final NBA play-in game. The winner is the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Loser goes home. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30pm PDT on Friday night.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria: What are the Kings chances without Monk and Huerter in tonight’s line up

The Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis is guarded by the Portland Trail Blazers forward Justin Minaya in first half action at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Apr 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 The Sacramento Kings Malik Monk injury is a huge hit to the Sacramento Kings who host the Golden State Warriors tonight in an NBA Play In game tonight at Golden 1 Center. Talk about how huge of a hit it is not to have Monk in the line up tonight.

#2 The Kings are also missing Kevin Huerter and will rely heavily on DeAaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis for scoring. The Warriors have lots of experience in post season. The way it looks right now the Kings will have to depend on Fox and Sabonis and their younger players if they want to get by the Warriors.

#3 How will the Kings shutdown the Warriors offense with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga, and Draymond Green under the basket grabbing rebounds.

#4 The Kings in their final game of the regular season on Sunday blew out the Portland Trail Blazers 121-82. Fox led with 24 points, Sabonis had 18 and Harrison Barnes with 17 points. These are the guys that the Kings will rely heavily on in the play in game against Golden State tonight.

#5 Tony so it all boils down to this game tonight at Golden 1 the Kings need to win big or go home. How do you see them matching up with the Warriors in this play in game tonight?

Tony Renteria podcasts Sacramento Kings basketball Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings host Warriors for play in on Tuesday at Golden 1; Beat Blazers Sunday 121-82

The Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) shown after making a three point shot in the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Apr 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Sunday afternoon for the final game of the season. After losing to the Pelicans at home on Friday, the Kings welcomed the Portland Trail Blazers to town. The Kings were fighting for position in the play-in-game while Portland was already eliminated.

The Kings were looking for a win and a Lakers loss to be the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Also of note in the matchup was Kings Keegan Murray facing off against twin brother Kris Murray.

It was the second time the two faced each other in the NBA. The Kings and Trail Blazers tipped off at 12:30 PM PST inside Golden One Center. The Kings defeated the Trail Blazers on Sunday 121-82 to secure the 9th seed in the Western Conference.

In the first quarter, the Blazers appeared outmatched against the Kings. The Blazers were only able to score 18 points in the first quarter. Portland shot an abysmal 1-19 on three-point attempts in the first quarter. On the other hand, the Kings offense was going strong early. The Kings scored 30 points to take the quick first-quarter lead. De’Aaron Fox led the Kings in the first quarter with eight points and two steals. The Kings would lead 30-19.

In the second quarter, the Kings started the process to route the Trail Blazers. The Kings offense took off to outscore the Blazers 35-19. The Kings would lead going into halftime 65-37. The Kings offense was on fire as Portland couldn’t muster anything to stop the Kings. The story was less about the Kings defense and the inability of Portland to put the ball in the hoop. The Kings would look to keep the pressure on in the second half to come away with the victory.

In the second half, the Kings completed the route with ease. The Kings outscored the Trail Blazers in the second half by a combined 56-45. It was clear that the Portland Trail Blazers had nothing left to play for in the season. The Kings took care of business by defeating the Blazers 121-82.

In the second half, Delano Banton was ejected from the game after a technical foul and altercation in which he dropped his shoulder into a Kings defender. Other than the ejection, the second half was very uninteresting. The Kings emptied their bench after the third quarter. The Kings best performance in the game came from De’Aaron Fox, who scored 24 points. Delano Banton led the Trail Blazers with 17 points.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home to take on the Golden State Warriors in the 9-10 seed NBA Play-In Game on Tuesday at 7PM.

Durant leads the way with 28 pts and Nurkic puts game away with free throws as Suns beat Kings 108-107

Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) plays defense against the Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) in first half action at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Friday night in Sacramento. The Kings welcomed the Phoenix Suns into town for the second to last game of the regular season. The Suns were coming off a rest day after last playing on Wednesday night.

The Kings were on the second night of a back-to-back after playing on Thursday night. The Kings lost to the Pelicans on Thursday night 135-123. On Friday, the Kings and Suns tipped off at 7:40 PM PST inside Golden One Center. The Kings lost to the Suns 108-107.

In the first quarter, the Kings defense came out strong. The Kings held the Suns to only 22 points in the first quarter. The Kings came out of the gate with much more physicality than they did in the game a night prior against the Pelicans. The Kings offense would put up 27 points in the first quarter to take the quick lead. The Kings would go into the second quarter leading by five points, 27-25. Domas Sabonis was the Kings leading scorer after the first with 11 points.

In the second quarter, the Kings were able to extend the lead. The Kings outscored the Suns in the second quarter 27-23 to extend the lead to nine points going into halftime. The Kings defense managed to hold the Suns to a sub-50 point first half, only allowing 45 points. The Kings would score 54 points in the first half to take a 54-45 lead into halftime. The Kings were led in scoring in the first quarter by Domas Sabonis, who scored 16 points. Leading the way in the first half for the Suns was Kevin Durant, who scored 18 points.

In the third quarter, the Suns were able to come back and bring the game a bit closer heading to the fourth quarter. The Suns outscored the Kings 33-31 in the third quarter to cut the lead to seven points. The Kings would lead going into the fourth quarter 85-78. Kevin Durant was leading the Suns through three quarters with 24 points. Domas Sabonis was leading the Kings heading into the fourth with 25 points. The Kings would need to find the energy to hold off the Suns in the final quarter of action.

In the fourth quarter, the game took an all too familiar turn for Kings fans. The Kings were up four points with 1:02 seconds left in the game. Domantas Sabonis made an errant pass that was picked off by Bradley Beal and scored at the other end. From that point, the Kings could never regain control of the game. The Kings would go onto lose after turning the ball over on the final possession of the game 108-107. The Kings were outscored in the fourth quarter 30-22. The Kings were led in defeat by Domas Sabonis who scored 25 points. Kevin Durant led the Suns to victory with 28 points.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home for the final game of the regular season on Sunday. The Kings will take on the Portland Trail Blazers at 12:30 PM PST.

Kings can’t stop Pelicans who sweep season series in five games; New Orleans McCollum and Williams make themselves at home at Golden 1

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) goes airborne to pass off the basketball as the Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis (10) tries to put a stop to the Pelicans offense under the basket in the first half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Apr 11, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Thursday night in Sacramento. It was the Kings first game back home after a brutal road trip. The Kings lost games in New York, Boston, and Oklahoma City on a 1-3 trip. The Kings returned home a half game up on the Lakers for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.

The Kings were set to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night. The Kings had not beaten the Pelicans all season at 0-4 up to that point. The Kings and Pelicans tipped off at 7 PM PST. The Kings lost 135-123 to the Pelicans on Thursday night.

In the first quarter, the Kings played about as bad as they have all season. The Kings couldn’t buy a bucket and had no answer on defense. The lead would balloon to 33-11 with 2:55 in the quarter. It was an embarrassing show from the Kings up to that point in the game. However, the Kings were able to go on a brief run to end the quarter to get the game to 34-23. De’Aaron Fox would need a career-high to have a chance in this game.

In the second quarter, the Kings flipped the script. The Kings outscored the Pelicans in the second quarter 35-30. It wasn’t enough for the Kings to take the lead, but it was a start. The Kings would go into halftime trailing the Pelicans 64-58. The Kings would need to continue to push the pace in the second half to have a chance. De’Aaron Fox had 17 points in the first half. Trey Murphy III had 20 first-half points.

In the third quarter, the Kings would fight. However, they couldn’t make up any ground on the Pelicans. The Kings would go on small runs that were countered by a run by the Pelicans. The Kings were outscored by the Pelicans 34-31 in the third quarter of the game. The Kings would trail 98-89 going into the final quarter of play.

In the fourth quarter, the Pelicans would extend the lead to 20 points. However, the Kings would fight back to make it more of a game. The Kings would cut the lead to 10 points, but it was too little and too late. The Pelicans would defeat the Kings 135-123.

The Kings were outscored by the Pelicans in the fourth quarter 37-34. The Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox, who scored 33 points. The Pelicans were led by Zion Williamson, who scored 31 points. The Kings would try to get back on track in one of their last two games before the postseason.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Phoenix Suns on Friday at 7 PM PST.

Kings Blow 20 Point Lead; Lose to Thunder 112-105; Sabonis double double streak ends at 61 games

The Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren(right) drives on the Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis (left) at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Tue Apr 9, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After leading by as much as 20 points, the Sacramento Kings (45-33) lost to the OKC Thunder (53-25) 112-105. We have seen them blow hefty leads lately in the second half of games. De’Aaron Fox had a terrific game with 33 points but ugly play at the end of the game was the difference. Sacramento just could not finish this game.

Game recap: The Kings were still without Malik Monk who is still out with a sprained right MCL and from some reports is healing very well. Sacramento had a great opening quarter leading after 12 minutes 31-28 in this highly competitive contest.

The Kings continued to extend their lead in the second quarter and with 5:31 left in the first half led 51-34. So far in this game the Kings had played a quality first half of basketball. With 18.2 left in the first half, the Kings had their largest lead of the game 64-44. At the half Sacramento took a 64-45 lead into the locker room.

De’Aaron Fox had a banner first half with 21 points and was 5 of 10 from beyond the arc and Keon Ellis was having a stellar game with 20 points and was 6 of 8 from three-point-land. The Kings had 14 triples in the first half.

Points from beyond the arc we’re making a huge difference in this game. The Kings were shooting at 44% while the Thunder were struggling shooting 22%. The Kings needed to come out with the same energy in the second half.

They had recently squandered a 21 point to the Knicks ultimately losing the game and they can ill afford a repeat of that game. The second half would be two of the most important quarters they have played all season.

With all that was riding on this game, the Kings came out flat in the third quarter. The Thunder, who are one of the best third quarter teams in the league, cut the Kings 19 point lead to three points going into the fourth quarter 87-84 and it will all hinge on how Sacramento would respond in the final quarter.

The Thunder took a two-point lead to start the fourth quarter and history was rearing it’s ugly head for the Kings. It had been a disastrous third quarter for Sacramento; they looked like an entirely different team unable to hit a bucket.

They took five shots in a row in the early minutes of the fourth quarter missing every one of them. The Thunder took a four point lead but the Kings fought back regaining the lead and it was on as both teams traded the lead back and forth with 7:42 left in the game.

The three’s that were falling for Sacramento in the first half were missing in the second half. With 2:27 left in the game, the Kings had a one point lead 105-104. With 35.7 seconds left in the game the Kings had let this game slip right through their fingers. Ugly mistakes at the end of the game spelled doom for the Kings in the 112-105 loss to the Thunder.

The Kings finished this game with 20 shots from downtown. Fox had 33 points and 8 rebounds but despite the flurry of long balls and Fox’s offense the Kings still lost this game. The Thunder crushed them in the paint and Domantas Sabonis for the first time in forever did not come away with a double double breaking an incredible streak. This was the Kings last road game of the season. They will play their remaining three games at Golden 1.

Game notes: The Kings are currently sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference a half game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and one game behind the seventh place New Orleans Pelicans. Tuesday night they took on the Thunderwho are currently in third place in the Western Conference and only one game behind the first place Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves who are tied in the top spot. The Kings could not hold onto a 20 point lead and ended up dropping the lead and the game. The Kings have only three games left.

Thursday night the Kings will take on the New Orleans Pelicans in Sacramento with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria: Every game counts for Kings in efforts to make post season

The Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) takes a jump shot against the Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles (41) and guard DeAaron Fox (5) in the first half at Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Sun Apr 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony R:

#1  With only a handful of games left in the regular season, Sunday night’s game at Barclays Center mattered for the Sacramento Kings and they played like it did, dominating the Brooklyn Nets 107-77 and regaining the eighth seed.

#2 Sacramento’s 30-point blowout win came after back-to-back road losses that caused them to slip to the ninth seed in the Western Conference.

#3 DeAaron Fox scored a team-leading 20 points and Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 20 rebounds to extend his double-doubles streak to 61 games, the seventh longest in NBA history.

#4 Brooklyn made a comeback effort in the third quarter, outscoring Sacramento 24-13 and cutting the Kings’ lead to 78-64. But the Kings responded with an 18-8 run in the first half of the final quarter. Fox made an impressive two-handed alley-oop dunk with 8:23 to go to give the Kings a 86-66 lead.

#5 The Kings (45-33) continue their road trip facing the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday with tipoff at 5 p.m. PT.’

Join Tony for the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#1

Kings Sabonis adds those double doubles his 61st in row defeats the Nets 107-77

Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) and Keegan Murray forward (13) exchange congratulations against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Sun Apr 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

BROOKLYN, NY. — With only a handful of games left in the regular season, Sunday night’s game at Barclays Center mattered for the Sacramento Kings and they played like it did, dominating the Brooklyn Nets 107-77 and regaining the eighth seed.

Sacramento’s 30-point blowout win came after back-to-back road losses that caused them to slip to the ninth seed in the Western Conference.

“Our guys did what they were supposed to do tonight,” said Kings head coach Mike Brown. “Obviously Brooklyn was short-handed and our guys came in and did a heck of a job defending. What I always say, ‘Let’s play physical’. Our guys did it.”

De-Aaron Fox scored a team-leading 20 points and Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 20 rebounds to extend his double-doubles streak to 61 games, the seventh longest in NBA history.

The teams were in a head-to-head contest to start the first quarter, but by the end of it, Sacramento led 29-19 after Fox’s 19-foot step back jump shot with a second remaining.

In the second quarter with 4:09 to go, Sabonis made a layup and his 10th point of the game. Then with 2:22 left to go, Sabonis got the rebound on a missed layup by Trendon Watford and extended his double-doubles streak. The Kings made 51.1% of their shots from the field and 43% of their attempts from behind the arc and ended the half up 65-40.

Brooklyn made a comeback effort in the third quarter, outscoring Sacramento 24-13 and cutting the Kings’ lead to 78-64. But the Kings responded with an 18-8 run in the first half of the final quarter. Fox made an impressive two-handed alley-oop dunk with 8:23 to go to give the Kings a 86-66 lead. Sacramento surpassed 100 points with 2:49 remaining, when Kessler Edwards made a triple to put them up 102-74.

“I thought our sprays were fantastic, we were six-for-12 in sprays in the first half and I thought the second half, we continued to spray the basketball. We got good looks in that third quarter. We just couldn’t make a shot, you know,” said Brown.

“But I thought our guys tried to play the right way in the third quarter and then they figured it out in the fourth.”

The Kings shot 34% from the field, which Brown called “good basketball, doesn’t matter who you’re playing against”.

Keegan Murray, who scored 19 points, noted that “every game’s important” given the team’s spot in the standings.

“We just wanted to come out with great energy and effort and I feel like we started that and it just carried over throughout the game,” said Murray. “So I feel like if every single game we start like that, we can be well off.”

Off the bench, Trey Lyles contributed 14 points and Davion Mitchell scored 12.

“I think the main thing is, just keep working on my game. I mean, no matter if I’m playing or not playing, just keep putting the time in and keep being consistent,” said Mitchell. “I mean, shots are going to fall, I need to find a way to put two halves together but we’re going to figure that out.”

When the teams last played against each other on December 11, the Kings scored 25 three-pointers and set a franchise record in the 131-118 win at home.

The Nets (31-48) are outside of playoff contention but have been continuing to show effort. Coming off back-to-back wins, they had hoped to deliver a blow to the Kings in their penultimate home game of the season.

Sacramento had slipped off the eighth seed after consecutive losses on the road against the New York Knicks on Thursday and against the Boston Celtics on Friday. The Kings lost to the Knicks 120-109 and had a painful 101-100 loss to the Celtics after a controversial no-call in the last seconds at TD Garden.

The Kings (45-33) continue their road trip facing the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday with tipoff at 5 p.m. PT.