That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: LeBron gets one game suspension Stewart two in Malice at the Pizza Palace; Warriors Thompson could return late Dec; plus more

You can’t keep the Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart down after getting elbowed in the face by Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James he had to be restrained twice after trying to get back at LeBron. Both players have been suspended by the NBA. (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James received a one game suspension while the Detroit Pistons Isaiah Stewart received a two game suspension for their third quarter brawl at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit Sunday night. LeBron gets the one game for elbowing Stewart in the face and Stewart gets two games for continuing to charge LeBron two times after being restrained and told to stop.

#2 The Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson was reported to be cleared to return to action from his cruciate ligament and Achilles injuries but Warrior head coach Steve Kerr said he didn’t hear anything about Thompson being cleared and Thompson’s return is scheduled for late December.

#3 Amaury, Associate coach Alvin Gentry is now interim head coach replacing former Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton. The Kings had lost seven of their last eight games before Walton was replaced. Gentry lost his first game as head coach against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night at the Golden One Center. The Kings have now lost eight of their last nine.

#4 The San Jose Sharks who came off three loses out of four game on the road returned to San Jose (9-8-1) on Monday night with a 2-1 win over the best team in the NHL the Carolina Hurricanes (14-2-1)

#5 Turning to baseball the Oakland A’s are moving forward in an offer to buy land for a new ballpark located in the same city as minor league team the Las Vegas Aviators in Summerland Nevada. The estimated price of the new ballpark is around $1 billion, the A’s who have tried to build at the Howard Terminal site in Oakland that project cost is around $12 billion.

#6 Busy day for the San Francisco Giants they signed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani for three years worth $36 million. DeSclafani went 13-7 with an ERA 3.17 in 2021. The Giants are reported in advance talks with Los Angeles Angels pitcher Alex Cobb 34, a right hander who went 8-3 with a 3.76 ERA. One more thing to unpack regarding Giants retired catcher Buster Posey he was named the 2021 National League comeback player of the year.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Poole standout in Golden State Win 105-102; Pistons fall to 11th season loss

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) can’t get control of the ball as Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney (5) stops Cunningham’s movement at Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit on Fri Nov 19, 2021 (AP News photo)

Poole A Standout In Golden State Win 105-102

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors (14-2) improved their record largely in thanks to Jordan Poole who had a 22 point first half with more the half of them from downtown. Finishing with 32 points Poole was a standout in the Warriors 105-102 win over the Detroit Pistons (4-11).

Tonight the Golden State Warriors face a unique challeng which also brings a lot of opportunity for the team. As the Warriors take on the Pistons tonight they will be shorthanded the likes of which we have not seen yet this season.

Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Otto Porter Jr. and Andre Iguodala will not be on the court tonight being a bit banged up. Poole and Andrew Wiggins will be staring along with Toscano, Kevon Looney and Payton II. This gives a lot of guys a real opportunity to get some great minutes and show-case their talent.

After the first quarter the Warriors led by a slim margin 26-23. As expected Poole and Wiggins led the charge. It was a very different look for Golden State and they performed great offensively and defensively keeping Detroit from taking the lead. At the half the Warriors had extended their lead 56-51.

After two quarters Poole was having a banner game with 22 points and Wiggins had 12 points. There was still another half left for the Warriors to take this one home. They would have to slow down Detroit’s Frank Jackson in the second half as well as showing more aggressive play. They were holding Detroit to 37% shooting which was great, but they would have to limit the turnovers.

Golden State lived up to their reputation as being a second half team leading after three quarters 86-70. In the fourth quarter, the Pistons trimmed a 16 point deficit to eight points and Detroit began making a lot of noise, they were not going down quietly.

With twenty seconds left on the clock the Warriors had the lead 105-102 and the Pistons had the ball. After multiple stops on the Pistons final possession the Warriors ran out the clock. The final was 105-102.

Besides the 32 points from Poole, Wiggins really stepped up with 27 points. Looney had 12 important rebounds.

This game finishes the short road trip for Golden State. They head back to the Bay Area to take on the Toronto Raptors Sunday. Tipoff is schedule for 5:30.

Kings snap four game skid thrash Detroit 129-107

The Detroit Pistons guard Josh Jackson (20) with the Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield (24) on his backside tries to get control of the basketball at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Mon Nov 15, 2021 (AP News photo)

Kings snap four game skid thrash Detroit 129-107

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings won a decisive game over the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Every starter for Sacramento shot double digits for a lop-sided win 129-107.

Monday night the Detroit Pistons (3-10) took on the Sacramento Kings (6-8) at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons currently sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference while the Kings are in eleventh place in the Western Conference.

The Pistons are struggling while the Kings are playing improved basketball over last season. Their leading scorer De’Aaron Fox has been consistently putting up good numbers and the team will be leaning on him in this game. The Kings are favored in this game as they try to work their way to a .500 record.

After the first quarter the Kings had taken a significant lead over Detroit 31-12. They got a quick start and never looked back.

In the second quarter the Kings put a real stranglehold on the Pistons and were leading 68-44 at the half. Everything was going right for Sacramento and the Pistons were really struggling. Fox scored 14 points in the first half followed by Tyrese Haliburton with 11 points.

The Kings got help off the bench with Buddy Hield scoring 11. The Pistons Saddiq Bey had 17 points in the half. In the first two quarters the Kings obliterated the Pistons and would try to take the same play into the second half to close out this game. The Pistons certainly had a huge deficit to contend with. Trailing by twenty-four points would be a major challenge for Detroit.

The Pistons made up a little ground in the third quarter but the Kings came roaring back and extended their lead. Going into the fourth quarter the Kings had opened up a thirty point lead and things were looking pretty bleak for Detroit.

The high score for Sacramento was off the bench. Buddy Hield shot for 22 points to cement the win for the Kings 129-107.

Wednesday night the Kings will continue their road trip taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tipoff is slated for 5:00 PM.

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings loss streak climbs to five; Joseph leads Pistons with 24 pts in 113-101 win

The Detroit Pistons guard Corey Joseph drives against the Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield on Thu Apr 8, 2021 at Golden One Center in Sacramento (AP News photo)

The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Thursday night after two days off. The Detroit Pistons were in town to take on the Kings who were looking to get back on track. The Kings played their last game on Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. On Thursday, the Kings fell to the Detroit Pistons at home by a final of 113-101.

Flashback Monday: The Kings were struggling going into Monday night’s game. Against the Timberwolves on Monday night, the Kings fell 116-106 to one of the worst teams in the league. The Kings defense and offense weren’t up to the task and they didn’t play a particularly competitive game.

Thursday game recap: The Kings were set to take on the Detroit Pistons on Thursday at 7 PM PST in Sacramento.

In the first half, the Kings struggled in a major way. The Kings allowed the Pistons to score 27 points in the first quarter compared to their 24 points. However, that wasn’t the worst of it. In the second quarter, the Kings were blown out with the Pistons scoring 35 points compared to the Kings 21.

It was an embarrassing half for the Kings. It is worth noting that the Kings were also without Jerami Grant and Mason Plumlee. The Kings defense was atrocious as they would need a massive second half to form a comeback. The Kings went into halftime down 62-44.

In the second half, the Kings played better but it wasn’t nearly enough to win the game. The Kings outscored the Pistons 30-27 in the third quarter. The Kings would need a massive fourth quarter to have a prayer in the game. In the fourth quarter, the Kings outscored the Pistons 27-24 as the Kings defense tightened up.

However, the Kings still fell to the Pistons 113-101. It was an embarrassing defeat for the Kings who fell to 22-30 in the standings. The Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox in the loss who scored 23 points. In the win, the Pistons were led by former King Corey Joseph who scored a season-high 24 points. The Kings will look to their next game to get back on track.

Up Next: The Kings will take on the Utah Jazz on Saturday night in Utah at 5 PM PST.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Fox has been carrying the offensive load for Kings during skid

The Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes throws down as teammate Buddy Hield watches against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Mon Apr 5, 2021 at the Target Center in Minneapolis (AP News photo)

#1 Jeremiah, the Kings are coming off a four game losing streak after a tough loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday 116-106 they certainly are looking forward to some home cooking tonight.

#2 The Kings tried as hard as they may against the Timberwolves just had trouble getting any traction much like their previous loses.

#3 Jeremiah, losing these four games you can see there has been a drop in scoring in key quarters is this a matter of opponents turning up the defense or the Kings are just not getting the shots to fall?

#4 The Kings are pretty much relying on De’Aaron Fox who had 31 points leading the team in scoring in their last game against the Timberwolves what will it take to get another scorer to help Fox out and get the Kings over the hump to win some of these games?

#5 The Detroit Pistons tip off with the Kings tonight the Pistons have won only three in their last ten games the good news is the Kings are back at home at Golden One Center the bad news possibly will they struggle or play down to the level of the Pistons tonight?

Join Jeremiah for the Kings podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson Thu Apr 8, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria: Kings on four game losing streak hope to snap it tonight against Detroit

The Sacramento Kings Harrison Barnes (right) goes to shoot over the Minnesota Timberwolves forward Juancho Hernangomez (left) on Mon Apr 5, 2021 at the Target Center in Minneapolis (AP News photo)

#1 The Sacramento Kings lost their fourth straight game to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night 116-106 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. It was a game that Kings head coach Luke Walton would liked to have ended their skid.

#2 So far this season the Kings have had three four game win streaks, a nine game losing streak, that was in February and in March they won five straight to get within one game of the Golden State Warriors for a playoff spot but now have lost four straight as they host the Detroit Pistons tonight.

#3 After the recent loss to the Timberwolves on Monday Kings forward Harrison Barnes said “there is no tomorrow” as the Kings battle to get into a playoff spot and are 12th and falling in the Western Conference.

#4 The Kings are behind Golden State by two games and the New Orleans Pelicans by a half game it’s getting late in early April as the Kings have 21 games left in the season to make due.

#5 The Pistons who are dead last for 15th place in the Eastern Conference standings tip off with the Kings tonight have won three of their last ten games. The Pistons in their most recent game were defeated by the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night 134-119.

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

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria Thu Apr 8, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Kings Lose Fourth In a Row 116-106

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) is fouled by Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Mon Apr 5, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings have not won a game since March 31st. Since that win they have lost four games in a row. They fell to the Spurs, the Lakers, the Bucks by a single point and lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night the final score was 116-106. Prior to that they had won five games in a row. The bottom line is that they have been playing very competitive basketball.

They are 3.5 games out of eighth place and so a playoff run is not out of the question but with only about 22 games left in the regular season it’s time to really put it all out there.

Monday afternoon the Kings took on the Minnesota. Minnesota is currently in last place in the Western Conference with only 12 wins. This was a game that Sacramento needed to win.

The Kings got off to a good start and finished the first quarter leading 29-26. Although leading for most of the first half, they needed to put a lot more distance between themselves and Minnesota.

The Timberwolves just kept hanging around. There was not much help off the bench. But De’Aaron Fox had the high score for the first half with 20 points after a slow start. As the second half came to an end the Kings and the Timberwolves were tied at 55.

The second half needed a lot more offense from Hield, Holmes and Haliburton. All three of these guys need to make a difference in every game from here on out if the playoffs are in their future. As the second quarter came to an end both Fox and Hield had some nice offense setting up a promising second half.

As the third quarter came to an end the Kings and Minnesota were all knotted up at 82 and the Kings were fighting for their lives in this one.

The Kings all but fell apart in the fourth quarter. With less than five minutes left in the game they were trailing by 11points. This game was winnable and the Kings have the talent to beat the Timberwolves but again it was the defense that reared it’s ugly head. A defense that would match the offense would be a very nice thing for the Sacramento Kings. 

This is a game that Sacramento should have won. Fox finished with 31 points, Harrison Barnes with 21, and Buddy Hield with 18 points. The bench was ok and there is no explanation other then their defensive woes. Each loss from here on out takes them further and further away from any playoff hopes

The Kings will next take on the Pistons Thursday night in another winnable game against a last place team. Tipoff is at 7:00PM.

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings snap nine game losing streak defeat Pistons 110-107

The Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) struggles to get away from being fouled by the Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, left as the Pistons Dennis Smith behind Barnes watches Fri Feb 26, 2021 at Little Cesar’s Arena in Detroit (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Simply put, the Sacramento Kings are in trouble. Offensively they are struggling and their defense is atrocious. Their Head Coach Luke Walton is having meltdowns on the sidelines out of pure frustration.

Their rookie phenom Tyrese Haliburton is out with a calf injury and to top it all off, they have lost nine games in a row. The last time they won was February 7th a win over the Clippers 113-110. Since then it has been a goose egg. The Kings finally woke up at Little Cesar’s Arena in Detroit with a 110-107 victory to snap their nine game losing streak on Friday night.

The Kings took on the Detroit Pistons another struggling team. The Pistons have the second worst record in the NBA and the Kings are not far behind. Thursday night the Kings allowed 140 points against the NBA’s worst offense the New York Knicks.

Sacramento’s nine game losing streak ties their longest losing streak in 12 years. De’Aaron Fox had a very productive game shooting for 29 points and eight assists. Harrison Barnes had 22 points and Bagley had 19 points.

Very decent numbers but the team still managed to lose the game. Off the bench Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points. The Knicks had some firepower off the bench with Julius Randle who had 21 points. The Kings just could not handle the Knicks.

The Kings three point attempts were better in the Knick game, all fingers point to the defense which is still lacking. The question is can the Kings pull it together to beat the worst team in the Eastern Conference. Can they break this losing streak tonight.

At the half the Kings held a slim lead 55-52. The Kings were setting a nice pace in the first quarter and led 35-25 as time elapsed. They stumbled in the second quarter struggling to maintain that lead and didn’t get a whole lot of help off the bench in the absence of Haliburton. The possibility of losing a tenth game in a row loomed over their heads heading into the second half.

In the third quarter it was a close one with both teams trading the lead. In the final minutes of the third quarter the Pistons started to show up and led by the score of 80-75 after three quarters. Every one of the Sacramento starters had shot double digits but the bench had only contributed two points the entire game.

Midway through the fourth quarter the Kings had tied the game at 91. After trailing by as many as eight points Sacramento was fighting to end their losing streak and getting back to the business of winning.

With 7.4 left in the final quarter and a 110-107 Kings lead Sacramento was finally able to get back in the win column. De’Aaron Fox finished with 27 points and Harrison Barnes had 21. Bagley and Holmes each had 19 points while Buddy Hield had 14.

The King’s bench was a real disappointment with only ten points in the game to the Pistons 34 points off the bench. It wasn’t pretty and it was as close as they come but it was a win and it has been a long time coming.

Sunday night the Kings will take on the Charlotte Hornets in a game that will be anything but easy. If Sacramento can get Haliburton back on the bench and play with the confidence they gained in this win they just might be able to compete with Charlotte. Tipoff is at 7:00 PM PT.

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings can’t control worst offense in NBA as Knicks score 140 points

The New York Knicks leading scorer Immanuel Quickley guard (5) is congratulated by forward Obbi Toppin (1) after scoring on the Sacramento Kings on Thu Feb 25, 2021 at Madison Square Garden New York (AP News photo

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah nine straight loses in the row how bad does it have to get for Sacramento (12-20)?

#2 140 points by one of the worst offenses in the NBA the New York Knicks (16-17) was this a game the Kings defense just let down or was it a Knicks team that just keep running up the score and doing the right thing to move the ball?

#3 Immanuel Quickley led New York with 25 points, Alec Burks 24 points, Julius Randall 21 points, and Derrick Rose followed up with 18 points they made it look easier than in other games with previous opponents.

#4 If De’Aaron Fox 29 points and Harrison Barnes 22 points carried the team last night  and no one is helping out on the defense end and everyone is at a lose for the Kings right now?

#5 Tonight the Kings are in Detroit to face the Pistons (9-23). The Pistons have won four of their last ten games which includes a win over the Brooklyn Nets 122-111 on Feb 9th. How do you see this match up tonight turning out at Little Caesar’s Arena?

Join Jeremiah for the Kings podcasts each Friday morning at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson Fri Feb 26, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Warriors bounce back to rout the Pistons 118-91

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

Behind Steph Curry’s hot shooting, the Golden State Warriors routed the Detroit Pistons 118-91 at the Chase Center Saturday night. The Warriors, smarting from a dismal performance Thursday night in Phoenix, found their motion game as they had little trouble handing the Pistons a defeat. 

The Warriors played well on both ends of the court. Kelly Oubre, Jr., had one of his better games as a Warrior. Oubre knocked down 18 points, six rebounds, and made two threes. Andrew Wiggins continued to show that he fits in well with the Warriors. Wiggins has been a model of consistency for the Warriors this year. Andrew finished with 20 points, four rebounds, and connected on three threes in six tries. Steph Curry was the spark that led the Warriors to a win. Curry showed the Pistons and the NBA his greatness. Curry had quite a night with 28 points, five boards, and seven assists. He was 8 for 14 from the floor, and he made six threes in eight attempts.

The Warriors won all four quarters of the game. They won the first quarter 29-17. They finished the first half with a 19-point advantage 64-45. The Warriors continued to pour it on in the third quarter to lead 94-68. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr kept Curry on the bench for the final 12 minutes of the game. The Warriors won 118-91.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are 11-9 for the year. They have won three of the last four games. The Pistons fell to 5-15.

Rookie James Wiseman just missed a double-double. Wiseman, coming off the bench, kicked in with 11 points and nine rebounds. In 20 minutes on the court, Jordan Poole tallied 20 points and was 3 for 6 from behind the three-point arc. Poole and rookie guard are heading to the Orlando bubble to play for the Warriors’ G-League team Santa Cruz. Both young men need more playing time to keep their skills sharp.

The Warriors shot 52.2% from the floor. They made 17 threes in 36 tries. As mentioned above, they moved the ball well as they recorded 34 assists. They also outrebounded the Pistons 53-49.

The Warriors’ next seven games are not going to be easy. They meet the Boston Celtics at the Chase Center Tuesday night. They travel to Texas for two with the Dallas Mavericks, and two with the San Antonio Spurs. They return home to face the improved Orlando Magic team, the Brooklyn Nets, with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. 

Up Next: The Warriors’ game with the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night will start at 7 pm PT.