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Recap: The Golden State Warriors fall short of 20th home win vs. the Chicago Bulls, 111-113 (OT)

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The Golden State Warriors lose a tough game at home in overtime (111-113), which also happens to be their first loss against the Eastern Conference this season.

The Chicago Bulls deserve a lot of credit for the way they played tonight. Missing their leading scorer in Jimmy Butler, who is also likely their best perimeter defender, they still managed to eek out a victory despite never leading by more than two points. Derrick Rose's 11 turnovers certainly hurt their cause, but they made up for the resulting fastbreak points with a strong rebounding advantage (61-48).

With all three of our true centers sidelined, Draymond Green, David Lee and Marreese Speights had to work hard on the glass. The Dubs also relied on Draymond as their defensive anchor most of the game, and relied on Lee for points in the paint when our long range shooting dried up. So yeah, our fill-in centers had a lot on their plate. While we're on the subject, Lee had a great game tonight, with 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in just 30 minutes. Those are LeBron James numbers? Draymond had so many hustle plays it's hard to keep track, plus this is also kind of standard at this point. His highlight had to have been that heroic tip-in that sent the game to overtime.

Chicago played a lot of 2-man game tonight, both pick-and-roll and posting/reposting. Thibodeau may have clued in on Kerr's tendency to have a perimeter defender help any post player not named Draymond Green or Andrew Bogut (and sometimes Draymond as well, if theres a big size mismatch). With a quick passer in the post like Pau Gasol, as well as decent 3-pt shooters, teams can use this tendency against us to get a quick 3. Something to keep an eye on moving forward.

Klay Thompson teased the fans in the opening minutes, making his first six field goals, including three 3-pointers, prompting comparisons to his 37 point eruption against the Sacramento Kings. Unfortunately the hot shooting from distance did not last, as the Warriors finished with an ugly 0 for 13 stretch after the half.

As the game went on, the Warriors' squad did show signs of fatigue, as many of those 3-point attempts were uncontested. Is this the schedule getting to the team? And the pressure of playing at such a high level night after night? Or can we just attribute that sour patch to variance?

I'm not sure why Steve Kerr was angry that Andre Iguodala didn't get to the line at the end of OT, after being fouled under the basket (referees ruled that it wasn't a shooting foul). I guess just on principle that the refs got the call wrong? We had a better chance of tying or winning the way the game was called, considering Andre's subpar free throw shooting (tie: ~40% vs ~25%). Looking ahead to the playoffs, it's a growing concern that two of our best defenders (Andre, Andrew Bogut) are also our worst free throw shooters, and could be sidelined down the stretch for this reason.

The Warriors have been bringing a lot of energy to these big matchups, and it seems like opposing teams are responding. The fans are rewarded with playoff caliber play early in many of these games, and it's impressive how the Warriors continue to bring this same ferocious mindset. Already looking forward to the Atlanta Hawks on February 6th.

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Why did we lose?

  421 votes |Results


Kings vs. Raptors Preview: O Canada, I hope we actually guard thee

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Boy, does it feel like forever since the last Kings game.  Due to Monday night's postponement, the Kings have had four full days off before today's game against the Toronto Raptors.  Today's action tips off at 4:30 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1.  As I noted above, the Kings have had a lot of rest since playing last.  The Raptors meanwhile are on the second night of a back to back.  This is something the Kings have to be able to use to their advantage.  Breaks of that length are almost never seen in the NBA aside from the All-Star break.  The break also seemingly allowed Carl Landry to get back healthy, as he's been upgraded from out to questionable for tonight's game.

2. Toronto is fully healthy once more as DeMar DeRozan came back earlier this month.  The Raptors backcourt rotation of Lowry, DeRozan, Vasquez and Lou Williams is a very high octane one, combining to average 62.2 points and 15.3 assists a game.  A lot of the responsibility for containing them will fall upon Darren Collison and Ben McLemore, and I'm a bit worried about what will happen if Sacramento has to rely heavily on their bench.

3. The Raptors are an incredibly good offense, but their defense is only average, particularly on the interior.  DeMarcus Cousins should be looking to post up as much as possible, as should Rudy Gay and even Jason Thompson.  If the Kings can get the Raptors main big men in foul trouble, even better.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Jonas Valanciunas vs. DeMarcus Cousins

PREGAME LIMERICK

We're on a six game losing streak!
Kings fans have rarely been so bleak.
But maybe tonight,
we'll do alright
and make us happy this week.

PREDICTION

Kings 116, Raptors 115 as Nik Stauskas hits the game winning three in his hometown off of an assist by Rudy Gay.  Resident Raptors fans are more shocked about the assist.

Ben McLemore snubbed in All-Star Weekend's Rising Stars Challenge

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The NBA announced the Rising Stars Challenge rosters today and much to Sacramento fans disappointment, Ben McLemore was left off the roster.  You can view the full team rosters here.

Unlike previous years where the game was rookies vs. sophomores, this year's game is being billed as "USA vs. The World" with foreign born players on one team and USA born players on another.  Even still, McLemore should have been selected to the USA team.

In his second year in the NBA, McLemore has improved a lot from his rookie season, averaging 11.7 points on 45.2% from the field and 35.4% from three point land.  Meanwhile a guy like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (who did make the team) is averaging 11.8 points on 39.2% from the field and 34.3% from three.  McLemore has also stepped up the other side of his game as well, becoming a defensive nuisance.

Fortunately this doesn't mean anything in the long run.  I'm disappointed that McLemore's improvement isn't being acknowledged by the NBA at large yet, but even still, I'm glad he's on our team going forward.  He's a great kid, hard worker, and looks to be a Sacramento King for a long time to come.

Pacers send Shayne Whittington to play with Fort Wayne Mad Ants

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Rather than watching the Pacers' front-court from the sidelines, Indiana's rookie center will try to earn some steady playing time with the Mad Ants of the NBA's Developmental League.

The Indiana Pacers announced today that they have assigned rookie Shayne Whittington to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Developmental League.

The Western Michigan alum has appeared in only 13 games for the Blue-and-Gold this season, averaging 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in a little over four minutes per game.

With Roy Hibbert, David West, Luis Scola, Ian Mahinmi, and Lavoy Allen on the roster, minutes have been few and far between for the Pacers' rookie center. In five fewer games played, George Hill (159) has played nearly three-times as many total minutes as the Pacers' rookie (59).

Per reports from the Indy Star's Candace Buckner, head coach Frank Vogel - following his team's recent loss to the Atlanta Hawks last Wednesday - expressed his desire to start getting Whittington more playing time in games that are "not going the way we want."

The team's sudden change of heart from one day making a concerted effort to insert him into the rotation to the next day reassigning him to Fort Wayne can most likely be explained away by George Hill's return to the lineup. With the team's starting point guard finally (crosses fingers) healthy, the Pacers necessarily had to make someone else inactive. C.J. Miles being out with a groin injury would permit Whittington to be active temporarily, but sending the rookie to the Mad Ants where he can hopefully get some steady minutes and focus on where he needs to improve will likely be an upgrade over idly watching from the sideline.

"I'm not seeing it as a demotion," Whittington told Pacers.com's Mark Montieth. "The D league isn't meant for that, it's meant for developing players."

Here is hoping that Whittington will gain more from his assignment than the frustration Solomon Hill found last season.

"The D-League is for developing talent and I didn't get a chance to play," Hill said following his short stint with the Mad Ants. "I sat the whole fourth quarter. It's like, is it really a developmental league?..."

Indiana's rookie center will join Solomon Hill, Orlando Johnson, and Miles Plumlee as the only players the Pacers have ever assigned to Fort Wayne.

Fans can see Whittington in action with the Mad Ants via You Tube on January 29 against the Iowa Energy and January 31 versus the Maine Red Claws. Meanwhile, the Pacers will be playing against the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

LeBron James out vs. Blazers, likely out Friday vs. Kings

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LeBron James may miss two games with a sprained wrist.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James will miss tonight's game against the Portland Trail Blazers due to a sprained left wrist and is doubtful for Friday's game vs. the Sacramento Kings. Cavs GM David Griffin revealed the nature of James' injury when speaking to the media in attendance before tonight's game.

James injured his wrist during the third quarter of last night's win over the Detroit Pistons. During the third quarter, James fell hard onto his hands after attempting to block a shot. Although LeBron stood up grabbing his wrist after the play, he stayed in the game and scored 10 points in the fourth quarter. LeBron had an MRI of his wrist at some point today.

Tonight makes the tenth game LeBron has missed this season this injury. To date, the Cavs are 1-8 without James in the lineup and the Cavs are 7-1 since LeBron returned from knee and back strains that kept him out for roughly two weeks.

James was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week yesterday. He is averaging 26.4 points, 7.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game so far this season.

The Sactown Royalty Show Ep 66: Andy Glockner

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Andy Glockner of The Cauldron joins us to discuss the strange path the Kings are going down.

The Sactown Royalty Show is back! This week I'm joined by Andy Glockner, Executive Editor of The Cauldron. Andy was a great guest. In addition to offering an outsider's opinion, Andy has some unique knowledge of the Kings having spent a few days interviewing Kings execs in preparation for an upcoming book. It was a great conversation, and I recommend checking it out.

This episode was recorded Tuesday, January 27th, so there's no conversation of Wednesday's loss to the Raptors.

Check Out Sports Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Sactown Royalty Show on BlogTalkRadio

Like the show? Subscribe to us on iTunes or on Stitcher! Leave us ratings, leave comments, let us know how we're doing. Ratings and comments on iTunes really help us out with promoting the show. And of course, continue the discussion in the comments below.

And a big thanks to Audible.com for supporting us. To get your free 30-day trial and a free audiobook, sign up here. Using that particular link gets you the special offer, and let's them know you heard about them through our show.

As always, thanks for listening.

Raptors Run Wild on Kings in the Second Half, Cruise to 119-102 Win

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Despite a close first half, the talented collective of the Raptors blew away the one man army of the Kings 119-102.

Good players make a difference. With the Kings' DeMarcus Cousins, this is quickly apparent. When he's on the floor, a look at advanced stats - plus/minus and the like - is not even necessary. The eye test shows you a team operating with a powerful and, at times terrifying, fulcrum. But when he sits (or, alternatively, sulks), the Kings struggle. No eye test necessary: just look at the final score.

The Raptors, meanwhile, do not have a player quite so immediately and apparently dominant. Toronto has talented players, obviously, with DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry chief among them; but the virtues of their ability come to the fore in instances like this, games that can be quantified as team wins.

"This team is not about one guy, it's not about Terrence, it's not about Kyle, it's about the Toronto Raptors," said coach Dwane Casey after the game. "It's the only way we're gonna keep going, keep growing as a team."

For the first half, individual talent was grappling team play to a stand still. Led by our old friend Rudy Gay's 22 points, the game was tied after two quarters. But the second half was a different story. As Cousins began to flail hopelessly and the rest of the Kings fell apart, the Raptors went to work as a team.

While the leading scorer for the Raps tonight was the streak shooting Lou Williams (27 points on 7-for-16 shooting, including four 3s), it was the former Kings who displayed the most fire against their old team. Greivis Vasquez in particular seemed jazzed to drop points on Sacramento. He went off for 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting (including 4-of-5 from three) and chipped in six assists.

His big men counterparts, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes, also contributed. Patterson had 11 points (on 4-of-8 shooting, with three 3s) including a spirit killing alley-op finish from Lou in the second half. Hayes, meanwhile, only player 13 minutes but he did the job he was supposed to do: frustrate DeMarcus Cousins. To that end, with the big man finishing with only 13 points and four rebounds (to go with nine turnovers), mission accomplished. Hayes even blocked DMC to further cement the drubbing.

"Chuck does so much for us, man. People don't see it because he doesn't score," said Vasquez afterwards. "He's one of those leaders that you don't really see, but he's a big time piece for our team."

Soon Kyle Lowry will be in the NBA All-Star game, and DeMar DeRozan will be back to consistently putting up All-Star numbers. We'll talk about Jonas Valanciunas' future and Terrence Ross' potential. But it's these games that remind you that it's all got to add up to something; hopefully, something like a complete team. Tonight, with the shots falling and players smiling, the Raptors may not have had the best player, but they were definitely the best team.

What did you guys think of the game?

Arizona Wildcats in the NBA Daily Recap: 1/28/15

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A daily glimpse of Arizona Wildcat performances in the NBA

There were 11 NBA games on Wednesday, and 3 former Wildcats in action. Compared to Tuesday night, it was a relatively lackluster night for the NBA Cats. Their performances went as follows:

Derrick Williams: D-Will played just 12 minutes, grabbed 1 rebound, and put up 4 points while shooting 1-3 from the field and 2-2 from the line. On a night where Kyrie Irving (who was selected with the pick just before Williams) put up 55 points in a win against Portland, it was yet another reminder of how Williams has simply not panned out in the NBA. That being said, Williams is currently having his best month of the season averaging 8.5 PPG on 46% shooting, and 4.4 RPG in 24.1 minutes per game. As the season winds down and the Kings fall further and further out of playoff contention, it wouldn't be surprising to see Williams get increased playing time. Derrick will be a free agent this offseason and the Kings might want to get one last extended look at him to see if they want to bring him back or not.

Jason Terry: JET played 17 minutes in a 99-94 win over Dallas and completely filled up the stat sheet in the process. Terry scored 5 points, tracked down 3 rebounds, dished out 3 assists, had 2 steals, and even had 2 blocks (yes, you read that right). Terry also sank his lone three point attempt of the night. Before the game, Terry said he wanted to extend Dallas' losing streak to 4 games and to also "kick 'em while they're down. In classic Jason Terry fashion, he lived up to his word. (Note: His teammate and former Wildcat Nick Johnson is currently playing for Houston's D-League team.)

Chase Budinger: In 14 minutes, Budinger was perfect offensively. Budinger scored 7 points while shooting 2-2 from the field. He also made his only three point attempt, and sank both of his free throw attempts. In addition, he reeled in 2 rebounds. Chase's effort helped the Timberwolves break a 5 game losing streak with a 110-98 win over the Boston Celtics.

Grant Jerrett: DNP - Jerrett has appeared in just 5 NBA games this season, and has played just 25 minutes.

Richard Jefferson: DNP - Not a surprise to see the veteran forward get a DNP-CD on the second night of a back-to-back.


DeMarcus Cousins snubbed of spot in All-Star Game

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In a season full of downers for Kings fans, the announcement of the 2015 All-Star reserves was yet another one as star center DeMarcus Cousins was left off of the team by the league's coaches.  Instead, James Harden, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Tim Duncan and LaMarcus Aldridge were named.

This is the second straight year that Cousins has been snubbed of an All-Star selection despite putting up All-Star numbers.  This year he's averaging 23.8 points a game, 12.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks in just 33.8 minutes a game.  Those numbers are among the best in the entire league, yet it was not enough to secure an All-Star spot.

There is absolutely no doubt that the firing of Mike Malone and Sacramento's subsequent struggles played a major factor here.  No Western Conference reserve was chosen from a team with a losing record, and Sacramento has gone just 5-15 since Malone's firing.

Cousins still has a chance to get in the game as an injury replacement.  One will most definitely be named for Kobe Bryant, who will miss the rest of the season, but with Damian Lillard also being left off the team, it's not improbable that he is chosen ahead of Cousins for the spot.  LaMarcus Aldridge is playing with an injured hand, and it's possible he'll miss the game, but he has chosen to keep playing through the injury so it's pretty likely that he'll also play in the game.

Yes, the Western Conference is deep and it's hard to say that someone who did make the team wasn't deserving.  But dammit, DeMarcus Cousins was deserving too, and it's extremely disappointing to see that his dominance and growth continues to either not be acknowledged or respected by the league at large.  If DeMarcus Cousins isn't an NBA All-Star, I don't know who is.

You can find the full list of All-Star reserves here.

Pacers Links: Luis Scola sits out against Knicks to end active game streak

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Frank Vogel rested Luis Scola on Thursday night to free up some minutes for Lavoy Allen. Scola's DNP-CD ended an active playing streak for the veteran forward.

Frank Vogel finally has a healthy front court to work with but after appreciating the effort reserve big man Lavoy Allen gave while David WestRoy Hibbert and Ian Mahinmi missed time with injuries, the Pacers coach had to find a way to keep Allen in the mix. On Thursday, that meant giving Luis Scola the night off which ended his streak of appearing in regular-season games at 277.

"It was more about Lavoy, than Luis," Vogel said.

Scola brushed off the issue after the game which is no surprise from the pro's pro following a win. Surely he wasn't happy about ending the streak but it wasn't a surprise since the coaches and player discussed the issue on Wednesday.

"I like to play, but they got a point and they just thought it was best to give me a couple of days off, so that's fine," Scola said after the game.

For his part, Vogel is trying to keep his team grinding as they begin to run out of favorable spots in the schedule, let alone ways to shake up his team, to gain momentum.

"We don't want to be concerned about any long-term streak or anything like that," Vogel said. "We said when we got healthy, when we got five healthy bigs that I was going to find spots to get Lavoy Allen in there because he's a heck of a basketball player and he's been one of our better players the first half of the season."

Scola was told the plan was to sit him for two games which would mean missing the next game on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings, but after Allen tweaked his knee, Scola may be back in the mix depending on the status of Lavoy's knee. Allen played well alongside Ian Mahinmi and Roy Hibbert, scoring eight points with five rebounds in just nine minutes before limping out of the game.

At this time of the year, seeing a player sit out, especially a vet like Scola with plenty of playoff experience, brings the thought of a potential trade in the works. Scola said he hadn't considered that and it would be a surprise since the up-front converstations with Frank Vogel centered around giving him some rest.

Interested in playing Daily Fantasy Basketball with the chance to win money? Sign up for FanDuel here!

Check out the links:

Knicks at Pacers - Box score

Game Rewind: Pacers 103, Knicks 82 | Indiana Pacers

No national TV, but Indiana Pacers roll over New York Knicks

Horrific quarter costs Knicks in beatdown by Pacers | New York Post

Carmelo, Knicks blown out by Pacers, 103-82 - NY Daily News

Pacers 103, Knicks 82: "How did this turn into a blowout?" - Posting and Toasting

How Knicks’ Lou Amundson celebrated new contract in style | New York Post

Hibbert Just What the Pacers Needed | Indiana Pacers

Scola sits for rest, snapping active streak of 277 games

Hibbert, Stuckey spark Pacers' blowout | WFNI ESPN 1070 the Fan | Indy's SportsCenter

TheJayGravesReport.com: The Bump (How the Pacers pulled a Soul Train Line on the dull Knicks)

Indiana Pacers Destroy New York Knicks

Scola’s streak of consecutive appearances ends at 277 | Vigilant Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Sacramento Kings: Television information, start time, game preview

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to take on the Sacramento Kings, likely without LeBron James.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, in the midst of an eight game win streak, finish up a short home stand with a game against a struggling Sacramento Kings team. Led by DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento is one of the more fascinating teams in the NBA this season due to Cousins' emergence and the oddly timed (to say the least) firing of Mike Malone.

The Kings also have a win this season over the Cavs, a 103-84 win for Sacramento where Boogie scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Like tonight's game, the Cavs were without LeBron. Still, the Cavs' loss to the Kings was two games before the Cavs beat the Los Angeles Lakers and began the current win streak. And with Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert at least reasonably integrated with the Cavs at this point, it's safe to predict that this game will be different than the first.

What: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Sacramento Kings

When: 7:30 p.m.

Television Information: Fox Sports Ohio

Music: Flyin' High - Marvin Gaye

Chosen in honor of Kyrie's awesome 55 point performance, I pick this Marvin Gaye song in honor of Irving's smooth game.

DeMarcus Cousins should have been an All-Star. And in my book, Cousins has been first team All-NBA through this point in the season. Entering tonight, Cousins is sixth in the league in scoring, third in the league in rebounding and he's an unguardable force down low due his sheer strength and ability as a finisher inside. Some of the bad habits that plagued him earlier in his career (taking possessions off, taking bad angles, etc.), particularly on defense, have resurfaced under interim head coach Ty Corbin but come in smaller doses this time around. On top of that, Boogie is insanely important to the Kings. The offense often looks like a mess when he's not on the floor - the Kings are 6.4 points better per 100 possession with Boogie - and while he's not a prototypical rim protector, Cousins is a big body inside that alters shots.

If the first game between these two teams is any indication - and this the one aspect of the game that shouldn't change - Mozgov is going to have his hands full with Boogie. He'll have his moments, but Mozgov will likely struggle against Cousins. That being said, the Cavs can do some funky things, like throw doubles at Cousins this time when he gets the ball within a few feat of the hoop, particularly with a Mozgov/Tristan Thompson front court, but Boogie is going to get his. What matters is that the Cavs slow him down, make him work and attack him on defense. Kyrie Irving/Mozgov pick and rolls, depending on how the Kings defend PNRs, could be a way to make Cousins work inside and get him into foul trouble.

The Cavs' rotation sans LeBron was sort of interesting. Shawn Marion started in LeBron's place at shooting guard, although Shumpert started off the second half playing small forward next to Irving and Smith. In the end, Marion only played nine minutes and Blatt leaned heavily on a few select players. And although he didn't play much, Mike Miller saw his first relatively extended action in some time as he played 10 minutes against the Trail Blazers.

The Kings' roster probably mean that Marion or Shumpert will see the most minutes at the small forward spot. Rudy Gay, the Kings second scoring option, plays roughly 35 minutes a game and is a reliable 20 point per game scorer who can be a useful post up player at times. As a result, it might be harder for the Cavs to get by playing smaller lineups where Smith shifts to the three and Matthew Dellavedova, who played 20 minutes against the Blazers, at the two guard spot.

Don't forget that Kyrie did this in Cleveland's last game.

It can't be overstated that the Cavs absolutely needed Irving to take get the win vs. Portland. Without LeBron, Kyrie was often the lone player on the floor able to fully initiate the offense, and once he found his rhythm after his slow opening start, he was relatively hard to defend. Only three other Cavaliers - Love, Mozgov and Smith - scored in double figures and bench provided just 11 points. That's going to happen when a player goes off like Irving did, but with both scenarios, neither is likely to happen again. Barring another insane scoring performance from Irving, the Cavs are going to need Love, Smith and one other player to score. Love, in particular, would be a player the Cavs could desperately benefit from getting consistent scoring from. Establishing Love early against Jason Thompson and at least attempt to lean him when Irving is out of the game.

Fear The Sword's Fearless Prediction

The Cavs are rolling right now and it would be sort of hilarious if the Kings of all teams ended Cleveland's winning streak. Expect Boogie to go off and scored at least 25 points, but the Cavs should roll here, with or without LeBron. And remember: Kevin Love had one of the best games of the season the last time these teams met. Cavs 103, Kings 95.

DeMarcus Cousins belongs in the All-Star Game

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There was no rational reason to keep Cousins off the All-Star team initially, other than people's tired misconceptions.

UPDATE: Turns out Cousins will be an All-Star after all. The Kings' center was named to replace the injured Kobe Bryant, the league announced Friday. The original column follows below.

***

Those of who have watched DeMarcus Cousins' career most closely sensed it coming. Despite gaudy stats, a reformed attitude, much-improved defense and a clear positive impact on the court every single night, Boogie was left off of the 2015 NBA All-Star roster. Throughout Cousins' career, excellence has never been enough.

Too many people in the NBA -- analysts, coaches, fans -- make up their minds about someone and never re-evaluate. Cousins caught a reputation as a knucklehead and malcontent early in his career and deserved it. All of that's over, but you wouldn't know it by the way some folks still talk about him. Even this week, as Cousins' All-Star status was discussed and revealed, you had people mentioning his propensity to argue with the referees.

Oh, Cousins is tied for 23rd in the NBA in techs? Tied with Marc Gasol, Kyle Lowry, Sebastian Telfair and, uh, Joel Freeland? Huh.

You had one prominent fool make this claim exactly five years ago.

That's the type of nonsense arm-chair assessment that's followed Cousins every minute of his career.

This is why Cuzologists suspected an All-Star snub was brewing. In an age of plentiful but imperfect data, people rely on their assumptions, and for obvious reasons, people assume the worst of Cousins, even now. There will be no rebirth until his team wins something, like Zach Randolph in Memphis. (Never mind Boogie's key role at the 2014 Worlds.) The burden of proof to convince people he is not who he was is on him, because that's how the sports world works.

But man does this stink. You've seen the stats by now: Cousins is No. 6 in scoring, No. 3 in rebounding, No. 6 in PER, No. 4 in overall real plus-minus and No. 3 in defensive real plus-minus. The Kings outscore teams by six points per 100 possessions when Boogie is on the court and are outscored by 13 per 100 possessions when he's not. If you want to go more basic, the Kings are 14-18 in games in which Cousins played and 2-10 when he didn't.

Yes, the Kings have a losing record. Look at those numbers and explain to me how they reflect on DeMarcus Cousins' performance in any way other than DAMN HE'S GOOD.

Do you think if you swapped Cousins and, let's say 2015 NBA All-Star Tim Duncan, that the Kings would be better? Duncan is a legend, but the suggestion is absurd. The Spurs are a +4/100 possessions team when Duncan's been on the court and a +4.4/100 possessions team when he has not. Duncan's defense remains elite, but he's not appreciably better than Cousins on that end at this point. To wit, Cousins roasted him to the tune of 25 points in 27 minutes in their first meeting this season. (Boogie missed the second game due to viral meningitis.)

By the way, offense matters too. Cousins has played 10 fewer games than Duncan this season, but has scored 143 more points. He's gotten those points much more efficiently than Big Fundamental. (The True Shooting percentage comparison: .560 for Cousins to .535 for Duncan.) Cousins is averaging 23.8 points per game. Duncan has scored more than 23 points once in 42 games this season. Scoring is actually pretty important in this sport, and Cousins is nearly twice as productive in that realm. Twice!

The argument for Duncan is that we should reward defense and that old-timers deserve deference. The following is not a rare comment from NBA analysts.

Neat. When they have an All-Star Game for players 33 and older, that's good criteria to consider. Until then, considering Cousins is appreciably better in several facets of the game and Duncan's equal in the others, let's be real. Duncan got in as a legacy pick from a good team and Cousins was left out because so few coaches made an effort to actually look at the evidence.

I understand wanting to celebrate Duncan, who at his sustained peak was criminally undercelebrated. But it's a disservice to Duncan and future Duncans to bestow an unearned honor on him now. And so long as DeMarcus Cousins exists, Duncan doesn't deserve this honor. There's no way around that.

Boogie will be an All-Star someday -- he's too good to be denied much longer. The inevitability of reality will catch up to even the sentimentalists on the sidelines. But he's been robbed just now, and that's worth acknowledging and lamenting, no matter how frivolous the matter may seem.

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DeMarcus Cousins will replace an injured Kobe Bryant in 2015 All-Star Game

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The Kings' center will be headed to New York after all.

The NBA announced Kings center DeMarcus Cousins will be the injury replacement for Kobe Bryant in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game.

Cousins was not one of the seven Western Conference reserves named Thursday, but a spot opened up because of Kobe Bryant -- who had been voted in as an All-Star starter by fans -- underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. All-Star injury replacements are decided by the commissioner and so it was Adam Silver's decision to put Cousins on the team.

Cousins was unanimously declared a snub when he was left out and it shouldn't have come down to an injury replacementOther major snubs include Damian Lillard, Kyle Korver, Brandon Knight and Mike Conley.

This is Cousins' first All-Star appearance. He's averaging 23.8 points and 12.3 rebounds this year. Only five players in the last 20 years have averaged that (23 points, 12 rebounds) for a season.

DeMarcus Cousins replaces Kobe Bryant in 2015 All-Star Game

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A grievous error has now been corrected.  After being left off of the All-Star team by NBA coaches yesterday, DeMarcus Cousins has now officially been named an All-Star by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver according to a report from Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski.  Cousins is set to replace Kobe Bryant in the game.

Even though Cousins is very deserving of the spot, I'm still surprised that the NBA chose him over fellow snub Damian Lillard.  Maybe it's just because I'm a Kings fan and am used to expecting the worst result possible.  Whatever the case, DeMarcus Cousins is now an All-Star and we can all rejoice.

Cousins is the first Sacramento Kings All-Star in 11 years, when Brad Miller and Peja Stojakovic made the game in 2004.  This will most definitely not be the last time Cousins makes the game, but the first time is always the most special.  We've had very little cause for celebration these past couple months, so enjoy this Kings fans, and congratulations Boogie.

UPDATE 11:20 P.M.:

The Kings and Cousins have released the following statement on Cousins' selection:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. ---- Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins was named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Western Conference All-Star Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, it was announced today by the NBA. Cousins' selection marks the first time a Kings player will participate in an All-Star game since Brad Miller and Peja Stojakovic represented Sacramento in 2004. He will become the sixth player during the Sac-era, and 23rd in franchise history to represent the Kings in the All-Star Game.

"I'm extremely excited to play in my first All-Star game," said Cousins. "I appreciate the recognition and want to also thank my teammates and the fans for their support throughout the season. Representing the Kings and the city of Sacramento is a great honor."

"Everyone in the Kings organization is thrilled for DeMarcus and happy that his diligence and commitment to becoming the best player he can be has been recognized," said Kings General Manager Pete D'Alessandro.

"This honor is a result of the hard work and determination DeMarcus has shown throughout the season," said Kings Head Coach Tyrone Corbin. "He dedicated himself to improving those talents that make him a special player and he is demonstrating every night how unique an athlete he is in this league."

In his fifth NBA campaign, Cousins is averaging 23.8 points (.481 FG%, .806 FT%), 12.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.38 steals, 1.63 blocks and 33.8 minutes per game in 32 contests, leading the Kings in scoring, rebounding, and blocks. He was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Nov. 17-23 after registering 25.7 points (.577 FG%, .773 FT%), 16.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.71 blocks per game in leading Sacramento to a 2-1 week. Cousins appears among NBA leaders in several categories ranking fourth in double-doubles (26), fifth in scoring and third in rebounding.

Kings vs. Cavaliers Preview: Sacramento looks to succeed in another King's domain

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It doesn't look like the Kings will face LeBron James at all this season, but even without him, the Cavaliers are a very potent offensive team.  Besides, with how badly the Kings have been struggling as of late, they can't afford to take any team lightly, lest this losing streak extend to eight games. Today's action tips off at 4:30 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Cleveland has started to figure things out since the Kings last played him, although a large part of that has been LeBron James coming back healthy.  Now James is absent but even still, this Cavs team is dangerous, especially at home.  In Irving, Love (who is questionable to play) and even J.R. Smith, this Cleveland team can put points up on the board in a hurry.  The additions of Timofey Mozgov and Iman Shumpert has also strengthened their defense.  The fact that Sacramento manhandled them in their last matchup (which coincidentally was Sacramento's most recent win) will also be on their minds.

2. This Cavaliers team absolutely loves shooting three pointers, and they're good at it too.  The three point line has been anathema to the Kings this season, particularly in the previous two games where they've allowed a combined 34 three pointers made.  On the other side, Sacramento is terrible at making threes of their own.  To put it into perspective, Kyrie Irving went 11 of 19 from three in his 55 point performance the other night.  The Kings as a team have only made 11 threes in a game once this season, and it was on 29 attempts.

3. The third quarter has been another problem for Sacramento all season.  For whatever reason, the Kings have let team after team come out in the third quarter and get going, negating whatever positives the first half may have brought.  Against Toronto, we saw the Raptors drop 39 points in the quarter, creating a 17 point deficit that ended up being the deciding margin.  Against Golden State, the third was the quarter that Klay Thompson set NBA history in.  Sacramento has to do a better job of coming out of the locker room with energy.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Kyrie Irving vs. Darren Collison

In case you missed it, Kyrie Irving dropped an NBA season-high 55 points against the Portland Trail Blazers the other night, carrying the Cavaliers to a win even without LeBron James.  With James likely out again tonight, Irving will once more have to carry the load for Cleveland.  In Sacramento's blowout win over the LeBron-less Cavs earlier this month, Irving was a non-factor.  To win tonight, Darren Collison and the Kings will have to strive for a similar result and not allow him to get a hot hand and keep it going.

PREGAME LIMERICK

This day started out so dreary,
But the Commish has made me cheery!
Boogie to NYC,
oh, can it be?
Now let's win on the shores of Lake Erie!

PREDICTION

Kings 108, Cavaliers 93 after DeMarcus Cousins achieves basketball nirvana due to the euphoria of being named an All-Star.


Shayne Whittington rejoins Pacers after one game with Mad Ants

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The Pacers rookie big man is needed back in the big leagues after Lavoy Allen hurt his knee while Whittington was playing in Fort Wayne on Thursday.

Pacers rookie Shayne Whittington took the court with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on Thursday to play the first of what was supposed to be two games in the D-League. But after Lavoy Allen suffered a knee injury as the Pacers were putting it on the Knicks, Whittington was called back to Indy to bolster the team's front-court depth.

According to Curt Cavin, Allen had an MRI on Friday and may not be available to play on Saturday when the Pacers host the Sacramento Kings. If Frank Vogel wants to rest Luis Scola for a second game, as planned, then Whittington could find a few minutes off the bench thrown his way.

Whittington played 18 minutes in Fort Wayne's 103-94 loss to the Iowa Energy, scoring five points with four rebounds and one assist. The rook also impressed with his effort, captured here.

For a little good news on the injury front, George Hill took part in the Pacers full practice on Friday. If all goes well coming off the bench on Saturday, Vogel hopes to have Hill back in the starting lineup in the following game against Detroit on Wednesday.

Final Score: Cleveland Cavaliers beat Sacramento Kings 101-90

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Behind a big night from all three members of the Big Three, the Cavs won big against the Kings.

19 days ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers were routed by the Sacramento Kings, losing 103-84 without LeBron James in the midst of a long West Coast road trip. In that, game the Cavs offense looked stalled and struggled to score any points consistently. Defensively, Kings center DeMarcus Cousins dominated the Cavs inside and scored 26 points in the Kings' win.

How things can change in 19 days.

With LeBron  playing through a wrist injury after being listed as doubtful, Cleveland extend its win streak to nine games with a  win over the Kings. James scored 19 points, while Kyrie Irving added 21 on the heels of his 55-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers, while Kevin Love added a game-high 23 points on 9-17 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds in one of the best games of Love's season.

Cousins, who was named an All-Star for the first time earlier today, scored 21 points on 5-17 shooting. Kins forward Rudy Gay added 20 points.

The Cavaliers didn't trail after the 10:02 of the first quarter and got out to a large first half lead with Love, Irving and J.R. Smith handling the scoring load. Love, in particular, shined in the first half as the Cavs went to him again and again on the block. In the first quarter alone, Love scored 16 points.

The Cavaliers next play tomorrow 8 p.m. tomorrow against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It will mark Love's first game in Minnesota since being traded to the Cavaliers over the summer.

Kings something, Cavaliers something higher: Meh

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I mean, really. Who cares.

There was a basketball game going on tonight, but given how much effort was collectively put in by the Sacramento Kings, you wouldn't know it. The Cleveland Cavaliers were red-hot coming into the game, but didn't even play particularly well and still slowly ran away from the Kings by a final score of 101-90.

The Kings were led by their All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, who was again inefficient offensively. In Tyrone Corbin's new "offense", Cousins has been operating more and more in the high post, which has resulted in a precipitous drop in his shooting percentages. Boogie ended the game with 21 points and 13 rebounds, but only shot 5/17 from the field. Rudy Gay was there, scoring 20 points on 16 shots and grabbing 9 rebounds. Omri Casspi got going in garbage time Other than that, the performance was absolutely ghastly across the board. The team shot 35% from the field and 17% from three point range, with only 15 assists and 16 turnovers. Cleveland, on the other hand, shot 47% from the field and 35% from three.

The Kings have no fire on either end anymore. The offensive sets are dry and don't generate good shots. On defense, the breakdowns are frequent, as evidenced by Kevin Love getting 16 easy points in the first quarter of the game. That being said, I'm not sure if I blame the players for checking out already. Its tough for a team to give effort when there is nothing to play for, and must be especially so for this team given the crazy turmoil they have been subjected to this season. When that happens, game-to-game at the first sign of adversity, whether its an opposing team hitting a hot streak or jumpers not falling, there is no confidence or willpower to struggle through it and stay competitive.

The Kings now fall to 16-29 on the season. Something needs to happen to give the team something to play for. Whether its a trade or a coaching move, its obvious the players are over this current course. There are still 37 games left in the season, and even if its building something for next year, it would be a shame to just watch this time flushed down the toilet. The Kings next play tomorrow against Indiana, a team who is also mightily struggling.

For the opponent's perspective, visit Fear the Sword

Where's the accountability, Vivek?

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The Kings continue to flounder, but there's no accountability.

The Sacramento Kings extended their losing streak to an eighth game on Friday, losing behing yet another lackluster effort from the team. DeMarcus Cousins, er, excuse me, All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, played well. So did Rudy Gay. But once again, they lacked the support they needed. The second unit was once again an embarrassment. In fact, the whole team is an embarrassment. So where is the accountability?

Before the season, Vivek Ranadivé told the Sacramento Bee:

"[T]his year, let's be clear, it is about wins and losses."

Well, the Kings started winning, and then the Kings fired Michael Malone. In the wake of the firing, we were told that the firing wasn't about wins and losses, but about style. Nonetheless, Vivek gave his vote of confidence to Tyrone Corbin.

Well, that's clearly not happening. The Kings were 11-13 under Malone, despite DeMarcus Cousins missing an extended stretch with viral meningitis. Under Corbin, the Kings have gone 5-15.

Simply put, if we assume good intentions, if we assume Vivek was not blatantly lying, then he was simply incorrect about Corbin. Otherwise, the lie was that wins and losses mattered this season. I can handle someone being wrong. I can handle a mistake. It was a mistake to fire Malone. It was a mistake to think Corbin could lead this team for the remainder of this season.

Mistakes are ok. What matters is how you respond to your mistakes. This season can still be about wins and losses. It should be about wins and losses. But more importantly, it now needs to be about the team regaining credibility with the fans and the players. Show the fans and the players that you still care about this season. Because there is no way Corbin can finish the season as the head coach of the Kings.

The Kings organization needs to demonstrate some accountability. Show the players they have a reason to give a damn. Show the fans they should still buy tickets. Show us that we should still care about this team.

Kings vs. Pacers Fan Predictions

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Predict things with us!

Link to the Leaderboard.

Below are a series of prediction questions for today's game. The first four questions will be asked every game, while the 5th will change each game.

Point value for predictions are listed next to the questions. If you believe that more than one player will lead a category, you can vote for multiple players, and this is worth double points if you are correct, but zero if you are wrong. Alternately, if you only guess one player when multiple players are tied, you get zero points.

All submissions must be input before tip-off. Any submissions after tip-off will not count. You are allowed only one submission and may not change unless specifically stated.

Questions:

1. Who do you think will win the game, and what will the final score be? (1 point for guessing winner. 2 points for guessing winner and correct score of one team. 5 points for guessing winner and exact score)

2. Who will be the game's leading scorer? (1 point for guessing scorer, 2 points for guessing exact points scored)

3. Who will be the game's leading rebounder? (1 point for guessing rebounder, 2 points for guessing exact rebounds)

4. Who will be the game's leading assist man? (1 point for guessing assist man, 2 points for guessing exact assists)

5. Predict the Pacers total number of rebounds, Roy Hibbert's blocks and Rodney Stuckey's points (1 point for one right, 3 points for two right, 5 points for all right)

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