NBA: Seth Curry's strong debut leads Nets past Kings

Seth Curry scored 23 points in his debut for the Brooklyn Nets, who ended an 11-game losing streak with a 109-85 victory over the Sacramento Kings Monday night in New York.

Curry helped Brooklyn get its first win since beating the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 21 by hitting 10 of 18 shots, including three 3-pointers. Curry also added seven rebounds and five assists.

LaMarcus Aldridge returned from missing eight games with a sprained left ankle and added 19 points and eight rebounds. Bruce Brown contributed a season-high 19 points to go along with six rebounds, six assists and five steals and rookie Cam Thomas chipped in 14 as the Nets shot 51.2 percent.

Andre Drummond, who was acquired along with Curry from Philadelphia in Thursday's deal for James Harden, finished with 11 points and nine rebounds in his Brooklyn debut as Ben Simmons watched the game from the bench.

De'Aaron Fox scored 26 points, but the Kings shot 34.4 percent. Rookie Davion Mitchell added 13 points and Donte DiVincenzo chipped in 12 for Sacramento, which saw its starting frontcourt of Harrison Barnes, Maurice Harkless and Domantas Sabonis combine for 16 points.

Brown scored 10 points as the Nets shot led by as many as 19 and held a 35-24 lead through the opening quarter. Sacramento twice cut the deficit to three points late in the second quarter and Brooklyn held a 55-48 lead by halftime.

A layup by Barnes got Sacramento within 55-54 a little over a minute into the third and the Nets countered with a 15-3 run as Curry scored 12 points and hit an 18-footer for a 70-57 lead with 6:41 left. 

Consecutive dunks by James Johnson and Drummond opened a 78-61 lead with 2:56 left and Brooklyn entered the fourth with an 80-66 lead.

The Nets held a 93-74 lead when Curry returned with 8:07 remaining and the Kings cut the deficit to 12 on two occasions. The Nets finally finished it off when Brown's layup made it 101-85 with 3:36 remaining.

-reuters

NBA: Jazz top Kings to finish with best record in NBA

Jordan Clarkson scored 33 points and made six 3-pointers and Bojan Bogdanovic added 18 to lead the Utah Jazz to a 121-99 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.

Rudy Gobert added 13 points and 16 rebounds. Mike Conley chipped in 11 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. Utah (52-20) clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs after finishing with the league's best regular-season record.

Terence Davis scored 20 points to lead the Kings. Damian Jones chipped in 19 points. Buddy Hield added 13 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for Sacramento.

The Kings (31-41) rested several key players in their final game of the season. De'Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes were all the sidelines but being short-handed did not faze Sacramento early in the game.Utah played sloppy to start the first quarter. The Jazz had six turnovers compared to only five baskets in the game's first nine minutes.

Sacramento took advantage, ripping off an 11-0 run to stake an 11-5 lead. Delon Wright assisted a basket to start the run and capped it off with a 3-pointer. Utah climbed back to within a point on a 3-point play from Clarkson. 

The Kings answered with a 14-3 run -- highlighted by three straight baskets from Davis -- to extend their lead to 25-13.

Clarkson helped Utah erase the deficit before the first quarter ended. The Jazz scored on six straight possessions to mount a 15-0 run. Clarkson scored three baskets to help Utah reclaim a 28-25 lead going into the second quarter.

The Kings struggled to keep pace as the second quarter progressed. After Sacramento trimmed Utah's lead to 50-45 on back-to-back baskets from Wright and Jahmi'us Ramsey, the Jazz closed the half on a 14-4 run to take a 64-49 lead. Conley scored a pair of baskets and assisted another to fuel the run.

Utah put the game out of reach after opening the third quarter with a 20-6 run. Clarkson capped the run with a pair of 3-pointers that gave the Jazz an 84-55 lead.

-reuters

NBA: Zach LaVine stays hot, leads Bulls past Kings

Zach LaVine scored 38 points and Coby White chipped in 19 to pace six players in double figures as the host Chicago Bulls sent the Sacramento Kings to their sixth straight defeat with a 122-114 victory on Saturday night.

Chicago won for the third time in four games as LaVine shined again, surpassing the 30-point plateau for the seventh time in eight games and 15th time this season. LaVine shot 15-for-20 from the floor to boost the Bulls to a 59.8 percent effort from the field.

Rookie Patrick Williams contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds for his second career double-double, while White drilled five 3-pointers as Chicago went 11-for-23 from distance.

Marvin Bagley III had a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Kings in the first game of a five-game road trip. Buddy Hield followed with 23 points, and De'Aaron Fox added 20 points and nine assists.

Williams heaved in a 52-footer at the third-quarter buzzer to put the Bulls ahead 95-83. The Kings responded by opening the fourth on a 16-6 run, closing to within 101-99 on a Bagley layup with 8:00 to go.

Effectiveness from long range helped Chicago regain control in short order, as Garrett Temple and White drilled treys as part of an 8-2 run over the next 2:04.

Playing without starters Harrison Barnes (strained left foot) and Richaun Holmes (right knee soreness), as well as top reserve Glenn Robinson III (knee), the Kings struggled to build scoring and rebounding depth.

Thaddeus Young (18 points), Temple (14) and Tomas Satoransky (10) rounded out a balanced Bulls attack.

Tyrese Haliburton (16 points) and Hassan Whiteside (12) also were in double figures for the Kings.

Inactive for much of the season, former Bull and Chicago high school product Jabari Parker made his 2020-21 debut for the Kings.

Chicago scored 40 points in the paint in the first half en route to a season-high 66 to take a 68-58 lead into the break. The Bulls shot 62.8 percent in the first 24 minutes compared to 48.9 percent for the Kings, and led by as many as 14.

The Bulls avenged a 128-124 road loss to Sacramento on Jan. 6 while snapping a two-game losing streak in the series.

-reuters

James Harden makes 8 3s as Rockets thump Kings

SACRAMENTO, California — James Harden and the Houston Rockets are finding their rhythm at the right time.

Looks as if some help is on the way, too.

Harden made eight 3-pointers and scored 36 points, helping Houston beat the Sacramento Kings 127-101 on Wednesday night.

“We played very, very well,” Harden said. “We’re kind of catching a momentum and it feels pretty good. It’s even more exciting once we get our full roster back.”

The Rockets closed out a four-game trip with their third consecutive victory, and they appeared to be on the verge of adding Iman Shumpert to their array of talented shooters. Gerald Green matched his season high with 25 points, and Eric Gordon scored 20 points.

Houston, Sacramento and Cleveland were working on a trade that most notably will move Shumpert from the Kings to the Rockets. Houston is sending Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss to the Cavaliers. Alec Burks — now traded for the second time this season, after starting the year in Utah — will go from the Cavaliers to the Kings.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the NBA trade call has not yet been completed.

“Shump is a vet who can help us defensively, ball-handling, shooting,” Harden said. “He’s been playing very well this season. Once he gets here and gets a couple of practices in, let’s go.”

Houston has won seven games by 20 or more points this season, including twice on its road trip.

“That’s a good trip for us,” Chris Paul said. “To get three on this road trip, we’re playing the right way.”

Sacramento also was working on a trade for Dallas’ Harrison Barnes in another deal ahead of Thursday’s deadline.

The Kings had won three in a row and four of five. Buddy Hield had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Marvin Bagley III added 10 points and 10 boards.

“Tough night,” coach Dave Joerger said. “We didn’t shoot the ball well, they did. It’s been a tough couple of hours and an interesting couple of hours.”

Sacramento kept Harden off the line, but the reigning NBA MVP still scored almost at will.

Harden collected 25 points while helping Houston to a 76-45 halftime lead. He made four 3-pointers during a 19-3 run over the final five minutes of the second quarter.

Harden — the NBA leader in average free-throw attempts — was limited to two, matching his season low. But he went 13 for 26 from the field.

“Guys set the tone early,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Pretty impressive finish of the road trip. There’s just a lot of good things that we did solid.”

Things got chippy midway through the fourth when Harden was called for a technical foul after he exchanged words with Sacramento’s Frank Mason near midcourt.

The Kings struggled to keep up. They trailed by as many as 37 in the second half.

TIP-INS

Rockets: Paul had 15 points and 11 assists. … Gordon returned to the lineup after sitting out Monday’s win over Phoenix because of right knee soreness. … Houston is 8-4 without Clint Capela, who is sidelined with a right thumb injury. 



Kings: Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 13 points while starting in place of Shumpert, who addressed his former Sacramento teammates in the locker room before the game and then left the arena. … Justin Jackson and Zach Randolph are reportedly being sent to Dallas as part of the trade for Barnes.

FARIED’S NIGHT

Kenneth Faried had 13 points and 11 rebounds for Houston. He has settled in nicely after signing with the Rockets as a free agent on Jan. 21.

He is averaging 16.1 points since joining his third team this season.

“It’s always nice to know that, yes, he is a perfect fit,” D’Antoni said. “When Clint gets back and (Faried) comes off the bench, he can give us that spurt that we can have 48 solid minutes of high-energy centers running up and down the floor.”

UP NEXT

Rockets: Host Oklahoma City on Saturday.

Kings: Host Miami on Friday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

NBA Referee reveals he is gay in wake of Rondo slur—report

NEW YORK—Bill Kennedy, an NBA referee for 18 seasons, revealed that he is gay after being the subject of homophobic insults from Sacramento guard Rajon Rondo, Yahoo Sports reported on Monday.

Rondo was banned on Friday for one game after repeated insults and a confrontation with Kennedy during a December 3 game between the Kings and Boston at Mexico City. Kennedy ejected Rondo on two technical fouls to arouse the player’s anger.

“I am proud to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a gay man,” Kennedy told Yahoo Sports. “I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no-one to make you feel ashamed of who you are.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver made a statement of support for Kennedy to Yahoo Sports.

“I wholeheartedly support Bill’s decision to live his life proudly and openly,” Silver said.

“Throughout his 18-year career with the league, Bill has excelled as a referee because of his passion, dedication and courage. Those qualities will continue to serve him well both as a game official and as a positive influence for others.

“While our league has made great progress, our work continues to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity.”

Kennedy, 49, has officiated 1,056 NBA games and 68 playoff contests, including five NBA Finals contests. He also worked at the 2010 World Championships and 2012 London Olympics.

He was the second NBA referee to announce being gay, Violet Palmer making the same declaration in 2014 upon marrying her long-time partner.

National Basketball Referee’s Association general counsel Lee Seham told Yahoo Sports that other league referees back Kennedy.

“The NBA referees stand by Bill Kennedy for the job he does and who he is,” he said. “We stand against bigotry in all its forms.”

Rondo will miss Sacramento’s game against Houston on Tuesday and lose $86,300 in salary as a result.

He is the third NBA player to be punished for an anti-gay slur, but the first to be suspended.

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was fined $50,000 during the 2011 playoffs for making a slur towards a heckling fan and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for using an anti-gay slur towards a referee earlier that same season. Noah and Bryant later apologized for their remarks.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Golden State routs Kings, stretches record to 18 wins

OAKLAND, California, United States — Stephen Curry scored 17 of his 19 points in the first quarter, Draymond Green had his second straight triple-double and Golden State Warriors extended their NBA record to 18 straight wins at the start of a season Saturday night with a 120-101 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Leading by 10 points at halftime, the defending champion Warriors opened the third quarter with a 27-8 run that included four 3-pointers by Brandon Rush to build the lead to 29 points. The Kings never got close the rest of the game.

Green had 13 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists, becoming the first Warriors player with back-to-back triple-doubles since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964. A night earlier, he had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 135-116 win at Phoenix.

Rush had 16 points and Klay Thompson added 15 for the Warriors.

Rudy Gay scored 20 points for Sacramento.

CAVALIERS 90, NETS 88

CLEVELAND — LeBron James made a running hook shot with a second left and scored 26 points, giving Cleveland a victory over Brooklyn.

After Joe Johnson’s three foul shots tied it with 15.2 seconds left, the Cavaliers called timeout and took the ball at midcourt.

James took the inbounds pass, dribbled to the top of the key before cutting to the right of the lane and hitting a hook shot over Brook Lopez, the Nets’ 7-foot center.

James scored 10 points and added a key steal late in the game to help Cleveland remain unbeaten at home in nine games. Kevin Love also scored 26 points for Cleveland, which played a sluggish first half and didn’t take its first lead until midway through the third quarter.

Lopez led Brooklyn with 22 points.

RAPTORS 84, WIZARDS 82

WASHINGTON — Cory Joseph made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Toronto past Washington.

Joseph took DeMar DeRozan’s pass in the corner and nailed the winning shot. He finished with 12 points as Toronto won its fourth straight despite tying a season high with 22 turnovers

Kyle Lowry scored 27 points for the Raptors. Bradley Beal scored 20 points for Washington.

SPURS 108, HAWKS 88

SAN ANTONIO — Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points and San Antonio won its fifth straight, holding the Atlanta to several season lows offensively.

San Antonio matched a season high with nine 3-pointers in winning its 18th consecutive home game against Atlanta and 10th straight overall against the Hawks.

Atlanta had season lows for points in any quarter (12 in the second), first-half points (37) and matched a season low for total points. The Hawks’ starters finished with 38 points.

TRAIL BLAZERS 108, LAKERS 96

PORTLAND, Oregon — Damian Lillard scored 29 points and Portland handed Los Angeles its fifth straight loss.

CJ McCollum added 28 points for the Blazers. They have won three of their last four games after a six-game losing streak. Kobe Bryant scored 21 points in the Lakers’ seventh straight road loss.

MAVERICKS 92, NUGGETS 81

DALLAS — Deron Williams scored 22 points, Zaza Pachulia added 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Dallas beat Denver to end a three-game losing streak.

Dallas has won five straight at home after losing its first two games of the season at American Airlines Center. Darrell Arthur, who attended Dallas’ South Oak Cliff High, scored 16 points for Denver. The Nuggets began a five-game road trip with their sixth straight loss.

JAZZ 101, PELICANS 87

SALT LAKE CITY — Alec Burks scored 21 points and Utah beat New Orleans.

Gordon Hayward added 17 points, Rodney Hood had 16, and Trevor Booker finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Pelicans center Anthony Davis scored 14 of the Pelicans’ 16 first-quarter points and finished with 36. Davis also had 11 rebounds and blocked three shots.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Gay scores 26 to lead Kings past Rockets, 106-91

SACRAMENTO, California—Rudy Gay scored 26 points in his first home game since coming over in a trade from Toronto to lead the Sacramento Kings past the Houston Rockets 106-91 Sunday (California time).

Gay added five rebounds and four assists. He finished 10-for-20 shooting in a dazzling home debut for the Kings, who had lost eight of their past 10 games.

DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Isaiah Thomas added 19 points and eight assists to help Sacramento hold on to the lead for most of the final three quarters.

James Harden twisted his left ankle early in the third quarter but finished with 25 points, and Dwight Howard had 13 points and 10 rebounds while battling foul trouble in a disappointing end to Houston’s cramped three-game road trip. The Rockets lost at Portland on Thursday and won at Golden State on Friday.

Portland’s Damian Lillard hit a spinning fadeaway shot with one-tenth of a second left in overtime to lift the Trail Blazers over the Detroit Pistons 111-109.

Lillard was guarded well by Rodney Stuckey as he tried to drive to the basket, but he was able to hit a tough fadeaway from about eight feet. Detroit couldn’t get off a shot before the buzzer.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points for Portland and Lillard finished with 23 points.

At Memphis, Tennessee, Kevin Love had 30 points and nine rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves hit a season-high 12 3-pointers in beating the Memphis Grizzlies 101-93.

The victory ended Minnesota’s 11-game losing streak to the Grizzlies and also gave the Timberwolves their third win in the last four.

The Phoenix Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 106-102 for their fifth straight game after Eric Bledsoe scored seven of his 24 points in the fourth quarter.

Bledsoe added eight rebounds and eight assists, Goran Dragic scored 21 points, and Channing Frye added 20 for the Suns.

Stephen Curry scored 30 points, including 20 in the second half, and Klay Thompson added 19 for the Warriors.

In other games, the Oklahoma City Thunder downed the Orlando Magic 101-98 and the Denver Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 102-93.

source: sports.inquirer.net