SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Marcin Gortat had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Steve Nash added 18 points and 12 assists and the Phoenix Suns defeated the Sacramento Kings 109-100 on Tuesday night.

The Suns won their second straight and third in four games to move over the .500 mark (27-26) for only the third time this season.

The Suns moved within 1 1/2 games of Houston for the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff berth.

DeMarcus Cousins scored a career-high 41 points and had 12 rebounds for the Kings, who have lost three of four.

Isaiah Thomas had 25 points and seven assists, and Terrence Williams had another big game off the bench with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Michael Redd had 16 points and both Channing Frye and Jared Dudley had 15 for Phoenix. Shannon Brown had 12 points for the Suns.

Nash led a 12-2 run in the fourth that put Phoenix ahead 101-90. He made a 3-pointer and followed with an off-balance shot in the lane. A basket by Frye gave the Suns an 11-point lead with 4:05 remaining.

Redd scored three quick baskets to begin the fourth quarter, stretching the Suns’ lead to 87-82 with just under 10 minutes left. But three straight baskets by Cousins pulled Sacramento within 89-88.

The Suns maintained the lead in the third quarter despite having no answer for Cousins. The Kings‘ center had 13 points and eight rebounds, yet Sacramento still trailed 79-78 heading the fourth.

Nash began looking for his shot more in the third quarter when he scored seven points and three assists for Phoenix, which was outscored 27-20.

Gortat had 13 points and eight rebounds in a first-half matchup with Cousins. The Suns led by as many as 17 points in the second quarter and took a 59-51 advantage into halftime.

Cousins had 16 points and Williams had 12 for the Kings.

Notes: Despite shooting 39 percent in the opening quarter, the Suns still led 29-18. … The Kings played without starting guard Marcus Thornton (bruised left calf) and key reserve John Salmons (sore right hip). … Earning a rare start, Kings forward Donte Greene went scoreless and had three personal fouls in the first half. … Redd scored 10 second-quarter points. … The Kings made 4 of 11 free throws in the first half.

Tyreke Evans had 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists and the Sacramento Kings topped the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves 116-108 on Monday night.

The Kings opened the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run and never trailed the rest of the way. Sacramento entered the game having lost five of six.

The Kings made their free throws in the closing minute to secure the victory and move to 14-12 at home this season.

Kevin Love had 23 points and seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost their third straight and fourth in five games.

Rotating defenders, the Kings played tough defense on Love through three quarters. But the All-Star forward got going in the fourth when he scored 11 points.

Nikola Pekovic had 17 points, Luke Ridnour had 13 and Brad Miller had 11 points and six assists for Minnesota, which has seen its playoffs hopes dwindle since losing starting point guard Ricky Rubio last month to a season-ending knee injury.

DeMarcus Cousins had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Kings. Jimmer Fredette had 19 points, one below his season high. Isaiah Thomas had 17 points and five assists. Terrence Williams had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Fouled on a 3-point attempt with 1:50 left, Love made all three free throws to bring the Timberwolves within 109-104.

But Minnesota could not get closer in losing to the Kings for the second time on the road after defeating them twice at home.

Leading by one heading into the fourth quarter, the Kings ran off 11 straight points and took a 98-86 lead when Fredette connected on a 3-pointer at the 8:01 mark.

The Timberwolves missed their first six shots in the fourth and also committed several turnovers.

It didn’t help the Timberwolves that Love picked up his fourth foul with just under nine minutes left in the third quarter. Love went to the bench, but not before arguing the call and earning a technical foul.

The Minnesota bench got thinner when Ridnour was in pain near his basket after suffering a sprained right ankle. He had to be helped off the court with under a minute to play in the third and never returned.

Miller started at center for the Timberwolves and scored all 11 of his points in the first quarter. It was the first start this season for the veteran center, who played six years with the Kings.

Before the game, Miller shook hands with Kings owner Gavin Maloof who was at a courtside seat.

Fredette made two 3-pointers late in the first quarter and finished with 14 points in the opening half when the Kings shot a season-best 65 percent and led 65-58.

Evans had 13 for the Kings and Cousins had nine. Miller scored 11 points for Minnesota and Love had 10.

Notes: Injured Minnesota reserves Jose Barea, Michael Beasley and Darko Milicic didn’t travel with the team. … Miller is in his 13th season and has said this will be his final one. He missed the first 19 games this season following microfracture surgery on his left knee. … Marcus Thornton suffered a bruised left thigh in the first quarter and didn’t return. … The Timberwolves were 11 of 21 on 3-pointers.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Tyreke Evans is still making the adjustment from point guard to small forward for the Sacramento Kings.

But Evans certainly looked comfortable Monday night. He had 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Kings, who topped the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves 116-108.

Evans was the NBA’s Rookie of the Year two seasons ago and had an injury-plagued season a year ago when his stats dropped.

He has been tentative at times this season after coach Keith Smart inserted rookie Isaiah Thomas at point guard and Evans became the starting small forward.

Yet Evans was anything but tentative against the injury-plagued Timberwolves.

He played with the abandon of his rookie season, driving fearlessly to the basket on the fast break and often times scoring before the Timberwolves had a chance to slow him down.

”I’m trying to get used to it,” Evans said about playing small forward. ”It’s up to me to be aggressive and to keep attacking. When I rebound I just get a head start and just kind of open up things because they close the paint.”

While Evans continues to search for a consistent perimeter shot, his ability to penetrate defenses remains a strength. He did it repeatedly against the Timberwolves, who lacked a defensive presence inside. Evans made 8 of 14 shots, hit 8 of 11 free throws, and had two steals and only one turnover in 38 minutes.

Despite his ball-handling duties being diminished in the normal flow of the offense, Smart still wants the creative Evans to be an offensive facilitator.

”I still put him in a position to be a playmaker,” Smart said. ”Tonight was a game where he could push it up and make plays. He’s a small forward with point guard skills.”

The Kings opened the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run, aided by a pair of baskets from Evans, and never trailed the rest of the way. Sacramento entered the game having lost five of six.

The Kings made their free throws in the closing minute to secure the victory and move to 14-12 at home this season.

”They started out fast in the fourth quarter, and then we cut it to a reasonable deficit,” Kevin Love said. ”But it was too late at the end. Everyone seems to be hurt right now and that’s been tough for us.”

Love had 23 points and seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost their third straight and fourth in five games.

Rotating defenders, the Kings played tough defense on Love through three quarters. But the All-Star forward got going in the fourth when he scored 11 points.

”They have injuries, but Minnesota still had some talented players, and Kevin Love is one of them,” Smart said. ”We tried to make sure he didn’t have a big game to beat us.”

Nikola Pekovic had 17 points, Luke Ridnour had 13 and Brad Miller had 11 points and six assists for Minnesota, which has seen its playoffs hopes dwindle since losing starting point guard Ricky Rubio last month to a season-ending knee injury.

The Timberwolves are 4-10 in Rubio’s absence. Minnesota trails Houston, which holds the eighth spot in the Western Conference.

”I’m not worried about the playoffs. We do have to turn this thing around,” Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said. ”We are not going to give up on this season. We have to turn this season around with the people we have right now.”

DeMarcus Cousins had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Kings. Jimmer Fredette had 19 points, one below his season high. Isaiah Thomas had 17 points and five assists. Terrence Williams had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Williams has been a consistent contributor since being signed to a 10-day contract on March 21. The versatile guard/forward has earned consistent minutes and last week the Kings signed him for the remainder of the season.

”He’s a player that you don’t have to depend on him scoring or doing one thing, he does them all – rebounds, passes, scores and defends,” Thomas said. ”He’s one of the most complete players in this league and you need somebody like that on your team to help you win games.”

Fouled on a 3-point attempt with 1:50 left, Love made all three free throws to bring the Timberwolves within 109-104.

But Minnesota could not get closer in losing to the Kings for the second time on the road after defeating them twice at home.

Leading by one heading into the fourth quarter, the Kings ran off 11 straight points and took a 98-86 lead when Fredette connected on a 3-pointer at the 8:01 mark.

The Timberwolves missed their first six shots in the fourth and also committed several turnovers.

It didn’t help the Timberwolves that Love picked up his fourth foul with just under nine minutes left in the third quarter. Love went to the bench, but not before arguing the call and earning a technical foul.

The Minnesota bench got thinner when Ridnour was in pain near his basket after suffering a sprained right ankle. He had to be helped off the court with under a minute to play in the third and never returned.

Miller started at center for the Timberwolves and scored all 11 of his points in the first quarter. It was the first start this season for the veteran center, who played six years with the Kings.

Before the game, Miller shook hands with Kings owner Gavin Maloof who was at a courtside seat. He was greeted warmly by Sacramento fans in the pregame introductions as well.

”It was nice to come back, I have a lot of great memories here,” Miller said. ”This is my home. As soon as the season is over, this is where I’ll live. I wanted to get the win, but we weren’t able to tonight. But it does feel good to at least come back here and play one last time and contribute.”

Notes: Injured Minnesota reserves Jose Barea, Michael Beasley and Darko Milicic didn’t travel with the team. … Miller is in his 13th season and has said this will be his final one. He missed the first 19 games this season following microfracture surgery on his left knee. … Marcus Thornton suffered a bruised left thigh in the first quarter and didn’t return. … The Timberwolves were 11 of 21 on 3-pointers.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.-The Sacramento Kings heard boos at Power Balance Pavilion after lackluster showings in three consecutive home defeats.

The last two losses came against sub-.500 teams, including a Warriors team that was short-handed because of injury and a pregame trade.

If the Kings heard boos Friday night, it was because there were a lot of loud Boston Celtics [team stats] fans in the sellout crowd.

“It was like we (were) Boston, too (Friday),” said Kings guard Marcus Thornton. “It felt like an away game. We wanted to show our fans we have heart and determination to win ballgames.”

The Kings did that and ended their three-game losing streak, blowing out the Celtics 120-95 in front of an announced sellout crowd of 17,317.

It was the largest margin of victory of the season for the Kings, who ended an eight-game losing streak to the Celtics.

The Kings posted a season high in scoring and had a season-high 29 assists with three players sitting out the game with injuries. It was also the most points allowed by Boston this season.

The Kings were without Tyreke Evans (sprained left ankle) and Francisco Garcia (sprained right wrist).

Both were injured during Wednesday’s loss against the Detroit Pistons.

Backup forward J.J. Hickson also did not dress for the game because of back spasms.

Coach Keith Smart was forced to shuffle his lineup.

John Salmons started for Evans at small forward.

The high intensity shown by the Kings was to be expected. They haven’t had a problem playing with energy against the NBA’s marquee teams, and the Celtics qualified as a team that would get the Kings’ full attention.

Smart jokingly provided a solution for that problem.

“I’m going to call (NBA Commissioner) David Stern next year and say that we’ve decided we want to play all the top NBA teams and forfeit everyone else who is below our record,” Smart said. … (Focus) is completely different every single time when we have a top-line team coming in.”

10:34 AM

The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Marcus Thornton hit five 3-pointers scored a season-high 36 points and the Sacramento Kings snapped a three-game losing streak with a 120-95 win over the Boston Celtics on Friday night.

The Kings set a season high for points and pulled away in the third quarter, shooting 70 percent and scoring 41 points in building a 19-point lead.

Jason Thompson matched his season high with 21 points and had 15 rebounds for the Kings, who are 3-3 on their franchise-record nine-game homestand.

DeMarcus Cousins had 20 points and seven rebounds. Isaiah Thomas had 13 points and 10 assists, helping the Kings set a season-best with 29 assists.

Ray Allen made five 3-pointers and scored 26 points for Boston. Paul Pierce had 19 points, Brandon Bass had 16 and Kevin Garnett added 10 points and nine rebounds. Rajon Rondo had four points and 12 assists.

The Celtics had beaten the Kings in the previous eight games by an average of 17 points.

The Celtics, who pulled their starters midway through the fourth quarter trailing by 21 points, are 2-2 on their eight-game road trip which continues Saturday night in Denver.

The points allowed were the most by the Celtics all season.

Ahead by one point at the half, the Kings pulled away in the third quarter when they outscored the Celtics 41-23.

Thornton scored 14 points, Thompson had 10 and Thomas nine for the Kings, who produced their highest scoring quarter of the season and took a 93-74 lead into the fourth.

With the Celtics starting to come back from a 17-point deficit midway through the third quarter, Garnett picked up his fourth foul when he pushed Cousins in the paint.

Garnett went to the bench and the Kings went on a run. Thornton scored eight straight points, including consecutive 3s that gave Sacramento a 85-68 lead with just under three minutes left in the quarter.

The Kings opened the third quarter with 13 straight points, including seven by Thomas. The rookie guard hit a 3-pointer and Cousins followed with a tip-in, putting Sacramento ahead 65-51.

Tyreke Evans, the Kings’ second-leading scorer, sprained his left ankle in Wednesday’s game against Detroit and did not dress for the game.

Thornton scored 10 points in the first half for the Kings, who went into halftime with a 52-51 lead. Pierce had 15 points for the Celtics and Allen had 13.

HAWKS 102, WIZARDS 88: Joe Johnson matched his season high with 34 points, including the first two baskets of a decisive 11-0 run in the fourth quarter for Atlanta at home.

MAGIC 86, NETS 70: Dwight Howard scored 18 points, Jameer Nelson and Glen Davis each had 13 and Orlando won at home.

HEAT 85, 76ERS 78: LeBron James scored 29 points, Dwyane Wade had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Miami held on at Philadelphia.

The Heat almost had a collapse after leading by 29 points in the third quarter. Led by Lou Williams and Evan Turner, the Sixers cut the lead to four points.

KNICKS 115, PACERS 100: Tyson Chandler scored 16 points, Jeremy Lin had 13, and New York rolled at home to its second straight dominant victory under interim coach Mike Woodson.

TRAIL BLAZERS 100, BULLS 89: LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 points and Wesley Matthews added 18 as Portland won at Chicago.

SPURS 114, THUNDER 105: Tony Parker scored 25 points, and Tim Duncan added 16 points and a season-high 19 rebounds for San Antonio at Oklahoma City.

RAPTORS 114, GRIZZLIES 110: Jerryd Bayless scored five of his 28 points in overtime and added nine assists to help Toronto at Memphis, Tenn.

NOTES

Minnesota point guard Ricky Rubio will have reconstructive surgery on his injured left knee next week. Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Hornets plan to announce an agreement on a 10-year lease extension at the New Orleans Arena. Greg Oden’s agent said his client is committed to playing basketball again despite his latest knee injury. Dallas starting center Brendan Haywood is expected to miss at least five games with a sprained right knee, which he sustained midway through the third quarter Thursday night against Charlotte. San Antonio signed forward Eric Dawson to a second 10-day contract.

Final: Kings 120-95: The upset bug hit the Celtics as they were steamrolled by the Sacramento Kings, who hit 23 of 36 shots in the second half and cruised to an easy win. Marcus Thornton scored 36 for Sacramento. Ray Allen scored 26.

Fourth quarter, 5:00, Kings 110-86: An embarrassing defensive effort for the Celtics, who have allowed the Kings to make 19 of 30 shots in the second half and cruise to a win. Marcus Thornton has 36 points.

End of third quarter, Kings 93-74: By far the worst quarter of the year for the Celtics. Sacramento scored 41 points on 14-for-20 shooting (70 percent). Marcus Thornton and Isaiah Thomas combined for 23 points as the Celtics look tired and may be just conceding and preparing for tomorrow night at Denver.

Third quarter, 1:43, Kings 87-70: The Kings are 14-for-19 shooting in the quarter and are running away with this game. This is the game the Celtics thought they could get and now it’s turning into a blowout. The Celtics have had energy from the opening tip while this is Sacramento’s Super Bowl.

Third quarter, 9:46, Kings 63-51: Sacramento has scored the first 11 points of the quarter in 2:14, including 7 of those by Isaiah Thomas as Rajon Rondo continues to look uninterested in playing this game. The Kings are 5-for-5 shooting in the third quarter while the Celtics are 0 of 3.

Halftime, Kings 52-51: The Celtics showed some life in the second quarter but continually gave up easy baskets to the Kings off the fastbreak. Sacramento has more energy than the Celtics and it’s curious because Boston is coming off a entire day off Thyrsday. Ray Allen has 13 points on 4-for-8 shooting while Paul Pierce has 15 on 4-for-11 shooting.

Second quarter, 4:35, Kings 43-40: The Celtics are beginning to heat up with Ray Allen draining two 3-pointers over the last three minutes. He has 10 points while Paul Pierce is 3-for-9 shooting but is getting to the free throw line.

Second quarter, 8:31, Kings 34-27: Sacramento is reading passing lanes and taking advantage of the Celtics’ laziness with passes. Boston has five turnovers and Rajon Rondo is having one of those no-impact games so far with no points and two assists in 11 minutes. Paul Pierce leads the Celtics with 8 points.

End of first quarter, Kings 26-20: As poorly as the Celtics played, they only trail by six. They made just six baskets in the quarter compared with 12 for the Kings. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo are a combined 2-for-11 shooting. DeMarcus Cousins went right at Greg Stiemsma when Kevin Garnett exited and he has 8 points.

First quarter, 5:06, Kings 14-10: Sacramento on a 6-0 run as the Celtics have missed five consecutive shots, including a missed dunk by Ray Allen. The Kings are without Tyreke Evans (sprained left ankle) so they are spreading the wealth with 4 points apiece from DeMarcus Cousins and Marcus Thornton.

First quarter, 8:08, Celtics 8-6: Lots of Celtics fans here in Sacramento as Kevin Garnett already has two jumpers on counterpart DeMarcus Cousins. Another solid start for KG.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Marcus Thornton and the Sacramento Kings had little trouble surging past the Boston Celtics in the second half on Friday.

Thornton hit five 3-pointers and scored a season-high 36 points and the Kings snapped a three-game losing streak with a 120-95 win over the Celtics.

Boston’s defense struggled as it allowed a season high in points, including 68 in the second half when the Kings pulled away for a surprisingly easy victory.

The Celtics, who pulled their starters midway through the fourth quarter trailing by 21 points, are 2-2 on their eight-game road trip which continues Saturday night in Denver.

The Celtics had won eight of 10 games, their best stretch of an up-and-down season.

”Whatever you are supposed to have, we didn’t have it tonight,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. ”They played terrific and made every shot. Our defense helped. We didn’t play with the great spirit that we had in this streak. I don’t want this to be a habit.”

Prior to the game, Rivers watched on a locker room TV as his son Austin and his Duke teammates were upset by 15th-seeded Lehigh 75-70 at the NCAA tournament.

Although they trailed 52-51 at the half, the Celtics knew they needed more effort in the final two quarters if they wanted to slow down Sacramento.

”We didn’t come out with the defensive attitude that we needed to; they got whatever they wanted,” Paul Pierce said. ”We got a good old-fashioned butt whipping. We have to understand who we are – we’re a defensive group. We got caught up in what they like to do, the running game.”

The Kings set a season high for points and ran away from Boston in the third quarter, shooting 70 percent and scoring 41 points in building a 19-point lead. It was their biggest margin of victory in another frustrating season for the Kings, who have the second-worst record in the Western Conference.

The Celtics struggled to contain Thornton all game. He shot 13 of 24, including 5 of 10 3s, and adding four rebounds, four assists and five steals.

”To win games in this league you’ve got to play night in and night out, and that’s what I’m trying to do,” said Thornton said, referring to lopsided losses earlier this week to Golden State and Detroit.

Jason Thompson matched his season high with 21 points and had 15 rebounds for the Kings, who are 3-3 on their franchise-record nine-game homestand.

DeMarcus Cousins had 20 points and seven rebounds. Isaiah Thomas had 13 points and 10 assists, helping the Kings set a season best with 29 assists.

The Kings received a more inspired effort from Cousins, who had been outplayed two days earlier by Detroit’s Greg Monroe, who had 32 points and 11 rebounds.

Matched against Kevin Garnett, Cousins and Thompson helped the Kings establish an inside presence and also helped them outrebound Boston 45-28.

”I think we made shots,” Thomas said. ”We’re a young team that feeds off little things like that. If we’re making shots, you can say we’re going to have a good game.”

Ray Allen made five 3-pointers and scored 26 points for Boston. Paul Pierce had 19 points, Brandon Bass had 16 and Garnett added 10 points and nine rebounds. Rajon Rondo had four points and 12 assists.

The Celtics had beaten the Kings in the previous eight games by an average of 17 points.

Ahead by one point at the half, the Kings pulled away in the third quarter when they outscored the Celtics 41-23.

Thornton scored 14 points, Thompson had 10 and Thomas nine for the Kings, who produced their highest-scoring quarter of the season and took a 93-74 lead into the fourth.

”Everything that went wrong with us a couple of nights ago, well it went right with us tonight,” Kings coach Keith Smart said. ”We moved the ball, we shared it, we ran, we passed, we defended. One thing about this group is they are very, very resilient.”

With the Celtics starting to come back from a 17-point deficit midway through the third quarter, Garnett picked up his fourth foul when he pushed Cousins in the paint.

Garnett went to the bench and the Kings went on a run. Thornton scored eight straight points, including consecutive 3s that gave Sacramento a 85-68 lead with just under three minutes left in the quarter.

The Kings opened the third quarter with 13 straight points, including seven by Thomas. The rookie guard hit a 3-pointer and Cousins followed with a tip-in, putting Sacramento ahead 65-51.

Tyreke Evans, the Kings’ second-leading scorer, sprained his left ankle in Wednesday’s game against Detroit and did not dress for the game.

Notes: Veteran John Salmons replaced Evans in the starting lineup. Salmons began the season as a starter, but lost his job after struggling offensively. … Boston grabbed a season-low 28 rebounds for the third time this season.

Read More: Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics seemed like they would be locked in combat for most of the game, but the second half proved to be a different story. Sacramento unleashed 41 points in the third quarter to take total control, and cruised to the 4th quarter en route to a 26 point victory.

Marcus Thornton was unleashed, hitting 36 points on 24 shots (including five three-pointers), plus five steals, four points and four assists. Isaiah Thomas dished 10 assists to go along with his 10 points. It was the Kings interior that really made an impact, as DeMarcus Cousins had 20 points and seven boards and Jason Thompson put in 21 points and 15 rebounds. The Kings got this monster win without Tyreke Evans.

Ray Allen had 26, Paul Pierce put in 19, and Brandon Bass added 16, but Rajon Rondo struggled and the Celtics were manhandled on the boards 45-28.

To discuss Kings basketball, check out Sactown Royalty. To learn more about Celtics hoops, hit up Celtics Blog.

No one will confuse the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings with NBA
powers, but matchups between the Pacific Division rivals tend to be competitive
and exciting.

The Warriors, who could again be without Stephen Curry, visit the Kings on
Tuesday night at Power Balance Pavilion, where two of their last three meetings
have gone to overtime.

Golden State (17-21) and Sacramento (14-27) own two of the Western
Conference’s worst records along with a recent history of playing some
particularly tight contests.

The Warriors and Kings have split their six games since the start of last
season, with Sacramento outscoring Golden State 658-657. Three of these
contests, including the last meeting – Sacramento’s 114-106 home win Feb. 4 -
have gone to overtime.

Golden State’s Klay Thompson sent the game to OT with a 3-pointer with nine
seconds left, but the Kings reeled off nine straight points to begin the extra
session. Sacramento’s Marcus Thornton finished with 28 points, Tyreke Evans had
26 and nine assists and DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and a career-high 20
rebounds.

Four days earlier at Oracle Arena, the Warriors held on to beat the Kings
93-90 after allowing Sacramento to trim a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit to
one with three seconds remaining. Brandon Rush, who had a season-high 20 points,
then hit two free throws before Evans missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Thornton, who leads the Kings in scoring at 18.5 points per game, didn’t
play because of a left thigh bruise, and neither Curry nor Monta Ellis were much
of a factor. Ellis, who averages a team-best 21.9 points, finished with 12 on
5-of-17 shooting, while Curry missed 6 of 7 shots and scored three.

It’s possible the Warriors could be without Curry this time after he left
Sunday’s 97-93 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Curry, who averages 14.7
points, started after spraining his right ankle the night before in a win over
Dallas, but played just 10 scoreless minutes.

“I just felt it wasn’t right to throw him out there,” coach Mark Jackson
said.

Curry has been plagued by ankle problems most of the season, and it’s
uncertain if Jackson will give him more time off to recover. The Warriors are
4-8 without him.

Dorell Wright helped pick up some of the scoring slack in Curry’s absence
Sunday, finishing with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Ellis added 21 points and
11 assists while David Lee had 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The Warriors have won three of four, averaging 109.3 points on 53.3 percent
shooting – 52.4 from 3-point range – in the victories.

“We just need to take it one game at a time,” Ellis said. “We need to
continue doing what we have been doing the last couple of games, which is
sharing the ball, getting defensive stops, and getting out and running.”

The Kings appeared to be turning the corner after opening a franchise-record
nine-game homestand with victories over New Orleans and Dallas. Two days after
beating the defending champs by 13 points, however, they suffered a 106-99 loss
to Atlanta on Sunday. Sacramento was outrebounded 45-36 and allowed the Hawks to
shoot 51.2 percent.

“That’s kind of what immature teams do,” rookie guard Isaiah Thomas said.
“The energy wasn’t there like it was because we were playing the world
champions. We have to get better and get up for every day.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — After publicly asking management to trade him a few days ago, Josh Smith gave the Atlanta Hawks too many reasons not to on Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings.

A disgruntled veteran who has played all eight seasons with Atlanta, Smith scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half for the Hawks, who defeated the Sacramento Kings for the eighth straight time with a 106-99 victory.

Angered after failing to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team and blaming it on no backing from the team, Smith told the Hawks he would like to be on another team when the trade deadline arrives on Thursday.

Smith had plenty to say about leaving the Hawks previously, but didn’t want to discuss it after another excellent overall game. He made 13 of 23 shots and added six rebounds, three steals, three assists and three blocks in 39 minutes.

“I’m here. I have one more year on my contract. We’ll see what happens,” Smith said, refusing to elaborate. “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

And that may be fine with the Hawks, who have been benefiting from Smith’s strong play in March as they try to pick up wins despite continuing to be beset with injuries. Smith is averaging just under 26 points in six games in March. For the season, he’s averaging 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game.

“Josh has really been Superman for us,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “He’s been playing a lot of minutes and doing it at both ends of the floor. He’s playing absolutely super.”

The shooting of Smith was instrumental in helping Atlanta assume the lead for good with a strong third quarter. And the Hawks never trailed again in avoiding a third straight loss.

In the fourth quarter, it was Smith again hitting open shots. He followed a 3-pointer from Hinrich with a pair of jumpers and a free throw, putting the Hawks in front 88-76 with just over nine minutes left.

Deciding to play a smaller lineup, the Hawks inserted Kirk Hinrich as a starter, slid Smith to power forward, yet still managed to outrebound the Kings and also get out on the break for some easy baskets, evidenced by their 21 fastbreak points.

“I’m big on matchups, and one of my fears is they start three guards,” Drew said. “We elected to go with a three-guard lineup and it had some value for us.”

DeMarcus Cousins fouled out late in the game, but not before tying a season high with 28 and adding 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. John Salmons had 14 points, while both Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette had 12.

Although Cousins was a major factor against a smaller Atlanta lineup, Kings coach Keith Smart credited Smith with being a major factor at both ends of the court.

“Offensively, he’s a small forward who is too quick sometimes for a power forward,” Smart said. “And he changes things on defense because he’s a shot blocker. Anytime he sees someone going to the basket, he tries to control the paint. What you saw him doing in the game puts other teams in a bind.”

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Jeff Teague had 16 points and seven assists for the Hawks, who play the Kings just once this season. Kirk Hinrich and Marvin Williams both had 12 points and Zaza Pachulia added 10 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

“In the third quarter, we had great ball moment and were picking up the intensity at both ends of the court,” Johnson said. “We got out for some easy baskets and finally were making some stops on defense.”

Trailing by 12 with just over five minutes to play, the Kings ran off seven straight points, pulling to within 94-89 on a 3 by Thornton. But several costly turnovers and several missed 3s in the final two minutes prevented the Kings from getting any closer than five points.

The loss to Atlanta came two nights after the Kings had dismantled the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in a convincing 110-97 victory. However, that same energy that was so evident against Dallas seemed lacking against the Hawks.

“That’s kind of what immature teams do,” Kings rookie guard Isaiah Thomas said. “The energy wasn’t there like it was because we were playing the world champions. We have to get better and get up for every day.”

The Hawks are on a season-high six-game road trip that began with a win over Indiana. However, Atlanta suffered a three-point loss in Miami and fell to Detroit 86-85 on Friday night. The road trip concludes with consecutive games, Tuesday against Denver and Wednesday vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.

Smith’s shooting ignited the Hawks in the third quarter when they outscored the Kings 29-22 in taking an 80-74 lead into the fourth.

The Hawks had no answer for Cousins in the opening half when the Kings led 52-51. He scored from inside and out in getting 18 points. Pachulia had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.

Notes: Fredette hit a long 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first quarter to give Sacramento a 24-23 lead. … Johnson, who returned to the lineup Friday after missing four straight games with tendinitis in his left knee, missed all three first-quarter shots and didn’t score. … Drew was a member of the Kings in 1985-86, the franchise’s first year in Sacramento. … Kings reserve forward J.J. Hickson missed his fifth straight game with a hip pointer.

(Copyright (c) 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

CBSSports.com wire reports
March 11, 2012

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After publicly asking management to trade him a few days ago, Josh Smith gave the Atlanta Hawks too many reasons not to on Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings.

A disgruntled veteran who has played all eight seasons with Atlanta, Smith scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half for the Hawks, who defeated the Sacramento Kings for the eighth straight time with a 106-99 victory.

Angered after failing to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team and blaming it on no backing from the team, Smith told the Hawks he would like to be on another team when the trade deadline arrives on Thursday.

Smith had plenty to say about leaving the Hawks previously, but didn’t want to discuss it after another excellent overall game. He made 13 of 23 shots and added six rebounds, three rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 39 minutes.

“I’m here. I have one more year on my contract. We’ll see what happens,” Smith said, refusing to elaborate. “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

And that may be fine with the Hawks, who have been benefiting from Smith’s strong play in March as they try to pick up wins despite continuing to be beset with injuries. Smith is averaging just under 26 points in six games in March. For the season, he’s averaging 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game.

“Josh has really been Superman for us,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “He’s been playing a lot of minutes and doing it at both ends of the floor. He’s playing absolutely super.”

The shooting of Smith was instrumental in helping Atlanta assume the lead for good with a strong third quarter. And the Hawks never trailed again in avoiding a third straight loss.

In the fourth quarter, it was Smith again hitting open shots. He followed a 3-pointer from Kirk Hinrich with a pair of jumpers and a free throw, putting the Hawks in front 88-76 with just over nine minutes left.

Deciding to play a smaller lineup, the Hawks inserted Hinrich as a starter, slid Smith to power forward, yet still managed to outrebound the Kings and also get out on the break for some easy baskets, evidenced by their 21 fastbreak points.

“I’m big on matchups, and one of my fears is they start three guards,” Drew said. “We elected to go with a three-guard lineup and it had some value for us.”

DeMarcus Cousins fouled out late in the game, but not before tying a season high with 28 and adding 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. John Salmons had 14 points, while both Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette had 12.

Although Cousins was a major factor against a smaller Atlanta lineup, Kings coach Keith Smart credited Smith with being a major factor at both ends of the court.

“Offensively, he’s a small forward who is too quick sometimes for a power forward,” Smart said. “And he changes things on defense because he’s a shot blocker. Anytime he sees someone going to the basket, he tries to control the paint. What you saw him doing in the game puts other teams in a bind.”

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Jeff Teague had 16 points and seven assists for the Hawks, who play the Kings just once this season. Hinrich and Marvin Williams both had 12 points and Zaza Pachulia added 10 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

“In the third quarter, we had great ball moment and were picking up the intensity at both ends of the court,” Johnson said. “We got out for some easy baskets and finally were making some stops on defense.”

Trailing by 12 with just over five minutes to play, the Kings ran off seven straight points, pulling to within 94-89 on a 3 by Thornton. But several costly turnovers and several missed 3s in the final two minutes prevented the Kings from getting any closer than five points.

The loss to Atlanta came two nights after the Kings had dismantled the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in a convincing 110-97 victory. However, that same energy that was so evident against Dallas seemed lacking against the Hawks.

“That’s kind of what immature teams do,” Kings rookie guard Isaiah Thomas said. “The energy wasn’t there like it was because we were playing the world champions. We have to get better and get up for every day.”

The Hawks are on a season-high six-game road trip that began with a win over Indiana. However, Atlanta suffered a three-point loss in Miami and fell to Detroit 86-85 on Friday night. The road trip concludes with consecutive games, Tuesday against Denver and Wednesday vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.

Smith’s shooting ignited the Hawks in the third quarter when they outscored the Kings 29-22 in taking an 80-74 lead into the fourth.

The Hawks had no answer for Cousins in the opening half when the Kings led 52-51. He scored from inside and out in getting 18 points. Pachulia had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.

Notes

• Fredette hit a long 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first quarter to give Sacramento a 24-23 lead.
• Johnson, who returned to the lineup Friday after missing four straight games with tendinitis in his left knee, missed all three first-quarter shots and didn’t score.
• Drew was a member of the Kings in 1985-86, the franchise’s first year in Sacramento.
• Kings reserve forward J.J. Hickson missed his fifth straight game with a hip pointer.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.
– Josh Smith scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half for the Atlanta Hawks, who defeated the Sacramento Kings for the eighth straight time with a 106-99 victory Sunday night.

Atlanta took the lead for good with a strong third quarter and never trailed again in avoiding a third straight loss. It’s the only meeting between the teams this season.

DeMarcus Cousins fouled out late in the game but not before tying a season high with 28 and adding 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. John Salmons had 14 points, while both Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette had 12.

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Jeff Teague had 16 points and seven assists for the Hawks. Kirk Hinrich and Marvin Williams both had 12 points and Zaza Pachulia added 10 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

Trailing by 12 with just over five minutes to play, the Kings ran off seven straight points, pulling to within 94-89 on a 3 by Thornton. But several costly turnovers and several missed 3s in the final two minutes prevented the Kings from getting any closer than five points.

The Hawks are on a season-high six-game road trip that began with a win over Indiana. However, Atlanta suffered a three-point loss in Miami and fell to Detroit 86-85 on Friday night. The road trip concludes with consecutive games, Tuesday against Denver and Wednesday vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.

Smith’s shooting ignited the Hawks in the third quarter when they outscored the Kings 29-22 in taking an 80-74 lead into the fourth. Smith scored 12 points, while both Johnson and Teague had seven. Cousins had nine points for Sacramento.

In the fourth quarter, it was Smith again hitting open shots. He followed a 3-pointer from Hinrich with a pair of jumpers and a free throw, putting the Hawks in front 88-76 with just over nine minutes left.

Smith, who is averaging just over 25 points in six March games, got hot to start the third quarter, making his first six shots, including five from the perimeter. But the Kings still kept pace with the Hawks for much of the quarter, thanks to the scoring of Cousins and Isaiah Thomas, who made consecutive 3-pointers after going scoreless in the first half.

The Hawks had no answer for Cousins in the opening half when the Kings led 52-51. He scored from inside and out in getting 18 points. Pachulia had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.

Notes: Fredette hit a long 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first quarter to give Sacramento a 24-23 lead. … Johnson, who returned to the lineup Friday after missing four straight games with tendinitis in his left knee, missed all three first-quarter shots and didn’t score. … Atlanta coach Larry Drew was a member of the Kings in 1985-86, the franchise’s first year in Sacramento. … Kings reserve forward J.J. Hickson missed his fifth straight game with a hip pointer.

PHILADELPHIA — Jimmer Fredette probably thought his debut as a professional athlete would be as a member of the Sacramento Kings’ Las Vegas Summer League team.

Instead, thanks to the NBA lockout, the BYU sharpshooter, who was acquired by the Kings in a three-way deal on draft night after being selected 10th overall, will display his talents for the first time at the 2011 American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe on July 15-17.

Fredette, the National Player of the Year after averaging nearly 29 points per game last season, actually received his invitation to the American Century Championship, a competition for celebrities and athletes that play golf, before he was drafted, making him the only collegian ever to be given the opportunity to play.

“Just looking at the names that are playing in this tournament — [Michael] Jordan and Jerry Rice and John Elway — all these guys who have been unbelievable athletes in their respective sports, so getting the opportunity to play in this golf tournament and having this invitation extended to me was a real honour,” Fredette said.

“And even though I’m not the best golfer in the world, I’m going to go out there and have a great time, relax and have fun.”

The former BYU star already has an impressive following. He was by far the most popular player at the NBA Draft, which was held in Newark, NJ on June 23, and a group of fans held a “Jimmer Jam” during the festivities in Fredette’s hometown of Glens Falls, NY.

“It’s great. It’s great to have that support back home,” Fredette said. “It’s obviously where I grew up and was raised my whole entire life, and I’ll never forget the people that helped me get to this position where I am today. It’s very, very exciting for myself and everybody back in Glen Falls, and I’m glad that they are still supporting me.”

Members of the BYU-affiliated Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have also been very vocal in their support.

“I have heard that there are going to be quite a few people going to (the tournament) who are LDS and that’s great. I am looking forward to being able to go out and represent BYU and the Church and a lot of these things that I do and I am happy to do that. I love it,” Fredette stated. “And hopefully I continue to be a positive light for the LDS people out there and for our Church.”

Despite the lack of a consistent track record on the golf course, Fredette has been installed at 40-1 to win the tournament by the Harrah’s Tahoe Sportsbook. Jordan is also 40-1. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and former Major League Baseball pitcher Rick Rhoden have been installed as co-favourites at 5-2, while Charles Barkley is 500-1. Barkley has, of course, become almost as famous for his herky-jerky golf swing as for his Hall of Fame basketball career.

“I’m not up to Michael Jordan level, that’s for sure,” explained Fredette when talking about his golf game. “I’m probably more towards Barkley. I haven’t played a whole lot. I can hit the ball decently and I’ll hit some decent shots, but I need to work on my driving so that it doesn’t hook so much.”

Perhaps Fredette’s sweet stroke on the basketball court is coloring people’s expectations. After all, some of the mechanics of a jump shot can translate very well to the golf course, and the pressure of sinking a game-winner in front of thousands of screaming fans can certainly compare to making a big putt on live television.

“It’s going be different for sure,” Jimmer said. “I never played golf on TV before and I haven’t played that often. I’m not a regular golfer like some of these guys are yet.

“It’s going to be nerve-racking and hopefully I can just dive in and not worry about the cameras or the people watching. Hopefully I can have my help from my caddie, read the green a little bit and deal with putting it in the hole.”

Fredette is expected to draw large galleries at Lake Tahoe, which is just 100 miles from Sacramento, his new NBA home.

“Hopefully [the Kings'] fan base is excited because I’m really excited to get out there and start the season with them and have a great year,” Fredette said. “So I’m looking forward to it.”

Jimmer also seems especially excited to play with Tyreke Evans, the 2009-10 NBA Rookie of the Year that took a bit of a step back last season, thanks to a case of plantar fasciitis.

“He’s a slashing guard and able to get into the lane, very physical guy who can guard the point and the two, because he is so big,” the rookie stated when talking about Evans. “So that’s an advantage. Hopefully I think we’ll be able to play really, really well together.”

Of course, Fredette can’t play with Evans until the NBA and its players agree on a new collective bargaining agreement, something most think will take quite a bit of time.

Fredette however, is preparing for business as usual.

“I’m just going to continue to do it just as if there it was going to be a season starting right on time,” Fredette said. “You’ve just got to continue to work hard, and work on the things that I need to get better at.

“So I don’t think anything is going to change for me as far as my workouts. I’m still going to do the best that I possibly can to get prepared to play for the Kings.”