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.

The Boston Celtics made no moves at the trade deadline. Quite frankly, I am okay with that. I sincerely believe the team is talented enough to compete in the playoffs as they currently stand. I sometimes feel as if the team does not believe that.

“I was looking at both opportunities: to strengthen our team for the playoff run this year, and/or building up some chips and building for the future,” Danny Ainge said in a conference call after the trade deadline passed “We actually had some conversations on both. Nothing seemed good enough to do.”

The Celtics do need to consider the future, but for now the immediate future is what is important.

Boston continues its road trip with a game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday. It got off to a rough start with a heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday but since then the Celtics recorded wins against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday and the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. Sacramento poses a significantly lighter challenge in that they have won just three of their last 10 games.

With the stress of the trade deadline a thing of the past, the team can now focus on moving forward. A win against the Kings will be yet another step in the right direction.

The matchup…

The Boston Celtics will take on the Sacramento Kings at the Power Balance Pavilion located in Sacramento, Calif. on Friday, March 16, 2012 at 10 p.m. EDT.

The standings…

Boston comes into the game having won their last two games and with a 23-19 record. They are 7-11 on the road and have won eight of their last 10 games.

Sacramento enters the matchup having lost their last three games and with a 14-29 record. They are 10-9 on their home court and have won three of their last 10 games.

The season series…

This is the first meeting between the two teams this season.

Where to watch…

The game can be watched live nationwide with NBA League Pass or –

In Boston: CSN

In Sacramento: CSN-CA

The season statistic leaders…

Boston: Paul Pierce 18.3 PPG, Rajon Rondo 10.1 APG, Kevin Garnett 8.2 RPG.

Sacramento: Marcus Thornton 19.0 PPG, Tyreke Evans 4.9 APG, DeMarcus Cousins 11.2 RPG.

Injuries to note…

Boston: Chris Wilcox (aortic abnormality), Jermaine O’Neal (sprained left wrist).

Sacramento: No injuries of significance.

More Boston Celtics Commentary from this Contributor:

Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors, March 14, 2012: Fan Preview

Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Clippers, March 12, 2012: Fan Preview

Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers, March 11, 2012: Fan Preview

Portland Trail Blazers at Boston Celtics, March 9, 2012: Fan Preview

Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, March 7, 2012: Fan Preview

Sources:

All data provided by NBA.com

Paul Rados is an avid Boston Celtics fan and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

Detroit Pistons at Sacramento Kings

When: 10 p.m.

Where: Power Balance Pavilion

Records: Pistons 15-27 (fifth in
Central); Kings 14-28 (fifth in Pacific).

Last game: The Pistons opened a
five-game western swing with a 105-90 loss Monday to the Utah Jazz,
in a competitive game until Detroit missed its last seven field-goal
attempts and five of its last 10 free throws. The Kings lost 115-89
Tuesday at home, to Golden State, which was playing after the shock
of a five-player trade in which Warriors leading scorer Monta Ellis
was dealt to Milwaukee.

Pistons probable starters:
Tayshaun Prince, 6-9, 215 (Kentucky); Jason Maxiell, 6-7, 260
(Cincinnati); Greg Monroe, 6-11, 250 (Georgetown); Rodney Stuckey,
6-5, 205 (Eastern Washington); Brandon Knight, 6-3, 189 (Kentucky).

Kings probable starters: Tyreke
Evans, 6-6, 220 (Memphis); Jason Thompson, 6-11, 250 (Rider);
DeMarcus Cousins, 6-11, 270 (Kentucky); Marcus Thornton, 6-4, 205
(LSU); Isaiah Thomas, 5-9, 185 (Washington).

Fast facts: The Pistons won the
first meeting and recorded a season-high scoring total in a 114-108
home win over the Kings on Feb. 17, led by Stuckey’s 36 points. …
The Pistons’ last road win against a Western Conference team was
against the Kings, on Nov. 14, 2010, a 100-94 victory. … The
Pistons have lost 17 consecutive road games against the Western
Conference since then. … The Pistons have won four consecutive
games in the series. … The Sacramento Bee reported today that
minority owner Bob Cook’s 7-percent stake in the team could be
auctioned as part of his personal bankruptcy. … Kings reserve
forward J.J. Hickson returned Tuesday after missing six games with a
hip pointer. … Cousins ranks fourth in the league with 11.3 rebounds per game. … The Kings allow 102.83 points per game, most in the
NBA. … The Kings have allowed 100-plus points 23 times, to a total
of 16 teams, including three which recorded their season-high scoring
totals against Sacramento – the Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies (128)
and Chicago Bulls (121). … The Kings rank 29th in field-goal
percentage (41.9) and opponents’ field-goal percentage (47.4). …
The Pistons rank 28th in opponents’ field-goal percentage (47.1). …
The Kings average 17.83 assists per game, last in the league, while
opponents average 23.36, the second-most allowed by any team. … The
Pistons rank last in blocked shots per game (3.86) but the Kings are
last in blocked-shot differential (minus-1.89 per game).

Frank-ly speaking: “I can tell
you with a straight face that there’s nothing to tell you.” –
Lawrence Frank, on Pistons trade possibilities.

TV: Fox Sports Detroit Plus

Email David Mayo at [email protected] and
follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo

DETROIT –

A promising start to a nine-game homestand went sour in a hurry for the Sacramento Kings.

They’ll look to get back on track Wednesday night as they host the Detroit Pistons. Sacramento opened the home run with victories over New Orleans and Dallas but followed those up with losses to Atlanta and Golden State, allowing an average of 110.5 points in those defeats.

The Pistons fell 105-90 to Utah on Monday in the opener of a five-game West road trip.

Detroit looked sensational in putting together a 3-0 homestand, but fell apart in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s defeat in Utah. The Pistons were outscored 30-13 in the pivotal final period to drop to 3-16 away from the Palace at Auburn Hills. Pistons point guard Rodney Stuckey had 29 points in defeat to extend a solid run that has seen him average 22.8 points in five March contests. A hot hand has been the catalyst, with Stuckey shooting 52.6 percent from the field this month.

Sacramento faced a Warriors team Tuesday that was reeling from the trade of scoring leader Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks, but couldn’t take advantage – and that upset Kings guard Tyreke Evans.

“We thought because they didn’t have Monta Ellis and stuff, we thought it was going to be easy on ourselves,” said Evans, who finished with 16 points on 8-of-14 shooting against Golden State. “I thought we just stopped playing. They just got whatever they wanted.”

Detroit won the previous meeting between the clubs, outgunning the Kings 114-108 back on Feb. 17. The Pistons have prevailed in the last four head-to-head encounters.

Kings F-C DeMarcus Cousins is averaging 17.6 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 16 home games.

Sacramento ranks last in the NBA in points allowed (102.8) and assists (17.8).

– Sports Data

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.”

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.

HUNTINGTON — If the NBA lockout ends and there is a season, Hassan Whiteside from Marshall University could be one of four “rookies” on the Sacramento Kings roster.

Sacramento took Whiteside in the second round of the June 2010 draft after he played one season at Marshall. He injured his knee and appeared for only two minutes in the Oct. 27, 2010, regular season opener at the Minnesota Timberwolves

Whiteside’s statistics for the season — no shots, no rebounds, no blocked shots and just two fouls in that brief action.

On March 4, he had surgery for a partially torn patellar tendon.

In a recent interview with James Ham on a Sacramento Kings blog (www.cowbellkingdom.com), coach Paul Westphal responded to a question about the 7-foot center’s progress.

“Well, his recovery is coming along well, but it takes a long time,” Westphal said. “He’s just starting to shoot baskets and move around a little bit. He can run on a treadmill like a champ. He’s been working hard. He’s an intriguing player, but it’s hard to even say what his progress is because there is no measurement of him competing in basketball to define progress.

“He’s been around watching and trying to pick up as much as you can by watching. He’s been working on his body. So much of what’s going to happen with him is going to depend on how completely his knee heals and how much he can pick up what the NBA is all about.”

Sacramento’s draft haul this year included first-round acquisition Jimmer Fredette (guard) from BYU along with second-round picks Tyler Honeycutt (forward) from UCLA and Isaiah Thomas (guard) from the Washington Huskies.

Whiteside’s presence will give the Kings basically four rookies on the roster.

That’s a lot of youth for a team that won just 24 games last season (24-58) and finished last in the Pacific Division standings.

“Well yeah, that’s part of our rebuilding,” Westphal said. “We need to get some young players with upside and develop them. At the same time, we want to add a little more veteran presence. Our roster is not complete yet and it’s hard to know what it will look like when the smoke clears.

“It’s very conceivable that all four of those guys will be on the roster, but outside of Jimmer, I don’t anticipate any of them playing major minutes. But if they progress to a point where they demand major minutes, we are so much better for that.”

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.”