Sports

New coach, Same Kings

Published

11 years ago

December 17, 2014

Sacramento, CA – If it wasn’t bad enough that center DeMarcus Cousins has been out for almost three weeks with viral meningitis. The Kings fired head coach Michael Malone early this week that sent shock waves throughout the organization.

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No clear reason why he was fired other than the loses accumulating without Cousins left many baffled. But in this business the show must go on! Assistant head coach Tyrone Corbin took over coaching duties last night for the first time.

“We have to be ready for OKC tonight,” said Corbin pre-game. “They’re not going to feel sorry for us. This won’t happen over night, it’s a process and we understand that.”

The goal is to stay focused and play good basketball. The tandem of Cousins and Rudy Gay has been unstoppable but without Cousins Sacramento has won 2-8 in his absence. Cousins missed his tenth straight game and Sacramento lost it’s fourth straight and third consecutive at home. It’s a tough time to learn a new style, the rumors are that the Kings want a more uptempo type of game than what Michael Malone coached.

“It’s unfortunate, but it’s part of the business,” Thunder’s head coach Scott Brooks said on Malone’s firing. “He did a good job, they lost an important part of their team but they still need to compete. You can’t make excuses, ‘this is a I-don’t-feel-sorry-for-you-league’. When our guys got hurt I didn’t get a lot of hang in there texts from the other 29 coaches.”

Unfortunately for Sacramento, not much changed when they hosted OKC last night at Sleep Train Arena. After Russell Westbrook put up a 32 point night, the Kings fell 104-92 to the Thunder. Westbrook finished with seven assists, Kevin Durant had 26 points and Serge Ibaka had seven blocked shots. The once-injured duo looked like they’re back to true form. TheThunder took an early 16-point lead in the first quarter.

“Turnovers, the mistakes we made, it was bad execution,” Corbin said. “We had that one-point lead then they made a 9-0 run,”

The Kings took the lead twice in the fourth behind Carl Landry’s jumpers but OKC’s defense was too much. Both Westbrook and Durant took turns making shots to give the Thunder a 10-point lead with two minutes remaining. From there, Sacramento had nothing left. They had a combined total of 17 turnovers which was problem under Malone. They Kings were outplayed and out rebounded in the fourth.

“They played good,” said Landry. “We’ve got to take our hats off to those guys. They hung in there and came out with the win in the end. We can’t make excuses, not having coach Malone, not having coach Jent and the change. We’ve just got to be a better team.”

“Defensively, I think we’ve been locked in,” Durant said who played a season-high 35 minutes since returning. “We have little spurts where we’re bad but overall I think we did a good job in playing defense.”

“We just took our time, ran out sets, and executed,” said Westbrook. “Tonight we showed growth I think as a team and maturity as a unit.”

The Kings will host the Bucks and Lakers later this week and must find a way to move on without their former coach and Cousins in the starting lineup. The team is also without Omri Casspi who is out with a left knee bone contusion. Landry came off the bench with 14 points and four rebounds. Rudy Gay recorded a team-high 22 points, six rebounds and three assists. Sacramento will need more contribution from all if they want to get back into good standings in the Western Conference.

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Related Topics:Kevin Durant Kings Thunder Tyrone Corbin

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Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

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Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

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Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

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WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

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The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

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McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

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Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

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West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

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