Kings To Stay In Sacramento

"The owners of the Sacramento Kings have dropped plans to move the team to Anaheim and will stay at least one more season, giving California's state capital city one more chance to build a new arena.

"The mayor of Sacramento has told the NBA relocation committee that he will have a plan for a new arena within a year," co-owner Joe Maloof said Monday. "If not, the team will be relocated to another city."

"I think it's the fair thing to do," Maloof said. "We've always said we think Sacramento has the best NBA fans in the world. Their overwhelming show of support was incredible. But now they realize that we're giving them another opportunity and we're anxious to play basketball (ESPN)."

I guess the people in Sacramento can be a little excited about this, but I still don't see them staying. It seems almost certain this franchise will eventually move to Anaheim, and this is really just buying the owners a little more time to get the money behind it. I just don't see with all the economic problems in California that they are going to be able to go out and find the money for a new stadium. So, while they can rejoice for now, it won't last.

Anaheim Royals?

The papers have been filed and it's going to happen, Anaheim is getting a basketball team.

Get used to those old Rochester Royals jerseys because when the kings ship out of Sacramento and go to Anaheim they are fully committing to the name the Royals. Which I hate to be honest. Pick up a new name not a shitty team in the AL Central. It's bad enough there are 2 Giants who play, I don't want their to be 2 Royals too.

Or here is an idea? Dissolve the team or give the team to Seattle.

DeMarcus Cousins Turning Into What We Expected Him To Be

A Dick....

Sacramento Kings rookie DeMarcus Cousins(notes) wasn't allowed to ride with his teammates from Oklahoma City to Phoenix on Saturday night after he "got into an altercation with teammate Donte Greene(notes)" in the locker room after the game, ESPN reports.

He actually made it onto the plane before being told to leave by Coach Paul Westphal after GM Geoff Petrie ordered him to do so, according to Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears. They had Cousins fly back to Sacramento instead of traveling with the team as they figure out the punishment.

This is turning into a nightmare for Sacramento. I love Cousins, and I thought he was going to be good, but we all knew there would be maturity issues surrounding him. I had no idea it was going to be this bad already, he's been fined for mouthing off to a training staffer and gotten thrown out of practice for yapping at Coach Paul Westphal.

I wonder if they would look to move him if this keeps happening.

Celtics 95 Kings 90

The Celtics looked terrible in the first half (Kings led 54-45 at the end of a first half, and the Celtics in almost every phase), but like so many times this season they were able to turn it on when it mattered and got the win. Usually if the team needs a spark it is guys like Pierce or Garnett that start getting on the team to play harder. Last night, according to sources it was Ray Allen who went off on his teammates, which led to the 2nd half turnaround.

We have seen all year that the Celtics have trouble getting up to play shitty teams, last night was no different, but at long as there on a W on the board at the end it really doesn't matter. Ray Allen was the star of the game scoring 22 points with 6 boards, while Rajon did his job with 17 points and 10 asts.

The Kings were red hot coming into this game beating the Hornets and Lakers, but they didn't have enough in the tank to take down the Celtics, and are still looking for their first 3 game winning streak of the season. Overall, you have to be happy with the way this West Coast trip turned out. The Celtics had a really tough schedule and ended up 3-1.

Next up, the Mavericks on Friday at the Garden.

Celtics vs Kings Preview

Depth Chart

	Boston (PPG)	Sacramento (PPG)
PG	R. Rondo 10.4	B. Udrih 13.7
SG	R. Allen 17.2	T. Evans 17.8
SF	P. Pierce 19.2	O. Casspi 9.2
PF	K. Garnett 15.1	J. Thompson 8.2
C	K. Perkins 5.3	D. Cousins 13.5

After seeing the Lakers game (I forget what happened the game before that) you have to believe it when Doc says that this starting 5 has never lost a playoff series. After seeing the performance in LA you have to get excited to these upcoming playoffs. Unfortunately, there are stupid games like this that are inbetween now and then. I don't know why the Kings are bad. They have plenty of talent with Tyreke Evans, Demarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, etc. they just can't put it together. We can put them as a work in progress, but it seems as if they won't be able to get it together.

The Celtics should own this team barring a beating Lakers lapse, Ray Allen is closing in on Reggie Miller's record and shooting lights out, Paul Pierce is playing terrific and Rondo is playing at an MVP type level and we just got what I consider "the best defensive center in the NBA", plus a lot of motivated bench players. They should be able to work the Kings lack of defensive effort and beat this team handedly.

Celtics 108-87
Tommy Award: Ray Allen

119 Celtics, 95 Kings

The Kings really didn't stand a chance. The Celtics just killed them from the word go. Paul Pierce was hot with 25 points with 10-14 shooting, Rondo with 10 points and 13 assists, and the bench cruised with 56 points. Speaking of the bench Semih came back with a vengance with 10 points and 9 boards, good to see him back.

So here is the question: Why was Semih playing?

Because fucking Jermaine O'Neal's knee is hurt again. Jermaine has been a total disaster this season, and people should be begging Sheed to come back. I mean Sheed will give you 50% until the playoffs but at least he played.

Doc lead us to believe he will be gone 2 weeks and most likely need surgery on that Knee.

Gay.

It's Hard To Feel Bad For a Multi Millionaire, But I do

George Maloof, part-owner of the Sacramento Kings and owner of the Palms Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, was arrested for a DUI on Saturday night while pulling into his driveway. "I didn't feel I was intoxicated," Maloof told the Sacramento Bee. His blood alcohol was .086, just over the Nevada legal limit of .08.

You gotta feel bad for him he almost made it and to be honest he made it home. That should be the give up time for a pursuing cop. It's like the "Oh you beat me this time" card. I'm sure he will only get a slap on the wrist because he's rich.

What Smart Athletes Do

Kings players Jason Thompson and Donte Greene were at a club when a huge brawl broke out and what did they do? They didn't throw a drink at someone's face or whip there dicks out and molest chicks, they bounced. Good thing they did also, because a little bit after they left gun shots were fired and 2 people got injured. Who would think that 2 second year players in the NBA would make a good decision right? more

Larry Hughes To Be Bought Out

Larry Hughes might never actually put on a Kings jersey from what I am hearing. He is not going to want to play 8 mins for a lottery team, and the Kings (who actually took on some salary yesterday in this trade) could save money if they buy him out.

I will probably say this about every guy who gets bought out, because I freak out over the Celtics bench, but if Tony Allen is hurt (and maybe even if he isn't) Hughes could be a great guy to fill out their bench. He is a scorer, who can provide a spark. Anyways, just something to keep an eye on over the next couple of days.

Kevin Martin to Rockets. McGrady to Knicks?

The deal will send Kevin Martin, Kenny Thomas, Hilton Armstrong and Sergio Rodriguez to the Rockets for McGrady, Sixth Man Award contender Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey and an undisclosed amount of cash.

Sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that McGrady and Rodriguez would be sent to the Knicks in a three-team scenario sure to feature New York's Jared Jeffries if it comes to fruition.

This is a home run for the Kings who not only get rid of Martin, who will slow the progress of Tyreke Evans but get Carl Landry who has Mr. Sixth man. I have never really been a Martin fan, so I don't like the deal for the Rockets. I'm also happy for McGrady if he goes to the Knicks. Not because I think he will make a lick of difference, but because I just want to see T Mac highlights. I feel bad how Houston has basically shunned him all year, and respect McGrady for keeping his mouth pretty much shut. None of these teams will be doing anything in the playoffs, so this deal is kind of irrelevant.

Another Ray Allen Trade Rumor

We have been hearing so many of these lately that you really wonder what is true. The one I have been hearing today is the Ray Allen to the Kings for Kevin Martin. On the surface it seems to make a lot of sense. Ainge has said that he will only trade Allen for a young proven scorer. Martin fits that as he is only 27 and averages over 20 ppg.

So what's the problem?

There are rumblings that whoever trades for Martin (who was made expendable with stellar play of rookie Tyreke Evans) will have to include Andres Nocioni(notes) and the two years left on his contract. That would kill the Celtics for the future as Martin's contract is for another 3 years also. I have to agree with what DP was saying earlier. The Celtics (unless some great deal comes along) should stay put, so that they can have some money freed up for maybe the greatest free agent class of all-time. Then add someone who gets bought out later in the season.

That's where Sean May Is.

According to The Sacramento Bee, Wednesday was one of two deadlines for Kings forward Sean May to weigh 265 pounds or less and guarantee his entire salary this season. May weighed 261 pounds to fully guarantee his $884,881 salary for the season. He had until Wednesday or October 27 to meet the weight goal, or $100,000 of his deal was not guaranteed. ESPN

Sean May is a bust and another one of Michael Jordan's swing and misses. Looking back at it, this was obviously going to happen. That UNC team had all the hype around it and during that time May couldn't even keep his weight down. But after two knee surgeries, he is done. At least for the Kings they don't really have anyone that great that will take playing time away from him.

Kings Hire Paul Westphal

The Sacramento Kings offered their coaching job to two candidates on an eventful Tuesday in the NBA, ultimately reaching an agreement with Paul Westphal after Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis turned the job down.

I don't know what the deal is with Tom Thibodeau and if that means the defensive guru is coming to Boston, but I certainly hope so. No words can really explain the defensive impact this guy has made with the Celtics. With a healthy K.G. coming back, I really don't see the Celtics winning anything but a championship. So Tom Thib's please come back to Boston and let's win a couple more.

Tom Thibs Update

As the Lakers prepared for today's start of the NBA Finals, their top assistant -- Kurt Rambis -- is believed to have emerged as the front-runner for the job. But sources close to the situation say Paul Westphal's chances remain strong, with the former Phoenix and Seattle coach and Los Angeles resident having interviewed in Las Vegas on May 13.

Meanwhile, Boston associate head coach Tom Thibodeau was also waiting while the sentiment remained that he still is being considered.

Asked if all three candidates still were in the running, Geoff Petrie said, "I guess at this point, if it was a horse race, it may end up being a photo finish."

From my standpoint it was a blessing we even got him back for a second, so i'm rooting for Kurt Rambis to get this job. Thibs is a huge reason the Celtics are so great defensively, and if we could get him for one more year before the Big 3 window is closed it would be huge.

Where Have I Seen This Go Wrong Before?

Rick Pitino has emerged as a candidate for the Sacramento Kings’ coaching job, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Pitino has communicated his interest in a possible NBA return to Kings ownership, sources say, and one league official describes the Maloof family as “intrigued.”

It is believed that Pitino intermediaries initiated the contact. No Kings offer is imminent and so far conversations have been exploratory in nature.

Sources caution that there are significant hurdles that need to be cleared before Pitino could become Sacramento’s coach, but say for a variety of reasons Pitino is feeling the pull of the pros again.

O.K. Why in the world would Rick Pitino leave a successful school like Louisville to coach a Sacramento Kings team that has no hope in the future? Your guess is as good as mine, but who knows maybe it will work out. I hate Pitino because what he did to the Celtics, but there is a small part of me that loves him from his days at Kentucky.

Minnesota and Sacramento Make Trade

Minnesota sends Rashad McCants and Calvin Booth to Sacramento for Shelden Williams and Bobby Brown. A very minor deal as they is really just a "change of scenery" trade for both teams. McCants hasn't turned into the player I had hoped he would be, and Shelden Williams isn't much better. McCants can score in bunches, but is terribly inconsistent, and has an attitude problem. We will keep you updated if there are any more trade (Shaq to Cavs?).

Celtics Trade Cassell

The Sacramento Kings agreed in principle to a deal with the Boston Celtics on Monday night, a league source told ESPN.com. The Celtics will send Sam Cassell and cash to the Kings for a future second-round pick.

Fine by me. Good ridden to bad rubbish. Cassell has done shit this year except for being on the bench. Danny Ainge has been a second round mastermind, so at least we got that and some cash from the Kings. I would have just cut Cassell, but at least we got something for him. What this means for the Celtics is that they now have one open roster spot to sign someone (P.J. Brown, I'm looking in your direction or Stephon Marbury). Either way this move is basically so they can make another move. It wouldn't surprise me to see Cassell on the Celtics bench by the end of the year, because there is no way in hell he will ever be in a Kings uniform.

119 Celtics, 100 Kings

Is it me or is Eddie House on probably the hottest shooting streak you have ever seen. It seems like Mr. House has hit at least 7 3 pointers the past 4 games. Eddie house finished last nights blowout with 28 points on 10-13 shooting and an astounding 8-9 from beyond the arc. Since the Marbury talks have heated up House and has been a force and exactly what the sometimes placid scoring bench needs. Rajon also torched Beno Udrih all game as he finished with 24 points on 10-15 shooting with 9 assists to boot. With the Celtics tearing it up on this 9 game win streak, it is nice to see the the starters having under 30 minutes a game, that will mean a lot come play-off time.

Also, Tony Allen returned and had 10 points and 8 rebounds after a 11 game absence.

108 Celtics, 63 Kings

That's more like it. The Celtics regained form after the back to back losses to the Lakers and Warriors. KG led the way against the hapless Kings as he scored 21 points and had 11 boards. A couple of cool stats from last night's game are:
• The Celtics bounced back from back-to-back losses by defeating Sacramento by 45 points, tying the sixth-largest margin of victory in Celtics' history.

• The Kings made only 19 field goals, the fewest in franchise history.

• The 45-point loss is also the worst home loss in Kings' history. It is one fewer than they had vs. Milwaukee on Feb. 19, 1955.

Hopefully this will be the start of another huge run. In my eyes the losses will actually help them out in the long run. It reminded the Celtics that they were mortal.

My prediction of Tony Allen having a huge game didn't come true but he was a defensive menace with 4 steals and 1 block.

Celtics Vs Kings

The Kings suck, but so do the Warriors, so I don't know what to think of this game. The Celtics seemed apathetic the last game and hopefully they shake the tiredness or lack of focus they displayed against the Warriors. People are starting to get down on Tony Allen so that's why I am predicting him to have a big game. Behind Brad Miller and Fransisco Garcia no one on the Kings really scares me. I watched the Hornets play them last week and the team is in shambles.

Celtics 112-89

TA: Tony Allen