The latest on @lockedonkings - Kings fall short again as TRADE RUMORS SWIRL leading up to NBA Trade Deadline youtu.be/XjHkj6Zr5qg?...

Beantown beatdown. The Sacramento Kings weren't ready to play on Friday night and the Celtcis ran them off the floor from the jump. It was all Boston as they sent the Kings to their eighth straight loss, this one by a final of 112-93. Here are six quick thoughts:

Max Raunaud hits a jumper to beat the buzzer. Kings trail 89-66 heading to the fourth. LaVine leads with 17 points. 5 points and 11 boards for Raynaud. Ugly performance from the Kings through 36 minutes.

Kings getting stomped in Boston. It's 72-46 heading tom the half. Zach LaVine has 13 points. Payton Pritchard has outscored the Kings' two top scorers on his own.

Kings trail 40-25 after the 1Q in Boston. Zero defensive effort. LaVine leads with 9 points. Clifford has 5 points. Bench has outscored starters 15-10.

Starters:

New to @lockedonkings - BOLD MOVE, Doug Christie brings Zach LaVine off the bench in loss to Sixers. Plus, a question of whether the Kings should get in the Ja Morant business youtu.be/v1ez4Ts8WM4?...

So close, yet so far away. The Sacramento Kings held a lead late in the fourth quarter Thursday in Philly, but couldn't close it out. The tandem of Maxey and Embiid were too much to handle as the Sixers came away with the 113-111 win. Here are six quick thoughts:

Kings finish the third strong, lead 92-88 heading to the fourth in Philly. 25 points for DeRozan. 22 points for Schröder and 14 for Sabonis. Keon Ellis with a big 3-ball to end the third.

Kings trail the Sixers 60-54 heading to the half. DeMar DeRozan with another turn back the clock game with 21 in the first half. 14 points for Dennis Schröder starting for Westbrook.

Kings trail 28-25 heading to the second quarter in Philly. DeRozan leads with 10 points. LaVine has 5 points off the bench and Schröder has 4 points. Only 5 assists as a team on 9 made buckets.

Starters for tonight’s game do not include Zach LaVine:

On the latest @lockedonkings.bsky.social - Giannis Antetokounmpo FINALLY READY to leave Bucks, what does it mean for the Sacramento Kings? youtu.be/gvH1o5waa20?...

New this morning on @lockedonkings.bsky.social - DEFYING LOGIC, DeMar DeRozan continues to fend off father time despite Kings losses. Plus more Keon Ellis intel and a discussion on the rookies first trip to MSG, youtu.be/PZ_Db-a_4_s?...

Closer to than the final score. The Kings visited the New York Knicks on Tuesday evening and played the home team to a tie through three quarters. Unfortunately, there are four quarters in an NBA game. Here are six quick thoughts as the Kings fell by a final of 103-87:

Kings battling in New York. They're tied at 72-72 heading to the fourth. DeRozan leads all scores with 28. No other Kings player has more than 9.

Kings rally to end the second quarter, trail the Knicks 52-51 heading to the half. DeRozan has 22 points. 6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists for Sabonis. Kings need someone else to step up.

Kings trail 36-26 after 1Q at MSG. DeMar DeRozan has 9 early points. Domantas Sabonis has 4 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Dennis Schröder has 3 assists off the bench.

Starters:

On the early injury report this morning, Zach LaVine (low back soreness) and Malik Monk (right ankle soreness) are both listed as questionable. Keegan Murray remains out due to an ankle sprain.

Super excited to start a new adventure as the host of @lockedonkings.bsky.social. My role is changing at ESPN 1320 but I'm excited to get back to Kings coverage on the daily and excited for the next chapter of The Kings Beat! youtube.com/@LockedOnKings

Another slide. The Kings dropped their fifth straight game Sunday afternoon in Detroit, which is the fourth losing streak of 5 games or more for the team through the first 47 games. Here are six quick thoughts from the 139-116 drubbing by the Pistons:

Kings trail by 20 heading to the 4th in Detroit. It's 113-93 Pistons. DeRozan leads the Kings with 16 points, but the story of the game is the live ball turnovers. 17 turnovers have led to 28 Pistons points, including 12 fastbreak points. Not great.

Kings down 78-65 going to the half in Detroit. Sabonis and DeRozan each have 12 points to lead the Kings. Westbrook has 11 points and Monk has 10 off the bench. 20 first half assists for Sacramento, but also 9 turnovers.

Kings and Pistons knotted at 35-35 after 1Q. Westbrook has 8 points to pace the Kings. Clifford has 7 points and DeRozan has 6. Sabonis got the start and has 4 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. 10 first quarter assists for Sacramento.

Domantas Sabonis back in the starting lineup:

Zach LaVine has been ruled out for today's Kings vs. Pistons game with low back soreness. Keegan Murray remains out with an ankle sprain.

So many chances... The Sacramento Kings opened their season-long 6-game road trip in Cleveland and gave the Cavs all they could handle. It took late game heroics from Donovan Mitchell to push Cleveland over the top for a 124-116 victory. Here are six quick thoughts:

Kings struggle in the third in Cleveland, trail the Cavs 102-93 heading to the fourth. Schröder leads with 17 points. Sabonis has 16 points and Monk has 13.

Kings continue to battle after rough start. It's 71-68 Kings heading to the half. Schröder leads with 17 points. Sabonis has 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. 10 points and 4 assists for Monk. Kings bench outscored Cleveland's bench 47-7.

Second unit to the rescue. After a miserable start, the Kings' bench rallied to tie the game at 35-35 after 1Q. Schröder leads with 12 points. Sabonis has 9 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. 6 points for Monk. 2 points combined for the 5 starters.

Starters:

Ran out of gas. The Kings looked ready to finish their homestand with a 5-2 record and then the wheels fell off. The Raptors ran over the Kings in the third and coasted home for a 122-109 victory. Here are six quick thoughts as the Kings head out on the road for a 6 game trip:

A complete collapse by the Kings in then third. They trail the Raptors 95-82 after a 43-21 thrashing in the third. Monk and Westbrook lead with 15 points. 13 points for LaVine.

Kings lead the Raptors 61-52 heading to the half. Malik Monk and Zach LaVine each have 13 points to pace the Kings. Russell Westbrook is up to 12 points. 15 assists as a team.

Malik Monk buzzer beater. Kings lead 30-26 after 1Q. Zach LaVine leads with 10 points. Russell Westbrook and Monk each have 5 points. 4 points for both Precious Achiuwa and Nique Clifford.

Starters (part 2):

Trouble with the triple. Every time they drew close, the Kings watched the Miami Heat hit one 3-point shot after another. In a game that stayed close for much of the night, the Heat hit 21-for-42 from deep and came away with a 130-117 victory. Here are six quick thoughts:

Kings trail the Heat 100-89 heading to the fourth. 16 points for DeRozan, 15 for LaVine, 14 for Westbrook and 10 for Monk off the bench. The Heat have his 18-of-31 from 3.

Kings trail the Heat 77-64 at the half. Miami hit 15-of-24 from 3. LaVine leads with 12 points. 11 points for Westbrook, 10 points for DeRozan and 7 points each for Raynaud and Clifford.

Kings trail the Heat 32-25 after 1Q. Zach LaVine drilled a buzzer beater and has 10 points. 7 points for rookie Nique Clifford off the bench. No one else has more than 2 points.

Starters:

Keon Ellis is no longer on the Kings' injury report after missing the last two games with knee soreness. Keegan Murray is the lone injury and he remains out with an ankle sprain.

Not this time. The Sacramento Kings were riding a season-high 4-game win streak coming into Sunday's battle with the Portland Trail Blazers. They never really found a rhythm and fell by a final of 117-110. Here are six quick thoughts as the Kings dropped to 12-31 on the season:

Kings trail 93-82 heading to the fourth. Russell Westbrook has 20 points. 16 points for Zach LaVine and 13 for Malik Monk.

Kings outscored 32-21 in the second, trail the Blazers 64-53 heading to the half. Malik Monk and Russell Westbrook each have 13 points to pace the Kings. Zach LaVine has 8 points.

Kings and Blazer all knotted at 32-32 after 1Q. Russell Westbrook leads with 11 points. Zach LaVine has 6 points and Malik Monk has 5 points off the bench.

Starters:

What is happening? The Sacramento Kings picked up their fourth straight win Friday night when the Washington Wizards rolled through Golden 1 Center. Here are six quick thoughts as the Kings shared the ball and took care of business for a 128-115 victory:

The Kings recover in the third to push their lead to 101-84 heading to the fourth. Westbrook has 20 points. Achiuwa is up to 16, DeRozan has 14, LaVine has 11 and Sabonis and Schröder each have 10.