The AP reports: Francisco Garcia scored 21 points, John Salmons added 17 and Sacramento beat the woeful Minnesota Timberwolves 118-103 Monday night in the Kings’ first game under interim coach Kenny Natt. A few hours after the Kings fired Reggie Theus and replaced him with Natt, the veteran assistant coach presided over one of Sacramento’s best efforts of the season against the Timberwolves, who lost their 10th straight. Brad Miller added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Kings, who had eight players scoring in double figures in just their second win in 12 games. Al Jefferson scored all of his 22 points in the first half for Minnesota in a meeting of struggling teams that both fired their head coaches in the past eight days. The Timberwolves dropped to 0-5 under Kevin McHale, who replaced Randy Wittman last week… Rashad McCants scored 21 points while Craig Smith and Kevin Ollie added 17 apiece for the Timberwolves (4-20), who haven’t won since Nov. 28.
Dec 15: Suns 111, Knicks 103
The AP reports: Mike D’Antoni got a warm welcome in his return to Phoenix, but frigid long-range shooting doomed his New York Knicks in a 111-103 loss to the Suns on Monday night. Steve Nash, whose career flourished in D’Antoni’s four seasons as Phoenix coach, scored 21 points, including a game-clinching 3-pointer with 28 seconds to play. D’Antoni’s run-and-shoot squad was just 5-of-37 on 3-pointers. The Knicks tied their franchise record for 3-pointers attempted, set earlier this season against Cleveland. Shaquille O’Neal had 23 points, making 11 of 18 free throws, and 12 rebounds. Amare Stoudemire added 21 points and 14 boards for the Suns, who topped 110 points for the fourth game in a row. Nate Robinson scored 27, 17 after halftime, in his second game back from a groin injury for New York. Al Harrington added 24… The Knicks were 2-for-19 on 3s in the first half.
Dec 15: Nuggets 98, Mavs 88
The AP reports: Reserve J.R. Smith scored 25 points, Carmelo Anthony added 23, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Dallas Mavericks 98-88 on Monday night to extend their winning streak to four games. Chauncey Billups had 15 points and eight assists for the Nuggets, who have won seven of eight and improved to 16-4 since Billups joined the team after a Nov. 3 trade with the Detroit Pistons. Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points and 10 rebounds, and Jason Terry scored 19 points for the Mavericks, who had won 11 of their previous 13. Mavericks forward Josh Howard was back after being inactive for 11 straight games because of a sprained left ankle. He came off the bench late in the first quarter and played 14 minutes, scoring seven points.
Dec 15: Celtics 100, Jazz 91
The AP reports: Rajon Rondo scored 12 of his career-high 25 points in the final 5:20, and Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Kendrick Perkins added 15 points and 14 rebounds to help Boston avenge the worst loss of its championship season. Paul Pierce scored 15 points before he hurt his left knee during a scramble for a defensive rebound with 31 seconds left… Paul Millsap scored a career-high 32 points with 10 rebounds for Utah… The Jazz were within 89-85 after Deron Williams’ 3-pointer with 3:23 left. But Rondo drove for a one-handed bank shot and then, after Williams sank a basket, Rondo made a free throw and Perkins hit a turnaround hook shot in the lane.
Dec 15: Bucks 98, Heat 83
The AP reports: The Milwaukee Bucks wanted a quick start to their three-game road trip, and Michael Redd delivered. Redd scored 16 of his 21 points in the first quarter, and the Bucks started fast before holding off a late rally to beat the Miami Heat 98-83 on Monday night… Andrew Bogut had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Charlie Villanueva added 20 points for Milwaukee, which won on the road for the first time since beating Charlotte on Nov. 22… Mario Chalmers had 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, and Wade added 15 points for the Heat, who lost their third straight game.
Dec 15: Nets 94, Raptors 87
The AP reports: Vince Carter knew just what to tell Ryan Anderson about recovering from a poor shooting performance. Carter had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Anderson scored a career-high 21 points, and the New Jersey Nets beat the Toronto Raptors 94-87 on Monday night to snap a three-game losing streak… Devin Harris scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, making 10 of 11 from the free throw line… Chris Bosh and Jason Kapono each scored 17 for Toronto. Jose Calderon added 15 points and Jermaine O’Neal had 12 for the Raptors, who have lost seven of nine. Jamario Moon and Andrea Bargnani each had 10 points for Toronto. New Jersey had a season-high 54 rebounds, including 18 on the offensive end, and outscored Toronto 26-2 on second-chance points. Toronto has been outrebounded in 13 consecutive games.
Dec 15: Hawks 83, Bobcats 79
The AP reports: The Atlanta Hawks were fortunate that they were at home and the opponent was the struggling Charlotte Bobcats. Joe Johnson scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half to lead the Hawks to an 83-79 victory over Charlotte on Monday night, extending the Bobcats’ losing streak to seven. Al Horford added 12 points and 14 rebounds for Atlanta (15-9), which won its third straight and improved to 9-1 at home with six straight games at Philips Arena coming up… Boris Diaw led Charlotte (7-18) with a season-high 25 points. Raymond Felton added 15… Johnson led the Hawks’ 15-3 run that gave Atlanta a 74-68 lead with 7:45 left, scoring seven points.
Dec 15: Pacers 118, Wizards 98
The AP reports: A 15-point second-half lead had turned into a tie game before the end of the third quarter, and the six-game losing streak was starting to weigh on the mind of at least one Indiana Pacer. But forward Danny Granger put any doubt out of his mind after coach Jim O’Brien issued a simple directive, which led to the Pacers pulling away for a 118-98 win against the Washington Wizards on Monday night… Granger scored 27 points and added nine rebounds to pace Indiana as it snapped that six-game skid. Marquis Daniels had 20 points and point guards T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack each scored 16 points for the Pacers (8-16), who had dropped eight of nine entering the game… Antawn Jamison had 26 points and a season-high 15 rebounds—his 14th double-double this season—and Caron Butler scored 26 for Washington. Andray Blatche, inserted into the starting lineup in place of rookie JaVale McGee, had 19 points.
Spurs waive Blake Ahearn
The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have waived guard Blake Ahearn.
The 6-2, 190-pound Ahearn was originally signed by San Antonio on 11/16. He appeared in three games for the Silver and Black where he averaged 2.7 points in 6.3 minutes. Ahearn was assigned to the Austin Toros on 11/30. In six games with the Toros, he averaged 18.8 points, 6.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 34.3 minutes.
The Spurs roster stands at 14.
Sacramento Kings fire coach Reggie Theus
The amount of head coaches being fired in the NBA this season is ridiculous. The Wizards fired Eddie Jordan, the 76ers fired Mo Cheeks, the Raptors fired Sam Mitchell, and now the Sacramento Kings have fired coach Reggie Theus.
Although the Kings are lousy this season, I don’t see how they were supposed to accomplish much with their current roster. Really, it comes down to Kings management simply not feeling that Theus is good or experienced enough to help the team grow any more than they have already.
The best player on the team is shooting guard Kevin Martin, but injuries have limited him to just nine games this season. He’s a scorer, and on 42.6% shooting is averaging 20.8 points per game, but just 2.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a decent 1.22 steals.
John Salmons has been second on the team in scoring with 19.4 ppg on impressive 49.1% shooting. He also contributes 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.22 steals per game.
Point guard Beno Udrih is shooting an excellent 48.0% for 12.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.29 steals.
Rookie big-man Spencer Hawes, center Brad Miller, guard Francisco Garcia and rookie forward Jason Thompson are also all having decent seasons.
The Kings as a team? Not so great, but that was expected given the limited roster.
They’re average at scoring, but awful at defense, giving up 106.08 points per game, third most (worst) in the league. Their opponents are also nailing a very high 47.9% of their shots, also third worst in the league.
The Kings are the league’s worst three-point shooting team, connecting on just 29.3% of their attempts. And they’re the league’s worst team at defending three-pointers; opponents are nailing 43.1% of their threes when facing Sacramento.
The team also needs to rebound better.
But the firing of Theus isn’t about exact statistics, it’s about development, making the young players better and giving them big minutes, and getting along with upper management, and team brass no longer thinks the future is bright with Theus guiding the way.
Check the InsideHoops.com NBA rumors page for more stories on this.
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