Kings Blog and Q&A

Last night's game: The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Sacramento Kings 101-89 on Monday at the Rose Garden. View the box score.

Game coverage:

• "All it took was about three minutes for a close game to become a blowout," Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) writes in today's newspaper recap.
• "Donté Greene doesn't mind if Kings coach Keith Smart plays him at small forward or power forward," Jones writes in today's newspaper.
• Jones, in a blog post this morning, writes about Jimmer Fredette's first back-to-back double digit scoring games.
• "The final score is not indicative of how far apart this game really was," writes Akis Yerocostas (@Aykis16) in a blog post for SB Nation affiliate Sactown Royalty.
• "The Kings got next to nothing in terms of production from their guards," writes Scott Levin (@KingsSLev) writes in a blog post for FanSided affiliate A Royal Pain.
• James Ham (@James_Ham) breaks down last night's game in a blog post for TrueHoop Network affiliate Cowbell Kingdom.
• "The game wasn't exactly a masterpiece, and while you would have hoped the Blazers could have stretched the lead to where coach Nate McMillan could sit his starters for the entire fourth quarter, the win itself was more important," Mike Tokito (@mtokito) writes in today's newspaper recap for the Oregonian.
• "It's hard to say the Blazers are back to that scintillating team we saw in the early season," writes Jason Quick (@jwquick) in today's Oregonian. "Something is still missing. Something is still off."
• "Even with the Blazers' convincing victory ... no one inside the home locker room was willing to say their troubles were a thing of the past," writes Joe Freeman (@BlazerFreeman) in today's Oregonian.
• "(Jamal) Crawford's production seemed reflective of what was at least a temporary rejuvenation for his homesick team," writes Matt Calkins (@blazerbanter) in today's newspaper recap in the Columbian.
• "Former University of Washington point guard Isaiah Thomas -- the 60th and final pick of last June's draft -- has shown his value to the Kings goes beyond carrying bags and fetching donuts," writes Calkins in today's Columbian.
• "Sacramento was just the antidote the Trail Blazers needed after a disappointing 2-4 road trip," Kerry Eggers (@kerryeggers) writes in today's newspaper recap for the Portland Tribune.
• "There's no place like home and the Portland Trail Blazers know it," Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) writes in a recap for CSNNW.
• "This wasn't quite the post-Christmas thrashing the Blazers put on a Kings group that was clearly interested in formally ending its relationship with former coach Paul Westphal, but it was a decisive victory that reflected the clear separation in talent between the two sides," writes Ben Golliver (@blazersedge) in a blog post on SB Nation affiliate Blazer's Edge.
• "Portland had trouble keeping Sacramento from scoring late in the game, but mostly because the Kings couldn't knock down a deep two or a three," writes Mike Acker writes in a blog post for FanSided affiliate Rip City Project.
• View the video highlights at NBA.com.

CSNNW video:

More news and analysis:

• John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) lists John Salmonson his 2011-12 All-Disappointment Team for ESPN.
• "Every time there is a project or issue, it does not need to end up on the ballot," Rob McAllister (@Rob_McAllister) writes in a blog post for TrueHoop Network affiliate Cowbell Kingdom. "That is why we have a representative democracy in Sacramento."
• "The fact is, it isn't the public's fault that the Kings organization can make more money if they move into another market," writes Isaac Gonzalez (@SacramentoIsaac) in a blog post on Sacramento Connect partner ranSACkedmedia.

Tweets of the day:

Sorry we loss y'all!!! Back in Sac now, loved seeing ALL my fam @ the game though. Mom, Dad, sis, aunties, cousins and @KaylaJasmin

— Isaiah Thomas (@Isaiah_Thomas2) January 24, 2012

So my producer pointed out to me that when I put "Kings get Blazed" in my highlights tonight, it may have more than one meaning. #BobMarley

— Bryan May (@BMayNews10) January 24, 2012

Mad Libs: Kings get <violent verb, past tense> by <opposing team>.

— Scott Levin (@KingsSLev) January 24, 2012

Online coverage from The Bee this season:

• LIVE CHATS: Join The Bee's Matt Kawahara for in-game chats during every Kings home game, just before tipoff right through the final buzzer.

• VIDEOS: Find out what some Kings players and coach Paul Westphal have to say about the upcoming season - and much more.

• BLOG: Stay up to date on the team's happenings with Jason Jones, Ailene Voisin and Matt Kawahara on The Bee's Kings blog.

• FACEBOOK: "Like" the Sacramento Kings Corner page and join Bee staffers and fans in discussions about the team and players.

• TWITTER: Follow The Bee's Jason Jones for up-to-the-minute developments, in-game updates and much more about the Kings.

If you see a Sacramento Kings-related story or blog post that we should feature, e-mail me at nmiller@sacbee.com or send me reply on Twitter at @journalistnate.