Share your predictions with us in the comments.

Jonathan Santiago is co-editor of Cowbell Kingdom.  Follow him on Twitter.

The city of Sacramento recently released a list of companies interested in purchasing a collection of city-owned parking garages that would provide a substantial upfront payment to help fund a new downtown entertainment and sports complex.

The list, shown below, is a mixture of national and local parking companies and financial institutions.

• Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board
• Xerox Corporation
• InterPark LLC
• Guggenheim Securities, LLC
• Sacramento Forward, LLC
• Gates Group Capital Partners
• LAZ Parking/CIM Group
• The Carlyle Group
• CMB Export LLC
• Morgan Stanley Infrastructure, Inc.
• Bainbridge ZKS
• Revitalizing Sacramento LLC
• Capital City Parking Group

I recently spoke to Chris Lehane, executive director of the Think Big Sacramento coalition, about the status of the arena financing plan. The Sacramento City Council is expected to vote on whether or not to move forward with the parking lease at their Feb. 14 meeting.

BE: Are you pleased by the response and quality of the companies interested in purchasing the parking facilities?

CL: “We had 25 entities expressing interest, 13 actually made an RFQ. To make an RFQ it costs money, you have to spend money and time. It’s a complicated process to go through, so you have 13 entities and that really does represent the top-tier entities in the country, nationally who are involved in parking. Top-tier banks or financial institutions, and in addition to that we’ve also got some of the cream of the crop in the region who have expressed interest. People who have done successful projects in Sacramento, people who have significant credibility here in Sacramento. So it gives the city an opportunity to really be able to have some confidence that it can move forward with an RFP.”

BE: Obviously, there is a big city council vote coming up. How do you see this playing out in the coming month?

CL: “I don’t want to be presumptuous, I think the council has done a great job to date in terms of doing their diligence and looking out for the best interests of the city and their constituents…I do think as we work through February the city is going to have a major decision to make that will be a defining moment in this city’s history.”

“It can go one of two directions. One direction, and I don’t think this is going to happen, but one direction is for whatever reasons the decision is made not to go forward with the leasing of the parking, and I think that decision would make it very challenging. Not impossible, but challenging, for the arena deal to be able to move forward, for the 4,000 jobs to be created, for the $7 billion in economic development to happen – all of the great things that can happen from an economic perspective. And the other decision is to move forward with the leasing of the garages, which will then help provide basically, the catalyst for this entire deal to be able to move forward. If the deal moves forward, we keep the Kings, the Kings are the anchor tenant to develop the facility. The facility gets developed, the downtown is transformed.”

“This is going to be the biggest decision that the city has faced since the decision was made to have the transcontinental railroad end in Sacramento, which basically kicked off modern-day Sacramento. And if this city wants to move into the future and have a vibrant, robust downtown – a real economic epicenter – this is that moment in time.”

BE: If the city council votes yes to move forward with the lease of the parking facilities, does it put the ball in the NBA’s court to show a dedication to stay in Sacramento?

CL: “They almost have to happen concurrently. So the RFQ has happened. We now know that there are 13 entities. We now are going to be in a place where we can move forward on an RFP which will have some type of a baseline number that would represent the contribution from the city, again derived from the people who would be parking there, who would have otherwise not been there. That point is now. The NBA is going to need to be in a position where it either says, ‘this is a deal that makes sense, we’re prepared to move forward’ because it is difficult for the city to move forward with the RFP until they know that the NBA, and by extension the Kings, are prepared to move forward because the RFP locks you in. Once you do an RFP you are committed to whichever bidder is the best.”

BE: With the meetings that the city and the Mayor has had with the NBA, do you get a sense that if the city council votes yes on this parking deal that the NBA will be on board?

CL: “If you look around at the various arena deals that have been done by the NBA, this would represent a deal that makes sense from an economic perspective. It is not the single best deal that has ever taken place – it’s not Orlando which paid 110 percent of the cost – but it is a very competitive deal. It is certainly a better deal than what was available in Anaheim. It is a deal that should allow the team to be in a much stronger economic position. It is a deal that should allow the NBA to stay in a market that they have expressed a strong desire to stay in. At the end of the day, we have always said that this is about economics. The economics have to work for the city, it has to work for the league, it has to work for the team. We know it works for the city, based on what we know it should work for the league and the team, and so with those types of facts in the mix, I see every reason why folks should go forward. But I can’t speak for the NBA and don’t have the benefit of knowing what is exactly inside their heads.”

BE: Is AEG waiting until the city OK’s this parking lease to put their full support behind the arena financing?

CL: “AEG is very much a possible big piece of the formula, but their piece is really continent ultimately on whether the NBA decides to move forward. I am comfortable that we have an economic scenario that will allow a really credible operator, whether it is AEG (and AEG is at the top of the list), or someone else to participate in this, and by participating also make revenue available that will help pay for the facility. I am very confident and comfortable that we have a viable formula that works.”

BE: Ron Burkle recently expressed interest in purchasing the Los Angeles Dodgers. You know him personally, do you think he is still keeping an eye on the situation in Sacramento?

CL: “I don’t want to speak on Ron’s behalf obviously, but I know Ron is someone who cares deeply about California. He has been incredibly supportive of efforts in California and I also know that he is a sports fan, and has had tremendous success with what he has done in Pittsburgh with the Penguins, which I was involved with.”

“I certainly believe you could take a look at the Sacramento scenario and see it to be the NBA analogue to what took place in Pittsburgh, and I think there is no one smarter in terms of looking for opportunities that people may not typically see than Ron Burkle. I’ve always said that I think that people have not looked at the Sacramento opportunity in a way that they really should. In an adjusted market analysis with only one major professional sports team here, there is a lot of revenue that is not typically available. It is also the capital of the 8th largest economy in the world. To the top 100 businesses in the United States, after Washington D.C., this is the single most important regulatory environment for them. So it’s not just necessarily looking at who the corporate base community is here, it is also looking at corporations that have an interest in what is happening in Sacramento. That impacts luxury boxes, naming rights, other types of sponsorships.”

“Ron is one of those in a small group of folks who see opportunities where other people don’t. He doesn’t think in a linear way, he thinks in a much more global way and I think that whether it is Ron or someone else who is willing to look at this in a little bit different way, there is a potential opportunity. Having said all of that, I want to be very clear, this is the Maloof’s team, they own the team. They have obviously expressed a strong interest in staying here and making this work and obviously, to have them remain here and be a big part of this is a natural solution.”

BE: Let’s talk about what is going on right now with Think Big. The Mayor announced the “Brick by Brick” campaign at his State of the City speech, which will allow people to purchase engraved bricks on the new arena. Are there any details on that campaign yet?

CL: “The details will be coming in April, we need to get through the next couple of months to have a sense of where we are. But yeah, we are going to be putting out a detailed program and that will really give people the opportunity to look at this as the ‘people’s house.’”

“The idea with this arena is that it is going to be the people’s facility, not just basketball which I do think it is important because it contributes to the community, but concerts which help bring other potential venues and events which will contribute to the community. It is a community asset. People have compared Sacramento to a greenhouse – it grows up these great kids but then the kids leave. Let’s keep the next generation of great people here in Sacramento. This facility, I think, will be an incentive to do so, and so let’s actually have a tangible connection so that people can contribute.”

“We’re not looking at this [the Brick by Brick campaign] to solve or address the funding issue, that’s a separate thing, but we are looking at this as a way to have a connection in much the same way that part of the Boston Celtics are publicly owned or the Green Bay Packers are wholly owned. Let’s have that community connection because I do think that this franchise is a special franchise. It is the only major professional sports team here. There has always been an affinity between the public and the Kings, and it is a huge part of the community. This is the type of the community that can have even a more special and enhanced relationship with the team and the community and with the facility and the community.”

BE: Think Big also brought in a group of political advisors recently as well, the “Purple Swat Team” as they are being called. What do they bring to the table?

CL: “We brought in a group of guys who are from Sacramento, their families are here and they are committed to living here, and they have deep experience in statewide politics – Aaron Mclear was the spokesperson for Gov. Schwarzenegger; Brian Brokaw ran California Attorney General Kamala Harris’s campaign; Josh Ginsberg was a lawyer for Governor Schwarzenegger. All three are making their homes here and they have volunteered their services to help do community organizing.”

“It is great that those guys have offered their services. We call it the ‘Purple Swat Team’ because first of all the Kings are purple, second of all because you are getting the red and the blue – the bipartisan – so you end up with purple.”

BE: It has been said that something like 70 percent of the construction work is going to be contracted out through local companies on this arena. It seems as though this project gives Sacramento an opportunity to build out of the recession.

CL: “Just look at the economics: 4,000-plus jobs and we have committed to making those Sacramento jobs. Right now, there may be a small number that there just aren’t people in Sacramento who can do the type of technical work, but first and foremost almost all of these jobs are going to be based here. And there is nothing that can catalyze the economy of a community more than construction jobs. The dollars attached to construction jobs have the greatest velocity. They will have a multiplier effect throughout the communities.”

“Think about it, a carpenter has a job where they may have been unemployed over the last couple of years. In the building trade, unemployment is over 30 percent in some places, maybe even higher here. That carpenter has a job for a year or two years, they are able to take care of their family, they are able to buy things in the community that money ripples out very quickly. Then you look at the $150,000-plus million a year of economic activity that’s going to be spent developing this and spun off by it. That is a huge injection of money. You have the $7 billion that will be spent over the lifetime of the arena, which is a huge injection of money and that’s obviously the net present value of that money. And then above and beyond that you are transforming downtown Sacramento.”

“This city is one decision away from really transforming itself so that when you walk through downtown it would be a remarkably different place.”

“It’s a baseball facility, but the Giants facility in San Francisco [AT&T Park] has completely transformed a neighborhood that was basically an undeveloped area of old railroad yards. So the ability of what this can do for Sacramento is just enormous. Again, people have to do their due diligence, but if you are walking down the street and you see a $20 bill on the ground, all you have to do is pick it up and you are $20 richer. This is a comparable type of decision for folks to make.”

Originally published Saturday, February 4th, at Ellington’s blog, Bleed Black and Purple.

It doesn’t matter if it’s video games or hoops.  When Isaiah Thomas doesn’t win, Nate Robinson lets him have it.

But after the Sacramento Kings’ 114-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors Saturday, Thomas gets to do the talking.

“After we (Kings) lost in Oakland, Nate was talking mad trash,” said Thomas. “He was just laughing at me, but (Saturday) we got the best of him, so it’s my turn now.”

This is more than a friendly rivalry. These two are adopted brothers by choice.

Robinson, the eldest by five years, acts like the older sibling, while Thomas is relegated to younger brother status. The duo has a bond that runs back to the Northwest. Both natives of the Evergreen State, ended up Huskies at the University of Washington.

The similarities don’t stop there. Both measure at 5’9” and have been told their entire lives they’re “too small” to be successful in a game of giants. Whether high school, college or now the NBA, the whispers have yet to cease.

“Still to this day,” Thomas said.

But, those murmurs should be fading. After seven NBA seasons, Robinson continues to show he is a force off the bench for any team.  Meanwhile, Thomas, the rookie, continues to see his minutes increase in crucial moments.

“Its fun to see someone else that is under six feet beating all the odds,” Robinson said.

The summers are spent together shooting, dribbling, lifting and the occasional game of “Call of Duty” on Xbox. During the season, the pair say they chat or text every day, which doesn’t stop even when their teams meet on the hardwood.

Thomas admits, “He tells me a lot about what he sees on the court and that’s even if it’s in a game.”

Robinson scored 20 as he was teaching the young Thomas, who had six points last night.  But for Isaiah, it is all about getting the win.

“We got the same heart and tenacity,” said Thomas. “That is why you have to get the bragging rights.”

Contributor/columnist Rob McAllister is a reporter for KFBK Radio in Sacramento.  Catch his weekly column for Cowbell Kingdom every Tuesday.  You can follow him on Twitter.  

Playing to their potential.

Each starter for the Sacramento Kings played stellar in a thrilling 114-106 overtime victory at home over the Golden State Warriors.

“We were clicking on all cylinders tonight,” said big man DeMarcus Cousins, who posted his first-career 20-20 game.  ”But we’ve still got a lot of growing to do.  We’ve still got room for improvement so we’re going to continue to grow and get better.”

The Kings led by 11-points going into the fourth quarter.  But the Warriors’ bench, particularly Nate Robinson and Klay Thompson brought Golden State back in the game.  The two guards combined for 24 of the Warriors’ 26 points in the final period.

However, the Kings dominated in overtime – outscoring the Warriors 12-4 en route to victory.

“This group has shown from day one that they have the ability to get back in games – especially at home,” said Kings Head Coach Keith Smart.  ”They haven’t done that yet on the road, but (they have)…at home with our crowd and our fan base.”

Notes and Analysis

• Tonight, DeMarcus Cousins collected the first of what should be many 20-20 games in his career.  The second-year big man scored 21 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in 41 minutes of action.

• Jason Thompson kept pace with Cousins, scoring an impressive 15 points on seven-for-13 shooting and adding a season-high 16 rebounds.  Thompson is turning heads right now with his solid, under control play.

• Marcus Thornton could do no wrong in the third quarter.  In his second game back from injury, Thornton scored 18 points in the third, hitting seven-for-eight from the field and knocking down all four of three-point attempts.

• Tyreke Evans started slow, but finished the game strong.  The Kings guard had just nine points and three assists at half, but finished with a near a double-double – 26 points, nine assists and only one turnover.  With less than a minute to go in overtime, Evans nailed a fading 25-foot three-pointer to seal the victory.

• The Kings out-rebounded the Warriors 55-36 on the night.  The combination of Thompson and Cousins matched the Warriors output on the glass, with 36 boards between them.

• The Kings only scored 10 points off the bench tonight.  Isaiah Thomas led the way with four points in just over 14 minutes of action.  The Warriors bench scored 43 points, but played substantial minutes as head coach Mark Jackson went away from his starters.

• Dorell Wright killed the Kings in the first half, scoring 19 of his 24 points before the break.  The Kings repeatedly left him open on the corners and he responded by hitting six-for-seven from the field and all three of his long-range shots.

• Nate Robinson provided a big spark off the bench for the Warriors.  The pint-size dynamo scored 20 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out four assists in 24 minutes of play.  He scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter.

• Klay Thompson set a new career-high with 16 points tonight, with 12 of them coming during the Warriors big fourth quarter rally.  The rookie shot five-for-eight from the field and four-for-five from three-point range, including a huge, game-tying shot that sent the contest to overtime.

• The Warriors hit 16 of their 29 three-point attempts tonight for an impressive 55.2 percent.  The Kings weren’t far behind, hitting 10-for-22 for 45.5 percent.

• Stat of the night: All five starters scored in double figures for the Kings, led by Thornton’s 28.  John Salmons continues to show improvement, scoring 14 points while racking up season-highs in assists (six) and steals (five).

Leading by one going into the fourth quarter, the Sacramento Kings let one slip away Tuesday night in Oakland.  The Golden State Warriors’ bench closed out the Kings in a 93-90 win earlier this week.  Now playing host, Sacramento looks for payback tonight at Power Balance Pavilion.

Gametime: 7:00 pm PST
Broadcast Information: Click here.
For Warriors perspective, visit fellow TrueHoop Network blog Warriors World.

Kings Probable Starters (7-15)

With everyone back healthy, Keith Smart has the full roster at his disposal for just the third time as head coach.  Jimmer Fredette, Donte Greene, Francisco Garcia and Tyler Honeycutt did not play in Thursday’s win over the Trailblazers.  However, Smart emphasized at practice yesterday that everyone must be prepared and remain ready to play at all times.

Warriors Probable Starters (8-12)

The Warriors visit Sacramento riding a two-game win-streak.  The Kings slowed Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis Tuesday night, but the Warriors backcourt bounced back in a big way Thursday against the Utah Jazz.  Curry scored 29 points and dished out 12 assists, while Ellis poured 33 in his fifth 30-plus point game of the season.

3-on-3 Roundtable

You may be familiar with ESPN.com’s 5-on-5 roundtables, which feature opinion and analysis from ESPN writers and TrueHoop Network contributors on pressing NBA topics. Along with other THN blogs, Cowbell Kingdom has brought that format to the local level in the form of our own 3-on-3 roundtable.

Ethan Sherwood Strauss of Warriors World and Danny Leroux, of RealGM,  join me to preview tonight’s Kings/Warriors match-up.

1. Match-up to watch?

Ethan Sherwood Strauss: Isaiah Thomas vs. Nate Robinson is the novelty matchup that instantly comes to mind, but I’m going for another size-influenced pick: Tyreke vs. Monta is fascinating. When Ellis guards Evans, he looks like a small lizard on a large rock. Can Reke’ be slowed by someone so short and spindly?

Danny Leroux:  Monta Ellis vs. Tyreke Evans. Either guy can take his team over the top or shoot them into oblivion. When dealing with two young and inconsistent teams, the tone-setters take on dramatically more importance. How Tyreke and Monta play on both ends of the floor should be the strongest indicator of how their units perform.

Jonathan Santiago:  John Salmons vs. Monta Ellis.  Salmons has put together two solid games defensively in a row, starting with his effort on Ellis Tuesday.  The Kings small forward held the Warriors two-guard to 12 points on five-of-17 shooting.  Can Salmons slow down Ellis again tonight?

2. Stat that decides the game…

Ethan Sherwood Strauss: I will go with bench +/-. Last time these teams faced off, the GSW bench mob saved the day for a shaky starting unit. I’m predicting that victory hinges on the efforts of Ekpe Udoh, Brandon Rush, and Nate Robinson.

Danny Leroux:  Points off turnovers. One could easily make the argument that it will be TO’s themselves, but the real pivot point of this game will be how successful each squad can be at turning those mistakes into points. Golden State had a ten point advantage here last time.

Jonathan Santiago:  Warriors bench scoring.  With a 20-point performance from Rush and 11 points from Robinson, the W’s bench killed the Kings in their last meeting.  Sacramento can’t let them, especially Rush, have a game like that again.

3. What’s more likely:  An encore performance from the Warriors bench or big games from the starters like Thursday against Utah? 

Ethan Sherwood Strauss: It seems completely nuts to lavish praise on a Udoh-McGuire-Rush-Thompson-Robinson lineup. Such a combination sounds awful, truthfully. But hey, they keep playing excellent defense in the starter’s stead. It is more likely that the second unit keeps on ballin’, albeit gawkily.

Danny Leroux:  The starters performing, for two reasons. First, it would be incredibly hard for them to play as poorly as they did Tuesday- progression to at least their normal performance level seems likely. On top of that, the bench mob played out of their minds on Tuesday and a repeat seems unlikely simply because of how remarkable they played that night.

Jonathan Santiago:  It’s tough to see the Warriors bench have another performance like they did Tuesday.  But as Ethan said, they’ve been playing great defense.  If this game is close, maybe Mark Jackson lets them finish like they did Tuesday.

The Sacramento Kings took plenty of grief for the draft day trade that brought John Salmons back to the capital city.  While Salmons appeared to be a solid addition at a position of weakness, he has been anything but so far this season.

Until Thursday night.

Facing one of his toughest match-ups in the uber-athletic Gerald Wallace, Salmons came to play.  After averaging just seven points through the Kings first 21 contests, Salmons came alive, setting new season highs in both points with 19 and rebounds with eight.

“I have confidence in him, ” Head Coach Keith Smart said in his postgame comments Thursday night.  “ I believe in him and I know what he’s doing.  I know he’s putting the work in and he’s working at his game.  He’s a proud pro, so he’s going to work.”

Salmons is a humble, quiet professional who sets an example for his young teammates, dating back to the first day of training camp.  Unfortunately, he has struggled this season.  With the exception of missing a game due to illness, Salmons has started in every appearance, but scored double figures only five times and just once in the team’s last 12 contests.

While the Kings have gone overboard in isolation, Salmons has tried to fit in by hanging out on the perimeter in an attempt to stretch the defense.  Unfortunately, Salmons has hit just 15 of his 59 three-point shots for a brutal 25-percent average.  During a nine-game stretch this year, Salmons went 0-for-26 from behind the arc.

“I’m just going to keep working, keep getting shots up after practice,” Salmons said earlier this season.  “I have a different offensive role.  I can hit threes, but I’m not like a guy who stands there and shoots a lot of threes.  I just have to have a different approach to the game and just try to work it out.”

This wasn’t an easy question for Salmons to answer.  It was clear by his demeanor that this new role would be an adjustment for the veteran forward.  Though he seemed tortured by the question, Salmons wasn’t blaming anyone but himself.

“It’s up to me,” Salmons said.  ”I’m the one out there shooting it.  It’s on me.  It’s not on anyone else.”

So maybe John Salmons is coming around.  Clearly the Kings hope so.

Going into the 2011-12 season, Salmons probably didn’t make any “must-have lists” among NBA general managers.  However, he is a very versatile wing, who can defend and lead by example.  A third of the way through the season, he has yet to get his stride or figure out where he fits in the Kings grand scheme.

Maybe Thursday’s win against Portland will prove to be the fix for what ails John Salmons.

James Ham is co-editor of Cowbell Kingdom.  Follow him on Twitter.

More notes and quotes from practice after the jump.

Smart used Friday’s practice to show film and reinforce positives he saw from last night’s victory.  From the veterans to the rookies, he was particularly happy with everyone’s communication on defense.

“I just thought overall, it was a very good output from our team, and the defense really won the game for us.  And it allowed us to get into the open court and make plays in the open court.”

Smart on John Salmons’ breakout game on Thursday:

“That was great because I see the guy every day, after practice working on his game.  And I would have concern about him if he wasn’t playing defense.  But he was still doing some positive things defensively and you saw him working every day after practice on his shots – the shots that he takes in the game, the moves that he’ll make in the game.  So you knew at some point, the game was going to come out.  Now hopefully this is a game for him where his confidence…carry over to another four or five games.  But right now, last night was great for him.  And the team was happy for him that he played the way that we had envisioned he was going to play with this team.”

Following their first win-streak of the season, the Kings proceeded to lose five straight.  Smart isn’t concerned about complacency settling in following yesterday’s win.

“I don’t think we’ll have that problem because I’m not the way (and) our staff is not that way.  So, we have a good handle on how to deal with the team to keep them understanding that it’s a one-win game.  It’s a good win for us.  A quality win against a very good basketball team and we gotta keep it at just that.”

When the Kings were in Oakland Tuesday, Smart was greeted with hugs of appreciation from his former team.  Today, he talked about how he built “strong relationships” in Golden State and how he’s trying to do the same in Sacramento.

“When I work with a player, I tell him that this is a friendship for life.  Our careers are going to cross paths in the professional ranks for maybe ten years (or longer)…”

Jonathan Santiago is co-editor of Cowbell Kingdom.  Follow him on Twitter.

KINGS RECALL HASSAN WHITESIDE FROM RENO

SACRAMENTO, CA —- The Sacramento Kings today recalled center Hassan Whiteside from the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League, President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie announced. Whiteside will rejoin the team in Sacramento prior to Saturday’s contest versus the Golden State Warriors at Power Balance Pavilion.

Whiteside was assigned to the Bighorns on January 1^st and averaged 7.8 points (.521 FG%, .343 FT%), 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 18.9 minutes per game in 11 contests (started five). He recorded double-figure scoring in four games with his most notable performance coming versus the Sioux Falls Skyforce (1/13), where he tallied 15 points (7-10 FG, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds, and two blocks in 29 minutes. Whiteside also registered 13 points (5-9 FG, 3-9 FT), nine rebounds, and six blocks in his first appearance with Reno versus Fort Wayne (1/3).

Whiteside has played a total of two minutes in his NBA career, spending most of last season on IR with a knee issue.  This season, he is buried on the depth chart behind DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, J.J. Hickson and Chuck Hayes.  Considered a project when the Kings drafted him, Whiteside is still young and has the physical tools to be a top flight shot blocker.

Isaiah Thomas plays with a bravado bigger than his 5’9 frame would suggest.

“I’ve just always had confidence in myself,” said the Sacramento Kings rookie point guard in the locker room after Thursday night’s three-point win over the Portland Trailblazers.  ”And then, I have the respect and confidence from my teammates.  That gives me even more confidence in myself to play the game because my teammates trust me and believe in me.”

In his post-game press conference, Kings head coach Keith Smart called Thomas a “know-how guy” and a “100-percent winner”.  Smart made a point of praising the intangibles the rookie brings that aren’t measured by the final box score.

“He understands how to play,” Smart began.  ”He’s all for the team, when he’s not playing he’s supporting and as (I’ve) said (before), he is a plus, plus, big-number guy when he’s on the floor with our basketball team.”

According to 82games.com, Smart may be onto something.  In clutch situations (which 82games determines as “4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points”), the Kings are 3-1 with Thomas in the lineup.

“That is big for us, (for him) as a rookie to come in and have confidence,” third-year guard Marcus Thornton said following his return to action last night.  ”And control the team when we need to be controlled.  And make the right plays – it’s big for us.”

The Kings head coach added that Thomas’ tenacity seems to “ooze” over to his teammates, giving them a “supreme level of confidence on the floor.”  Thornton agreed whole-heartedly and suggested that the rookie’s unselfish game is partly the reason why.

“He’s a willing passer,” the Kings starting two-guard said.  ”So if you’re open, he’s gonna get it to you.  And you know me as a scorer – I love that.”

Thomas says “(playing) with my heart” also fuels his confidence.  Perhaps his emotional approach to the game is setting an example for the rest of his team.

“I feel like when I’m in the game those guys play a little harder,” Thomas said. “And they see me going out there trying to get blocked shots, trying to do whatever I can to win and it gets them amped up a little bit.”

Smart credits practice for improved play

In Smart’s first two weeks as head coach, the Kings played nine games in 14 nights, leaving them very little time to work on their shortcomings.

Since last week’s embarrassing blowout to the Denver Nuggets, the Kings have found some relief in their schedule, which provided five days of practice time before yesterday’s win over the Trailblazers.

“This team is a team that needs to practice,” said Smart, who for the first time since January 5th has the full roster at his disposal. “When we get quality practice in, our season won’t allow it, but when we get a couple days, we can reinforce a lot of things like how we want to trap, how we want to rotate.  And we can break everything down and do it.”

The Kings have talented players practically at every position.  But with the roster’s average age of 24.69, the Kings are the youngest team in the league.  With so little workout time until recently, Thornton believes they’ve missed the reinforcement provided by practice.

“We’re a young team and we have a lot of stuff,” Thornton began. “A lot of stuff to (work on) to make us the team we want to be.”

Teammate Thomas thinks the extra time in the film room has helped.  Seeing their faults on offense and defense is a big plus, according to the rookie point guard.

“The more practice time we get, the better we’re going to be as a team,” Thomas said.  ”Because we need to see our mistakes.  We need to capitalize on our mistakes and make them into positives.”

Jonathan Santiago is co-editor of Cowbell Kingdom.  Follow him on Twitter.

Big nights from John Salmons and Marcus Thornton catapulted the Sacramento Kings to a 95-92 win over the Portland Trailblazers Thursday night at Power Balance Pavilion.

Sacramento Kings Head Coach Keith Smart said of Salmons after the game: “He’s putting work in and he’s a proud pro…The things that he is doing, other than scoring, have been great.”

And of Thornton: “As I said before, Marcus is a know-how guy and he’s going to make plays to keep us in the game…on both sides of the ball.”

The Kings trailed by as many as 13 points, but managed to tie the game 63-63with three minutes left in the third quarter.

Fast forward to the final period.  With 19.2 seconds left, Kings guard Tyreke Evans scored on a 17-foot jumper to put Sacramento up five. But following the basket, likely all-star LaMarcus Aldridge scored on a layup, trimming the Kings’ lead to three.

In the ensuing possession, Trailblazers forward Gerald Wallace forced Thornton into a turnover. However, Portland was unable to capitalize on the opportunity and missed two three-point attempts before time expired.

The victory improves the Kings record to 7-15 overall, 5-4 at home. Next up for Sacramento?  A rematch with the Golden State Warriors, who defeated the Kings 93-90 in Oakland on Tuesday.

Notes and Analysis

• Welcome back John Salmons.  After averaging just seven points per game through 21 contests, the veteran wing scored 19 and grabbed eight rebounds in the win.

• The Blazers three-guard set of Raymond Felton, Wesley Mathews and Jamal Crawford combined to shoot an atrocious 17-for-46 (37 percent) from the field and 3-for-16 (19 percent) from behind the arc.

• Playing just under 15 minutes, DeMarcus Cousins was limited to just eight points and six rebounds.  He picked up two quick fouls in the third quarter, prompting coach Smart to stick with what worked.

• Jason Thompson finished with a double-double for a second consecutive game.  The fourth-year big man out of Rider scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, but struggled to defend LaMarcus Aldridge.

• The Blazers big man was a beast, scoring 19 of his game-high 28 points in the first half.  Coach Smart used double teams and traps in the second half to slow Aldridge down and the Blazers other players weren’t able to take advantage.

• The Blazers bench outscored the Kings 30-17.

• After starting the last three games for Thornton, rookie Jimmer Fredette received his first DNP-CD of his career.

• Francisco Garcia, Donté Greene  and rookie Tyler Honeycutt also received the dreaded DNP-CD as Smart went heavily with Isaiah Thomas and Travis Outlaw.

• The Kings had 11 first-half assists, but only five the rest of the way, falling back to their isolating tendencies.

• Stat of the Game: The Kings hit 22 of 29 free-throws tonight, while the Blazers only scored eight of their 16 attempts.  That is a huge disparity in a game that was decided by just three points.

Additonal Notes

• A scary moment for the Kings when Trailblazers forward Gerald Wallace landed on top of Marcus Thornton in a shot-blocking attempt early in the fourth quarter.  After the game, the Kings guard said he “felt a little woozy at first”, but managed to tough out two free throws following the collision.  His thigh, which had sidelined him for the past week, tightened up a few times during the game, but “for the most part felt good.”  You can watch Thornton’s comments about his return to action here.