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Coming off a convincing victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Kings roll into their third matchup of the season with the LA Lakers on Tuesday.

In front of a standing room only, sold out ARCO Arena crowd, Kings players are anticipating another exciting chapter to the pair’s history of great games.

“It’s probably the closest thing you have to a college game, really, in the League,” center Spencer Hawes, who scored a career-high 30 points against LA in their last meeting, said. “Especially playing at ARCO with the fans how they already are, then you get a Lakers game, and it feels like a college rivalry game again.”

Though he only has 13 games under his belt as a member of the Kings, Carl Landry has experienced ARCO Thunder as an opponent, and he’s looking forward to the impassioned atmosphere.

“I’ve seen it,” Landry said. “It really gets loud. It’s almost like a playoff game, and I’m sure it’ll be like that (Tuesday) with the Lakers coming to town. It’s really going to have us juiced up.”

In his short career in purple and black, Landry has excelled despite the challenges of fitting into a new team and playing a new role. In three-plus weeks in Sacramento, the Kings starting power forward is averaging 17.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field. His positive attitude and strong work ethic have quickly made a strong impression on his new teammates.

“He’s just an aggressive player who’s a really talented scorer,” Hawes said. “He makes everyone’s job fun and a little bit easier.”

Watch - Kings Practice: Spencer Hawes.

Like Landry, Dontè Greene has the ability to enrich the team’s play with his high-energy defense and sometimes flashy, offensive range. Over the past three games, the second-year forward is averaging 13 points per game while shooting 61.5 percent from the field. According to Landry, his fun-loving teammate’s game is just beginning to emerge.

“He has tremendous talent,” Landry said. “He’s still young. He has room to grow. As long as he continues to stay in the gym, first one in, last one to leave, (the) sky is the limit.”

Watch - Kings Practice: Carl Landry.

The last time Greene defended Kobe Bryant he was in the midst of, as he now cites, the most memorable week of his career. In a span of six days, he held court against LeBron James, Bryant and Carmelo Anthony. The Kings took all three Playoff-bound teams down to the wire, defeating the Nuggets. While Bryant poses endless offensive threats individually, Greene’s athleticism provides Sacramento the type of defense necessary to make the All-Star’s life difficult.

“Making him work,” Kings assistant coach Jim Eyen, who filled in for head coach Paul Westphal at Monday’s practice as the Kings sideline leader tended to a pressing family matter, said of the team’s defensive approach to guarding Bryant. “Each team gets 80 or 90 shots a game. In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter who’s taking the shots as long as they’re low percentage shots from a defensive point of view. The game usually plays itself out as a percentage game. So, to me, it doesn’t matter if he scores 40… If we defensively get what we want done, then we have a chance to win the game.”

This season the matchups between the young Kings and the veteran, defending champion Lakers have been thrillers. While LA won both contests, the first was decided in double-overtime (112-103) and the second came down to a Bryant buzzer-beater (109-108) at STAPLES Center, the Kings showed they have the moxie to contend with their So-Cal rivals.

“We shot the ball well, first of all,” Eyene said reflecting on the two-game season series. “Offensively, we had good ball movement and good spacing. We have some bigs who can shoot, which does a nice job of spacing the floor for our offense. Defensively, I thought we got after it. We were aggressive. We forced the percentage game in our favor.”

Although the Lakers’ experience showed in their ability to close out the previous games, Eyen says Sacramento has the ingredients to win if the game comes down to the final minutes again.

“You have to get some defensive stops in a close game, and you have to do it convincingly, and not put somebody like Kobe Bryant on the free throw line or (Pau) Gasol on the free throw line, so you try to get that done (defensively),” he said. “Offensively, you have to be able to execute. You have to be able to get the shot you want down the stretch and make a big shot. It’s a challenge for a young team, but it’s not an excuse if you’re a young team. You just have to find a way to do it.”

Tyreke Evans has shown he has the courage and confidence to take and make game-winners for the Kings, but he didn’t play in the rivals’ last game due to injury. After nearly tallying his second-career triple-double against Minnesota (29 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds), the Kings point guard is showing his game evolves by the day. Over the last three outings, he’s averaging 19.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists.

“I think it’s just a part of his development,” Eyen said of Evans’ increased assist numbers. “I think he’s a great passer. He has great vision. He’s learning to pick and choose his spots. He’s learning when to attack, when to pass. Defenses at this point in the season are playing him a different way than they were earlier, so it’s a learning process for him. With every game he’s learning new ways to bring something to the table for the team. Lately, he’s been peppering the stat sheet.”

Watch - Kings Practice: Jim Eyen.

After taking his post-practice free throws on Monday, Evans peppered the hoop with trick shots. As the country witnessed in the highlights of the Kings-Raptors tilt, courtesy of “SportsCenter” Top Plays, the Kings Rookie of the Year frontrunner has the ability to make shots from all over the court.

“If it’s a game-time shot (and) the clock is winding down,” Evans said smiling. “If you’re in that position, you have to know how to hit that shot, bang it off the glass or hit (a) soft floater. (It’s) tough (to defend) if you can score from anywhere.”

Although Evans didn’t have to utilize his unique shot-making ability against the Wolves, he did talk to his older brother before the contest about his shooting stroke. The pointers the older Evans shared proved helpful, as the Kings rookie shot 10-of-19 from the field, including 2-of-5 from long distance.

“Before the game (on Sunday), I called my brother Doc over (to the practice facility), and we were just in here taking some shots,” Evans explained. “He said when I’m shooting inside, shoot a little higher and when I’m outside, shoot a little more direct, so I was trying to keep that in my head. The most important thing is I was shooting with confidence.”

Watch - Kings Practice: Tyreke Evans.

Catch the sold out Kings-Lakers showdown at ARCO Arena on Tuesday at 7 p.m. on CSNCA and Sports 1140 KHTK.

March 14, 2010 - At ARCO Arena, Tyreke Evans narrowly missed recording his second career triple-double in a week with a game-high 29 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists in leading the Kings to a 114-100 win over the Timberwolves, sending Minnesota to its ninth straight loss. Evans scored 12 straight points to end the second quarter, giving him 24 points for the half and the Kings a 64-49 halftime lead. Sacramento then opened the third quarter on a 15-0 run for a 79-49 advantage with 6:52 left in the quarter. The Kings outscored the Timberwolves, 30-12, in the third quarter to all but secure their second win in the last three games. Donte Greene added 19 points. Al Jefferson led Minnesota with 22 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

“Well that was the kind of game we look for every night. We did a great job of taking care of the ball, we ended up doing a great job rebounding, and we moved the ball. (We) got a lot of excellent performances off the bench, especially (Andres) Nocioni and Jason Thompson. It was the way we like Kings basketball to look.”

“I thought that Donte (Greene) really had a rhythm on his shot. He had great balance, took his time, took good shots and really helped to break the game open. I thought that they tried to play a little zone there for awhile and we did a good job of getting wide open shots against that. In general, for the first three quarters for sure, we really moved the ball well and we weren’t even shooting a particularly high percentage but our defense was good enough, our rebounding was good enough, we were holding our turnovers down and it seemed like we were able to get whatever we wanted.”

“Nocioni has had a rough time lately. Sometimes he hasn’t gotten in the game and people are asking me why he didn’t play. He’s been working hard and you just can’t play everybody. He’s been working hard in practice. I think his attitude is fantastic and I have a lot of confidence in him. He’s just a tough player; he’s tough-minded.”

“I think that defense is always effort. Sometimes you can give great effort and they can make shots – (tonight) they were missing shots. We did a good job of limiting them to one shot, coming down and getting good shots on our own. It just was a continuation of how I thought we played in the first half and it just was magnified because they happened to be missing as well.”

On Tyreke Evans:
“His night was sensational. He started off kind of slow, then when we got some stops and got in the open floor he was just unbelievable attacking the rim…I didn’t think he had to do anything that he’s not capable of doing. I think he’s going to have lots and lots of triple-doubles in his career. No, he wasn’t begging to go back in. We really don’t play to pad stats and he doesn’t need it. We play to win the game and he understands that. I think that’s the way it needs to be if you’re going to build a team the way we want to have this team be built.”

“I think Donte really showed how effective he can be when he plays under control and takes what comes to him. He’s a really good shooter when he takes good shots. They were coming his way and he was knocking them down. He seemed to build on the momentum of a little success and really added to it and really put the game away – he was a big part of it.”

Tyreke Evans

“No, I knew Coach was going to take me out. He just left me in longer than what he should have. I was attacking and trying to get the triple-double.”

On if it was deliberate for half, scoring a lot of points, second-half assists
“Yeah, they knew I had a hot hand and I was penetrating. Beno (Udrih) and Francisco (Garcia) were getting their looks and Donte (Greene) was knocking shots down. That is why I got my part on the assists.”

On how nice it was to get a blow-out win
“We came out with not a lot of energy. Coach called a timeout and told us that we needed to pick up the energy. So then we came back aggressive and ‘Cisco came in and talked because he is one of the leaders on this team.”

On how this win will be good for the upcoming Lakers game
This was a big win for us because the Lakers have a good team. They won the championship last year. With Kobe (Bryant) coming here there is going to be a good crowd. We have to bring our ‘A’ game.”

Jason Thompson

“It was a great team effort. We had some energy off the bench and we got it rolling. Both teams started out a little bit sluggish. Overall though, we were limiting their shots and we were getting the rebounds. That is when we were at our best was when we rebounded and ran. We were able to get some easy points which were easier on our offense.”

On the ball movement
“I think we are a good team when we are not turning over the ball. Our assist to turnover ratio was better. Last game we turned the ball over early and it obviously didn’t work out for us. We just took care of it (tonight) and we let the game flow.”

On coming out and having a great third quarter
“Coach said that we had a very solid first half, but we can obviously play better. I think that we showed that in the third. I think it kind of looked like the third quarter we had against Toronto. It was good that we started off the second half on a good note.”

Donte Greene

“Everything was in rhythm and nothing was really forced. I am just trying to stay consistent. We tried to pick it up a little more down the stretch. I was just out there having fun. That is what I do and that is what I try to do, on and off the court. Life is too short to be too serious. I was having a lot of fun tonight.”

On the upcoming Lakers game
“We have a big game on Tuesday. We look at it as trying to keep running our stuff, stay focused and prepare for the Lakers.”

On the team right now
We are all coming together. Now we have a set core and nucleus for this team. We are just learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses and trying to get better everyday.”

Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Kurt Rambis

On the continuous Kings’ fastbreak
“It wasn’t as much as we have given up in the past. Obviously, it is an area of major concern defense-wise. Everyone not adhering to their responsibilities and what is supposed to happen when a shot goes up. So they are not getting organized in that fashion. Turnovers hurt. Obviously, bad shots hurt. It is an area of our defense, particularly recently, that has been a nemesis of ours and has been causing problems.

On adjusting to the late scratch
“With Darko (Milicic) being a last minute scratch like that certainly hurts. Players mentally prepare and Ryan Hollins was expecting to not start and then had to gear up mentally to start. That is just an excuse. We still have to come out and play hard. I don’t think we played hard except for a few people out there. I like what Damien Wilkens did out there. I like what Ramon (Sessions) did out there. Ryan Gomes did out there. I like what Wayne Ellington did out there. I thought those guys played hard, continued to fight and tried to do the right things out there.”

On Darko’s late scratch
“He was just feeling ill. Dizziness and upset stomach. I’m not sure what his fever situation is but he just started feeling really bad.”

On defending Tyreke Evans
“I thought Wayne did a good job. He was the one individual in particular that, conceptually, understood how we wanted to defend him. So he got a handle on it and what we wanted to do with our defensive game plan more than anyone else.”

On keeping the players motivated
“We work hard in practice; we work on the individual skills to try to get them better. Keep them focused on learning more about the NBA. But really, most of that comes from within. There is no rule or law that says you have a right to anything in this league. No one is going to hand you wins or opportunities. No one is going to roll over if you give 50 percent effort.”

Minnesota Timberwolves Guard Wayne Ellington

On Guarding Tyreke Evans
“He is so tough to play. He can handle the ball and play with his back to the basket. He can get in the lane and I just try to contest his jumper and stay in front of him. That is the best you can do really. I’ve know Tyreke since he was a freshman back in high school. So I know his game a little bit. He is quick. He is a big, strong, athletic guy. It is tough to stay in front of him.”

It’s Open Net time! Discuss the game here on Full Court Press before the game, during the game and after the game. Leave a comment below to begin the discussion.

Like many post-practice days, Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey hung out after another intense practice.

They talked trash, shared laughs and played videogames.

Saturday night, however, they were joined by 1,000-plus friends inside the bowl of ARCO Arena for the annual Kings Season Ticket Holder Party.

While the pair playfully sparred over their respective videogame talents, a young Kings Season Ticket Holder, who did his best to teach Dorsey a lesson on the court of NBA2K10, accompanied them.

“Joey thinks he’s all that and the bag of chips on this game he’s never played before,” Landry said laughing. “He’s trying to score all the points with himself, so it’s funny. We’re just having a good time. That’s what we do at the hotel the majority of the time. We play videogames against one another, so to have a chance to do it against our fans, Season Ticket Holders and each other, it’s cool.”

While Dorsey and Landry entertainingly carried on their rivalry, Omri Casspi and Tyreke Evans sat nearby holding court of their own, challenging Season Ticket Holders of all ages to contests on the popular basketball videogame.

“We’re out here having fun with the fans,” Evans said smiling. “I play this game all the time, so it’s all good. We’re having fun, talking trash, but the most important thing is we’re all out here showing the fans a lot of love.”

The players’ show of thanks to their loyal supporters was well received as fans enjoyed the opportunity to mingle, chat and take photos with their favorite members of the team.

“I’m having a ball!” Debi Stevens, who has renewed to be a third-year STH in 2010-11, said. “I’m getting a lot of autographs, and my shirt is covered (with players’ signatures)… It’s a good thing to be a Season Ticket Holder to be able to do this.”

“We’re getting the opportunity to meet some of the players,” eight-year Season Ticket Holder Raoul Francis said. “(My nephew) is taking some pictures with them. It’s his birthday. Jason Thompson is his favorite player, and he signed his jersey. It’s really about the kids. He’s having a good time and I’m having a good time.”

Thompson, who’s been known to bust a few dance moves, put his fancy footwork on display as he challenged Season Ticket Holders in Dance Dance Revolution. Nearby, fellow second-year forward Dontè Greene held his own on the drum set as he joined Sacramento Kings Dance Team members Lauren and Candace and STHs in a game of Rock Band.

“I have a lot of fun at Season Ticket Holder parties,” second-year SKDT member Lauren said. “They’re just a great way to get out and meet with our fans and show our appreciation for what they do for us all year long, and it’s just a great way for them to come out and have a great time.”

Veterans Spencer Hawes and Beno Udrih took turns signing autographs and taking photos with STHs as they played pool. Francisco Garcia and Ime Udoka rested their feet while trying their hands at blackjack. Dominic McGuire shot hoops with STHs on Pop-A-Shot. Sean May and Jon Brockman, who have expressed their fondness for cinema on Twitter, joined fellow film lovers for Movie Trivia.

As Season Ticket Holders walked from station to station, acquiring raffle tickets and meeting their favorite Kings players and SKDT members, they enjoyed an array of delicious foods while sharing their excitement about the future of Sacramento’s team.

“I like the energy,” nine-year Season Ticket Holder Joseph Smith said. “I like the fact that they have a really good coach. We have some young players who are playing hard (and) competing, and I think that’s what everyone wants to see.”

“I like the youth,” Francis said. “We had a wonderful draft, probably the best draft out of everybody. I think we have an All-Star in Tyreke. There’s no question he’s going to be Rookie of the Year. We love Casspi… We have Kings fans everywhere now because of (him). As long as we keep building, I don’t really mind the record. I love the effort. As long we have (it), I think that’s what’s important, and I think we’ll get where we need to be.”

As Kings PA announcer Scott Moak called out the winning numbers for the raffle, Joseph and his son, Stephen, were among the lucky winners – a basketball autographed by Greene. With the ball signed by the Kings forward, who Stephen had the opportunity to meet earlier in the night, tucked under his arm, Joseph and Stephen beamed as they headed for the ARCO exits. Despite the enthusiasm they shared for winning the Kings memorabilia, they were more excited to attend their next game. As Season Ticket Holders, every Kings game proves to be another special moment for their family.

“We have so much fun at the games that win, lose or draw,” Joseph said. “We walk away with, we had the family time and it’s a memory we’ll cherish, and we just wait for the next game. We know there are good things ahead, possibly the Playoffs next year. There’s a lot of energy, so we’re excited to be Season Ticket Holders and enjoying the ride.”

With the young Timberwolves, defending champion Lakers and Playoff-bound Bucks on the Kings upcoming home schedule, the ride’s thrill continues.

Interested in becoming a Kings Season Ticket Holder today? Learn more.

March 12, 2010 - At ARCO Arena, Brandon Roy tallied 20 of his game-high 28 points in the first half as the Blazers helped Nate McMillan earn his 400th coaching victory with a 110-94 win over the Kings. Portland scored nine unanswered points to turn a 31-29 lead into an 11-point advantage and extended the lead to 15, 61-46, at halftime. The Kings could not recover as the Trail Blazers stretched the lead to as many as 26 points late in the third quarter. Both teams were close in rebounding (Kings, 33 and Portland, 35) and field goal percentage (Kings, 50.6 and Portland, 51.4). However, the Trail Blazers capitalized on 32 trips to the charity stripe, making 29 free throws and converting 20 Kings turnovers into 21 points. Carl Landry led the Kings with 18 points and Francisco Garcia added 17 points off the bench. Tyreke Evans recorded a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 18 points for Portland and Andre Miller added 15 points. Marcus Camby grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

“Well I can’t say that was the greatest game the Kings have played this year by a long shot. There was a lot that showed our youth and inexperience. I thought that the Blazers’ defense was very aggressive and took away a lot of our first options. We responded like a team that’s been together for 12 games, which is what we are. They forced us into 20 turnovers. When we’ve been playing well these past eight games, we’ve only had one real bad turnover half – that was the second half in Dallas. We had a bad turnover game today. It takes away any other good things that might happen when you constantly are not getting good shots. Not only that, you’re starting the other team’s fastbreak with your turnovers. So that was a big negative for us. When you look at the stat sheet and the rebounds are relatively even, we shoot 50.6 percent and aren’t even close, that tells you a lot about the importance of these turnovers and just how tough the Blazers were – obviously, Brandon Roy in the first half and throughout the game and then in the second half (LaMarcus) Aldridge. They just picked us apart offensively. They look like a team that’s heading for the playoffs and we look like a team that’s barely been together long. So we need to get better from this game, learn from it, cut down our turnovers and bring more energy for the entire game. I thought that they played with much more energy than we did tonight too which is a really disappointing thing to say – I haven’t said that about our team very often this year – but I thought we looked like we let them be the aggressor tonight.”

“They looked like they were playing the first game of the week and we looked like we were on the second game of a back-to-back, didn’t we? I thought Roy, in the first half particularly, we couldn’t stop him. We did a pretty decent job on the rest of the guys at least numbers-wise but he took whatever he needed to take and it seemed like he never missed.”

“We didn’t do a very good job of getting dribble penetration. I think that we have to space the floor better. We looked at our last game and thought we spaced the floor pretty well against Toronto but tonight looked like we had nowhere to go. We did not space (the floor); we did not attack well. I give the Blazers a lot of credit.”

“(Andres) Nocioni is a good player. He’s proven what he can do in this league. Like everybody else on this team, if somebody’s playing, somebody has to be sitting. It’s nothing against him. We have a lot of players that play that position and it’s hard to give them all as much time as they would like to have. Other times in this year, Andres was playing a lot and I would get questions about why Donte Greene wasn’t playing. Then sometimes Donte and Andres would be playing and people would want to know why Omri Casspi wasn’t playing. We have a lot of good players in that position and we try to give players a fair look for long periods of time but it doesn’t always work that all of them can get as many minutes as they’d like. Right now it happens to be that Andres is left out but he’s a good player and that’s just the way our team is right now.”

Tyreke Evans

On what happened tonight
“They ran plays and we fell apart. We had too many turnovers. I think we had at least 20 turnovers. They also rebounded and got second shots. It looked like they didn’t even play last night.”

On the Trail Blazers’ play
“They have been together for a long time. They just continue to run their offense. Brandon Roy got hot and once he hit they all just started hitting. Rudy (Fernandez) also starting hitting and then we just fell apart.”

On Brandon Roy
“He came out and was able to get to the line. He hit a couple of shots and then he was on from there. He played at his own pace so he was able to find the shots he wanted. He is an All-Star and that is what he is going to do.”

On Andre Miller
“He is a veteran, so he is a smart player. He makes some smart plays and will try to cut you off and stuff. He has been in the league for a long time, so he knows more things than half the players on the team.”

Carl Landry

On what went wrong tonight
“Turnovers were the problem. You can look at the box score and see that. It is plain and simple like that.”

On all the calls by the refs
“That is a part of the game (all the whistle blowing by refs). We missed seven free throws. The rebound war was pretty much the same, but it was our turnovers. That is what killed us. We gave them about 15-20 points just off turnovers.”

On if their back-to-back had anything to do with their play
“It wasn’t them (tonight), it was us. I am not going to give any team in the league credit, we can compete with anyone. They are a good ball team and a playoff team, but tonight it had nothing to do with them playing a back-to-back, it was us.”

On if they are starting to have cohesion
“We are getting better as a team. Obviously it didn’t look like it tonight, but we are. We have practice tomorrow and we are going to go back to the drawing board. We will try to correct some of the mistakes that we had in tonight’s game and the last couple games. We have to just have to try to keep getting better every day.”

Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Nate McMillan

On tonight’s game
“I’m really pleased with these guys. To face the Kings and Golden State, games we really needed, our guys came out with a business-like approach. They played the game from start to finish in a back-to-back. Sometimes letdown is written all over a game like this. We knew they (the Kings) play better in this building and we had to come out and play better than last night. The challenge was to take the fourth quarter (from last night) and take it into tonight’s game.”

On the recent play of Brandon Roy
“It has taken a while to figure out how to use him with this group. Pick-and-rolls, which he has been really good at, teams have been double teaming and trapping. Now we are isolating him and just allowing him to go one-on-one and play from one side of the floor and the middle of the floor. It has taken a little while to adjust with the group that we have and figure out plays and take advantage of his skill. The last two games, he has just taken advantage of that and made good plays.”

On their strategy defending Tyreke Evans
“Nicolas (Batum). Get some length on him. Square your shoulders and try to shadow him in transition because he is really good going coast-to-coast. Just trying to square your shoulders and keep him in front of you and don’t allow him to get into the paint.”

Portland Trail Blazers Guard Brandon Roy

On his recent play
“I was in a great rhythm before my hamstring. I felt like, offensively, I was playing at a high level. And it is coming back. I kind of judge my game between how I’m playing my in-between game, my midrange. When I feel like that rhythm is going, then I am tough to guard. I feel like I am starting to get in a groove and just feeling confident out on the floor.”

On how he approached the game
“Tonight, I wanted to come out and be aggressive. Coming off a back-to-back, I wanted to come out and play hard and let the team know that that was last night and this is another game. Second half, late in the third quarter, I wanted to be patient and get guys involved. The fourth quarter, I wanted to finish the game and took what the defense gave me and continue to be aggressive. Even if that means to pass, just put pressure on the defense.”

On where they fit in the playoff race
“We know we are in eighth place, but we want to move up. It may be tough, but our biggest thing is to try to continue to move up in the standings. I feel like if we look behind us, we may put too much pressure on ourselves. Why settle? Let’s move up as high as we can. I try to look at the teams ahead of us like what the Spurs do, what is Phoenix doing and Oklahoma City. Those are teams that we feel like are close enough that, if they slip, we can catch them.”

On the expectations on the team for this season
“Expectations, those things change. That is why the NBA is 82 games and we have had our share of injuries. It also says how tough the West is. We may win 50 games and who is saying that is a failure. We put the expectations behind us a while ago. I think we are just trying our best to make the most of the team we have now. We have (Marcus) Camby here and he is getting in his flow and helping us a lot. I feel like I am getting my rhythm back from sitting out so long with that hamstring. We feel like we have a pretty good team.”

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On his night, Tyreke Evans put on a show, notching his first career triple-double and the first for the franchise by a rookie in the Sacramento era.

What made the Rally for RekeROY Night especially encouraging for Kings fans, however, was seeing the first-year leader guide the Kings to a well-rounded, decisive 113-90 team victory.

While Evans finished with 19 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, becoming just the third rookie this season to tally the double-digit trifecta, his teammates showed, like Sacramentans, they’re rallying the Kings back to an exciting brand of basketball. The team may be out of the playoffs this season, but united, the Kings plan to be back in the postseason picture soon. In the meantime, they’ll happily disrupt a few opponents’ playoff aspirations.

Beno Udrih notched a game-high 24 points and eight assists, combined with his rookie backcourt mate, the pair dished more assists than Toronto, as a team (15). Dontè Greene — smiling, encouraging, celebrating and supporting, as always — tallied 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block while making life difficult for the Raptors’ frontcourt on defense. Carl Landry posted another solid outing with 15 points, thanks to 7-of-8 shooting to finish the game, and six rebounds of his own, as Toronto discovered first-hand how difficult an Evans-Landry tandem is to defend.

Coming off the bench, Francisco Garcia and Jason Thompson did their part to give Sacramento’s second unit a boost. Garcia scored 12 points while shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from the field and corralling five rebounds. Thompson, meanwhile, put together a 10-point, five-rebound effort while being a significant factor in the team’s ability to limit All-Star Chris Bosh to 14 points on 6-of-20 shooting from the field.

With seven-point, eight-rebound and eight-point, six-rebound outings, Spencer Hawes and Omri Casspi, respectively, may not have had the best shooting nights, but along with their teammates, the young stars helped the Kings double the Raptors on the offensive glass (14-7) and dominate the defensive boards (38-26).

In less than 14 minutes, forward Sean May scored three points, grabbed two rebounds and swiped nearly half (3) of the Kings seven steals. Even newcomer Garrett Temple had a part in the Kings 20-plus point win, making his ARCO Arena debut.

In their first of a five-game, 11-day home stand, the Kings won by a season-high 23 points, which included a remarkable 43-point third quarter where the team shot a blistering 75 percent from the field. With its incredible 73-point second half outburst, the team improved to 16-15 at home and an impressive 7-9 in the second game of back-to-back sets.

Now with a day to rest, the Kings gear up for a rematch against Brandon Roy and the Portland Trail Blazers, who held Sacramento to a season-low 81 points the night before the Kings steam rolled the Raptors. In honor of the team’s well-deserved day off, check out the litany of links below celebrating Evans’ dynamic play, because even though it was a team win, the Kings rookie’s tremendous talent is making Sacramento shine, once again.

And They Called Him R.O.Y. - Sactown Royalty

How’d He Do That: Evans’ Triple-Double - NBAPlaybook.com

Curry Not Serious Contender to ‘Reke - Cowbell Kingdom

Triple-Double Has Fans Standing with ‘Reke - SlamOnline.com

Tyreke Evans’ Crowning Achievement - Blogcritics

Evans Get Triple-Double in Kings Win - Sacramento Press

Tyreke Evans May Have Clinched Rookie of the Year - FanHouse

Creat-A-Caption: We are All Tyreke Evans - Yahoo! Sports

Evans May Become Biggest Star of 2009-10 Class - SI.com

Ranking the Rookie Point Guards - SI.com

Kings Promote Evans for Rookie of Year - Sacramento Bee

Mayor Johnson Talks About Evans, RekeROY Rally - Sacramento Press