GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: UTAH (13-5) at SACRAMENTO (6-10)

NBA: UTAH at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA UTAH 100
SACRAMENTO 102 2:50 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: UTAH at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA UTAH 104
SACRAMENTO 108 0:55 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: UTAH at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA UTAH 107
SACRAMENTO 117 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: UTAH at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
UTAH 35 21 21 30 107
SACRAMENTO 27 26 21 43 117 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: UTH - DERON WILLIAMS 30, CARLOS BOOZER 19,
RONNIE BREWER 18
SAC - KEVIN MARTIN 25, RON ARTEST 23, JOHN
SALMONS 21</div>

 

By Tom Galland
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) -- The Sacramento Kings arelearning how to close out tight games at home and showing theNBA's elite that Arco Arena is a tough place to play onceagain.


Kevin Martin scored 25 points before leaving with an injury asthe Kings pulled away from the Utah Jazz, 117-107, on Tuesdaynight.


Martin left the game after the third with a groin injury,leaving the scoring load on the shoulders of John Salmons andRon Artest.


Salmons scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth, and Artesteight of his 23 to push the Kings to 7-3 at Arco Arena.

Salmons took over the scoring load for the injured Martin in thefourth and promptly scored the Kings first 11 points to putthem back in front, 85-84, with nine minutes left.

After two free throws by Salmons gave Sacramento a three-pointlead midway through the quarter, Mehmet Okur nailed a 20-footerand Deron Williams followed with a breakaway layup off a stealto put Utah back on top, 92-91.


But Francisco Garcia nailed two long 3-pointers in the final twominutes, the last giving Sacramento a 113-105 advantage with 19seconds remaining. After Williams hit two free throws to makeit 113-107, Utah was forced to foul, and the Kings closed outthe game from the free-throw line.


Garcia had 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 fromthe arc for the Kings.


Sacramento used an 8-2 run to grab its biggest lead at 104-100,but Boozer answered with a three-point play to make it a one-pointgame.


But for the second straight game, Sacramento came up big atcrunch time.


The Jazz came out firing on all cylinders, hitting 64 percent oftheir shots in the first quarter to grab a 35-27 lead.

Sacramento chipped away at the lead in the second as Martincompleted a three-point play, and Brad Miller followed with ashot from the arc to pull the Kings within two at 45-43.

But Boozer scored seven points in the final 4:07 to help theJazz secure a 56-53 advantage at the half.


The lead changed hands three times in the opening minutes of thethird before Sacramento's offense became stagnant, and Utahlooked to be back in control with eight unanswered points tolead, 68-61.


But the Kings re-grouped and closed to within one before RonnieBrewer hit a 20-foot jumper at the buzzer to put the Jazz up bythree points heading to the fourth.

 

NBA: UTAH at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
UTAH 107
SACRAMENTO 117 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: UTAH at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">UTAH (107) AT SACRAMENTO (117)

UTAH

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

D WILLIAMS G 40:52 10-22 7-7 0 3 3 7 3 1 4 30
R BREWER G 36:12 7-9 4-5 3 3 6 2 3 1 1 18
C BOOZER F 32:37 8-14 3-3 1 10 11 4 5 2 3 19
A KIRILENKO F 35:13 3-6 0-0 0 3 3 6 4 0 2 6
M OKUR C 39:52 7-21 1-2 2 4 6 1 5 0 0 17
M HARPRING 17:18 2-7 1-1 0 3 3 0 3 0 2 5
C MILES 16:45 2-5 1-2 3 2 5 0 4 1 2 5
J COLLINS 8:47 0-2 1-2 2 1 3 0 3 0 1 1
G GIRICEK 7:19 2-2 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 4
J HART 5:05 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 2

TOTALS 240:00 42-89 18-22 11 29 40 21 33 5 16 107
(.472) (.818) TEAM REBS: 14 TOTAL TO: 16 (0 PTS)

SACRAMENTO

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

B UDRIH G 33:06 4-10 1-2 1 1 2 3 5 4 2 10
K MARTIN G 30:41 8-14 9-13 0 3 3 1 3 1 1 25
M MOORE F 28:25 4-8 3-4 1 6 7 0 3 1 1 11
R ARTEST F 45:20 8-17 6-8 1 7 8 5 6 1 4 23
B MILLER C 38:19 4-9 4-5 5 6 11 4 3 0 2 13
J SALMONS 27:09 6-9 9-11 1 5 6 2 1 1 0 21
F GARCIA 18:46 4-6 0-0 0 1 1 0 3 0 2 10
Q DOUBY 8:29 0-0 4-4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4
S HAWES 6:04 0-3 0-0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
K THOMAS 3:41 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0

TOTALS 240:00 38-76 36-47 11 29 40 15 26 8 13 117
(.500) (.766) TEAM REBS: 6 TOTAL TO: 13 (0 PTS)

UTAH 35 21 21 30 - 107
SACRAMENTO 27 26 21 43 - 117

BLOCKED SHOTS: UTAH - A KIRILENKO 3, C BOOZER, D WILLIAMS. SACRAMENTO -
B MILLER 2, R ARTEST, Q DOUBY, F GARCIA.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: UTAH 5-15 (.333), D WILLIAMS 3-6, R BREWER 0-1,
A KIRILENKO 0-1, M OKUR 2-7. SACRAMENTO 5-9 (.556), B UDRIH 1-1, R ARTEST 1-
3, B MILLER 1-2, F GARCIA 2-3.
TECHNICAL FOULS: UTAH - D WILLIAMS, M OKUR. SACRAMENTO - R ARTEST.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: JAMES CAPERS, JOHN GOBEL, MONTY MCCUTCHEN.
A - 12,688. T - 2:27.</div>

 

NBA: UTAH at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">UTAH (107)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
D Williams 40:52 10-22 7-7 0-3 7 3 30
R Brewer 36:12 7-9 4-5 3-6 2 3 18
C Boozer 32:37 8-14 3-3 1-11 4 5 19
A Kirilenko 35:13 3-6 0-0 0-3 6 4 6
M Okur 39:52 7-21 1-2 2-6 1 5 17
M Harpring 17:18 2-7 1-1 0-3 0 3 5
C Miles 16:45 2-5 1-2 3-5 0 4 5
J Collins 8:47 0-2 1-2 2-3 0 3 1
G Giricek 7:19 2-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 4
J Hart 5:05 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 2 2

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 42-89 18-22 11-40 21 33 107
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.472, FT-.818. 3-Point Goals:
5-15, .333 (D Williams 3-6, R Brewer 0-1, A
Kirilenko 0-1, M Okur 2-7). Team Rebounds:
14. Blocked Shots:5 (A Kirilenko 3, C Boozer,
D Williams). Turnovers:16 (D Williams 4, C
Boozer 3, M Harpring 2, A Kirilenko 2, C
Miles 2, J Collins, G Giricek, R Brewer).
Steals: 5 (C Boozer 2, D Williams, R Brewer,
C Miles).


SACRAMENTO (117)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
B Udrih 33:06 4-10 1-2 1-2 3 5 10
K Martin 30:41 8-14 9-13 0-3 1 3 25
M Moore 28:25 4-8 3-4 1-7 0 3 11
R Artest 45:20 8-17 6-8 1-8 5 6 23
B Miller 38:19 4-9 4-5 5-11 4 3 13
J Salmons 27:09 6-9 9-11 1-6 2 1 21
F Garcia 18:46 4-6 0-0 0-1 0 3 10
Q Douby 8:29 0-0 4-4 0-0 0 1 4
S Hawes 6:04 0-3 0-0 1-1 0 1 0
K Thomas 3:41 0-0 0-0 1-1 0 0 0

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 38-76 36-47 11-40 15 26 117
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.500, FT-.766. 3-Point Goals:
5-9, .556 (B Udrih 1-1, R Artest 1-3, B
Miller 1-2, F Garcia 2-3). Team Rebounds: 6.
Blocked Shots:5 (B Miller 2, R Artest, Q
Douby, F Garcia). Turnovers:13 (R Artest 4, B
Miller 2, B Udrih 2, F Garcia 2, K Thomas, M
Moore, K Martin). Steals: 8 (B Udrih 4, R
Artest, M Moore, K Martin, J Salmons).

--------------------------------------------
UTAH 35 21 21 30 - 107
SACRAMENTO 27 26 21 43 - 117
--------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Utah - 2 (D Williams, 6:39
2nd; M Okur, 5:50 4th). Sacramento - 1 (R
Artest, 5:26 4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 12,688. T: 2:27.
Officials: James Capers, John Gobel, Monty
McCutchen.</div>

 

By Tom Galland
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) -- The Sacramento Kings arelearning how to close out tight games at home and showingthe NBA's elite that Arco Arena is a tough place to playonce again.


Kevin Martin scored 25 points before leaving with an injury asthe Kings pulled away from the Utah Jazz, 117-107, on Tuesdaynight.


Martin left the game after the third with a right groin injury,leaving the scoring load on the shoulders of John Salmons andRon Artest.


"We scored 43 points in the fourth quarter, which is reallygreat in the eyes of losing Kevin," Kings coach Reggie Theussaid. "I thought we finished the game strong. That was reallybig. We beat a good basketball team tonight."


The news on Martin's injury was not good. Sacramento's leadingscorer is expected to miss four to six weeks, joining hisbackcourt mate Mike Bibby on the sidelines until at leastJanuary.


"Without Kevin, we definitely won't be as good," Artest said."But we have to hang in there and play every possession likeit's our last possession, play hard and stay confident."

Salmons scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth, and Artesteight of his 23 to push the Kings to 7-3 at Arco Arena.

Salmons started the fourth by promptly scoring the Kings first11 points to put them back in front, 85-84, with nine minutesleft.


"He got us into a nice run, just got us going," Kings swingmanFrancisco Garcia said of Salmons' effort. "We need that fromhim sometimes."


"John played huge," Theus said. "It was five or six times in arow I went right to him and he made something happen. You puthim in the spots where he can play and he can usually make ithappen."


After two free throws by Salmons gave Sacramento a three-pointlead midway through the quarter, Mehmet Okur nailed a 20-footerand Deron Williams followed with a breakaway layup off a stealto put Utah back on top, 92-91.


Artest scored on two driving layups that ignited an 8-2 Kingsrun to give Sacramento 102-98 lead. But Carlos Boozer answeredwith a three-point play to make it a one-point game at 102-101with 2:50 left.


"Ron and Salmons were going to the hole at will, getting a lotof and-ones, they did a great job," Williams said. "(Defense) issomething we've got to get better at if we want to be achampionship team. We have to find a way to get stops,especially late in the ballgame."


Garcia nailed two long 3-pointers in the final two minutes, thelast giving Sacramento a 113-105 advantage with 19 secondsremaining.


"I was open and they found me," Garcia said. "It felt good assoon as I let it go."


After Williams hit two free throws to make it 113-107, Utah wasforced to foul, and the Kings closed out the game from thefree-throw line.


"They had a tremendous fourth quarter," Jazz coach Jerry Sloansaid. "We tried to zone them and couldn't keep them in front ofus. Garcia's 3-point shot late did us in."


Garcia had 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 fromthe arc for the Kings.


The Jazz came out firing on all cylinders, hitting 64 percent oftheir shots in the first quarter to grab a 35-27 lead.

Sacramento chipped away at the lead in the second as Martincompleted a three-point play, and Brad Miller followed with ashot from the arc to pull the Kings within two at 45-43.

But Boozer scored seven points in the final 4:07 to help theJazz secure a 56-53 advantage at the half.


The lead changed hands three times in the opening minutes of thethird before Sacramento's offense became stagnant, and Utahlooked to be back in control with eight unanswered points tolead, 68-61.


The Kings re-grouped and closed to within one before RonnieBrewer hit a 20-foot jumper at the buzzer to put the Jazz up bythree points heading to the fourth.


Williams scored 30 points and Carlos Boozer added 19 and 11rebounds for Utah.

 

NBA: UTAH at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">UTAH (107) AT SACRAMENTO (117)

UTAH

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

D WILLIAMS G 40:52 10-22 7-7 0 3 3 7 3 1 4 30
R BREWER G 36:12 7-9 4-5 3 3 6 2 3 1 1 18
C BOOZER F 32:37 8-14 3-3 1 10 11 4 5 2 3 19
A KIRILENKO F 35:13 3-6 0-0 0 3 3 6 4 0 2 6
M OKUR C 39:52 7-21 1-2 2 4 6 1 5 0 0 17
M HARPRING 17:18 2-7 1-1 0 3 3 0 3 0 2 5
P MILLSAP 16:45 2-5 1-2 3 2 5 0 4 1 2 5
J COLLINS 8:47 0-2 1-2 2 1 3 0 3 0 1 1
G GIRICEK 7:19 2-2 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 4
J HART 5:05 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 2
R PRICE DNP - COACH'S DECISION
C MILES DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 42-89 18-22 11 29 40 21 33 5 16 107
(.472) (.818) TEAM REBS: 14 TOTAL TO: 16 (15 PTS)

SACRAMENTO

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

B UDRIH G 33:06 4-10 1-2 1 1 2 3 5 4 2 10
K MARTIN G 30:41 8-14 9-13 0 3 3 1 3 1 1 25
M MOORE F 28:25 4-8 3-4 1 6 7 0 3 1 1 11
R ARTEST F 45:20 8-17 6-8 1 7 8 5 6 1 4 23
B MILLER C 38:19 4-9 4-5 5 6 11 4 3 0 2 13
J SALMONS 27:09 6-9 9-11 1 5 6 2 1 1 0 21
F GARCIA 18:46 4-6 0-0 0 1 1 0 3 0 2 10
Q DOUBY 8:29 0-0 4-4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4
S HAWES 6:04 0-3 0-0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
K THOMAS 3:41 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
D WATKINS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
J WILLIAMS DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 38-76 36-47 11 29 40 15 26 8 13 117
(.500) (.766) TEAM REBS: 6 TOTAL TO: 13 (9 PTS)

UTAH 35 21 21 30 - 107
SACRAMENTO 27 26 21 43 - 117

BLOCKED SHOTS: UTAH - A KIRILENKO 3, C BOOZER, D WILLIAMS. SACRAMENTO -
B MILLER 2, R ARTEST, Q DOUBY, F GARCIA.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: UTAH 5-15 (.333), D WILLIAMS 3-6, R BREWER 0-1,
A KIRILENKO 0-1, M OKUR 2-7. SACRAMENTO 5-9 (.556), B UDRIH 1-1, R ARTEST 1-
3, B MILLER 1-2, F GARCIA 2-3.
TECHNICAL FOULS: UTAH - TEAM 2. SACRAMENTO - TEAM.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: JAMES CAPERS, JOHN GOBEL, MONTY MCCUTCHEN.
A - 12,688. T - 2:25.</div>

 

NBA: UTAH at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">UTAH (107)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
D Williams 40:52 10-22 7-7 0-3 7 3 30
R Brewer 36:12 7-9 4-5 3-6 2 3 18
C Boozer 32:37 8-14 3-3 1-11 4 5 19
A Kirilenko 35:13 3-6 0-0 0-3 6 4 6
M Okur 39:52 7-21 1-2 2-6 1 5 17
M Harpring 17:18 2-7 1-1 0-3 0 3 5
P Millsap 16:45 2-5 1-2 3-5 0 4 5
J Collins 8:47 0-2 1-2 2-3 0 3 1
G Giricek 7:19 2-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 4
J Hart 5:05 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 2 2
R Price DNP - COACH'S DECISION
C Miles DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 42-89 18-22 11-40 21 33 107
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.472, FT-.818. 3-Point Goals:
5-15, .333 (D Williams 3-6, R Brewer 0-1, A
Kirilenko 0-1, M Okur 2-7). Team Rebounds:
14. Blocked Shots:5 (A Kirilenko 3, C Boozer,
D Williams). Turnovers:16 (D Williams 4, C
Boozer 3, M Harpring 2, A Kirilenko 2, P
Millsap 2, J Collins, R Brewer, G Giricek).
Steals: 5 (C Boozer 2, D Williams, P Millsap,
R Brewer).


SACRAMENTO (117)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
B Udrih 33:06 4-10 1-2 1-2 3 5 10
K Martin 30:41 8-14 9-13 0-3 1 3 25
M Moore 28:25 4-8 3-4 1-7 0 3 11
R Artest 45:20 8-17 6-8 1-8 5 6 23
B Miller 38:19 4-9 4-5 5-11 4 3 13
J Salmons 27:09 6-9 9-11 1-6 2 1 21
F Garcia 18:46 4-6 0-0 0-1 0 3 10
Q Douby 8:29 0-0 4-4 0-0 0 1 4
S Hawes 6:04 0-3 0-0 1-1 0 1 0
K Thomas 3:41 0-0 0-0 1-1 0 0 0
D Watkins DNP - COACH'S DECISION
J Williams DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 38-76 36-47 11-40 15 26 117
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.500, FT-.766. 3-Point Goals:
5-9, .556 (B Udrih 1-1, R Artest 1-3, B
Miller 1-2, F Garcia 2-3). Team Rebounds: 6.
Blocked Shots:5 (B Miller 2, R Artest, Q
Douby, F Garcia). Turnovers:13 (R Artest 4, B
Miller 2, B Udrih 2, F Garcia 2, K Thomas, M
Moore, K Martin). Steals: 8 (B Udrih 4, R
Artest, M Moore, K Martin, J Salmons).

--------------------------------------------
UTAH 35 21 21 30 - 107
SACRAMENTO 27 26 21 43 - 117
--------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Utah - 2 (Team, 6:40 2nd;
Team, 5:51 4th). Sacramento - 1 (Team, 5:27
4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 12,688. T: 2:25.
Officials: James Capers, John Gobel, Monty
McCutchen.</div>