Kings Media Day, Part 2

So this is part two of my first post, which had two interviews from Kings Media Day. Visit The Sacramento Bee's website to see a short and long video of my interviews with the Kings players and Coach Westphal.

Kevin Martin

Q: What did you do this summer?

A: I went to Hawaii with my fiance.

Q: I heard you play video games. What's your favorite?

A: I have PlayStation 3 and my favorite game is Madden NFL 10.

Q: Did you like hosting a kids basketball camp this past summer?

A: Yes.

Q: In high school, besides basketball, what other sports were you good at?

A: In high school, I only played basketball. Before that, I played football, baseball and basketball.

Q: What do you like most about the new guys?

A: Their work ethic. They're all working really hard.

Spencer Hawes

Q: What is it like being 7 feet tall?

A: It's inconvenient most of the time. But it helps me do what I do on the court.

Q: What do you like to do when the team is on the road.

A: I like to sight see in the cities we visit.

Q: Besides center, what is your favorite position?

A: Center is my favorite position.

Q: Who is the toughest player you play against in the NBA?

A: There are a lot of tough players, like Yao Ming, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard and others. Yao is the toughest.

I was at the Kings Open Practice last night. They scrimmaged each other, and it was really fun. It was so interesting how they practiced. Everyone watching was so excited when they dunked! I got to see the new Kings players play, like Tyreke Evans, Jon Brockman, Sean May, Desmond Mason, Sergio Rodgriguez, Omri Casspi, Lenny Smith and Melvin Ely. Look for my upcoming posts for interviews with the new players and the rest of the team.

I think we'll have a great team this year! Gooooooo Kings!

Sac Bee Doesn't Make the Grade

When I woke up this morning, I thought I had my blog all planned out. But when I picked up the Sunday paper, I had different thoughts completely! In today's sports section, Sam Amick graded all of the Kings players. He graded the players' efforts, and his grades are totally bad and unfair.

For example, he gave Kevin Martin a C+, even though he's been averaging over 20 points for the last nine games. Another example, Francisco Garcia's grade was a C-, even though he's been saving us defensively and from my perspective he's the most aggressive player on the team. Plus, his scoring just gets better and better. Personally, I think Sam Amick's writing about the team gets an F because it's the most negative and just plain wrong. His perspective is more than off. His perspective is so bad I can't think of a bad enough word for it.

If I had been graded in the paper like the Kings have, I would feel terrible. If we want to see some more wins, the guys need to see more positive things. When I get off the court and my coach comes over to me, he tells me how I played great and also tells me how I can play better. If he said to me, "You played terrible, I could see better playing from a donkey, your grade is an F," I would want to just quit.

Enough negative stuff. This past week, I saw the Kings that I've dreamed of seeing for the last 41 games. They won two of four this week which is better than they've done in a long time. I was at the Mavs game, and they creamed them. The beat Golden State in triple overtime!!! They almost came back during the Bucks game. What can make a fan happier than that?

I gotta go get ready to watch some NFL football games today, like the Steelers (I got a lot of comments about that in my last post), and then the Eagles v. the Cardinals. I'm rooting for the Steelers and the Eagles.

One last note to my Kings: Don't let this Sac Bee article get you down. He's just one person. Think about all of the fans that love you guys.

Gooooooooo KINGS!!!!!!!

Finally...Third Grade Basketball!

Yesterday was the season opener for my school basketball team, and we won by a lot. The final score was 46 to 16. I started as a point guard, and in the first quarter I managed 4 steals, 3 assists and 2 points. By the end of the game, I had 8 points, 7 steals and 5 assists. It was fun, until I cramped up at the end of the game and couldn't play the last five minutes.

My teammates played fantastic! They hit a lot of outside shots and good lay-ups, and we had at least 30 rebounds. Chase had a lot of fast-break points, a few assists and he did some great passing. Troy played really well, too; he had 5 assists and passed really well. Logan had a great rebounding game, with at least 5 offensive rebounds and probably 10 defensive rebounds. Jack F. did an amazing job with assists, and hit two key shots at both the beginning and end of the game. Lenny hit a lot of far shots and had 3 steals and a pair of assists. We are now 1-0, with another 11 games to go.

Tonight, I can't wait to get to ARCO to see the Kings take on the Dallas Mavs. If you're headed to ARCO, check out my mom's blog (www.sacfoodies.com) for some good eats at Kings games.

Now, I'm headed downstairs to watch what's probably the best football game that TV has to offer today: the New York Giants v. the Philadelphia Eagles. Just in case you're wondering, I'm rooting for the Eagles.

Until next time, goooooo Kings!

How the Kings Are Improving

When I watched last night's game against the Pacers, I knew from the beginning of the first quarter that the Kings were going to have some great stats by the end of the game. Kevin Martin had 20 points in the first half of play, and in the second half he had 25 points -- 45 points by the end of the game, almost breaking his career high of 48 points. He tied his career high of most 3-pointers scored in a single game (7). Plus, I was impressed that the Kings scored 117 points, playing away from home -- 69 of those points were bench points.

That's why I was disappointed when I picked up the Sac Bee today and saw all the negative coverage again. I mean, I know they're losing a lot right now, but I'd like to see coverage of some of the positive stuff the Kings are doing right now. Like, how Kevin Martin scored 20 points in the first half alone. Like how the Kings held the Pacers to scoring only 39 bench points. Like, how Bobby Jackson scored some sensational three-point swishers.

If I were the Sac Bee reporter, I'd focus on the improving stats. I'm sure Kings fans -- not to mention the team -- would appreciate that.

Well, I'm headed downstairs to make it look like my sister , not me, made the big mess in the TV room! Looking forward to the game tomorrow against the Nets (even though I have to Tivo it because I won't be home yet from school).

Gooooo Kings!

Kings Christmas Wish List

Today I was thinking about doing something a little special, so I'm going to give you my Kings Christmas wish list. Here are my wishes for the guys:

• For Cisco -- He's an incredible 3-point shooter, and I wish for more 3-pointers for him.
• For Beno -- He's so great at driving to the basket, I wish for more opportunities for him.
• For John -- He's excellent at faking out players for those outside 2 point shots, and I wish for more of those.
• For Kevin -- I wish that his injury would heal fast, so he can get back in the game.
• For Brad -- He's a powerful shooter, and I wish for more shots at the beginning of each game.
• For Spencer -- He's "Hawesome" at hook shots, and I wish for a lot more of them.
• For Jason -- He's so great at getting those offensive rebounds, I wish for more of them.
• For Donte -- He's an excellent dunker, and I wish for more dunks.
• For Bobby J. -- He's really great at getting steals, and I wish for more of them.
• For Bobby B. -- He's been a really consistent shooter, and I wish for more opportunities for him.
• For Mikki -- He's really good at getting the misses and dunking them, and I wish for more of those.
• For Sheldon -- He's a really good low post player, and I wish for more points off of those low post shots.
• For Quincy -- His strength is those long balls, and I wish for more opportunities for shooting.
• For Coach Kenny Natt -- I wish him lots of support for winning some games for the rest of the season.

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and some exciting games and a ton of wins in the New Year!

Keys to Winning the Game

When I woke up this morning, I felt like doing a blog post before heading off to school. I've been really busy this week with all of the Christmas stuff. But the Kings have a big game tonight, playing the Houston Rockets in Houston, and I've been thinking a lot about tonight's game. They'll be facing former team member Ron Artest, and to top it off, Ron is working with the coach the Kings had before Reggie Theus.

I'm guessing this game's going to go pretty smoothly, since there's no rivalry between the teams. The Kings can pull out a win because they've got all of their core players in (except for Kevin Martin), and I believe these guys have what it takes. Plus, our rookies can really support the veterans by finishing at the basket.

Not to steal from Jerry, but these are my keys to the game: Cisco needs to come out with some real heat in the first quarter to get the Kings started right. John Salmons needs to keep coming out and hitting shot after shot, just like he did against Portland in the first quarter. Spencer and Brad are doing everything they can defensively, but they should take more shots when they have wide open looks. I love to see Beno drive in for the lay-up, but he needs to just trust the passing, too. Jason Thompson and Donte Greene are good at getting those offensive rebounds and putting them back up in the basket, and lighting up the court with some dunks.

My stomach is rumbling, so I'd better go eat breakfast. I'll be watching tonight with a 3-D poster I drew for the team. Gooooo Kings!

Basketball Comparisons and Thoughts

How to Behave: When I was at the Kings v. Knicks game last night, I sat near the visitors bench again. I noticed that the Knicks team and the coach were very classy (unlike the Nuggets -- see my post from last Sunday). The Nuggets' coach was on the court almost the whole game, but the Knicks' coach either sat or stood on the sidelines, like he was supposed to. The Knicks, as a team, were high energy, but the difference between them and the Nuggets is that the energy didn't come with a bunch of rude comments. The Knicks are a great example of how NBA players are supposed to act when they're on the job.

I Still Believe: The Kings lost to the Knicks last night because they allowed the Knicks to get a big lead in the first quarter, and they couldn't get it back. The Kings need to pick up their defense. Also, the Kings are experiencing cold shooting -- they're averaging under 50% from the field. Whatever Reggie did before last Tuesday's game against the Lakers, he needs to do that again. They can't be like the Miami Heat were last year. They did get something like 83% from the free throw line, which is great, and they only had 9 turnovers. But their shooting from the field was atrocious. They were missing easy stuff, and couldn't take advantage of the Knicks cold shooting.

Guys, if you're reading my amateur blog post, know that I still believe in you. Let's kick some butt and take some names against Minnesota tomorrow night.

Gooooo Kings!

My Kings Got Game

When I saw how the Kings played the Lakers on Tuesday, from the first quarter through the end of the game, I thought they were a whole different team. John Salmons kept Kobe from scoring until the second quarter, and that really impressed me because during the pre-game show, Koz and Kayte said that no one person can guard Kobe Bryant. And John Salmons took the post of guarding Kobe seriously.

The energy was amazing from everyone on the team. What got the fire started was my favorite player, Francisco Garcia. Cisco had 9 points in the first quarter of the game -- he was really intense! He finished the night with 21 points, the same as John Salmons. He played the game he loves, he played hard, and it resulted in a big win for the Kings.

I knew within the first five minutes of the game that the Kings were going to win. The Kings were playing like a team that was playing in the NBA championships. I felt like the Kings were playing with all their heart, especially Spencer Hawes, who had to guard the powerful Pau Gasol. He did a good job and didn't foul him very much.

I think the Kings can win at the Lakers on Friday. The Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns yesterday, so I think they won't be as hungry for a payback win. I'm looking forward to watching the game on Friday, and going to the game on Saturday when the Kings take on the New York Knicks.

I smell pizza downstairs, so I'd better go eat dinner. GOOOOOO KINGS!!!!

How Not To Behave

Last night, I was at the Kings game v. the Denver Nuggets. If there's one thing I learned at last night's game it's the Denver Nuggets, including their coach, behaved terrible. For example, their coach went two feet onto the court when the teams were playing. Plus, when a flagrant foul was called on Francisco Garcia, it was really Balkman who should've had a foul. The Nuggets from the bench were calling names and and doing everything to get in the Kings' heads. They reminded me of this kid I know who bullied everyone when we were in second grade.

We were sitting next to where the Nuggets were, and everyone around us was upset. One guy who had the same seats for 15 years said he hadn't seen any misbehaving like that in his life. The Nuggets' behavior made me feel really bad. Their trash talking made me feel sick inside. Last night, I saw a different side to the NBA that wasn't good at all.

That's why I love my Kings. They're professionals, and they don't act like bullies. The Kings make the game fun to watch, but the Nuggets rained on my parade last night.

The Kings play the Lakers on Tuesday at home, and I bet the Lakers behave a lot better than the Nuggets. Last night was surprising. I guess I'm a little bit sad to see what I saw the Nuggets do last night. They didn't deserve that win.

Talking with Francisco

Tonight was the greatest night of my life! I got to meet Francisco Garcia at the Raley's "Get Kids Cooking" event. Francisco was so cool -- and tall! AND he agreed to let me interview him for my blog. I was so nervous, but he made me feel comfortable. Here are the questions I asked him, and what he said.

Q: What's your favorite thing about playing in the NBA?

A: Francisco told me that he plays for the love of the game.

Q: What's your favorite position on the court?

A: Francisco said his favorite positions are point guard and shooting guard.

Q: Who or what inspired you to be an NBA player?

A: He said his uncle would take take him to the park to play basketball, and that his uncle inspired him to be an NBA player.

Q: What do you think the team needs to do to win a play-off spot?

A: He told me that the Kings need to do three things: Play together, play harder and believe.

Q: What advice would you give kids like me, who want to make it into the NBA?

A: Cisco said listen to your family, stay in school, and don't let anyone tell you you can't make it.

I can't wait for tomorrow's game against the Utah Jazz. I hope the Kings can pull out a win. I know I'll be cheering extra hard for Francisco, especially now that I know what a great guy he is. Gooooo Kings!

Winning Hard Games

I totally agree with what my mom said. And I think all she said is true, but there are a few things she missed. Like when she said injuries are hurting the Kings, that's true. But our young guys are really coming out to play, especially Donte Greene coming in as a rookie starter. We couldn't do it without Bobbie Brown either when he's filling in for Beno. And Jason Thompson has really helped us with those three-point plays from the free throw line.

If you get what I'm saying, you feel how hard it is when you see all of these losses. But they can pull out a win with this four game home stand that they're on. Even though they lost the first game to the Mavs, they played their hearts out, and I admire that.

If you don't get what I'm saying, leave me a comment. Oh, and by the way, GO KINGS!

Guest Blogger: Thoughts from My Mom

My son's a little down (okay, devastated might be a more accurate description) about the recent string of losses by our Kings. In my nine-year-old's mind, drafting any posts about his beloved team is like pouring salt into a growing wound. So, I've called a time out, and asked him if I could post as a "guest blogger." So, here it goes.

We saw a license plate frame from a few weeks ago that read "I know true heartache -- I'm a Kings fan." My first reaction was one of empathy -- after all, I lived through the devastating play-off loss to the Lakers way back when. But recent team injuries and losses, coupled with general fan malaise has me thinking quite the opposite. In fact, if I were to create a license plate frame, it would read: "I know true joy -- I'm a Kings fan."

Some might think I'm crazy. (I know my son often thinks I'm a bit addled when I tell him to think more positively.) But here's my rationale:

• We've been sorely affected by injuries to key players, BUT they're on the mend. Cisco's back, and Kevin will likely play Tuesday.
• We've had to pull from our bench and play rookies in the starting line up. BUT, hey, our rookies are gaining experience that other teams' rookies aren't. And we've seen some moments of brillance. And where there are moments, there are the seeds of an entire game.
• We've endured a physically exhausting 17 games in November -- more than any other team except one. BUT, November is history. Let's look forward.

Are you getting my drift here?

Sacramento is known for its amazing fan base, but you'd never know it by looking in the stands, reading the paper, or listening to the radio. Everyone's an armchair coach (yes, even my kid) but we need to start focusing not only on improvements, but what the Kings are doing well. Again, there are moments of true brilliance. We need to focus on the unbelieveable play we're seeing in the first half of games, the fact that we're going toe-to-toe with teams (that aren't affected by injuries) -- and we're nearly winning.

In this season of miracles, let's focus on the glass being half-full: Let's recognize that we have a talented team that plays with extraordinary heart, that never gives up; that we have players who are beating themselves up far more than we are; that we have a team that wants to win, needs to win and will win. And when they win, we'll be watching. We'll never stop watching or whooping it up or experiencing the pure joy that comes from watching our hometown NBA basketball team.

As I always remind my son, it boils down to faith. If you have it, dreams will follow.

We need to have faith in our Kings. We need them to KNOW we have faith in them. That's when amazing happens.