Sacramento Kings Win Their Finale, Sending Jerry Reynolds Out The Right Way
By Rafe Wong
The Sacramento Kings defeated the Houston Rockets tonight by a score of 96-83. Listed down below is the game summary as well as some key notes to take away from tonight’s contest.
Game Summary
The beginning of the game was shaky for the Kings, but they eventually were able to get into their rhythm as they took a 28-22 lead after one. For the Kings, Buddy Hield led the team in scoring with eight points. For the Rockets, it was Gerald Green with nine points.
The Kings continued to play well in the second quarter which resulted in a 52-44 lead for them going into halftime. The third quarter was another period where the Kings were efficient, and as a result, they took a 79-63 lead into the final period. The Rockets were able to construct a little rally in the attempt to come back. But fortunately, the Kings held on to win their 27th game of the season by a score of 96-83.
Final Thoughts
Although the Kings were able to defeat the Rockets tonight, Houston came into the game very shorthanded. Due to the team already sealing the #1 seed for the playoffs, Houston decided to rest the majority of their players which inevitably gave the Kings an easy win.
This victory will hurt the Kings in terms of where they will be placed in the draft lottery, but the coaches and players on the team do not care about that. The Kings’ job every game is to win and get better as a team, and tonight they did exactly that.
And besides, tonight was the last time Jerry Reynolds, Kings’ legendary color commentator, announced a game for the Kings. So it is only fitting that his last game ends with a Sacramento win.
Listed down below are some key facts to take away from tonight’s contest.
Key Takeaways
- Tonight was the last time Jerry Reynolds announced a Kings game alongside Grant Napear. Kings fans should know that Reynolds has been the Kings’ color analyst for the longest time, and at the age of 74, he has decided to take a step down and enjoy the rest of his life. If you are looking for a good cry, click here to watch the video tribute the Kings played for Reynolds during tonight’s match.
- Justin Jackson again had one of those games where he was completely inefficient. Tonight he recorded zero points, four rebounds, and two assists while shooting 0-8 from the court.
- The Kings were balanced in scoring tonight as seven different players on the roster scored in double digits. The leader of the pack was Willie Cauley-Stein as he recorded 22 points.
- Gerald Green was by far the best player for the Rockets tonight as he scored 31 points while shooting 11-22 from the floor and 7-17 from the perimeter.
- Vince Carter finished the game with 12 points and three rebounds. Tonight’s game may be the last time the future Hall-of-Famer will rock the purple and white, meaning two legends possibly ended their tenure with the Kings tonight :(.
Buckle up Kings fans. This offseason should be exciting for the Sacramento Kings!