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  • What we learned as late collapse dooms Kings in heartbreaking loss

    What we learned as late collapse dooms Kings in heartbreaking loss


    What we learned as late collapse dooms Kings in heartbreaking loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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    SACRAMENTO – De’Aaron Fox’s foul on Jaden Ivey led to a four-point play with 3.1 seconds remaining, and the Kings saw their losing streak extended to five games following Thursday’s 114-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Golden 1 Center.

    Fox had a solid game going all evening before he ran to try to block Ivey’s 3-point shot in the right corner. Instead, Ivey sank the shot and was fouled. He made the ensuing free throw, and the Kings were unable to get a realistic shot off at the end as boos from the home crowd cascaded down.

    Fox finished with 26 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. He also became the 12th player in franchise history and fourth in the Sacramento era to play 500 games for the team.

    Trey Lyles came off the bench to score a season-high 20 points. DeMar DeRzan scored 19 points while Keegan Murray added a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

    Playing without Domantas Sabonis (illness) for the third time this season, the Kings led most of the way but couldn’t hold off the Pistons’ surge at the end.

    Kevin Huerter’s two free throws with 10.8 seconds left to play appeared to be just enough but the Kings once again couldn’t close the deal.

    Here are the takeaways from Thursday’s game:

    Deebo’s Drive Is Back

    With Sabonis unavailable the Kings needed someone to step up and provide some offense. DeRozan did exactly that with his highest-scoring game in two weeks.

    DeRozan was a lot more aggressive with his offense and did more driving and attacking than he had been in recent games. His shooting dropped off a little in the second half when he settled for perimeter shots but he finished the night 7 of 13 from the floor – significantly better than four days earlier when DeRoza suffered through worst shooting performance of the season and six of the seven shots he attempted against the Indiana Pacers.

    3 To Make Up for 1

    It’s nearly impossible to replace the double-double machine that Sabonis is with just one player, so the Kings relied on a trio of big men – Alex Len, Isaac Jones and Trey Lyles. The combination of the three worked out fairly well.

    Lyles did his best to make up for some of the offense, scoring 15 points in the second quarter, while Len and Jones handled the defensive side of things. Len got the start and although limited offensively (four points), he made an impact with on defense and did a good job using his 7-foot frame to alter shots at the rim.

    Bench Bunch

    For one of the few times this season the Kings got plenty of production from their bench. A big part of that was how well Lyles played in his extended minutes but he wasn’t the only one giving Sacramento quality back-up minutes.

    Keon Ellis, Kevin Huerter, Isaac Jones and Colby Jones combined for 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

    The Kings entered the night with the third-lowest scoring bench in the NBA with a 25.5 average.

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    In a gut-wrenching defeat, the Sacramento Kings fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in a late collapse that left fans stunned and disappointed. The Kings had a commanding lead for most of the game, only to see it slip away in the final minutes.

    So, what did we learn from this heartbreaking loss?

    1. The importance of closing out games: The Kings had multiple opportunities to put the game away, but failed to do so. In the NBA, no lead is safe until the final buzzer sounds, and the Kings learned that the hard way.

    2. Mental toughness is crucial: As the Lakers mounted their comeback, the Kings seemed to lose their composure and confidence. In high-pressure situations, maintaining mental toughness is key to finishing strong.

    3. Every possession counts: In a game as close as this one, every possession is crucial. Turnovers, missed shots, and defensive lapses can quickly turn the tide of a game, and the Kings paid the price for their mistakes.

    4. The importance of team chemistry: When the game is on the line, teams need to trust each other and work together to secure the win. The Kings’ lack of cohesion in the final minutes was evident, and it ultimately cost them the game.

    Overall, the Kings’ loss serves as a valuable lesson in resilience, composure, and teamwork. While it may be a bitter pill to swallow, the team can use this experience to grow and improve in future games. Let’s hope they can bounce back from this setback and come back stronger than ever.

    Tags:

    • late collapse
    • heartbreaking loss
    • Kings defeat
    • NBA game analysis
    • sports heartbreak
    • lessons learned in defeat
    • Sacramento Kings breakdown
    • crucial mistakes in late game
    • basketball collapse
    • post-game analysis

    #learned #late #collapse #dooms #Kings #heartbreaking #loss

  • ‘Heartbreaking’ fire in Grampians grows to more than 74,000 hectares

    ‘Heartbreaking’ fire in Grampians grows to more than 74,000 hectares


    Firefighters have worked tirelessly through the night to protect homes from a bushfire that continues to burn through Grampians/Gariwerd National Park in Victoria.

    On Friday, emergency warnings were being downgraded for the Grampians, including Pomonal, Moyston, Willaura, Mafeking and Maroona. The fire is still out of control.

    The fire has grown from 6,000 hectares a week ago to 74,000 hectares, destroying swathes of the park popular with hikers and campers and famous for its jagged rock formations and spring flowers.

    “It is somewhere around the size of Singapore,” State Control Centre spokesman Luke Heagerty said.

    He said more than 600 firefighters had sacrificed family time at Christmas to work on the fire and protect homes.

    “By tomorrow we are expecting to see very settled conditions, which is great news for our firefighters,” he said.

    Fire tears through a grass area

    Members of the Sebastopol Fire brigade have been fighting the blaze. (Supplied: Sebastopol Fire Brigade)

    At its worst on Thursday night, 12 emergency and watch-and-act warnings were in place. 

    Authorities say no homes have been lost, but some sheds, camping infrastructure and outbuildings have been destroyed.

    The focus on Friday is creating containment lines on the active edges of the fire, with cooler conditions providing a five-day reprieve.

    man

    Pomonal General Store owner Stephen Day said locals were feeling stressed about the bushfires burning nearby. (ABC News)

    Pomonal on edge

    At Pomonal, 245 kilometres northwest of Melbourne, residents are dealing with their second fire threat in 10 months.

    General store owner Stephen Day said yesterday brought back a lot of stress and anxiety. 

    “I think the biggest thing was the feeling of loneliness,” he said. 

    “You think there’s nobody left. You know … the smoke everywhere and just uncertainty.”

    Premier Jacinta Allan said she was pleased to see people avoiding unnecessary travel and evacuating as directed yesterday.

    “It’s particularly important this holiday season, with lots of people on the move, to follow advice and follow the rules.

    “Don’t be a dickhead on total fire ban days because it can put people’s lives at risk.”

    The Premier thanked firefighters for their work and for leaving their families at Christmas.

    “They’ve forgone Christmas, they’ll probably have to forgo any New Year celebrations as they protect communities and battle this very large and serious fire in the Grampians.”

    A large plume of smoke hangs over the Grampians.

    The Grampians bushfire has burnt through roughly 70,000 hectares. (Supplied: Andre Dalton)

    Ms Allan said despite cooler conditions over the next few days, the Grampians blaze was expected to burn for weeks.

    “Whenever the wind picks up or changes direction … that’s a risk point. There is still a long way to go,” she said.

    Interstate reinforcements

    A total of 100 emergency service personnel from NSW, ACT, QLD, and Tasmania are stationed at a pop-up base camp in Ararat.

    A second temporary base camp has accommodated 220 people from CFA strike teams.

    Incident controller Mark Gunning said the south-westerly change overnight was challenging.

    “This fire ran almost 20 kilometres out of the Grampians yesterday,” he said.

    State Control Centre spokesman Garry Cook said the fire edge now stretched 338 kilometres.

    “That would take you to Albury-Wodonga from Melbourne, to put it into perspective.”

    “The ground crews and air crews did a phenomenal job on that eastern side from Pomonal all the way down to Glenthompson,” 

    He said authorities were now working on reopening roads to allow residents to return to their homes. 

    Infrastructure affected

    The fires have cut power to hundreds of homes and businesses at Moyston, Willaura and Pomonal.

    “We will be working closely with emergency agencies to access the grounds when it is safe,”  Powercor spokeswoman Emma Tyner said.

    The Mt William communications tower has been destroyed in the fire, causing disruptions to NBN and Optus mobile telephone communications. 

    Some rural residents have reduced water pressure due to increased demand on water for firefighting.

    Ararat Mayor Jo Armstrong told ABC News Breakfast that community members at the relief centres in Ararat, Stawell, Skipton and Hamilton are leaning on each other for support.

    “There are many cups of tea that are shared in a relief centre. There’s no doubt about the support that people are able to give one another.”

    A hotel

    Owner operator of the Dadswells Bridge Hotel Motel says he will offer free accommodation to emergency service personnel. (Supplied)

    ‘Heartbreaking’ fire

    Dadswells Bridge hotel motel owner, Noel Maslamoney said it had been a difficult few months, after a very different natural disaster.

    “We’ve just come out of that [damaging] October hailstorm that we had, ” he said.

    “It’s heartbreaking. It’s terrible.

    In Lake Bolac, staff at the local pub stayed behind last night to help prepare meals for firefighters.



    The devastating fire in the Grampians National Park has continued to grow, now surpassing 74,000 hectares in size. The blaze has left a trail of destruction in its wake, burning through precious wildlife habitats and threatening nearby communities.

    Firefighters have been working tirelessly to contain the inferno, battling challenging conditions and erratic winds. Despite their efforts, the fire has proved difficult to control, with authorities warning that it could continue to spread.

    The impact of this fire is truly heartbreaking, with many residents forced to evacuate their homes and wildlife struggling to survive in the scorched landscape. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this disaster, and we can only hope for a swift end to the devastation.

    As we come together to support those in need and rally behind our brave firefighters, let us also reflect on the importance of preserving our natural environment and taking action to prevent future tragedies like this one. Our hearts go out to the Grampians community during this difficult time.

    Tags:

    • Grampians fire
    • Heartbreaking news
    • Wildfire update
    • Grampians bushfire
    • Emergency response
    • Evacuation alerts
    • Fire containment efforts
    • Australian wildfires
    • Environmental devastation
    • Grampians fire update

    #Heartbreaking #fire #Grampians #grows #hectares