Kings vs. Blazers: Play-by-play, highlights and reactions

The Sacramento Kings (16-25) play against the Portland Trail Blazers (24-24) at Moda Center Game Time: 9:00 PM EST on Sunday January 9, 2022 Sacramento Kings 29, Portland Trail Blazers 40 (Q2 04:22) What’s the buzz on Twitter? Portland Trail Blazers …

The Sacramento Kings (16-25) play against the Portland Trail Blazers (24-24) at Moda Center

Game Time: 9:00 PM EST on Sunday January 9, 2022

Sacramento Kings 29, Portland Trail Blazers 40 (Q2 04:22)

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
courtside guy’s got @Ben McLemore‘s celebration down 😂 pic.twitter.com/77XK6o83UR – 9:50 PM

James Ham @James_HamNBA
Kings have 29 points with 5:16 remaining in 2Q. Feels like less. – 9:49 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Mitchell just stole the ball from Nurkic like 8 times on one play. – 9:48 PM
Portland Trail Blazers PR @TrailBlazersPR
First Quarter Box Score: Trail Blazers 27, Kings 21
statsdmz.nba.com/pdfs/20220109/… – 9:47 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Holy cow, the mistakes from Terence Davis in his first game back are egregious. – 9:39 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Terence Davis sighting. – 9:36 PM
Casey Holdahl @CHold
Blazers 27, Kings 21: end of first quarter. 6 points, 3 assists for @Anfernee Simons. 6 points for @Ben McLemore. 4 points, 5 rebounds for @Jusuf Nurkic. POR shooting 46 percent, SAC 36 percent. – 9:34 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Kings trail the Blazers 27-21 after 1Q. Haliburton leads with 7 points. – 9:34 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Nice little floater from Davion Mitchell. Kings need him to find his stroke. – 9:30 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Chimezie Metu sighting. – 9:25 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Haliburton drills a triple. Kings climbing out of their hole. – 9:18 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
The Kings don’t want to let Anfernee Simons get going. He had 43 against the Hawks on Monday. – 9:18 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Damian Lillard not joining Blazers on six-game road trip, will see specialists nba.nbcsports.com/2022/01/09/dam… – 9:17 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Alex Len…leading scorer – 9:17 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Marvin Bagley III took a big blow to the injured right thumb. He’s still trying to shake it off. – 9:17 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Fox attacks the rim. Kings finally on the board. – 9:15 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Kings can’t buy a bucket. 6-0 Blazers 2 minutes in. – 9:14 PM
Mike Richman @mikegrich
Maybe meaningless, but Damian Lillard isn’t on the Blazers bench. First home game where that’s the case, I believe. – 9:13 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Blazers turn the ball over on their first possession. – 9:12 PM
Sacramento Kings @SacramentoKings
Drippy in Rip City 🔥  
  
@MichelobULTRA | #ULTRADrip #JOYWINS pic.twitter.com/YFe4A5GHCx – 8:56 PM

Jay Allen @PDXjay
Coach Billups says CJ McCollum is doing great and is completely healthy, in shape, and ready to go. He and his wife, Elise, are awaiting the birth of their first baby. McCollum is expected to return to the court after the baby arrives. – 8:53 PM
Jay Allen @PDXjay
Chauncey Billups says Norman Powell (Protocols) has minimal symptoms at the moment. – 8:51 PM
Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
🏀 #RipCity     vs @Sacramento Kings
⌚️ 6:00PM
📺 @ROOTSPORTS_NW | https://t.co/yBftNpfldh
📻 @RipCityRadio620 pic.twitter.com/pLaHYt1JnO – 8:44 PM

Sacramento Kings @SacramentoKings
Tonight’s Starting Lineup Powered by @Verizon ⬇️
👑 @De’Aaron Fox
👑 @Tyrese Haliburton
👑 @Harrison Barnes
👑 @Marvin Bagley
👑 @Alex Len pic.twitter.com/4Zf9naEYfn – 8:34 PM

James Ham @James_HamNBA
Starters for @Sacramento Kings at Portland Trail Blazers – 1/9:
G – De’Aaron Fox
G – Tyrese Haliburton
F – Harrison Barnes
F – Marvin Bagley III
C – Alex Len – 8:33 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Kings starters vs. Blazers:
G – De’Aaron Fox
G – Tyrese Haliburton
F – Harrison Barnes
F – Marvin Bagley III
C – Alex Len – 8:32 PM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Kings will have De’Aaron Fox and Chimezie Metu available tonight in Portland – 8:32 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox (shoulder) is available for tonight’s game vs. the Blazers. – 8:31 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Updated Injury Report at Portland Trail Blazers – 1/9:
De’Aaron Fox (right shoulder soreness) – AVAILABLE
Chimezie Metu (return to competition) – AVAILABLE
Maurice Harkless (right ankle soreness) – OUT – 8:31 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
They haven’t been together long enough to reach “chunky lemon milk” status like the Blazers or Pacers, but it feels like the Hawks might make some big moves before the deadline. Travis Schlenk seems ready for that based on his recent comments. – 7:53 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
If De’Aaron Fox can’t play, Davion Mitchell will start for the Kings. – 7:40 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Alvin Gentry says Davion Mitchell will start if De’Aaron Fox is unable to play vs. the Blazers tonight. – 7:40 PM
Jay Allen @PDXjay
With big men Richaun Holmes and Damian Jones in the Health & Safety Protocols, the Kings will start Alex Len at center tonight against the #Blazers. – 7:39 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Alex Len will start with both Holmes and Jones in health and safety protocols. – 7:37 PM
Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nuggets (mainly the starters) have had a level of crispness to their offense over the last two games (vs. SAC and so far tonight) that you haven’t seen too often this season. Great ball and player movement and pace in the half-court. – 7:37 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
According to Alvin Gentry, De’Aaron Fox is a gametime decision still today in Portland. Listed as questionable with a sore shoulder. – 7:36 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox will be a game time decision vs. the Trail Blazers tonight due to right shoulder soreness. – 7:36 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Kings F Chimezie Metu is active and available for tonight’s game vs. the Blazers after clearing health and safety protocols. – 7:33 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Chimezie Metu is active and will play according to Alvin Gentry. – 7:33 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Interim Kings coach Alvin Gentry says Alex Len will start at center vs. the Blazers tonight with Richaun Holmes and Damian Jones out due to NBA health and safety protocols. – 7:33 PM
Jay Allen @PDXjay
Coach Billups says Damian Lillard (abdominal tendinopathy) will not travel with the #Blazers on their upcoming 6-game road trip. Lillard will be meeting with specialists this week to decide how to proceed with the injury. – 7:18 PM
Sean Highkin @highkin
Chauncey Billups says Damian Lillard will not travel with the team on their upcoming seven-game road trip. He will meet with a specialist instead to determine next steps. – 7:17 PM
Jay Allen @PDXjay
Ben McLemore will start tonight against Sacramento for Norman Powell (Health & Safety Protocols). #Blazers – 7:13 PM
Michael Singer @msinger
Nuggets starters: Monte Morris, Will Barton, Aaron Gordon, JaMychal Green and Nikola Jokic.
Was curious whether Malone would ride with J-Myke in the starting lineup after such a strong game vs. Sac. He is, indeed. – 6:34 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Sacramento Kings center Damian Jones has entered NBA health and safety protocols. He is out for tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
sacbee.com/sports/nba/sac… – 6:00 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
1st half in Portland: Nesmith 16 p/8r/2a
– positives: 6-7 on 2-pointers. Doing a decent job driving closeouts & hitting mid-range. 8 rebs is new. 2 ast is nice as he drives a lot more.
– negatives: 1-5 on 3’s, still not finding range. 4 turnovers. A few defensive mistakes – 5:51 PM
Chris Kirschner @ChrisKirschner
Hawks fall to the Clippers 106-93 and are now 17-22 on the season.
Young: 19/7, 8/21 FG
Bogdanovic: 19/6/3, 8/16 FG
Hawks finish 2-4 on the road trip, with wins over Cleveland and Sacramento. – 5:39 PM
Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Michael Malone says he was locked in his basement in Denver during his bout with COVID. He says his daughter heard a lot of cursing coming from that basement during Denver’s win vs. the Kings, even though the Nuggets were up by double-digits for most of the game. – 5:37 PM
Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Michael Malone shares that his wife locked him in the basement during the Sacramento game and that has daughter asked him why he was cursing so much with the team up 15 points.
“I’m a perfectionist.” – 5:32 PM
Michael Singer @msinger
Michael Malone: “It was hard (not being there). … I thought Popeye did a great job.”
Said during the Sacramento game, his daughter heard him yelling and cursing from the basement … even though they were up 15 points.
“I’m a perfectionist,” he joked. – 5:32 PM
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
Portland Trail Blazers guard Norman Powell has entered the league’s Covid protocols, sources tell ESPN. Portland is already playing without guards Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum now. – 5:17 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Chimezie Metu has cleared protocol, but he is questionable due to “Return to Competition Reconditioning”. – 5:12 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Damian Jones has been added to health and safety protocols. He is officially out. – 5:09 PM
Greg Brown @gb3elite
What day is it #Ripcity ? It’s Game Day, lego! pic.twitter.com/vREo7lhe3C – 5:08 PM

James Ham @James_HamNBA
Chimezie Metu has been upgraded to questionable (health and safety protocols). De’Aaron Fox (shoulder) and Moe Harkless (ankle) are questionable. Richaun Holmes (health and safety) is out. – 5:04 PM
Buddy Hield @buddyhield
Thank God For Life, Health and Strength 🙏🏾💪🏾✊🏾 – 4:05 PM
Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
KD on why he wants to play Monday in Portland — knowing a lot of other guys in the league might sit so that they don’t have a cross-country flight in the midst of a 4 games in 5 nights stretch.
“I want to play — and then they pay me money to play basketball.” – 3:50 PM
Jamie Hudson @JamieHudson_
Blazers Injury Report:
Damian Lillard (abdominal tendinopathy – injury management), CJ McCollum (right lung pneumothorax) and Larry Nance Jr. (right knee; inflammation) are out for tonight’s game against Sacramento. – 3:26 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
“I wanna play and then they pay me money to play basketball.”
Says Durant on playing in the cross country back to back at Portland. – 3:25 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kevin Durant on playing the second leg of a back-to-back tomorrow in Portland: “I wanna play, and then they pay me money to play basketball.” #Nets – 3:24 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 1973, the Kings’ Nate Archibald had 52 points and 14 assists in a loss to the Knicks.
This was one of three career games in which Archibald recorded at least 50 points and 10 assists, tied for the second-most such games in NBA history behind James Harden (8). pic.twitter.com/0NNy0h6SkS – 3:01 PM