The Sacramento Kings have only one nationally televised game this season and the franchise has just gained an important ally in the push to fill up Power Balance Pavilion for that game.  Here We Stay, the grass roots group that rallied fans last season, is back at it, doing their part to promote the need for a packed house for the February 9th game against Clay Bennett’s Oklahoma City Thunder.

Here is the Here We Stay announcement from our friend Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty:

The Sacramento Kings are on national television once this year, on February 9 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s poetic in a number of ways, not the least of which is that the Thunder were the last team to be relocated, and our Kings might be the next.

While our friends in the blog game have been excellent at helping us spread the word about the situation here over the past 11 months, this is really the last opportunity for Sacramento to speak to a truly national audience about why the NBA needs to stay here. It’s also one of our best opportunities as fans to speak to the greater Sacramento region — those who watch SportsCenter, those who watch the local news — about how important the next couple months are in terms of securing the plans for a new entertainment and sports complex. Because it will be on TNT, this game will be covered heavily locally and nationally.

So we need to turn that gym out on February 9. Here We Stay and Sactown Royalty are asking fans to do the same thing we did against the Clippers and Thunder last season: turn up, and turn it out. Blow the doors off. Get the building full — the Kings are running a few specials, including two lower-level tickets for $65 — and wear black and get loud. Bring some creative signs to get onto Inside the NBA, too.

Ed (Montes) will drop in chant instructions next week, and we’ll be asking for volunteers to a) pass out flyers/chant sheets at the entrances before the game, and b) print their own and pass them around their row/section. In the meantime, let’s get this game sold out so we can remind the nation why Sacramento has the best fans in the league. We can see the light. Let’s go get it.

February is a huge month in Sacramento as mayor Kevin Johnson attempts to get the necessary funding mechanisms in place to build a new entertainment and sports facility before the NBA’s March 1 deadline for teams to file for relocation.  Momentum has been on the Mayor’s side for the last few weeks, but major hurdles are still between him and the finish line.

It should be an exciting night.  The Kings are trying to recreate the “black out” scene that fans were treated to during the team’s opening night victory against the Lakers.  The Kings are handing out black “defend your honor” towels and glow sticks while asking all fans to dress in black for the occasion.  This is also the final home game of the season that the Kings are scheduled to wear their new black alternative road jerseys, which have been a huge hit this season.

The Sacramento Kings held practice this morning after last night’s embarrassing defeat to the Denver Nuggets at Power Balance Pavilion. And no surprise, the Kings worked on defense today after allowing the Nuggets to score 92 points in the paint – an NBA record. After the jump, a quick rundown of notes and quotes from head coach Keith Smart, Tyreke Evans and Jimmer Fredette.

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Fantastic observation from Sebastian Pruiti of Grantland on how Sacramento Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette moves without the basketball:

Think about how Ray Allen and Rip Hamilton use screens. You can get dizzy watching them, let alone trying to defend them. When Fredette moves without the ball, he runs in straight lines, rarely changes his pace, and almost never creates contact with his defender. This allows his defenders to “lock and trail” him, so when Fredette receives a pass the defense is already smothering him. With the defense too close for a catch-and-shoot, Fredette is forced to create a shot using his dribble. Once that happens, the defense has already won – they’ve forced Fredette away from his strength, which is shooting, and right back to his weakness, which is creating his own shot with the dribble.

Read more of Sebastian’s breakdown of Jimmer’s season so far over at Grantland.

by Jonathan Santiago and James Ham

Poor interior defense killed the Sacramento Kings, who lost big, 122-93, to the visiting Denver Nuggets Wednesday night.

“Not what I expected,” said head coach Keith Smart postgame. “I’m sure that wasn’t what our fans expected either.  I’m kind of embarrassed for our fans to watch us play that way, but we have to deal with it when things aren’t going well – on the road or at home.”

Sacramento allowed 92 points in the paint in the 29-point blowout.  The Kings inability to defend inside in their final January home game allowed the Nuggets to shoot 54.9 percent from the field.

A 13-0 Nuggets run midway through the second quarter broke the game open and increased the Kings deficit to 17.  Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari scored nine of Denver’s points during that span and would finish leading all scorers with 23 points and five assists.

Jimmer Fredette and DeMarcus Cousins were the Kings’ only bright spots.  Fredette, who started in place of the injured Marcus Thornton, finished with 19 points, his third-straight game in double digits.  Cousins, meanwhile, finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds, his fifth-consecutive game with a double-double.

The Sacramento Kings return to the capital region after a 1-2 road trip.  Their opponents tonight?  The streaking Denver Nuggets, who’ve won four in a row, all victories coming away from the Mile High City.

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The Sacramento Kings have just sent out a press release regarding the health of guard Marcus Thornton.

MARCUS THORNTON INJURY REPORT

SACRAMENTO, CA —- A diagnostic ultrasound test performed on guard Marcus Thornton today at the UC Davis Medical Center revealed a significant hematoma in his left thigh. He is expected to miss approximately one to two weeks of action.

Here’s video of Kings head coach Keith Smart talking about Thornton’s injury with media after shoot-around today.

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A few small, noteworthy tidbits we can pass along to you this evening.

Kevin Sherrets, executive producer of Sacramento Kings radio broadcasts, reported earlier today that Chuck Hayes returned to practice and may be able to go tomorrow night against the Denver Nuggets.  Hayes has been out for the last two-and-a-half weeks after dislocating his left shoulder against the Milwaukee Bucks.   Sherrets added this via twitter:

Chuck Hayes went through a full contact practice today. He says that he has to see how the shoulder responds tomorrow – really wants to play

— Kevin Sherrets (@KSherrets_Kings) January 24, 2012

Sherrets also added that Marcus Thornton did not practice today and is doubtful for tomorrow’s contest versus Denver.

According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, it doesn’t look like the Kings are ready to commit to J.J. Hickson long term, at least not at this moment.  The Kings are in a bit of a pickle.  Not only did they give up Omri Casspi to get Hickson, but a protected number one as well.  Hickson has struggled to fit in with his new team and stands to lose even more time when Hayes returns from injury some time this week.

Bobcats and D.J. Augustin unlikely to agree on extension by tomorrow, and Kings’ J.J. Hickson won’t get a deal by deadline, sources say.

— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) January 24, 2012

Last week, David Aldridge of Turner Sports reported that Jason Thompson would also not receive an extension.

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Sacramento is not just known as a cow town.

In the business community near and far, California’s capital is met with smirks and head shakes as bureaucracy is at its best here.

You’d likely be more successful riding a unicycle on thin ice than starting your own business in the River City. The hoops you have to jump through and the people with zero economic experience you have to convince is beyond daunting.

It has been this way for decades and arena supporters should not be surprised when council members such as Sandy Sheedy do everything in their power to break the shovels that could build a new entertainment and sports complex.

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The road struggles for the Sacramento Kings continued tonight as they lost again by double figures, 101-89 to the Portland Trailblazers. The Kings were without the services of Marcus Thornton (thigh contusion) and Chuck Hayes (dislocated shoulder), while veteran John Salmons went scoreless in 19 minutes after missing Saturday’s game with food poisoning.

DeMarcus Cousins continued his dominant play, scoring 18 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.  Francisco Garcia and Jimmer Fredette played well off the bench, combining for 25 points while hitting five-for-6 from three-point range.

Jamal Crawford scorched the Kings, scoring 26 points in just 32 minutes of action.  Ex-King Gerald Wallace chipped in 20 points and eight rebounds for the Blazers, who are now 10-7 this season.

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After a 33-point drubbing at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Sacramento Kings try to bounce back this evening against the Portland Trailblazers.  Tonight’s contest is the last game of a three-game road trip for the Kings.

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