Category: Basketball

Hustlin' Hugo: Gonzalez is earning Celtics' trust with energetic play originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics just wrapped up a blizzard of early season basketball, logging five games in seven nights with matchups against some of the top teams in each conference. But amid that 240-minute blur, one play is seared in our brains more than any other. 

Late in the third quarter in Philadelphia on Friday night, as Boston’s double-digit lead evaporated in an NBA Cup tilt with the 76ers, Quentin Grimes collected a Celtics turnover and broke out in transition for what should have been a breezy breakaway dunk. Even with the swat-happy Derrick White in pursuit, Grimes coasted toward the basket, only to get unexpectedly met at the rim by a full-throttle Hugo González. 

The Celtics’ rookie had covered 80 feet from the opposite side of the floor before brazenly trying to contest at the rim. He succeeded in denying the dunk, though a foul was whistled, and Gonzalez crashed hard into the stanchion beyond the basket for his troubles. 

It’s the sort of hustle play that can endear you quickly to the Celtics fan base. Gonzalez could have been forgiven if he elected to linger near the midcourt stripe given that a Grimes dunk seemed inevitable. Instead, he put his head down and sprinted, then launched himself like a SCUD missile trying to intercept Grimes at the basket. Teammates rushed off Boston’s bench to pry him off the floor for his effort. 

Gonzalez has played just 76 minutes over the first five games of his NBA career (15.2 per game). He got a surprise start against Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons, then logged a DNP in New Orleans the very next night. That about sums up the life of a rookie under Joe Mazzulla.

But even in small doses, Mazzulla has displayed solid trust in Gonzalez, or at least what he hopes Gonzalez might eventually be.

The rookie has been dispatched to cover a venerable All-Star team worth of talent in his NBA infancy and has shown he’s unafraid of the moment. He’s made mistakes and gets an earful each time from Mazzulla, who seems to be pushing him in all the right ways. 

Gonzlaez’s top four assignments might be the Eastern Conference All-Star backcourt if voting took place after two weeks of play. Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brunson, and VJ Edgecombe account for most of Gonzalez’s on-court possessions. On Saturday night, Mazzulla asked Gonzalez to take some turns on Kevin Durant.

Those Durant minutes went about how you’d expect for a rookie giving up considerable size against a future Hall of Famer. But the fact that Gonzalez is willing to throw himself into the fray — be it with that hustle against Grimes, or taking on the challenge of a Durant — is an encouraging sign for the future.

During Mazzulla’s tenure, rookies have rarely seen early floor time in Boston. Gonzalez was one late third-quarter whistle away from getting on the court on opening night while the Celtics struggled to contain Maxey and Edgecombe. His debut ended up being delayed despite his trip to the scorer’s table, but his efforts against Brunson and Cunningham in the aftermath proved he could be trusted against elite offensive talent.

That’s impressive for any rookie, let alone a 19-year-old still getting acclimated to new surroundings. The Madrid native got invaluable reps as a pro in Spain before the Celtics snagged him with the 28th pick in this year’s draft.

The Celtics are outscoring opponents by 4 points per 100 possessions when Gonzalez is on the court. Boston’s defensive rating is 105.6 in his floor time, or 8.6 points per 100 possessions better than the team’s season average.

Opponents are shooting 40 percent against Gonzalez, or 4.9 percent below expected output, per NBA tracking. That’s a solid differential considering the caliber of player he’s routinely defended.

Regardless how the Celtics’ season plays out, the team needs to identify and develop some younger players who can be rotation-caliber presences on the next version of a championship-hunting team. Gonzalez and offseason addition Josh Minott have distinguished themselves with their energetic play out of the gates and look like they can positively impact a team with defense and hustle alone. Both need to evolve as offensive players but you can see their potential. 

Gonzalez carries himself with an obvious swagger. He doesn’t look like a teenager in a foreign land. He seems almost offended when whistles don’t go his way. During one of his first games with Boston, Gonzalez got absolutely hammered trying to score near the basket and didn’t get a call despite how obvious the contact was. Welcome to life as a rookie.

Gonzalez is going to get a tough whistle on both sides of the ball early in his NBA journey. He’s going to get yelled at by Mazzulla and the coaching staff when he makes rookie mistakes. It’s all about learning from the experience.

The potential with Gonzalez is obvious. There’s an All-Defense-caliber player inside of that 6-foot-6 frame, and it simply needs to be unlocked. He shoots with confidence and his ability to knock down shots could be key to increasing his floor time early in his NBA journey. 

For now, he’s going to get thrown to the wolves as a defensive specialist. And he just needs to keep competing. That same night in Philadelphia, a loose ball squirted into the backcourt and was quite clearly headed out of bounds. Gonzalez still put his head down, sprinted, and lunged hard to the floor as the ball trickled into the front row. You could feel the floor burn through the television.

Hustle doesn’t go unnoticed. And in a week where the Celtics did a lot of good things, Gonzalez might have been one of the biggest bright spots with his willingness to compete.

Sixers of all ages have their moments vs. Nets, enjoy themselves early in season originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Just about every single active NBA generation had time in the spotlight for the Sixers on Sunday night. 

Kelly Oubre Jr. was in the middle of it all.

The 29-year-old wing scored 29 points — 22 in a sensational first quarter — and the 5-1 Sixers cruised to a road victory over the winless Nets.

As Oubre observed in the visitors’ locker room at Barclays Center, the Sixers’ night was bookended by extremes. In the early stages, VJ Edgecombe kept on exploding above the rim. In the final minutes, Kyle Lowry entered and drained a corner three-pointer on the first shot of his 20th NBA season, which the Sixers’ bench celebrated with gusto. Johni Broome made his NBA debut and Hunter Sallis scored his first basket, too.

Edgecombe essentially has a lifetime’s less NBA experience than Lowry. 

“He’s a winner, man,” Oubre said of the six-time All-Star guard. “He’s a pro. He’s done this at a very high level for a long time — longer than VJ’s been alive. 

“He’s just an inspiration, honestly. He’s done everything at the highest level that we all would wish to do. Just having him around and seeing him hit his first shot of the year, it brings life into the team. He’s our big brother, so we all root for him.”

Oubre didn’t exaggerate much. When Lowry debuted, the 20-year-old Edgecombe was a 3-month-old baby. Lowry, 39, is now the league’s third-oldest player behind only Chris Paul and LeBron James. He’s happy to be an unofficial assistant coach and mentor. 

“He’s old as hell,” Tyrese Maxey said after a 26-point, seven-assist evening. “But he works out every day — works out hard every day. He’s in there with me early. He rebounds, he screens. … He watches VJ, he watches Jared (McCain). What he’s doing for our team right now … and he’s up cheering. That’s a Hall of Famer we’re talking about. 

“His jersey will probably get retired in Toronto and he’s up cheering for everybody, motivating people, talking in the locker room. I’ve got nothing but love and respect for K-Low and we appreciate having him.”

There’s a circle-of-life aspect to Lowry’s presence on the Sixers. 

He’s been a young bench player, a star, a veteran cheerleader. Almost everything’s changed for Lowry in such an enduring, feisty career. He’s passed everything down. 

“He’s like my leader,” Maxey said. “He comes to me and leads me, and I try to lead the team. I couldn’t do this without him, honestly. He calls me at least three, four times a day and we talk. It’s good, though. I’m glad he’s here.”

On top of Maxey, two other mid-20s Sixers had outstanding games. Quentin Grimes posted 22 points and a career-high 13 assists. Trendon Watford had 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting, nine rebounds and seven assists against his former team. 

“He can do a little bit of everything,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “He can handle and he can post. That’s a spectrum of offense, right?”

Oubre is set to hit 30 years old next month. He’s had quite a strong start to his third season as a Sixer. Over 38 minutes per game, he’s averaged 19.5 points on a 65.7 true shooting percentage. Oubre’s best true shooting mark for a full season is 56.0. The lefty’s also chipped in 6.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.2 assists per game. 

Sunday’s first quarter exhibited the best version of Oubre as a scorer. He noted at media day this year that he wanted to play with less haste and more control. That’s often translated to swift drives and short, sensible jumpers. Oubre hasn’t lost his attacking edge either. 

“Just letting the game slow down, letting it come to you,” he said. “Not going out there and forcing things, not having any preconceived notions. Trusting the work that I put in over the summer. It’s definitely a work in progress as I continue to learn and grow and watch film, but it works. 

“And I’m sure it’s easily digestible that way, if you watch me play. I don’t want to have people watch me play and be like, ‘Oh, he’s forcing’ or ‘He’s rushing.’ It’s just not a good look. So it’s just something that I’ve evolved over time and I’m still continuing to work on.”

He’s a decade or so away from Lowry’s accumulated wisdom, but Oubre sounds like a player who’s logged plenty of years. 

Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid has been fined $50,000 (£38,000) by the NBA for what the league determined to be a "lewd gesture" on the court.

The incident occurred during Philadelphia's 109-108 loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday when Embiid, 31, scored while getting fouled and then made a chopping gesture to his groin.

Embiid has been fined for the gesture on multiple previous occasions.

In a post on X, which also contained the NBA's social media post detailing his sanction, Embiid appeared to suggest the gesture was similar to a signal that officials make when calling a foul for blocking.

He said: "Yall better start fining the refs for doing the 'lewd', 'blocking foul' gesture since I'm not allowed to do it."

Cameroon-born Embiid did not play in Sunday's 129-105 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, sitting out the match as he continues to manage his recovery from a knee injury which required surgery earlier this year.

• NBA results and fixtures

Of course Luka Doncic made the one that didn’t count. 

On a frigid shooting night when the star guard made just one three-pointer on 11 attempts, Doncic swished a 40-footer on a dead ball that elicited a roar from the Crypto.com Arena. 

He instead made an influence in other ways. 

Doncic overcame his bad shooting to still collect his first triple-double of the season, notching 29 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds in the Lakers' 130-120 victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday. Fellow guard Austin Reaves was also struggling with his shot, making just four of 14 three-point attempts, but rallied for 26 points and 11 assists to just three turnovers. 

Although their stars slogged through concurrent off nights, the Lakers (5-2) still shot 50.5% from the field. They tallied 33 assists to 11 turnovers. They won their third consecutive game. 

“We did a lot of really good things and it could have been even better if me and Luka would've made a shot,” Reaves deadpanned. “But supporting cast and everybody around that played really well.” 

Forward Jake LaRavia, who turns 24 on Tuesday, scored in double digits for the third consecutive game off the bench, finishing with 25 points — two shy of his season high — and eight rebounds. He’s averaged 21.7 points per game in the last three games. 

Read more:Luka Doncic returns and Lakers get a road win at Memphis

Doncic, who missed three games with minor finger and leg injuries, scored 40 points in each of his first three games this season. Only Wilt Chamberlain had ever started a season with three consecutive 40-point games. But Doncic was happy to sacrifice the scoring streak Sunday. 

“We get a win," Doncic said, "[it] doesn't matter how many I scored."

Doncic and Reaves struggled in the first quarter, shooting a combined two for seven from the field. Yet the Lakers still led by seven as the star duo combined for eight assists.

Center Jaxson Hayes was one of the main beneficiaries in that span, scoring 11 points on five-of-five shooting. He had a ferocious one-handed dunk off a Doncic assist that got Hayes so amped up that he head-butted the basket stanchion in celebration. He sank his first three-pointer since March 27, 2023, stepping confidently into a shot that put the Lakers up 23-13 and forced the Heat to call an early timeout.

Hayes finished with 15 points and five rebounds in his first start of the year as Deandre Ayton was held out because of back spasms. Ayton’s back flared up during the Lakers’ win in Memphis on Friday, causing him to sit out the entire second half. He was available to return in the fourth quarter, coach JJ Redick said after the game, but with the Lakers feeding off Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt at center, the team didn’t want to risk further injury.

Read more:NBA approves Buss family sale of Lakers to Dodgers majority owner Mark Walter

The Heat (3-3) finished the third quarter on a 20-7 run to pull within four points heading into the fourth quarter. Former UCLA star Jaime Jaquez Jr., playing in front of his hometown crowd, cut the lead to two with an emphatic one-handed putback dunk 58 seconds in the fourth quarter. A hush fell over the Lakers' crowd.

But Reaves helped quell the comeback effort.

He stumbled while trying to dribble behind his legs, but recovered to shoot a fadeaway mid-range jumper with 1.6 seconds left in the shot clock that put the Lakers up by six with 5:13 remaining in the fourth quarter. Less than 20 seconds later, Reaves threw a lob from just inside midcourt to a soaring LaRavia, who brought the crowd to its feet with a two-handed dunk.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Knicks snapped a three-game skid with Sunday's 128-116 win over the Bulls, avenging this past Friday's 135-125 loss and delivering Chicago's season-first defeat.

Takeaways

1. Jalen Brunson's 19 first-quarter points set the tone for New York (3-3), which built a 34-24 lead after 12 minutes. Brunson totaled 31 points on 10-of-22 shooting while adding five rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes. Especially as the Knicks seek consistency under coach Mike Brown, Brunson remains a constant. Since New York's season-opening win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which OG Anunoby led with 24 points, Brunson has been the game-high scorer, pacing the Knicks over the subsequent five contests.
2. Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns had their moments as they complemented Brunson with notable efforts in New York's starting five. While Anunoby added 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting, Towns finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds for his fifth double-double in six games. 
3. Jordan Clarkson and Josh Hart answered the call off the bench after the Knicks' reserves struggled Friday at the Bulls (5-1). Clarkson scored 11 of his 15 points (on 6-of-11 shooting over 18 minutes) in the first half, picking up the slack behind Brunson. Hart, meanwhile, came alive in the second half -- while he plays through injury and adjusts to his new role -- with a 14-point, nine-rebound, three-assist performance over 26 minutes.
4. Mitchell Robinson's second game of the season, after debuting Friday, saw him start once again but play sparingly. He had an injury scare and was scoreless while grabbing five rebounds and blocking two shots in 13 minutes. His progression bears watching as New York gets set to play four games in six days between Friday at the Bulls and Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Who's the MVP?

Brunson, whose tone-setting first quarter was a spark that the Knicks needed before the rest of the team pitched in.

Highlights

OG going to work 💪 pic.twitter.com/V1Db97PbVR

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2025

KAT from WAY downtown pic.twitter.com/bPEmrL1Sx0

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2025

19 first quarter points for Jalen Brunson 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fgTfGPaCqf

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2025

Jordan Clarkson with the spark off the bench 🔋 pic.twitter.com/skgwtFLy5A

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2025

JORDAN CLARKSON. FLAMETHROWER. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/gNI5jSeSZT

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2025

Josh Hart with a corner three! pic.twitter.com/JOdTo4uay0

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2025

Jalen Brunson from deep! pic.twitter.com/9FUWPKUi23

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2025

Josh Hart doing it all 💪 pic.twitter.com/pBrP71zziz

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 3, 2025

What's next

The Knicks have a back-to-back with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff Monday against the Washington Wizards, who are 1-5 and have lost four straight games.

NEW YORK (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 29 points, Tyrese Maxey had 26, and the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 129-105 on Sunday night.

Oubre made 9 of 11 field goals and had 22 points in the first quarter, but limped off the court after injuring his ankle at the buzzer in the third. The forward was cleared to return to the bench with 10 minutes remaining in regulation but did not reenter the game.

Quentin Grimes added 22 off the bench and VJ Edgecombe had 16 points for the 76ers, who have won five of their first six games to start the season.

Philadelphia played without Joel Embiid (left knee), who was held out due to injury management two nights after scoring 20 points in 25 minutes in a loss at Boston.

The 76ers fared well without their All-Star center, shooting 52 percent from the field and leading by as many 28 points.

Philadelphia started the third quarter with a 3-pointer from Maxey to go up 76-55 before the Nets went on an 18-7 run to cut the deficit to 83-73 with 3:07 left.

Grimes scored the next three baskets for the 76ers to increase the lead 90-78 at the end of the quarter. Philadelphia then started the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run, capped by a floater from Maxey with 9:39 left in regulation and put the game out of reach.

Cam Thomas had 29 points and Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann each had 17 for the struggling Nets, who fell to 0-6.

It is Brooklyn’s worst start since the 2015-16 season when they lost their first seven games.

Up next

76ers: Continues their three-game road trip at Chicago on Tuesday.

Nets: Host Minnesota to conclude their three-game homestand on Monday.

Observations after Sixers kick off road trip by blowing out Nets  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — For the first time in the 2025-26 season, the Sixers could breathe easily in the final minutes Sunday night.

They earned a 129-105 win over the Nets at Barclays Center and improved to 5-1. Brooklyn fell to 0-6.

Kelly Oubre Jr. tallied 29 points. Tyrese Maxey had 26, seven assists and six rebounds. 

The Sixers were down Joel Embiid (left knee injury recovery), Paul George (left knee surgery recovery), Jared McCain (right thumb surgery recovery) and Dominick Barlow (right elbow laceration). 

McCain worked out about two hours before tip-off.  

“I know that (George) had a good workout yesterday — both him and Jared — that was live-ish, 3-on-3,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said pregame. “It was good. He is progressing and we’ll just see how it goes.”

Nurse acknowledged that the Sixers were expecting Barlow to have a smoother, quicker recovery. The 22-year-old forward has been out since suffering his injury in the Sixers’ win last Saturday over the Hornets.

“I think there’s (an update) coming here early this week, but it’s been kind of difficult,” Nurse said. “It’s nothing super serious, but it’s just been a little bit longer or more difficult than we maybe initially thought to get this thing healed up, this cut healed up right on his elbow. He’s got to wear this straight kind of brace because it’s right where it bends and all this stuff. 

“But nothing super major. Just need to get that thing healed up and get him going.”

The Sixers will cap their three-game road trip with a back-to-back Tuesday night against the Bulls and Wednesday against the Cavs. Here are observations on their win over the Nets:

Oubre’s scorching start 

Outside of Adem Bona at center, the Sixers’ starting lineup was the same as in their 109-108 loss Friday night to the Celtics.

The team’s defense was again not sparkling out of the gate. Michael Porter Jr. slipped free for a dunk on an out-of-bounds play and Terance Mann scored a fast-break layup that put the Nets up 15-9. Mann’s hoop was preceded by a spectacular, audacious slam attempt by VJ Edgecombe that he narrowly missed. 

Oubre was immediately aggressive. The lefty wing was extremely effective driving past defenders and converting in the paint, often with the help of well-controlled jump stops. He’s made major improvement in that area since joining the Sixers. Oubre now generally appears less rushed once he blows by his man, which has enabled him to make sounder decisions and better capitalize on his burst. 

By the 1:30 mark of the first quarter, Oubre already had 22 points on 9-for-11 shooting. He had zero misses inside of the arc. 

Oubre also knocked down a pair of first-quarter three-pointers, including a heat check corner jumper. The swish confirmed he was still scalding.  

Sixers’ offense humming 

The Sixers’ defense was much improved to open the second quarter. Edgecombe turned a steal into a transition slam that gave his team a 47-37 lead.

Foul trouble did become problematic for multiple Sixers, especially with Nurse sticking to an eight-man rotation in the first half. Big men Bona and Andre Drummond each had three personals by around the midpoint of the second period. 

Offensively, the Sixers remained excellent. They shared the ball, rarely turned it over, probed the defense and found high-quality shots on a regular basis.

Edgecombe was a standout in the second quarter and nailed two catch-and-shoot triples in a row. He missed long on his attempt at three straight, but Trendon Watford grabbed the rebound and dished to the 20-year-old with a head of steam. He jammed in a gargantuan dunk. 

Finally playing with a lead

The Sixers’ advantage passed 20 points on a Maxey three early in the third quarter. He made four long-range shots Sunday and is now just three away from moving past Robert Covington for second place on the Sixers’ all-time list. 

Over their first five games, the Sixers had shined brightest when battling back into games and wiping out deficits. They hadn’t been accustomed to playing with sizable leads. Brooklyn kept the contest competitive in the third quarter and the Sixers’ turnovers began to pile up.

However, it was always evident that the Sixers had superior talent and the Nets’ odds of winning were slim on a poor three-point shooting night (7 for 38).

The Sixers expanded their lead early in the fourth quarter and pulled away from Brooklyn without any trouble. Grimes dished a behind-the-back assist to Watford, whose and-one layup made it 109-93. Both Grimes (22 points,13 assists, seven rebounds) and Watford (16 points, nine rebounds, seven assists) had very productive nights off the bench.

Second-round pick Johni Broome entered for his NBA debut with 4:43 left and the Sixers’ win secure. He had four points and two rebounds. Kyle Lowry also played the first minutes of his 20th NBA season and sunk a corner three.

Embiid fined once again for DX chop celebration vs. Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK —The NBA has not stopped fining Joel Embiid for his signature celebration. 

The league announced that Embiid has been fined $50,000 “for making a lewd gesture” during the Sixers’ loss Friday night to the Celtics.

Embiid’s been fined on multiple occasions for his DX chop celebration, a professional wrestling-inspired move the NBA has previously called “obscene.” He used it Friday in the first quarter after converting an and-one leaner.

The star big man responded to the latest fine by tweeting that the NBA “better starting fining the refs for doing the ‘lewd’ ‘blocking foul’ gesture since I’m not allowed to do it.” 

After scoring 20 points in a season-high 25 minutes against Boston, Embiid’s been ruled out with a “left knee injury management” designation for the 4-1 Sixers’ Sunday night matchup with the 0-5 Nets.

Referee explains why Russell Westbrook wasn't called for flagrant on Giannis originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Following the Kings’ 135-133 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night at Fiserv Forum, Crew Chief Mitchell Ervin clarified why Russell Westbrook wasn’t hit with a flagrant foul after wrapping up Giannis Antetokounmpo on a hard play near the rim.

In a Pool Report interview with Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ervin said the officials reviewed the sequence under the “player altercation” trigger and determined the contact didn’t rise to a flagrant level.

“During that review, there was no windup, impact or follow through by Westbrook and the contact by Westbrook was at shoulder level,” Ervin said. “Therefore, a common foul was ruled on the play.”

Ervin added that because the incident was reviewed as a “player altercation,” the crew was able to examine every part of the scrum for possible unsportsmanlike conduct.

“Player altercation — I could have said a double trigger,” Ervin explained. “I could have said player altercation and flagrant foul review. During a player altercation review, we really have an opportunity to review the play and any acts within the scrum at the end — we could review everything and any possible unsportsmanlike act after the foul.”

A few possessions later, tensions flared again when DeMar DeRozan fouled Milwaukee’s Gary Trent Jr. What looked like a standard shooting foul quickly escalated when Trent was hit with a technical for his reaction.

“The technical foul on Trent Jr. was assessed for unsportsmanlike flail after the personal foul assessed to DeMar DeRozan,” Ervin noted.

The third quarter wasn’t the only stretch that saw tempers flare. Earlier in the game, Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis was assessed a technical foul after shoving Domantas Sabonis in the back, leading to a brief scuffle between the teams.

Later, Bucks guard Cole Anthony was ejected with less than 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

From the opening quarter to the final minutes, the officiating crew was tested on multiple fronts. In a later sequence before Bucks guard AJ Green’s last free throw — when Westbrook appeared to grab Antetokounmpo — Ervin said officials “did not observe that part of the play” and determined no foul or violation occurred.

In a game defined by its physical tone and frequent reviews, Ervin’s comments helped clarify the officials’ decisions on several key moments. It wasn’t pretty, but after a hard-fought 48 minutes, Sacramento ended a decade-long win drought in Milwaukee and secured its second win of the season. The Kings now prepare to face the 3-2 Denver Nuggets on Monday.

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