The Sacramento Kings can now breathe a sigh of relief. In an NBA season where every game counts for them to make it to the playoffs, the Rudy Gay squad needs every player on the hardwood court - especially the veterans. Following suspensions meted out against star player DeMarcus Cousins, another NBA star absent in court could crush the playoffs dreams of the Sacramento Kings. Hence, it was a spectacular day for the squad when news leaked of Rajon Rondo's acquittal from yet another issue.
The NBA initiated an investigation of the allegations that the former Boston Celtics star attempted to trip Deron Williams during a game. In a tight match between the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings, every minute was crucial. The game went into overtime where Williams made the decisive shot that saw the Chandler Parsons squad emerge victoriously. While the game itself was exciting, the face off generated buzz due to the events in the sidelines. The game ended with the Dallas Mavericks bringing home an 116-117 win over the Sacramento Kings.
A clip from the NBA game emerged which showed Rondo sticking out his leg to reportedly trip Williams. The latter was then in the process of making a three-point shot - the same move that sealed the Dallas Mavericks' victory over the Sacramento Kings. Since then, the video of the alleged sideline kick went viral with fans and sports analysts calling for an aggressive pursuit from the NBA.
However, it looks like the viral clip simply made things worse than it actually seemed. A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity with USA Today, disclosed that no punishment will be meted out against Rondo. The NBA reviewed the incident from all camera angles and found that Rondo's leg moved sideways. This observation was made through the baseline camera, which showed that the Sacramento Kings star's leg did not make even the slightest contact with Williams' foot.
Meanwhile, Cousins still laments the lack of calls for the fouls he incurs during games. The explosive center also voices out his opinions on the excessive fouls called against him. The latest incident which evoked such emotion from Cousins occurred during the game against the Golden State Warriors.
"They don't care man," shared Cousins via the Sacramento Bee, referring to the officials who handed him his fourth foul with 37.3 seconds left in the game. He added, "It's bigger than us, and we all know that. It's not just about going out there and just playing basketball. It's bigger than us. It ain't about who's the better team." The Draymond Green squad won 128-116 over the Sacramento Kings.
Although Cousins admitted that the game against the Stephen Curry squad had been a "great one," the Sacramento Kings star still insisted that it would have been better if the referees called the shots properly. He shared that the failure of the NBA refs to recognize these things thwarted their team's efforts.
Cousins said of the refereeing during the match up against the Klay Thompson squad, "There were some plays made that kind of sealed the deal, so of course you're going to be frustrated. We worked too hard to be treated liked that." He added, "I think we had an incredible effort tonight through all the adversity we had to face tonight. I thought we had a great game."
