Happy Friday, Kings fans! Or, as we like to call it, Cryday, because it's the start of yet another weekend that the Sacramento Kings will likely ruin before it even has a chance to begin. The Kings are on a roll and have ruined two Fridays in a row now by losing by a combined margin of 59 points. It's almost funny how dramatic that sounds but then I remember that this is my reality and the crying commences. I only refrained from clouding my vision with tears during Wednesday's loss so that I could enjoy Kawhi Leonard. If I have to watch my team lose to anyone, I want it to be to the fundamental Fun Guy.
The only sliver of hope in all of this is that we are still only 15 games in. There is still time to turn things around. But the question, as always, remains if the Kings will make a productive 180 degree turn and find the energy and chemistry to compete, or if they will go around in circles until they make themselves dizzy, fumble through the season on weak legs, and ultimately collapse in a heap of sweat and confusion. The talent always makes us hope for the best, but history has prepared us for the latter.
The Backdrop
The Sacramento Kings entered this game 5-10 and seeded at the 13th spot in the Western Conference.
The New York Knicks entered this game 8-8 and seeded at the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference.
After a short trip to Los Angeles, the Kings return to Golden 1 Center tonight before heading back on the road. What was originally supposed to be a six-game road trip has been shortened to four, as the next two games scheduled in Memphis have been postponed due to safety protocols. This means the Kings will have five days off between tonight and their next game. I'm hoping they use this unexpected rest time to push themselves tonight and grind out a win. Currently holding the longest losing streak in the league (four games), the Kings need to take advantage of any breaks they can get and turn them into wins.
I miss the days when the New York Knicks were on par with the Kings in being a dysfunctional franchise. For most of this century, the Knicks have struggled to get back to their glory days of the 80s and 90s. Missing the playoffs for the past seven years, the Knicks have shared the spotlight with us when it comes to bashing on failing franchises. They have cycled through just as many head coaches as we have in the past 20 years (11) and have been regarded, just like us, as a clusterfuck.
But things are different now in the big apple. Led by new head coach, Tom Thibodeau, who has over 30 years of experience in this league, New York Knicks fans are enjoying some real defense. The Knicks are rated 5th in the league in defensive efficiency and 1st in the league for points allowed, averaging just 102.8 per game. They are also coming to Golden 1 Center with a three-game winning streak pushing them forward, bookended by a 15-point victory over the Golden State Warriors from last night.
In conclusion, I don't feel good about this. But, here's to still foolishly hoping that the Kings don't make this three Crydays in a row...
Quick Stats
Because numbers make things make sense.
Outcome: Kings win, 103-94
Sacramento Kings: 103 PTS, 41.8% FG, 35.3% 3 PT, 21 AST, 6 TO
New York Knicks: 94 PTS, 38.3% FG, 22.7% 3 PT, 19 AST, 11 TO
De'Aaron Fox (SAC): 22 PTS, 7 AST
Harrison Barnes (SAC): 21 PTS, 7 AST, 8 REB, 9-9 FT
Julius Randle (NYK): 26 PTS, 15 REB, 10-11 FT
RJ Barrett (NYK): 21 PTS, 7 REB
It only took four Fridays this year, but we finally have a happy one! The Kings won AND held the Knicks to just 94 points! That's 29 points less than their average! Exclamation points everywhere!!! To pair with their great defensive effort, the Kings also took care of the ball on the other end, with only six turnovers for the whole game. It may not come often, but DAMN it feels good to win.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Because all three are consistent parts of Kings basketball.
The Good:
Halifornia Love: Tyrese Haliburton knows how to party. After struggling the past few games with unusual turnovers and lack of offensive production, Tyrese shook the rust off tonight and brought all the good things we love about him. We saw the usual deflections, playmaking, and hyped energy. My favorite sequence was in the 2nd quarter when he anticipated a cross court pass, intercepted it for a clean steal, and punched it home on the other end. The very next defensive play, he blocked a driving shot in the key and caused the Knicks to turn the ball over on a shot clock violation. With his outstanding play and confident swagger, Tyrese showed this New York team why the west coast is the best coast.
3rd Quarter Defense: Although New York sits at 29th in the league in 3rd quarter scoring, we need to build these Kings up any chance we can. The Kings held the Knicks to 18 points in the 3rd quarter, which is almost unbelievable for this Sacramento Kings team. But we have to hand it to the Kings for coming out of halftime with a noticeable defensive presence. It was refreshing to see a change from their first half of defensive breakdowns and lazy block outs.
Closing Out the Game: At the 4:30 mark in the 4th quarter, I got the familiar sinking feeling as the Knicks closed the gap to just two points. We've seen this so many times before. But instead of the usual nightmare ending, the Kings actually pulled themselves together and closed out the game like a real NBA basketball team. There were consecutive defensive stops, intentional offensive possessions (i.e. Harrison Barnes mismatch against Elfrid Payton), made free throws, Tyrese Haliburton steals, and the resounding De'Aaron Fox slip through for the slam to seal the win. Dare I say, it was some damn good Kings basketball. *KNOCKS AGGRESSIVELY ON WOOD*
The Bad:
Eyesore Isos: Once they found a flow and the compounding confidence that follows, the Kings executed good-looking offense. However, leading up to that, they once again fell back into stagnant ball-watching and ugly isolations. Once the shot clock gets to around eight seconds and you see five Kings players standing outside of the paint, you know what's to come - an ugly mid-range fadeaway or pull up 3-pointer. Aside from it just being really ugly and boring offense to watch, when everyone stands around the perimeter, there is no one to crash the boards. The Kings need to send an opposite side cut to the basket to provide options but also to be there on the offensive glass. Instead, everyone stands around the perimeter hoping for a kick out 3-point look, but this just makes them that much easier to guard.
The Ugly:
Beating Themselves on the Boards: The Knicks are currently ranked last in the league in points per game (101.8) and 25th in offensive efficiency. As a team struggling offensively, the Knicks rely on second chance opportunities and easy put backs, and the Kings gave them just that. The Kings allowed the Knicks to grab 16 offensive rebounds tonight, which is, quite frankly, disgusting. These second, and sometimes third, chances on possessions allowed the Knicks to stay in the game, for the whole game, despite shooting 38.3% from the field. One lowlight that will haunt my nightmares was a 3-point airball from Immanuel Quickley that was picked up by Obi Toppin sneaking in from the opposite end of the basket who then got a quick reverse put back for the and one.
Royal Court Jester
Because someone is always actin' a fool.
This one made me groan and then giggle. Tonight's Royal Court Jester goes to Harrison Barnes. Our reliable vet got a quick pass in transition on the wing from Fox and made an immediate move to the basket. He took two long steps towards the rim, started feelin' himself a bit, and decided to go for the exclamation point slam. It was something I wasn't expecting from Harrison, and I felt myself take a sharp inhale when I realized he was going for it. He wound the ball up with the force of a grown man and... brought it down right on the back rim. The ball flew off the rim and the Knicks secured the ball. It was one of those plays that makes you groan because that's two easy points you lose out on just for the sake of show.
Luckily, Harrison made up for it on the next possession when he resorted back to his old man game with a strong drive on Elfrid Payton for an and one. Once he made up for those missed points and added an extra made free throw for good measure, I was able to giggle at his missed hammer.
The King of Kings
Because at least one person does at least one good thing, usually.
Despite clutch performances from Tyrese Haliburton, De'Aaron Fox, and Harrison Barnes, I want to highlight someone else. Tonight's King of Kings goes to Chimezie Metu for two big plays during less memorable minutes:
In the 2nd quarter, Glenn Robinson III attacked the basket in transition but came up short. Before the ball had a chance to make it's downward path back to the floor, Metu had GR3's back and was there to throw the ball back down for the slam.
In the 3rd quarter, Buddy Hield got switched into a mismatch on defense against Obi Toppin. Obi backed Buddy down into the low block and quickly spun towards the baseline to the bucket. As Obi threw the ball up to score, Metu exploded from the weak side and rejected Obi's bunny.
Although these plays won't be remembered in comparison to the big closing ones (I couldn't even find any good media for them - sorry, Chimezie), these are the kind of plays that make winning basketball. Being there for your teammates on both ends of the floor has rippling effects that builds confidence, chemistry, and momentum.
Up Next*
Wednesday, January 27th @ Orlando Magic @ 4:00 P.M. (PT)
*Two games have been postponed due to "unavailable players" on the Grizzlies' roster and "contact tracing for other players" in alignment with coronavirus safety protocols:
Sunday, January 24th @ Memphis Grizzlies
Monday, January 25th @ Memphis Grizzlies
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