I still cannot believe that the Sacramento Kings, OUR Sacramento Kings, have won THREE games in a row. As their only other winning streak besides their surprising 2-0 start to the season, I am very hesitant to get happy or excited about this. Maybe if I continue to remain dramatically cynical, they will continue to prove me wrong. So here you go, knuckleheads, I bet you can't win a fourth game in a row. I bet you will flop like you always do and show that any wins you've gotten are just flukes. *crossing fingers behind my back*
The Backdrop
The Sacramento Kings entered this game 8-10 and seeded at the 12th spot in the Western Conference.
The Miami Heat entered this game 6-12 and seeded at the 13th spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Miami Heat were so fun in the bubble. Duncan Robinson became an inspiration to us all. Bam Adebayo broke through his ceiling and emerged as one of the most fun centers in the league. Tyler Herro lived up to his name and became the most swaggy white guy to play basketball since Billy Hoyle. And his hustling partner? None other than the fiery Jimmy "Buckets" Butler himself.
Under team president Pat Riley, the Heat have built a culture that brings to mind one-liners like "we will outwork you" & "don't fuck with us." It takes a certain type of player to survive and thrive in this kind of environment, but when they do, it's terrifying. As they demonstrated last year, the Heat back down to no one and will use every ounce of their being to end you. However, the Heat have gotten off to a disjointed start this season, plagued by different injuries and circumstances. Jimmy Butler has only played in six games, and Tyler Herro only 11 games. The Heat have largely been relying on Bam Adebayo to keep them afloat as they have tried to regain a consistent roster. Tonight, the Heat will have their main core, with Jimmy Butler returning after missing the last 10 games.
Quick Stats
Because numbers make things make sense.
Outcome: Kings lose, 104-105
Sacramento Kings: 104 PTS, 48.2% FG, 37.8% 3 PT, 22 AST, 17 TO
Miami Heat: 105 PTS, 46.8% FG, 34.4% 3 PT, 25 AST, 15 TO
De'Aaron Fox (SAC): 30 PTS, 6 AST
Jimmy Butler (MIA): 30 PTS, 8 AST, 7 REB
Bam Adebayo (MIA): 18 PTS, 13 REB
Well, SHIT. That was a bet I didn't want to win. Talk about a classic heartbreaker. The Kings led early on but in classic Kangz fashion, the Heat slowly chipped away until they took the lead in the 3rd quarter and ultimately held the Kings off just enough. The most frustrating part about this loss is how easily it could have been a win. Losing by just one point always hurts, but taking into consideration the 17 turnovers and the poor free throw shooting (5-11) makes you want to punch a wall.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Because all three are consistent parts of Kings basketball.
The Good:
Kyle Guy Minutes: It was nice to see Luke Walton mixing up his usual rotation and throwing Kyle Guy some early minutes on the floor. Although small, Guy adds just as much defensive energy as Cory Joseph, and surpasses his offensive efficiency by making shots and taking care of the ball. I also appreciate his humble effort every time he gets on the floor. You can always count on him to actively box out (mostly because he has to, as he is always undersized) and tonight he stuck his body in front a full steamed Jimmy Butler. He big brave.
Luke Walton is a Person: Coach Luke Walton's most frequent facial expressions range on a short spectrum between complacency and confusion. It can cause one to wonder if there is an actual person in his 6'-8" curly-haired frame, or if it's just a mostly empty mold pretending to coach. But today Luke Walton's personality came out when he jumped and stomped down his sideline to argue a no-call for De'Aaron Fox. By doing so, he stood up for his point guard and did the arguing for De'Aaron so he wouldn't potentially pick up a second technical foul. This is the most passion and biggest reaction we have seen from Luke and it's nice to know there's a real person in there.
Defensive Activity: The Kings set the pace early with their defensive effort, something they've improved on and ultimately lends to their ability to gain leads in the 1st quarter. Feet were moving, bodies were scrambling, and teammates were helping each other. I especially liked Kyle Guy's minutes in the 1st quarter because he provided the energy that was starting to fade once the Kings' bench entered mid-way through. Sometimes throwing a young guy out there who you know is going to value his minutes, box out every time, and work his ass off gives your team the spark it needs.
The Bad:
Too Much Scramble Defense: The Kings suffer the most on the defensive end when they get caught scrambling and trying to recover from help side coverage. There were many instances tonight where they didn't pick up the ball handler in transition early enough to stop the Heat's momentum. Oftentimes, Jimmy Butler was able to freely push the ball down the floor without resistance. Even if he didn't make it to the basket, his momentum and speed set the pace of the Heat offense and put the Kings on their heels and forced them into scrambles. The Kings have to give themselves a chance to defend properly by slowing down the ball in transition.
The Ugly:
Free (???) Throws: For the Kings, nothing is free. Tonight the Kings shot 5-11 (45.5%) from the free throw line in comparison to the Heat shooting 22-26 (84.6%). Only three Kings players shot free throws tonight: Harrison Barnes, De'Aaron Fox, and Hassan Whiteside and Fox shot a disgusting 3-8. Not only did they fail to get to the stripe throughout the whole game, they failed to cash in when they did. Flipping just two of their six misses would have theoretically won them the game. And that is enough to make me want to SCREAM.
Royal Court Jester
Because someone is always actin' a fool.
Tonight's Royal Court Jester goes to De'Aaron Fox for getting a technical foul for the second game in a row. He isn't as bad, but this is frustratingly similar behavior to Demarcus Cousins when he led the Kings. It's a reminder to Kings fans of groaning and sighing every night as we watched our star player dig himself into bad favor with NBA refs all across the league. The player to ref relationship is a frustrating dynamic in an emotional sport, but it is what it is and it will never change. Loud outbursts, complaining, and reasoning has never and will never work to get a ref to agree with you. Fox needs to accept this brutal fact and find a way to turn his frustration into more fuel in his play rather than his voice.
The King of Kings
Because at least one person does at least one good thing, usually.
De'Aaron Fox turned it on in the 4th quarter after losing his calm in the 1st half, but for his foolish technical, he cannot be the King of Kings. So tonight I'm going to show some love to Marvin Bagley III since I've been finding reasons to shit on him every night. Bagley ended with a good stat line, with 17 points on 7-8 shooting and three made 3-pointers. He still hasn't managed to find himself in end-game situations, but his early contributions are becoming more consistent. In the 1st half, he hit a comfortable corner 3-pointer and in his next opportunity put the ball on the ground and finished at the rim. These spurts show the best of his range and demonstrate his skill and potential versatility.
Up Next
Monday, February 1st @ New Orleans Pelicans @ 5:00 P.M. (PT)
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