The Sacramento Kings have now lost six basketball games in a row and I am losing my will to live. There are a lot of things that need fixing and not enough tools. Not only have the Kings fallen back into old habits of not playing any defense, but their offense has also begun to noticeably suffer. It's getting more difficult to get into the paint and shots aren't falling like they used to. And when you can't defend and you can't score, you simply can't win basketball games.
The Backdrop
The Sacramento Kings entered this game 12-17 and seeded at the 12th spot in the Western Conference.
The Milwaukee Bucks entered this game 17-13 and seeded at the 3rd spot in the Eastern Conference.
Talk about bad timing. As if things couldn't look any bleaker, the Kings must now try to break their six-game losing streak against the Milwaukee Bucks on the back end of a back-to-back. In a perfectly reasonable world, where the Kings beat teams they should, they would still be around or above 0.500 and this would be a game we could all graciously accept losing. But if there's one thing the Kings forgot to include in their approach to this game, it is reason.
The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off of an anti-climactic playoff performance in the bubble, as they were nearly swept by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals after having a tremendous regular season where they led the league in wins (56). Possibly fueled by this abrupt exit from the bubble, the Bucks' two-time reigning MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is averaging similar numbers to his MVP seasons, with 28 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. On top of this, Khris Middleton is having a career season with 20.1 points and 5.7 assists per game. And as if this wasn't all terrifying enough, the Bucks are 3rd in the league for opponent field goal percentage and 2nd in the league in points per game. Mixing this all together with the Kings' scoring drought and their lack of defense is the perfect recipe for a ruined Sunday night. I'm begging the Kings to prove me wrong, but am not willing to bet a single penny of my hard earned money on the chance that they will.
Quick Stats
Because numbers make things make sense.
Outcome: Kings lose, 115-128
Sacramento Kings: 115 PTS, 44.0% FG, 36.4% 3 PT, 29 AST, 12 TO
Milwaukee Bucks: 128 PTS, 48.9% FG, 39.3% 3 PT, 22 AST, 17 TO
Tyrese Haliburton (SAC): 23 PTS, 8 AST, 3-6 3 PT
DaQuan Jeffries (SAC): 18 PTS, 6 REB
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL): 38 PTS, 18 REB, 19-24 FT
Khris Middleton (MIL): 32 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST
That recipe came out as expected and my Sunday night is once again ruined. Even without Jrue Holiday, the Bucks handled the Kings easily and gave them their seventh loss in a row. The Greek Freak was expectedly freaky and scored half of his points from the free throw line. When Giannis wasn't dominating, Khris Middleton was locked and loaded to step up and nail some incredibly tough shots. And so the super sad saga continues...
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Because all three are consistent parts of Kings basketball.
The Good:
Defensive Strategy Sighting: Early on, I liked the defensive approach the Kings showcased as Marvin Bagley III started on Giannis Antetokounmpo. At first glance, this may sound disastrous, especially since I have been complaining about Bagley's weakness all season. However, I saw the intent of this to be Bagley trying to slow Giannis down as he attacked the paint which would allow Richaun Holmes to step up on the help side as the muscle to meet Giannis at the rim. This worked early on, as the Kings were able to hold Giannis to just five points in the 1st quarter. However, some questionable fouls called on Bagley quickly threw a wrench in this strategy, and the Kings failed to adjust. But it was still an improvement to see the Kings come out with an actual game plan, something they haven't clearly demonstrated in past games.
Holmes Sweet Holmes: The first play of the game concluded with a beautiful Richaun Holmes' push shot and my heart glowed for the first time in the past three games. On the other end, his defensive presence was prominent and felt like a warm hug from a friend that you haven't seen since quarantine. Holmes is truly the anchor of the Kings' defense and tonight he provided reliable support for Marvin Bagley III in trying to wrangle the Greek Freak. Holmes has the unique kind of game that makes everyone around him better. He capped off his return with an absolute hammer in the 2nd quarter and emphatically reminded everyone just how important he is for this team.
The Bad:
Fatigued Fox: Since starting this month with some of his best play and being awarded the Western Conference player of the week, De'Aaron Fox seems to have started to feel the wear and tear of the long and condensed NBA season. Despite a double-double tonight, Fox has shown clear signs of fatigue in the form of turnovers, tired legs, and front-rimmed shots. This fatigue has played its role in the Kings' seven-game struggle, as Fox has been the motor, engine, and wheels that has kept this team moving forward. Without his explosiveness and ability to take over games, the Kings have failed to find other ways to lift themselves up high enough to get wins. We are 30 games in now and I can't blame Fox because I, too, am fatigued - I am tired of watching and writing about this team, so I cannot imagine the exhaustion he must feel from trying to physically carry them to success.
Free Throws: Tonight, Giannis Antetokounmpo nearly MADE as many free throws as the Sacramento Kings ATTEMPTED as a team. Giannis went 19-25 (76%) from the line and the entire Sacramento Kings team shot 15-20 from the stripe. This is one of the many reasons why Giannis is referred to as the Greek Freak. His pure size and athleticism make it almost impossible to guard him when he attacks the rim in open space, thus earning him an inordinate amount of trips to the free throw line. Giannis typically struggles in this area, averaging just 64.3%, but OF COURSE, against the Kings, he was able to far surpass this average. As a team, the Bucks attempted 36 free throws in all, 16 more than the Kings. The Kings struggled to score again throughout the game and weren't able to earn their way to free shots. In the 4th quarter, they didn't even get a single chance from the line.
The Ugly:
Shooting: The Kings shot 12-33 (36.4%) from the 3-point line tonight. At first glance, this falls in line with their season average. But at closer inspection, we notice that two of these makes came from Kyle Guy and Justin James late in the game and another two from DaQuan Jeffries who is just recently gaining more minutes and looks. So that leaves just eight made 3-point shots from our usual suspects of Buddy Hield, Tyrese Haliburton, Marvin Bagley III, and De'Aaron Fox. Especially glaring is the 2-10 from Buddy Hield, who is our reigning 3-point champion. Along with struggles from deep, we also see De'Aaron Fox finishing just 5-17 from the field. This shooting drought is beginning to last longer than normal, and the Kings are sorely suffering from dehydration.
Royal Court Jester
Because someone is always actin' a fool.
To pair with his shooting shitshow, Buddy Hield also took a dump on defense again, making him tonight's Royal Court Jester. In fairness, Buddy has been tasked with some tough matchups in Harrison Barnes' absence. Tonight, he had the tremendous load to carry of trying to contain Khris Middleton, and to give credit where its due, Khris just hit some incredible shots. For that, I am willing to give Buddy a pass. But what I cannot look past is what stood out to me tonight as the most glaring and frustrating defensive blunder of the night. In the 3rd quarter, the Bucks were inbounding the ball under their basket and the Kings were matched up. Buddy was responsible for Pat Connaughton. Buddy did not take responsibility of Pat Connaughton. Instead, Pat blew right past Buddy, straight to the block to receive the inbound and finish the play with an and one. So, I get it Buddy, you can't guard Khris Middleton. But if you can't keep Pat Connaughton in front of you when he doesn't even have the ball, who CAN you guard???
The King of Kings
Because at least one person does at least one good thing, usually.
While we are witnessing the battery of De'Aaron Fox in need of a recharge, there is one guy who has been able to keep his meter running and fill in some of Fox's shoes. Tonight's King of Kings goes to our beloved and coveted rookie, Tyrese Haliburton. We've gotten used to seeing Fox turn a second gear on in the 4th quarter, but since he's been unable to access that switch lately, Tyrese found his own tonight. Ending with 23 points and eight assists, Tyrese stood out as the young star that he is. In pick & roll situations, he always seems to make the right decision. He's got the soft touch that allows him to rise up off of a screen and drop the ball either in the basket or into this teammate's hands for an easy two points. He was also our only consistent long range shooter tonight, as he finished 3-6 from the 3-point line. And we can't forget how good he is on the other end. My favorite thing from him tonight came in the 4th quarter where he was getting backed down by the larger Bobby Portis Jr. When Portis Jr. turned to make his move towards the basket, Tyrese tied him up and forced a jump ball. I love his toughness and unwillingness to be intimidated by anyone. In these dark days, all I can say is, Halilujah for Tyrese.
Up Next
Tuesday, February 23rd @ Brooklyn Nets @ 4:30 P.M. (PT)
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