It is only February, we are still in 60 degree weather here in Sacramento, and the calls for tanks have already begun. The rational part of me gets it - we are in a bad way and the 2021 draft class has some shiny prospects we can position ourselves into getting if we commit to the tank now. The irrational and dramatic part of me hates it - it has been FOURTEEN years since the Kings have had any measurable success. That is half of my life. So for half of my life, I have only known pain, misery, and heartache. For half of my life, we have been "rebuilding." For half of my life, we have given the Kings the go ahead to give up at a certain point in the season in hopes for the future.
As a fan, I feel stuck in a situation where I can't win. Supporting the tank means trusting our front office to move this team forward for the better, something that history has strongly cautioned against. It's like saying, "maybe the stove won't burn me this time," as I close my eyes and place my charred and scarred palm on the hot burner. But not supporting the tank and instead imploring that this team keep battling for wins also has a history lesson that is likely to end in further disappointment with little lottery reward. There's no clear answer to what is right and what will result in the least amount of pain, and in short, I hate my life.
The Backdrop
The Sacramento Kings entered this game 12-18 and seeded at the 12th spot in the Western Conference.
The Brooklyn Nets entered this game 20-12 and seeded at the 2nd spot in the Eastern Conference.
The days are just getting darker. The Kings have now lost seven in a row while the Nets are looking to notch their seventh consecutive win tonight. I am still having nightmares of the fire that Kyrie Irving set on the Golden 1 Center just eight days ago. Even in the absence of Kevin Durant, the Brooklyn Nets have been dominant, beating both LA powerhouses in their last two games. Kyrie has physically and verbally handed Harden the keys to the point guard position, and so far, it's been the right move. Harden is able to keep the ball in his hands, control the flow of the offense, and facilitate in the ball-dominant way he is used to. Meanwhile, Kyrie has been relieved of ball-handing responsibilities to focus purely on assassination. In their last meeting, the Kings got a taste of the deep bag of weaponry that Kyrie possesses, which ranges from razor sharp layup specials to long range sniper shots.
The Nets have three of the most prolific scorers in the league with three of the most interesting personalities in the world. Even more terrifying than their on-court power and potential is the fact that they seem to be getting along and having fun together. Though it's wonderful for James Harden, it's not a good sign for the rest of the league to see James Harden happy, smiling, and living his best life. And it's certainly not a good sign for the Sacramento Kings tonight.
Quick Stats
Because numbers make things make sense.
Outcome: Kings lose, 118-127
Sacramento Kings: 118 PTS, 51.7% FG, 48.4% 3 PT, 25 AST, 15 TO
Brooklyn Nets: 127 PTS, 49.4% FG, 42.5% 3 PT, 30 AST, 8 TO
De'Aaron Fox (SAC): 27 PTS, 8 AST, 5-8 3-PT
Tyrese Haliburton (SAC): 23 PTS, 9 AST, 4 3-PT
James Harden (BKN): 29 PTS, 14 AST, 11 REB
Bruce Brown (BKN): 29 PTS, 11-13 FG
Well I would be smiling too if I was James Harden. Playing Nets basketball looks pretty damn fun. Although the Nets have been criticized for their lack of defense, it hasn't really mattered yet, as they're able to simply outscore their opponents. In a game where there wasn't much defense on either end, and despite another career night from Tyrese Haliburton and a late-blooming showing from De'Aaron Fox, the Nets were just able to score more than the Kings.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Because all three are consistent parts of Kings basketball.
The Good:
Fight: The game started out eerily similar to their last matchup, with Kyrie Irving cooking right away. A quick mid-range jumper and subsequent 3-point pull from Kyrie, neither of which touched any part of the rim, set up what looked like would be another long night for the Kings. Kyrie continued his incredible shot making, ending with 14 points in the 1st quarter, before slowing down until later in the 4th. While Kyrie cooled off, Harden put the chef hat on and scored 25 points through three quarters. On top of this, the Nets hit 17 3-pointers. Despite these bad signs, the Kings managed to fight their way back from being down by as much as 14 points to take their first and only lead in the 3rd quarter. The Kings ultimately lost the 4th quarter execution game, but AT LEAST the fight was there. As Kings fans, we have to take what we can get...
Holmeswork: I'll go back to school if it means we can get more Holmeswork. In his second game back off of injury, Richaun provided the unique energy and consistency that only he can bring. Going 9-12 from the field, with a handful of those being big slams on rolls to the basket, Richaun had another efficient impact on the game. His best sequence was hitting a short push shot on the offensive end and immediately getting in the face of the ramen noodle-headed Nicolas Claxton on the defensive end to force the turnover and transition points. Please never leave us again, Richaun.
The Bad:
Half Court Defense: The Sacramento Kings are still the worst defensive team in the league and it's not hard to see why. The Nets shot a total of 40 3-point attempts, all but a few which were wide open looks. All it took was one screen for a Nets' shooter to get daylight towards the basket. The Kings did get big stops to fight their way back into the ball game, so it's hard to say that these constant lapses are just due to a lack of effort. As sad as it is, I think they're actually trying to play defense. So this then leads me to question if they've been taught how to play defense. When a shooter is able to just run off of an off-ball screen to curl into a wide open shot, I have to wonder what in the world do you work on at practice???
The Ugly:
Transition Defense: The only thing that's worse than Sacramento Kings half court defense is Sacramento Kings transition defense. This has been something that has been bugging me for the past few games. The Kings not only get completely beat down the floor for wide open buckets, but are also easily mixed up in simple transition. There's little communication between players which results in early mismatches and full on scrambles before the opposing team even sets up any planned offensive movement. The worst instance came in the 1st quarter when, AFTER A MADE KINGS FREE THROW, Bruce Brown received a 75-foot floater pass from James Harden for a wide open drop into the basket. It's lapses like this that make me wonder if the winning play we saw from the Kings earlier this season was all just a quarantine fever dream.
Royal Court Jester
Because someone is always actin' a fool.
The Kings got their usual starting five back tonight with the return of Harrison Barnes. However, it seemed that this group still had to shake off some rust, as they committed seven turnovers in the 1st quarter and struggled to find a flow together. For summing up this struggle with one especially face palm inducing turnover, tonight's Royal Court Jester goes to Harrison Barnes. As Barnes attacked the paint from the top of the arc, he was quickly slowed down by his defender. Barnes was forced to pick up his dribble, and in desperation, looked to kick the ball out to a perimeter teammate. But instead of finding the hands of a teammate, Barnes shot a kick out pass straight to the sideline ref. The ref showed quick reflexes as she dodged the ball and let it fly out of bounds. After half a quarter of sloppy play already, it was the kind of turnover that just makes you blink slowly, nod your head, and realize it's just going to be that kind of night.
The King of Kings
Because at least one person does at least one good thing, usually.
It couldn't be anyone else. For the second game in a row, tonight's King of Kings is Tyrese Haliburton. I don't want to imagine where this team or my mental health would be without this kid. As a whole, this Kings team is going through a slump. But on an individual level, Tyrese Haliburton is playing some of his best basketball. What stood out to me tonight, aside from his usual defensive activity and 3-point drilling, was his confidence. Especially when he took over in the 2nd quarter, you could tell he wanted the ball and he wanted to be the one to get this team going. And, of course, he was the one to score the jumper late in the 3rd quarter to give the Kings their first lead of the game. Even better, he didn't do this just by scoring. For many stretches of the game, he singlehandedly facilitated the Kings' offense and set his teammates up to succeed along with him, as he racked up 9 assists.
Up Next
Thursday, February 25th @ New York Knicks @ 4:30 P.M. (PT)
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