I've been continuously watching De'Aaron Fox highlights from Monday night for the past two days. The spin cycle, the pass fake, the double clutch, the defender split - I want it all pumped through my veins on a bottomless IV drip. Life is so fun when De'Aaron Fox is playing at this All-Star level AND the Kings win. We are officially 20 games into this season, and as low as some of the valleys have felt so far, the Kings are just two wins away from being .500.
The Backdrop
The Sacramento Kings entered this game 9-11 and seeded at the 11th spot in the Western Conference.
The Boston Celtics entered this game 11-8 and seeded at the 4th spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Kings are returning to Sacramento after a four-game road trip where they finished 3-1 and are preparing for what is their most difficult four-game stretch thus far this season. Their next four opponents are Boston, Denver, LA Clippers, and Philadelphia, all of which are in top 5 positions in their conferences.
Tonight's matchup against Brad Stevens and his Celtics can be expected to be a tough one, with big threats in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Although they will be without their infectious and effervescent point guard, Kemba Walker, the Celtics have been enjoying All-Star seasons so far from Tatum & Brown, each averaging 27 points per game. Paired with their assist coach, Jay Larranaga, this trio becomes:
People all over the world... JOIN HANDS... start a love train, love train. I'm hoping these Essential Jays are entering Golden 1 Center tonight with this kind of gentle mentality, fueled by unity and love instead of their usual sniper mindset to assassinate their opponent. The Kings will need to bring their best defensive effort tonight to contain the prolific scoring of the Jays. While the Celtics' back court is lethal, they are vulnerable in the front court. I'm looking for big performances from Richaun Holmes, Marvin Bagley III, and Hassan Whiteside inside the paint and on the offensive glass.
Quick Stats
Because numbers make things make sense.
Outcome: Kings win, 116-111
Sacramento Kings: 116 PTS, 45.7% FG, 35.1% 3 PT, 23 AST, 10 TO
Boston Celtics: 111 PTS, 45.3% FG, 33.3% 3 PT, 28 AST, 13 TO
De'Aaron Fox (SAC): 26 PTS, 11 AST, 6-6 FT
Tyrese Haliburton (SAC): 21 PTS*, 5-9 3 PT
Jayson Tatum (BOS): 27 PTS, 10 AST
Jaylen Brown (BOS): 21 PTS, 4 AST
*Career-high
Hurry, pinch me! The Sacramento Kings beat the Boston Celtics. I REPEAT: The Sacramento Kings beat the Boston Celtics!!! The Essential Jays were very essential tonight, scoring a combined 48 points and taking 63% of their team's field goal attempts. Despite this, the Kings put together a collective team effort to grind out yet another big win. This puts their win total in the double digits - something we're not used to seeing until the late 20s or early 30s game mark. History has cautioned me to not get excited, but DAMN IT I'M EXCITED.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Because all three are consistent parts of Kings basketball.
The Good:
Hali Hype: As the reigning Western Conference Rookie of the Month and with his career-high night, Tyrese Haliburton was very highly considered for tonight's King of Kings. But I'm saving that title for someone else. Nonetheless, we can never appreciate enough all of the things Tyrese does for this team. If he's not baiting passes to force turnovers on the defensive end, he's hitting buzzer beaters to end quarters and to send the Kings into a break feeling hyped and motivated. It's always mind-boggling to think about how this guy is only 20 years old. What was I doing when I was 20 years old? Rolling through a cycle of studying, drinking, and crying. What wasn't I doing at 20 years old? Saving an entire NBA franchise from a 16th consecutive year of depression and despair by being a beacon of hope and light.
Survived the Punches: The Celtics came out with the demonstrative upper hand to start the game. Jayson Tatum showed off his mid-range skill, while Jaylen Brown and Tristan Thompson earned multiple visits to the free throw line. We've often seen this kind of play intimidate the Kings and force them into submission, but tonight they absorbed the punches and continued to fight to eventually make their way back on top to end the 2nd quarter. The Celtics went on another 9-0 run in the 3rd quarter, and again the Kings held it together enough to gain the lead back. As a team desperately aspiring for a playoff appearance, it is especially promising to see the Kings fight their way back against a team who is very familiar with the postseason.
Fox Free Throws: So far this season, De'Aaron is averaging a 68.9% free throw percentage, lowlighted by two nights where he has gone 3-8 from the line. In one of those game, the Kings lost by just one point and the five missed free throws from De'Aaron felt especially painful. But in the past two games, De'Aaron has been locked in, shooting a perfect 13-13 from the stripe. Just as important as his seven made free throws were in Monday's win against the Pelicans, his six added free throws tonight were mathematically necessary for pushing the Kings to their second win in a row.
The Bad:
Inside Game: Although they won the war, the Kings lost the inside battle. The Kings started out cold, missing their first three attempts of the game, all of which were from behind the arc. Overall, they had an average shooting night, going 13-37 (35.1%) from the 3-point line, but it seemed a lot worse, especially in the 1st half. When their shots weren't falling, the Kings struggled for some time to find alternative ways to score. They shot only six free throws in the first half as they tried to figure out the Celtics' zone defense. The Kings often failed to feed Richaun inside when he had position, further diminishing their opportunities for easy baskets or free throws. The Kings beat the Celtics in offensive rebounds (12-11), but I expected this to be an easier battle for them to win.
The Ugly:
C's Pace: For a majority of the game, before the Kings managed to slow things down in the stretch, the Celtics controlled the pace. The Kings got beat at their own game as the Celtics pushed the ball in transition, hit quick pull up 3s, and put the Kings on their heels. On the other end, the Celtics were quick to get back in transition defense to force the Kings into half court sets. This pushed the Kings out of their comfort zone and forced them into a lot of long-range looks that weren't frequently falling. As the Kings continue to grow towards playoff contention, they must find a way to control the pace of the game, if not on both ends, at least on the defensive end.
Royal Court Jester
Because someone is always actin' a fool.
After so much internet scrutiny, I thought this fool would have changed his behavior by now. But, it appears that tonight's Royal Court Jester either does not have internet access or simply gives no fucks about what the public thinks of him. After having to postpone its 23rd game of the season, the NBA has released a statement that mask enforcement will become more stringent and the NBA will begin to penalize those who do not follow protocols. Wearing the jester cap tonight, Luke Walton demonstrated that he is willing to put an N95 mask on to appease new NBA protocols, but is still incapable of wearing it properly. It seems as if Coach Walton is not afraid of facing the penalties and is eager to give away his money as long as he can yell useless complaints on the deaf ears of the referees.
The King of Kings
Because at least one person does at least one good thing, usually.
We always love big performances from De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton and never want to take them for granted. But tonight's King of Kings goes to Harrison Barnes, who has become equivalent to our weighted safety blanket. Tonight, Harrison logged 24 points and six assists. Whenever things feel like they're getting out of hand and going downhill, Harrison is the one to wrap his arms around us, guide us in some deep breathing exercises, and reassure us that not all hope is lost. He has consistently been the one to stop the hemorrhaging by going old school with a strong and demonstrative move to the basket to score. Harrison Barnes is having his best Kings season so far and is earning every penny of his big contract.
Beyond his successful work on the court, Harrison Barnes is always doing the hard and thoughtful work off the court as a human being. Harrison the Human is as good as they come. For Black History Month, Harrison is partnering with Goal Setter, a black-owned, women-owned business that focuses on closing the wealth gap for black and brown communities. He is providing the funds to start savings accounts for 500 kids in the Sacramento and Dallas areas, aiming to set the future generation up for success and further close the wealth gap. At the end of the day, it is these kinds of contributions that make a true King of Kings.
Up Next
Saturday, February 6th vs. Denver Nuggets @ 2:00 P.M. (PT)
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