We are currently in one of those phases in life where being dramatic really pays off. When you live a dramatic lifestyle, like myself, three wins in a row by your most beloved basketball team feels like nirvana. Where normal people may feel satisfied, happy, or even a bit excited, us at King's Landing get to feel ecstatic, untouchable, and overtly ALIVE. *Hassan Whiteside post-block yell*
We mustn't take these times for granted, as we know how quickly the page can turn. So while we're here, we might as well soak it up as much as we can. Let's all close our eyes, turn our faces toward the sun, and bask in the radiant warmth of the .500 Sacramento Kings.
The Backdrop
The Sacramento Kings entered this game 11-11 and seeded at the 11th spot in the Western Conference.
The Los Angeles Clippers entered this game 17-7 and seeded at the 3rd spot in the Western Conference.
Third time is the charm, right? Like with the Denver Nuggets, this is already the third time the Kings are having to face the Clippers this season. Unlike with the Denver Nuggets, the Kings have yet to put together a decent game let alone a win against the Clippers. They showed some improvements in their second meeting, but ultimately got outplayed and outcoached. I am choosing to believe that Paul George and Reggie Jackson have stumbled across this blog and therefore have doubled down on their commitment to the braids. Alongside their most devout leader, Kawhi Leonard, the Braidy Bunch has proven to be a powerful force. I almost regret recognizing their combined energy and giving it a name.
However, the Braidy Bunch will be shorthanded today, as Paul George will be resting a toe injury. The Clippers will also be without pesky Patrick Beverley, who is out with knee soreness. Without Paul George, this makes Kawhi Leonard the main threat, but the secondary scorers on the Clippers are not to be taken lightly. The Clippers' second unit is highlighted with big-time scoring names like Lou Williams and Marcus Morris Sr. With their recent performances, I'm hoping that the Kings have gained enough confidence to realize that they are able to compete with any team in this league. It will obviously take more effort and less mistakes against certain ones, but the Kings have proven that they have the talent to compete in the NBA. Whether this ends in a big upset win or their third consecutive loss to the Clips, I just want to see the Kings hang in for all 48 minutes and demonstrate that they are no longer going down without a fight.
Quick Stats
Because numbers make things make sense.
Outcome: Kings win, 113-110
Sacramento Kings: 113 PTS, 48.9% FG, 34.5% 3 PT, 25 AST, 12 TO
Los Angeles Clippers: 110 PTS, 41.4% FG, 28.6% 3 PT, 19 AST, 9 TO
De'Aaron Fox (SAC): 36 PTS, 7 AST
Buddy Hield (SAC): 22 PTS, 9 REB
Kawhi Leonard (LAC): 20 PTS, 10 REB
Ivica Zubac (LAC): 12 PTS, 14 REB, 5 OREB
IS THIS REAL LIFE?! The Kings have now won FOUR games in a row and are now an above .500 team. The last time they were above .500 was nearly two years ago, in March of 2019. If that's not something to be dramatically excited about, I don't know what is! Despite an unusually low-scoring night for Harrison Barnes (4 points), the Kings picked each other up and pulled out yet ANOTHER big win. I'm almost afraid to speak this into existence, but I could really get used to this.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Because all three are consistent parts of Kings basketball.
The Good:
Hail Hali: My nightmares are filled with images of the Kings' second unit without Tyrese Haliburton. Besides a beautiful drive and finish by Kyle Guy in the 4th quarter, Tyrese is the only one who is able to score at will and facilitate offense. While the second unit is struggling to do more than not completely give the game away, Tyrese is the life jacket that keeps this team afloat. When you think about this and also consider the end-of-game role Tyrese fills for this team, it is easy to see how Tyrese really is the glue that keeps this team together. He acts as the conduit between the starting five and secondary group and singlehandedly keeps this team cohesive enough to win basketball games. Understanding how massive that load of responsibilities is and the fact that he is a rookie almost makes your head explode.
Containing the Klaw: The Kings put together a great collective defensive effort today to defend Kawhi Leonard, who finished with just 20 points, going 0-2 from deep, and having just four attempts at the free throw line. It all started with disciplined work by Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes. Both were terrific in moving their feet and staying down on Kawhi's pump fakes. There was also great help side defense when Kawhi got deep into the paint. As a whole, the Kings forced Kawhi to take (and make some) very tough shots. Most of his field goal attempts were midrange, and few were open looks behind the arc or easy layups at the rim.
Final Quarter Fox: I love this show. De'Aaron Fox has singlehandedly turned Sacramento Kings 4th quarter basketball into prime time viewing. He had 12 of his 36 points in the 4th quarter, and each came at big-time moments in dramatic and flamboyant fashion. Whether it's a slippery move through two defenders for a spinning layup, or a strong hang time attack against the biggest guys on the court, De'Aaron does it all and then some.
The Bad:
Big Baby Zubac: The Kings allowed the babyfaced Ivica Zubac to eat them for lunch this afternoon inside the paint. Zubac's presence was made known in the 2nd half, as he ended with 12 points and 14 rebounds. I was beginning to wonder if the Kings were ever going to get a body on him and actually box him out. When Zubac grabbed his fifth offensive rebound, it was like watching the giant baby from Miyazaki's Spirited Away happily eat his fifth meal of the day.
The Ugly:
Sloppy Screens: The Kings are still setting too many screens that are either ineffective or result in a foul. There seems to be a lack of cohesion between the screener and ball handler. Either the ball handler is taking off too soon, or the screener is setting up at the wrong angle. There needs to be more communication and timing. One instance that stood out to me was seeing Hassan Whiteside run 30 feet from the basket to set a screen that was ultimately useless because the ball handler took off before he had a chance to even set his feet. This leaves Whiteside approximately 30 feet away from where we would ideally like him to be to receive any passes or lobs for easy buckets, and all for nothing. Another instance was in the 3rd quarter when, although questionable, Richaun Holmes was called for his fourth foul while setting a screen. Again, the ball handler took off too soon and Richaun had to move his body to adjust. As our strongest and most agile big man, Richaun's presence on the defensive end is invaluable and so picking up fouls for setting screens on the other end is especially harmful to this team.
Royal Court Jester
Because someone is always actin' a fool.
I almost wanted to give today's cap to Mark Jones for his slip up call in the 1st quarter when he seamlessly referred to Reggie Jackson as Bobby Jackson. Mark is as professional as they come, so a silly slip like that is rare and it made me giggle. But instead, I want to name Buddy Hield as today's Royal Court Jester for his lame alley-oop attempt to Marvin Bagley III in the 3rd quarter. In a 2-on-1 situation in transition, Buddy had the ball on the right side of the court and had Marvin running the floor on the left side. The only thing that stood between the two and an easy basket was Nicolas Batum. As Buddy read the situation, he made the right decision and looked to pass the ball up ahead to Marvin, deciding on a lofty lob for a flashy slam. Except the lob was too lofty. It left Buddy's fingers with little force and was one-handedly snagged by Batum for him to easily head the other way.
The King of Kings
Because at least one person does at least one good thing, usually.
I hope Buddy Hield has room on top of his jester cap to also place today's King of Kings crown. I love this version of Buddy Hield and I like to refer to him as Buddy the Builder. In the last two games, Buddy has struggled in his shooting. But in both games, he has built up an arsenal of other ways to help his team win. Today, after going nearly 24 minutes without hitting a 3-pointer, Buddy found other ways to score in the midrange and on strong, confident drives to the basket. His attacks look more controlled and don't make me immediately want to vomit anymore. It's been beautiful to watch. His progression has been like watching an emotional short film about perseverance, growth, and redemption, possibly titled, How Buddy Got His Groove Back. I hope to see Buddy continue to build his game and expand his threat level beyond 3-point shooting.
Up Next
Tuesday, February 9th vs. Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:00 P.M. (PT)
Comentarios