We've made it y'all - this is the last Sacramento Kings game in the bubble and for the 2019-2020 season. No matter how many times I've been disappointed by this team, each time feels equally painful. As usual, I came into this opportunity #SacramentoProud and am leaving it #SacramentoSad.
It's hard to believe this bubble experience has all taken place over just 13 days. Talk about a rollercoaster ride! Except that rollercoaster is on a straight drop to basketball hell and now everything around you is in flames and also the person seated in front of you just vomited. Just know, I'm right there next to you, sobbing and holding on for dear life.
Dramatic imagery aside, at the end of the day, I am just grateful to have NBA basketball back. And one could even argue that it wouldn't be NBA basketball without the Kings breaking my heart...
The Backdrop
The Lakers have the 1st seed in the Western Conference sealed for the playoffs and the Kings are scheduled to catch their flight of shame home by the end of the day.
The Lakers have been reported to want to finish strong in their last seeding game in order to build some momentum going into the playoffs, but in a logistical sense, there is no incentive for either team to win this game. So of course, in typical Kaaangz fashion, it is likely that they will choose this game to showcase their very best performance and bring home the W. In contrast to the last game, I wouldn't be too ironically upset about this since it's #FuckLA forever.
Official reports have De'Aaron Fox, Richaun Holmes, and Kent Bazemore on the injured list again for today's game. This is wise, as we must protect De'Aaron Fox at all costs. When I say I would give my life to protect the health of De'Aaron and ensure that he has a long and historical career in Sacramento, I am only half lying. The Lakers will be without most of their key players, including Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, and Alex Caruso, but will have Lebron James available for limited minutes.
Quick Stats
Because numbers make things make sense.
Outcome: Kings win, 136-122
Sacramento Kings: 136 PTS, 56.8% FG, 44.7% 3PT, 37 AST, 14 TO
Los Angeles Lakers: 122 PTS, 49.0% FG, 42.9% 3PT, 29 AST, 17 TO
Buddy Hield (SAC): 28 PTS, 5 REB
Nemanja Bjelica (SAC): 15 PTS, 13 AST, 8 REB
Dion Waiters (LAL): 19 PTS, 5 AST, 3-6 3PT
As I had predicted by their backwards behavior, this was the Kings' best performance in the bubble. When the stakes are low, the Kaaangz go high. Lebron only played 14 minutes in the first half, and was seen enjoying a sandwich on the sidelines by the start of the second, so the Lakers were mostly led by their bench and free agents duo, Dion Waiters & J.R. Smith. Even though this was a win against the Leftover Lakers, a day the Kings beat the Lakers is always a day worth smiling about.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Because all three are consistent parts of Kings basketball.
The Good:
The Offense: Let me preface this by first saying that the Lakers' defense was not anything to marvel at. That being established, the Kings found a way to get everyone involved and made the offense look... good? Bogi, Buddy, Nemanja, and Jabari all significantly contributed to today's feel-good offense, demonstrated by the team's total of 37 assists. It also helped that the Kings tied their season high of 21 3-pt makes. It sure does make the offense look prettier when the ball goes in.
The Bad:
It's Too Late: Today's performance from the Kings was what fans were hoping for and expecting two weeks ago. Solid and consistent play from the backcourt of Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic, paired with a near triple-double from Nemanja Bjelica is what the Kings needed upon entering the bubble, not leaving it.
The Ugly:
Not Enough Harry: As there is a high probability that today was the last time we got to see Harry Giles in a Kings jersey, it was disappointing to only see him on the floor for three minutes. This didn't stop Harry from contributing, though. While on the bench, he was the biggest and loudest hype man for his teammates, constantly cheering and always with that signature smile on. If the Kings aren't able to sign him, I think it will be a regret we will live with for years to come. Although injuries have kept him from living up to his anticipated potential, his personality and value outside of numbers is exactly what this franchise needs to build a sustainable winning culture.
Royal Court Jester
Because someone is always actin' a fool.
I couldn't let this man leave the bubble unscathed and uncapped as the Royal Court Jester. you know who you are, Luke. I've chronicled my evolution of disrespect for Luke Walton throughout this blog. I started with indifference and have quickly reached a solidified opinion that he has not idea what he's doing.
I remember watching him coach the Warriors in Steve Kerr's absence during the 2016 season where they went 73-9 and thinking, "well this guy has the easiest job in the world." He was more or less the same then as he is now - quiet, comfortable, and showing little emotion beyond confusion. The big difference is the Warriors didn't need a coach. The Kings, on the other hand, are in desperate need of leadership, knowledge and inspiration - all things that Luke Walton has failed to demonstrate.
And then there's been the player mismanagement. A huge part of an NBA head coaching job is managing players' skills and personalities. I have little knowledge of how Kings players feel about their coach, but just from the clip of his halftime speech we saw from Tuesday's game, I didn't get the resounding sense that his players love or even respect him. Arguably his biggest failure in player management has been Buddy Hield. While I certainly do not absolve Buddy for some of his ridiculous antics on the court, I blame Luke for not giving Buddy a system to be successful in. The Kings' offense under Walton has been lamented for being heavy on isolations and light on ball movement, which is the perfect recipe for Buddy Hield to flop and fail. Luke has suppressed Buddy's potential rather than utilizing and amplifying his skills and I don't even think he realizes it. Simply put, he is a fool.
The King of Kings
Because at least one person does at least one good thing, usually.
To wrap up this bubble blog, today's King of Kings is bestowed upon the one who deserves it the most. It goes to the one who has been the most consistent, who has showed up every single day, and who has kept this team together since day one. That's right, today's King of Kings, and arguably the King of all King of Kings is you.
You are a goddamn warrior. I admire your strength, your loyalty, and your unwillingness to give up, no matter how many times you've been stabbed in your bleeding purple heart. You wear these scars proudly and continue to show up, year after year. You are the heart of this franchise and the only reason it is still alive today.
If you've stuck with me through this two week debacle, I sincerely thank you and also grievously apologize. After years of undying loyalty and little reward, we deserve better. I can only hope that we are one more bad year closer to getting what's ours.
Up Next
While I would have loved to witness and write about the Kings in the playoffs this year, I am still excited to see how the rest of this NBA bubble journey unfolds. In trying to settle on a prediction of who will win the championship, my head nearly explodes. The Lakers? Probably, unfortunately. The Clippers? Would not be surprised. The Bucks? Giannis, so yes. The Suns? I MEAN, MAYBE?! *In Kevin Garnett voice* ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. All I know is it's going to be good. So, with the King out of my mind for the remainder of the summer, I am looking forward to closing my laptop, kicking my feet up, and just enjoying NBA basketball with no emotional strings attached.
When it comes to the Kings, all we can do now is wait. The NBA lottery draft is scheduled for a week from today, August 20th. If things stand as they are now, the Kings will either have a 2% or 3% chance at winning the lottery, depending on a coin toss to break their current tie with the Pelicans. Depending on how things pan out with those Western Conference teams still vying for playoff positions, the Kings and Pelicans could potentially move up a spot to better their odds to a possible 4.5%.
After the lottery draft, the Kings will know what position they have in the 2020 NBA draft and will have until October 16th to figure out their next moves.
Beyond these dates, the 2020-2021 NBA season is tentatively set to start on December 1st. With so much uncertainty about the coronavirus, details are still yet to be nailed down.
Whenever the next season does pick up, I hope to have the emotional fortitude to do the same with this blog. But only time and the amount of emotional trauma I may potentially suffer from the Kings' off-season fuckery will be able to tell. Until then, thank you again for your time. I thoroughly enjoyed these two weeks of torture with you. Stay dramatic, you know I always will.
Comments