A majority of my being was hoping that the Kings would be back in Sacramento by now, having left Orlando to save themselves from any further embarrassment and to save daily COVID tests for people who actually want to show up. But, alas, they came back and therefore so did I. This statement describes the quintessential existence of a lifetime Kings fan. You don't want to, but you always come back. It's maddening, it's toxic, and it's unfortunately forever.
After a typical heartbreaker on Friday and an embarrassing performance on Sunday, the Kings managed to take what was supposed to be an emotional, beautiful, and long-awaited weekend reunion between myself and the NBA and turned it into a big steaming pie of horse shit. With only six games left in the bubble season, the Kings essentially have to be perfect while the Pelicans, Trailblazers, and Grizzlies all have to flop, both of which are highly unlikely scenarios.
The Backdrop
The Kings entered this game 0-2 in the bubble, 28-38 overall, and seeded at the 12th spot in the Western Conference.
The Mavericks entered this game 0-2 in the bubble, 40-29 overall, and seeded at the 7th spot in the Western Conference.
Welcome to the battle of the bubble disappointments! While the Kings were considered a possible dark horse/underdog pick for the playoff push, the Mavericks entered the bubble with a strong 7th seed standing. The Kings have clearly fallen short of earning any considerable titles for the playoff race. Despite their similar poor start, with an overtime loss to the Rocket and an embarrassing upset to the Phoenix Suns, the Mavs have secured their spot in post-season play.
The last time these two met was February 12, 2020 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Sophomore superstar, Luka Doncic, dropped an easy 33 piece and handed the Kings a 130-11 loss.
In their last game against the Suns, Luka Doncic & Kristaps Porzingis combined for 70 points, which is 19 more than the entire Kings' starting five were able to muster together in their last performance. At this point, I don't even want to speculate on what the Kings need to do to win this game, because chances are they will take those ideas, sauté them up with a dash of low energy here and a sprinkle of poor decisions there and serve it back to me as their third big fat L in a row. So let's just move on...
Quick Stats
Because numbers make things make sense.
Outcome: Kings lose in OT, 114-110
Sacramento Kings: 110 PTS, 41.3% FG, 37.2% 3PT, 26 AST, 10 TO
Dallas Mavericks: 114 PTS, 36.7% FG, 22.0% 3PT, 22 AST, 17 TO
De'Aaron Fox (SAC): 28 PTS, 9 AST
Luka Doncic (DAL): 34 PTS, 20 REB, 12 AST*
*Record as youngest player to record triple-double for 30+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists
I'm not sure what I hate more - losing in the way they did on Sunday, or losing like they did today. Losing to a record-setting monster performance by Luka Doncic is always especially painful, since we drafted Marvin Bagley III over him in 2018. My stomach is in knots and my heart physically hurts... just another day as a Kings fan.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Because all three are consistent parts of Kings basketball.
The Good:
Luke Shamed Into Making a Change: I suspect Luke Walton has had a rough couple of days after receiving tough criticism from the media and fans after the Kings' first two losses. His inability to adjust to game situations and lack of transparency (or is it knowledge?) in explaining himself in post-game interviews gave writers and tweeters the ammo they needed to rip him a new one. Whether in response to being roasted or because he genuinely came up with a coaching idea on his own, we will never know, but it worked in favor for the Kings this afternoon. He replaced Nemanja Bjelica with Cory Joseph in the starting lineup and the Kings came out looking like a completely different team. Not only did Cory add energy and smart play on the defensive end, but he served as an extra ball handler to compliment De'Aaron Fox in setting the fast pace the Kings thrive on straight out of the gate. So while this was a good start, Luke now has to start thinking about what to do for the other 48 minutes of the game.
First Quarter: The Kings held the Mavs to 27 points in the first quarter. This is a massive improvement from their first two starts, especially since the Mavericks are second in the league in both 3-point makes and attempts. By not allowing themselves to get buried early, they were able to put themselves in a position to be successful.
Buddy Hield's Confidence: Buddy Hield showed some small spurts of him getting back to the high efficiency scorer we are used to. He hit two 3-pointers early in his appearance and added five more throughout the game. It's nice to see him more in a rhythm with the offense, making some outside shots from ball movement, and earning some of his confidence back.
The Bad:
Buddy Hield's Confidence: I swear I want this dude to do well, even though I probably seem like his biggest hater. As mentioned previously, Hield seemed to gain some confidence after hitting some shots early on, but following this confidence came a painful streak of poor decisions. He reverted back to creating contested shots for himself rather than moving without the ball to get open looks.
Rebounding: I will never understand how little I see NBA players actively box out, especially on a long attempt. Long shots mean long rebounds so it astounds me to see five professional athletes turn and look up at the ball rather than locating a body to box out. In the third quarter, during a single possession, the Kings gave up three offensive rebounds in a row and gifted the Mavs a fourth consecutive chance as a result of the ball bouncing off of Buddy Hield's foot out of bounds, all of which eventually resulted in a 3-point play for Luka Doncic.
Luke Walton's Coaching (or Lack Thereof): I've personally tried to refrain from judgment of Luke Walton, and any NBA coach for that matter. I think it's a tough position for anybody and as a fan, I know so little about what goes on behind the bench in the locker room, and at practice. But I wish more than anything I could spend a game on that bench to hear what exactly Luke Walton's thoughts are throughout because as of now, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't have too many. Whenever the camera pans to him, he is either spending most of his time complaining to the ref about a recent call or looking blankly at the court as if he forgot he was supposed to be coaching. It seems like his default directive to his team is to "go" while he does this twirling motion with his index finger. Again, I could be judging the situation ignorantly and incorrectly, but Luke Walton just does not exude the leadership and coaching wisdom this team needs.
The Ugly:
Free Throws: In the first half, the Mavericks attempted 27 free throws to the Kings' total of six attempts. While it could be argued that the refs seemed a little whistle-ready when the Mavs had the ball, the Kings are not absolved of their role in this huge discrepancy. Not only were they committing a number of careless and unnecessary off-ball fouls, but they made very few attempts to get to the stripe on their own offensive end. Once the well of surprising 3-point makes dried up, instead of adjusting by attacking the basket, the Kings continued to settle for perimeter looks, eliminating their chances to get to the free throw line.
Crunch Time Crumble: I feel like I've seen this movie a thousand times and I'm tired of it. Simply put, the Kings just can't win. Even after another great performance from their leading star and an impressive contribution from their bench (56 points), the Kings just can't put the pieces together to get a W. The excuse of "they're just a young team that still needs to learn how to do the little things to close out a game" is long overused and tiresome. Something needs to change.
Royal Court Jester
Because there's always someone actin' a fool.
This is going to be a retroactive pick. No, Buddy, you're not off the hook. You are still Sunday's pick for Royal Court Jester for your foolish efforts to continually shoot off-the-dribble fadeaways. I am just giving you some company.
Today's Royal Court Jester goes to each and every idiot who alluded to Jonathan Isaac's injury from Sunday's game as "karma," or some other cosmic retribution for his recent decisions to not wear the "Black Lives Matter" warm up shirt and to stand during the national anthem. Y'all are some damn fools.
I've listened to and read Isaac's statement multiple times regarding his decisions. He alludes to his religious faith playing a key factor and explained:
"I do believe that Black lives matter, but I just felt like it was a decision that I had to make, and I didn't feel like putting that shirt on and kneeling went hand in hand with supporting Black lives. I believe that for myself, my life has been supported by gospel, Jesus Christ, and everyone is made in the image of God and that we all forge through God's glory."
I am not a religious person. So, although I walked away with no real concrete understanding of his explanation, I can tell he has put a lot of thought and consideration into his decisions, and I therefore respect them. I may not understand, and it may not have been the action I would have taken in his position, but guess what? THAT IS OKAY. He has a unique, individual, and wholly different perspective on the world than I, his teammates, and all other NBA fans do. Just as Colin Kaepernick was never disrespecting military troops by kneeling during the anthem, Jonathan Isaac is not disrespecting the BLM movement by choosing to stand. To feel vindicated by his ACL injury is not only disgusting and lacking basic human decency, but contradictory to what the BLM movement is fighting for - the equality and freedom for Black lives to exist, express, and act without fear of persecution.
The King of Kings
Because at least one person does at least one good thing, usually.
Today's King of Kings goes to Mr. Cory Joseph. Out of all the Kings on the floor, he did his job the best.You will rarely see Cory trying to do anything outside of what is expected of him. He knows his role as being the gritty defender, relieving De'Aaron of some ball handling responsibilities, moving the ball on offense, and knocking down open shots. He had the daunting and impossible task of guarding Luka Doncic today, and although Luka took a record-breaking dump on my heart again, I admire Cory for not backing down as the undersized defender of the future Hall of Famer.
Up Next
Thursday, August 6th vs. New Orleans Pelicans @ 10:30 A.M. (PT)
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