UPDATE 10:08 PM:
Well that was something. The Kings trailed the Trail Blazers by 16 points with 3:50 left in regulation, but would end the quarter on a 22-6 run to tie it and send it to extra time. DeMar DeRozan was remarkable down the stretch. With just 52 seconds remaining in regulation, he scored his 14th point on a three pointer to cut the game to seven. By the end of overtime, DeRozan had 33 points, including the near game winner on a turnaround jumper with eight seconds left. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), Deni Avdija was able to bait a shooting foul and made both free throws to seal the game for Portland, 134-133. Send that game tape to every team needing a clutch scorer immediately.
DeRozan wasn’t the only one who was big for the Kings tonight as the team also got a great performance from rookie center Maxime Raynaud, who scored a career-high 29 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes. Russell Westbrook added a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists, and Keegan Murray scored 17 points with a game-high 4 blocks as well. Keon Ellis saw some extended playing time off the bench and scored 10 points to go along with 6 steals. In a strange circumstance, Malik Monk received a DNP-CD, his first of the season, leading some to speculate that a trade was brewing, but according to the Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson, that was not the case, it was simply a coaches decision.
Regardless, it was a spirited effort from the Kings to come away with a near victory in what should have been an impossible situation. They’ll face this same Portland team for a rematch on Saturday in Sacramento.
***
I hope everyone enjoyed their little three day vacation from Kings basketball. It was kinda nice, right?
Who: Sacramento Kings (6-20) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (10-20)
Where: Moda Center, Portland, OR
When: 7:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM ET
Watch: NBCSCA / League Pass
In a battle among the most irrelevant teams in the Western Conference, the Kings find themselves in Portland to play the Blazers tonight. Doug Christie will be without Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis while Dennis Schroder remains questionable, an injury status it feels like he’s carried all season long. The Blazers are missing several rotation players, too. Scoot Henderson is out. Jrue Holiday is out. Matisse Thybulle is out.
With the Kings still missing a handful of their veteran players, the youth will get another chance to show the front office what they can do tonight. Unfortunately for both the Kings organization and fans looking for something to feel good about, there really hasn’t been a consistently good stretch of basketball for any of Nique Clifford, Keegan Murray, or Keon Ellis in a while.
For as much as I’ve been critical of the vets of this roster, the Kings youth, outside of Maxime Raynaud, haven’t exactly lit the world on fire. Don’t get me wrong, I still support playing them over the veterans, and I still prefer watching them over the veterans, but it would be a lot easier to campaign for minutes if the results were more promising.
Go Kings?
Prediction: Kings 115, Blazers 101
Keep rolling!
The Blazers head coach is suspended;
Lots of injuries, not yet mended.
Both teams struggled of late;
Neither’s record is great—
As we’re hoping Vivek gets dead-ended!
+1 NBA “trade season” has started!
It’s a sad day in SacTown when Jman’s limerick doesn’t go purple
I didn’t even realize Sidy Cissoko was on the Blazers. For those who don’t recall, he came to the Kings as part of the LaVine deal, but was shipped two days later to the Wizards, along wtth 2 second round picks for Valanciunas. As all you all know JV was shipped to Denver for Saric.
Boil it down…out of the Fox and Huerter trade, Kings now have LaVine, Spurs protected 2027 first, Minny’s 2031 first round pick, 2 Hornets second round pick, and Saric.
Oh, and the Spurs pick is non-lottery protected, which means the Kings keep it only if the Spurs fail to to make the playoffs next season. If the Spurs make the playoffs next year, OKC gets the pick! Newsflash…the Spurs will make the playoffs
In all reality the Kings will get LaVine, Minny’s 2031, 2 seconds from the Hornets (2026, 2027). That’s it folks, but remember the Kings shipped Cissoko with 2 SECONDS for JV, so those 2 seconds from the Hornets are basically a wash.
Now…if the Kings fail to move LaVine and he simply walks after next season. All the Kings will have from the Fox trade is cap space and Minny’s 2031 first round pick.
Fucking Kangz, man.
Wow, that’s depressing as fuck.
Best case scenario is Lavine plays out his contract this year and next. No chance he opts out after this year. If the Kings trade him that means they are attaching picks or Ellis / Carter / Clifford etc. No thanks. Kings need to just take their medicine and let his contract expire.
you’ve already made >$200m in your career. which is more valuable to you – staying in hell for another $47m or escaping, making $20m and having a chance at a ring? or at least the playoffs.
not exercising the option and giving up an extra $20-30m (he’s already made $200m+…we’re talking pocket change at this point) to get out seems like a bargain compared to suffering every day under the thumb of the worst organization in professional sports.
Saric sighting!….And he gets on the board immediately with a TO!
Yeah, it was. Didn’t have to worry about the team unexpectedly picking up random meaningless win.
So, did I miss something about Monk? Is he hurt, or is Doug just not playing him?
Good question. DC is totally out of touch so wouldn’t be surprised if he’s just not playing Monk.
I know for sure that DC and Vivek have no clue how to identify talent or build a winning basketball team. I’m 80% it’s the same with Perry but I’ll reserve my judgement until Feb 6th.
Doug E. Fresh freed Dario!
“Listen, I want to say this.” – Kayte
And this, and that, and this again . The lady can talk .
Westbrook has played for 30 minutes, the same amount of time it took me to long into TKH. Stop TKH tank!
In the time it took for my upvote to reach the server and refresh, the Kings have already played their second game against Portland.
1998 Dial-up, here we come!
Just tuned in. Wow battle of the chokers
LMAO Ref for the tank. Thanks NBA for the tank assist
The tank nearly ran out of gas there, but made it to the end on fumes.
I’d be pissed if I cared about wins, but this just gives me an eye roll.
I haven’t watched a single game this season. Don’t remember feeling this apathetic.
Mark Davis the new 4 star general of the tank brigade!
Team overcame a 99.8% win probability with 1:20 left and 98% probability with 30 seconds left in OT.
I hate this team so much. Thank you NBA saving Kings from themselves
Message to the dim bulbs in the Kings front office: I did not watch the game, but this:
is the kind of thing that might get me to watch. I have ZERO interest in washed up “big names” winning 39 games every year. Gimme some young guys who play hard and might be good some day? Now we’re talking.
I know Vivek is too dumb and/or narcissistic to ever actually change, but as a fan of the Kings (I guess?) I gotta put that out there.
Also, 100% bullshit call at the end of OT.
I agree 100%. I haven’t watched a single second of a game this season but as I was score/stat watching in NBA.com, it made me reconsider again. Every time I see Keegan, Nique or Maxime has a good game, I get the itch to start watching games again.
I’m glad for the L though, that was a close one. Portland better show up next game and help keep the tank rolling…..
Good. Didn’t need a pointless play-in-chasing win.
Quite enjoyed watching this and a step in the right direction for this team, playing Raynaud, Ellis, Clifford, and Cardwell plenty of minutes. Really liked what I saw from Cardwell. Seems like the type of guy who will have no issue getting minutes in the NBA with his rebounding ability, defense, and toughness.
His French friend has some skill as well:
Christie also freed Ellis, which was nice to see. Not his best game – especially offensively he tried to do too much – but immediately got six steals and generally played good defense. More of this please.
It was the perfect game IMO.
Fun to watch, it felt like a win, but the tank rolls on!
The starting and reserve lineups were more balanced, Keegan got to play the 3 most of the night, Max gets another start, Ellis played, Cardwell played, and the entire team put in a good effort.
I was wrong about Raynaud, when he was drafted I was thought he was too weak to play C and too slow to play PF, but he’s more creative than I gave him credit for.
I too liked seeing the bigger lineup of Max, Precious, and Keegan, but I doubt it sticks. I think it was more for the matchup and won’t happen once LaVine returns
I’m also impressed with Maxi, especially on the offensive end. He still has some work to do on the defensive end and rebounds, but hey, he’s just a rookie. I especially like his attitude and chirpiness. He was getting under the skin of Clingan, and I’m all for it.
Cardwell played a bit at the beginning of the season and looked promising to me. Then they sat him, brought in Precious and he’s been burried at the end of the bench. Stupid.
Cardwell has been getting lots of time playing for the Stockton Kings; he’s currently second in per game rebounding among G-League players who’ve played in at least 10 games. I’d rather he continues to get playing time there than sit on the bench behind Domas, Maxi, and Drew.
I’d rather he’d get playing time here.
With the extended timeline for Domas’ recovery, looks like you’ll get your wish.
Yeah, this was a much better watch than most games this season.
Dear Fans,
A few things you don’t understand:
1) We are here to be in contention for the playoffs. On display last night was winning basketball that doesn’t result in a win; and tough ones defense that only gives up 134 on the night.
2) Doug is the most creative coach in the league. Just when you think only the veterans will play: BAM! Here’s a Dylan Caldwell to your chin. Like that? POW! How about a Nique-knuckle sandwich.
3) Malik means King in Arabic, but it means “pinerider” in a rare Punjabi dialect that has been taught to the coach by unnamed sources in the front office.
4) The players who will play will be those who are playing as play dictates.
How’d you like them apples last night, haters? As you have been able to observe, the implementation of the 6 guiding principles has skyrocketed this team into a place of near contention for the outer rim of teams looking to possibly make the play-in as a 10 seed. We have nearly arrived.
Sincerely,
Management
Pinerider! LOL
For subscribers, The Athletic has an NBA trade board article up.
Sabonis is #3 after Davis and Trae. Trade value = matching salary and a 1st.
Keon #10 – late 1st maybe 2 2nds.
Zach #11, Monk #13, – matching salary
DDR #14 – 2nd round picks + matching salary
Dennis #21 – matching salary
Very optimistic that we won’t have to attach picks to any of those guys. But pretty sad that we could trade half our team and only get back a bunch of bad contracts, a late 1st and a few 2nds.
Six (6) Kings in this trade article. What will
VivekGM Perry do?Kuzma, Kuminga, Trae Young and …?
Or will it be a Monte McNair special – a lot of talk and no action.
(in retrospect: did Monte stay pat because he was controlled to not spend beyond the cap and/or Vivek told him to stay pat? Given the involvement of TDLC (The dismissive little chap) who knows anymore?)
Amazing that all but Keegan of the starting 5 and Malik Pizza Guy Monk are included in trade talk. There must be some rumblings for these guys to be in these articles.
The comment about Keon Ellis –
This is classic Kangz. Of course, there could still be a Vukevic and Coby White for Sabonis trade brewing…
Oh, I’m not optimistic. Can see how you took it that way. I was trying to say the article was very optimistic.
I fully expect the returns to be more of the same offense first players and/or ex warriors. Kuzma, Kuminga, Poole kind of crap.
Another huge game from Raynaud. He shot up into the rookie top 10 ladder on some boards. Looks like we found ourselves a gem.
Raynaud getting recognition on NBA.com as the #9 rookie on the ladder.
Nice! And well deserved. He took his opportunity with both hands and tucked it under his elbow like a fresh baguette.
Maxime the Dream.
Mad Max
Maxime Overdrive
Last night was the essence of NBA officiating not necessarily impacting the final outcome, but they sure shit all over themselves in both directions in OT. They called goal tending on Clingan when there was none (it was a shooting foul that became an and 1, so it cost Portland at least a point), followed by a phantom foul that enabled DDR to convert another 3 point play (costing Portland another point). But the final foul on Adjiva was one that would have a fanbase howling for decades if the game meant anything. Make that call in an OKC – SA WCF and there will be blood.
but the TMR says…
it’s like watching cable news – they just say what they want and it’s a meaningless collection of words that someone can hang their hat on or hang their neck from.
Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article313826222.html#storylink=cpy
Let’s see if Doug has the balls to DNP-CD DDR, LaVine or Russ too in this crowded guard rotation.
On the Zach Lowe podcast today:
Everyone wants Keon Ellis except the Kings. I don’t know what Ellis did to Doug Christie… the guest says I don’t know what Christie did to the owner that he still has a job.
Zach mentions the “haters” stuff we’re going to prove you wrong. Well the haters were right!.
I gotta say, there was a noticeable shift in playing Keon last night. It was out of the blue for sure. If Keon has told the Kings he’s not re-signing with them (which may have been why they weren’t playing him before) maybe they figured give him minutes to get his value up a notch or two and try and trade him.
If Keon starts getting 4 to 5 steals a night, knocks down a few threes to go with them, and starts getting more than 14 minutes per game, he just may bring in return more than his meager salary. He may even be able to be attached to a LaVine or DDR trade as sweetener.
Bottom line is, if he told the Kings he’s not signing an extension, then you have to trade him. His expiring deal is worth nothing if he walks.
Be so Kangz if that’s what’s been going on. But I think it’s because his offense isn’t as good. He shoots the 3 well, but his handle and passing aren’t great. IMO, same reason Brown didn’t play him over Heurter. The coaches hope they can get the offense first players to up their defense enough.
OT: Lowe had Sengun and then Jalen Duren on his podcast for a few minutes each today too. Great listen. Would love to have either or both of them on our team.
Kings have the worst offense in the league, what would it matter if his offense isn’t that good? His defense leads to offense.
I’m with you, but it’s the only reason I can think of other than Keon slept with both Brown and Christie’s wives.
I’ve always wondered what would have happened if we drafted Sengun instead of Davion. We might have kept both fox and tyrese and not needed to trade for Domas
Keep benching Malik for Keon! Sorry Malik you’re not really needed on this roster. I’d rather bench Zach or DeMar, they have way worse contracts. But someone needs to get sat down to give Keon the minutes he deserves, he fits much better alongside these other players.
Malik would be excellent for teams like Houston, Orlando, or Detroit.
It was nice seeing a starting frontline of Keegan, Precious, and Raynaud tonight. Also been some time since I’ve seen DeMar slotted at the 2. Good balance in the rotations so I’m not upset at the loss, felt more like a win to me.
However for all intensive purposes, it was just a byproduct of injuries versus a shift in lineups. I still love the idea of getting a PF so we can permanently slide Keegan back to the 3 and have him play spot minutes at the 4 when necessary.
Max looks great, but Nique has been underwhelming. Season almost 1/3 of the way in, and a guy who’s going to be 24 soon, I was expecting he’d have got it going by now. Sadly, he seems like a Colby Jones imposter, imo.
Keeg has been pretty good too, just the shooting percentages aren’t there. Still 15 & 7, with 3.6 stocks!!! Keon is looking solid also, just struggling with his offense/shot….hard to get your rhythm with the way their screwing his minutes around, and DNPs etc. I’m not surprised his confidence and rhythm is going to the shitter.
Just asking. What about Sabonis and Monk for Quickley and Barrett? Money works. Also like Ellis and Carter for Day Ron Sharpe. Both Max and Day Ron up and coming.
Quickley and Barrett are younger, but I’m not convinced Quickley is that much better than Monk, especially at twice the price. They are both kind of tweener guards with neither being a true PG.
Is Barret a better asset then Sabonis? I don’t think so at this point in time.
From all of that, It would be a pass for me, unless an additional assets came this way, be it a pick, Murray-Boyles, or something else
Lastly, it doesn’t address the plethora of guards on the team. Why acquire two more guards when you’d still have Dennis, LaVine, DDR, Keon, etc.
The tank has been refueled. Bummer for Sabonis. I guess this is Maxi’s Pad now.
I was just thinking about how the warriors have to be getting desperate, and how great it would be to extract say a 2029 and 2031 unprotected firsts out of them for Sabonis. This injury probably dampens that unlikely dream. But as you said the injury bodes well for the tank
Apparently the Dubs want a rim protector and Sabonis ain’t it. As of this moment, Toronto makes the most sense as Poeltl has taken a sharp decline and the Raps need rebounding. I’m just not that high on anything Toronto has to offer.
The staff and players don’t know that they are tanking. But fate dictates a tank this year.
Honestly, the cyborg with the skull made of titanium who is never hurt is finally missing time. Causing a 2nd round pick to garner minutes and actually develop against NBA talent. While sitting a veteran for a DNP-CD, youngish wing development time. These things don’t happen here. Which is why I believe they ride this gravy tank to a stud in the draft and actually embrace a rebuild while never actually state they are rebuilding.
Keep it up Kings. Let the young guys play.
The basketball universe is telling the kings to tank, but they are fighting against it.
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