So what have you done since we last spoke? It’s been a few days now since the Kings shocked no one but the residents of New York City when they took down the worst offense in the league and shocked seemingly everyone on this green Earth by holding them to just 94 points. Amazing what a little defensive effort and a lot of bad shooting can do, huh? The Kings are in Orlando tonight and hoping to polish this turd for the second game in a row against a team just as susceptible to a bad night as the Knicks. Can they make it two straight nights of non-noisome defense? Of course! (Probably not).
When: Wednesday, January 27th, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
TV: NBCSCA – Kyle Draper on the call.
Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
Orlandon’t Look Now: So Orlando is one of those weird teams. They started their season 6-2, beating Miami on opening night, Washington twice, Oklahoma City then Cleveland twice. These aren’t necessarily barn-burners but they’re quality wins against decent teams and in an Eastern Conference as up-and-down as it is, six early wins isn’t anything to sneeze at. It’s the difference between a playoff berth and a solid lottery pick, so all props to them. They then immediately lost the next six straight by an average of just under 20 points per game and in their last four have split, two wins and two losses. They’re bottom ten in pace, bottom three in points per game and almost dead center of the league in opponents points per game.
To be absolutely fair to the Magic, they’ve also struggled with players absences due to a litany of injuries. Hyper talented Jonathan Isaac was already out for the entirety of this season after an injury during Bubble play. Al-Farouq Aminu similarly has not played this season due to a knee injury. Starting point guard Markelle Fultz, the once maligned #1 pick who just recently earned himself a $50 million contract extension, tore the ACL in his left knee at the beginning of January and is going to be out the remainer of this season. Life has been less than kind to this Magic squad.
The winds here in Sacramento have caused this preview to be written in 10 minute intervals for the last 14 hours or so, so apologies for it being brief. Every other sentence has my lights flickering, the power going out then immediately coming back on and my desktop is pissed about it. I’m basically sending out the worst goddamn telegram.
Readers. (Stop)
Orlando Magic not good. (Stop)
Kings have decent shot if Orlando shoots their averages. (Stop)
Don’t short the GameStop stock. (End)
Basically, the Kings have a really good shot at their second win in a row. They have rookie Cole Anthony running their point guard spot and they’re the third worst team in the league in terms of blocked shots, so De’Aaron Fox can have himself a big night around the rim. They have the second worst two point percentage and sixth worst three point percentage so rebounds galore for the bigs if they want it. They also draw the fourth least amount of free throw attempts, so I wouldn’t expect anyone to be fouling out tonight.
And now that I’ve said that, it will all go very wrong.
Prediction
It all goes very right and I get a small hit of happy chemicals in my brain for these very modest points being proven fairly right. Fox and my power both go off tonight!
Kings: 118, Magic: 103
I think this a 4 game road trip. We’re coming back home 10-10. Put a stamp on it.
I still know nothing, all I know is GO KINGS!!!
10-10? Lol! This team hasn’t won more than 2 games in a row. That was once. 4 in a row. A Heat team getting back Butler and Dragic, A Raptors team playing much better. Both the Heat and Raptors superior to the Kings when healthy. 2-2 at Best. Kings could win tonite and in the rematch with NO. But Then Sac plays LAC, Den, Bost, and Philly. Lose all 4. They will be no better than 8-14 after these next 8.
Logic…denied.
Stamp it!!!!
Shun the non-believer!!!!!!!
Those stats that you cited about the Magic are horrifying. How the hell did they win more than just a couple of games?
I am aware that you could sub out “Magic” for “Kings,” and the statement would remain accurate.
Moveable Object versus the Stoppable Force
I’ve been applying that joke to the “big” USC/UCLA football game for the past decade and a half.
Honestly, how is the Pac-12 even a Power 5 conference anymore?
Anybody else just freeze their ass off up on the roof repairing lost tiles? I can’t be the only one dealing with damage today.
Looking forward to syncing that beautiful sound of Gary Gerould with the muted game tonight with a warm blanket and my wife’s turkey stew.
I just came down from putting the chimney cap back in place after flying off the roof. I know its coming back down anytime now…
I had to upright a few chairs this morning. Was really surprised at the lack of significant damage, I hardly got any sleep last night as loud as the wind was.
And the rickety section of fence that looks like it could be knocked over by a toddler is still standing. I really don’t want to be the guy who kicks down his fence so he can call the insurance company, but I’m getting close.
Hey Will, looks like you survived the storm last night!
When I walked out my door the other day in Pasadena all these rocks were being thrown at me. I thought it must’ve been because of my Kings gear.
But it was hail.
On that note, make it hail, Hailiburton! Let’s see those threes tonight!
God was throwing rocks down at you?
Explains why our team hasn’t been to the playoffs in forever.
And 2002.
Hey Kosta, I am a golf instructor at Arroyo Seco Golf Course in S Pasadena. If you ever go there, stop by.
Keith
!!! Howdy, neighbor !!!
That’s wonderful! I’m not much of a golfer, but now I have a good reason to stop by at least. Yeah, South Pasadena is within biking distance from me in the Pasadena Playhouse District.
I will probably wait until it’s less restrictive out there, but duly noted. 🙂
Coolio. Good idea to wait.
I told Greg if he didn’t hear from me before 10 am, he was going to have to rewrite the whole thing in his words and toss in an In Memoriam.
“In Memory of Will, who did what the Kings never could – reach the final round.”
I finally got power and internet back at 9:30 something. I wrote this. It’s went out again till just now as I post this. There’s also something funky with my cell service because I haven’t been able to use data either through this storm either so… I’m not out of the woods yet!
My version would have been something to the effect of “RIP Will. He died to get out of previewing a game between these two teams.”
The good news is that you can’t Google “Fournier”
Likely story. How do we know you’re not Will’s murderer, impersonating him here?
Quick–what’s your favorite scene from Lady Bird?
With the lack of practice bemoaned,
Two games with the Grizz were postponed.
Hope the Kings used the break
To their defense remake
With lapses no longer condoned!
Which team will have their stock value artificially inflated after tonight?
the L*kers
Kings game? Stop.
Hedge funds have taken the short position on the Kings for…ever. So I say double down, buy and hold on that sweet sweet KNGZ stock.
“Write this on the telegram, sir: Kings defense is IN-FAMOUS. That will get their attention.”
THE KINGS WILL WIN IN ORLANDO WITH A DEFENSE THAT WILL -(STOP)-
NO ONE -(STOP)- MAKING FUN -(STOP)-
The Magic are the closest thing to the Kings in terms of talent and hope.
1) They have an aging vet as their highest paid player in Vuc and the Kings are similar with Buddy. Both are good, but not game changers.
2) They have a promising young, yet not great, PG in Fultz who just signed a fat contract, much like Fox.
3) They have a good 3rd to 4th banana on a good team in Gordon, much like the Kings have Barnes.
4) hey also have high hopes for a young PF that really hasn’t shown too much in Isaac, much like Bagley.
5) Their bench is a bench of meh in Carter-Williams and Aminu while the Kings have Joseph and GR3.
6) They have high hopes for the rookie in Anthony who has turned some heads, much like Haliburton.
7) They may appear to by a young and upcoming team, but they really aren’t that young and upcoming. Isn’t that Kings mantra?
8) They are not making the playoffs anytime soon. Ditto with the Kings.
They are Kings East and any trade with them would just be rearranging the deck chairs. All that being said, the Kings have a much better cap sheet while the Magic have the 7th highest payroll in the league.
Here is my ran(dumb) trade for them:
Barnes, Whiteside and James for Aminu, Bamba, and Ross. The deal saves the Magic over $5M this year and lowers their tax hit. They get a long term solution of SF in Barnes. Kings get out of Barnes’ deal, get a prospect in Bamba and 2 movable contracts in Aminu and Ross. Deck chairs rearranged.
I know he hasn’t really shown anything in Orlando in 2+ years, but Bamba is still intriguing to me. He gets buried behind Vucevic in Orlando, but he has the potential to stretch the floor a bit and has arms that extend into the clouds. I wouldn’t mind seeing what a different team and some extended minutes could do for him. At the very least, he could slide in as a younger Whiteside with better hands and shooting touch.
Yup, that’s why I included him. He is the only real gettable target on their roster that the Kings may benefit from, other than picks.
I need Bamba to take a leap to mitigate my pre-draft analysis from that year!
I think he could, if he could get from behind Vuc. I really believe they thought he’d be Vuc’s replacement, but Nikola has really taken off the last 3 years so Orlando extended him in 2019 after drafting Bamba in 2018.
They got kind of stuck in either letting Vuc walk for nothing and handing the keys to Bamba or pay Vuc and keep him despite their hopes for Mo.
They may find themselves in a similar pickle with Gordon when Isaac returns. Honestly, they’d be better to just move Gordon this year and embrace the tank so they can start fresh with Isaac, Fultz and their 2021 pick next season.
I don’t think Vucevic is really his problem though. I mean, Bamba is sitting behind Birch on the depth chart as well. I agree that they should move Gordon (and Fournier) and embrace the tank, but I don’t think that’s going to reveal some hidden Bamba excellence. The problem with Bamba is that he good in theory, but he really struggles on the court with the speed of the game in terms of thinking. He has no real idea what he’s supposed to be doing out there. If he’s at the rim, he’s tough. But anywhere outside the restricted area he’s a total liability. The challenge is, these days, teams are REALLY good at forcing guys like Bamba away from the basket and taking advantage of them. Now, that’s not to say the Kings should stay totally away from him. Just that, IMO, he should be seen as a semi-interesting throw-in rather than a real target.
So what you are saying is, he’s perfect for the Kings.
I guess I just see him as a low risk/high reward gamble while embracing the tank and getting out of Barnes’ deal. If he develops then he’s a solid insurance policy in case Holmes leaves the summer. If he Kings got him, I’d want to see him get good minutes.
Or they could just sign Christ…… Koumadje.
Great observation. In summary…the kid always looks confused. EVEN AFTER HE SCORES!!!!
Bamba seems too much like another version of Nerlens Noel and that gets you no where !
They’re pretty different. Noel is all about athleticism and defensive versatility. Bamba is all about playing at the rim and maaaayybbbeeee a bit of floor stretching on offense.
At this point “getting out of Barnes’ deal” is like pulling out because you think that you got a text.
Still, it’s a pretty good trade proposal.
9) Don’t google Fournier.
I’m surprised they haven’t moved Gordon already. Both he and Fournier could fetch decent returns.
I think they will move both of them by the deadline. Either of them fit into Boston’s TPE and don’t hurt the Celtics long term cap. I could also see Philly going after Fournier.
I was just thinking Fournier could be a pretty simple like-for-like injury replacement for Bogdan in Atlanta. Fournier for Snell + Dunn + 2nd. Or Fournier + a future pick of some sort for Snell + Reddish.
I think Fournier is worth a bit more than that first deal. He’s expiring, is a willing passer, can hit from and still produces well enough. He really is similar to Bogi in that way. He’d be an excellent addition to any playoff team.
If the Magic were committed to getting younger and were trading with ATL, I could se a Fournier for Snell and Huerter deal happening.
Actually, Magic play in the East. Magic are in the 8 spot currently. 1/2 game out of 7. 1.5 games out of 6th.
Of course, they’re also 2-8 since Fultz went down and aren’t showing any signs that slide would be expected to stop.
It’s rarely worth looking at or considering play-off position this early in the season. By this time next week, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them sitting around 12th or 13th in the East.
They are also only one game up on the 13th seed.
Buddy, Bagley & some kind of filler for Gordon, Bamba, and some sort of filler.
????
Trading under achievers off a loser for under achievers off a loser ! Why not ?
𤣠𤣠ð¤£
Playing the Knicks and Magic back to back can really do wonders for a team’s defensive ratings.
Pun game is on point.
Wait there is another game on today?
Don’t short sell the Kings .. or do .. the Stock market is very confusing.
So I’ve been pushing this trade with Orlando. Bjelica and Joseph for Aminu and Bamba. The trade improves the Magic somewhat this year and potentially opens up $16 mil in cap space for them next year. The Kings take a flyer on Bamba at minimal risk, a bit of a long shot with a potential huge upside. Maybe we’ll get a peak at Bamba tonight
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