Following the Sacramento Kings victory over the Detroit Pistons head coach Mike Brown spoke about how well the offense is working right now.
“Guys are just hitting singles. They are just hitting the next open guy, and they’re getting off the ball willingly and at the right time. And when we score sometimes it looks so effortless and it’s because of the way that the guys are sharing the basketball, the way that they’re spacing the floor and the way that they believe in each other’s ability to go make a play, and make the right play. And just the fluidity with the spacing and the simplicity of it, it’s just beautiful to watch.”
This is all true and something we are basically watching play out on a game-to-game basis. We are all old enough to remember the days of constant dribbling, angry glares and confusion. But here we are: The Kings are 5th in assists at 27.1 per game and 2nd in points at 117.8 per game.
Let’s take a look at some of this in motion from the road trip.
It all starts with spacing, and the Kings are good at keeping at least three guys out beyond the arc to give the other two guys room to work, no matter if that is De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, or others. To help take advantage of this, the team has the shooting to stretch the defense.
Notice on that impressive cross-court pass from Malik Monk to Keegan Murray, Fox motions for Murray to stay in the corner. The Kings have good communication on the floor now.
Once you have the spacing and guys start hitting “singles” with passes as Brown says, things begin to really click. (I love how Sabonis spins a defender around in circles on a fast break pass here.)
And when the spacing and movement begin, the game starts to look easy, as if there is a simplicity to it. And if basketball is played correctly, it is simple if you have the talent to execute on it. Plus, when you have a guy like Sabonis it really speeds this process up. The amount of hand-off threes the Kings are getting is quite impressive. Mix that in with the ability to run the pick and roll and you start to develop a deadly half-court offense, with the ability to also hurt you on the fast break. The Kings are currently 8th in points per possession in the half court, and 4th in points per possession in the half court, according to Cleaning the Glass. The team is 5th in fast break points.
When the ball is moving like this, the team establishes a level of comfort that lends itself to knowing where guys are going to be, or “trust.” (Watch in one of the following clips when Fox knows the ball is coming back to him from Monk for the three. He subtly brings his hands up preparing for the pass.)
The Kings do still need cut down on turnovers: They are 21st in the league at 14.6 per game, but something great about this offense is it’s not just two guys in all these clips. Certainly, Sabonis and Fox are key, but this is an offense that lends itself to getting everyone involved and it truly is beautiful to watch. At this point in the season, Mike Brown has solidified himself in the Coach of the Year discussions.
“Reports of very pretty basketball are beginning to come in from Sacramento.”
“We’re a most promising team…as contenders go…and maybe in a postseason or so, we’ll be able to prove it.”
Some of us do not take losses well! Only Beam!
Rambling Hot Takes:
There is a concerted focus on defense by Coach Brown and his staff. The roster is heavy with offense oriented players and yet it is the defense by this same group that is the likely reason the team is 16-12.
And the pretty part? You have to look at Sabonis as the leader there. He certainly fits the Sacramento tradition of sweet passing bigs with less defensive presence – Vlade Divac, Chris Webber, Brad Miller in particular.
As it is now officially trade season – I am /cross fingers hopeful that Richaun Holmes can find a home for his talents and in exchange, Sacramento can acquire a defensive minded acquisition that can play SF or a rebounding, shot blocking big to relieve Domas – rebounding the ball would go a long way to fueling the second units offense, IMO. I expect that a non-starter (Holmes) can be exchanged for equal non-starter level talent – shoring up the second unit is needed for the Kings to build upon their record, IMO. KZ isn’t quite cutting it just yet, and we have yet to see Keon Ellis with any appreciable playing time. Chimezie isn’t boarding all that well, despite his athletic gifts, nor does he has post moves.
Maybe getting Kevin McHale out of retirement and using him as a reserve? (Maybe not).
I’m in the camp that a rebounding, screen setting, defensive big that can also fit into the offensive flow is what is needed to back up Sabonis. That guy is playing in Sacramento tonight. IMO, Plumlee would be a perfect backup center to give you 15 minutes a night. He could be that guy to weather the storm if/when Sabonis misses a game or three to a nagging injury. As you said, Sabonis is the leader out there, and there is really no one to back him up.
I am a fan of that idea. Plumlee can be a dollar-store Sabonis with his ability to playmate and rebound. I also really like Olynyk along that same vein, in that he is a good playmaker, and while less physical, is an outside threat.
I fully expect to get something of value to the Kings for Holmes’s contract. At the very least, there are teams that need to make moves like Dallas, teams with a player that needs to be moved (Pcx-Crowder and Hawks-Collins) , and teams that probably need to switch gears (Toronto, Chicago, Washington), and whatever happens with the Jazz, Warriors, Lakers, Heat, Timberwolves, and Pacers.
I think there is plenty of room for McNair to pull off a “value” move. I am expecting a lot of roster movement this year.
I should have said “play make” rather than “playmate”.
Plumlee would likely be fairly low on this list of NBA players to have an Onlyfans.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, I don’t pretend to know people’s business.
I feel the Hornets are a team that are going to blow it up here pretty quick. The whole Miles Bridges situation really hurt that franchise. I’m guessing everyone on that team, sans Ball and Mark Williams, is on the block.
There is gonna be a lot of teams, like the ones you mentioned, that will be selling by the deadline. Kings may have an opportunity to add help without losing any of their core pieces. A reliable backup up center and/or defensive minded wing could really help the Kings break this playoff drought.
Blake is still here?
Or do we need to vote whether he can jump back on the bandwagon? 😉
Yeah the hand-off numbers mentioned on the fivethirtyeight article are staggering.
Between Sabonis’ Boston Pops-like ability to conduct the offense, and the fact that Fox can basically get any shot he wants, whenever he wants, that’s an incredible foundation for other players to build around.
When you are a member of the supporting cast, you want the ability to eat when you’re on the floor, and as we’ve seen, everyone eats on this team. How many games have there been where there were six or seven guys in double figures? That’s how you keep the crew happy.
Really enjoy these video breakdowns Blake. Thanks.
Haven’t read the article (I will)
haven’t read the comments (I will)
for the record, the title to this article after 16 long years of suffering… “get the fuck outta here!!”
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