Following a hugely disappointing loss against the Wizards, the Sacramento Kings continued their road trip in Orlando. The Kings have played the Magic well over the years, but the Magic are big, athletic team. The exact type of team that traditionally gives the Kings trouble. Following the Washington stinker, Sacramento really needs a win. Could the Kings pull a rabbit out of their hat and take a win from the Magic? Let’s see how they did:
Quick Stats
Outcome: Kings win, 109-107
Sacramento Kings: 109 pts, 43.7% fg, 37.5% 3 pt, 85.7% ft, 26 ast, 42 reb, 7 to
Orlando Magic: 107 pts, 47.7% fg, 28.6% 3 pt, 72.2% ft, 27 ast, 49 reb, 13 to
They did it! It wasn’t always pretty, but the Kings escaped with a crucial win. Sacramento got the benefit of the whistle in the closing minutes, as Orlando was whistled on a foul against De’Aaron Fox. Jalen Suggs may have pushed a little, and it may have been why Fox was teetering over into a backcourt violation, but I was still surprised the refs called that one in Sacramento’s favor. Fox was clutch from the charity stripe (8 for 9 for the game), and Keon Ellis hit 1-of-2 with 2 seconds remaining. One final stop, and that was all she wrote.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
The Good:
- Keegan Murray: Let’s get straight to the point, the Kings would not have won this game without Keegan Murray, 22 points on 12 shots, 6 for 7 from beyond the arc, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks. Keegan wasn’t the star of this game, but he stepped up big time in this one.
- Double Domas: Another stud outing from the Kings center. The double-double streak continues, as Domantas Sabonis finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists.
- Keon Ellis: Keon was huge in this one. He played his usual stout defense, with 2 steals and a block, but also contributed on offense. 19 points, 4 for 9 from three, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. It really makes me wonder why the hell Mike Brown played him so sparingly against the Wizards.
The Bad:
- The Bench Unit: Good god. This is one of those games that really highlights just how much the Kings miss Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles right now. Sasha Vezenkov was questionable for this one but ended up being ruled out. He would also be a welcome addition. As it stands, the Kings bench was a disaster. 4 players combined for 7 points in a combined 53 minutes of game action. The +/- ratings for the four bench players were Len -7, Mitchell -12, Monk -22, Duarte -19. I actually feel bad lumping Len in this group, because he did play some solid interior defense. But Monk (more on him in a moment) and Duarte were especially bad.
The Ugly:
- Malik Monk: Malik Monk scored zero points in this contest. He played 22 minutes, took 11 shots, and made absolutely none of them. Credit to the Magic, who were clearly geared towards taking Monk out of the game. Mission accomplished, Orlando. Monk never looked comfortable, never found his groove, and was not on the floor in the closing minutes of the game.
The King of Kings
De’Aaron Fox stepped up tonight, leading the Kings with 31 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists. Fox was struggling from beyond the arc, going just 3-12, but was great from the charity stripe and hit key jumpers to keep the Kings in it throughout.
Up Next
Monday, March 25th, 7:00 PM PT, vs the Philadelphia 76ers.
Great win and gives hope again . Terrific play from Fox, Ox, Keegan and Ellis . Like Brown playing more zone seems to fit team better and disrupts opponents a bit .
That zone looks dangerous.
It crushes most fourth grade teams.
Glad to see the Kings accept some basic type of defense. At least they did something with it.
Let them gel with what they’ve accepted then. At least they now have accepted something. That basic defense you are referring to is top 5 within the past what 8 or 9 games?
So we play harder and better defense against better competition and play down to lesser opponents. Our remaining schedule is tough, then there’s the play-in or playoffs. The recipe for a deep run.
Like I said…after 20 years of no defense they chose the most basic and it impacts the games.
Deep run?
How?
See second paragraph.
We see this team plays up to competition. There is nothing but almost elite competition coming up. We have a very tough schedule. But if what holds true and we play UP to our competition, according to how this season has gone, we should be fine. The recipe for a deep run.
The recipe doesn’t hold to necessarily be true, but looking at how we’ve played against the top of the west, if we get in, I’m pretty confident we can get to the 2nd round. Depending on the opponent in the 2nd round, the mismatch could be in our favor as well.
I see almost zero chance of a deep playoff run but maybe they can get out of the play-in now. They lost to the Wizards a few days ago though so I won’t hold my breath.
We lost to the Wiz…ok. Detroit, Charlotte, Portland. All bad losses. Look who we’ve beat though. And beat soundly.
I’m not the stat guy, so do as you please, but if you haven’t seen them rise to the competition, then I don’t know what to tell you.
I’m not sure it will hold up, but it did the trick.
Fox compensated for Monk, Keon and Domas were great too and Keegan finding his touch from 3 was key.
i think 7 out of 10 times you won’t get that call near the end of the game, but I’ll take it.
All great points.
I’m just happy they have some sort of set on defense currently when we’ve gone without for so long. They can get after when they want to. Now is the time to buy in.
That foul at the end was definitely iffy. However, the refs have gone rouge anyway. I specifically saw assault and battery on Domas and it was just free-throws, maybe a side out. Can’t remember exactly. The refs have swallowed the whistles and I’m here for it as long as the calls or lack thereof are consistent both ways, which they haven’t been. But neither have we *shrugs*
I know I’m coming off as omplaining a lot, but I really wonder what Brown and the coaching staff have been doing this whole season?
We kept talking about continuity and how – with the core intact – the team could evolve and build upon last season. And this stuff just feels like figuring it out as we go along with a sprinkle of desperation on top.
With every good game by Keon, I am asking myself what Brown was seeing that the TKH-base wasn’t (or vice versa).
I always bite my tongue rotation wise, since as fans, we don’t see all that happens in practice, drills, etc.
As I say that, I wonder where Kessler would be right now development and asset wise if he had been given what has felt like the extraordinarily long leash that Duarte has this year (was that a g-damn slide tackle into a three point shooter last night? ffs), especially on a team lacking in size.
I am a fan of MB, but I think he has felt a lot of pressure to win this year. Probably self applied, since Vivek has shown a rather casual approach to that goal over the years. I think some of the quick hooks, odd rotations, inability to call a TO during a bad run and course correct, the failure to get Keegan touches in the fourth quarter, as a guy who is pressing and afraid to fail. Last year he struck me as so confident, but last year the expectations were so low, everything was gravy.
I see it in Domas too, with the frustrating turnovers, or galloping up the floor and into three players in the key when the entire arena knows he is going to turn the ball over.
I should also add, I get Mike having some angst and perhaps pushing too hard. He has had an odd NBA career.
He won 50, 50, 45, 66, & 61 games with CLE, including a COY, and was dumped because LeBron wanted a different coach, all completely played out in the media, in a typical James-ian way.
Went to LA, went 41-25 with Kobe chucking up a 43% fg and 30% from 3, surrounded by Meta shooting 39% and Derek Fisher and Steve Blake both at 38%. The next season he started 1-4 and was fired at Kobe’s request, again, all played out in the media.
Received a lot of credit and accolades as Kerr’s right hand in GS, but rarely heard his name floated when HC spots came open.
I get it, but he has seemed different to me this year, a bit more erratic and urgent, and I wonder if it is the pressure to get from good to great immediately and prove he should have had his own team way before this is any factor at all.
Good points.
It’s not the same loose, devil may care team of last year, which also makes sense, to an extent.
Expectations. Damn expectations.
They can make winning a closing vice – and desperation lurks, always, around the corner.
This franchise turned that corner last season and Mike Brown and the guy who hired him, Monte McNair deserve the credit and the accolades attached.
These two resuscitated the moribund zombie corpse of Maloofian origins and Vivekian flesh in the graveyard of Sacramento. Casting off the last vestiges of Vlade rot and Walton stink
and delivered us fans a real team of heart and smiles and likable personalities. Last year, for me, was the freshest breath of air this Sacramento Kings fan has felt in a very long while.
This teams is competitive, but flawed. And Mike Brown has shouldered the responsibility of making them “great”.
Nah. They need to be very good first, and this is the path with many miles to go.
Playoffs are the clothes that make this man. Let’s talk again in Mid-April.
I feel like I am reading Bizarro Blob at times when I read your longer posts UTG. Some of the old heads here will understand why I feel like that is a compliment.
I am in agreement. They do need to be very good first, or at least on a sustainable path, before pressing too hard. It was why I preferred they keep their powder dry at the deadline unless a deal fell in their lap.
I look at what ATL did after that conference finals run, thinking they were on the precipice, and it has been miserable since then, and work to do to right the ship.
I wanted to see who Keegan really is, and if anyone really popped this season, then head into the summer with it likely being obvious where the assets needed to be spent.
Monte saved Buddy’s contract until it was needed for ballast in the Sabonis trade, I like that he is heading into summer, where quite a few teams are lacking in flexibility, and he will have 34m in contracts between HB and Kevin, who are both completely fungible players whose shooting will fit any team, as well as some draft pick flexibility, to reconfigure the roster a bit.
I do think the emergence of Ellis is important, and I am hoping he really works on his passing and handle this summer, as he being a starter (and a bargain as Adam pointed out), not only makes Kevin movable, but also changes the team dynamic. Keegan has played outstanding defense this year. With a Fox-Ellis backcourt, they will be able to handle any matchup, and leave Keegan to guard whichever forward is most appropriate, making the defense so much better.
You brought up Atlanta and their fizzle and I’ll also reference Minnesota who went way up two seasons ago and then went Full In the Summer of 2022: Rudy Gobert for 5 draft picks, SuperMax extension for KAT ($224M/4 yrs) and then 2023 had them lose 4 games more in the regular season and again, didn’t leave the first round. Will they make it out of the first round this season? What if they don’t?
This season Sac stayed with the roster that brought them success. A gamble to change the roster and a gamble to remain stable. What’s the right answer (no using the rear view mirror!)?
Throw in – you can only get talent through draft and/or trade- Free Agents don’t put Sac high on the desirability list. And trades only happen if you have (perceived) equal value (fit is a different matter).
Talking trade and actual player movement is hard- and why Monte and Wes get the big bucks.
And I’ll round back into it- the regular season is becoming less important. Maybe it’s always been that way, but the COVID and post-COVID NBA seems like the playoffs are much more an open free for all than ever before.
Yeah, that was easy.
17.0 Cole Anthony misses 25-foot three point jumper 108 107
12.1 Jonathan Isaac offensive rebound 108 107
10.1 Franz Wagner misses 26-foot three point jumper 108 107
7.1 Cole Anthony offensive rebound 108 107
3.1 Cole Anthony misses driving layup 108 107
What a sequence….
We gonna lost already without Ellis
We need to keep the momentum
The key part of that ridiculous sequence, at least from my point of view, was Isaac’s offensive rebound six feet from the basket, only Harrison Barnes in front of him to contest a shot, then kicking it out to the perimeter even though Orlando was down by only one point.
Isaac goes up for a little flip shot or jumper there, Kings lose by one. He played an incredible game, but he made a terrible decision right at the end.
Greg quick edit needed. You have us beating the Raps not the Magic
Yes, under “Quick Stats,” the opposing team (in bold) is identified as the Toronto Raptors.
Nice catch, Bluejohn.
Thanks! Fixed now.
It’s cool. We beat the damned Raptors, too.
Glad we got the win. At least we had a 2-1 road trip.
I definitely think the Kings got some lucky breaks in those last 25 seconds. The push foul called on Suggs could’ve easily been a no call and was iffy, but I do think it was the correct call. The fact that Orlando got THREE offensive rebounds the following possession for a total of four chances to take the lead was maddening (I was screaming at my laptop screen for the Kings to grab the rebound). They were very fortunate Orlando missed all those shots. And seven bench points for the Kings, including zero points from Monk? Oooof.
It sucks that we only get one day off in between when we have to fly back to Sac cross country and have TWO home back to backs. The NBA could’ve at least given another day off since there are two days between the two Dallas games. But whatever….
12 games left and zero room for error. Gotta at minimum split the two games against Dallas and then beat Phoenix on the second to last game of the season if we want to have the head-to-head tiebreakers against the two teams we are fighting the 6th seed for.
See what happens when Keegan gets more touches. I just don’t believe Keon Ellis. Monty you did great now Brown should have played him more in the Wizards game. Just don’t know why.
Keegan and Keon were both looking for shots tonight!
I was surprised and pleased that MB decided to keep Keegan in the game after he picked up that fifth foul. I’m amazed Keegan managed to finish the game without fouling out.
Keon still needs to work on his handle, his corner threes, and his free-throw shooting. Teams are going to quit going under on screens when guarding him.
Well, the Mavs have to play away in Utah the night before playing at G1C. We have two home games. So it’s a SEGABABA for both teams while Dallas is the one on a road trip.
Zero excuses.
I wasn’t making excuses for the team here. I was just talking about when you have to fly back cross country and get one day off before playing again.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that you were.
This was more directed at Kayte, actually.
And the team.
All good. I agree that the SEGABABA isn’t any reason for them to come out lethargic since Dallas is also having a SEGABABA too.
Kings have Mavs twice, NOP and Suns once- just beat the teams you need to.
Did I see Keon holding his ground vs Banchero? Damn I love that kid’s game.
Looks like he plays within himself on offense, and I’m definitely high on that Ellis D
I’m well aware this is SSS
Keon is the best player to ever wear the number 23. I’m well aware this is SSS 🙂
But yeah, love him in this lineup – HB can absorb the additional offensive work that Huerter’s absence leaves and Keon is not exactly a zero at that end either. His defensive energy is ridiculous and is exactly what our starting lineup needs. When Red Velvet comes back, he can work as part of an excellent (tonight excluded) bench lineup that can find a hot hand.
I suspect with labrum injury, KH is gone for the entire season and playoffs
Just read something about that. Bummer. Was hoping to see him adding firepower to the bench.
Like I said before and it needs mentioned again if he can gain the experience this year, hopefully also in the playoffs, and works on some things in the off season then IMO he can and will be as good as Matisse Thybulle which Adamsite really likes, and Alex Caruso .
Domas ties Kevin Love at 53 for most consecutive double doubles since the merger…but no who is not an all star. What a joke.
Rockets have been on a roll lately winning eight games in a row, and the Warriors have been slipping. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rockets overtook them for the 10th spot, especially considering the Warriors are about to go on a five game road trip.
Would be delicious to see the Duds miss out on the postseason completely.
After losing today, they are just a game ahead of the Rockets!
After two decades of astoundingly horrible defense this team has finally accepted the reality they cannot play defense.
Go with the fourth grade zone.
Glad to finally see it.
As much as I personally hate the zone defense and as a coach probably used it 5% of the time it is a defense.
Yes. It is not much of a defense but they finally decided to do something.
Maybe they watched some elementary school film?
Vivek showed them tape of the Middle School team he coached.
Top comment.
4 vs 5 with Fox not running back on D while waiting for the ball to jack up 40 threes for misses.
Outrebounded, outassisted and out-Isaac-ed
But not outscored!
7 turnovers for Sacramento- that’s more like it! 18/21 FTs (missing 3) – the difference maker in a close game as Orlando shot 72% (13/18 missing 5). Sabonis 6/6! Fox 8/9!
Neon Keon with 19 – if he can average double figures points than truly, Heurter’s starting job is in dire jeopardy.
Franz (Pump You Up) Wagner is one of my favorites, but was a minus 27 tonight.
Johnathan Isaac ties for Surprise Player of the Game (SPOG) going for 20+ for the first time since pre-COVID with Malik Monk who was devoid of any magic or wizardry tonight. Put a band-aid on it ‘Lik.
I expect he will be back to his usual self – maybe those connection jerseys threw him off tonight.
Jonathan Isaac looked amazing. Would be such a great fit next to Sabonis
He’s apparently a toxic nutjob, though. I’d pass on that strictly for vibe reasons.
Yeah, I will just say that there are a ton of things that he’s said and endorsed that make me not want to have a person like that on this team. Already went through having very unlikable players on the team in the past and don’t want to have that again.
Being a Christian and states it is somehow unlikeable . His coach and teammates speak highly of him.
Who said anything about having issues with his faith?
I can tell you I have a problem that he pals around with an a-hole grifter like Charlie Kirk who has somehow made millions and has multiple homes all while running a non profit. “Bad company ruins good morals.”
I never said ANYTHING about his religion as being the issue with his character. Good grief.
So what do you see about his character that is problematic?
the problem is he cannot crack the Orlando lineup for years now and it is not as if they are stellar.
…so no character issues…just a personal bias.
Not being good enough to crack the lineup is a legitimate concern.
Oh, please. Every time Isaac is mentioned on a thread in the kingdom, the trolls pounce, labeling him a divisive crackpot.
It’s not his religion, they say.
It’s his politics. It’s his stance on Covid. Blah, fucking blah.
He’s not smoking blunts at practice. He’s not throwing basketballs at the heads of his teammates.
He has a right to his religion, to his politics. He has a right to have a viewpoint on Covid. He has a right to not take a vaccine that won’t protect him from the virus or prevent him from transmitting the virus. He has a right to say there was government overreach. He has a right to say masks don’t work. He has a right to say the virus was created in a lab in China, and that the U.S. funded the research.
He has right to say all this.
Just as you have a right to say and believe whatever you want.
I’m sure you all believe in free speech and tolerance. It would be nice if you extended that belief to Isaac.
He had a good game. An aberration? Probably. Do I want him on the Kings? I don’t know. I don’t trust his health.
Don’t care about his politics or religion or views on Covid.
If I had to choose between Isaac or Miles Bridges, I’d take Isaac in a heartbeat.
Miles Bridges? Now there’s a guy deserving of derision. But I bet he got his Covid shot when he was in the lockup. Puts my mind at ease.
I have no problems with his beliefs- as far as I know of them, but his problem is he is inconsistent, never plays multiple games and is not so smart as a BB player.
According to who?
Good question. My gut tells me he just wouldn’t fit in with this current team for various reasons. Also, his durability is beyond questionable. We need a durable starter beside Domas not named HB. And that durable starter needs to be a dawg. JI doesn’t seem to have those genes.
Now who fits that mold, I can’t say. That’s why they pay MM.
The Luka vibe was horrible too. So glad he didn’t come here and ruin the vibe.
Toxic nutjob how? I’m genuinely curious.
He’s quite the dipshit, ranging from his ignorance about immunizations to the political company he keeps.
As with any of us, he is certainly entitled to pal around with fascists and espouse ignorance, but if you’re asking me to overlook those things within a team dynamic, I’m going to decline loudly.
Maybe this was Orlando trying to find a place to offload him and maybe Sac has shown most interest so they highlighted him – and he highlighted! Unfortunately, Jonathan Issac makes Marvin Bagley III look like a modern AC Green when it comes to reliability and health
Isaac has a non-guarantee of $17.4M next season (becomes guaranteed on 1/10/2025) and is a UFA 2025
Isn’t Bagley on injury 32 this year?
Does Isaac have a jackass father as well?
He’s averaged 6.6 ppg this year. The problem with him playing for the Kings is that he’d no longer get to play against the Kings.
Derek Smith 2.0
I might agree as long as he stayes healthly.
If he could play 65 games a season, I would like his fit as well. He just has really bad knees, and that has inhibited him growing as a player. Shame too, as he has some real skills, especially defensively.
K2 with 41 on 24 shots, offsetting the Monk shutout. Ellis is a farking revelation.
The aggressiveness he showed offensively last night was really something to see, especially against a very good defensive Orlando squad.
His being able to handle 25-28 minutes a game, or even more, really allows the FO some flexibility this summer.
This can’t be overstated. Prior to Ellis, Monte was in the pickle of potentially losing Monk in free agency which would make keeping Huerter almost a necessity. Now, the loss or trade of either of them is a lot more tolerable. If Monk walks in free agency, Monte can still explore a trade/package involving Huerter because next year’s potential starting off guard is still locked up and a crazy cheap deal.
I have been wondering, as have you, if Orlando was a player for Monk this offseason. I would be very surprised if they were.
With excellent initiators in Banchero, who seems like Webber 2.0, and Franz, I don’t know if a pick-n-roll heavy, isolation guy like Monk is really what I would pick. With Suggs being a decent ball-handler, with plenty of PG experience, he could probably being the nominal point guard, and with his size/skill, he could be the POA defender or match up to the best opposing guard. I would think they are going to comb the market for the best catch-and-shoot guy they can find, rather than another guy who needs the ball to be effective.
I swear at some point last night either Kayte or Jones mentioned Orlando as a suitor for Monk. I don’t recall the specifics of it, but it might have been someone in Orlando mentioned it them.
There are currently 8 teams projected to be low enough below the cap that could potentially offer Monk more than the Kings will pay. It doesn’t mean they will, but it takes only one and the free agent class isn’t all that great. My fear is it will be Orlando ($36M in space) or Philly. ($80M in space).
Orlando, Philly and SAS
I would think Orlando would look at maybe Ty Jones or even Gary Trent Jr, guys who very good catch and shoot players who do not need the ball, and will likely be cheaper, since they still have Black who they are developing and very high on from what I have read.
I also think Monk likes playing here. He is an emotional guy, and interview after interview, you can hear how hurt he was that he never truly got a chance in CHA, had to sign for a min contract, had a terrific year for the Lakers, and didn’t get much of an offer. Where in Sac, Monte and Mike have put him in a situation to really fulfill his potential and the city adores him. I think that matters, and the FO can figure out how to pay him.
I don’t know if his tendency to try and do it all, his loose handle, his playing defense only occasionally, is going to be as glossed over from another team’s perspective as it is here, where we see him also yank an opponents spine right out of their body once a week.
I personally would take Keon over Suggs any day of the week. Keon fits exactly what the Kings want at SG. He needs experience which if Brown is smart will give that to him can play excelant defense can shoot the 3 and can facilitate. He does all that. PS after listening to him at postgames he seems to be intellegant and has a high IQ which he has already shown when on the court.
If you can explain what kind of player needs the ball more in order to be effective catch-and-shoot guy, I will consider my worldview rocked.
Honestly, just a great win by the Kings. Fought hard on defense, and scored enough to get the win.
Not the prettiest win, but a win nonetheless. Nice to see Keon and Keegan find the 3pt shot.
Damn, can Orlando throw out some size and length that is also skillful. I think they are close to being a top seed in the east, just maybe some more experience, and some growth from Anthony Black and Paolo.
Good points. I think they are up and coming. Only area I see for improvement is at point guard. Suggs is good but not that good Anthony is good but not that good. And I also like Black and and Franz W.
Suggs is a really good defender, offensive game has come around yet. Cole Anthony is a leeser version of Monk. They need someone to bring it all together and make it really work.
I hope it isn’t Monk.
Off Topic News:
https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/03/nemanja-bjelica-retires.html#:~:text=Bjelica%20played%20seven%20seasons%20in,%2C”%20Bjelica's%20Instagram%20post%20reads.
Nemanja Bjelica retires from Basketball
what is there to say but “F&$@ it, he deserves it”
I’m gonna say this as nicely as a I can, but I almost threw my remote into the TV when Fox took the long three with 40 seconds left with the Kings up 1. He was horribly short and had absolutely no fucking business taking that shot with 8 seconds on the shot clock. You’re in the bonus and you do that??!! Kings got lucky there at the end with Fox almost blowing the game late.
https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=FGA&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0022301020&PlayerID=1628368&RangeType=0&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612758&flag=3&sct=plot§ion=game
Yeah, that drove me crazy.
Fox has a quick first step and is hard to defend when he is driving to the basket. That is all Fox is and all he will ever be.
Game decisions, defense, and leadership are not ever going to be his role.
That was actually his last shot of the game. He finished 3-12 from downtown. He is now shooting 32% from three since the calendar turned to 2024.
It seems he is forcing more 3s that aren’t necessarily good shots, instead of waiting for a good open look that he can step in to and hit.
He and Monk force too many off the dribble as opposed to Keegan, Barnes, and Huerter, who are more catch and shoot. It also doesn’t help that Monk and Fox are just average 3pt shooters.
Or drive to the basket like he has done his whole basketball career.
When Fox loses the quick first step he is done.
Curry will play successfully until he is well into his eighties because he can shoot the ball successfully from anywhere in the building.
There is a difference between Fox and truly great players. Fox has one trick.
I agree. It seems he thinks it has to be him to win the game. If you have an open wide three then it’s different. The one he shot should not have been. I would have preferred him to attack the basket and either make it get fouled ot both. It also doesn’t seem he has faith in his teammates. It takes 5 to win most games. Keegan was shooting lights out all night. Matbe he could have gotten a good look or drive. We had 8 seconds left. Makes no sense with me why he took that off balance shot. Only he knows.
PS A question for all you. If you had a choice who would you want on the Kings team as SG Ellis or Suggs?
On talent & upside: Suggs. When you factor in Suggs will make $16m over the next two years and Ellis $4m, still Suggs, but baaaaaaaarely.
Suggs is only 22, 2 years younger than Ellis. He has taken a big leap this year. Not dogging Ellis here, but ask 30 NBA GMs and the answer would overwhelmingly be Suggs.
Agreed. He’s younger and more proven.
I was out of town and watched the game on League Pass- usually have 2 options- home and away announcers but only had Orlando announcers. They were pathetic: rambled about nothing, had all sorts of trivia questions, did not pay attention to the game, did not know the Kings at all and though “JI” was the second coming.
I caught a glimpse of Mark Jones and Kayte and pined for them. I know some are down on Kayte and “Drapes” but they are actually pretty good if you have to listed to other team’s lame brains.
Mark Jones is a professional, an excellent listen. After way too many years Kayte is still amateurish, incredibly verbose with a third of those words being “you know”, “kinda”, “like”, or “I think”. She routinely cuts off her announcing partner, continually talks over the next play in favor of discussing something or someone else. Removing her from the broadcast would improve our viewing experience dramatically.
Mark Jones is not only a professional, but an expert and authority. He may be verbose and longwinded, but also definitive and decisive. Sure, he’s frequently and often repetitive and redundant in his verbal style, but also uses words incorrectly and errantly. He attempts to use synonyms and words that mean the same thing, but commonly and typically uses examples that are dissimilar, different, and occasionally antithetical and opposite.
I’m also pretty sure that no one told him Orlando has two players with the surname Wagner until the third quarter.
If he ever stops needing to prove that he has a large vocabulary by being redundant, he’d be a pretty good listen. As things stand, he is tiresome and exhausting.
OK, its a tough listen all the way around. Mute and listen to music has become the default.
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