The Sacramento Kings capped an undefeated preseason, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 116-112. As icing on the cake, the loss meant the Lakers were winless in preseason. Do these thing matter? No. But they’re still fun!
Speaking of fun, this game was a blast to watch. Both teams seemed to be playing with regular-season intensity and the crowd energy was fantastic. It helped that the Kings led for a good portion of the game, and we were treated to several outstanding individual performances.
De’Aaron Fox had a team-high 21 points, including shooting 3-4 from the free throw line. He should have had more free throws attempts but the refs swallowed the whistle on several blatant fouls.
Terence Davis had 20 points off the bench, going 6-13 from three. It felt like he made 10 threes.
Davion Mitchell’s stat line won’t jump off the page but he was everywhere in this game. His defense held up against the likes of Russell Westbrook and LeBron James. Those guys obviously still got their points, but Mitchell was disruptive and made his opponents put in extra effort. It’s those little things that add up. And that defensive intensity carried over to the rest of the team, who got some huge stops down the stretch in a game both sides were clearly still trying to win.
We’ll have more detailed analysis of the preseason as a whole in the days to come. The Kings now have a few days off before opening the regular season on October 20th against the Blazers.
Unbeaten in the Post-Shaq era!
Kayte is undefeated as color commentator!
Luke Walton is invincible this season!
Isn’t Davis anti-vax?
There are unfortunately some on the team that seem like they won’t get vaccinated…
I was talking to someone associated with the team the other day and they said the last few holdouts have been vaccinated. This person isn’t training staff or anything though, so take with appropriate salt.
how is that unfortunate
Everyone not getting vaccinated is a selfish turd, you see. Or so it’s said around here. It’s not possible that those not getting vax’d might have a good reason or anything.
No one thinks someone with a critical health problem should get a vaccine if it’s not recommended by their doctor.
If you aren’t immuno-compromised, have an allergy to a vaccine component, or some other medical issue that would make receiving the vaccine hazardous, then you are either selfish, stupid, or chickenshit about getting a needle stuck in your arm.
Nothing says that it can’t be all three.
Wow. Such a tough guy over here.
How dare people make their own choices. If your vaccine is good enough for you then there’s no reason for me to get one.
You’re also choosing for the people you infect.
To say nothing of the social and economic impacts on people based on the unnecessary prolonging of the pandemic.
What about the people that are vaccinated the infect other people? Are those bad people too?
Fuck your choices. You don’t get to walk around contagious. That’s not freedom, it’s anarchy.
To not recognize natural immunity from surviving Covid and therefore to not need the vaccine is what is stupid. There is no other vaccine that is administered to someone who has survived the disease it treats…measles or even small pox.
So maybe have some humility and allow people to use their own judgment.
Natural immunity is worse than the vaccines, and acquiring natural immunity puts other people at risk.
That is totally untrue. Natural immunity is a stronger and longer immunity than the vaccines that are requiring more and more boosters.
100 million Americans have survived Covid already. They don’t need the vaccine now. They are less likely to get it again and therefore spread it than the vaccinated.
Collected data (not facebook memes or youtube videos) suggest that’s not actually true, at all. As natural “immunity” has a number of factors that go into determining just how “immune” one is after an infection. Studies also suggest Infection rates (and reinfection) are more than twice as high among non-vaccinated. Of course, then there’s the long-term effects from multiple serious covid infections that are becoming more and more reported on.
How’s this for science? https://www.science.org/content/article/having-sars-cov-2-once-confers-much-greater-immunity-vaccine-vaccination-remains-vital
It’s good. It’s a good article. I’m assuming you actually read the whole thing. From what we know, it basically breaks down like this. Vaccination gives you more antibodies. Infection gives you more diverse antibodies. Infection + vaccine is the best protection EXCEPT the risk that comes acquiring immunity “naturally” (which is nonsense, but we’ll go with it). And we should keep in mind, that the sample of subjects that acquired immunity via infection only includes people that survived that infection.
The reality is that the subject, conversation, current knowledge on the subject is nuanced.
Thanks for the response. The bottom line is for those who are still not comfortable with the vaccine and have had Covid, there is no need for the vaccine.
And yes, due to the nuanced understanding on this whole subject, patience with each other is the best road. Thus my reaction to being called “stupid”, a chickenshit, and selfish.
If you’ve been naturally infected with COVID-19 and you aren’t vaccinated, your risk of getting reinfected with symptomatic disease is about 2.5–fold higher.
I’m not particularly concerned about making most stupid, selfish chickenshits feel bad, because I’ve seen what makes them feel good.
Or MISINFORMED! Unfortunately many people simply trust the wrong sources. The reasons for this are complex but probably mostly derive from feeling alienated from most of what those with power and authority are doing and how their lives are going. Their alienation grows out of their experience.
I’m not sure I agree with your “mostly” statement there. I would say more people are being manipulated by those seeking power and authority. Unfortunately, there is power and authority (and money) to be had in actively engendering and nurturing a feeling of alienation in order to cultivate a receptive audience.
I agree that there are concerted efforts to misinform and stimulate alienation. What I was thinking of is why some are more susceptible than others to being misinformed.
I would suggest a combination of confirmation bias, education, and environmental factors. Which, of course, are all heavily inter-related.
Personally, I think confirmation bias is one of the strongest forces in the universe.
I know you’re wrong, and I’ll tell you why right after I do some research on Facebook and YouTube.
I would argue that in 2021, TV news and social media are more a factor than actual lived experience.
I’m not going to take a vaccine that members of Congress or the CDC aren’t mandated to. Once they take it, and once they are taking the same vaccine I’m expected to (which then can be verified other than from the worthless shills masquerading as media), I’ll be happy to take it.
Especially since that also means that I will probably be able to sue vaccine makers if I do somehow have adverse health effects due to the COVID vaccine. Or any vaccine for that matter.
If that makes me selfish, stupid and chickenshit, I’m 100% okay with it.
That Instagram image you may have seen is wrong. CDC (and FDA) staff are mandated by executive order to get vaccines. The executive branch can’t issue a mandate to the legislative branch due to separation of powers, and legislative majority leaders in either party can’t force members to be vaccinated, so congress will never have a vaccine mandate. This isn’t a vaccine issue, it’s a bureaucracy issue.
I wish I could like this 100 billion times
This seems like a good forum to get into a debate about the pros/cons of getting vaccinated. Sure would be nice to escape this garbage at least somewhere.
Unfortunately, because of the needless prolonging of the pandemic, “this garbage” is still significantly and directly impacting the Kings and the NBA. Which, of course, are the entire reason this blog exists.
I definitely agree with you here. This was the one place to go for a small escape at one point.
Not again in this thread too…
I’d expect you to have herd immunity by now.
The thread evolves, it’s Delta level now.
Why?
Because you’ve been exposed to so many discussions about NBA players with COVID already?
Yeah, it’s annoying. Can we just keep the site focused on the actual playing of basketball games?
I can’t just shut up and write about dribbling.
An unvaxxed player is germaine to the discussions about the Kings, I’d say. YMMV.
Tito, too.
The pandemic and player/team vaccination status is having a major impact on the actual playing of basketball games.
Yeah, the readership of this site will keep shrinking with the continual harping about anti-vaxxers.
Doubtful. Some may leave. Most probably won’t. More readers will join. Sun rise. Sun set.
NOW I know why there’s no traffic on that other Kings blog!
This was kinda crazy…
My untrained observations: the starting 5 was a mess at the start. TT is shunpert 2.0. Loved the energy and effort tonight.
Fun game to watch, especially the second half. Some good things here, but I felt there were a lot of bad signs as well:
Good:
Bad:
TD played a fantastic game. 20 points on 14 shots. Maybe 1-2 of this 3s were forced, but otherwise he is getting clean looks on balance. He is a two way player and plays with a lot of moxie which is elevating to the rest of the team. I have more confidence in TDs shot than Buddy and unlike Buddy, TD can be a net positive when his shot is off.
IF TD can continue to play like that, he makes Buddy totally replaceable. Not even Buddy’s shooting will give him an edge anymore.
Fixed:
Also bad…Buddy running the point in the second quarter with Mitchell on the floor. Why does Luke insist on having Buddy bring the ball up?
I don’t get that part either, but what’s with all the Buddy hate today? He played smart, had no TOs, hit his shots, was a game high +30, and looked like a solid vet 6th man out there. It was his best game in a long time, and if he can take something from it moving forward, he can be a huge asset to this team.
Based on my limited viewing, this seems right to me.
I don’t think Adam was digging at Buddy at all. You need to play to your strengths. Historically, dribbling is one of Buddy’s biggest weaknesses so if you have a better ball handler/playmaker on the floor, the coach should be using him. Play Buddy to his strengths and he is a legitimate weapon. Showcase his weaknesses and he becomes a liability quick. Tonight was a good game by him but it’s not fair to him to make him into something he is not (a ballhandler).
Simple, because Coachless Walton is terrible. But let’s keep him around.
Also, hoping these minutes-rotations aren’t going to be the norm…Haliburton and Mitchell hardly okayed together. O flows best w the 2. And Haliburton needs top minutes. 3 guards Hali/Mitchell/Fox most would be nice.
Lebron’s dominance was not the Kings’ fault. He might win another championship if the team stays healthy (and find an upgrade for Reaves). But Mitchell defended Lebron well. Barnes played solid D on him. And TD stepped up. I also thought Hield played well. Tyrese’s turnovers were uncharacteristic. Was he sick or something?
Maybe he’s still recovering from whatever kept him out of the previous game?
That was my speculation
Reaves is there 4th string SG/PG. He was only playing because of injuries and may not even make the final roster. The Lakers didn’t have Monk, Ellington, Nunn or Horton-Tucker. They’ll be a much better team with those four in the rotation. The Lakers didn’t have any floor spreaders yesterday.
They could have had one…
Indeed.
I was just looking at salary numbers to see if it is still possible. Sadly, I don’t see how it works.
Okay. Yeah, he got burnt to a crisp.
It is still hilariously sad to me that a team that consists of Lebron James, Anthony Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo, DeAndre Jordan, Russel Westbrook, and Dwight Howard just needs to upgrade one more player to have a shot at the chip.
Not a dig at you for pointing it out, just talking about the absurdity of it all. Any one of those players in the past could have possibly led their team to the Finals. Now they join forces in some geriatric Legion of Doom.
This Lakers team is giving me flashbacks to the 2003-04 Lakers (who lost in the finals, lol!):
They added Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Bryon Russell and Horace Grant to their core of Kobe, Shaq and Luke Walton!
Hell yeah!!
Based on the first half only (always early bedtime): the Lakers’ starting five is better than the Kings’, bigger, more skilled, more experienced. What do the Kings have going for themselves? When Davion, Buddy, and TT form the core of the bench mob, the Kings had a stronger bench, played really well. I thought I saw better play from Buddy, including on defense; he is much better coming off the bench. The Kings’ young core will only get better while the Lakers are old enough that injury is likely to be an issue for them again. Hali did not seem to have a good game, struggled on defense; but he will get stronger and better: learning curve.
Surprisingly, considering how huge their team is, especially in relation to ours, the rebounding battle wasn’t lopsided (56-49) and the Kings even won the offensive boards (12-10).
I have to say I was impressed with the way this coach coached this game, the guy our GM chose to retain…. McGenius strikes again!
Buddy needs to leave his hair like that, the ‘fro or half-fro. He needs a new start, a new year, fresh with a new look. Davion can wear the braids, look cool, not so with Buddy. TT without the braids looks like Joel Embiid, doppleganger?!
Both teams were treating this game as a regular season game, this has been the annual modus operandi of this coach as the preseason comes to conclusion. This lineup and rotation is what we are going to see vs POR. This means Marvin DNP-CD, everybody dance!
The weasel way out, which I feared, would have been to find to find a few minutes here and there for Marvin, underservingly granted, throw the dog a bone, treating million dollar athletes like little leaguers. Thank goodness this coach had the fortitude to make the correct call.
Should Marvin get meaningful minutes again? What is the point, his playing time is so futile. Even if TT is missing those chippies, which he should be making, he is still more trusted and capable to give us the interior and defensive presence we need. And when he receives the pass in the center of the floor, he’s not going be sped up and force trash , he’s going to make a better read.
This is invaluable compared to the indecisivness and impetuousness of Marvin as a decision maker with the ball. This coach is right to not trust him as he fights for his coaching life.
If Marvin cannot beat out Mo Scoreless as starter, who was rotting on the bench in MIA before we acquired him, though he had some injury issues too, you cannot justify making him a rotational player, especially when boards and defense and floor spacing are the priority and Marvin gives us none.
Now you can say Marvin may get some run situationally? What situation is that?! Up by 30 with 2:00 minutes to go? I don’t see it, or more precisely, I ve seen enough, and apparently so has this coach, hell yes!
Davion was unfazed going up against LeBum and LAL and destroyed Rondo, 0-2 FGs and minus 30 +/- in 20 minutes. Hey Rondo sorry about your Off Night!
I am curious if there is a stat called “forced turnovers”? Where the player is not given credit for a steal but his play leads to gaining possession, i.e. forcing a travel bad pass or stepping out of bounds, Davion was credited with one steal but it would seem he was responsible for about 5 forced TOs.
Davion should be starting, I knew it and stated it before I saw all three guards play together. Fox struggled, Ty struggled. Ty gains his advantage through pick and roll whereas Fox and Davion are more about burst and juke moves. With Fox and Davion you can run more 5 out sets , with the opponent not having two defenders who can keep both in front, and with Ty off the bench you can run more high and pick and roll.
The disadvantage I can see to making Ty 6th man is he does have that beautfiul chemistry with Holmes, but this should not be prohobitive, and Davion can drop sweet dimes too. His decision making is outstanding, something I was never worried about when others were.
And Davion even had a nice tear drop floater! If he gets that shot down , forget about it, future all-star confirmed! The lack of a midrange game is the only flaw I see to Davion’s game, but he maintains his dribble under durress when he does not see a high percentage play, this is a very good sign.
The beauty of the rapid emergence of Davion and the star quality of TD and our depth in general is Buddy is going to have to play smart or effecient or sit down. 24 minutes and 10 shots for Buddy, modest to low usage, including a left hand finish at the rim, hello, havent see that in 3-4 years!
Buddy destroyed any chance we had at the playoffs last year, he will not be allowed to do so because if he does not rise to the standard of his teammates competing for his minutes, he will not have that destructive power. I think that Buddy may be less inclined to force shots if he sees that he has more capable players like TD Davion and Ty vs CoJo and Bjelica.
The coach went small at the end with 4 guards and Holmes as we zoned up and tricked up LAL and also we were picking on Austin Reaves trying to force the switch onto him as a weaker defender. This is smart coaching and whether you want to give credit to the head coach or assistants lets hope this strategy is employed often. It is what real teams do.
Some nice talking points here. The 4-guard lineup was interesting and it worked. It did seem like Mitchell caused 5 turnovers, and he also defended Lebron well on a couple possessions.
Please don’t encourage him.
If he doesn’t, I will. I don’t necessarily agree with all of it, but it’s something I find entertaining if nothing else.
It’s all McGenius!
I just wish there was an executive summary attached.
But then Paula Cole would be left to wonder, “Where has all the BestHyperbole gone?”
From what I’ve seen there’s a lot of pretty spectacular hyperbole around here without me.
just sifting
You were doing so well, and then you decide to pin the blame for an entire team missing the playoffs on one player. Consider quitting while you’re ahead once in a while.
Ahead? His first thought was to praise “McGenius” for keeping Luke.
I’m trying to be more generous in my assessments, even though everything is stupid and always will be.
I see, so your love for me this year will be born of pity and self restraint.
&ct=g
It made me giggle that one post could simultaneously heap praise on Luke Walton’s coaching ability and blame Buddy for single handedly taking down the Kings playoff chances.
It’s almost like there are these things teams have called, “coaches,” that can exert some influence on how, where, when and how many times players like Buddy play and shoot the basketball. The Kings should have looked into that last year I guess.
On that note, Luke’s response prior to last night’s game when asked about Buddy jacking up 26 threes in like five minutes of preseason play was that he wants Buddy to shoot. That’s the role Luke envisions for him.
The less efficient volume chucking Buddy is Luke’s baby, so I don’t expect Luke to do anything to hold Buddy accountable for more bad shots this season.
Did you hear Mark and Kayte forcing “Buddy is an elite shooter” down our throats last night?
I did. It made me think of Damien Barling’s Buddy takes!
I hope they don’t get into this thing where they’re making excuses for poor play. It can both be true that Buddy is an elite shooter and that he takes bad shots that make him something less than that, if done enough.
Unfortunately they’ve started with ridiculous-non critical style. Maybe it’ll alter a tad.
I find it gross and unlistenable when announcers don’t at least present both sides.
It’s in line with Kings organization constantly trying to convince us this team is good, that it’s close. That it’s a contender. That Bagely will be great. Etc etc etc.
Morons. Viveked
My concern is that Kyle will be the only critical voice on the entire broadcast.
Kyle keeps it real though so AT LEAST there’s a critical voice. I agree with you though.
I mean, we can quibble about the definition of “elite,” but Buddy is an exceptionally effective 3-pt shooter. I mean, in a “down” year, he just shot 39% on 10 attempts a game. His 3pt numbers last season were almost identical to Lillard’s. Buddy has plenty of holes in his game, but we shouldn’t pretend he isn’t one of the very best 3pt shooters in the league.