With 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Kel’el Ware made two free throws to put the Miami Heat up 95-78 on the Sacramento Kings. The Kings hadn’t been playing bad, but the Heat threw a zone at Sacramento in the third quarter that completely flummoxed the Kings (the Heat won the third 31-18), and it seemed like maybe the Doug Christie magic was wearing off and the Kings would just run out of steam on the second night of a back to back. There was still plenty of time left, and 17 points is far from an insurmountable lead in today’s NBA, but it just didn’t seem likely based on the flow of the game up to that point. But the Kings dug deep and kept fighting, kept chiseling away at the lead. They cut the lead to 10, and then to 8, and then 5. The Heat weren’t going away without a fight, but the Kings keep answering and kept getting stops. Domantas Sabonis tied the game going 2-for-2 from the free throw line with 51 seconds remaining. A Tyler Herro miss (a rare sight in this one) and the game went to overtime.
With 4.1 seconds left in overtime and the Kings trailing by one, Malik Monk drove past Haywood Highsmith and had a clear look at the basket, but Monk didn’t realize how open he was an paused to gather before his shot, allowing Highsmith to block the shot. Jaime Jaquez Jr secured the rebound and was immediately fouled, sending him to the line. But Jaquez missed both free throws. DeMar DeRozan secured the rebound and the Kings called timeout with 3.1 seconds remaining. Keon Ellis got the ball in the corner, got Bam Adebayo in the air, and Ellis drew a foul with 0.2 seconds left. Sadly he missed his first free throw, but made his second to tie the game. The Heat couldn’t do anything with the 0.2 seconds remaining, and the game went to a second overtime.
The second overtime was the DeMar DeRozan show. Deebo scored the final 9 points for the Kings (finishing the game with a team-high 30 points), hitting big shot after big shot, including a three pointer, and a second three pointer that ended up being a Mitch Richmond 2, as DeRozan’s toe was just barely on the line. DeRozan led the way on offense and the Kings as a whole played incredible defense to secure the 123-118 victory and extend Sacramento’s win streak to 5.
A few thoughts and observations from this one:
Keon Ellis was everywhere
Keon finished this game with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 block, but even as impressive and well-rounded as that stat line is, it does not capture how important Ellis was to this victory. Ellis had 15(!) deflections in this game. He played fantastic defense and kept coming up big when it mattered most.
Domas does it all
On the second night of a back to back, Domantas Sabonis played 50 minutes and finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 blocks, and 1 steal. He was 2/2 from 3, 5/7 from the line, and played tremendous interior defense against Bam Adebayo all night.
Trust the guys who got you there
In addition to 50 minutes for Domas, Ellis and Malik Monk each played 49 minutes, DeMar DeRozan played 47 minutes, and Keegan Murray played 43. Except for a few very fast situational substitutions, the starters were basically in the game from the halfway point of the fourth quarter all the way through both OTs. Doug Christie rode the guys who led the comeback and let them finish the game, and his faith was rewarded. You could tell the players were tired, but you could also see that they had zero quit in them. That belief in his team is apparent in how the team spoke about Doug after the game. They are willing to fight for them, and he is willing to allow them to fight through mistakes.
Welcome back, Keegan
Keegan Murray had 14 points, 12 rebounds and 1 assist, and was 4/6 from 3. He was also playing fantastic defense. Tyler Herro had been torching the Kings early and often in this game, finishing with 26 points. The Kings put Keegan on Herro in the fourth quarter, and Herro’s impact was suddenly gone. 5 points in the 4th, 0 in OT, 0 in the 2nd OT. And while that isn’t all Keegan (the Heat were forcing switches at times trying to get Keegan off Herro), Keegan was a big, big part of it.
I still love you anyway, Malik
Malik Monk had a very rough night. He finished with 23 points but was 8/25 overall and 1/9 from three. But despite his inefficiency Monk was still big in this one, adding timely buckets late in the game and also contributing 6 assist, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Monk also made 6 of his 7 free throws.
What a game
This was truly a special game. Midway through the fourth I thought “I guess they were bound to lose again eventually”. No Fox, second night of a back to back, a Miami Heat team that always plays hard and plays a very disruptive brand of defense, it made sense that the Kings could lose this one. I wasn’t dismayed or pessimistic about what it would mean going forward, but I was still sad the win streak was going to be over. But it was just so cool seeing the Kings players hyping each other up, telling each other to dig deep, you could see that the players were ready to keep fighting. We saw some games at the end of Mike Brown’s tenure where the Kings were missing that fight. It was so much fun to see it back. The Kings got punched in the mouth, and they got back up and hit back. What a win. What a game.
Up Next
The Kings get a couple days to rest, recover, and get healthy. The Kings are off until Friday, when they’ll visit the Boston Celtics.
Our C with the Nasty 3
Apparently, that face by DC was because he uses smelling salts before games. I can’t understand why anyone who isn’t unconscious would do that, but he says it’s a superstition. Keep sniffing, Doug.
Welcome to the forum… oh wait
All the “high floor/low ceiling” -esque comments Domas gets from NBA
writerscontent creators on Twitter who say he can’t shoot from range. Absurd.Domas has channeled Dan Issel out there this season, and still cleans the glass like he is sponsored by Windex.
That three was c-l-u-t-c-h.
A rec for the reference to Dan Issel. It’s a good comp for Domas Michael.
So much credit to Sabs for seemingly developing a 3ball that hits under pressure.
At 44.4%, it’s really an underappreciated aspect of his game this season.
What an awesome game! I have to say, the two most entertaining games in recent memory have come under Christie’s leadership. I’m aware of the “Dead Coach Bounce,” but am not sure of how those trends last. I’m hoping Christie has brought more than a shot in the arm and that the change we are seeing is a permanent and reliable shift. The team is just playing scrappy and with hustle…and I love it.
I think Christie is a smart hoops mind and knows how to deal with players very well. He reminds me of Steve Kerr in these ways. We’ll see….
-Keegan’s issue this year is ankle injury. Happened in pre season. Nothing else.
-Seriously Mike Brown on Keon Ellis? This is what he was last year
-Vivek is still a piece of shot overly involved owner. Is this part of why the Kings have too many similar pieces ?
…and is this why we have DDR? Despite his game I don’t like him at all. Ball stopper. Poor defender. 1 trick pony. Before the 2 OT he was the main reason the Kings were losing. I’d rather they trade him.
(plus, subbing himself out two games ago? Lame.)
In Hollinger’s weekly article from a couple days ago, he suggested Jimmy Butler to Sac for DeRozan, Huerter, and Trey. I don’t think there’s any way McNair does this (nor the Heat since they want expirings) and personally, I want absolutely nothing to do with Butler. But I am curious if those that aren’t high on DDR would prefer to have a spitfire problem-child like Butler, who in many ways is the opposite of DeMar.
I’d do it, and wouldn’t be all too concerned if Butler walks. He either takes this team to another level this year (and possibly beyond) or he walks and the Kings clear a ton of cap space without hurting their core of Fox, Sabonis, Monk, Keegan, and Ellis.
The Hollinger trade was
Butler, Kevin Love for DeRozan, Huerter and Lyles straight up.
Kevin Love played 14 min on Dec 29 and no minutes played in the 5 games before or after.
Jimmy Butler with Domas, De’Aaron and Doug? I Dunno.
I wouldn’t be concerned about him walking either, my primary concern would be him destroying the chemistry. Or even if it works initially, lobbing grenades on the way out. Secondarily, his durability. Lastly, his production not nearly being equal to the outgoing pieces.
I am a Jimmy Butler fan overall, but on the Miami Heat.
He is a similar (but different) version of Kawhi Leonard. Extremely effective in playoffs and he’s tough as nails. But reliability ain’t a part of his game. Just isn’t and he’s one third of your salary with a Fox extension in the works (purportedly).
I forgot about Butler expiring. I’d do it and let Butter go after year.
Don’t want Butler. Want someone who can shoot 3, defend and doesn’t need the ball. Plays well off ball etc.
DDR takes ball out of Fox/Monk/Keegs hands. All of whom I’d rather have the ball
It seems like DC is pushing for a change in shot selection overall and possibly DDR specifically. His recent shot selection is definitely more 3-heavy. If DDR is consistently 4 steps behind his favorite spot on the floor and comes even close to his shooting%, his scoring shoots up and the offense flows. Imagine if his pump-fake/foul/shot that he gets all the time is worth 3 FTs or a 4-point opportunity. He becomes a guy shooting 3’s with ice water in his veins late. Fox drives. DDR ready for a 3. Keegan ready to crash the boards. I could get behind that version of DDR.
We took their joy and kept ours.
OT: I’ll repost this from the other thread since is relevant to today:
https://bsky.app/profile/fcartoscelli3.bsky.social/post/3lf6b6slbpc2q
I’ll add to this that of the 3 only ORob can be traded as of today. There might be a team out there looking to shed a bit of guaranteed money for ORob’s non-guarantee deal that they could waive today. As an example an apron team like the Bucks could swap their guaranteed deal of a guy like AJ Johnson (plus a future 2nd as a thank you) for ORob that would save them millions in tax. More likely is the Kings get good old Cash Considerations instead of a future 2nd.
Conversely, they could waive all thee guys, promote a guy like Isaac Jones to a regular deal, which would open up a 2-way spot and two regular roster spots for Monte to play with. Some teams have already started cutting players. I wonder if Monte has any plans for the day.
Lyles LOL
Sam Cassell throwback!
Glossy balls!
He’s shining them.
You could see it in the Heat’s players eyes. With the exception of Herro who exudes confidence, their team was wide-eyed towards the end as our intensity grew. Testament to the coaching, and testament to the players who are the leaders of this team.
Loved every minute, it was good basketball. Keon and Domas deserve their praise, but also wanted to point out Keegan’s effort especially rebounding. Demar giving the team the clutch shots at the end more than makes up for the ISO fail in the 4th.
It’s my opinion that we have leaders who were held back by the rigidity of Brown’s coaching style. Christie is letting them lead from the front, which is in turn inspiring incredible effort especially on the defensive end.
LFG LTB
Id assume Christie, being a former player, understands that he can only put players in the right position but it’s up to the players to execute. He has shown he trusts the players to do their jobs. This trust goes a long way in the locker room and on the court.
I can see better defense from Monk in the past couple weeks. He isn’t great by any means, but he is more engaged. I still want him to stop those damn fly by closeouts!!!
Christie builds his players up, he doesn’t tear them down. I think that is the difference. Players know that if they turn the ball over, don’t rotate correctly defensively, etc., that they will get a chance to play through that and it will be used as a teaching moment. The mindset shift has does wonders.
Boston will be tough. Hoping to see some stellar defense from the Kings so we can LTB once again.
Indeed, Boston will be tough. But if the Kings miraculously make the playoffs, they would likely face the Thunder, Rockets, or Grizzlies. They just beat two really deep, tough defensive teams in the Grizzlies and Heat, with last night’s game being a gritty performance on the south slope of a back-to-back. Here’s hoping they show out against the Celtics with three days’ rest! LTFB!
Great article about a great Kings win.
In the last 6 games, Keon has a +17.2 Net Rating (1st on the team) and has played 368 possessions. Meanwhile, Huerter is sitting at a -4.6 Net Rating (9th on the team)233 possessions.
On the season, Keon is a +10.7 Net Rating (1st on the team) and has played 1556 possessions. Huerter is a -1.3 Net Rating (14th on the team) and has played 1676 possessions.
I think that is a huge reason this team has seen success since Christie has taken over. In the Brown coached games, Keon was still about +9 net rating over Huerter, and Keon played a lot less. I do wonder if that was a point of contention between Brown and the organization. The team was 3-11 ,at one time, in games decided by 5 points or less….
I am not trying to imply that Huerter is the sole reason that the record was bad, or the reason that the coaching change was made. It’s a statistical reference to one of the main reasons that I think the season is starting to look a little different in the past 6 games.
Ellis should start when Fox returns but it won’t happen because who sits? I think it should be DD but don’t think he would be cool with it (heard MB tried approaching him about this).
My asinine trade fantasy: 3 team deal we send out DDR and get John Collins back.
Start: Fox, Keon, Keegan, Collins & Sabonis
Bench: Monk, Carter, Huerter & Lyles
Monk is not going back to the bench. That can was opened.
Fantasy killer!!!
I don’t think Utah wants that DDR contract… unless we send out a pick or three (knowing Ainge) and I don’t think Collins is worth it. So many gems to be found with lower picks the past few years, they just need to update their draft strategy.
EDIT: just noticed you said three-team trade, so I assume DeRozan goes to the third team, not Utah…
Yeah, and that third team that would want DDR would pony up prospects and picks for Danny. It’s asinine and a fantasy, but I think that 9 man rotation could be strong.
DDR outgoing for Collins incoming, straight up no outgoing picks? Count me in. It would balance the roster pretty well. Ainge is a scrooge though, so I would think we would need to pony up a pick along with the other team to satisfy.
This FO has a lot of faults but one thing I am thankful for is that Monte doesn’t hand out first rounders like candy. Looking at some other teams (Min, Pho, Lakers, Clips) with completely dry cupboards yet all having their struggles, makes me glad we’re not in that situation.
I still dig Huerter, even if his contributions don’t show up in net rating. If he isn’t traded, I believe he can contribute to a run at the playoffs when used in the right situations. I’m beginning to trust that Christie can effectively assess when those situations present themselves.
I think Huerter can improve this season still. He, like many Kings, needed a boost in confidence from the coach. Hopefully he can improve and help the team this season.
Hit your threes, play team defense, take advantage of favorable matchups with the second rotation. He’ll be just fine if he does that.
I agree. We could also look at the team’s surge towards the end of last year after starting Keon (and before the Monk injury). The defense is a lot better with both Keon and Keegan in the starting lineup – it’s no longer shooting practice for opponents.
Keon is around 25th in the entire NBA in Net Rating
Great Pic with this article!
This team man…
&ct=g
Great summary Greg, capturing so many thoughts that I had watching the game. I had considered turning off the game to pick up the guitar when they went down 17. But I thought that I had been riding this Christie-led win streak up to this point and wanted to see how they would respond to some adversity.
Boy, am I glad I stuck it out! This team is showing a little fight! Amazing what happens when you reward defensive dawgs with consistent playing time.
I’m still trying to figure something out, because the refs are fair and unbiased. Why did they grant the Heat a timeout after the Kings had already inbounded the ball, AND stop the game to review if Demar’s foot was on the line, BUT in a situation where an official review is completely warranted at the end of regulation to see if the Kings called timeout in time…NOPE!
...because the refs are
fairandunbiased.The review for whether it was a two or a three is automatic in the final minute of the game. As for the other two things…
Because NBA officiating sucks, and does not need bias in order to suck.
Great win! My observations:
Back in the dark times over at StR, and the coaching carousel seemed like it changed every few months, and we had to watch Keith Smart and Kenny Natt coached teams, Rob and I engaged in a lot of convo’s regarding Paul Westphal, whose only contribution I thought was that he seemed to be the lone person in the entire org who thought babying Demarcus was a bad idea.
I thought he needed to be fired because he lost the locker room, Rob thought the team needed continuity, sort of the same kind of fan conversation about every team that cycles through coaches. He did say something that has stuck with me a decade now, that I can sort of sum up is that sometimes coach’s might just be steps in a process. Such a coach getting a team to the playoffs, but is he the one to get them to a championship? I thought that was pretty astute.
It might just be that Mike Brown was a great hire for where the team and organization was. He came in fired up from six years as assistant/associate head coach. He had been fired from his last HC job five games into the season, starting 1-4 for the Lakers after winning 61 games the year before, in a pretty public and humiliating way. He had been let go after two sixty plus win seasons in a row with Cleveland, including a COY and Championship, and then brought back later for one 33 win season then fired again. So he was probably chomping at the bit to show the NBA he deserved to be running the show. His energy, his preparation, getting buy-in from everyone, it was awesome. The Beam Team was one of the best stories off that season, and changed some minds about the Kings. Last season was disappointing, but still won 46 and knocked the Dubs out of the play-in, which was sweet. However, it seemed post-all star game last season that something was off, the vibes were gone. His agents leveraged Vivek’s Kangz-ish managerial style reputation in the press to get an extension, but this season he just did not seem to have a handle on the roster, the rotations, or how to make in-game adjustments, and started using the post game pressers to tell everyone that he had a good plan the players just didn’t execute. Smart of him to get the money, but like Rik has said, the Kings should have ignored the snickering writers and just let him coach this season and extended him if it was going well.
Maybe the past two seasons were all the juice to squeeze out of him, and his utility had run out. Maybe he was just the guy who could come in and firmly change the direction, and there needs to be another guy to take it from there.
Maybe Doug Christie is that guy. I am of the belief that this roster is good, not great, but has underperformed and should be a couple of games above five hundred. Even if DC can get them to just perform to their level, it will be an improvement and allow McNair to be more clear eyed about what he should be targeting. It seems like there is some extra juice in the locker room, it would be fun to see a Kings team over perform for a bit.
The “brutal” western conference hasn’t really turned out that way. The Suns, Wolves, Nuggets & Dubs are all meh. The Lakers record is way out over the skis of their advanced, they might be due for a rough patch. I question the Mav’s ability to sustain their record, maybe they do, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they have a rough patch too. The Pelicans are toast.
I think there is a lane for the Kings right now. I hope DC can keep the players as focused as we have seen, last night was one of the most fun games I have watched, maybe since the 175-174 Clipper game. I hope Monte can get him some size too, I know everyone is itching for a wing, but I sure would like to see a mobile big who can play 4/5 and really play with both/either Sabonis and Trey.
I am still Jonesing (not Colby, not Mason, not even Isaac) over Naz Reid. He is a FA this Summer. Not gonna happen, but it’s a fun idea.
He moves Monk or Deebo to the bench and Keegan to the SF position. I don’t see many others that fill the bill like him (long, athletic shot blocking PF that shoots from the outside but can also play the 5 on offense and defense on occasion).
The way he genuinely parks himself at the three point line would great to keep that middy-range clear for Fox/Monk/DDR, and for Sabonis to do his thing.
I don’t know if you read The Athletic, but they have a great writer who covers the Wolves, and he has written several times about how much Naz loves playing in Minny and loves that city. He is their Malik Monk, an emotional bond between player/city.
Maybe this season continues to go badly for the Wolves, and that changes. Gobert can’t be any fun as a teammate, one of the worst personalities in the game. Randle ain’t exactly Dale Carnegie either, and Donte has complained about playing time on every single team he has been on, and he is on his fifth at age 26. Conley is completely washed, and we complain about roster construct, but their galaxy brains decided that a 39yo point gaurd was good, and the only backup he needs is a 19yo who weighs 170 pounds.
I don’t see how the Kings could get Naz. They won’t have the cap space if/when he opts out of his deal this summer, and I don’t see the Wolves trading him anytime soon. FWIW, I think he is going to be asking in the $20+M range. As the roster stands today, the Kings are already over the cap for next year, and that doesn’t take into consideration any possible restructured/extended deal there might be for Fox.
Reid’s under contract through the 25-26 season. He signed a 3/41 with them last season.
Great post, Michael. The only quibble I have is that I think this Kings roster is good for more than a couple of games over .500. Last year, I think they significantly underperformed and still won 46 games. To me, this team could be more than the sum of its parts, as we have seen for the past 5 games.
This year, their point diff puts them between the Nuggets (on pace for 48 wins) and the Clippers (on pace for 45 wins). And that’s with Keon sitting 172nd in the league in minutes per game(21.6) while Fox is manifestly overworked at 37.3 mpg, good for 3rd in the league.
Allocate those minutes better and, for the love of all things holy, find a PF or backup C who can help reduce Domas’s bruising 35.9 mpg. At that point, you don’t have to squint to imagine a 50 win pace (pace, not actual total). As you point out, there’s a lane for the Kings with all the injuries and surprises in the West.
50 win pace the rest of the way rounded up would get us 46 wins. I’d consider that a success.
I was thinking of a backup for Domas recently, and Valancuinas came to mind. ~$10m/year over the next 2 or 3 seasons. He might not be able to play with Domas much, but as a backup he would be solid for ~15 mpg, or more if foul trouble occurred.
Nic Richards is another, cheaper option, that would be an upgrade over Len.
I have caution about Robert Williams because he more expensive, ~$12/year and is a health risk.
Valanciunas + Patrick Baldwin (taking a flyer) for Huerter (probably the one 2nd round pick the Kings have to trade). Save the Kings about $4.5m and open playing time for Carter.
Valanciunas was available as a FA this offseason. IIRC, a lot of fans here didn’t like the idea of picking him up due to the redundancy with Domas, maybe? Not sure how possible that would be but they need to find a way to get Domas under 34 mpg. At the same time, the Nuggets are playing 29 yo Joker 37.1 mpg – that feels like playing with fire, to me.
I think many thought Jonas would cost more and the money would be better spent on an upgrade over HB. When Jonas signed the cheaper contract, I think it could have made sense. But here we are, needing a backup for Domas, still.
I am with you BTS. I think this roster is closer to a fifty win team than forty, the 3pt shooting this year has been as large of drag as the mismanaged lineups. A stretch of really hot shooting can really send this team on a streak. I think if Keon could have been integrated efficiently, and Keegan and Kevin were shooting their career averages, this team might have five more wins.
Even just being on the verge of .500, and some luck with the competitive field being wide rather than steep, as a rabid fan of the NBA since 1978, I have become a big believer in how teams and seasons have a narrative, and there seems like there might be the whiff of an exciting one wafting about Golden One.
Kings finally hire a big name coach. Beam Team! COY! Exec of the Year! Must see League Pass team! Break playoff drought in a wild seven game series against the defending champs! All Stars! All NBA!
Then, the excitement fades, and the questions start. Was last year a fluke? Are the two stars good enough to build around? Is the rookie gonna blossom? Where is the vibe? Lose in play-in.
Summertime comes and the team brings in a big name FA. Gets early accolades for what some feel might be the steal of the draft. Are the vibes back? Pre-season there is a smell wafting in Golden One, but not a pleasant one.
The season starts, and it looks okay, but you are wondering if the cream has curdled a bit. Crazy lineups? Cold shooting? Are players bottoming out? Has the GM failed to build a competitive roster? Has the Coach lost the locker room? Does the Star want out? When is the rookie coming back? Does the star FA fit?
Boom. Things go south. Kangzian losses. Coach blaming players, players giving up, internet lighting up with rumors. Then the Coach is fired! He won COY! He is so well liked! KANGZ! THEY FIRED HIM ON THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT! MANAGEMENT AND PLAYERS HAVE FAILED MIKE BROWN! DOUG CHRISTIE IS JUST ANOTHER LEGACY HIRE!
But is he? Have we seen this story before? Maybe we have, but perhaps its not the story we think.
Tough defensive minded shooting gaurd is hired as color commentator for the team that he had his most success with as a player. His competitive itch is scratched by moving from the booth to the bench as an assistant coach for three seasons. In season four, the team is struggling, and the HC who had led the team to recent success is fired! Moves into the HC role and energizes the team by dropping the over complicated system & confusing lineups of the previous HC. Using his natural motivational skills and competitive nature, he puts the players in positions to succeed and the team takes off.
Pat Riley, 1981-82. Lakers go from disgruntled stars, unhappy with the system and lineups, maybe even demanding trades, to winning the championship.
While a championship is a stretch, the West really is a bit cattywampus, and the Kings are 3.5 games behind the 4th seed.
The Warriors have roster construction issues of their own. They are smaller than the Kings, and now Kuminga is out for 10-15 games, while dropping 14 of 20.
The Wolves have construction issues. Their 39yo PG is washed, & the only backup is a 19yo who weighs 176 pounds. Their FO thought mixing Edwards, Rudy, Randle, and Donte was going to work in the locker room.
The Suns? A top heavy roster of aged and injury prone players didn’t work out? Who saw that coming? Have lost 16 of 23.
Dallas has Doncic on a calf injury, which in his Boris Diaw-ness physical shape seems worrisome. Same with Kyrie’s bulging disk, that seems closer to a season-long concern rather than a week or two. If those two miss a lot of time, their secondary talent is gonna Corey Brewer and get close but just run out of talent.
So maybe the narrative is Franchise Hero swoops in and inspires the players and cleans up the schemes, lineup, and puts players in positions to succeed. The GM finds a vital rotation piece before the deadline. The team takes on his personality, and play closer to the fullest potential. They get some momentum and take advantage of a division flatter competitively than was predicted.
I don’t think you have to squint too hard or have royal purple tinted glasses to see that lane. It might not be as wide as I-5, but it’s a foot path by the creek either.
I sure hope this narrative holds true. Coaches come and go in the league. All the great ones had to get their chance at some point in their lifetimes. Maybe we found a gem in Doug.
The other thing for me is that, small sample size or not, the Kings are fully competitive in the absence of Fox. Win a few games, stay in the playoff hunt, and now you don’t feel forced to trade him at the deadline.
Maybe someone comes along and makes you an offer you can’t refuse this year. Maybe not. Either way, climbing back into the playoff picture means nothing has to be forced. Take your time, figure out what you have in Carter, watch Keon become an integral piece under Doug.
Is Carter a stud? Can he run the point effectively? If so, we might just have three legitimately good PGs on the team. Now you can deal Foxy from a position of strength. You could try to move Keon or Carter but if those two are legit, moving Fox would get you a King’s ransom this offseason. The rich (or maybe upper middle class) get richer.
I want so badly for Doug to turn this ship around, the Kings to make the playoffs, and for them to figure out how to improve this offseason. A guy can dream, can’t he?
And 1: I believe that Fox has become a plus defender. I also believe that Keon is en route to becoming an elite defender and that Carter has elite defender potential. Add Keegan to the mix and leverage Christie’s defensive acumen – the Kings could finally have the right mix to shut down opponents’ outside shooting for the first time in god-knows-how-long.
The combination of Keon, Keegan, and Carter did a really good job of containing two good outside shooting teams in the Warriors and Heat. I’d like to see them migrate to the middle of the pack in defensive 3P% by season’s end.
Well said.
Every season in the NBA surprising things happen, while this is not how I expected the season transpire, I am excited to see where it is going.
It’s been a lot more fun the last 5 games than the previous 6. Maybe they just hated Mike Brown that much or had tuned him out to a much larger degree than anybody realized? I don’t know.
I still think the roster is EXTREMELY flawed and they need to make substantial changes. I still think Vivek is a clown. I still don’t think they’re going to make the playoffs. But at least the vibes are better which is an improvement.
Not game related, beam related.
I have had this idea for a while and not mentioned it on here, maybe someone else has had the idea too I don’t know.
My idea is at some of the Golden 1 locations in the greater area, do a smaller ‘satellite’ beam. And maybe the original Arco Arena.
So when the beam is lit its not just downtown but all over Sac.
I’ve been thinking something similar to myself for a while. Thank you for putting it out there! My thought was to install smart LEDs in the streetlights on main streets and have them switched to a purple tint after wins.
I need to get a mini version of the beam for my living room as I am well outside the range of the beam. My kid asks me every morning after a game, “did they light the beam?” He would have answer when he got up in the morning.
I would like to do some kind of mini version outside my house. Need to put a little thought into it…
DeMar DeRozan was MONEY last night! Commenters here who think they know everything truly don’t appreciate what a unique offensive player he is. Yes, his defense is less than stellar, but he’s really a 2-guard playing the 3. I really like his shot selection and ability to create for himself as well as to mix into the flow of the offense–with or without DeAaron on the floor.
Monte McNair made the right move–getting rid of Mike Brown and replacing him with Doug Christie. The last 5 games is proof enough. Make DC our full-time head coach!
The Kings signing DC to a long term deal after 5 games would be peak Kangz clownery. Give him the rest of the season and see how things shake out. This team could go on a 5 game losing streak tomorrow and I don’t think anyone here would be surprised.
“The Kings are a force” – The King’s Herald
Malik Monk might be the best NBA player of all time.
Christ(ie) the Rebeamer
(sorry)
Mitch Richmond 3 lol, nice. Long live the real Rock!
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