The Sacramento Kings claimed a blowout victory in Portland in Friday’s deja vu matchup against the Trail Blazers, winning 138-114 in their second straight victory at the Moda Center. Four Kings scored 20 points – De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk – and the Kings moved one win closer to securing a top-3 playoff spot and clinching the Pacific Division crown (which will be theirs tonight if Phoenix loses to Denver).
Fox finished the game with 20 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds, and Domantas Sabonis had 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Kings two stars had stellar offensive performances that were made even sweeter by the sheer regularity of these types of games for the pair at this point. Fox in particular looked like he was deferring significantly to his teammates in the first half, but he still had 12 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds at halftime.
The Kings didn’t come out firing on all cylinders to start the game, but still managed a hoh-hum 71 point first half. This team played loose and relaxed, but also never let the Blazers threaten; the Kings took a 12-10 lead with 8:10 to go in the 1st quarter and never trailed again. The Kings didn’t need to play their best to beat this Portland squad, but showed up when they needed to (something good teams usually do).
The Blazers once again rolled out their bench young lineup. Portland’s rookie sensation Shaedon Sharpe had 27 points and 5 assists on 10 of 19 shooting, and also came up huge with two poster recovery blocks. Drew Eubanks had a sharp 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Matisse Thybulle made life hell on the Kings guards for a while. But absent Damian Lillard, Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic, and many other normal contributors, this Blazers squad is going full Wacky for Wemby and letting the NBA standings fall where they may.
Keegan Murray was sharp on both ends against the youthful Blazers, finishing with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks to add to his 20 points. He knocked in 4 threes to increase his NBA record for most 3s as a rookie to 192, and had Mike Brown applauding his effort from the sidelines as much as anyone tonight. Malik Monk had 20 points and 5 assists off the bench and blasted the Blazers defenders for highlight layups multiple times in the second half.
The Kings also improved to 1-0 on the season without Matthew Dellavedova. In the most depressing Friday news dump in Sacramento history, the Kings announced today that Delly will be out indefinitely after he suffered a fractured finger in Wednesday’s playoff-clinching win against these same Blazers. No word yet from the team if Delly suffered the injury while bravely taking the drought-ending sacrifice-turnover to end the game on Wednesday. It will be critical for the Kings’ other stars to continue to step up in Delly’s absence, as recent history has shown us that the Sacramento Kings cannot make the NBA playoffs without Outback Jesus.
The Kings head back to Sacramento to face the San Antonio Spurs (19-57) on Sunday.
The Kings are. coming home to clinch the Pacific Division crown Sunday afternoon against the Spurs!
Kings scored 33, 34, 35, and 36. Kings win.
I just LOVE that we are always going to hear “Light the Beam” chants in opposing NBA arenas. 🙂
ThreeMania—
Sacramento: 19/39 from 3 -48.7% . Pretty Dan Impressive!
Portland: 19/38 from 3 – 50%! Even better!
Five games to go and 47 wins. Next is Spurs at G1C.
Kings cruisin’
&ct=g
One more win to sew up 3rd
I’d like to officially submit my theory that Outback Jesus, Dan Impressive, and Matthew Dellavedova are actually one and the same person.
Darmn right!
Outback Jesus. Well done, sir. Well done.
And we’re gonna have Kings fans waiting to greet the team at the airport!
https://twitter.com/JandersonSacBee/status/1642029502686703617
How amazing is that. I mean, sweet baby Jesus, that is some top tier fandom right there.
I love this team.
KEEGAN MURRAY. Looking like Peja 2.0 with his stroke from range. AND HE IS A SHOT BLOCKER. Does that kid even have a ceiling? His athleticism was underrated. If Fan Duel had a bet that he was averaging 22pt 7reb and 150 stocks by age 25 I would bet a months salary on it.
CLOSING IN ON 50 WINS!
This team has the 3rd best center in the league. An All Star PG who is the Clutch Player of the Year. Likely Coach of the Year. Monte is going to get Exec of the Year votes. Exemplary role players in HB, K-Von, Monk, and Mitchell. Top tier rookie. Talent in Stockton with a G-League Exec of the year and a very talented Bobby Jackson. A talented staff backing up Brown. Zero bad contracts. Plenty of draft capital. Interesting bench talent.
I mean, how many amazing narratives can we fit in one season? I feel like this is Year One of the Purple Reign.
Huge plus that we have TKH to discuss all of this. I have loved hearing from Greg and Aykis and Omer and Blake and Robbie to celebrate this season, in addition to the consistent contributions of the clean shaven Mr. Griffith and talented Ms. Tsumura.
AND FANS ARE MEETING THE TEAM PLANE AT SMF TONIGHT.
Kings fans are different. This site is different. This team is the truth.
What. A. Season.
Isn’t that over the top?
I mean I like planes, and I’m sure the team plane also contributed to this season’s success, but come on. This should be about the players and coaching and coaching staff.
But anyway, give it a pat on the wings from me.
Da Plane!, Da Plane!
&ct=g
(Here is a rare photo of Tattoo regaled to greet the Sacramento Kings)
This goes to this season where many feel that we are on Fantasy Island
and harkens back to when the Kings drafted Kenny “The Jet” Smith
The offball movement by K. Edwars is quite good….
and he got rewarded twice…assisted by Sabonis…….
Good to see him albe to knock down those 3……..
He has very good timing on his hard cuts..
Got him for basically nothing too. Definitely has some potential as a 3&D for us
it was not for nothing. Nets paid us to take him.
Next up- Yuta Watananbe.
Watanabe would blossom here in Sac. He’ll feast on corner 3 opportunities while being a plus on defense. In effect, an upgrade over TD on most probably a team friendly contract at that.
URFA
Not sure if anyone noticed, but towards the end of the 4th there was a minute or two with Keegan as the only starter on the floor and you could see difference where he knew he was the leader and his play was a glimpse of what you will see in the next few years as he becomes the 2nd and 3rd option on a regular basis..
I’ll be your huckleberry. I noticed and am excited. My favorite part of the game was there was four 20 pt scorers for the Kings.
100%, it really shows one of the great things about this teams offense. I am guessing the kings are amongst the league leaders where 4 or more players score 20 or more in the same game. .. I’m just too lazy to look.
That was not the Keegan we know. I think it was Kris.
As I have said way back, what makes me really excited about the Kings’ future is Keegan’s development. Not to mention that Fox and Ox are just entering their primes. And with another deep draft coming up, maybe Monte can work another magic getting another crucial piece to this puzzle at the 20’s (man, I can’t believe I am saying that for the Draft)
#LTB
And there’s a lot of good players at that range. My draft crush right now is Sidy Cissoko, Noah Clowney, Jalen Wilson and Leonard Miller.. Point is I trust Monte to make the right choice whoever that might be.. Just a great time to be a Kings fan.
I personally would go for Indiana’s Hood-Schifino. High IQ playmaker who makes everybody around him look good. He’s good enough to back up Foxy right now. He reminds me of a rookie Malcolm Brogdon.
there are some choices- go big? go young/potential, go more mature right now?
There are potentially 4-5 big guys with length at around 25.
“Overcome Delly Injury.” Seriously?
Gotta summarize the most vital points in the headline, journalism 1.01
Clickbait works..definitely why I read it..
Explain how Delly is the Outback Jesus. That’s the part I’m still finding confusing. EXPLAIN THIS IMMEDIATELY BRYANT. INQUIRING MINDS WANNA KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not my genius to explain!
What a copout!
I agree.
Outback Moses would have made much more sense. Moses led people through the desert, which is more or less like the outback.
David from Down Under
Delly has slain some Goliaths in his day. Mainly, he’s a guy who’s gonna bust his ass when he’s on the court. He’s using the advantage of a keen above the shoulders talent for the limitations of those below.
Hustle and BBIQ are skills that the former Gael has at a top grade level.
Dude has my respect and more importantly that of his coaches and teammates.
Hope to see him back soon.
I know man….I could have told you his name was Matthew Dellavedova if I had that card. Honestly I’m not sure I would have known how to spell it but I would have known his nicknames too.
Of course…….Delly is a pro………and he is the soul of the team…
Always cheer for teammates………
The team stepped up upon his absence…
Waving a towel with his off hand…
The word “hero” is thrown around quite a lot these days, but
Delly Mantooth is a SAINT. A SAINT, you understand me?
The Month of March:
11-5
Wowser! Sac has a double digit win total for a calendar month. First time since… March 2006.
October 2022: 2-4 0.333
November 2022: 9-5 0.642 (11-9)
December 2022: 8-6 0.571 (19-15)
January 2023: 9-5 0.642 (28-20)
February 2023: 8-4 0.667 (36-25)
March 2023: 11-5 0.688 (47-30)
April 2023: Five games left
What do you see?
I see a team that has won every month but the first (darn, one win more and they are .500) and is getting better as the season progressed.
I post this to also convince myself – this team is REAL. There’s no sneaking, inching, slipping into the playoffs. The Kings are strongly marching into this post season.
I realize I am replying to myself for the third time – but here I go anyhow –
In 2023, the Sacramento Kings are 28-14! That’s ,667 basketball and would translate to a 55 game season. That is contender level stuff.
Not sayin’, jus’ sayin’
Got me to thinkin’ FF (always dangerous)…..but here’s the streaks the Kings have had all year.
+7 = Once (back in November)
+6 = Once (back in January)
+5 = Once (In March!!!!)
+3 = Three times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The last time this happened…..well you know when. You had better know. If you don’t, that’ll hurt my brain. 🙂
Well yes I know when. And I am glad you realize I am talking similars as a reference not as a prediction.
I am fossilitizin’ not proselytizin’ about this squad
This is a signature line if I ever saw one!!!
These home/road splits hurt my brain:
https://twitter.com/DeuceMason/status/1642547756513513472?t=f7BJK426taCqBvteVUiClA&s=19
Context is important with these things. So I’ll provide it. The Kings home ORtg is 122.3. The league average ‘rating’ is 115.5 at home (on offense and defense). So, the Kings are +6.8 points better than league average in terms of ORtg at home. Their defense beubg at 118,0 is -2.5 points worse which is how you get a NetRtg of +4,3 (good for 11th in the NBA).
On the road, the league average ‘rating’ is 116.4. The Kings ORtg is 115.8, or -0.6 points below league average. (In fairness, Philly’s the only team averaging above the 116.4 mark and everyone else is below it.) The Kings DRtg, however, is 113.8 which is a +2.6 points better than league average, and how you get to a +2.0 Net Rtg on the road (and the 4th best in the NBA at that). Someone astute, though, will point out that much of this buffer came from the last 2 games in Portland where the Kings won by a combined total of +64. And before the 40 point margin against Portland Wed night, the highest margin of victory the Kings had all year was a +27 against the LA Clippers in early December when they sat both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George that day, If you take out the last 2 victories in PDX, the Kings ORtg looks like 115.2 and DRtg looks like 114.8 with a Net Rtg of 0.4.
I wouldn’t take a lot of stock in these rankings without context. What I would take stock of is that this team finds a way to get things done on the road (and home) in an effective way even if it raises your cardiac level.
Here’s a margin of victory/loss for Sacramento that’s +/- 20 for you:
+32 against Brooklyn and beat the Nets 153-121 on 11/15
+23 against Indiana 137-114 and beat the Pacers on 11/30
+27 in LA against the Clippers 123-96 on 12/3
-20 in Philadelphia against the Sixers 123-103 on 12/13
+21 against Houston and beat the Rockets 136-115 on 1/11
+25 against Houston and beat the Rockets 136-114 on 1/13
+33 against Memphis 133-100 and beat the Grizzlies on 1/23 (I was there for this one; it was awesome!!!)
-32 in New Orleans against the Pelicans and lost on 2/5
+20 in Houston against the Rockets 2/6 (Rest disadvantage SEGABABA for Sac) and beat them
-23 against Boston in Golden One on 3/21 (5 games in 7 nights including cross country trip; rest disadvantage SEGABABA for Sac)
+40 in Portland beating the Blazers 120-80 on 3/29
+24 in Portland beating the Blazers 138-114 on 3/31
Ahd that’s it. That’s all the 20+ differential games I can find….and 9 of the 12 are in Sacramento’s favor. But what that isn’t showing is how many close games the Kings have won on the road, or lost. Also, when you have a positive differential like the Kings did in Portland twice in a row it makes your Net Rtg look rosier than it should be. None of that shows you how many times the Kings have lost between 6 and 19 points on the road, either. (Which is a lot.)
Just my .02$.
Oh, I get the math – it’s just the defense being respectable on the road and a disaster at home baffles me.
Not a comment necessarily directed at you……just at people who should understand that there is context to these things. Rankings aren’t the end all be all of these things.
My thought, though, is that they play a lot of tight games…..and they aren’t as likely to blow teams out on the road. Also, teams seem to get up for the Kings inside G1C because of the environement or Domas or whatever have you, and I think that explains part of it. Some of it is just time and place.
If this team had 28 W’s at home (instead of 23) which is totally doable, I think their Net Rtg reflect more of the margin they’ve generally won by. But they’ve had an interesting schedule all year (bad team schedule huzzah!) both good and bad and I think it’s helped them a bit more on the road and hurt them a bit more at home. And that just is what it is.
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