The Sacramento Kings have experienced a complete turnaround in their season since Doug Christie took over as head coach. 5 straight wins are a real nice way to balance out the damage of 6 straight losses. And the Kings have done it despite missing Keegan Murray at times, despite missing De’Aaron Fox at times, and even despite a 17-point fourth quarter deficit in the second game of a back to back. The Kings have met each challenge they’ve faced the last five games, but now the Kings face their biggest challenge of all. No, I’m not talking about the Boston Celtics, I’m talking about a game after 3 days of rest!
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Friday, January 10th, 4:30 PM PST
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
TV: NBA TV, NBCSCA
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
The Celtics are very good. I know this is the exact type of deep analysis you’re here for, but it really is the simplest way to put it. The Celtics will essentially full strength, unless you were worried about Jordan Walsh cooking the Kings (a valid concern, to be fair). Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, NEEMIAS QUETA! Boston’s depth is staggering. The Kings are also expected to be full strength, as De’Aaron Fox is listed as questionable for this game but we expect he will probably play. That, of course, brings a new set of challenges for Doug Christie, but finding minutes for your best player is a good problem to have.
Update: Just kidding! De’Aaron Fox has been ruled out for this game according to the newest injury report.
The key to this game with be three pointers, just as it has been for the Kings most of the season, but Boston takes it to another level. The Celtics average a staggering 49.8 three point attempts per game, the most in the league. They’re 12th in the league in 3P% at 36.6%, but the volume makes it a deadly attack. As Boston’s shooting goes, so goes the game. 38.6% in wins, 31.4% in losses. Stop the 3, and you stop the Boston Celtics. Easy enough, right? Except the Kings have allowed opponents to shoot 37.6% from three this season. Even over the last 5 games, where it’s at least felt like the Kings weren’t giving up so many open threes, the Kings have still allowed opponents to shoot 36.2% from three.
We’ll see if the Kings can answer another challenge. Can the Kings come out strong? Can the Kings play a game after three days off without looking lethargic? Can the Kings remember they need to stay on their man as he stands in the corner ready to shoot an open three? Pass the smelling salts, Doug! The fellas need to be alert!
Prediction
The good vibes will never end. The Kings play defense, the Kings move the ball, and the Kings make the NBA take notice by getting their 6th straight win against the Celtics.
Kings 124, Celtics 121
“Where are you gonna go? Are you gonna go to IRELAND?!
…’cause I’m the Leorechaun!”
I spend my St. Patrick’s Day in the back yard drinking and hanging with my good friend Paddy O’Furniture.
I logged in just to give you your well deserved rec, Rob.
Not holding my breath, but a win tonight would go a LOOOOONNNNGGG way in restoring confidence that this team is worth investing in at the trade deadline.
Tomorrow’s forecast: Call for Fox to be traded increasing by 75%.
It’s a cold world.
Is this equivalent to a prediction of a Kings win or at least a competitive Kings showing? I mean, if we get blown out, the pendulum swings the other way…
I posted it before he was listed as out.
Fox officially ruled out today.
Don’t have to worry about those minutes decision today.
Glass ass
Win or lose I just want to see the Kings continue to play the Christie brand of ball and compete
Beating Boston would be a surprise,
At least in the media’s eyes.
We come in well-rested,
So let’s not get bested
Without effort that we maximize!
+1 Hang the Celtics out to dry!
&ct=g
Two former Kings – Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh are both former Kings!
Neemias Esdras Barbosa Queta, the pride of Portugal, was drafted 39th in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Jordan Walsh, from Razorback country, U. of Arkansas, was drafted by Sac at 38th in the 2023 NBA Draft
The Celtics are shooting the 3 ball at the highest rate in NBA history at just under 50 per game (the record in a game is 70 by Houston Rockets).
This season mark surpasses the Mike D’Antoni Houston Rockets of 2018-19 and 2019-2020 who were at 45+ for those two seasons.
Along with taking the most 3PA, Boston, though not at the highest 3FG%, makes the most (3PM) at 18/game of all time as well.
I remember last season’s Celtic debacle: Joe Mazzulla rested ALL of the starters in the 4th Quarter (and Jaylen Brown was out for this one, Sam Hauser started) as the Green Team had clinched the League’s top regular season record to secure home court throughout the playoffs on their way to garner the Larry O’Brien. It was April 5th 2023 and despite a big deficit, heading into the 4th Quarter down 84-72, with Mike Brown playing his starters as every win was vital at the end of that disappointing season, and Sac made a big comeback only to blow the lay up at the end (one of the 3 go ahead shots they missed in the final 7 seconds) to go down in defeat 101-100. De’Aaron with a 40 spot, Domas with a 16-16 double double. The 44-33 Kings lost another important close one. The Big IF. If they had won that one (45-33) instead they were lost 4 of their last 6. And then the Play-In. Sigh. Sorry to pick at old scabs. Apologies.
Light That Beam! Go Kings!
The 50+ pt loss to the Celtics back in 2022 in the middle of a 7 game losing streak is the one I can’t shake off. We showed no signs of being a professional basketball team in that one.
I just remember beating the Bird Celts at Arco 1 and all is good
with Larry, Danny, D.J. and The Chief (McHale out)
https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198602110SAC.html
02/11/1986
Larry Legend misses TWO (2) free throws! at the end. Kings by 5! Woodson, Theus, Tank Thompson, Terry Tyler, Olberding (that’s not a mispelling, that’s his name, not an onomatopoeia), with Otis Thorpe and hold on folks, rookie Joe Kleine!
Yes!
But then I remember that 4 point? 1st quarter against Magic and the [Redacted] around the same time and I feel Kangzy again.
February 4, 1987
https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198702040LAL.html
Lol, looking at that Celts box score. Kings 0-1 from 3 for the Game. Celts 2-8 with Larry going 1-3.
Game’s changed a bit since then.
Not going to get too worked up about the results of this one. I’m not yet convinced anything has fundamentally changed, and if they lose by 30, I’m in the same place.
I agree, but if they somehow pull out a gutty win…without Fox, it’s gonna raise some eyebrows.
No matter what happens tonight, I’m not ready to read anything into a short stretch after a nearly half-season debacle. Even really good teams sometimes play down to the level of their opponents.
I’m more concerned about the Kings being just good enough just long enough for the front office to do nothing and then find out that the team is about at last year’s level (which is what I would expect) and that just isn’t good enough to keep running it back year after year.
If they play like they have been and lose it’s fine. If they go back to sucking after 3 days off and have a bad game then this recent uptick will all be questioned.
It’s an interesting one because I think we are all waiting (dreading) for the other shoe to drop.
Yep, we’re waiting for the good vibes from the coaching change to wear off.
The several days off will make a loss more likely :-/
Hmmm. Do I want to see the Kings lose as expected and hear why we’re just as bad as everyone thought we were? Or pull off the upset and hear that we are much better without Fox and need to trade him yesterday?
sometimes the classics work best
…and there it is. It’s the most Kangzy debate of a dilemma.
Don’t forget, if we lose by 30 we’ll still hear that the Kings obviously aren’t near contention and need to trade Fox!
Yup, about the only thing that could down that heat would have been Fox returning tonight, the Kings playing the same kind of spirited game they been doing, and them pulling out a win in Boston. But like I said above, should the Kings win tonight against a healthy Celtics team in Boston, the “trade Fox” voices might get louder even as the team improves. I wouldn’t have been expecting that kind of scenario a few weeks ago.
To an extent, I don’t the idea is tied to his performance necessarily. I think people are “reading tea leaves” and think he’s got one foot out the door, one step from demanding a trade and as such the Kings should get the maximum return on investment.
I tend to believe when he says he wants to play here as he’s been fairly consistent with that message. Rich Paul isn’t that scary, if his client wants to stay here he’s going to do what he can to get his client the most money, so buckle up in regards to rumors and trade Fox talk.
There is the not-so-small fact that De’Aaron is potentially your best trade chip at the moment. The team has been playing pretty well without you. Could Monte pull some wing length and athleticism that would fit the team and a 2nd tier PG to take over for Fox? And is that going to get this team past the hump? I tend to think Fox is still the transmission that lines all the other gears up for this team and let’s them drive but I’m just a random dude with an internet connection. What if we got Dame and Portis for Fox and a first, tho? Lots of doors open up with Fox on the table.
Monte’s earning his salary right now, that’s for sure. Or getting fired soon…lol
This summarizes my thoughts exactly.
I’ll shout it from the rooftops that I love watching De’Aaron Fox play. Dude is such a great player and a forever King to me. Keon doesn’t replace him but he does one thing much better than him (intense defense every play). Carter doesn’t replace him (yet) but watching him play, I feel safe in thinking that he does one thing better than Fox already (rebounding) and will be an equivalent or better defender soon.
In the short term, the Kings will not be better off at the PG position without Fox. But he should net a great return. Trading him is the most expedient means of solving the roster imbalance problems that everyone see and avoids the challenge of the super max.
It’s not an issue where I’m using a single game as my reasoning. I won’t change my mind if they beat the Celtics or get destroyed tonight. The Kings just aren’t an elite team in their current configuration and there is no other player you can trade who can help get them there, imo.
Could I be wrong? Uh…yeah. I’m no great basketball mind at all. So take my opinion with a grain of salt!
Let’s win and learn that they held Fox out for the perfect trade that’s announced at half-time!
The Fox can move on and have the rest of the career he deserves and JT can remain the longest tenured Sac King
Ha, that thought crossed my mind, too. Not the JT portion, but the trade portion.
OT: Damn, the Pels just can’t catch a break.
It’s helping their draft pick this season. With all their injuries, they probably should rest and/or trade guys, punt the season, figure out things in the offseason and move forward.
If that’s the case, I definitely see them moving Ingram in the coming weeks.
If you’re the GM of NOP –
Do you trade Zion OR B.I. OR CJ OR two of the three?
here is a Hoopshype link for salaries.
I’d keep Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Yves Missi, Jose Alvarado, and DeJonte Murray (the least happy about a rebuild, I’d guess, but them’s the breaks).
If I kept any, I keep Ingram, but stripping the hoopty down to the chassis and off loading all 3 and grabbing draft picks and draft capital would be a goal for me. And I know I bring this up too often because there is not even a light on the horizon, but I still believe that an expansion to 32, with an expansion draft, is looming in the 2030s. I guess that wouldn’t matter too much at 2025, but it’s an outside thought.
I think Ingram and his expiring deal are gone no matter what. No point in trying to re-sign him. They might as well get whatever they can for him.
So trade deadline deal for Ingram. Summer deal for the other two?
I personally have no interest in Ingram, unless the Kings are moving DDR for him.
DDR and Huerter for Ingram works, but the Pels say no. They don’t want to take on salary, but it would do a lot lot clear the roster and space for the Kings.
Zion should go- never plays and when he does, team has to adjust around his selfish play. BI has to go because he wants more money than he is worth.
But they will have serious trouble getting rid of either.
Would you trade Fox and filler for Trey Murphy and Alverado?
The Pels are a mess. Zion has been back for one game. ONE.
This reminds me a little bit of Chris Webber before he came to the Kings. Highly talented but immature.
“Immature” that’s mild. he has played less than half of the games he has been paid for. Honestly, he is better off gone, even for free than keeping. If I was Griffin- release.
But they won’t and that’s good for the King’s
Why can’t we play six effing games against them THIS season?
LOL, truth!
The Big Eatsy!
It’s insane. A healthy Pels team would have beat the Kings 19 games out of 20 last season. The Kings had almost no chance.
Certainly not what I imagined he was suspended for.
Only gonna pay him 36 mil, you gotta be happy he shows up at all
If there was a Hall of Fame for making the most money while hardly playing in the NBA, he and Marvin Bagley would be shoo-in votes.
Make Outa Service Pervis look like AC Green
Scheduled loss first 3 quarters, let’s see the 4th Q comeback 🙂
just laying this out there
I suspect you got this out there just in the nick of time!
[…] The Kings have roots dating back to 1923, making them one of the oldest professional basketball teams. Despite relocating several times, the team found its identity in Sacramento. While they’ve faced challenges, the Kings have had moments of brilliance, particularly during the early 2000s, with stars like Chris Webber and Peja Stojaković leading the way. […]
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