Despite a slow start, the Sacramento Kings took care of business against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, but there’s little time to bask in the glow of the Beam. The Kings are back in action tonight, traveling South to visit the Los Angeles Clippers.
Speaking of Clippers, the snip on Will’s finger is still not fully healed, so I’m back for another preview.
The Kings will be looking to maintain their standing in the West, while the Clippers look to move up following an active trade deadline.
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: 7:30 PM PT
Where: crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
For Your Consideration
A cut above the rest: Tonight marks the debut of Russell Westbrook as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. I think I speak for all Kings fans when I thank Russ for the fine work he did with the Lakers, and I’m excited for him to now join a stronger Western Conference team where he can work his same magic. Let Russ be Russ! And it looks like the Clippers will do just that, giving Russ the starting nod and moving Tre Mann back to the bench. It’s a great strategy to disrupt a starting lineup that had been working well, I can’t wait to see it in action!
The Clippers also added Eric Gordon at the deadline, just hours after he helped the Kings secure a last-second win over the Houston Rockets. Hopefully he continues his helpful ways.
The final big addition for Los Angeles was Mason Plumlee, who many Kings fans had hoped would land with the Kings at the deadline. We’ll get a good look at Plumlee tonight, as Ivica Zubac is out for this game.
Despite being on a home-and-away back-to-back, the Kings should be in pretty decent shape. Because the Portland game was pretty well in hand, no Kings players had abnormally high minutes last night. Sabonis was a team-high 32 minutes, Fox and Huerter played 26 minutes apiece. Keegan played 25, Barnes 24, and nobody on the bench played more than 23 minutes. A nice, low minutes distribution for all involved. And as for the travel, despite what you may have heard yesterday, an hourlong flight South shouldn’t be too big a deal for any team to handle.
Yes, I know I just jinxed everything. Apologies in advance.
Prediction
Russ gets his points no matter what, Fox get his points when they matter, and Sabonis reminds us that Plumlee was meant to be a backup.
Kings 130, Clippers 124
The Clippers are hot on our tail;
Can’t afford for our defense to fail.
Got to find ways to try
Controlling Kawhi,
So we get a great vict’ry to hail!
Since I’m an engineer and not a poet, I asked ChatGPT to write a poem for me about tonight’s game.
A gigantic AI supercomputer thinks the Kings win tonight and that’s good enough for me!
The Keeganator?
The T-800 likes the beams!
That’s easy for you (or ChatGPT) to say!
Looking forward to the day the AI referees begin work.
Did you say AI?
Nothing personal BuffaloD but I prefer Jman1949. I have been reading a lot about the newish AI chat bots. When you were giving the instructions to it did you also tell it to analyse who would win tonight.?Thanks for the post. This might be the first AI generated post here but it surely won’t be the last.
OT: Looks like the Hawks are narrowing in on their coach.
I’m surprised honestly. But I’m not surprised in the sense that when Mike Budenholzer was there, he had a POBO title. So if it’s an issue of title and say (also money), I totally get why Snyder would agree now. And it saves you the embarrassment of trying to do a coaching search in season like I think they were trying to do.
If that’s why they fired McMillan to get Snyder, I get it. I don’t think that solves the issue of Trae Young at all, but that’s another matter.
This sure smacks of Vivekian overtones. I wonder if the players call Joe Prunty “The Substitute Teacher” (harken back to Ty Corbin and George Karl).
And maybe after years of Maloofery followed by The Ranadive Two Second Ahead Genius I have Fan Franchisal Phobias.
Well, I think the issue has been fit and the Hawks fans/FO needed a scapegoat. Too often, optics run these deals. They signed Nate Mac to a new deal after they made the ECF because of optics.
And one last point, I guess, is that if the point of releasing the names of assistants they were interested in was designed to get Snyder to come to the table and talk with the FO on taking over, it’s certainly worked.
Must win game. Getting an opponent for play-off positioning out of the All Star break when we had the chance to knock off the rust and get our game legs.
Go Kings!
As long as we play reasonable defense 3 quarters then turn it up in the fourth and our offense keeps ticking we should win this one. If we start the game like last night then forget it. I saw some things last night that I liked. Huerter looked like he improved on his outside shot. Monk is getting back in form and if TD has a game comparable to last nights we could do what we did the last time. WIN!
LAC are scary. PG 3 and KL are tough on both sides, Morris always kills us and Westbrick might be goofy but he may be able to play on this team. Tough game.
Looking forward to it. It’s why you play the games, for nights like tonight. Kings got through last night, but that was a game you had to play to get to tonight. I’m fascinated to see how the Kings respond.
Aloha Kawhi,
I have to admit you are the most beautiful Hawaiian island, however you suck because you have Zuckerberg living on you, hahaha. Anyway, hang loose, dude. The Kings are about to ‘shaka’ you and your team of boats tonight.
Sincerely,
Vivek
above comment rated PG-13, no Lued comments please!
make no Bones about it, the clips are Plumb ready to have a cup of Coffee and Mann up.
Great preview Greg. Work that magic Russ!
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