That would be just like the Kings huh? One and a half games out of the fifth spot in the NBA Draft Lotto, chasing their former future point guard Tyrese Haliburton and with Portland tanking hard on their tails, the Kings decide to go on a strange little burst of wins to end the season and crushing their odds at a top pick come May 17th’s ping pong extravaganza. Of course you’re right, it’s just as likely they follow the path of least resistance and lose most of their final 14 games, but when have the Kings ever followed things like… logic or general principles of science?
Tonight’s their first chance to ruin their accidentally decent fortune of late: the Jazz are on their second night of a back-to-back after giving up a win to the San Antonio Spurs, and more specifically, the 1,336th win for Gregg Popovich, now holder of the all-time record in the NBA. Will the Jazz come out deflated or motivated from being on the wrong side of history? Will Domas Sabonis come out fired up and ready to embarass Rue de Rivoli Roy Hibbert? Will De’Aaron Fox continue his blistering hot streak?
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Saturday, March 12th, 6:00 PM PT
Where: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
TV: NBCSCA – Kyle Draper (play-by-play)
Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
Going to (Mitc)hell in His Own Way: So what’s the plan with Davion Mitchell rolling forward? I know there’s still unsubstantiated suspicions floating around that the Kings drafted Mitchell to trade him and then for whatever conspiracy theory reasons can be imagined they didn’t. But, like, what’s his role going forward on this team? It’s pretty clear that he operates far better and with much more confidence as a starter getting starters minutes and the Kings just traded for a whole mess of guards… some of whom we can assume they’re going to want to have on this team going forward – looking at you healed and rested and restored Donte DiVincenzo. Is Davion doomed to be a sixth man, never getting substantial minutes against the best opposing guards? Is he Round #2 of “Does De’Aaron Fox Play With Other Point Guards?” He’s obviously not the massive culture setter a decent amount of fans heaped expectations upon WAY WAY too early in his career and while he might have been the most NBA ready player with the 9th pick of the draft, how much does that matter now to a team that’s going to win five less games this season than even my pessimistic ass figured? Is there any comfort in the luxury of having the best band-aids in the world while running blind-folded through a minefield?
Don’t get it twisted – I like Davion in a vacuum, as a player in the NBA. I think he’s going to have a decent career ahead of him at worst and he could easily top out as a starter in this league with other teams. But for a team that has 178 games between now and Domantas Sabonis’ free agency, I’m curious as to what Monte McNair’s plan is for the guy. (Aside here: I say Monte because, well, Alvin Gentry is not long for the Kings coaching world). It would absolutely not shock me to hear that he’s traded with the Kings first round pick this year somewhere. It would also not shock me to hear that in the off-season it’s Fox that is traded for a haul involving a forward and suddenly Davion Mitchell is the true tip of the spear. Monte McNair is George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones-level committed to getting the Kings into fighting shape, even if it shocks and horrifies his fans… I just hope that he’s more than GRRM, Game of Thrones-level committed to a satisfying conclusion to the story he’s been telling us.
Speaking of a D-Mitchell on semi-questionable ground: it’s curious that the Jazz are rumored to be so meh about their current roster. They’re top-10 in points per game and opponent points per game, 1st in offensive rating and 9th in defensive rating with the second best net rating in the league and still there seems to be this weird personality rub with Mitchell and Rudy Gobert that’s gone back years. The rumor comes out, they publicly patch it up, rinse repeat. It’s like they know they’re a poor man’s Kobe and Shaq and are self-aware enough to also realize that neither have the talent pull to succeed on their own without the other. Neither replaceable for the Jazz, but not quite worthy of being irreplaceable either. I’ve got no deeper analysis than that. Just wanted to gossip a bit and say that I’d be happy to acquire either of the two if the Jazz decide reset this off-season.
No analysis for this Saturday game either outside of this little fun observation. The Jazz have done this cute little thing through out March where they switch off wins and losses in perfect rhythm. A win on the 2nd against the Rockets, a loss to the Pelicans… A win against the Thunder, ahhh but then a loss to the Mavericks… A win against the Trail Blazers, but darn a loss against the Spurs. Aaaand now we’re here tonight! There’s your whole game preview in a paragraph!
Happy Saturday!
Prediction
Davion Mitchell is going to have a damn good game off the bench tonight and someone in the comments is going to rightly call me an idiot for being curious about stuff like this. 20 points, 4 threes and 3 steals for Davion tonight. Quin Snyder waits to unleash the flesh-eating claymen he’s been secretly building in his lab till tomorrow night because tonight looks like an easy win. He’s wrong.
Kings: 122, Jazz: 113
The Jazz lost to the Spurs last night.
Two-point game, so it wound up tight.
Had a lead, then blew it
Like we often do it.
Still our chance for a win remains slight!
Fox & Ox takes on T-Rox
Ox is out
Nothing good ever happens when we play the Jazz… I’ll just leave it at that
Badge Legend