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Kings vs. Magic Preview: Orlando or Don’t

The Kings are slipping and the Western Conference standings are tightening up.
By | 11 Comments | Jan 9, 2023

The Kings have lost three of their last four games and remain in Sacramento today in the hopes of finding their get-right game against an Orlando Magic team swimming at the bottom of the East. Yes, the very same Orlando Magic team it took a prayer at the buzzer from De’Aaron Fox to beat has come to exact their revenge. Can De’Aaron Fox withstand the rotating Orlando point guard hydra that is Cole Anthony-Markelle Fultz-Jalen Suggs? Can Keegan Murray avoid a repeat of the 3 points, 2 rebounds performance in his battle with other rookie standout, Paolo Banchero? How quick will Brenden Nunes defect to Orlando media if Franz Wagner drops another 30 piece on the Kings here at home?

Let’s talk Kings basketball!

When: Monday, January 9th, 7:00 PM PT
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140

For Your Consideration

Going with the Flo(rida): I’m trying to keep my expectations in check here at this point, a few games south of the halfway mark of the season. I was one of those fans that was hesitant to declare the incoming class of Kings coaches and players a runaway success prior to any meaningful games being played, even going so far as to say that if the Kings made the playoffs (not play-in), I’d shave my head Bibby bald and host a Lady Bird watch party for you all. I think I predicted 37-39 wins and the Kings, barring major injuries, are better than that. Sure we can blame the refs, they’ve been bad across the board all season, but this team absolutely should, for whatever reason we want to point to, have at least a couple more W’s under their belt. More than few bad teams have snuck up on the Kings and snatched relatively easy wins away from our boys, and this, this is where I have to keep myself in check. For all these missed opportunities, for all these games that the Kings allow refs to have opportunities to make decisions to dictate outcomes… the Kings are still far better than I’d thought they be.

The Kings squad we’re rooting for this year has a ceiling far higher than what they’re reaching right now. Maybe it takes a few margin moves by Monte McNair, maybe it’s waiting for guys like Keegan Murray and Davion Mitchell to get a bit more comfortable in the NBA, maybe it takes more than 38 games for the Kings to truly gel as a single cohesive unit on the defensive side of the ball.

Maybe it’s okay to both be disappointed in this recent stretch of games and know that hey, things are looking up. The growth from having zero expectations for a shitshow of team to thinking “Jesus Sac’s lead in the Pacific Division should be at least a couple games more!” has taken one off-season plus roughly 40 games. Sure, there’s the commonly used “it’s a long season!” and its, but the growth from this franchise and fanbase has been insane to watch, even when the hype train has hit an uphill stretch.

That being said, if they lose tonight, we’re burning the city down. Flood waters and rain and hurricane force winds will be no match for our fury.

No, the Magic aren’t very good. It would be an obvious sign of a back slide if the Kings take the L tonight, but do understand, that Magic are a talented ladened young team. Paolo Banchero is 1.1 assists per game away from pulling the ol’ Tyreke Evans, with 21.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and nearly a steal a game. He’s as advertised. He’s going to rock for a long time in this league. Franz Wagner, one of the few string bean of the last few years that I wasn’t gung-ho for, is averaging 20.1 points per game with 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists to boot. The kid just wasn’t string-beany enough for me, I guess, and he punishes my ignorance every time I watch Orlando play. Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs are all currently fighting it out for the Magic’s point guard of the future and all bring a variety of skills that could match, or slow down, De’Aaron Fox tonight. Bol Bol, who isn’t playing tonight, has shown that he’s a player in this league. Wendell Carter Jr. is the unsung hero of the Magic, averaging 15.8 a game and 8.6 rebounds and just generally being their best post guy game in and game out. I’m not going to mention a certain big man we’ve been pining for on the Kings over on The Kings Herald Show for a couple of years for fear of jinxing Monte McNair, but I swear if he winds up in a Kings jersey this season, I’m buying Tony and Jerry and I matching jerseys.

For a good team, a game like tonight is a get-right game. No night in the NBA is easy, but this is a game you go out, take their best shots for a quarter or two and then slowly crush for the remainder of the game. Will it happen tonight in Sacramento? Eh, I’d never bet money on it. But, someday when the Kings are established and winning consistently, this would be the Kings of game you take your kids to, so they’ll fall in love with how good the Kings are and the fear of traumatizing them with an L is minimized. We aren’t there yet, folks. But closer than we have been in a good while.

Prediction

M* B**** scores 30 with six threes and just as many blocks. The price goes up. We never see him in a Kings uniform and it’s all because I alluded to him twice in this preview. Sabonis keeps the consecutive double-double streak going and Keegan Murray outscores Banchero  on a late triple in garbage time.

Kings: 136, Magic: 119

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Kosta
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January 9, 2023 2:00 pm

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Jman1949
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January 9, 2023 2:00 pm

In the midst of their tough road trip,
Orlando’s a team we should whip.
Though they’re young and eager
Their record is meager.
Can’t afford to let this one slip!

TerzoM
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January 9, 2023 2:05 pm

Cloudy Day with a chance of D-Fencecomment image

Ellis5
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January 9, 2023 3:22 pm

I see what you did there…..

Return Of The Jedi Ok GIF by Star Wars - Find & Share on GIPHY

Last edited 1 year ago by Ellis5
Jack
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January 9, 2023 4:01 pm
Reply to  Ellis5

No more Laker games. Play defense and everything will be alright.

RobHessing
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January 9, 2023 4:08 pm

Let’s just get these out of the way, mad-libs style-
Kayte is: knowledgeable / annoying / an option at the wing.
Bamba for: Holmes, 2 2nds and a Starbucks card / magic beans / Marvin Bagley.
Our defense is: back, baby! / a work in progress / the France of the NBA.
The refs are awful/ truly awful / truly, truly awful.
Fox is: an all-star / a defensive liability / bleeding from his eyes but still not getting the call.
Sabonis is: a stud / a stud / a stud.

Kosta
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January 9, 2023 4:40 pm
Reply to  RobHessing

Orlan
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Last edited 1 year ago by Kosta
UpgradedToQuestionable
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January 9, 2023 5:24 pm
Reply to  RobHessing

annoying Magic beans, a work in progress, truly awful all-star

that matches up pretty darn well!

HoustonJP
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January 9, 2023 5:28 pm
Reply to  RobHessing

Technical foul for no spoiler alert on the outcome of the game!

eddie41
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January 9, 2023 5:43 pm
Reply to  RobHessing

France is bacon

Kosta
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January 9, 2023 6:19 pm
Reply to  eddie41

Sir!

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