The Sacramento Kings continue their longest road trip of the year in Indiana tonight to face a Pacers team running on their 2nd night of a back-to-back. This should be a fun one. Let’s get right to it.
When: Friday, February 3rd, 4:00 PM PT / 7:00 PM ET
Where:Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
For Your Consideration
Every game against the Pacers moving forward is going to carry a little more weight than your typical regular season contest. When two teams make a franchise-altering trade as big the Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis swap, that’s just how it goes. But this one, tonight, in Indiana, has another unique twist.
The NBA announced their full All-Star rosters on TNT last night. Haliburton made is first career All-Star Team, Sabonis made his first All-Star Team in Sacramento, and De’Aaron Fox did not make the cut. Fox’s teammates are not thrilled about that.
Sacramento, we riot.
— Chimezie Metu™ (@Chimezie_Metu) February 3, 2023
They Robbed Fox! Disgraceful!
— Trey Lyles (@TreyLyles) February 3, 2023
I am happy for Hali. I’m thrilled for Sabonis. I’m bummed for Fox. It was a close call, and I could spend hours making the case for Fox over Jaren Jackson Jr., but it is what it is. Fox could still make it as an injury replacement.
All that being said, I am very excited to watch a pissed off Kings team play against All-Star Hali’s Pacers tonight.
The only thing this game is missing is a pissed off De’Aaron Fox. He’s going to miss tonights game due to the personal reasons, but the assumption is that it is due to the best kind of personal reasons: the birth of his first child. Big congrats to De’Aaron and his wife Recee.
But before you get too excited for this one, I have to mention that as of this writing, Tyrese Haliburton’s status is unclear. He logged 35 minutes last night against the Lakers after missing 10 games due to knee and elbow issues, so this would be a reasonable night to rest him if the Pacers wanted to ruin a fun matchup.
With Fox out, that fun matchup would be Hali vs. Davion Mitchell. I wouldn’t want to play offense against Mitchell for 35 minutes, either. Hali or not, this will be a great opportunity to see what Mitchell can do in a bigger role. With the trade deadline looming, one might call this an inadvertent showcase.
I’ll make one more point here before I dip out: it is a travesty that this game hasn’t been flexed for national TV. I’m watching either way, so it doesn’t impact my viewing experience, but the NBA had an opportunity here to highlight some great young players between two teams and fan bases that suddenly have a ton invested in these games.
The environment in Sacramento when the Pacers came to town back in November was incredible. The Kings also crushed them, but that’s besides the point. Indiana gets to host tonight, and the NBA should invest in this budding rivalry.
Prediction
Kings 112, Pacers 101.
The Pacers needed Hali’s return
As they’ve watch their good record burn.
Struggled while he was out;
Still nobody should doubt
A win’s something we’ll have to earn!
My recollection is that in two meetings since the trade, our kid Ty has been 4/12 and 4/13 from the field. To this point, he has had zero success when guarded by Davion Mitchell.
Haliburton is hardly alone in that regard, but that matchup has been very lopsided.
“Off-Night” originated from Davion shutting down Tyrese.
“Actually that’s where the name came from–“Off Night”–when he (Haliburton) had an off-night.”
Start Davion at PG and let ‘er rip!
(Fun video:)
https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/video/davion-mitchell-tyrese-haliburton-disclose-history-behind-night
Davion v Hali could be fun…
It’s been a great deal of fun for Mitchell.
Foreshadowing:
I had forgotten that!
I’ll make one more point here before I dip out: it is a travesty that this game hasn’t been flexed for national TV.
In fairness to the NBA, it appears there is only 1 national game tonight: NBA TV, BOS v. PHX.
I believe that would be Tony’s point, but perhaps I misunderstood him.
Hey, who’s interested in trading for Kyrie Irving?!?
So your interest in him is
…
flat?
GLOBE DON’T LIE
Kyrie Irving is a cancer. That is all.
Do we want him going to the Lakers to watch that s-show, or is it better to stay with Westbrick, the known s-show??
I don’t think the Lakers have the assets. Westbrook and 2 picks (which is all Lakers have) is not enough.
Maybe the L*kers can ask their friends the Referees to write a sad letter about sleepless nights to Brooklyn for a sympathy trade.
I haven’t been able to eat since the no-call happened, even with all the resistance I’ve built up watching the Kings get boned repeatedly.
He’s an Aries, actually.
.
I still don’t understand why Davion gets casually mentioned in trade scenarios. I can’t imagine getting anything in return for Davion more valuable than what Davion provides the Kings. Davion is one of the best perimeter defenders in the entire league. Perimeter point-of-attack defense happens to be our greatest weakness. How does trading Davion make us better? His offensive limitations are exactly why we won’t get value in return. There are at least 4-5 games we don’t win without Davion changing the complexion of the game with his defense. The names that would move the needle and justify including Davion would require Keegan to go with him. That also doesn’t sound smart to me.
He has the worst VORP on the team and worst +/- of any of the core rotation players on the Kings. A large part of this may be role, but that role is unlikely to change, sans injuries to Fox and Monk.
I sure wouldn’t give him away, but I’d sure listen to any team dangling a legit defense minded 3 & D wing or stretch 4.
Fact check:
This is his first child with Recee. His first child is Kai Fox. I remember seeing charming photos of Fox with his son on Fox’s instagram in the past, so I just had to do a little research there…
Best wishes for health and happiness to parents and newborn
FoxFam
Off Nite did give Hali an off nite last season in Indy and early this season at G1.
Badge Legend