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Kings vs. Raptors Preview: The Ol’ Tampa Bait N’ Switch

The Kings continue their trip around Florida with a game against the Toronto Raptors of Tampa Bay.
By | 32 Comments | Jan 29, 2021

The Sacramento Kings are in Tampa today to take on the Raptors – marking the first time a king has gone after dinosaurs in Florida since Steve Irwin in season three of The Crocodile Hunter. The difference between Irwin and the Kings? He never got thrashed when trying to handle them. Crikey! Losing by twenty-one to a team well-below .500 en-route to giving up a franchise record for points scored in a game is rough. Any time a team scores 144 on you, its rough. Doing it twice in the same month to the same mediocre would be, well, disastrous.

[Editor’s note: I advised against Will’s crocodile humor. -Greg]

When: Friday, January 29th, 4:30 PM PST

Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay, FL

TV: NBCSCA –  Mark Jones on the call.

RadioKHTK Sports 1140 AM

For Your Consideration

Jurassic Justification: So after the Raptors put an absolute beat down on the Kings, I expected big things from them. Not because the Kings are the paramount of quality, they just, seemed to click in a way I hadn’t seen from them earlier in the season. They felt, dare I say, normal. Of course, they pretty much faded back into that unfortunate Florida haze of obscurity, having never fully righted the ship, still dealing with massive holes on their team that aren’t getting filled by their current roster and yet, every game I’ve watched of theirs, I’ve expect them to win. They took on Golden State and Portland after their thrashing of Sacramento, and in each case they lost by one point. From there they ran off three straight wins, beating Charlotte twice and Dallas by twenty-three. This is where I figured they’d regained their form and were ready to take off – they immediate lost to the Heat without Jimmy Butler, allowing Kendrick Nunn to drop 28 off the bench. Two nights later, they beat the Heat by 20, then scraped out a win against a formidable Pacers squad a few nights later. This was the second point where I was like – okay, they’re back! Can’t wait to root for this scrappy Raptors squad again. They lost to that same Pacers squad by 15 two nights later, then most recently got bounced by the Bucks.

Now, I’m the kind of person that sees a lotto ticket with zero correct numbers and thinks “Damn! If I’d have just changed the 22 to a 21 and a 6 to a 5, I’d have only been 4 other numbers away!” and so in my sad mind, me and the other voices see those two single point losses as moral victories, which means they won 7 of 8 eight before dropping the last two to difficult teams. They didn’t, but, fight me. The point of all this is that while the Raptors remain at a record that is commensurate of a bad team, they are much, much better than we’d expect. They’re two bounces of the ball from being tied for 6th in the East and they’re absolutely flirting with being a good team once again. I feel fairly confident in saying that if no major injuries happen, they’re still making the playoffs this year.

Yes, it would be easy to feel like the Kings have bolstered their defense with those extra practices and have now turned it around… please keep in mind that they were playing the two worst offenses in the league. While the Raptors are only 18th in the league in points per game at 110.3 a contest, that’s literally 17 spots better than the last two professional teams the Kings went up against. The Raptors aren’t slouching on defense either – they’re 10th in the league in opponent’s points per game and 11th in defensive rating. Something else to keep in mind that has very little to do with anything else I’ve mentioned so far: the Raptors have a very spread out attack, getting offense from wherever they can right now. Toronto currently has six guys averaging between 14 and 19 points per game right now, so they’re coming at the Kings tonight from all angles. Okay, I see the lights flickering and the SMUD truck is down the road so, enjoy the game!

Prediction

Steve Irwin visits me in a dream tonight and lightly critiques my preview while calling each change I make in front of him a “Beaut”. He introduces me to his stingray friend and he says the ‘clever girl’ line from Jurassic Park after I prod him to. I wake up Saturday morning and check the expiration date on my melatonin gummies. They went bad in June.

Kings: 124, Raptors 118

 

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WashingtonIrving
WashingtonIrving
January 29, 2021 12:40 pm

Interesting things to observe for me:
1. Fox’s 3 point shooting – temporary fluke or ascention into all star?
2. Haliburton’s recent… slump? It seems that he is much less involved in the offense for this eye. When I see his role boiled down to standing for a corner three my soul dies a bit
3. Bagley’s more fluid game – seems that he forces to get his less, or is it just wishfull thinking?

Kosta
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January 29, 2021 1:01 pm

It seems to me that Bagley has been buying into what the coaches are probably asking him to do.

GFunkClassic
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January 29, 2021 2:33 pm
  1. Don’t think Fox’s 3’s are a fluke because he’s been putting in the work. It’ll take some more growth to get to the All Star level just because of how stacked the West is. There have been many years that Lillard didn’t make it despite being an All Star level player.
  2. I agree. We knew his 3pt % would have to come back down to earth. nobody shoots 50% on the season with meaningful attempts. But would love to see Haliburton with the ball more often to create for others. When him and Fox are together they should be interchangeable with the point. Basically whomever is closest to the rock once secured should be point and the other runs the lane as a 2 guard.
  3. Bagley looks like he’s learning and developing nicely. People who’ve been talking shit about him really have no idea what it’s like to go up levels in basketball. The speed, strength, quickness, skill increase in each level is exponentially higher with each level. It’s hard to grasp how big a difference each level is until you experience it. It takes some time to find and match your rhythm to the level at which you’re playing. And the speed at which you adapt doesn’t mean much in regards to ceiling. There’s players who adapt more slowly but become better than players who adapted more quickly as the season or seasons progress. I think it’s just taking him some time to adjust his rhythm to the NBA game. He’s also being tasked with learning things he’s never had to learn before. Like focusing on defense, and doing the little things right, sharp fundamental basketball, learning how to be a role player first. When you’re a 6’11 High School/ College player those things can be glossed over without fully addressing them. It’s not possible in the NBA. You have to learn those things if you want to be good or great at this level. He seems to be willing to learn, and willing to put in the work. As long as he stays healthy I don’t see how he doesn’t continue to improve.
Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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Nostradumbass 14
January 29, 2021 3:50 pm
Reply to  GFunkClassic

In regards to your #3, how many players really began to “go up levels” 2.5 years into their NBA career? IMO, it’s a very small group. Jermaine O’neal, Jimmy Butler, and JJ Redick come to mind, but a lot that was them just getting minutes after being behind others. Bagley, on the other hand, has been given every opportunity, when healthy, to show and grow.

Those players mentioned above also seemed to have a high level of understanding the game and it took time for their skills to catch up. Bagley, IMO, is the opposite. He has the skills but not the bball IQ and instincts that take a player “up levels.”

kings4ever
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January 29, 2021 3:58 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

Uh, Bagley never started more than 3 games in a row until this season. You cannot equate him with the typical player entering Year 3 because he played a total of 75 games out of a possible 164 games in his rookie and second year, only 48%.

And how many games did he start over this period of time, to get experience vs frontine players? Only 10. So it is unfair and inappropriate to draw definitive conclusions on Bagley, based on experience and age, turning 22 in a month and a half.

And I say this as someone who is down on the guy, disappointed on many levels, from strength to countermoves on offense, to lack of defensive versatilty (he is unable to play defensive center).

Maybe Marvin does not get any better. But we are within the window based on age and experience level where it would be expected he would improve, even probable.

Like I said a few day ago, getting abused by Randle can make or break him. Let’s see how he responds….

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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January 29, 2021 4:26 pm
Reply to  kings4ever

What does it matter if he started or not? He’s never averaged less than 25 minutes per game over a 92 games so far.

Also, the players I mentioned, didn’t play a lot of minutes or get starts their first few years. Jermaine O’Neal in particular only started in 18 games his first 4 years. I thought the comp was fair and, if anything, in support of Bagley.

I was making the point that history is not on Bagley’s side when it comes in terms of development. In many ways he is like a player right out of high school, and in the NBA if you haven’t become something by year 3 the odds are not good that you will ever become something.

GFunkClassic
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January 29, 2021 4:50 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

I don’t think the point holds water. History definitely is on his side in regards to development. I’m wondering how you even come to that conclusion. Basically look at any players stats in their first 3 years, and then afterwards. Almost anyone that continues to get minutes sees an improvement in performance.

GFunkClassic
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January 29, 2021 4:43 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

The levels I’m speaking of is Freshman to JV, JV to Varsity, Varsity to College, College to Pros. At each of those levels the speed, quickness and strength are orders of magnitude greater and each player adjusts their rhythm to fit in differently.

But in your context I would say almost universally players are better 2.5-4 years into their career. This is especially true when looking at young players that would still be in college. It’s more rare for players to plateau or not get better IMO.

kings4ever
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January 29, 2021 4:11 pm
Reply to  GFunkClassic

I don’t know if I would say Bagley is “developing nicely”. He’s doing “meh”. I said he made his a positive impact for the first time in 17 games vs the Magic and even I think that was being a little generous….since many rebounds can off his own misses. And if Bagley was so good then, you would think he could get more than 21 minutes.

There was a play a Bagley drove the lane from the corner and Holmes defender left him to help. Holmes was wide open under the basket. Due to Bagley’s complete tunnel vision, he resorted to a terrible contested running hook shot that richoceted off the backboard for an easy putback for Holmes

But this play is symptomatic of Bagley, LACK OF AWARENESS, lack of presence, failing to make the simple and easy play because he wants to be a 25 PPG guy instead of a winner. Or more accurately I would say that he wants to win on his terms as the dominant scorer.

That said, last game was something to build upon, relatively speaking, so lets see if he can play pretty good to better tonight.

GFunkClassic
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January 29, 2021 6:03 pm
Reply to  kings4ever

I don’t know man, it sounds like you’re operating from an anti-Bagley bias. He’s had more than just one decent game. And singling out a specific play is the definition of anecdotal evidence. There’s not a player in the NBA that plays error free basketball and makes the right play every time. To my eye he’s playing better basketball all around, and seems to be getting better.

Jman1949
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January 29, 2021 12:46 pm

We continue this southeastern swing
With a diff’rence that this season brings.
It’s the Raptors we’ll play
But in Tampa today;
€œWe the North€€”this year not a thing!

SMF-PDXConnection
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January 29, 2021 12:50 pm
Reply to  Jman1949

You know what they say about Florida; the further north you go, the more South you get.

Kosta
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January 29, 2021 12:59 pm

Yeah, that’s what I was told by my friend who is from Florida.

I also noticed that the further north I traveled from Boston (New Hampshire and Maine) it seemed to get kinda South-y.

Marty
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January 29, 2021 2:47 pm

I spent a week shooting farms all around central Florida once. The middle of the state where it meets Georgia was without a doubt some of the most backward ass I’ve ever seen anywhere.

Last edited 3 years ago by Marty Marty
andy_sims
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January 29, 2021 3:24 pm

My experience has been that if you’re more than three miles inland, you are, for all intents and purposes, in Alabama.

Alabama in 1958.

Klam
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Nostradumbass 18
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January 29, 2021 12:50 pm

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Jman1949
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January 29, 2021 12:54 pm

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Klam
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January 29, 2021 4:01 pm
Reply to  Jman1949

I see Lady Bird GIF, I click upvote.

Kosta
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January 29, 2021 1:04 pm

Pictured: Steve Irwin and Will (Will is the Orangutan in the Chainmail, no?)
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CoreyBrewersD
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January 29, 2021 2:14 pm

This guy has my prediction

Screenshot (37).png
ZillersCat
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January 29, 2021 4:46 pm
Reply to  CoreyBrewersD

comment image

Last edited 3 years ago by ZillersCat
Malrock
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January 29, 2021 2:28 pm

So long as the kings remain in Florida on this road trip they will keep winning.

GFunkClassic
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January 29, 2021 2:41 pm

After tonight we’ll have a better record than the Mavericks.

Kosta
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January 29, 2021 3:10 pm
Reply to  GFunkClassic

That would suck if they got a better draft pick than us!

Jman1949
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January 29, 2021 3:21 pm
Reply to  Kosta

I think that pick belongs to the Knicks.

andy_sims
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January 29, 2021 3:22 pm

Yeah, “melatonin.”

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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January 29, 2021 3:26 pm

OT: I thought the Kings weren’t taking part in the G-League bubble? Interestingly enough, Guy and Metu , the two-way guys, are staying with the team.

https://twitter.com/JandersonSacBee/status/1355292818932068355

Last edited 3 years ago by Adamsite
Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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January 29, 2021 3:30 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

Ham now reporting that those two will join some other team while in the bubble. I guess this means we won’t be seeing either of them with the Kings for some time.

kings4ever
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January 29, 2021 4:19 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

We haven’t been seeing Kyle Guy anyway, because our coach does not allow fun or synergy.

And Bjelica woud be out even if healthy because of a terminal bout of brick-itis.

andy_sims
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January 29, 2021 4:28 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

Take it from me, front spasms are a lot more fun.

But to each his own.

L-Train3.1
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January 29, 2021 4:05 pm

Remember everyone, Stonks only go up!

satdawg
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January 29, 2021 4:29 pm

I’m not a big fan of Mark Jones

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