After a second straight victory against a Clippers team rife with dramatic tension, the Kings woke up this morning having to turn right back around and face another Western Conference foe trying to cement their place in the Western Conference playoff hunt. Currently 7th in the Western Conference, aWolves squad that was the center of trade drama this off-season and center of interpersonal drama during the first three quarters of the season, have traded and swapped their roster in the hopes of trying to extinguish any lingering issues and dodge any play-in drama. Can De’Aaron Fox continue to stretch his 30 point streak to double digit games? Can the basketball gods allow both of their favorite tools for torture a chance to make the playoffs in the same year? Can I find a sports bar in Mexico brave enough to put on a Sacramento Kings game?!
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Saturday, March 3rd – 7:00 PM PT
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
For Your Consideration
KAT’s and Dawgs: Okay, I know its a kind of convenience thing to bag on a Wolves squad that made a risky maneuver this off-season in the hopes of taking their playoff squad into a true championship contender – Gobert isn’t beloved in the NBA, the price was astronomical then and, with the emergence of a guy like Walker Kessler, looking higher in the moment. The NBA is a meatgrinder of drama and the Wolves went from NBA darlings to putting their whole foot in the media machine with that trade. It happens, as Kings fans who have argued with talking heads and Pacers fans all season know. BUT, like the Kings in this way, just because the move was dramatic and the cost high (ours to a lesser extent obviously) it doesn’t mean that their worse for having done the deal.
With guys like De’Angelo Russell halfway to a team revolt against the newly acquired center, with budding star Anthony Edwards still growing into what he’s going to be, and most importantly with team leader and best player Karl-Anthony Towns having played a total of 21 games this season, the Wolves are still over .500 and in a prime position to throw their weight around in any playoff series they might be a part of. Again, they’ve been dramatic but whatever we talk about when we talk about the Wolves, doesn’t change the fact that they’re a good basketball team despite it all.
There’s a monkey just outside of my balcony right now and if I want to convince it to actually chill on my balcony… we’ve got to get this preview out quick. (Also, I just plain trust you to know at this point in the season what the hell the Wolves are up to.)
The post-Russell Wolves have gone 2-2 since the All-Star Break: losing to the Hornets and Warriors before beating the Clippers and Lakers, which, is a truly “.500 team” feat in that they lost to the worst team in the NBA, a tough team around their same record, an even better, tougher team around their same record and then beating the flaming dumpster that is the Lakers. We’ve rightfully celebrated our wins against a Clippers team whose last “W” was them typing “Westbrook” into their official roster – if the Wolves can beat them, they can beat Sacramento too. Mike Conley is still heady enough to hassle Fox into a bad game, Gobert can struggle against Domas at times but is still lanky enough to get under his skin with the help of a whistle or two. Kyle Anderson, Jaden McDaniels and a host of other role players can run coach Finch’s schemes to a tee. They run faster than the Kings (3rd fastest pace), play better defense (10th in defensive rating) and they’re desperate to prove a slew of media types wrong. They’re a good team and getting healthier all the time. If the Kings let off the gas, they’ll get got.
Okay the monkey left.
I’ve gotta go find that monkey.
Prediction
Kings scoring just continues to operate at max efficiency. Fox gets 40 and a poster on Gobert, Kevin Huerter continues his return from the dead with 25 and 6 threes. Anthony Edwards continues to say suspiciously kind things about the Kings and the first inklings of a Kings super-team form in his head. The monkey lets me chill on HIS balcony.
Kings: 137, Wolves 119
Minnesota is still in the chase
Below us in the playoff race.
One piece that they lack—
Karl Towns is not back—
A key player we don’t have to face!
For a split second, you gave me a thought of a Fox/Edwards/Barnes/Murray/Sabonis lineup, with Mitchell/Monk/Heurter/Lyles/defensive big coming off the bench.
Must-win game. No time for early celebrations; have to beat an inferior team that’s hovering around .500 (yes, I enjoyed writing that), especially at home.
Speaking of Minn – feels like we’re having a season like the Vikings just did. Good but not a Finals team. Overachieving expectations. Gutsy, improbabe comebacks and close game wins. Reg. season game of the year. Team of destiny, us against the world vibes.
The Kings have pretty much the exact record that their net rating would predict and their advanced stats are pretty solid, which is absolutely nothing like the Vikings with their negative point differential, dismal advanced stats and victories made from nonsense and miracles.
I need a miracle everyday.
This. They are outperforming their expected W/L record by a single game right now which is fairly common with teams in the win percentage range the Kings have.
This group feels like a legit 50 win team to me at times. It’s felt like that all year, but there’s been enough stumbles that it’s been difficult to publicly exclaim that. But now? There’s enough time left that it’s not out of the realm of possibility. The Kings simply have to go 13-7 to make a 50 win season happen.
Spank the Timberwolves, not the monkey!
Look in the barrel, it’ll be fun, I promise.
“flaming dumpster that is the Lakers” this warms my heart. Taking the fam to the game today. I will be the guy with the cowbell. Go Kings!
These wolves are frauds!
It’s very debatable if KAT is the best player on the Wolves. The most accolades of anyone on that roster except for Gobert, but outside of that is KAT really better than Edwards in actuality?
TBH, I thought, and still think, the riskiest move the Wolves made all off-season was signing KAT to the supermax for some unknown mysterious reason only known to Tim Connelly.
Either way, the Kings are in for a rough ride if they think they can run over the Wolves by just showing up. I thought they took the Clippers seriously, but they just had a lil extra in their tank last night at the end than I think the Kings (and I honestly) were expecting.
Bottom line, you have to beat the Wolves tonight. They were in a dogfight with the Lakers until the final seconds of their game and probably didn’t get into Sac until 1:30-2am.
Fun matchup of the night for me will be to see how Jaden McDaniels and Keegan Murray square off. That’s going to be a basketball junkies paradise right there. Go Kings!!!
Wolves are interesting. Made that stupid ass trade with GSW to get DeLo (gave up a better player and a first-round pick) just because DeLo was BFF with KAT and then trade him away from his BFF because he led the revolt against the large French dude.
Edwards is their best player and they are tricky.
Clypers have to win sometime. If they beat Memphis and Kings beat T-wolves- both tied at 25 losses.
To be fair, I’m not sure Andrew Wiggins was the better player back in 2020. He was a non-winning, high usage guy who’s contract was considered one of the worst in the league at that time. They had to give up a pick in order to move Wiggins. FWIW, that pick turned in Kuminga.
I’d argue that the Warriors turned Wiggins into wha he is now by making him an ancillary piece, much like the Kings did when they got Barnes from Dallas for basically nothing.
Or more accurately, what McNair and Brown did with Barnes. Barnes was not an ancillary piece before this season. And he’s still one of the 4 best players on this roster. So, I don’t really know what more there is to say about Barnes at this point.
Interestingly enough, Barnes’ usage hasn’t dropped that much since he first arrived in Sac. He’s floated around 17% in 3 of his 4 full seasons here. Last year was his high at nearly 19%.
I’d argue that his role has always been more ancillary here than it was ever in Dallas, where he was #1 option until Luka came to town. His usage in Dallas hovered around 24%. He’s still likely the 3rd option here this year, where as last year (pre deadline) he hovered between 2nd and 3rd. The additions of Sabonis, Huerter, Murray, and Monk have really helped with any “pressure” there might have been on Barnes.
Longs story short, a better cast of characters makes players like Barnes more valuable and efficient.
It is worth noting here, Adam, that there are different types of USG. The commonly used one is the type that finishes possessions.
Having said that, Barnes is better as a 3rd/4th option and has been very efficient in his time in Sac. His TS% over his 4 years with the GSW was 53.5%, his 3+ years in Dallas was 54% and in Sac has been 60.9% (the last 3 seasons are all at 62%+). But his first season in Sac was at 57.9%.
There’s no doubt Harrison Barnes is better if he’s not being asked to be a high volume option, and his contribution to this team this year goes well beyond the box score.
The only guys using more than 22% of possessions are De’Aaron (which the Kings need him to do at 29.9%) and Malik (26.1%) in part because he can create his own shot. Barnes is like a lot of guys whose USG% is in the teens (mid to high) and benefits from not having to carry that load. And given his defensive assignments, it bothers me not.
Well said.
yes, debatable about Wiggins vs. DeLo. No debate now. Both were over-priced.
Like Sac, a fan base desperate to win after years and years of chronic disappointment – last year’s success was intoxicating as they went from 23 wins in 2021 to 46 wins in 2022. Hmm, sound familiar?
That’s a precautionary tale if ever there was one.
The obvious lesson here, but let me say it anyhow:
Don’t trade for Rudy Gobert’s brother Monte! Don’t do it! I implore you!!
Whew! I feel so much better now getting that off my chest.
I’m with Adam on this one. I don’t think Wiggins was necessarily the worst player than DLo in 2020 and one reason the Warriors could do it was A) they were bucks up and B) they had the culture and talent to fit him into a team that didn’t need him to do what the Wolves did. What that has done, subsequently, is allowed Wiggins to be better than he’s ever been in a role where he ultimately thrives.
The truth about Andrew Wiggins is a common one: Teams hold onto guys too long because of draft status, or what could be, etc etc and what they really need is a change of scenery. But FO’s, who are scared of optics as much as anything else in this day and age, can’t let go of their guys. Owners, too often, are just as invested in these players as well.
D’Angelo Russell is what he is. But Wiggins is more valuable in more ways than Russell but he wasn’t that at the time he was traded back in Feb 2020. /shrugs #2ndDraftFTW
Rudy Gay Syndrome (Harrison Barnes, Andrew Wiggins)
Instead of being an every night number 1 option, the more suitable role is below that (2 or 3). There’s a lot pressure to perform when you are the Alpha. Mitch Rock Richmond filled that role for many seasons (and for me, is the best Sacramento King ever because he filled those shoes).
But you called it true – when you are the number one pick and have those lofty expectations thrown on you, you are a very big investment for that team and for the GM that drafted you. TWolves pushed themselves into a Max contract for Wiggins – much like they have with KAT, and Sac did with Fox (and almost did until the 11th hour with Boogie Cousins). And when you are then given the Max $$ – you are expected to play like a superstar (the recent quote from CJ McCollum comes to mind – I may not be an All Star, but I’m paid like one).
It is a pleasure that Domas – who will get Maxed – and De’Aaron – who is Maxed – aren’t claiming Alpha status but sharing it.
Agreed. And well put.
I think they are the top 2 guys and know it and act accordingly. They are willing to be those guys, and thus will get the spoils as well. They both have leadership attributes, albeit done so in different ways, and that’s what I think makes it easier to play with them. They are not inherently selfish and that tends to make a culture of humility and selflessness work better.
Seems simple, but usually this stuff doesn’t happen all that often in the NBA. Especially with max level superstars. They are treated differently, and, act differently, too.
Fascinating side story:
Morant suspended for at least 2 games. Brooks suspended for one- too many technicals .and Clarke out for year with torn Achilles. Adams?
Ja did the old Western theme- bring your guns to town, Fella.
Next games: LAC, LAL, GSW, Dallas, Dallas and Miami.
Kings one game behind in loss column.
There may be a solution to my abject fear of having to face the entitled duds in the first round as #3 vs. #6. or #4 vs. #5. The solution is to get to #2 where no dud can enter.
But this takes winning, a lot of winning. and it starts tonight.
I absolutely hate the entitled duds but if they could move us to #2, would I tolerate that???
Then @San Antonio, GSW, and Dallas again. They seem like they are in quite the tough spot if Steven Adams doesnt return and quickly.
They also face the Clippers b2b in Memphis to finish March. They do not have a cakewalk schedule at all.
they are vulnerable. Kings closer to #2 than to #4. and if Kings get #2 and the Suns do not, then this avoids any games with GSW
How will this compare to Gilbert Arenas gun incident way back. He was suspended for way longer than 2 games.
Arenas was bringing guns into the locker room as well. He was wild.
The Arenas/Crittenton showdown was a big deal back then. Crittenton eventually went to prison for 20+ years for doing work (he had joined a gang in LA after being drafted). The 90’s were wild.
Boy things can change so quickly. Ja Morant officialy not a super star and De’Aaron Fox officialy a super star. Crazy.
Haven’t been to a game all season (I live in Chico) but just got tickets. Should be fun!
Light the Beam!
Enjoy! It’s going to be packed I’ll tell you that much.
Crap! Turns out there was some poor communication and I will not be going. Gotta get down there for a game soon!
Well, our season will be longer than it has been in 16 years, so you have time!
I feel the key to this game is to control Anthony Edwards and force someone else to beat you. With no KAT and no Russell, the Wolves really don’t have anyone else who
canshould hang 30 on you. No one else on there roster averages over 14 points per game, so just key in on Ant. Kings have 4 players who average over 14PPG, the Wolves currently have one.That being said, if I were to pick on anyone else to go off for the Wolves, it would be Jaden McDaniels. I really like that kid. He is looking like their version of Keegan Murray. As Nate pointed out earlier, I’m going to be closely watching the matchup of those 22 year olds.
With the exception of Davion and to a limited extent, Fox & Murray, the Kings will struggle to defend Ant (I’m mostly thinking Huerter and Monk – his positional opposition).
I believe TD is the best matchup defensively against Ant and should get some extra run tonight if he can keep from fouling.
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