Normally, a 7 game homestand would be something to appreciate, but for the Kings it’s been a complete disaster. After two straight wins to start the stretch, the Kings have dropped their last four and are almost on the outside looking in for the Playoffs. Their opponent today, the Portland Trail Blazers, isn’t even that far behind them in the standings, and would be just 2.5 games back with a victory in Sacramento tonight. It’s time for the Kings to get back on the right track and end this homestand like they started it.
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Thursday, March 27th, 7:00 PM PT
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
The Trail Blazers have had a fairly resurgent second half of the season. After starting out 13-28, Portland has since gone 19-13, tied with the Rockets for the 11th best win percentage since January 19th. The Kings on the other hand have gone just 14-17 during that same stretch. Despite considerable interest in some of the teams veteran pieces like Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant, Robert Williams and Anfernee Simons, the Blazers stood pat at the deadline, putting off any major decisions until the summer while they saw what this roster could do.
What this roster can do apparently is defend the hell out of the ball. Since January 19th, the Blazers have the 4th best defensive rating in the NBA. Portland is the tallest roster in the league, and wings like Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara and Matisse Thybulle (who just made his season debut not too long ago) make it difficult for opposing players to score, especially from the perimeter. Portland allows teams to shoot the 4th most threes, but has the 10th best opponent 3P% since a lot of those looks might not appear as open as they are thanks to quick closeouts and long arms.
The Blazers also do a great job of using their size to get extra possessions on the offensive glass, ranking 3rd in the NBA in Offensive Rebound rate and 4th in second chances. 7’2 Rookie Donovan Clingan has already proven to be an absurd offensive rebounder, averaging 3.1 offensive rebounds a game in just 18.6 minutes a game. With Deandre Ayton still out due to injury, Clingan has been getting more minutes and excelling. In Tuesday’s loss to the Cavaliers against Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Clingan had 18 points, 12 rebounds (8 offensive) and 3 blocks in just under 32 minutes of action.
Portland also doesn’t rely too heavily on one single scorer, or even two or three like the Kings do. They are more offense by committee, with seven players averaging double digit scoring, but nobody averaging 20 points a game. Simons leads the way with 19.3 points a game on the season, but on any given night it could be Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson or some other Blazers player leading the team in scoring.
The Kings have struggled with Portland this season, losing both of their last two games against them, both being on the road. Simons was the hot hand in the most recent game, scoring 30 points, but Shaedon Sharpe dropped in 24 points off the bench. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk each scored around 22 points, but there wasn’t much help from the rest of the team offensively as the King shot just 42% from the field.
Few teams need a win as badly right now as the Kings do, both for morale and actual standings purposes, but this is hardly a gimme. The Blazers offer real problems for a team like the Kings, especially with their size. This is Sacramento’s last home game until April 9th as they’ll be embarking on a six game homestand after tonight, so ending on a positive note will be key. The Kings will need strong games from their stars, and hopefully Zach LaVine can get back on the right track as he’s been in a rut lately. The Kings still control their destiny when it comes to the Play-In, but losses to teams like Portland could quickly see that go out the window. Let’s protect that home floor.
Prediction
The Kings seem to do better the more negative I am so…
Blazers 245, Kings 6
Kings -6.0 favorites. Vegas has more confidence than I do.
what a fucking concept
Nah, draft short dudes and bring in old guys. That is basketball whatever.0 we are on now.
basketball IQ Zero.0
It’s a concept, but it has nothing to do with procreation.
The Blazers are still on our trail;
Won’t catch up if tonight we prevail.
They’ve beaten us twice;
They could put us on ice
And add to our losing cocktail!
+1 Extinguish the Blazers!
&ct=g
Hope the Kings go on a tear and Rip, Rip City!
Imagine starting your seven game homestand winning your first two games, only to possibly drop the next five in a row.
A 2-5 homestand followed by a brutal six-game east coast roadtrip is gonna be wild. Other than Charlotte and Washington, I don’t see the Kings picking up any other wins on that trip.
I don’t see it either. But this team wins random games they have no business winning. One of the weirdest seasons I can remember.
Yup, who predicted Memphis and Cleveland as wins on this home stand and Chicago as a loss?
The Bulls are playing .500 ball post-Lavine, and are 8-2 in their last 10 games.
I think a lot of people thought they were one of the losers of the trade, but they off-loaded one of the worst salaries in the NBA, and now have a pretty fun team. Cobi White is a rising star, and that team has no bad contracts.
And they are now in position to make the play-in (albeit in the east).
I’m praying for the pick so all losses and brutality are just what we need.
Well, if the Kings end up .500, then in a season where you fire the coach after extending him, trade your star PG for LaVine, have an assistant coach and an assistant GM leave midseason, have no true starting PG for half the season, draft a player who can’t play for 2/3 of the year, and have multiple injuries among other weird things, it would still be the 11th BEST season in Sacramento history!
Let’s go! Top 11 season of ALL TIME starts tonight!
Ooof that’s depressing. If only we were in the East the last two years.
Can someone please creatively describe how exactly the Kings will lose the Atlanta pick?
End up with the 12th slot after the season and before the lottery. The 13th or 14th team jumps the Kings. That would be very Kangz.
This is the answer.
Creatively, huh?
So, let’s say you get engaged to be married. However, if you don’t get the big promotion at work – for which you are totally unqualified – this year, then you don’t have to buy her the expensive ring.
You get to keep that money for another year to see if you get the promotion next year. If you get skipped over again next year, then you just buy her a bracelet or something.
Regardless, it is inevitable that you get fired from your job and the relationship ends in a bitter and protracted divorce, at which time you will be paying multiple ex’s alimony yet again.
Kangz need to become that old lady in front of me at the 7-11 who buy lottery tickets and immediately scratch/redeem them while still in line.
I could, but it would take me talking over 4 possessions explain how, and I’d probably make some of it up.
YOU’RE PROMOTED!
Color Commentary 4.0
They don’t want the pick. They’d rather keep the 2 seconds.
…and I’m not even being sarcastic.
Have to win 3 of the final 4 home games to avoid a below .500 home record for the season. POR, DEN, LAC, PHX.
Let’s just lose out and blow it up.
Kangz at it ever was…
FFS, if they give Vlade any serious function that may be the styraw that breaks the Dutchman’s back.
I am often opposed to the overused term “hate”, but if I have a rational hate towards anyone, it’s that bumbling idiot.
I am with you there. And I just signed up for season tickets for next season, so it’s an extra helping of bad feeling on top of that.
Just my opinion, but this would be interpreted to me, as a two handed middle finger salute to the fans of this franchise.
I envy you having the dough for season tix, but then again I kinda don’t.
There are 29 other teams to see, so there is that. I’ve been going to Kings games from the start (1985), so I have become accustomed to expecting less, but it doesn’t mean I enjoy it. Even when I “fan-aligned” to a different team for a bit, I went to Kings games and I have been going to Vegas Summer League since 2009. The NBA is the best basketball league in the World and it’s available to me, so I go. I could not go, or decide to make the trek to The Chase Center, but Golden1 Center is fun for me.
I am with a group of buddies and we split 4 ways which runs around 10 games (sometimes 11).
My respect for you grows daily.
Ah, that sucks, man.
I really hope this won’t happen.
I know it’s probably not a popular take, but an alpha-dog GM could certainly use a few assistants to carry out the busy work.
You know, the kind of role where you LEARN SKILLS instead of being promoted without experience.
Of course the level of competency this would require is probably better served making tequila deals and buying art.
If Vlade’s coming back, we know who he’ll pick as the next HC!
&ct=g
And our next draft pick
And our next team physician:
Vice President Health and Performance
Caté Divac.
Lol
As dark as it is now, seeing Luke Walton’s face reminds me it could be worse. thank you
They should bring back the thumbs down button just for Luke. Or maybe a middle finger button!
Even if we jump to no. 1 in draft, Vlade will pass on Flagg because he will take the ball out of Demar’s hands.
Never enough Vlade or Vivek jokes…Vlavek = the worst.
Posts like this make life worth living.
Sam Amick talked about it on 1140 this morning.
Being a Kings fan is like being part of a weird, never-ending experiment.
Kings Fan 2.0
Princess Bride memes are automatic thumbs up from me.
For the record, I would like to state that the Blazers will be without Dame tonight.
Doesn’t he play for Boston?
LOL! So I’ve read…
Mr. Crandle, is that you?
INJURY REPORT:
Sacramento Kings:Devin Carter – AVAILABLE (illness)
Mason Jones – OUT (G League two-way)
Jake LaRavia – OUT (thumb)
Malik Monk – QUESTIONABLE (illness)
Portland Trail Blazers:Deandre Ayton – OUT (calf)
Toumani Camara – QUESTIONABLE (foot)
Jerami Grant – DOUBTFUL (knee)
Bryce McGowens – OUT (rib)
Robert Williams III – OUT (knee)
I am disappointed that Jake of LaRavia will be out, I am not sure how I feel about Malik Monk still out with “illness” – has it been more than 2 games? A 3 game illness would be some significant kind of illness.
I have no idea what to expect, just like the rest of you here. We’ve seen 40 point Kings victories, and double digit losses to the lesser squads, of which I will consider Portland, because of their overall record, to be. They are making a nice run, much like Houston was able to do last season, and maybe they are on the rise. I am not so convinced of that at this time. Them missing Ayton and Grant should bode well for Sac.
Again, might win by 15 or lose by 8. I am a Deni Avdija fan and like Camara as well. The rest of the squad is okay.
This would be the 4th game missed with illness of Monk doesn’t play. Either he is, or has been, very sick or something is rotten in Denmark.
Perfect way to insert Keon into the starting lineup without officially removing Malik!
Just looking ahead to what next season might look like?
Or this is another way of saying “Trade Me”
This is Malik’s way of saying “I’m SICK of this franchise. Get me outta here.”
Badge Legend