The Sacramento Kings will take on the Golden State Warriors for the third game of the preseason. Can the Kings bounce back from a slow start?
Ways to Watch/Listen:
Kings.com/live
NBCSCA, ESPN
Sactown Sports 1140 AM
Things to Watch:
Lineup Changes: Mike Brown is starting Chris Duarte in place of Kevin Huerter tonight. Duarte will have a chance to show what he can do with the starters as Coach Brown tries to find someone in the starting lineup who will play some defense. Brown has shown a willingness in the past to tinker with lineups, and it makes sense to do it in the preseason. I’d personally be surprised if Duarte ends up as a starter on opening day, but last season saw Brown start KZ Okpala in a bid for defense in the starting lineup, so who knows.
The Kings will also be without JaVale McGee tonight, so we’ll get a look at Alex Len, and maybe some center minutes for Trey Lyles.
A different kind of point guard dilemma for the Warriors: Steph Curry and Chris Paul will both miss tonight’s game, according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater:
No Steph Curry or Chris Paul tonight for the Warriors in Sacramento, per sources. Steve Kerr had said his veterans likely would miss at least one preseason game.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 15, 2023
Clearly, Curry and CP3 are ducking De’Aaron Fox.
Next up is the team from the Bay;
Love to show how we feel about Dray.
He’s one to detest—
Someone stomp on HIS chest—
Too bad that he won’t even play!
I don’t have high hopes for Duarte, but with that said…his last stint on the court (the start of the 2nd half of the Lakers game) was his best so far and he looked far more comfortable than he did last year on the Pacers. Maybe Brown is rewarding for his improved play, most likely just giving Huerter some rest and getting a look at others in a crowded rotation. I’d like to see Duarte connect with teammates with more pop and urgency as his perimeter passing as been a bit slow (negating the entire reason of swinging the ball around), but if I’m being honest so has everyone’s except Fox. Domas has looked especially hesitant to make what used to be his patented little dump-off/back-door passes.
Jones is going to be very good bench player for years to come, but he’s not ready for large role as he is currently thinking way too much (as rookies do until the game slows down). I just hope he sees developmental mins as the year goes on because I think he’s the type of player every team can use.
I really want to see more Edwards and Ellis this game. I truly believe Edwards is the best jump-shooting defender we have on the roster and I think he could be used to great effect to mitigate the best jump shooters in the NBA (not that he’ll stop them by any means, but make them work for it). I see Ellis as fantastic utility player, he’s a potential combo guard with better decision-making and play-making ability than I originally game him credit for. Ellis is also the best on the roster at disrupting passing lanes at POA which is sorely needed. I believe he pairs well next to Fox – shooting 40% from 3 and playing pretty good perimeter defense – but does he have enough size (6’4″ w/o shoes, 175lbs) to defend larger SG/smaller wings and how does he play off of Domas screens (or do we care much since Spock should be taking those shots)? If his shooting clip could remain above 37% percent and he continues to provide defense, I could see Ellis earning some real mins this year.
Full disclosure, during the SL & preseason…I am an absolute homer for the young end-of-roster developmental guys and really love to see whether or not they’ve improved year over year. I know neither Ellis nor Edwards are at Huerter’s level right now, but it’s that eternal hope that the Kings will eventually find that diamond in the rough (2nd rounder/undrafted player who becomes, if not a star, a key piece).
What’s Draymond Green’s favorite coffee?
I believe I’ll hold off on any judgments about Duarte until after his third meaningless game with the Kings. Only then can we know for sure.
As a King in Brown’s system, I completely agree that it will take time to tell if he’s a good fit.
Besides his time at Oregon, I only really have his rookie year (where I admittedly only saw nightly highlights of) and last year (which I saw quite a bit of as I watched Haliburton’s Pacer games whenever time permitted) to go off of. He was always supposed to be the “mature” not flashy but steady, jack-of-all trades-type player which is great to have, I just haven’t seen anything from him in his career up to this point that says he’s (1) any more effective than TD was or (2) is better than Mitchell, Edwards, Ellis, and Jones.
to add:
What else is there to say on a preseason game thread other to voice concerns, however minor, for the upcoming season?
I would love Keon to earn minutes this year. However, he has looked just plain awful in handling the ball so far.
He could have value at end of quarter- last opponent possession
I disagree, but to each their own.
Last year, he had a nearly 2:1 assist/TO ratio on 21% usage for the Stockton Kings and was one of the primary ball handlers for a “good ” G-League offense. He has a bit a of high dribble for a G and not many moves, but he doesn’t make mistakes with the ball either.
I know its a different stat indicative of many things, but he also had the best +/- in all of the G-League (obviously not the NBA level, but still) which goes towards my point about the effectiveness of his two-way game (3&D).
Badge Legend