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Kings vs. Wizards Preview: Take care of business

The Kings can't afford to take this opponent easy just because they come in with the league's worst record.
By | 30 Comments | Jan 19, 2025

Dec 18, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) extends for the ball against Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija (8) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Kings have had a bad habit in the past of dropping games against “easy” opponents. Hopefully under Doug Christie they take their opponents, both big and small, more seriously, especially on the home floor. This isn’t a game the Kings can afford to drop, especially as losing will see the Kings go from 9th to 11th in the standings.

Let’s talk Kings basketball!

When: Sunday, January 19th, 6:00 PM PST
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
RadioSactown Sports 1140 AM

For Your Consideration

Tonight marks the official start of the second half of the season, and while the Kings managed to finish the first half above .500, they’re going to have to be a lot better than that in the second half if they hope to make some noise in the West.  That means not dropping games at home to subpar opponents like the Washington Wizards, something that we’ve seen far too often in the past couple of years.

The Wizards come to Sacramento with the current worst record in the NBA at 6-34.  They possess both the NBA’s worst offense and defense.  They’re also on the second night of a back to back. But all of that put together doesn’t mean the Kings can afford to take them easy.  We saw the Kings last year give up home games to the lowly Hornets and Pistons, and those games ended up costing them a playoff spot.  Every game matters, and the Kings need to do their best to protect their home floor.  Right now the Kings are on a five-game home winning streak, one game away from getting back to a .500 record at home.  Sacramento needs to come out strong and then not let off the gas. Don’t give this Wizards team a chance to believe they can win the game or you’re tempting fate.  This is a Wizards team that has managed to beat the Kings at least once in both of the last two seasons after all.  That can’t happen again.

This year’s Wizards squad doesn’t particularly have anything that they do all that well.  The one thing they do is run the ball, as they’re 4th in the league in Pace.  Even with that though, they’re only 13th in the league in Fast Break Points, and still allow opposing teams to score more on the fastbreak than they do.  The Wizards give up the second most three point attempts in the league, as well as the most offensive rebounds and second chance points.  Jonas Valanciunas is the only real plus rebounder the Wizards have that plays any meaningful minutes.  Rookie Alex Sarr, the #2 pick from this last draft, is only averaging 6.7 rebounds in 27.2 minutes a game.  He’s also shooting just 40.6% from the field, not a great percentage when you’re 7 feet tall.  The Kings should take advantage early and often of Domantas Sabonis’ strength advantage on the interior.

Offensively, the biggest threats the Wizards have are once again Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma, although both aren’t shooting all that well this year.  Poole is the only Wizards player averaging over 20 points at 21.9% from the field, and he is shooting 40.7% from three on a whopping 9.1 attempts a game.  If there was one guy that the Kings couldn’t afford to get hot, it would be him as he has the propensity to be able to drop 40+.  Kyle Kuzma meanwhile has killed the Kings in the past, averaging 19.6 points on 47.1% from the field and 36.4% from three in his 19 career matchups against Sacramento.  For this season, he’s scoring just 14.4 points a game, his lowest since his last season with the Lakers, and he’s shooting a career worst 26.5% from three and 43.6% from the field.

The Wizards are also one of the worst three point shooting teams in the league, averaging the second lowest percentage (33.8%) in the league.  The only players who play regular minutes for them that shoot a decent percentage are Justin Champagnie (42.3%), Jordan Poole (40.7%) and Jared Butler (37.5%).  Doug Christie’s version of the Kings still allows opponents to shoot a decent percentage from three (37.9%) but they’ve done a much better job of running teams off the line and limiting attempts as they’re only allowing 36.7 attempts a game in the 10 games he’s coached.  That’s down from 39 opponent attempts during Mike Brown’s 31 games.  It might not sound like much but even a few threes a game can be the difference during close games.

The Kings will be without the services of Devin Carter tonight as he’s dealing with a wrist injury, and possibly Keon Ellis as well, who is listed as questionable after suffering an ankle injury in the previous game after stepping on Domantas Sabonis’ foot.  Ellis apparently said on a Twitch stream that his ankle was fine, but for his own safety and recovery I would hope he sits tonight, especially with a couple more days off before the Warriors visit. If the Kings can’t beat the Wizards without Ellis, they don’t deserve to win anyway.

So just take care of business tonight. Protect the home floor and don’t let up.  Keep the good vibes going.

Prediction

De’Aaron Fox bounces back from a poor shooting performance against Houston to put together a 50 piece as the Kings dominate the Washington Wizards to go to 2-0 on this homestand.

Kings 131, Wizards 104

 

 

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HumboldtCPA
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January 19, 2025 10:47 am

Going to my first game this season. Didn’t get to one last season either. Looking forward to it. GO KINGS!

RikSmits
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January 19, 2025 10:53 am
Reply to  HumboldtCPA

Enjoy, Humboldt! And light that beam.

Klam
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Nostradumbass 18
Nostradumbass 19
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January 19, 2025 11:00 am
Reply to  HumboldtCPA

Enjoy the game! Hopefully you get to see the beam in person! I still have yet to see it live.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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January 19, 2025 11:07 am
Reply to  HumboldtCPA

Nice! I hope you have some fun, because that is what it’s all about!

SomedayKing
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January 19, 2025 12:28 pm
Reply to  HumboldtCPA

I am going too, also my first game this year. Go Kings!

HoustonJP
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January 19, 2025 3:28 pm
Reply to  HumboldtCPA

Get a W for the Kings HCPA!

Kosta
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January 19, 2025 10:54 am

Marvin Bagley is an UFA next season.

..in case a *team needs a frontcourt player.

*a team in China.

Klam
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Nostradumbass 19
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January 19, 2025 10:57 am
Reply to  Kosta

I wish a got $12.5 million to barely play basketball.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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Nostradumbass 14
January 19, 2025 11:06 am
Reply to  Klam

You should work on your second jump.

murraytant
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January 19, 2025 12:35 pm
Reply to  Kosta

MB3- wow. He had or does have some “talent”- i.e. athleticism but he is so fragile- physically for sure and mentally? I just don’t think he cares.
He could play small forward though.

UpgradedToQuestionable
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January 19, 2025 2:05 pm
Reply to  murraytant

Does MB2 come with him? That didn’t go well the last time.

Klam
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Nostradumbass 18
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January 19, 2025 10:55 am

Wizards have 6 wins, 1 win on the road, and just had to play the Warriors yesterday. Even without Carter and possibly Ellis, there is absolutely zero reason to lose today.

Regardless, a small part of me feels like…
comment image

Hobby916
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January 19, 2025 11:14 am
Reply to  Klam

I expect a 40 point Kings lead by halftime.

RPO
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RPO
January 19, 2025 1:42 pm
Reply to  Klam

Always a fear as a Kings fan, but I suspect they’ll take care of business today.

Last edited 29 days ago by RPO
Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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January 19, 2025 11:05 am

For shits and giggle I’m gonna try a hypothetical asinine trade from each of the Kings opponents from now until the deadline. Here’s the first:

It’s halftime and the Kings appear to have the game well in hand. Monte’s phone rings. It’s the Wizards GM. He’s offering Kyle Kuzma, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Malcom Brogdon’s expiring $22M contract, unprotected 2028 1st, unprotected 2030 1st, a 2029 pick swap, and their 2025 second round pick for Fox, Huerter, Len, and McLaughlin.

UpgradedToQuestionable
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January 19, 2025 11:34 am
Reply to  Adamsite

Mission Accomplished!

That is most definitely Asinine!

Carl
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January 19, 2025 2:35 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

It was a better trade one Kyle Kuzma ago.

ForKingsandCountry
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January 19, 2025 3:41 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

I would do it for Coulibaly and the unprotected Wizards picks. Those things are worth their weight in gold.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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January 19, 2025 4:33 pm

I too think Bilal is going to be special, like the next Dyson Daniels kind of special.

Jman1949
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January 19, 2025 11:23 am

No doubt that the Wizards are tanking;
They’re alone at the bottom ranking.
About Kuzma trade talks,
Gotta hope Monte balks.
Either way let’s give them a spanking!

Jman1949
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January 19, 2025 11:24 am
Reply to  Jman1949

+1 Keep that tank sliding!
comment image&ct=g

UpgradedToQuestionable
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January 19, 2025 11:31 am

Kings 0-5 wearing their classic purple this season, which they don again for today’s contest. Hope Domas isn’t travel weary from his jersey enshrinement at Gonzaga last night. Grats to #11!

I’ve wondered if Vivek is also the managing partner for the Wizards. They seem to be rudderless: floundering with no idea how to swim.

They are below the tax line, and trading out talent saves them actual dollars (less is less after all) but they should collect future assets in the process. Sacramento has little to offer in exchange (Kuzma, JV aren’t FRP worthy). I like the idea of JV but not so much Kuzma (though he is a talent upgrade).

Light that Beam! Go Kings!

attack from the start and make the Wizards chances of winning go…
comment image&ct=g

outrider
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January 19, 2025 11:52 am

With 17 of thew next 23 being on the road starting 1/23, this really is a game they need to win.

Really need to take care of business in general, but particulalrly against bad teams, especially at home.

KingsFanKrish
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January 19, 2025 12:01 pm

I want Ellis to play if he is close to healthy. He is the one player we can count on not to come out flat and play down to the competition. Putting him on Poole practically assures victory.

Mike120
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January 19, 2025 3:15 pm

Kings are 17 point favorites. Not sure I’ve ever seen that big a favorite for them. Put up 40+ points in the first quarter and make this game a snoozer.

Mike120
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January 19, 2025 3:16 pm
Reply to  Mike120

I’ll be there too.

HoustonJP
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January 19, 2025 3:27 pm
Reply to  Mike120

Bring the W home Mike.

notdeaaronfox
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January 19, 2025 3:35 pm

Same old Lions yesterday against a DC team. Hopefully not same old Kangz!

Klam
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January 19, 2025 4:16 pm

Keon is available.

From Kings:INJURY UPDATE vs. Washington Wizards 1/19Keon Ellis (Right Ankle) – AVAILABLE

James Ham (@jameshamnba.bsky.social) 2025-01-20T00:13:25.567Z

Adamsite
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January 19, 2025 4:34 pm
Reply to  Klam

Nice!

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