Happy New Year’s Eve! For the 15th year in a row, Kings fans everywhere are looking forward to the dawn of a new year as it marks just another step closer to the promised land. After all, the number of years a franchise can suffer this horribly is finite, right? RIGHT?! Standing in the Kings’ way of this new dawn was the damaged Dallas Mavericks, looking for revenge after Chimezie Metu ripped their hearts out on Wednesday night. Today’s matchup presented an opportunity for the Kings to either close out this weird year on a high note, or wrap it up with a lame bow and send us all out with ample motivation to drink during our New Year’s Eve festivities. For the last time of this wack year, let’s see how they did:
Quick Stats
Outcome: Kings lose, 112-96
Sacramento Kings: 96 pts, 41.8% fg, 34.5% 3 pt, 83.3% ft, 25 ast, 33 reb, 10 to
Dallas Mavericks: 112 pts, 51.9% fg, 40.9% 3 pt, 86.4% ft, 30 ast, 47 reb, 13 to
Bottoms up, friends. The Kings put on a repeat of their favorite episode: they came out strong, igniting hope within our hearts, and then quickly doused this flame with their usual 3rd quarter meltdown. Let’s keep this one short, because I know you have better things to do tonight than read about how the Kings fumbled yet another bag.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
The Good
- The Beginning: It started out so well. De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton came out rolling. It was the kind of simultaneous production we want to see them consistently have together on the court. It felt like they were trading turns on scoring and playmaking as they combined for 16 points and nine assists in the first 12 minutes. Fox & Haliburton showed us what a dominant and dynamic backcourt can look like in Sacramento and their synergy was contagious as the Kings finished the 1st quarter with 39 points. The defensive intensity also felt intentional from the jump. Fox showed multiple efforts to stay in front of Jalen Brunson, while Damian Jones did a good job of cleaning up the defensive glass.
The Bad
- Everything Else: After their hot start, Tyrese Haliburton had a productive 2nd quarter where he led the team as De’Aaron Fox got his rest, and cashed in on eight points. However, after that, things went ice cold for Sacramento’s offense. Fox didn’t score for the rest of the game, Haliburton added just three more points in the second half, and Harrison Barnes had a quiet 11 points for the night. At one point in the 3rd quarter, the Kings went for 7.5 minutes where they did not make a field goal. During that time, Dwight Powell cashed in on four dunks in a row on the other end. While the defensive intentions were noticeable to start, they were nowhere to be found by the 3rd quarter.
The Ugly
- Defense, Again: All five of Dallas’ starters finished in double digits, led by Kristaps Porzingis’ 24 and Jalen Brunson’s 23. This hurts even more when we realize that Jalen Brunson is normally the back up point guard to Luka Doncic. This is not meant to take anything away from Brunson, who is a very good basketball player. I just don’t even want to imagine what this game would have looked like had Dallas’ team been healthy. The Kings suffered just about every type of defensive breakdown tonight – blow by close outs, over helping, not helping at all, blown box outs, soft resistance at the rim, the list goes on and on. This allowed for Reggie Bullock to have 16 points, Dwight Powell to have 13 points, and Dorian Finney-Smith to have 12 points. You can either let your opponent’s best scorers cook you, or you can let role players have big nights, but you cannot allow both to happen. And that’s exactly what the Kings did.
The King of Kings
Marvin Bagley III has been playing well since entering the starting lineup and had another solid night with 15 points and five rebounds.
Up Next
Sunday, January 2nd vs. Miami Heat – 3:00 P.M. (PT)
The rookie GM is stuck. He cannot trade several key players because the owner is unprepared to stop chasing the playoffs. The coach is stuck because many of his players are checked out but the GM won’t let him send a loud message to several key players with minutes because the GM doesn’t know who, when or if he’s trading them. And they will remain directionless until they stack enough wins to screw up the odds of getting a top 4 pick.
All 100% right except that the GM is at the halfway point of his second season. Easy mistake since not much has happened with the roster in the last year plus.
The coach found a coping mechanism. Either sarcasm or alcohol…
https://twitter.com/JandersonSacBee/status/1477093692531830784?s=20
Can you blame him?
Not at all. Especially when I read this:
https://twitter.com/brendennunesnba/status/1477092233279008772?s=21
Checked out – tuned out – get paid
Just remember, multiple Kings beat reports actively ridicule Kings fans who believe this entire core group of players should be on the market, including Fox. I did not want to trade everyone before the season, but at some point, it’s time. Face reality.
Tyrese is a keeper but the rest are replaceable with little risk ! Doubt the league is wearing out Monte with decent offers !
I’d keep Tyrese for sure, he plays better when he’s the Only one running the show
who is that?
https://giphy.com/gifs/iOuhfh1T8rDJRa6SFx
Let’s go 10th!
Fire Vivek.
Nothing else will change the narrative.
A much needed loss to end 2021.
Here’s hoping 2022 containers so many loses that apathy sets in and fans stop going. So many that maybe Vivek has no choice but to alter his ego laden path.
It’s, unfortunately, an unlikely dream. The rocket to nowhere continues
Contains(not containers)
It’ll probably be containers, stuck in the Suez channel.
Full of Buddy Hield bobble heads.
Or kubernetes containers
Desultory is a term not used enough on this forum to describe “efforts” like the one tonight.
Yeah, but there are other, perhaps better terms. Non-existent. Or token.
The only thing remaining in my cold, dead heart that even remotely bothers me, is that there are STILL brainwashed fans who think Fox is what you build around.
What a franchise.
They can all go f+ck themselves in that front office. I hope their pain has just begun.
But you had to give him a max contract or he might have been unhappy !🥸
Hate to see him unhappy.
Hehehe.
My hope is that Tyrese and Davion are the only 2 hold overs and everyone else is on the block. Fox isnt a Monte pick so hes just a piece to move.
can’t build around Fox- that hurts to say that but it is truth.
No other fitting end to the year than a blowout Kangz loss.
Happy New Year, everyone.
There’s not much to suggest 2022 will be any different for this team than the past 7 years under the dismissive little chap.
The fact that this team went for more than half of the 3rd quarter without scoring is pathetic! The entire team needs to go! And Yes that includes fox, haliburton, Holmes and whoever else people think we should keep. Stop having this loser mindset and let’s start over the right way. NO ONE ON THIS TEAM IS GOING TO TAKE US ANYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ps happy new year
What was it, 41% fg for the night!! And 7 plus minutes without a bucket?
We have three 20 plus million dollar players on this team, and not 1 can stop the bleeding?
Tells you all you need to know about this team’s evaluation of talent.
Let the losses roll off your back, and hope for an actual trade in 2022. Happy New Year yall.
I don’t understand the praise for Bagley…..
His defense sucks……..and barely improved…he loves to switch………which resulting Bagley facing Jalen Brunson again and again and again…and how many point did Jalen Brunson score on Bagley…………
I don’t understand why Gentry kept playing a guy that cannot defend..and meanwhile, Gentry don’t play Harkless / King / Ramsey for some defense..
Yeah, especially not playing Harkless is a complete headscratcher to me.
But they all get along in the locker room:
https://twitter.com/SeanCunningham/status/1477111109874184192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1477111109874184192%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Fsacramento-kings
*after wins
Empty minutes Harkless ! He would make zero difference in the G League !
Tutankhamun, commonly referred to as King Tut, is who the Sacramento Kings were named after. Therefore we are cursed for eternity…..
Tut, Tut, Tut…
I knew this was over when they went down by 5 in the 2nd. Apparently, that is the only “gut punch” that a team needs to do against these losers.
HappyNew Year, fellow Kangz fans!Happy Kangz Year!
Many Happy Returns (to the lottery)!
Happy Blues Year, King fans!
With a pick in the 7-12 range, again…
LOL, The Old Man says “he’s open to suggestions” thereby confessing he has no effing clue what he is doing! It is official, the head coach of this team is helpless and clueless. No going back from this comment even if in jest, because all jesting has within a degree of truth.
Uh, Happy New Year Kings fans! Effing curb stomped by Brunson KP and a bunch of no-names. This game was worse than MEM game. Is there truth to the rumor the Old Man said this is most disappointed he’s ever been in 34 years and 3 days ago….since the last time he was his most disappointed?
I have a suggestion for the Old Manv since hes taking them: resign. Show some mercy and regard for the fan base to not have be subject to your shitty coaching. You lack energy intelligence and your best years are behind you, and your best years were never that good. Oh yeah, I am not holding back in 2022!
If you are going to play No Way Marvin, who is nauseating to watch, body language of a schlub, heavy minutes then trust Backed Buddy as part of the second unit, usually first off the bench, before Davion, you are always going to be below average to awful on defense. You are not never going to string together stops. If you don’t know this by now, you are a effing clueless! And I am speaking of the long time fans and coach!
Here is a funny bit of logic too, but fairly sound. Marvin was moved up the rotation by the Old Man for rebounding, right? But what happens when he is on the floor is a lot of bad switching and rotations, he is weak link token pressure defender creating the illusion of hustle, when really he just wants to score. The result is whenever he is on the floor the opponent gets high precentage looks. The effect is his “rebounding prowsess” , lower defensive rebound rate than Metu by the way, is not exploited. Your “great” rebounder is often just taking the ball out of the net after yet another score.
If you know what you are watching, you know this intuitively and logically. But if you are the Old Man, it is news to you. I also do NOT want to hear about the team NOT trying hard enough. That is bullshit. I said it before in my last epic post. Talent is king and proper use of talent is king of kings and the latter is not happening.
Fox came to ball. Ty came to ball. Davion came to ball. HB came to ball. Holmes and Jones came to ball. And I am not talking about whether the shot was on or off. I am talking about the focus and effort needed. Christie had the fire in the belly too, ready to spur the team to a three game win streak but a few rotten apples (Buddy, Marvin and Old Man), spoiled the pre New Year celebration and ruined the festive atmosphere that should have prevailed to the final buzzer. To not make a game of it in the 4th is beyond pathetic. The fans should get their money back!
The Old Man played his righteous indignation card after MEM game and the game in which he apologized to the fans. This one trick pony is out of tricks.
In two games Brunson was 22-38 FGs for 59% shooting and 24 PPG. He is good but not that good. All DAL did was force switches and let him go to work on the mismatch. Fox was not good on Brunson but not as bad as Brunosons numbers implied because he often switched off. The Old Man had NO answer or NO in game adjustment.
Why are we switching everything, maybe because Marvin cannot get through a pick to save his life? And why prioritize Marvin on KP? That was not a priority matchup and there were better options. Barnes could check KP in the post and close out on him on the perimeter better than Marvin. What you do is start Davion on Brunson with HB at 4, and checking on KP. Then you have a lineup that can afford to switch less and if and when you do switch you are not in as much of a mismatch situation.
It is obvious, but the Old Man does not get obvious. And I cannot reiterate enough how bogus and how much of a copout it is to say if only the team wanted it more, tried or played harder. Do you think the team so jubilant after Metu buzzer beater does not want it enough? Did that look like a team that did not care? That got a taste of the thrill of victory and do not want to re-experience that, build upon this positivity with the necessary effort and togetherness?
It is becoming increasingly clear Fluke was taking his marching orders from the Old Man, the effective head coach one seat away, with the head coach in name only insecure in his own decisions. Did McMoron, er, McGenius know this when he made the move? Then it was only a cosmetic change when a substantive change was necessary. The only thing the Old Man has brought to the table is more candid press conferences, and that novelty has worn off.
The team needed more than a new voice and new level of accountability, which has kind of occurred for what that has been worth, they needed a fresh perspective and strategy resulting from that perspective, Doug Christie was the interim answer. Or B-Jax, who was my adamant choice over Gentry before the firing occurred.
In specific, we needed a new coach willing to bench Marvin and Buddy, eff their trade value and lack thereof, and try to save the season. You cannot convince me keeping Marvin and Buddy in the rotation is needed to try to resuscitate their market value, to pretend these are players who can help you win games so other teams will value them more favorably. If anything the more trade partners see these guys play the less they will want them.
Would it be so wrong for McMoron, er McGenius, to replace Gentry with Doug today? After all the interim just admitted he has NO clue. He admitted he is not up to the job! What better way to usher in the new year with the guy with a fire in his belly versus a guy with indigestion? Many coaches have been replaced for far less. Here is the reason that does not prevent you from making another switch:
Guys, guys, hold up, I need you to hear this, m-kay: Um, if we trade out Gentry doe Doug, we will be mocked and derided by the national media, we will be scorned and ridiculed by the pundits? This is what you care about? Outside perception? GTFO. What matters is not what others think, what matters is what is best for you to do. I think McMoron, er McGenius, needs to have a one-on-one with Gentry and find out if he feels he is out of his answers. If he is then his firing is more justified than firing than Fluke.
Doug in 2022!
Feel better after watching that hot mess of a turd yesterday? LOL.
Imagine thinking it’s the coach.
Yeah, Doug will fix it all.
Like he fixed our D.
Need more than Doug glad handing everyone to solve this mess !
The roster is the problem, not the coaching. Doug Christie will solve nothing.
Watching the game this morning, my League Pass had recorded the Maverick feed, so I was listening to Mark Followill and Derek Harper, and their commentary in the second half was embarrassing. Comments like Followill saying “I can’t figure out who the leader of this team is, do they have a leader?” and Harper saying “Look at their body language, look at their effort. Do any of them care they are getting blown out? Do they care if they lose?”.
I think most GM’s are waiting until the Simmons situation gets into motion, and when that does, Monte needs to clear house. I like most of our players on and individual level, but they are not ingredients when mixed together ends up being a competitive team.
Dont know if it was mentioned here or on twitter but the current surge and subsequent hardship contracts isnt helping any teams that are looking to trade. I dont imagine GM’s are motivated to trade healthy players.
The question is it everyone or just a few players at this point? Trading Fox seems reasonable, but are you getting what you really want in return? And you have to remember a team has to take on a max extension slot to trade for Fox, too. Buddy Hield needs a new home, but is there one out there?
I also think that it’s nearly impossible to pull off a trade due to the number of available bodies atm, as G naps said.
Something tells me that Ben Simmons isn’t really what’s stalling trades, it’s just teams aren’t forced to conne to the table with their best offer and that alone kills more trades than anything.
We’ll see. This crap has to end.
Things won’t change, unless Vivek puts his ego to the side. For once, put the teams needs first. Monte appears to be nothing more than a figurehead.I am expecting a few tweaks or shuffling of deck chairs. Before the deadline.)I would literally fall out of my chair, if this team makes any serious change.
They haven’t in over 20 years. If you’re not trading any of the 2 guards, nothing much will change. Bagley/Hield are going to net you much on the open trade market.
Barnes could get you a young asset /and or a mid-late first rouunder. Same with Holmes, if the Kings want to entertain his trade value.
There is not a single game changer coming here. Unless, Fox/Hali or part of a proposed deal. Teams are not stupid. The Kings draft pick is not super valuable. Most teams know the Kings sit on the fence of mediocre, rather than terrible.
A pick average of this team will be 8-12. Typically, A top 6 pick is hella more valuable.
The reality is the Kings don’t have many assets. Very few. If there was a way to get Wood, Reddish, Ingram, Brown, etc. The only way the Kings have any viable chance, One of Hali/Fox will have to be moved. Any conversation, one of those 2 will be the starting point.
The other aspect seems to be that most GM’s are probably aware of KANGZ and know that the longer the Kings wait (trying to make that 10th seed) the weaker the Kings hand becomes.
A couple of days ago, I said for any chance at viability, the Kings had to beat weakened OKC and the Mavs twice. This is an opportunity handed to them and they had to take full advantage of that. This is not like asking them to beat the Suns or Jazz but imploring them to beat seriously weakened teams. Squeaked by twice and then the Brunson came home to roost. There is no way that this team is good enough to get even the 10th slot unless the current 7-10 teams lose all their games. Even then the Kings would have to win a few. But they fumble along winning more than those trying to lose- OKC, Houston and those who are just terrible anyway. So– no 10th spot and no bottom spot (the bottom is tied up with Detroit, Houston, OKC and Orlando anyway. Hence, get an 8th pick- great No man’s land.
This team is surprisingly worse than the sum of it’s parts. Some teams are better than a sum of their parts but this one worse. How does that happen? Coaching, desire, fit, attitude, I suppose. This is like a washer on forever- circles. At this point, realize that some of the parts – like Barnes and Holmes might be individually valuable, there is no long-time value since the Kings will be terrible until they retire. Gone. Then there are some cancer types- Buddy and Bagley. Gone
and some redundancies Fox, Hali and Mitchell- mostly gone but you pick. I do not believe Fox is a leader and unlike Dame and CJ the two of these guys do NOT make each other better. Pick one. Hope for a reasonable lottery pick despite others having a serious head start, then try to get mid first round pick and something for the diminishing value of those moved on.
Then many of us can pick another team to sort of root for (not the duds), take a Kings snooze for a few years and come back to see what’s cooking. I advocated to Sengun in the draft and believe that he would have been the right pick.
If Vivek believes that this is a play in team and this holds back the GM, shame. Monte will not get value for any of the moved-on players. The value is letting go- letting go of an illusion as much as letting go on unfulfilled potential. There is marginal utility in salary cap issues since teams have to exchange dollars for dollars (but might get shorter term dollars) This frees money to sign FA’s but wait! no one will sign here.
Death spiral. Choice is to put out a product that is less than the sum of it’s parts or get lesser parts and a better value for the lesser parts. These guys just do not fit- more than un-balanced roster- just don’t fit.
AG is gone. DC is not ready despite surprising me. Get a coach who is hungry and experienced. There are a few.
Oh, happy new year, just like the old year. We do or can suffer together
Sorry, Vivek is still the real GM ! Until that changes , nothing will !
I know we all suspect that but is there any proof except that nothing has occurred. Could the nothing be due to Monte alone?
I know it is easy to blame Vivek. Except for his hiring practices which are terrible, is there any direct reason to blame him right now? any reason beyond opinion? He seems like an easy target, and he certainly has made gargantuan mistakes but has that continued to the current state?
The convenient narrative is that he has tied Monte’s hands because he wants to get to the play-in. If we look at the empirical evidence, we can make that case but is there any direct evidence? I am not at all adverse to blaming him.
This is a sinking ship and the ship itself, the crew, the ship owner and the captain all share blame.
Is there any solution?
Basketball Intelligence is running a series on how successful teams are constructed. I am interested in Suns, Cavs, Bulls and OKC in progress since all these teams wallowed recently with our Kings.
Jason Anderson from the Bee specifically reported a week or so ago that McNair was working under a mandate to make the playoffs (or play-in, I don’t remember exactly) this season. That’s obviously a stupid decision, but I don’t see how it prevents McNair from acting whether it’s in place or not.
Of course Monte is working under a mandate. That is obvious and what I’ve been saying since the beginning of the year, despite many here not buying it.
Keeping Walton. Monte claiming all shall be traded only to do an about face. It all has always pointed to the piece of shit at the top running the show.
Nothing else makes sense. How/why would a GM go against what makes sense? Unless Monte is an idiot and I don’t believe he is.
Kings fans fucked until Vivek backs away.
The fact that Vivek has only hired total rookies at running a franchise is significant ! PDA, Vlade, and Monte, all inexperienced and unproven and needed jobs !
“This team is surprisingly worse than the sum of it’s parts. Some teams are better than a sum of their parts but this one worse. How does that happen? Coaching, desirshit e, fit, attitude, I suppose. This is like a washer on forever- circles.”
The clearest analysis of this shitshow to date – I would also add Dear Leader Vivek.
100% true and will not change ! In a year he will just change GM’s and get another rookie to be front man !
Badge Legend