The scouting report is out on the Sacramento Kings get physical with them and push them out of their offensive sets and they will bend. The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors both did it successfully.
So coming into Monday night’s game against the 6-3 Indiana Pacers, which is considered one of the most physical teams in the league, one would expect the Kings to break a little bit.
It happened for about the first minute, until Luke Walton called a timeout with the Kings down 6-0. Richaun Holmes described that moment.
They were trying to make it a point to pressure us, get into us and try to out-physical us, and try to set the tone right there. So I think that first timeout was to get us to settle down. Make sure we go out there and understand the game we were in for and match their physicality and making sure on offense we’re getting into them on our cuts, being a little bit more physical, making sure we get open.”
From then on out, the Kings were aggressive on both sides of the ball and turned it into a pretty exciting contest accentuated by De’Aaron Fox’s monster dunk to seal the win. The Kings won the rebound battle 52-43, took 23 free throws, had 29 assists (did have 19 turnovers though). And they won while getting beat 21-12 in fast break points. It didn’t hurt they made their shots also (56 percent from the field and 46 percent from three). They were competitive; Fox leveled up on defense; Holmes was the man with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 6 blocks (side note – when was the last time the Kings had an effort/get-out-of-my-way guy like Holmes who also was a key starter and very skilled?); Harrison Barnes continued his stellar season; Buddy Hield made shots; but most importantly as a team they cut strongly on offense and in general just played with a competitive edge they must keep to compete consistently.
We have to get into people on our cuts to create space, to get open; don’t let them push us off our spots, said Walton, who labeled the game as the team’s best performance so far this season.
Holmes, who is a key part of that general aggression, said last night was what their identity should be.
I feel like that’s just how we’re supposed to play. The last couple of games haven’t been us and tonight is how we are supposed to play. This is how we play. This is how we feel we can play every night and this has to be the standard. This has to be the way we play the full 48 and has to become our identity, Holmes said.
We have seen games like this a lot over the years. They are fun when they happen and give fans hope, but as always it is a matter of continuously repeating such an effort. It really never happens with any consistency, but we can all hope. And it’s true if these guys can lay it all out on the floor every night, play up to their potential both individually and as a team and communicate on both sides of the ball then good things will continue to happen.
Walton was asked how to bottle what happened up in this game and make sure there is no slippage or regression.
I wish [there wouldn’t be slippage], but there is always going to be slippage. The way the schedule is going right now, there’s no practice time. We learn on the go, we show film, but there will be slippage. There will not just be slippage for us, there will be slippage for every team, he said.
We have continued to hear that the players know what the blueprint is, it’s on them to execute it and for the coaching staff to be able to adjust the game plan when things aren’t clicking on all cylinders.
We’ll see.
Last night’s game was sure fun though.
Preach Holmes!
and he backs it up with his play
Pay Holmes. 4 year deal. He deserves it. He is part of our core.
Not one lie was told by Holmes.
They have to take losses personal. They need to take bad 3rd quarters personal. Bagley played pissed on defense. And guess what? He wasn’t a complete liability.
Watching Holmes play on another team is going to feel weird. I’ll be sad we lose his hustle here, but I’ll be hoping he’s successful if he moves on. Unless its the Lakers.
“Y’know son? All of us are going to die someday. Me, your mom. Yes, even you. Good night.”
Please oh please pay this man. He is too legit to quit.
Ah, “slippage.” That explains it.
If all teams deal with it, how come your team seems to have more of it, and more often?
“Slippage” is this season’s “gotta watch the tape.”
And stay hungry, Mr. Holmes, even if it occasionally shows up everyone else.
Is there any successful coach who comes out and says, in advance, that, basically, he/she expects and accepts mediocrity (at least on occasion) and don’t worry about it? Maybe we’re not getting the full quote in the above (guess I gotta go watch the tape).
I can’t see Pat Riley or Phil Jackson or Popovich or whoever coming out and saying that to the press or letting players think that anything less than perfection was aok.
Effort and execution seem like something that should be expected for elite professionals, even if the ball bounces the wrong way sometimes and the W isn’t guaranteed.
So we’re gonna lay an egg the next game, aren’t we? I guess slippage sounds better.
When slippage is the norm, doesn’t it just mean that you suck? Suckage, I believe the term is.
Dear Mr. Holmes,
Please infect the rest of this organization with your attitude, hustle, and dedication.
Thank you,
All Long Suffering Kings Fans
How is the cap situation next season? Fox extension kicks and CoJo (hopefully) will leave or at least not be paid 12 million.
What does Front Office need to do to get Holmes paid? Trade Barnes or Hield? Watching this season, I’d prefer to retain Barnes
It would seem that at least one of Barnes or Buddy must go before next year. I think its likely to be Buddy with the emergence of Tyrese but his trade value is a sinking rock right now. I’d hate to see this version of HB go but for the right trade, it’d need to be done. So who knows, maybe both will be gone. I’m pretty interested to see how McNair handles the rest of this year, particularly if the Kings stay in the thick of things.
Oh, and Cojo’s $12mil will be gone for sure.
what about moving Bagley? I mean, if it comes down to Holmes or Bagley, seems like everyone would prefer to keep Holmes.
Farm team mentality
No, actually, it’s the opposite. Marvin Bagley is a project. I’m suggesting letting someone else work on that project if it would allow us to keep the player who actually helps the team win games.
Hope we can dump CoJo’s 12 million so we can pay Holmes. Harrell got a 2 year/19 million deal and he’s a bit younger than Holmes. I think Holmes’ value is around 10-13 per year. If he starts shooting 3s, it would be a lot higher.
I love this guy and his game. I think he’s a keeper.
Reason #654 why we re-sign Mr. Holmes. It sounds like it may be tough to do and I get that before the season that’s why folks on this site were listing him as one of the dudes to try and trade so we get some assets for him, but man alive he is a monster. This team NEEDS the fire, attitude, passion etc. he brings. Plus the dude can ball. If there is anyway in this universe you can get him to stay you do it.
Was also nice to see similar-ish intensity from our $160 million man during that game, on both sides of the floor. That Fox needs to show up more.
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