After a controversial no-call on a travel committed by Tyler Herro that resulted in Sacramento’s fifth loss on Wednesday, the Kings made the short trip over to Orlando to face the Magic. Though off to a slow start (2-7), Orlando has plenty of young talent to keep an eye on, led by their number one pick in last year’s draft, Paolo Banchero. Along with the rookie’s 21.8 ppg, the Magic also rely on heavy production from other young guys like Franz Wagner (Brenden is likely crying somewhere right now) and Wendell Carter Jr. The Kings got their floor general back tonight in De’Aaron Fox and were expected to have the advantage over this young Orlando team. And after suffering the heartbreaker in Miami, a win is just what the Kings needed. Let’s see how they did:
Quick Stats
Outcome: Kings win, 126-123
Sacramento Kings: 126 pts, 50.5% fg, 37.5% 3 pt, 65.4% ft, 24 ast, 36 reb, 14 to
Orlando Magic: 123 pts, 54.3% fg, 17.4% 3pt, 95.0% ft, 27 ast, 48 reb, 18 to
In a game where emotions ranged across the entire spectrum, the last thing anyone wanted was overtime. So what did the Kings give us? Free basketball, of course. After a horrific first half, the Kings battled back to take the lead against Orlando, only to let it slip away and have to battle it out in an extra period of play. After holding on to a 4-point lead for the last three minutes, in which the Magic played the foul and quick score game, the Kings finally made the fatal mistake in the form of a Malik Monk turnover to let the Magic back in. Double overtime felt imminent, but no one wanted this game to end more than De’Aaron Fox, who put an end to all of our misery by draining a 32-ft buzzer beater to top off an incredible performance.
WHAT AN ENDING
DE'AARON FOX FOR THE WIN 🦊🎯 pic.twitter.com/mcmtQ7NZUz
— NBA TV (@NBATV) November 5, 2022
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
The Good
- Leaders Leading: The Kings entered the second half trailing by 18 points (more on that later). They finished the 3rd quarter with a 6-point advantage. It was their best quarter of play, as they outscored the Magic 36-12. What was encouraging to see was the pattern in which they fought back. It all started with their leaders, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Both visibly picked up the intensity on defense and aggressively attacked the rim on offense. The pair led by example and combined for 19 of the Kings’ points that quarter. This energy became contagious and fueled the Kings’ bench to pick up right where they left off. To start the 4th quarter, Malik Monk and Terence Davis continued bringing this same high level of energy, and it paid off. The Kings starters were able to come back in with an 8-point lead.
- Birthday Boy: Let’s all wish Trey Lyles a very happy 27th birthday and thank him for making so many huge plays for his team today. In the lens of the entire game, Lyles was the most consistent player for the Kings. It felt like whenever the Kings needed a 3-pointer to fall, or an extra pass to be made, Lyles was there to execute. He finished with 15 points and was 4-7 from deep.
The BAd
- Free Throws: Although the Kings made them when they were needed most, they made only 17 of their 26 free throw attempts (65.4%). Through 45 minutes, it felt like Domantas Sabonis would never make a free throw ever again. Sabonis hit two big ones in overtime to maintain the Kings’ lead, but was 5-12 overall. Kevin Huerter, who had a quiet night of just nine points on 3-6 from the 3-point line, also uncharacteristically missed both of his free throw attempts. One should never live in the past, but it’s always painful to think about all the heart attacks I wouldn’t have to suffer if the Kings could put things away earlier by cashing in on those free points.
The Ugly
- First Half from Hell: It feels like the first half of this game happened three days ago, but it’s hard to just completely forget something so ugly. The Kings came out flat, allowing the Magic to control the pace and rhythm of the game. The entire half felt very disjointed for the Kings, as they struggled to find any consistent flow on offense and decided to just not show up at all on defense. Franz Wagner (31 points) practically skipped into the paint and straight to the rim a handful of times. Meanwhile, Bol Bol completed a nearly perfect game, shooting 10-11 from the field, including two 3-pointers, that was only tainted by a missed corner 3 in overtime. The Magic’s length and size gave the Kings an enormous amount of trouble, as Orlando out rebounded Sacramento 48-36. Paolo Banchero enjoyed this abhorrent Kings’ defense by finishing with a career-high 33 points and 16 rebounds.
The King of Kings
My favorite part about this game was watching De’Aaron Fox take over. Through the comeback in the 3rd quarter, down the stretch of the 4th quarter, and straight into overtime, De’Aaron Fox showed up in the way that superstars do. And who doesn’t love a 3-point buzzer beater? Fox finished with 37 points on 14 made field goals.
“When the ball’s going in and you have a rhythm, the basket starts looking like the ocean.” – De'Aaron Fox 😎🌊 pic.twitter.com/r8PZnoLXhh
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 6, 2022
Up Next
Monday, November 7th @ Golden State Warriors – 7:00 P.M. (PT)
Take that, Orlando!
Slay 💃
Let’s Dance!
♫ …Put on your purple shoes and dance the blues ♫
FOXX!
(purple Fox?)
Foxx with the heart stopper tonight!
Sanford & Son….
Arvydas & Son
Manute & Son
(technically it should be Sabonis & Son, and Bol & Son…but you know what I mean)
Yass 🎉
Even the occasional box score checking during the game was exciting.
Throughout the shots and the fancy dances,
Gallo always liked our chances.
Sure you did. Despite your history of always liking our chances you gotta call it before the game starts to claim it……Sorry…..dem’s the rules.
Wished Keegan had a better game. Another rough night for him. But that was a super exciting game for sure.
Our whole house went crazy on that shot, with even the dog barking at the TV.
Arrived at Minute Maid Field with ear buds and the game on my IPhone, lost my center and let out a really loud “Fxxx Yeah” on DeAaron’s home run shot.
Had to apologize to other early arrivals for swearing, fellow walks down the aisle in a baseball jersey and a Kings hat just jumping up and down and gives me a high ten. He is originally from north of Sacto. Bought him a tall brew and he smacks me on the back and smiles at me and says “Forty Wins Baby.” We both laughed out loud.
Woman in the row in front of us says “I think you two dudes are at the wrong game”.
What a roller coaster ride.
43 wins.
Kingsguru says 45 wins.
He crazy
40 – 45 laser beams baby!
Haven’t been to a game at G1C yet this season.
Do they shoot the lasers immediately after the win?
I want to see it in person.
It’s supposed to be on after every win. I’m not sure how long it runs though per night
Thanks, TerzoM
Yeah, I guess I could go hang out at DoCo after a road win.
I think it’d be really cool to walk out of G1C after a win with everyone going crazy and the laser turns on.
Such a cool story!
He’s a bust
Casm’d?
Players have bad nights. It’s understandable that Keegan would since he is a rook My disappointment iswith Barnes. So far this year he needs not to start. His defense is awful.He did come through a little at the end of the game but overall if he continues to play like he does, and as much as really like him, for the good of the team if possible he needs to be traded.
Yeah. Just wanted Keegan to outshine PB. That would’ve been the icing. But as a Kings fan, I should just be happy with the cake.
3-5 feels a whole lot better than 2-6. We should be 5-3, though. Dare we start looking forward to the 3rd quarters now?
C’mon man! Just enjoy a one basket victory over the worst team in the league!
Much easier to enjoy a win against the worst team in the league than enjoy a loss.
That’s what I’m saying! We should be dumping water on each other in the locker room for beating the worst team in the league by one basket!
Or maybe just celebrate a win.
I actually fully expect both these teams to be back in the lottery. We’ll likely have a crappy spot in the draft order. Sometimes you take the little victories (like today) because you need something to feel kinda happy about.
You can expect Orlando to be back in the lottery. All of our games played have been very competitive outside of maybe the Memphis game. It’s still going to take some time to gel as a unit, but they are playing much better this year and I love that they don’t quit anymore. They are very scrappy to the point where I expect them to win.
I them making the playoffs.
You’re right. Let’s all be sad.
Sad?
1000% agree nothing to be excited about here except the buzzer beater was kinda sick
I would like to bet you that the Magic is not the worst team in the league.
Orlando isn’t the worst team in the league, I’m sorry.
I would like bet you the Magic are not the worst team in the league.
I think you’re mistaken, they didn’t play the Lakers
flashbacks
a win is a win. Sometimes there are game like this and games like the Hero hippidy hop.
The refs missed Jerami Grant hopping even more egregiously against the Suns for his game winner. That was much worse and much more obvious.
Inconsistent season. When good, pretty darn good but not enough of that.
Fox playing well. DS much better with better floor spacing. Keegan has gone to somnolence.
Now that I am fully into winning and have disavowed the losing is winning mantra, I have too much stress.
The duds will put their starters back in and they will continue to stink it up.
Keegan was smiling out there. I think that’s like his Samson/Delilah/Kryptonite.
He probably watched the movie SMILE
Yes, yes, I’m glad they won. But damn, Richaun and Harrison look done for. Clearly the Magic plan was to attack the hoop when Holmes was in. It was a damn layup drill. The Kings will have to address the lack of shot blocking. At this point, Len or Queta should have the backup center minutes.
4 on 5 basketball!
(sure feels like it sometimes)
As much as I like both Barnes and Holmes if this keeps up they both need to be traded
At this rate, will they even be tradeable? I’m sure Barnes’ expiring contract is but Holmes?
Barnes looks washed, which is a shame. He’s been a damn good player and a better sport for putting up with this sad-sack franchise with such dignity for so long. It’s not like he’s “old,” and he’s never been one to rely on raw athleticism, so the sudden drop-off is strange. Hopefully just a funk?
He and his wife had their first child recently.
Maybe he’s just super tired all the time from being a new dad.
That actually makes a lot of sense. I remember Rudy Gay had a new baby at the very start of the season several years back, and he definitely looked out of sorts on the court for a bit.
This is the Harrison Barnes you would think you would be watching. Slower than a snail, unathletic; he can’t make that shot with two guys about to block him. Last year I always felt like he was gonna get swatted down low or there was no way he would make a tough shot but somehow he got them to go.
I have always liked Barnes. A real pro both on the court and off but I’ve seen a slow downward trend starting two years ago to last year and now. I could be wrong but I don’t think it has to do with a new baby. If it does I hope since Fox is now married he doesn’t have babies for at least 6 or 7 years.
In the off-season!😜
I’m very happy!
Video from the locker room!
Damn. So much for the bone bruise!
We now have to call it the gone bruise.
That video put a MASSIVE smile on my face. Loving Fox’s success this year. All * weekend baby
He’s a king! 👑💪
Things to like:
It’s a win (dance to follow). So ugly it was fugly. Double U for ugly is still a W.
3 point D
Nice jon Malik Monk and again, Kevin Heurter.
Things to not like:
The Kings win one Quarter in Regulation. One. This is supposed to be a veteran team, lots of boneheaded mistakes at the end. Give aways, poor decision making.
Bad Free Throw shooting.
Defense – Franz Wagner must be a bull because I saw a lot of matadors
Keegan Murray – 24 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebs. His worst outing, by far.
Interior defense was almost non-existent
Bol Bol was 2/3 from 3FG the rest of the team 2/20.
Give the Magic an experienced PG and they would be more dangerous. Jalen Suggs is not that guy.
3-5 is not bad. But man, my head is still shaking. Again, I am expecting a better second half of the season as this team congeals.
Goofy Dance
I think Suggs had his career high or just a really good night against the warriors the game before, and Bol Bol only scored four points in that game. Sometimes young dudes are just inconsistent
scoring as a point guard isn’t quarterbacking. It’s a distinction between how a Ty Halliburton plays and a De’Aaron Fox. Both very effective, but different.
The 3rd quarter comeback reminded me of the “Chicago” comeback from a few years ago. I thought for sure though that they were going to blow this one at about the 1:30 to go mark of the 4th. All hail Fox!
FOX DANCE!!!
Wait, according to this board, I thought every guard in the league is better than Fox? Why all the praises? Jaden Hardy is better than Fox according to this board right? We should have just traded him for peanuts.
I’m a regular here, and I’ve never read that this board thinks that every guard in the league is better than Fox. Is there a link?
Obviously I was speaking with a hint of sarcasm. But let’s not pretend people weren’t saying how Brunson is better than Fox and we should have traded him for Simmons. Can you imagine Simmons on this team today shooting 3 for 5? And also, how even Mike Conley is better because he is an all-star and Fox is not. I am not saying that 8 games prove a lot, but people were also saying Fox would not improve because he is too old.
So, a couple of folks put forth an opinion & you paint the entire board with it. Got it.
Fox has yet to sustain an elevated level of play. It is that – and only that – that will change opinions of him. If he continues to play at this level, he could become a top 10 PG. That’s how Morant did it. And that’s how Fox will need to do it.
it’s not the “board.” It’s a guy on a max contract that has teased this before and needs to show sustained success to climb into the upper level of NBA PGs. I’m rooting for him to do that. My guess is most of the people on this board are, too.
I agree that Fox yet to sustain a level of play that includes good 3 point shooting and free throw shooting. The problem is not that I disagree Fox needs need to sustain his elevated level of play, it is that the expectations and narrative on him keep changing and there is no consistency.
“Fox doesn’t play defense and isn’t a leader, so this is Sabonis’ team.” Yet Sabonis has yet to consistently show he is capable of playing defense or leading a team. Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell also can’t play defense, and yet Kings fans saw them as leaders.
“Fox can’t lead a team because he can’t shoot 3s or make free throws consistently” Yet people would rather have Simmons…
“Fox has yet to prove he can sustain an elevated level of play.” I would argue Jalen Brunson has yet to sustain the performance he had in the playoffs. Didn’t stop posters here from saying, “I’ll take Brunson over him now.”
“Fox has yet to prove he can contribute to winning basketball.” You know who else has not? Hali. Yet people are talking like Hali is a championship centerpiece. Brunson and Simmons has never proven they can win being the first option. Yet people were salivating over Simmons like he is a savior.
“Fox isn’t a max player.” Outside of Giannis, Doncic, Jokic, and Morant, you can always find an argument why this guy or that guy isn’t a max player.
Which brings me to the last question. What are people expecting from Fox? Let say this year he does play on an elevated level consistently. Is the next argument, “Yeah but he is still not Ja Morant or Luka.” Or “Yeah but the Kings still didn’t get in the playoffs or go deep in the playoffs.”
Different people have different expectations, which is why I pushed back on the “board” comment.
My expectations are that he provides the team with a return on investment of his max contract, becoming a player that can be considered top 30 in the league. If he can sustain his current level of play he will have taken that vital next step upward. It’s a big “if,” one that has yet to become a “when.” Here’s hoping that he sustains it, as the team will be better if he does.
People were criticizing Fox for much of last season because he was playing like shit for much of last season. Some of it was melodramatic, sure, but a lot of it was 100% legitimate based on observation of his play and his demeanor. This reminds me of L*kers fans who inevitably sneer, wag their gaudy fake-gold chains, and yell “Told ya so!!! See?!?! Knew it all along!!!” when their team buys its way to another championship after sucking for three years straight.
See this is the exact issue I have with people’s assessment of Fox. The analogy makes no sense. The Lakers did actually suck for 3 straight years. Fox never “sucked.” He average 23 points, 25 points, and 21 points in past 3 years along with 6-7 assists. Could he have played better? Sure, especially 3 point shooting, FT and defense. But since his sophomore year, Fox has always been a very good player, just not upper level. There is nothing wrong with criticizing his efforts or wanting him to be top 10, especially since he already shown he can do it in stretches. But there is a middle ground when analyzing players. Fox isn’t Luka, but he is also not the 2016-2019 Lakers. I don’t have to say, “I told you so” because to me, Fox has consistently played like a B or B+ level player with A level potential throughout his career. This is isn’t a revelation.
I’m regular, too
Q: I gave up cable TV years ago, but I got League Pass for the first time this season, so I’ve been watching more basketball than I have in a long time. Am I just imagining things, or has NBA officiating made defense practically illegal? So many times per game, I see a foul called simply because an offensive player driving with the ball leans in and bumps, rubs, or lightly brushes against a defender–and the foul is on the defender, who’s just tracking the ballhandler in a classic defensive stance, arms out, not reaching in, not swatting at anything. It’s ridiculous! Teams have figured out that the best way to score (besides just throwing up 3’s at every opportunity) is to just give ball to a quick/fast person and have them drive straight to the hoop, because nobody is allowed to get in their way and seriously challenge them. Offenses resemble a swarm of meth-addict bees, everyone just running around willy-nilly and daring a defender to breathe in their general direction. No wonder big men are an afterthought–the league has basically outlawed their traditional size and skill advantages. And no, I’m not some cranky old boomer. I’m a cranky 30-something Millennial who grew up watching basketball when scoring took some genuine precision and effort, and I miss that. Now get off my lawn before I start yelling at this cloud.
The NBA and NFL have both been engaging in a war with the concept defense for a while now. The MLB is not too far behind with the shift ban starting.
Yup. Offense is entertaining for most. Sadly, defense is not. I give it five year until the NBA offers a 4 point shot on the floor.
I miss 80’s and 90’s basketball where a player had to truly work for his basket amongst the tall trees. Give me Larry Bird operating from the post or Richmond fighting through the lane, over a 3 step stepback from Harden or a flailing drive to the lane by Luka trying to make contact over attempting a real shot.
Watching some of those old games, you can see they had a nice flow to them. The game was more back and forth, back and forth, minimal arguing with the refs, and no interrupting the game for replay/challenges. It was just basketball, without such a big emphasis on 3 point shooting.
I don’t know if I agree. I love 80s and 90s basketball and early 2000s as well. But I wouldn’t say there was more flow, but certainly more tension because you don’t know when in a crunch time game the next bucket is going to be.
Sounds like a missed an awesome end to the game today. All good. I got got to watch my daughter finish first in her San Joaquin Sub-Sectional cross country meet today in Angels Camp. I’m absolutely over the moon for her at the moment. I’m back into high school sports and culture for the first time since I was last in high school. Having a blast.
That being said, it was awesome to see Fox hit that game winner in the replays. He looked truly overjoyed. Good day all around! Go Kings!
Congrats to your daughter, Adam. The dedication to be an elite CC runner is unrivaled. She should be very proud of her accomplishment. Rare air, indeed.
Nice! What distances does she run? I came into distance running a little later in life and really wish I ran in HS. Tell us more. (distance running geek)
Today was strangely just a 3 mile. Normally all high school XC races are 5K, but today was a course change due to rain. They cut the hills and ran a generally flat course, which looped twice. Quite a boring run, if I do say so myself, but I got to see and cheer on the runners more often.
Cutting the hills was a bad omen for our team, as they are foothill runners who kill the flat landers with the rises. No matter, our guys and girls ran great. Onto sections, next weekend at Folsom. Varsity team is a damn near a shoe-in for states in Fresno.
Having never been a runner myself, these XC meets are a blast. Great people all around, and such a positive environment. From first to last, everyone is cheered along the course, no matter the school. Love it.
Adam,
So neat to hear about you getting to enjoy your daughter’s team.
XC is such a great team sport with all kinds of tactics and strategies to beat other teams. It’s really a unique opportunity for spectators being one of the rare sports where non participants are encouraged to be on the playing field with the runners and in the midst of them, within reason. You can plant yourself at the top or bottom of a rise and see the faces of the athletes and hear their personal effort from just a few feet away as they pass close by.
Good on your daughter and her teammates. I have converted my Dad’s 35MM celluloid films to digital videos that I pull up when I return to Ohio for reunions and play them for my buddies when we magically transform to skinny teenage athletes from decades ago.
Take lots of videos of your daughter and her teammates and play them often. She will treasure them because she will remember it’s you on the other end of the camera cheering her and her team on to victory. Priceless memories for her and you. I promise you she will proudly play them to her own family one day. Slip in a few selfies while you’re on the course for her. Have fun!
That’s friggin awesome. Sounds like they had a course someone from Iowa would love. 😜
The running community is very special, no doubt.
Congrats to your daughter and the team Adam! I ran cross country at Bret Harte in high school (never placed first… or at all). Cutting the hills from Frogtown is a shame as it is definitely the best part of the course. But good on them for performing anyways!
Congrats to her Adam!
The entire team looked overjoyed in the locker room the game, My wife shed a couple of tears after watching the video. Just a small sample of what might be happening.
Awesome that your daughter is doing well and pushing to be her best. High school sports are great in many ways. I often enjoy high school basketball so much more than the Kings.
So very awesome! Congrats! Nothing like seeing your kid work hard towards a goal and cheering for them!
This win is on me, TKH.
Yup, I again fell asleep during one of the more exciting games and missed the end.
You’re welcome!
Get this man an Ambien prescription stat!
Or just show him tapes of last season’s Kings games!
He’ll have to wait for Luke to finish watching them!
It’s crazy that the magic got Bol Bol for nothing. Basically just to free up money for Boston. Always thought he’d be worth the minimal risk/roster spot like him would be a good idea to put him on the g league team with coaches you trust to instill good habits. Cause that height and length are just insane, especially with a three point shot
I remember DeJuan Blair. Very talented, knees made of spaghetti. The Spurs looked very smart for an abbreviated amount of time. I get the same feels with Bol. I will be a little surprised if he plays more than 1,200 min. in multiple years. Hope I’m wrong – he’s fun to watch.
I felt compelled to look up Manute Bol’s career (began the same year as the Kings in Sac–’85), and he stretched out his NBA career from 1985 to 1994 (and then a couple of years in other leagues).
I think he struggled with body ailments throughout his career…?
Bol…man, he is definitely fun to watch and root for. I hope he has a great career.
That name rung a bell but couldn’t quite place it and then when I googled him, the first question that’s asked with his name is “Did DeJuan Blair have ACLs?” And I was like damn google, but the answer was actually no. That’s crazy.
But he was also a second round pick and seemed to contribute to a squad that was a perineal playoff team, even if he fell out of the rotation the season they lost to the heat in the finals and basically couldn’t stay healthy or stick to a roster a year after that. He played 366 games in his first five years (78 of them of his one year in Dallas) and started 179 of them. That’s pretty good for a second round pick imo. He’s no Jason Thompson though, obviously 😉
Even though in reality Bol might not stay healthy enough or might not look very good once true pressure and focus is placed on him by the opposing team, I still feel like there’s enough upside for a second round pick or absorbing some money for an overcapped team to give him either minutes in the nba for a team that’s not a championship contender like Denver or Boston. Or even in the G league. There’s enough there to take a flyer, imo
I will bet you it doesn’t last.
nba.com ruins Fox’s shot by rating it on the hoary scale…
Yikes
Great win. Won’t look too much into it. No Bamba, Issac. Harris, Drummond, Fultz.
Most of the Magic’s Starting lineup.
Banchero looks ridiculous. Not a single Kings player could contain him. If he gets any kind of 3 pt shot going. Kid is going to be unstoppable.
I believe he set a rookie record over 30 pts and 15 rebounds this early in his career. Last player to do that , Shaq.
Once again, amazing shot at the end. But, it really shouldn’t have come to that looking at that Magic roster.
The Dubs game will be interesting . They are reeling. Kerr Sat all the starters last night.
You know it should not have come to that. Kings somehow also play to the competition so I expect a good game from them tomorrow. I would really like to see the Kings win some games by 20 or more. Don’t know that will happen.
I certainly hope the Kings could beat the Magic without Drummond seeing as how Andre Drummond plays for Chicago currently. Jonathan Isaac rarely plays and hasn’t played in the last two seasons and yet to play or practice this season. Markelle Fultz is out again, what’s new there? Gary Harris is out and? He’s missed alot of games the last several years. Mo Bamba barely plays AND is healthy. Bamba got a DNP CD last night but somehow the Kings stink because they can’t beat the Magic going away on a night where their 10th man didn’t play?!?!? Excuse me, I’m having giggle fits.
Keep telling yourself that. Other than Isaac, none of those guys are starting over whom they currently have starting.
If I were the Kings, I’d consider trading Holmes for Bamba once Bamba is eligible to be moved Jan 15th. But that’s mostly because Bamba is a buy low project.
BS vs. BS.
Kings have won 3 of their last 4. 2 of those on the road and the one loss was on an admittedly bad call on a game winner. They are ahead of the Warriors and Lakers in the standings after a very difficult schedule to start the season. They’ve been competitive in every game except maybe the Memphis game. There’s lots of glass half full stuff even at 3-5.
OT: Tim beat me to it, but I think this could be an opportunity for the Kings. If Barnes is not part of the long term plan, the Kings may not find a better opportunity to sell to a “buyer.”
https://twitter.com/TimMaxwell22/status/1589044503587213312
Any thoughts as to what kind of package we could receive from them for Barnes?
The nice thing about PHX is they are a title contender AND they have all of their picks. This makes them the ultimate buying team.
The want to move Crowder and his $10M expiring deal, so he is likely the one most likely going out. They also have an expiring Saric who is hardly playing.
Something quick and dirty could be Barnes and Lyles for Crowder and Saric, or just leave Saric out and the Kings eat $1M and maybe get a protected first or a couple of 2nd round picks. It all comes down to how desperate the Suns are now.
I think he ends up on a team of his choice. It’s contract haggling. Suns can get more for Crowder than Barnes.
He will go to a contender.
Me thinks he signs with the Dubs, Nugs, Grizz. or Hawks. Teams that have more assets.
Barnes value is extremely low right now. I don’t think too many contenders will be interested in him right now.
He can’t shoot, can’t defend, and looks like he doesn’t even want to be out there. I don’t know how many playoff teams will be interested in that.
He should have been moved last year. Big mistake.
Agree.
If you were Barnes and been here as long as Barnes would you put your heart and soul into it?
Lets go way out. Adamsite a couple of comments ago said maybe Barnes and Holmes for Hayward. Hornets need a reliable center and giving Holmes another chance it might work.The problem I have is Hayward’s injuries. Seems to always plague him.Hayward would not be the first second or third option. Maybe not even the fourth. Still can shoot and contract up in 2 years. Gives the Kings time to draft a small forward and he would have a year to develop. Another option would be Holmes for Markkenen. Would have to include some type of incentive in the way of draft capitol. The above option presented by Adamside in above comment should also be considered. I like the idea of Crowder and Barnes with some draft capitol instead of involving Lyles. Lyles right now for theKings is as steadt as it gets.
Is there a long-term plan?
Most things point towards just ending the drought asap.
Building around Fox, Sabonis and Murray IMO. I can see this being a 50 win team around those three. Especially if you can find a F to pair with Murray that allows you to play Sabonis as the lone big on the floor at a higher overall than traditionally Sabonis’ teams in Indy and Ssc have done.
Big if and a lot of KaNGz fantasy.
Hats off to Chimezie Metu. Was really impactful in the minutes he played at 5. Did the things he should do (defend and be in the dunker spot) and even made a nice play on a short roll which led to a Monk lay-in.
As of now definitely better that Holmes.
Season ORtg, DRtg and Net Rtg (with league ranking) game by game. According to NBA.com.
Game 1 vs PDX: ORtg: 106.9 (14th) DRtg: 113.9 (25th) Net Rtg: -6.9 (21st) (loss)
Game 2 vs LAC: ORtg: 109.0 (18th) DRtg: 113.0 (18th) Net Rtg: -4.0 (19th) (loss)
Game 3 vs GSW: ORtg: 110.7 (15th) DRtg: 114.5 (19th) Net Rtg: -3.8 (20th) (loss)
Game 4 vs MEM: ORtg: 110.8 (19th) DRtg: 117.3 (25th) Net Rtg: -6.5 (25th) (loss)
Game 5 vs MIA: ORtg: 112.4 (18th) DRtg: 116.0 (23rd) Net Rtg: -3.6 (23rd) (win)
Game 6 vs CHA: ORtg: 112.3 (18th) DRtg: 114.3 (22nd) Net Rtg: -2.1 (18th) (win)
Game 7 vs MIA: ORtg: 112.2 (16th) DRtg: 114.2 (22nd) Net Rtg: -2.0 (19th) (loss)
Game 8 vs ORL: ORtg: 112.3 (15th) DRtg: 113.9 (23rd) Net Rtg: -1.5 (17th) (win)
This suggests to me that there is positive forward movement on both ends. Is it perfect, pretty or ideal? No, but when you zoom in on teams as fans here do you spot things you always don’t see in a more broad, macro focus.
The Kings could have lost last night. Sure, there are things, lots of things, that need cleaning up. But there are positives here, too.
De’Aaron, outside of shooting 3’s, was rather efficient from 2 (12 for 17) and 7-7 from the FT line. I saw Damien Barling post this but De’Aaron is 21 for his last 21 from the FT line. That has to be a career best streak for him. The worst part of the game for De’Aaron was his 4 TOVs and 3 were live ball TOVs. Thirs needs cleaning up, for sure, but it’s also a credit to the Magic and Wagner who got several steals off Fox. Sometimes, the other team is good.
Speaking of FTs, Domas and Huerter accounted for all the misses at the FT line. Take away those two (the Kings were 17-26 overall from the line), the Kings were 12-12 from the line.
Domas definitely kept the Kings in it in the 1st half. They might have been down 30 at half without Domas. It was that terrible of a half. Domas had 6 ASTs to 2 TOVs.
24 ASTs to 14 TOVs. Domas had 6 dimes, Monk 5 himself. Fox and Davis each had 3.
Trey Lyles has both impressed me and thrilled me watching him this year. Playing nearly 30 minutes for a guy playing behind a heralded rookie is impressive. The Kings are looking very smart for retaining Lyles. Especially when you consider the price.
Speaking of rookies, Keegan is still one. I’m very high on the kid, higher than I was on draft day, and yes Banchero had a great night. But Keegan’s 22, learning the league and has much to learn. Betting against Keegan generally seems to be bad policy and I don’t think a couple of bad games in a row for a guy 7 games into his career is something to get in a twist over.
Davion Mitchell and Richaun Holmes not contributing much yet is either positive or negative, I’m just not sure which way I’d lean on that one just yet. But the Kings definitely need more from those guys.
Outside of Monks horrific TOV on Okeke’s game tying basket in OT, I thought his game overall was terrific. That’s why you let DiVicenzo go for Monk instead.
Mike Brown deserves credit for the game he coached yesterday. I thought he pushed alot of buttons correctly. Using Metu instead of Holmes in the late 3rd was a good move, for instance. I disagreed with the challenge on Domas’ 4th foul, but I’m guessing there’s an overall strategy to help the org down the line with how Domas is being officiated. The strategy is: ‘Do you see how many challenges I’m using to protect my guy? Are you serious right now?’ I can see that being a worthwhile gambit. I liked that he leaned more on Monk than Huerter, as well.
The Kings are down 102-98 with 1:58 to go in the 4th. Here is the sequence from the PBP.
Barnes assist to Metu for the dunk. Kings down 102-100 with 1:41 in the 4th.
Banchero makes a 5 footer for 2. 1:21 left in the 4th. 104-100 Magic.
Fox makes a 7 footer with 1:15 in the 4th. 104-102 Magic.
Carter Jr gets a dunk with 59 secs in the 4th. 106-102 Magic.
Fox gets fouled with 51 secs remaining. Hits both FTs, 106-104 Magic.
Banchero misses a 17 footer with 36 secs left.
Fox makes 12 footer with 25 secs to go. Game tied at 106.
Wagner and Suggs both miss 3’s to send the game into OT.
The point of this is to say I feel like this was a competitive game that the Kings could easily lose. Orlando played better for longer, but the Kings were more talented and it showed. A better 1st half where you’re only down 5 instead of 18 and you win this game going away in the early 4th. Kyle and Kayte pointed this out during the broadcast, but I thought it was odd that the Kings didn’t use Domas as the inbounder more often. It’ll be interesting to see if the Kings make an adjustment there and how. That said, Monk made a bad pass at an inopportune time. If he makes the pass to Lyles as he definitely can, the game is over if Lyles hits his FTs.
The Kings feel like a game off their expected pace at where they should be right now (3-5 as opposed to 4-4). Is GSW in SF coming off a horrible road trip going to be though? Of course. Be competitive all night, give yourself a chance with 5 minutes to go, and see what happens.
The kids just might be alright.
Too much copy and paste.
What exactly am I copying and pasting?
The first ten thousand words are all stats you copied and pasted and didn’t even bother to correlate to the rest of the gibberish you wrote.
How do all those numbers stats support what you are saying?
If you copy and paste it explain how it supports your thoughts. Just like fourth grade paragraphs.
Here’s the thing. I write these long blurbs for me. If you don’t enjoy them, no problem. I don’t care. They aren’t being written for you.
The next time I consult you for anything will be a first. You are nothing to me. If you fell off the face of the Earth I wouldn’t care or notice.
Buh bye now.
“You are nothing to me. If you fell off the face of the Earth I wouldn’t care or notice.”
You are always the first to insult anyone and in general be a dick. For that reason I usually do ignore anything you write. Also the reason why I bring up your reality sometimes.
Banchero is the real deal. Never understood the mocks that had him picked 2-4 but was hoping he’d somehow find his way to the Kings. He looked so much bigger than Barnes. That Magic team has a lot of unique youth talent. Wagner could be a stud if he develops an outside shot. He got to the rim at will and is great at finishing, but his jumper never seemed to be a threat.
Murray had his 2nd straight game of struggles, which doesn’t concern me, except for having put him into the starting lineup already. Now a benching could negatively effect his mentals, whereas if we continued to bring him off the bench, minutes fluctuation comes with the territory, and maybe easier for him to digest.
Fox is playing like a superstar. Not much else to say there.
It was nice to finally see Sabonis play bullyball and look for his shot. I’d like to see more of that, paired with him making at least 50% of his free throws but at least he started hitting those in crunch time.
The bench came up huge, as they really outplayed the Magic bench. One glance at the +/- box score shows it all.
This is nothing against Banchero, who looks like a total stud, but it says something about the state of the modern game that a 19-year old big man with 1 year of college experience can straight up dominate in the NBA paint. Hopefully this sort of thing becomes more common and leads to a re-balancing, where post play and size are actually valued again.
Penultimate play–losing out of bounds pass that led to tie score–was the worst play of the game. Ultimate play–De’Aaron’s calm 50 footer–was the best play of the game.
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