When asked what the Sacramento Kings need to address, De’Aaron Fox brought up the idea of continuity. Fox said finding continuity could benefit this roster by helping limit the “long stretches of the game where we’re not scoring,” and allow the roster to “continue to make each other better defensively.”
A recent slew of unfortunate injuries has made achieving a sense of continuity nearly impossible, but the roster should be returning to full strength any game now with the returns of Harrison Barnes and Maurice Harkless seemingly right around the corner.
Continuity and consistency greatly aid any NBA team’s effort to win basketball games. A defined role, cemented style of play, and comfort with the surrounding players simplifies the game for those on the floor. Alvin Gentry is nearing his first opportunity to truly find some consistency, which is something he’s acknowledged the importance of.
“Anytime you can have continuity, it’s going to be much much better because guys know exactly what their roles are,” Sacramento’s interim head coach said at a recent practice, “they know the expectations that are there for them… I just think it’s easier on the players.”
The lone time rotational continuity was felt this season came at the beginning of the season, specifically the initial 10 games. It’s probably not a coincidence that opening stretch has been referenced by Monte McNair, Gentry, and multiple players as what this team has shown they are capable of.
Sacramento’s starting lineup featured the same five every single night (aside from one night where Maurice Harkless was absent).
De’Aaron Fox – Tyrese Haliburton – Harrison Barnes – Maurice Harkless – Richaun Holmes.
Buddy Hield and Davion Mitchell knew they would always contribute at least 20 minutes. One of Alex Len or Tristan Thompson would also see the floor, depending on how Walton wanted to approach the matchup. Terence Davis had a bit more variability, but he played no more than 15 minutes per night (aside from the game where Harkless was unavailable) prior to slowly fading out of the rotation.
Inconsistencies arose after the 10 game mark, when Tyrese Haliburton went down with a minor injury. Without their starting guard, the Kings fell to Phoenix after a horrific third quarter before subsequently being embarrassed in San Antonio. Haliburton was set to return in Oklahoma City. The Kings were working with a fully healthy roster for the next six games.
Yet, Walton decided to move Chimezie Metu into the starting lineup in place of Harkless. Prior to that point, Metu was a DNP-CD more often than not. Harkless then became a rare sight, and Marvin Bagley was suddenly an option.
Walton went away from his previously established rotation in an attempt to patch up weaknesses. The Kings went 1-4 with Metu in the starting lineup, which led right into Luke Walton being fired.
Now, under Alvin Gentry, the Kings seem less focused on their weaknesses, but instead more keyed in on their strengths and finding their brand of basketball.
“It’s just playing Sacramento Kings’ basketball. I think the biggest thing Alvin [Gentry] has preached throughout our last three or four games is worrying about ourselves,” Tyrese Haliburton shared, “we’re taking care of ourselves, making others adapt to us.”
Gentry’s been clear in his belief that the roster’s strength is speed, yet his opportunity to find a consistent rotation to properly optimize the talent has been significantly hampered by injuries.
Throughout the seven games since Gentry’s promotion, Harrison Barnes has missed the last five, Maurice Harkless has been sidelined for the last four, and Bagley was also unavailable on two occasions. For a team that was already severely lacking wing depth, this trio of unavailability has been less than ideal. Richaun Holmes, the only center who consistently plays, also had been sidelined for three games.
Since the oft-referenced segment of promising play, the rotation has been in flux. With Holmes and Bagley back to action, Davis seemingly emerging from his slump, and Barnes and Harkless returning any day, Gentry will finally have a chance to work towards establishing continuity and consistency with the Sacramento Kings.
Harkless is the odd man out
and he is odd, man.
Use in case of injury or when pure defense is needed.
I know that I am supposed to think that “continuity”- a predictable line up and pattern is better for the team. That’s NBA “truth”.
What about a more fluid approach: similar starting line- up: Fox, Hali, Barnes, Holmes) but the 5th starter and the reserves play according to match up? Harkless or Metu or even Bagley or even TD as the 5th starter and then reserves based on need and match- up: TT or Len, Metu or Bagley, Buddy or TD, Mitchell etc. Insert players according to how the Kings need to match up or according to how AG wants to make the opponent match up?
This is a version of the last 10 days experience.
It seems to me that coach fluke just used the same line up continuously and almost never made any adjustments or forced the opponent to make adjustments. Kings don’t have enough superior players but do have a lot of similar tiered players.
That’s a sensible approach but remember this is the Kangz. On the other hand why not sit one or more of the starters if they aren’t pulling their weight on D?
Brenden – good job on radio today
Badge Legend