The Kings are coming off two of their best wins of the season and will be looking to keep that momentum going against the resurgent New York Knicks tonight. The Knicks are playing their best basketball in years, ranking 4th in the East behind another stellar campaign from Jalen Brunson and a defense that has ramped up of late. Can the Kings make it three solid wins in a row or will they revert back to bad habits and stumble against a physical opponent?
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Saturday, March 16th, 7:00 PM PT
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports CA
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Last Time
Despite there being less than a month left in the regular season, this is the first time the Kings and Knicks have met this year. Last season, the Kings and Knicks split the season series with both teams winning at home. It was just over a year and a week ago that the Kings beat the Knicks in Sacramento 122 to 117. Four Knicks starters scored at least 19 points, led by Julius Randle’s 19 points, and Josh Hart had 9 points, 7 assists and a whopping 15 rebounds off the bench for New York. Domantas Sabonis led the way for the Kings with a 24 point, 13 rebound and 10 assist triple-double, and Malik Monk (19 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds) and Trey Lyles (16 points, 6 rebounds) had big games off the bench.
Three in the Key
New New York
After a pretty good season last year in which the Knicks won 47 games and finished 5th in the East, the Knicks went out and got even better. This year they’re ranked 4th in the East, but would probably be better if not for some injuries such as Julius Randle being out since late January and Mitchell Robinson getting knocked out for the season. New additions like former King Donte DiVincenzo (3rd in the league in 3 pointers made this season), OG Anunoby (New York is 14-2 in the games he’s played in) and Bojan Bogdanovic/Alec Burks (noted Kings killers) have given the Knicks precious depth. The midseason addition of Anunoby in particular has been game changing for the Knicks as his status as one of the best 3-and-D wings in the league has fit perfectly. The 14-2 record with him in the lineup is stellar but what’s even crazier is that Anunoby has yet to have a negative +/- for the Knicks, and in fact has a double-digit positive +/- in 14 of the 16 games. Anunoby has just come back from injury but is listed as questionable coming into tonight’s game after tweaking the injury in their last game against Portland on Thursday. Even if he doesn’t play though, the Knicks have some depth behind him that should still make tonight a tough matchup.
Embrace the Physicality
The Knicks under Tom Thibodeau are a very physical team and we’ve seen the Kings struggle at times this season with physicality, notably against the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets. These Knicks remind me of those teams a bit stylistically, which worries me a bit. Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson being out gives the Kings a bit of an advantage inside, but Isaiah Hartenstein is a fairly capable defender in his own right and has the size advantage on Domantas Sabonis. The Kings are also without Trey Lyles for a couple of weeks now, leaving them a bit small off the bench. It will be also interesting to see how Coach Brown handles the Kevin Huerter/Keon Ellis situation. Ellis has started both of the last two games as an injury replacement, but tonight the Kings normal starting lineup should be fully healthy and ready to go. Does Brown go back to Huerter if he’s available? Does Ellis get early minutes with Jalen Brunson on the other side of the floor? Whatever the case, Ellis has been a big reason that the Kings defense has stepped up in a big way these last two games and I’m guessing he’ll be playing a decent amount whether he starts or not.
Board Man gets Paid
The Kings and Knicks are two of the best rebounding teams in the NBA, with the Kings leading the league in defensive rebounding rate and the Knicks leading the league in offensive rebounding rate. The Kings will need to be cognizant of the Knicks coming in for potential second chance opportunities as the Knicks are 2nd in the league in 2nd chance points at 16.3 a game. Isaiah Hartenstein and Precious Achiuwa both averaged over 3 offensive rebounds a game, more than anyone on the Kings aside from Domantas Sabonis. Josh Hart is another rebounder you have to watch out for as he averages 8 rebounds off the bench as a guard. Last year in Sacramento’s win against the Knicks at home, the Kings nearly gave up a big lead thanks to Hart’s offensive rebounding in which he snagged 7 offensive boards. Domantas Sabonis can only do so much so it will be up to the rest of the Kings to help him out, box out and secure the boards.
Prediction
The Kings and Knicks play a nailbiter down the stretch of the game with De’Aaron Fox and Jalen Brunson going back and forth but in the end it’s actually one of New York’s own, Kevin Huerter, who hits a clutch shot and helps seal the victory for Sacramento.
Kings 114, Knicks 109
Fan Predictions
Link to Leaderboard (Updated 2/21/24)
Physical team coached by Thibs? Expecting a loss tonight so prove me wrong Kings!
The Knicks have a defense that’s stout;
But for now it seems Randle’s still out.
Every Kings fan expects
We’ll fall prey to our hex.
Don’t give talking heads reasons to spout!
+1 Could be a wild and crazy game!
The Knicks have players that “do the little things” that a defensive oriented coach like Thibs (and maybe Mike Brown) emphasizes. (I’m thinking Coach Spo as well).
Their Trio of East Coast Wildcats (Villanova’s Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVencenzo and Jason Hart) vs Sac’s Southern Wildcats (De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk only as Trey Lyles is sidelined. The ‘Novans play a hard, intense, focused, ball hawking style that is engaging to watch and has, IMO, carried over to the their teammates. Hartenstein’s upgraded play with Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle out is an example. OG blends in and adds to that.
It’s a good taste of playoff style basketball and I’m hoping the Kings rise the hot hand with a 3rd straight win, but if they do, it will be hard fought.
If we start Ellis the Knicks forfeit three minutes into the first quarter.
Who in the NBA wants to face that defense?
This will be a good barometer game for this team. We’ll find out whether they can rise to the challenge of a strong opponent or whether they’ll wither under that opponent’s pressure. They’ve shown that they’re capable of doing either but as they prepare for the playoffs and jockey for positioning, they really can’t afford to do the latter anymore.
Rockets are going to mess around and make it into the Play In.
Over the last two games for each team, the New York Knicks lead the league in team Defensive Rating (93.5).
The team in second place? Your Sacramento Kings (101.0).
I pulled a muscle finding that stat and can be expected to miss two weeks of work.
And yes, the third-place team is the Detroit Pistons (101.4).
Badge Legend