The Kings are back on the road after a lengthy homestand to take on the Portland Trail Blazers in Oregon. Both teams have yet to see each other at full strength but tonight could be a better matchup as both De’Aaron Fox and Anfernee Simons are back in action after each player missed the first game between these two teams early in the season. This is Sacramento’s first game on a three game road trip, and a great opportunity to start on the right foot before heading to Atlanta on Friday.
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Tuesday, December 26th, 7:00 PM PT
Where: Moda Center, Portland, OR
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Last Time
The Kings without De’Aaron Fox withstood a nearly 40 point performance from Jerami Grant on Nov. 8th to win 121 to 118 in overtime. Domantas Sabonis led the way for the Kings with a near triple double at 27 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. Malik Monk scored 23 points off the bench with most of those points coming at the line (15-19).
Three in the Key
Back in Action
In this team’s first matchup of the season, both teams were without arguably their best players; Sacramento was without De’Aaron Fox and Portland was without Anfernee Simons. Fox is invaluable to the Kings, playing at a near MVP level, and Sacramento’s offense is much better with Fox at the helm. Simons is having a career year himself, averaging 26.9 points to lead Portland in scoring in his 10 games so far this season. Simons is Portland’s main go to option, and if the Kings can make life difficult for him, they should have a good chance to control this game. This will also be the first time the Kings get a look at Scoot Henderson, the 3rd overall pick from the 2023 draft class. Scoot hasn’t been the instant impact player that Portland had hoped, and his shooting efficiency has been awful at just 36.7% from the field and 25% from three, but it’s early in his career yet.
2nd Chance Points
The Blazers aren’t a great defensive rebounding team (28th in DRB%), but they are pretty good on the offensive glass (8th). They also lead the league in second chance points at 16.9 a game. Given that the Blazers are averaging the worst FG% in the league at .438 and a not great 3P% either at .358 (25th), keeping the Blazers from getting second chances should hopefully really limit their offensive potential. Ayton is Portland’s best offensive rebounder at 3.4 a game, but Toumani Camara (1.9), Jabari Walker (1.7) and Shaedon Sharpe (1.3) all contribute as well. The Kings thankfully, are the best team in the league at limiting second chance points, allowing only 11.6 a game.
Attack the Paint
The Blazers don’t have a ton of size in their main rotation outside of Deandre Ayton, and Ayton is hardly what you would call a rim protector, averaging just 0.7 blocks and having a reputation as more of an offensive minded player. Domantas Sabonis had no issues going right at Ayton in their last matchup, and none of the other Kings should either. Too often the Kings settle for three pointers, but I’d like to see the Kings focus on attacking the paint more, and that’s somewhere where De’Aaron Fox can do a lot of damage. The Blazers will likely assign Matisse Thybulle the honor of trying to slow Fox down, but if Fox can get past Thybulle, I’m not sure anyone else on Portland can prevent him from getting to the basket.
Prediction
The Trail Blazers hang tough with the Kings for the first half but Sacramento comes out of the halftime break on a tear and blow the game wide open to start this road trip off with a comfortable win.
Kings 126, Trail Blazers 109
Fan Predictions
Link to Leaderboard (Updated 12/3/23)
Christmas break provided a rest;
Now to Portland up in the Northwest.
Three-game trip to begin;
Start it up with a win.
Need to get back to playing our best!
+1 Trip the Blazers!
I will be at the game.
Convinced my girlfriend to join the Beam Team bandwagon with a jersey. Tonight, we beat the Blazers and make her a true Beam Team Believer.
Enjoy!
I’ll be there too! Section 332. Maybe we meet up for a photo?
We’re down within a few rows of the Kings bench (Christmas splurge). I’ll likely be rocking the Barbie jersey if anyone runs into me!
Road Trippin’ is such an uncharacteristic (but beautiful) RHCP song.
If Simons can be kept reasonably under control, and Domas beats up Ayton, we have a very winnable game.
I’m thinking Keegan starts on Sharpe, since the latter has more size, but it may begin as Huerter with Murray on Grant. Portland can score, but if you can throw a couple of dry spells at them, I look forward to a Boxing Day beam.
7 out of the next 9 teams the Kings will face have losing records this season (albeit one is the Grizzlies who now have Ja back). Would love to see the Kings go streaking and open up a little distance from the 7-11 teams in the West.
On an unrelated note, Atlanta may be shopping Dejounte. He’s a nice versatile piece on the wing that fits the timeline and isn’t on a terrible contract. Thoughts?
He’s talented as hell, but his time in Atlanta has been instructive. Can he play in an offense where he isn’t the first option, still be consistent, and not sulky? For all intents and purposes, Atlanta isn’t any better of a team than before Murray arrived, and as far as I can tell, he doesn’t play defense.
If he can be had at favorable terms, he’s worth considering. Still, it puts you on the hook for another four years after this season. Starting with or backing up Fox is enticing as a possibility, but I’d want to know where his head is at.
DM is typically a defensive stalwart on the perimeter, but he plays for the league’s worst defense.
Looks like we’ll have a full roster tonight.
I notice when using dark mode the posts that have a certain amount of likes make the text invisible against the purple background. Unless I switch to light mode, no text is visible on the background
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