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Lakers 117, Kings 92: A tale as old as time

A good start turned into a complete meltdown in the blink of an eye. For these Sacramento Kings, that's just business as usual.
By | 17 Comments | Nov 30, 2021

November 30, 2021; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots the basketball against Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (15) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

The Kings get off to a surprisingly good start and are holding a decent lead against a better team.  Then the second half starts and the other team comes out strong and the Kings fold.  Not only do they fold, they completely collapse, and what had been a competitive game turns into a blowout loss.

That’s been the story too many times already this season, and for the past few seasons.  There wasn’t anything particularly special about tonight’s collapse that isn’t consistent with many other games.  I’m sorry if you were hoping for a more traditional recap (Here’s a link to the box score, Richaun played well, Metu had moments, everyone else sucked), but I’d rather talk about this team’s deeper issues as they keep rearing their head over and over again.

Luke Walton was not a good coach, but even a good coach would be hard pressed to make this team give a shit.  There’s no leader here. Not De’Aaron Fox.  Not Tristan Thompson. Not Alvin Gentry. Not Monte McNair.  Definitely Not Buddy Hield.

This is a team that has fun when things come easy, as we saw in the first half tonight.  When another team is making mistakes, or when the shots are going down, this team is excited and hyped and having a grand, old time.  In the first half alone we saw a ton of transition opportunities for the Kings, and quite a few alley-oops to Richaun Holmes and Chimezie Metu.  Everyone was smiles then.

But then the going gets tough.  The other team stops making mistakes.  Guys like Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis buckle down and get their team buckets.  Suddenly it isn’t as easy to get to the rim or dribble.  And the Kings fold. They don’t have any fight in them.  They settle for jumpers.  The ball movement disappears.  The momentum shifts, and in the blink of an eye a double digit lead becomes a double digit deficit becomes yet another loss.

And the even bigger problem?  Everyone’s still all smiles.  Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson are yucking it up with Anthony Davis.  De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk are reminiscing about the Kentucky days.  We’ve heard all the excuses before in the post-game pressers, and we’ll likely hear them again after tonight.  But this team doesn’t really care, or else we’d see it.  Instead, it’s the same shit, different day.

It’s easy to see why so many fans are tuning out and why the Golden 1 Center looks less full than when there were cardboard cutouts in the arena last season.  If the players and team don’t care, why should the fans?  Fans are well past frustrated and angry anymore.  Instead, many are just apathetic, and that’s a harder path to come back from.  It’s hard to blame them though.

If the plan is to build around this core to get back to the promised land, I’d argue the whole premise is flawed at this point.  Monte McNair has resisted making wholesale changes throughout his tenure so far, but enough is enough.  This team needs a shake up and not just a shuffling of the deck chairs on the Titanic.  Nobody should be off the table.  Nobody deserves to be.

That’s enough from me tonight.  Enjoy the rest of your night/day.  Try not to let this dumb basketball team get you too riled up like it clearly did with me.

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sonny
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December 1, 2021 12:24 am

That’s how we should fan now. Show our disgust by wearing shirts with the puking fan.

I’ll buy 5 shirts.

just don’t let ManilaBayCrew wear one with the PUKE word.
it’s the word for p___sy in Filipino…. or so I heard!

Roaddog
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December 1, 2021 4:40 am

We lose by 20+. what’s it take to get a look at Neemias Queta? 30+?

Ialmostmissthemaloofs
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December 1, 2021 6:49 am

Nothing to see here. Move along.
This is how it’s been for 16 or 17 years… and it’s how it will be for the next decade as long as Rana-diva owns the team. But you know that, so it’s not even worth talking about anymore.

Kosta
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December 1, 2021 8:29 am

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Kosta
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December 1, 2021 8:30 am
Reply to  Kosta

Not advocating for Charlie Brown getting the last laugh by running up and kicking Lucy instead of the football, but man this is painful.

Hobby916
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December 1, 2021 6:57 am

It’s like these players need a coach that will hold them accountable, someone like Dave Joerger or Michael Malone…

Klam
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Nostradumbass 18
Nostradumbass 19
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December 1, 2021 7:07 am
Reply to  Hobby916

Sadly, when it appeared that those coaches got the team to be turning a corner they got canned…

Hobby916
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December 1, 2021 3:04 pm
Reply to  Klam

Yup, and here we are…

HongKongKingsFan
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December 1, 2021 7:45 am

I am starting to think

It would be a even better and fun match up if we got the Stockton Kings (featuring Queta, E. Terry, Ramsey, Woodard, King) against the Fakers / Clippers instead of the Sacramento Kings..

No one can save this team………..

1951
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December 1, 2021 8:01 am

Man, am I glad that the Kings have never tanked!

Hippity_Hop_Barbershop
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December 1, 2021 8:02 am

I’ll buy this team for fifty cents.
They’re only worth two quarters.

Kosta
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December 1, 2021 8:15 am

I see what you did there!

Kosta
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December 1, 2021 8:15 am

Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends (Kings vs L*kers)
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly expectedly
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Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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December 1, 2021 8:32 am

Fox took just 9 shots in 36 minutes, which is less than Metu took. Hell, TD took 9 shots in just 15 minutes. I think someone has given up and it’s pretty easy to read his body language right now.

How long before the trade demand happens and Monte is forced to take pennies on the dollar for Fox? My prediction: Fox to New Orleans for Satoransky, Murphy III, Hart and a lottery protected first that eventually conveys as two 2nd rounders.

Carl
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December 1, 2021 10:36 am

The idiot coach is gone. No one left to blame.

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30 win pace a quarter of the way through the season. We’re well past time to stop tinkering around and make a move. If this dude sits around and doesn’t do anything again over the deadline and offseason, I don’t see him working in Sacramento this time next year.

Last edited 2 years ago by Carl
L-Train3.1
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December 1, 2021 10:54 am

Akis is right. It’s time to reset again. Dearest DeMarcus has been gone for a long time now. Dearest D’Aaron has done even less than Cousins.

At this juncture, the Simmons trade and everything else should be on the table.

ScottyPop
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December 1, 2021 11:43 am

.

Last edited 2 years ago by ScottyPop

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