Mar 25, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles the ball against Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
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Lyles and Ellis are playing well. Huerter is just bad. I know the options are limited on the current roster, but they might be better playing Isaac or Colby
Serious question. Why does Alex Len play? Five minutes and -12? And from watching him as a season ticket holder, I have not seen anything that resembles something that helps our team (yes we NEED to address this position). But I would take what I have seen from Isaac Jones any and every day before Alex Len.
The point guard, Fox, has the ball essentially every possession. If the point guard does not run an offense or move the ball to create opportunities to score that team loses.
I get the frustration with Fox but he’s never really been that kind of point guard. I was surprised to see that he’s 18th in the league in assists, which isn’t bad on a team with a point center in Domas. To be fair, he’s also 11 of 14 in this game and his 31 points are the difference between hanging around and getting blown out.
I’m personally feeling ready for the Kings to move Fox. I just find complaining about Fox’s lack of assists to be a relatively arbitrary complaint in a game where he’s 13 of 16.
I got you. And I regularly think the same thing, particularly when he insists on dribbling into traffic and the opposing team just knows they don’t need to defend the perimeter because he will almost always force up a shot no matter what.
Fox was terrific executing late in the game, on offense and on defense. Played a major role in the win.
Keon hit a huge 3 late to bring the game to a single possession game. That was an excellent shot after very good ball movement to find Keon wide open for the shot.
Fox was fouled and tripped dribbling across the lane late in the game on intentional contact by a 76’er. If the ref makes the correct call that puts the 76’ers in the penalty.
The Kings must give Keon Ellis more minutes. He is clearly the Kings best defensive player. Good things happen when he is on the court. Mike Brown couldn’t recognize Keon’s value.
Absolutely. Im glad someone recognizes that. Keon had everyone playing defense the last few minutes of the game. Even no defense DeMar got into the action. But Keon’s help defense is outstanding. Keon must finish games. His defense is more valuable than being the fifth option on offense. I haven’t looked up the stats but the eye test tells me that Keon leads the team in +/- points
Fox with 14 points in the 4th quarter and he played steering defense late in the game forcing the 76ers to their right and away from Paul George before he fouled out.
Sixers hit some ridiculous shots vs incredible defense tonight, i think those start going our way if they keep playing like this, they are busting their ass for coach DC
38 minutes for Keon. The most for him all season (second highest: 33). His career high was 39 minutes in the GS Play-In game in April.
I’m looking at Lyles’ and Keon’s minutes through this season. No wonder players were inconsistent for MB – they must have had no idea what to expect from game to game. Dude’s minutes allocations were all over the map.
That’s my point. Of course, they had to play Lyles a lot with Keegan out. But he’s had games of 6, 7, 11, 11, and 13 minutes this year, along with games of 41, 38, and 35 minutes when DeMar and Domas were hurt. He must have had no clue when he had fallen out of favor with Brown.
Murray’s problem has been DeMar DeRozan. Keegan was 3rd option starting games last year with Malik coming off the bench. Now Keegan is the fifth option on offense with Malik starting. I will give him credit trying to play defense. Keegan is not a four. The Kings problem is defense and size. DeMar is a one on one offensive player who plays no defense. DeMar DeRozan was a bad signing when no other team wanted him. DeMar would be better suited coming off the bench as instant offense. The Kings have enough offense. They led the league in offense two years ago.
Keegan was a catch and shoot player on D until his role was expanded and he is adapting to shooting on the move and in the flow of ball movement. He is too hard a worker to not grow his game. And, as you point out DDR’s game has impacted Murray’s shots. We have seen Doug bring DDR to the bench in the last two games. I think DDR will be playing some second team minutes as Doug works on rotations.
Kings need Lyles to stay healthy or to acquire another equally good or better PF (for Huerter & change or DDR & change) so Keegan can play SF (with limited minutes at the 4 in small ball lineups).
I still don’t love the aura of instability that firing Mike Brown creates. But damn, Doug Christie’s rotations are significantly better so far. My only complaint was 9 minutes given to his fellow Doug, but at least McDermott wasn’t an open wound on defense tonight.
This was a good win for the Kings. They finished the game on a 15-0 run. It was impressive considering Tyrese Maxey who had a few game winning shots this season. The Kings usually blow it at the end of games by not finishing especially in Mike Brown’s last game. Getting stops at the end of games usually results in a win. Doug’s rotations are clearly better than Mike Brown’s were.
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Keegan officially out. Keon Ellis starting in his place.
Solid choice against the Sixers with their injuries.
Aight Keon you’ve been hyped up so much lately. Don’t F it up lol
Defensive energy is high with Keon starting. Nice to see for a change
Nice start. Now give me 48
PG13 cooking Huerter
You think our broadcast team is bad you should hear Kate Scott. My goodness.
There might not be a more useless player in the league than Huerter
Never been a fan of his. He seems like he should always be better than he is.
Alex Len has something to say about that.
Kevin Hurting is Hurting the Kings big-time on both ends.
I’m done watching this game. I can’t watch dumb basketball anymore. Turnover then foul on 3 point shooter to end quarter.
1st quarter started well, didn’t end up too good.
Stop giving up 30 point quarters.
Are they really missing Keegan’s D on Paul George?
Yes
Just the dumb turnovers…..
Eric Gordon burns the Kings every time it seems…
We started four guards. I’m starting to believe the story about Doug Christie being in charge of substitutions under Mike Brown.
Derozan is a SF. Hasn’t played guard in several years.
Also, Sixers started 3 guards, PG13, and Yabusele. The sizes were comparable for both teams.
Held them to 3 points the last 2 1/2 minutes of that quarter to keep them under 30. More of this. Please!
Limit PG13 and you have a chance. LFG
Lyles and Ellis are playing well. Huerter is just bad. I know the options are limited on the current roster, but they might be better playing Isaac or Colby
Kings are being careless with the ball.
Serious question. Why does Alex Len play? Five minutes and -12? And from watching him as a season ticket holder, I have not seen anything that resembles something that helps our team (yes we NEED to address this position). But I would take what I have seen from Isaac Jones any and every day before Alex Len.
He was solid last year, but like many of the other role players this season, he looks bad. It’s an epidemic.
Len looks slower and less mobile overall.
Huerter is absolutely terrible. They wide open pass as Sabonis’s shoes.
Three quarters and two assists for Fox.
That is losing basketball at any level.
Fox could have pushed it and gotten into the paint with 30 seconds left. At least he hasn’t gone 1/8 from three.
Average teams will fall back to smart basketball to win. We do not have that to fall back on.
How important is it for specific players to have assists? If the team has 21 assists in a game, does it matter if Fox has 2 and others have more?
More even assist numbers from the team means more ball movement?
The point guard, Fox, has the ball essentially every possession. If the point guard does not run an offense or move the ball to create opportunities to score that team loses.
Stuff stats or play team basketball.
Bibby didn’t have many assists on some night due to the way Vlade and Webber passed the ball.
Some nights back in 1999.
Every night in 2024 and 2025 (so far).
I get the frustration with Fox but he’s never really been that kind of point guard. I was surprised to see that he’s 18th in the league in assists, which isn’t bad on a team with a point center in Domas. To be fair, he’s also 11 of 14 in this game and his 31 points are the difference between hanging around and getting blown out.
He needs to play with another point guard and basically be the two.
To be fair, if he had five more assists we would be up by four.
Then get on Keon and Lyles for not making the shots when Fox passed them the ball.
Right. If Keon makes two more of his open 3’s, we’re tied right now.
Pass him the ball more often and statistically he makes more shots. Hard when the ball does not move.
They actually have been seeking him out much more than normal tonight.
3-8 from 3pt land tonight. More than his season average of 3.1 3pt shots.
The team matters. That team includes Fox and his leadership on the floor.
He can’t make other guys make shots when he passes them the ball.
I cannot make anyone else see the game the way I see it. He is a player that will not play off the ball and he is shoot first and pass last.
I get the Fox frustration, but he’s really not the reason the Kings are losing.
Assists are part of the problem.
They happen to be winning. I am watching the game. You and Hobby are searching for old coaches.
I’m personally feeling ready for the Kings to move Fox. I just find complaining about Fox’s lack of assists to be a relatively arbitrary complaint in a game where he’s 13 of 16.
Not complaining. Observing the game and how he impacts the game.
I got you. And I regularly think the same thing, particularly when he insists on dribbling into traffic and the opposing team just knows they don’t need to defend the perimeter because he will almost always force up a shot no matter what.
He scored a bunch in the fourth and it worked out. For consistent wins I think he should focus on helping his team beat a defense by moving the ball.
Pass it more to Huerter who was 1 for 8 tonight or to Monk who was 0 for 5 from three tonight.
I think Fox would better serve this team if he created opportunities for his team.
But that’s not how the Kings offense is generally ran. Monk and Domas have the ball an equal amount of time in the half court offense.
It’s a pleasure having basketball conversations with you. Hey, how is MMalone doing?
The opponent takes away the fast break and this team does not know what to do.
When will refs be replaced by AI robot ref. These zebra feces stink
Why is Huerter in the game?
Lets go Demar!
Love that Keon is in to close the game.
Need him for defense and hopefully a shot or two in these moments.
1 more stop let’s go
It can happen.
Burning clock and controlling the possession like a real NBA team.
Man Fox keeps fumbling it. Really bad handle down the stretch.
Need to run the offense through Sabonis.
Fox’s first instinct is dribble, run fast, and shoot. Not the guy for this type of basketball at this point in the game.
Fox has 6.3 APG this season, which leads the team. Domas is 2nd with 6.1 APG. Does Fox need 8 per game? 10?
I would love it if he had ten a game.
The Kings won and Fox had a great run in the fourth.
He would have had 11 or 12 if a few of the long 3’s that rimmed in and out went down.
Fox was terrific executing late in the game, on offense and on defense. Played a major role in the win.
Keon hit a huge 3 late to bring the game to a single possession game. That was an excellent shot after very good ball movement to find Keon wide open for the shot.
Fox was fouled and tripped dribbling across the lane late in the game on intentional contact by a 76’er. If the ref makes the correct call that puts the 76’ers in the penalty.
OK Fox. Don’t let them tie it up.
That steal from DeRozan will do it.
Fox got is in this one in the fourth. Hoping he does not play us out of it either.
Light the Beam!!!
Did not have DeRozan on my bingo card as the defensive stopper there
We did it. Three blah quarters then they play when it matters.
Not amazing but it is a win. That is the goal.
The Kings must give Keon Ellis more minutes. He is clearly the Kings best defensive player. Good things happen when he is on the court. Mike Brown couldn’t recognize Keon’s value.
He literally had some games where he just didn’t play Keon at all. Keon led all Kings with 38 minutes tonight. He’s a major contributor to this win.
He has the best net rating and +/- on the team (of those actually in the rotation) this season.
LIGHT THE BEAM!!!!!!!
Need to clean up the turnovers and making 3’s more consistently.
Credit to Doug for riding with Keon. Some good D in the 4th quarter saved us.
Absolutely. Im glad someone recognizes that. Keon had everyone playing defense the last few minutes of the game. Even no defense DeMar got into the action. But Keon’s help defense is outstanding. Keon must finish games. His defense is more valuable than being the fifth option on offense. I haven’t looked up the stats but the eye test tells me that Keon leads the team in +/- points
He does. And net rating. About 9 points better than Huerter
Fox with 14 points in the 4th quarter and he played steering defense late in the game forcing the 76ers to their right and away from Paul George before he fouled out.
Very good game for Fox.
Keegan is replaceable.
All of huerter and dougs minutes going to keegan makes us WAY better
Sixers hit some ridiculous shots vs incredible defense tonight, i think those start going our way if they keep playing like this, they are busting their ass for coach DC
Start fox, monk, keegs, domas, and keon.
38 minutes for Keon. The most for him all season (second highest: 33). His career high was 39 minutes in the GS Play-In game in April.
I’m looking at Lyles’ and Keon’s minutes through this season. No wonder players were inconsistent for MB – they must have had no idea what to expect from game to game. Dude’s minutes allocations were all over the map.
Tonight’s minutes played for Keon and Lyles are anomalies for the year. Not something anyone expected.
That’s my point. Of course, they had to play Lyles a lot with Keegan out. But he’s had games of 6, 7, 11, 11, and 13 minutes this year, along with games of 41, 38, and 35 minutes when DeMar and Domas were hurt. He must have had no clue when he had fallen out of favor with Brown.
I know. We agree on the inconsistent rotations. That is why I wrote that. Tonight was not consistent with anything. It was an anomaly.
Might be the beginning of a predictable pattern.
Murray is going to break loose under Doug.
That’s my hope, too. I loved what Doug had to say about Keegan in the pregame show. Boost that guy’s confidence, Doug!
I listened to it and agree, Doug can teach Keegan a lot about playing with controlled intensity.
Murray’s problem has been DeMar DeRozan. Keegan was 3rd option starting games last year with Malik coming off the bench. Now Keegan is the fifth option on offense with Malik starting. I will give him credit trying to play defense. Keegan is not a four. The Kings problem is defense and size. DeMar is a one on one offensive player who plays no defense. DeMar DeRozan was a bad signing when no other team wanted him. DeMar would be better suited coming off the bench as instant offense. The Kings have enough offense. They led the league in offense two years ago.
Keegan was a catch and shoot player on D until his role was expanded and he is adapting to shooting on the move and in the flow of ball movement. He is too hard a worker to not grow his game. And, as you point out DDR’s game has impacted Murray’s shots. We have seen Doug bring DDR to the bench in the last two games. I think DDR will be playing some second team minutes as Doug works on rotations.
Kings need Lyles to stay healthy or to acquire another equally good or better PF (for Huerter & change or DDR & change) so Keegan can play SF (with limited minutes at the 4 in small ball lineups).
And, yes, staggering DDR and MM more so Keegan can be the 3rd or 4th option on O rather than the 4th or 5th might help him and the team.
I still don’t love the aura of instability that firing Mike Brown creates. But damn, Doug Christie’s rotations are significantly better so far. My only complaint was 9 minutes given to his fellow Doug, but at least McDermott wasn’t an open wound on defense tonight.
I think Doug used McDermott to match up against Eric Gordon. I think it worked a little on the defensive end.
Yeah, I was thinking the same: slow old guy vs slow old guy.
This was a good win for the Kings. They finished the game on a 15-0 run. It was impressive considering Tyrese Maxey who had a few game winning shots this season. The Kings usually blow it at the end of games by not finishing especially in Mike Brown’s last game. Getting stops at the end of games usually results in a win. Doug’s rotations are clearly better than Mike Brown’s were.
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