The Kings were forced to leave this incredible weather we have been having in Sacramento lately and journey up north to the cold tundra that is known as Toronto. The first of a three-game road trip that, on paper, looked like a respite for a serious NBA playoff team, tonight’s matchup instead had some ominous vibes entering into it. With four of Toronto’s starters out with injuries, history has warned us that this would not work in the Kings’ favor. But to hold on to that sixth seed, the Kings need every win they can get, especially the ones they should win. Let’s see how they did:
Quick Stats
Outcome: Kings win, 123-89
Sacramento Kings: 123 pts, 51.1% fg, 29.3% 3 pt, 83.3% ft, 32 ast, 53 reb, 16 to
Toronto Raptors: 89 pts, 41.3% fg, 32.3% 3 pt, 72.2% ft, 21 ast, 31 reb, 22 to
Even with a 23-point lead at the half, Kings fans knew better than to relax. The 20-point lead against a shorthanded team has been a haunting trend for Sacramento this season, often resulting in a nail-biting ending. If I had to guess, Kings fans were able to release their first breath of relief around the middle of the third quarter when the Kings busted this game wide open with a 30-point lead. By then, Toronto looked defeated, Sacramento looked dominant, and we all got to wait for the sun to go down and for the beam to be lit.
The Good, The Better, & The Best
The Good:
- Defense: It took the Kings a minute to sharpen things up on the defensive end. Early on, the Raptors got open looks from the 3-point line, where they scored their first 9 of 11 points, and enjoyed some easy back door cuts when the Kings fell asleep off the ball. But after letting the Raptors hang around for the first quarter, the Kings locked in and mucked up the Raptors’ offense. Keon Ellis, once again, led this defensive effort, setting the tone in the starting lineup. Overall, the Kings forced the Raptors into 22 turnovers and held their leading scorer, Gary Trent Jr., to just 18 points. They turned this defense into fast paced transition offense, scoring 33 points off of turnovers.
The Better:
- Second Chance Points: On the other end of the floor, when the Kings weren’t scoring in transition, they were executing patient half court offense. There were a lot of extra passes to open shooters, allowing them to tally up 32 assists. Harrison Barnes (16 points) and De’Aaron Fox (20 points) cashed in on 3 3-pointers each. And when these shots weren’t finding the bottom of the net, you would see multiple Kings’ jerseys crashing the boards and fighting for extra possessions. Domantas Sabonis led with 6 offensive boards, and Keegan Murray earned 3 extra possessions. Many of these led to easy put backs or open 3s.
- Record Setters: De’Aaron Fox finished with 2 steals tonight, making this the 14th consecutive game with a single steal, which is the longest active streak in the league. Domantas Sabonis completed his 24th triple double by the end of the third quarter with 13 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists. This also tallied as his 51st straight double double, now tied for 2nd in the league with Moses Malone. The Kings’ stars were dominant tonight and earned some more accolades, as stars do.
The Best:
- Beating a Bad Team: They did it! The Sacramento Kings beat a bad team. Like, really beat them. Not only was this much needed for morale, but with a 34-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, this allowed starters to get rest in preparation for tomorrow night’s SEGABABA. The best possible outcome for the Kings tonight was to dominate a bad team and they actually did it. And man, it feels good.
The King of Kings
Keon Ellis deserves a crown and some flowers. The Kings are now 7-0 when he is in the starting lineup and it’s becoming more apparent that this isn’t a coincidence. Ellis brought the defensive intensity early and finished with 4 steals and 1 block. It has been such a joy to watch him earn and rise to this moment, especially when it’s benefitting the Kings on the defensive end.
Up Next
Thursday, March 21st @ Washington Wizards – 4:00 P.M. (PT)
