Any Sacramento Kings fan could have predicted the final outcome of this game. The Kings were fresh off a disappointing loss to the New York Knicks, and on a back to back against the league’s best team. The Celtics were without Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, but Kings fans know that just means the loss will be a little more bitter. And for most of the game, it went to script. But how the game reached its conclusion, with Boston winning 101-100, was anything but expected.
The game started as you might have predicted. The Kings looked sloppy, and tired legs led to shots being just off. The Celtics were firmly in command, and it seemed like we were headed for another blowout loss. The Kings, to their credit, fought back. De’Aaron Fox had 20 points in the second quarter, after just a single point in the first quarter, and had the Kings within 4 points at the half.
The third quarter was a mess. The wheels came off, as the Celtics executed on both ends of the floor. The Kings threw every defensive scheme they could think of at the Celtics, but it didn’t matter. The Kings also couldn’t get any momentum on offense, as Boston’s swarming defense disrupted everything Sacramento tried to do.
By the midway point of the fourth quarter, the Kings were down 20 and the game seemed over. But then Boston pulled their starters, while Mike Brown refused to waive the white flag. And a funny thing happened, the Kings actually came back! The Kings took the lead on a De’Aaron Fox banked three, only for Xavier Tillman to score on the other end. Mike Brown called a time out with 7 seconds left.
The ball was inbounded to De’Aaron Fox, who got a defended-but-fairly-clean look at a midrange jumper. In that moment I thought it was going in, but it bounced off the rim. Keegan Murray soared in for the rebound, and attempted to put up an attempt without ever touching the ground. It also missed. Colby Jones had a final attempt, but was clobbered and missed entirely as the buzzer sounded. The whistles remained silent.
Game over.
It was a game the Kings didn’t really deserve to win, but it’s still disappointing when they came so close to stealing a much-needed win. The Kings are now tied with the Los Angeles Lakers at 44-33. The Kings hold the tiebreaker but sit on the razor’s edge, in jeopardy of falling into the bottom bracket of the play-in.
Odds and Ends
- De’Aaron Fox finished the game with 40 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal.
- Domantas Sabonis continued his double-double streak, finishing with 16 points and 16 rebounds. He fought hard, but struggled against Boston’s size, especially Kristaps Porzingis
- Porzingis finished with 20 points, second most on the Celtics. It really seems like Zinger is happy in Boston, and it’s kind of nice to see after so many years of him looking miserable everywhere he went
- Payton Pritchard led the way for Boston with 21 points. He seems to always been the guy hitting open shots to punish the Kings for over-rotating
Up Next
The Kings play the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, April 7th at 4:30 PM PT
