Sacramento Kings: Winning Streak

Isaiah is always getting the team hyped with his play and passion.

By Ryan Rodriguez

After dispatching the Phoenix Suns, 113-106, on the second night of a home and home, the Kings can now boast a winning streak for the first time this season. I don’t care if it’s two games and that can’t really count as a streak, this is my blog and we are into taking baby steps with the team this year, so this is a two game win streak!

The best part about the game was how comfortably we won the game, as the final score does not show how in control the Kings were in the second half before the Suns made a late push. Even though we won handily, this was by no means a perfectly played game. I mean, we are still talking about the Kings here.

I will confess that I didn’t watch this game as closely as past games so I won’t waste your time with an in depth recap and analysis of which I don’t have the sufficient knowledge to do, rather I will offer up some notes on things I’ve noticed from these last 2 games.

Notes

The Kings didn’t shoot that great from the field in the last two games, but the reason they were able to top 105 twice was because they got to the foul line repeatedly. Especially last night, where they shot 32-38 from the charity stripe. Boogie Cousins leads the way with 15 attempts a game. This aggressiveness shows the team isn’t settling for jumpers and dictating the physicality of the game.

Boogie overcame a rough shooting night yesterday to still post 19 points and 12 rebounds. Cousins got called for 5 fouls last night, shocking I know, but two of them were called more on reputation than actually fouling the Suns player, so I can live with that (Plus he didn’t pick up a T after these unjust calls so there is more progress.)

Isaiah Thomas played another above-average game off the bench offensively. He had 23 points (8-13) and 4 assists and really helped push the lead to 20 in the fourth quarter. His defense was pretty suspect though, tough for the little guy to stay in front of some of the freak athletes the Suns could throw on the floor.

There has now been a Jimmer Fredette sighting in two consecutive nights. Jimmer was part of the bench unit that pushed the Kings lead in the fourth quarter and he played very well. When he and IT share the backcourt, defense is optional, but they both did their job of scoring the ball and being playmakers that kick started the offense after a rock fight of a third quarter. (On the Jimmer topic, he played over Marcus Thornton, who saw back to back DNP-Coach’s Decision. Is a trade in the making for Marcus? Or maybe the front office is having Jimmer audition for teams.)

The three- headed monster (you’re right, we can’t call them that). The three average Joes who comprise the Kings small forward rotation showed up in various forms last night. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute has done exactly what he has done his entire career, play good team basketball, while never trying to do too much and always doing the little things that are needed. It’s nice to have someone like this on the team (sorry Chuck Hayes, you’re skill level is a little to low to make much of an impact).

The Fish, John Salmons, followed up an atrocious performance on Tuesday with a surprisingly good showing on Wednesday. Two 3s and 6 boards by this guy is like getting free money, take what you can get but don’t expect more. Finally, it seemed like Travis Outlaw swapped bodies with Salmons from Tuesday because he sucked last night and I don’t want to say anything about him. If the Kings can get 2 out of 3 to play average to above average every night, it will allow us to finally start playing 5 on 5 for most of the game.

Eric Bledsoe didn’t play and the Kings still gave up 54 points to the Suns starting backcourt. What? Goran Dragic and Gerald Green probably wish they could go against the Kings’ horrible backcourt defense every night, as they looked like All Stars in the game. Green especially made the Kings his bitch, both from inside and outside the arc, regardless of who coach Malone decided to stick on him. The combination of his athleticism and outside shooting is going to give poor defenders like the Kings fits.

With that being said, the Kings bigs played solid defense, limiting the stretch 4s of the Suns, Channing Frye, Marus Morris and Markieff Morris to a combined 15 points on 6-14 shooting. This was good improvement from the night before, as the bigs showed good effort to chase these guys around.

It’s now off to LA to play the Clippers (Saturday) and the Lakers (Sunday). A split would be huge, but remember, improvement is the most important thing this year.