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The Sacramento Kings faced a traveling Houston Rockets team in an exciting match in Sacramento, California. The Kings have had a superb season and almost exceeded expectations with their performances.
They have a 38-40 record this season, which has landed them in the 9th spot in the Western Conference. Although they are 7.5 games behind the 8th seed, they really made a strong run for the playoffs. They have won 5 of their last 10 games, including the game against Rockets tonight, which they lost 105-130.
The Houston Rockets, on the other hand, played some great basketball to get their 50th win of the season and are just half a game ahead of the 4th placed Portland Trail Blazers. The Rockets have a 50-28 record and have won 8 of their last 10 matches.
The Houston Rockets thoroughly outperformed the Sacramento Kings in this game in a solid 130-105 win. Let us take a look at the 3 biggest talking points to come out of this entertaining match.
#3 Chris Paul has not returned to his peak
Chris Paul has been a mainstay in most discussions about the best point guards to play in the history of the game, mainly in this decade. His performances have always been extraordinary and he has led a lot of teams onto the path of victory.
He joined the Houston Rockets in a massive trade from the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2017-18 season and instantly made the Rockets a serious title contender. They won the regular season that year, with Paul playing a solid role for them.
He signed a new 4-year deal with them this season after they were unable to win last season. But he has been ravaged by a lot of injuries this season, which has restricted his season to just 54 games as of now.
Even in the games he has played, Paul has been unable to have the same impact he had on the Rockets last season. He is averaging just 15.5 points per game, his lowest for almost a decade. He is also getting just 8.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds a game.
Maybe he is saving himself for the playoffs so as to be fresh for the huge matches that are coming up soon, but it is seriously a concern for the Rockets which should worry them in the long term as they have signed an injury prone guard towards the end of his career for a lot of money. He needs to perform for the Rockets in the playoffs otherwise they do not have much of a chance.
#2 The Sacramento Kings need to become better next season
The Sacramento Kings have been one of the success stories of this season, vaulting themselves into playoff contention with their stellar performances. The Kings have a lot of players that have taken a leap this season.
De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield have taken the biggest steps towards becoming future superstars. Hield is having a career year, finally realizing his potential. He is averaging a massive 20.9 points a game, along with 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists.
He started just 13 games last season but has played and started 78 matches this season, a significant change. He has attempted just under 8 3-pointers a game and is shooting then at a 42.9%, which is one of the best percentages in the league.
De'Aaron Fox has been no different this season and has been one of their most consistent stars. His passing, vision and the speed with which he travels the court has just been absolutely marvelous.
He was one of the lesser heralded stars after the 2018 NBA draft, with some labeling him as a bust. He was averaging 11.6 points, 4.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds a game, playing a total of 73 games in his rookie year.
But in his sophomore season, Fox has become a totally different player. He is currently averaging 17.4 points, 7.3 assist and 3.8 rebounds per game, a massive leap. His shooting has become really good, going from 30% from beyond the arc to 36%.
He has started using his speed to drive and clog the lanes, opening up the perimeter for a 3 point shot and has started passing the ball out really well too. The Kings need Fox and Hield, along with Harrison Barnes and Marvin Bagley to up their game in their bid to become one of the top quality teams in the NBA.
#1 James Harden cannot be stopped
When Chris Paul and Clint Capela went down, nobody expected the Rockets to make a push for the playoffs, let alone home court advantage. But James Harden was the anomaly that ended up making all the difference in the race for the playoffs.
James Harden has been on another level this season and has led the Houston Rockets single-handedly into the top 4 of the Western Conference. The Rockets are currently in the 3rd spot with a 50-28 record and have won 8 of their last 10 games.
Harden has been averaging an absurd 36.4 points per game this season, comfortably leading the pack for his scoring title this season. He is also averaging 7.6 assists and 6.5 rebounds a game, showing his solid playmaking abilities along with his elite scoring.
Even in the game against the Sacramento Kings, Harden scored 36 points in just 29 minutes and had himself a double double, getting 10 assists as well. He had 3 rebounds as well and shot really efficiently from the field at 63.2% and 58.3% from beyond the arc.
Come playoff time, Harden needs to keep performing at this elite level and it will be really difficult for any team to stop him.
