Matt George here, the host of the daily Locked On Kings podcast, with your daily Locked On Kings newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Kings and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
The Key to Unlocking the Best Version of the Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings have shown a promising start to their season, bouncing back to a .500 record after a shaky beginning. Their recent victory over the Utah Jazz, with a decisive 113-96 scoreline, highlights a crucial discovery: the importance of outworking opponents. This mindset, emphasized by players like Kevin Huerter and De’Aaron Fox, is pivotal for the Kings to reach their full potential.
Effort and Consistency: The Foundation of Success
The Kings’ recent performances against teams like the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz underscore the significance of effort. Historically, the Kings have struggled against teams they should beat, often due to a lack of consistent effort. However, the current squad seems to have embraced a new approach, focusing on outworking their opponents. This isn’t just about trying hard; it’s about ensuring that no team, regardless of their standing, outworks them on the court.
This approach is not only about physical effort but also about mental resilience. The Kings have shown an ability to weather storms during games, maintaining leads and responding to challenges effectively. This mental toughness is crucial, especially in a league where consistency can make or break a season.
Offensive Rebounding: A Game-Changer
One area where the Kings have already seen success is offensive rebounding. By capitalizing on second-chance opportunities, they have managed to deflate their opponents’ morale. In their recent game, the Kings secured nine offensive rebounds, leading to 24 second-chance points. This ability to convert opportunities into points is reminiscent of past playoff challenges, where opponents like Kevon Looney exploited similar situations against the Kings.
The emphasis on offensive rebounding is part of a broader strategy to be disruptive. By being a constant thorn in their opponents’ side, the Kings can control the game’s tempo and force their rivals to play on their terms. This strategy, if maintained, could be the key to unlocking the best version of the Kings.
The Kings’ journey this season is about more than just individual performances. It’s about a collective mindset that prioritizes effort, consistency, and a willingness to outwork any opponent. This approach, championed by head coach Mike Brown, is about playing with the same intensity every night, regardless of the opponent. It’s about being disruptive, both mentally and physically, to gain an edge.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Sacramento Kings’ strategies and performances, tune into the Locked On Kings podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Kings Podcast:
- DeMar DeRozan’s impact and scoring consistency
- The role of De’Aaron Fox in the Kings’ success
- Kevin Huerter and Keon Ellis’ defensive contributions
San Antonio Spurs forward Rudy Gay (22) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball (2) during the second half at the Smoothie King Center|Photo by Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
You forget how high he could get. You shouldn’t, because he was in the 2008 Dunk Contest, catching mid-air bounces off the side of the stanchion from teammate (Grizzlies) Kyle Lowry and swinging the ball under the backboard, switching it between left and right hand, and windmilling it in on the first try. He got up there in regular games too, peppering his play with one-handed tomahawk dunks, slams with two hands out, true and benevolent to the basket like he was giving communion. He made many a reverse layup, his body understanding what to do when it got airborne; he pogoed up to meet lobs and erratic passes from teammates to redirect the ball deftly and from above into the basket, usually landing and turning coolly to walk lightly down the floor, mouthguard dangling.
Rudy Gay announced his retirement yesterday, a surprise to me. The Warriors waved him at the end of September and though there was no chatter after that to where he might go, the athletes who quietly persist you come to believe will go on quietly persisting.
Growing up in Baltimore, Gay was an early phenom. On the local competitive circuit he came up against Carmelo Anthony — three years his senior — and Lowry as early as middle school. Gay was named an All-American and so closely contested for by UConn and the University of Maryland that once he declared for UConn, the NCAA adopted a new scheduling rule in the wake of Connecticut paying $25,000 to schedule a game against a Baltimore AAU team with some of Gay’s former teammates.
The fanfare followed Gay through two years of college and he admits he came into the league cocky (to be fair, Gay was third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting, after Brandon Roy and Andrea Bargnani, both who he outlasted). It was Damon Stoudamire, then with the Grizzlies, who told him to watch and learn. The alchemy of bravado in basketball is a tricky thing because on one hand it’s wholly necessary as a component for success, in a league full of similarly if not more gifted and talented people. On the other, much like winning a championship, timing is everything.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis Duh. The Kings’ trade for DeMar Derozan could make the team “dangerous.” That’s according to other players around the league. In other words, get ready to light the beam more often this year. (Sacramento Bee)
Stat Last night’s win against Utah bucked a trend the team followed last season. They were outright bad in the second half of back-to-back games early last year, starting off 0-4. (Sports Illustrated)
Fantasy Basketball Impact Of The Warriors Lineup Changes
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) drives past New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) in the second quarter at the Chase Center.
|Photo by Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The NBA action on Tuesday brought significant developments that could impact fantasy basketball strategies. Here’s a detailed look at the major lineup changes, injury updates, and standout performances.
Atlanta Hawks’ Injury Crisis
The Hawks are in a tough spot with a slew of injuries affecting their guard rotation. Bogdan Bogdanovic is out for at least four weeks due to hamstring surgery, while Vít Krejčí and Dyson Daniels are also sidelined with injuries. This leaves Trae Young as the primary guard, with De’Andre Hunter and Zaccharie Risachere potentially stepping into unfamiliar roles. Fantasy managers should consider dropping Bogdanovic unless they have an injured reserve spot.
Kyle Kuzma’s Groin Strain
Kyle Kuzma’s injury situation with the Washington Wizards is concerning. Initially thought to be minor, the groin strain could sideline him for several weeks. This opens up opportunities for players like Bilal Coulibaly and Corey Kispert to see increased minutes and production. Keep an eye on these players as potential pickups in your fantasy league.
Click the button below to get the fantasy impacts of the Jazz’s lineup shakeup and a new potential Warriors star.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Kings podcasts.
DeMar DeRozan Lights the First Beam of the Sacramento Kings Season Matt George reacts to the Sacramento Kings win over the Portland Trail Blazers, which featured a very unwatchable first half followed by a great third quarter and overall solid defense.
LeBron James & Terrible Defense Kills the Sacramento Kings Matt George reacts to the Sacramento Kings loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, where LeBron James went crazy in the 4th quarter while the Kings defense completely fell apart.
The Sacramento Kings’ Winning Plays Erased by 2nd Half Mistakes Matt George reacts to the Sacramento Kings’ season opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where the Kings did so much right but were unable to close with a victory.
