A Royal Pain
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Highs and Lows: Sacramento Kings Rally Back To Defeat The Hawks

By Rafe Wong

Feb 10, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) defends against Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (23) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 10, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) defends against Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (23) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Sacramento Kings started the game slowly but found a way to rally back as they defeated the Atlanta Hawks tonight by a score of 108-107.

Listed down below are the highs and lows in tonight’s game pertaining to the Sacramento Kings.

HIGHS

Starting Guards: The pair of Darren Collison and Ben McLemore was the main reason why the Kings won tonight’s game. With their combined 44 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists while shooting 16-33 from the field, it helped the Kings stay alive in the game when they were down in the first three periods and eventually uplifted the team in the end.

Three-Point Shooting: The perimeter shooting was hot for the team in baby blue tonight. For the game, the Kings shot an impressive 18-36 (50%) from the perimeter, a new season-high for the team in three-point shots made in a game. The Kings’ ability to make perimeter shots tonight was key. With DeMarcus Cousins struggling throughout most of the game, the Kings relied on the three-point shot for their offensive production and it worked.

Bench Play: The reserves for the Kings recorded totals of 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, which was a big factor for the Kings in winning tonight’s game. Sacramento’s bench has been a plus for the entire season. When the situations come where the starters put the team in a hole, the bench steps up and at the very least helps the team remain competitive throughout the entire four quarters.

LOWS

Starting Slow: The Sacramento Kings won tonight’s game, but the victory wasn’t easy due to the team struggling badly throughout most of the contest. To start the game, the Kings trailed the Hawks 28-17 after the first quarter, trailed 59-43 at halftime, and trailed as much as 22 points in the third quarter. The Kings have showcased a notorious trend this season. They start games very slow, but as the games have progressed, they instantly find a way to spark back into these games for a potential comeback. Kings fans hope going forward that their team can one day play efficiently for a full 48 minutes.

Turnovers: Turnovers continue to be the bane of the Kings’ offense as the team collectively recorded 18 turnovers tonight. Sacramento’s offense has been running smooth for the last month, but turnovers have continued to stagnant it at times. It’s an issue that must be solved going forward if the Kings want to keep on winning games.

Free-Throw Shooting: The Kings struggled tonight in their opportunities to score “free” points. For the game, the Kings only shot 14-21 (66.7%) from the free-throw line. For the season, the Kings have been a decent free-throw shooting team as they have made 77.9% of their total shots from the charity stripe, but it wasn’t their friend tonight.

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