That game was fun. What a difference a week makes for the Sacramento Kings. After a week full of turmoil and rumors the Kings were able to string together three strong performances to improve to 4-7 on the season after a 107-101 win over the Toronto Raptors.
George Karl’s only changes to the starting line up tonight included a re-inserted Ben McLemore who was coming off his best performance of the season on Friday against the Nets, and Rudy Gay who had recovered from an illness.
DeMarcus Cousins opened the game dominating on both sides of the floor. The Kings had a sizable advantage upfront and it was evident from tip off. Kings fans have grown accustomed to Boogie’s talents on the offensive side of the ball, but tonight DeMarcus played outstanding defense.
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He was extremely effective being a rip protector and not allowing the Raptors to get any clean looks within the paint. Oh, and DeMarcus shooting three’s this year has become a thing.
DeMarcus opened the game 2/2 from distance and continues to shoot the ball well from deep. If DeMarcus is able to consistently knock down three pointers the rest of the league is in trouble.
The Kings played a strong first quarter with the only blemish being turning the ball over seven times. The first quarter ended 23-23.
Nov 15, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo (9) and forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) watch a free throw during the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Toronto Raptors 107-101. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The second quarter opened with both teams playing sloppy basketball. Unfortunately, the Kings would lose Willie Cauley-Stein to a head injury he sustained in the second quarter. He would not return to the game, but it was strictly for precautionary reasons.
DeMarcus finished the 1st half with 23 points on 3/5 from three. Rudy chipped in 11 first half points and Rajon Rondo continued to run the offense extremely well despite six turnovers. The first half ended 53-51 in favor of Sacramento.
The Kings opened the third quarter sluggish but due to the Raptors poor shooting were able to keep it close despite not playing particularly well. Kyle Lowry came alive in the quarter scoring 11 of his 22 points in the third. Turnovers continued to be a problem for the Kings. After three quarters they had combined for 16 turnovers. After a Lowry three at the buzzer, the Raptors took a 82-79 lead into the fourth.
The Raptors struggled from the field for most of this game. However, they did not struggle from distance. The Raptors as a team shot 15/31 from three. A standout player for the Raptors was former San Antonio Spur Cory Joseph. Joseph came off the bench to score 17 points on 8/10 shooting in just 25 and a half minutes of play.
With 7:27 in the fourth quarter, the Kings needed to start capitalizing on the Raptors missed shots and that’s exactly what they did. The Kings held the Raptors scoreless for the remaining 2:52 of the game. I can’t remember the last time that stat was in favor of the Kings. The Kings took care of the the basketball when they needed to and pulled out an impressive win against a good ball team.
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Some standouts from tonight’s game includes Cousins who finished with a beastly 26 points on 12/22 from the field, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. Gay also had a solid night on his return to action chipping in 27 points on 10/16 shooting. And Rondo continues to impress.
Rondo has complete control of the offense and most importantly seems to be the persistent leader on the floor. He finished the night with 7 points and 14 assists. More importantly, he only committed one turnover after the 1st quarter.
At this point in the season, DeMarcus is fourth in the NBA in scoring at 28.0 points per game, and has toiled 109 points over the last three games. Rondo sits at second in the NBA in assists at 9.5.
Next: Sacramento Proud: Kings and High School Football
The Sacramento Kings ride a three game winning streak into a five game road trip which will be a real test for this team. The Kings get a little break as they will take on the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Let’s keep this whole winning thing going.