The Sacramento Kings experienced another thriller tonight but were unable to grab the victory as they lost to the Washington Wizards by a score of 130-122.
Listed down below are the highs and lows that happened in tonight’s game for the Sacramento Kings.
HIGHS
Ball Movement: The ball movement was excellent for the Kings’ offense tonight. As a result, the Kings as a collective whole recorded 27 assists and had 6 total players record double-digit points for the night. It was expected that the chemistry between players on the Kings would improve over time, and tonight’s performance definitely supports that notion.
Darren Collison: Darren Collison played his role efficiently tonight. For the game, Collision recorded 14 points and 10 assists while shooting 5-12 from the floor. Not only was Collision able to score for himself, but he also did a solid job in getting others involved in the offense. Pretty good way to bounce back after struggling last game against the San Antonio Spurs.
Willie Cauley-Stein: Trill had himself a dandy of a game tonight. Willie’s final stat line: 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 assists on 7-12 shooting from the floor. Willie did a great job playing defense and scoring, but what made his performance go over the top was his rebounding. Willie hasn’t been very effective racking up the boards this season, but tonight’s performance shows signs of improvement that can hopefully get better going forward.
DOWNS
Stopping Washington’s Duo: The 1-2 punch of John Wall and Bradley Beal was trouble for the Kings’ defense tonight. For the game, the duo recorded 63 points, 14 rebounds, 16 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. The pair of Wall and Beal were huge for Washington throughout the game, but none more important than in the fourth quarter where they made key shots to force overtime and eventually the win.
Rebounding: No surprise, but the Wizards outrebounded the Kings by a score of 52-40 in tonight’s game. Also, in the offensive rebounding matchup, Washington was again victorious by a score of 12-8. Rebounding has been an issue for the Kings all season long as they are ranked 28th in the NBA in rebounds recorded per game (41).
Fourth Quarter: Although the Kings were playing a tough Wizards team tonight, they really missed a great opportunity to win the game. Entering the fourth quarter, the Kings had a “comfortable” 15-point lead, but again, they were unable to close as the Wizards rallied back to force overtime and eventually win the game. Yes, the Kings are a young team and will learn over time how to close games. But blowing fourth-quarter leads has been a norm for Kings fans to witness this season.