Sacramento Kings Defend Their Home In Win Against Blazers
By Rafe Wong
The Sacramento Kings looked to end their three-game losing streak tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers. Scroll down below to see how Sacramento fared this evening.
The Sacramento Kings were able to earn the victory tonight as they defeated the Portland Trail Blazers by a score of 86-82.
Game Summary
For tonight, Dave Joerger decided to switch the starting five up as he opted for a lineup of De’Aaron Fox, George Hill, Garrett Temple, Skal Labissiere, and Zach Randolph to start the game.
Whether it was the change in the lineup or the wake-up call they received in Atlanta, the Kings started solid out the gate. The offense continued to struggle in making shots but their defense was active, resulting in trailing just 20-19 after one.
In the second quarter, it was a similar story. The Kings found some momentum scoring the ball behind their second unit and their defense remained to suffocate the Blazers which led to a 42-41 lead for Sacramento going into halftime.
The script continued in the third quarter which resulted in the match being tied going into the final period. The game remained competitive throughout the fourth quarter as both squads traded off scores and defensive stops, but in the end, the Kings were able to hang on behind the excellent performance by Willie Cauley-Stein on both ends of the court.
Top Performers
Top performers for the Blazers tonight were Damian Lillard who recorded 29 points and four assists, Ed Davis who recorded six points and eight rebounds, and C.J. McCollum who scored 19 points.
Players who stood out for the Kings were George Hill who finished with 14 points and five assists, Garrett Temple who scored 14 points and stole the ball three times, and Willie Cauley-Stein who scored 22 points and notched 10 rebounds.
Final Thoughts
Tonight was a rare sighting for the Kings. In the past, Sacramento has been able to show spurts of good defense in games, but tonight it was on display for the complete 48 minutes. As a result, Sacramento allowed Portland to score just 82 points while shooting 37% from the floor and 28% beyond the perimeter.
It is a bit of a stretch, but if the Kings are able to display a similar type of defense like tonight on a nightly basis, they will be more competitive as the season goes on despite what they produce offensively.
Overall, a great night for the Kings as their record improves to 4-11 for the season. But their celebration will have to be cut short as they will immediately travel to Portland as they have a date with the same Blazers team tomorrow night.