Rights and Wrongs: Sacramento Kings Beat Bulls, 104-98
By Rafe Wong
This article will feature what went right and wrong for the Sacramento Kings in their win over the Chicago Bulls.
The Sacramento Kings were able to pull out a victory tonight against the Chicago Bulls by a score of 104-98. Scroll down below to see the main ups and downs that the powder blue and red experienced during the contest.
Down #1: Bad Start
The Kings had to rally back in order to win tonight’s game. The main reason why? They trailed 28-9 to end the first quarter. The beginning stage of this game was horrible for the Kings. For 12 straight minutes, the team could not make their open shots, were forcing unnecessary turnovers, and had no energy while on the court.
Fortunately, Sacramento had three quarters to come back. But still, a shorthanded Bulls squad absolutely had their way with the Kings for a good portion of the game.
Up #1: The Rising Stars
The pair of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield were significant to the Kings’ rally. Especially in the second half, both players were able to showcase their potential as their shot-making ability and basketball IQ shined.
For the game, Bogdanovic recorded 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists while Hield finished with 11 points on 3-7 shooting from the perimeter.
Down #2: Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine was an absolute monster tonight. As the Kings made they way back in the game, LaVine put the Bulls on his back and almost single-handedly kept his team alive until the final minutes of the match. For the night, LaVine finished with 27 points on 9-18 shooting from the court.
Up #2: Goerge Hill
George Hill was able to step up as the Kings were thin at point guard in the later stages of the game. The nine-year veteran had a solid performance shooting the ball as well setting up his teammates for scores. In the end, he recorded 14 points and five assists.
Down #3: Perimeter Defense
Chicago’s perimeter shooting help significantly in their offensive success. For the match, the team totaled for 14 three-pointers made out of their 36 attempts (39% shooting). Players behind this success were Zach LaVine and Justin Holiday as they combined for eight shots made from the area out of their 15 attempts.
Up #3: Robin Lopez
Robin Lopez’s mental meltdown was arguably the highlight of the game. In the second quarter, Lopez had a strong disagreement with some of the calls the referees were making, and as a result, it led to him erupting to the crowd’s enjoyment. Due to his emotional explosion, two technical fouls were given to him within seconds, and he was forced to leave the court.
The Kings were showing some life prior to the event, but Lopez’s ejection sparked the crowd and eventually the Kings, in my mind. Plus, it was a big loss for the Bulls as the game went on as his defensive presence in the paint was greatly missed.