Sacramento Kings’ Rookies Excel, But Fall To Thunder 106-101
By Rafe Wong
The youth for the Sacramento Kings shined tonight but fell short to the Oklahoma City Thunder by a score of 106-101.
Game Summary
The first quarter of the game was not fun to watch as both teams were unable to play efficiently on offense. To end the period, the Thunder scored only 19 points while shooting 32% from the floor. As for the Kings, they only scored 16 points as they made just 27% of their shots. The only good players in the period were Carmelo Anthony (nine points) for the Thunder and De’Aaron Fox (five points/three assists) for the Kings.
The second period was much better for both squads as they were able to make their baskets at a higher clip and take care of the basketball. For the Thunder, Paul George was the main guy for them as he recorded 11 points in the quarter. For the Kings, it was more of a collective effort as everyone who stepped on the hardwood was able to score. The Kings played a lot better than they did in the first but still found themselves trailing 46-40 going into halftime.
No matter how well the Thunder played, they could not sperate themselves from the Kings. Oklahoma City’s big three was solid during the third quarter, but the Kings would answer back immediately behind the play of Justin Jackson and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Sacramento was able to silence the crowd as they outscored Oklahoma City 39-38 for the period, giving the purple and white a 79-78 lead going into the fourth.
Despite the Kings being on top to start the fourth, the Thunder showcased their real star power. Behind the play of Russell Westbrook, the Thunder heated up offensively as they shot 58% for the period. The Kings continued to fight and keep the game close but just could not keep up with Oklahoma City when crunch time was in session. A valiant effort, but Sacramento fell 106-101 in the end.
Final Thoughts
Not the results the Kings wanted, but the way they played tonight was encouraging. The team was a lot more active compared to yesterday’s outing against the Nuggets and the youth of the Kings showed more signs of improvement in their games.
For this group, guys that stood out were Bogdan Bogdanovic as he recorded 19 points and eight rebounds, Justin Jackson who scored 15 points, and De’Aaron Fox who finished with 11 points and 10 assists.
As long as the young guys are getting better for the Kings, there is not too much to complain about. In my opinion, it is the MAIN goal for this season.
Wednesday night will be the next time the Kings hit the hardwood as they will face off against the Miami Heat.