A Royal Pain
Fansided

Sacramento Kings get back on track with dominating win over Detroit

ByJonathan Roberts|
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 10: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Reggie Bullock #25 of the Detroit Pistons at Golden 1 Center on January 10, 2019 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 10: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Reggie Bullock #25 of the Detroit Pistons at Golden 1 Center on January 10, 2019 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

In the midst of a 1-4 start to the new year, the Sacramento Kings got back in their groove tonight against the Detroit Pistons.

While Detroit was without their best player in Blake Griffin, the Sacramento Kings got it done at home tonight, topping the Pistons 112-102. While the score seems relatively close, the Kings took an early lead and never looked back.

Taking an early 8-2 lead, the Kings continued to build their advantage with Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox combining for 15 of the Kings’ first 24 points. The Sacramento Kings would end the quarter and continue their run through the rest of the half, eventually going up 20 before ending the half up 65-48.

The second-half, however, was a different story—same ending. The Pistons came out in the second-half and kept pace, outscoring the Kings 54-47 over the final two frames. Fortunately for Sacramento, their 17-point halftime lead proved insurmountable, as the Pistons couldn’t keep the Kings down and fell, 112-102.

More from A Royal Pain

Player of the Game — Willie Cauley-Stein: 14 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two blocks on 5-10 shooting (team-high +17 in 25 minutes)

Now THAT is a game! Not only that, but it truly seems like Willie Cauley-Stein may be turning a corner to becoming a legitimately above-average starting center. Since Dec  30, Willie is averaging 11.8 points and 10.5 rebounds in seven games.

While his defense is still suspect at times and his rim-protecting is lacking, his seemingly nonchalant attitude about hitting the boards crippled this team at times. However, when Cauley-Stein is active on the glass, the Sacramento Kings are hard to beat, as Sactown Royalty’s Tim Maxwell shows here:

Pretty good numbers, no? Let’s see if he can keep it going when the Kings face the Hornets on Saturday.

Sequence of the Game — De’Aaron Fox block leads to Buddy Hield transition three

Normally this is just ‘Play of the Game’, but this sequence of play was just too amazing to pass up. After Hield turns it over, Fox is quick to get back on defense and swats Reggie Bullock’s layup attempt off the backboard, leading to a Buddy Hield three in transition.

Absolute perfection.

Stat of the Game — Seven Players in double figures

Yes, you read that correctly. The Sacramento Kings had seven players score in double-figure tonight—with nobody scoring more than 18. Four of the Kings starters scored in double-figures (Iman Shumpert, Fox, Hield and Cauley-Stein), with Marvin Bagley III, Harry Giles III and Yogi Ferrell also scoring 10 or more off the bench.

Solid game all-around and it led to no King playing more than 29 minutes (Buddy Hield).

Lines of the Night — Harry Giles, Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox

Taking a que from Josh Eberly, we’re gonna start highlighting only three players’ stat-lines and it’ll be called ‘Lines of the Night’, starting with Buddy Hield.

Buddy Hield led the Sacramento Kings in scoring tonight with 18 points, but didn’t do much else-grabbing just two rebounds. He also had the turnover that led to tonight’s ‘Sequence of the Game’, but that’s maybe not something to be proud of. Still, Buddy shot 8-13 from the floor and led Sacramento in scoring with a win. Not much to complain about here.

De’Aaron Fox had a quiet game by his standards, but went 5-8 from the floor, en route to a 12-point, five-rebound and six-assist night—while also chipping in a steal and block. Fox and Hield were also tied for the team-high in plus/minus tonight, with both posting a plus-17.

Harry Giles is here, folks. After struggling much of the first-half of the season—bounding from the NBA and D-League, Giles had a breakout game in contest no. 42 on the year. In 23 minutes of play, Giles scored 14, had four rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. He also had five turnovers and four fouls, but this a huge step in the right direction for the rookie big.

Next Up: Sacramento Kings (21-21) at Charlotte Hornets (19-21) on Saturday, Jan. 12.

Home/Kings News

Schedule