Sacramento Kings: Grading Marvin Bagley’s First Start
By Rafe Wong
The Sacramento Kings’ prized rookie in Marvin Bagley III made his first start yesterday against the Toronto Raptors. How did the rookie do during that game?
The Sacramento Kings were unable to defeat the Toronto Raptors yesterday as they lost by a score of 120-105. Overall, the Kings were just outmatched from the get-go. But even though the purple and white did not have a good game, their prized rookie in Marvin Bagley III did.
Reviewing Marvin’s Night
Due to the Kings having guys like De’Aaron Fox, Nemanja Bjelica, and Iman Shumpert sidelined yesterday, Dave Joerger granted Bagley his first start to his young career. For the game, Bagley was able to record a stat line of 22 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks. He also was able to make 50% of his shots (10-20) from the floor as well.
Offensively, Bagley was able to have his way against guys like Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakam, and Greg Monroe. Due to the rookie utilizing his motor and athleticism, he was able to get buckets whether it was creating his own shot or being the beneficiary from good guard play.
As a defender, I also thought Bagley did a good job. Even though he did not play lockdown defense, he was definitely active enough to make guys uncomfortable whether it was guarding his assignments or getting switched over to guards. Even against bigger and stronger competition, Bagley was still able to grab 11 rebounds and block the ball twice.
Grading Marvin’s Night
In my opinion, Marvin Bagley was definitely one of the better players for Sacramento last night, so as a result, I will give him a B. In terms of fulfilling his role, I thought Marvin did a great job as he scored and rebounded the ball at an efficient rate. The only reason I did not give him an A was that he did not do anything over the top of what he was expected to do.
Kings fans, what do you think about my report card for Marvin Bagley’s first NBA start? Do you think he should remain in the starting five going forward? To express your thoughts on the matter, feel free to comment on our website, Facebook page, or Twitter account.