Recent losses show Sacramento Kings need to make a defense a priority next season

After a series of brutal losses, including a flat-out embarrassment to the Brooklyn Nets, the Sacramento Kings must make defense a priority next season

It seems so long ago the Sacramento Kings kicked off their 2018-19 season with an incredibly surprising start that had the team far exceeding expectations.

The wins were adding up at a rate that would surpassed the predictions set by the experts, fans and even us. But, it starts where it always does: with defense. Sacramento hasn’t been a defensive-minded team over the last decade-plus. This year the Sacramento Kings took the approach of staying in front of the ball from day one, but they slipped as the season progressed, and Brooklyn Nets game last week proved we have work to do.

Iman Shumpert was the team’s best defender, used to lockdown anyone scoring, while the majority of the squad was at least average. The concept would be team defense to offset the height advantage most opponents have over our players, the switching worked with everyone knowing their roles and assignments.

More from A Royal Pain

• 3 Ways Chris Duarte improves the Kings chances in 2023-24
• 5 Players the Sacramento Kings never should have signed
• Bleacher Report crazily lists Kings’ All-Star as “most overrated NBA player”
• Kings and Heat fans clash on Twitter to debate All-Star players
• Sacramento Kings’ Chris Duarte playing in 2023 FIBA World Cup

Buddy Hield can hold his own defensively, and never stops playing both sides of the ball. Bogdan held his own when tasked at playing small forward to taller stronger players, though this season was extremely tough for him. Sacramento, however, put effort and quickness into making sure no easy baskets were to be had from the Kings. It was a statement from the Kings that showed they wanted work hard to be better, everyday.

The Sacramento Kings defensive scheme will allow a guard to switch on a center and expect him to defend him. With the roster composed of players who can (try) to defend anyone, regardless of position, but communication is key to that being successful, with a dose of help and hustle.

This, was the difference between wins and losses in the first two months. The Sacramento Kings won games that most had pegged as, or expected to be, a loss. It was 100 percent defense that made the difference. Slowly though, the defense changed as the season progressed.

The team was starting to slip into a pattern of getting behind early then coming back to win. That ‘formula’ was just to wait until the fourth quarter before flipping the switch. Then, the defense ignites the offense to win the game.

This is how the Cardiac Kings were born. It makes for exciting basketball for the fans, but let’s be honest — this is not a recipe for winning. By January it was clear that the Sacramento Kings were going beyond confident, and into the area of being cocky. And wins were getting harder to come by, with late game attempts to turn on that lockdown defense to win it not working as often.

Back to Shumpert though, it was surprising to see Shumpert get traded without being part of the Harrison Barnes trade. Sure, Shumpert was on an expiring contract, but all the Kings got was a second round pick that they didn’t need.

Sacramento has enough young talent to develop now. We need veteran leaders and Shumpert filled that role. Iman was the glue when times got tough in late game situations as well the locker room. I will flat-out say if Shumpert was still a King we make the playoffs. The Sacramento Kings DO NOT LOSE a 28-point lead to the Nets along with the game, if he was still a King.

What was exposed, was the Kings lack of focus, so much so that it was lacking enough for them to blow a 25-point lead and fail and finishing the game out. Iman Shumpert had the heart and soul of the team — they believed in what he said. That meant every game was still within reach no matter how far behind the Kings were. Iman should still be a King, at a minimum, he could back up Harrison Barnes with Justin Jackson gone.

In the Nets game, the lack of energy on the defense reared its ugly head. D’Angelo Russell blew by the Kings team to score in seconds on every possession. It was an array of drives to the basket or dagger three-point shots, too many times to count. It was clear to see that the Sacramento were letting their foot off the gas — on both sides of the ball.

For three-quarters of the game Sacramento ran every time they touched the ball. Fast offense was the Kings defense and it kept the Nets back on their heels for 36 minutes; the Brooklyn Nets had no answer for Sacramento. Then, the fourth quarter breakdowns that the home team had avoided this year came on in full effect.

There is an old saying that says “when you find something that works, stick with it!” The Kings did the opposite.

Sacramento went to a slow half court set with cold bench players. Joerger must have felt confident enough to believe his team could run the clock out, but one-quarter is a long time. One team played like they have been underrated with something to prove, and it was the Nets who turned the tables and gave the Kings a taste of their own medicine.

The Kings started the season like a team going some place, now they play like a team that is already there — that won’t work for this team.