Weekend Recap: Kings win 3 in a row during impressive stretch

Kings rout short-handed Blazers 133-116

It’s probably safe to say that the Kings are happy Damian Lillard wasn’t participating in this one. Last night the guy dropped 71 points and made it look really easy. Lillard, Jusef Nurkic, and Jeremi Grant were all out of action on Thursday night, making it a near must-win for the Kings.

The Blazers came out smoking hot as they jumped to a 22-6 lead just 6 minutes into the first quarter. It was concerning, to say the least, but in today’s NBA, points are scored frequently and easily, making big comebacks a tad more common.

Sacramento eventually cut the lead down late in the first and even ended up taking a nine-point lead into the second quarter. This offense is legit, people. No matter who they play or where they are, this team can score points with any other in the league.

Once again, the Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox who had a monster game statistically and one of the most efficient games of his young career. He dropped 31 points on 11-15 shooting from the field and came alive in the second half to seal the victory.

His running mate Domantas Sabonis also went nuclear in his performance, capturing his seventh triple-double of the season. He ended the game with 18 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists in just 32 minutes on the court.

Another strong note from this game was the performance from the bench. Malik Monk and Terence Davis combined for 35 points, making a huge difference in the outcome. You could even make the argument the bench played better than the starters most of the game, as they led the team in plus-minus. This was a must-win game given the circumstances and the entire squad looked pretty impressive after the slow start.