Since snapping their eight-game slide with back-to-back wins, the Sacramento Kings are on a new slide. While there are numerous ways to fix things before they get worse, it's going to be hard as long as Dennis Schroder remains injured, something that might catch fans off guard.
When the Kings brought Schroder in, the goal was to make him the starting point guard. That obviously didn't work out so well. Schroder's individual performance varied wildly, and he struggled to run the offense. It was a bad scene that played a part in the Kings' rough start to the season.
Then, Doug Christie made a smart move and replaced Schroder with Russell Westbrook at starting point guard. Westbrook was built for situations like this, not to mention the fact that he's one of the most reliable players the Kings have. It was the right move for the Kings at the time, and remains so.
This led to Schroder playing off the bench, taking the pressure of running the starting lineup's offense off of him. It seems like that was exactly what Dennis needed as his production picked up, his game became smoother, and he became an integral member of the secondary unit.
The Kings need Schroder back before things get worse
If you had said this even three weeks ago, the entire Sactown fan base would have laughed in your face, but the Kings need Dennis on the court. Schroder has been out injured for a few games, all of which have been relatively close losses. At least they weren't blowouts, a small consolation at best.
Dennis is one of the most reliable scorers playing off the bench for Sacramento. It's not a coincidence that the Kings finally got back-to-back wins when they had him on the court, then started a three-game slide after his injury. They need him back to stop the slide.
Schroder provides both scoring and facilitation on the secondary, which is currently missing. The bench has been mostly dismal for the most part over the past three losses, with Schroder's average production being the difference between success and failure.
It appears Schroder is going to be out versus the Rockets tonight. That's a problem because they are playing incredible ball this season, and a victory for the Kings would be difficult under the best of circumstances. Sacramento needs Schroder back on the court soon, or this slide will likely continue.