Yes, Sactown fans are ecstatic that the Sacramento Kings picked up a win and snapped that eight-game losing streak like a twig. It's going to take more than one victory to keep this ship from sinking, and what the Kings do next is going to define how their success both this season and in the future.
Right now, the Kings are in one of the most interesting times in the franchise's history. They have great players who don't quite fit together, but are definitely capable of playing better than they have been. There are moments of brilliance, such as their win over the Nuggets, that can't be denied.
At the same time, Sacramento is also planning for a major rebuild, one that will hopefully turn the Kings into legit contenders a few years down the road. That relies on the Kings taking what worked in their wing over the Nuggets, and turning it into something sustainable.
How the Kings beat the Nuggets
Given how bad the Kings have been on defense all season, it seems borderline insane to suggest that defense was the key. Yet, that's what happened. The Kings played solid, reliable defense throughout the game that slowed down the Nuggets' offensive juggernaut just enough to win.
The other major change was the return of Keegan Murray to the starting lineup. He played his first game of the season a couple of nights earlier in the Kings' horrifying loss to the Grizzlies. Against Denver, Murray looked more like himself and was the young leader the Kings needed.
Credit also has to be given to both Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder. Swapping them has changed the Kings' dynamic in an incredibly positive way. Westbrook is a much better starting point guard, while Schroder looks like a different man playing off the bench.
The future of the Kings starts now
Sacramento needs to learn a few lessons from this outing. Westbrook is the veteran influence and leader the team needs. Murray is their young star. Putting effort into defense creates opportunities and generates wins. None of this is groundbreaking, but it does focus their rebuild mission.
If the team has any no-trades at this point, that list starts with Murray, likely includes rookie standouts Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford, and ends with Russell Westbrook. Everyone else is fair game at this point. Well, maybe except for Malik Monk, who has more passion for the Kings than anyone.
How the front office builds around this core group is impossible to predict, but equally impossible to deny the importance of. And any success now rests on the coaching staff being willing to change anything that doesn't work while recognizing and encouraging anything that is.