To pick up their first win of the season, the Sacramento Kings needed big plays to come from unexpected sources. That included two-way player Leaky Black, who made his presence felt on both offense and defense. It was a big game for a new team member hoping for more from the Kings.
Sacramento signed Black to a two-way contract shortly before the beginning of the season. They had room to work with on the roster, specifically a two-way spot at that time. What they needed was more point guards to back up Darius Acuff Jr. It seems the Kings can never have too many wings.
Up until the Mavs game, Black wasn't getting a lot of minutes on the court. In the first six games of the regular season, he got a total of eight minutes in one loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Outside of that, he has spent the rest of the season watching the games go by from the bench or somewhere else.
The Mavs game was a lot different. Seemingly out of the blue, he got 25 minutes on the court and made great use of them. On defense, Black was a force, picking up four steals. His offensive presence was even more impressive as he went four for six from the three-point line for a total of 12 points.
This was a big win for the Kings and Leaky Black
For a player on a two-way contract like Black, getting that much time in a game is a big deal. Opportunities like that don't come along often. To his credit, he made good use of those minutes, finishing with three rebounds and one assist to go with his 12 points and four steals.
Those might not seem like game-changing numbers at first, but look at the bigger picture. The Kings won that game by 15 points. He scored 12. His four steals could have prevented eight Mavs points. He had an assist that led to at least two points. And those rebounds may have done the same.
What made Black's game great was that he contributed in a meaningful way that played a big part in this win. That's a huge deal for his first time getting real minutes from his new team in the regular season. It gives the coaching staff confidence in giving him more opportunities in the future.
There are so many changes still coming to this franchise. It may not be the perfect team, but they are the ones offering Black a spot, and he wants to make the most of it. If Black keeps playing like this when given the chance, he may play his way into a regular contract for next season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google