Thanks to an underperforming starting five, the Sacramento Kings were handed another blowout loss, this time by the Houston Rockets. Their saving grace was a powerful bench led by Malik Monk, who used the opportunity to prove he remains a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
It was only a couple of games ago that the Kings' bench utterly dropped the ball against the Utah Jazz, costing Sacramento a win. It's safe to say that they took that loss to heart because that same batch returned the next two games with a chip on their respective shoulders.
Against the Jazz, the Kings' bench combined for 28 points, 19 of which belonged to Maxime Raynaud. Next up were the Grizzlies, and the bench finished with 46 points which included Malik Monk's 21 points. Finally, the Kings' bench dished out 62 points against the Rockets.
Most of that came from three players as Raynaud and Monk had 25 points each while Precious Achiuwa had 10. Being that the starters run really hot and cold, having a strong bench led by Monk is a huge difference maker for the Kings. Without them, these losses would have been even worse.
Malik Monk is the engine that drives the Kings
While some of the starters might not want to admit this, the Kings live and die based on Malik Monk's gameplay. His explosive scoring off the bench is a difference maker in every game he plays. When he's not shooting well, the Kings tend to have big problems. They need him on point.
Beyond that, Monk defines the Kings' bench. He is, for all intents and purposes, the leader of the secondary, and the one who sets the tone. In addition to scoring, he's also usually good for a few rebounds, assists, and steals. That's why he's their Sixth Man.
You might ask yourself why Sacramento doesn't put him on the starting five. The Kings actually tried that after the departure of De'Aaron Fox, and it did not go well. Certain players, like De'Aaron Fox and Dennis Schroder, just play better off the bench for some reason. So, let them play to their strengths.
As the rebuild starts to take shape, the Kings will consider trading Malik Monk. That being said, they should only do that if absolutely necessary. Sacramento will need a seasoned, reliable veteran on the bench who makes the secondary hum. And they already have that guy in Monk.