5 Intriguing lineups the Kings have played so far this season
By Elaine Blum
3. Malik Monk, Chris Duarte, Colby Jones, Sasha Vezenkov, JaVale McGee
This lineup has only played 27 possessions so far, which is only a small sample size, but it is still interesting. First of all, it includes four new additions to the Kings’ squad, one of which is a rookie.
Secondly, Monk is averaging a career-high in assists and is growing a lot as a playmaker, but he is still not a point guard. Neither are Duarte and Jones, but somehow this lineup still works. Over the 27 possessions they played so far, this group outscored opponents by seven points.
In NBA terms that is not a big difference. It is good enough for a lineup that has no real point guard and little to no experience playing together, however.
What makes this group work is most probably its energy and that also makes it an intriguing combination. Monk, Jones, and Duarte are all perimeter players who come off the bench with great energy. They push the pace and hustle.
Vezenkov is still getting used to the NBA but he is not afraid to shoot, chases rebounds, and tries his hardest whenever he is on the court. McGee is a great lob threat and rim protector, providing a different presence in the paint than Sabonis does.
Plus, opponents only shoot an efficient field goal percentage of 39.1 percent, which is the lowest number among all Kings’ lineups that played at least 20 possessions.