The biggest thing we learned from the Sacramento Kings in their home opener

After waiting for six months to watch meaningful Sacramento Kings basketball, we finally got it on Thursday. The Kings crushing 117-115 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves taught us a lot about the team we will be watching this year. But, arguably, the most important lesson we learned came at the end of the game.

It's not how you start, it's how you finish

We have spent a lot of time this offseason pondering over what the Kings' starting lineup would look like. The answer was fairly anti-climatic, as head coach Mike Brown opted to go with the same starting lineup as last year (with the one change being that DeMar DeRozan now starts in place of Harrison Barnes).

However, as the old adage goes, "It's not how you start, it's how you finish." And while the starting lineup definitely matters, what truly matters is who the Kings have out there when they are closing games.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, De'Aaron Fox checked in for Keon Ellis. When that happened, the Kings went (almost) the rest of the way with a lineup of Fox, Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis.

Did that closing five work?

Once Fox entered the game, the Kings outscored the Timberwolves by two points (16-14) the rest of the way. So, for that game, it was a winning lineup.

With that said, I do have some concerns about this lineup long-term. With Fox, Monk, and DeRozan, the Kings have a ton of on-ball creation, which is great. But they also don't have very much size.

They would be better off figuring out which two of those three players are playing the best and riding those two. Then, you use the other spot to play one of Keon Ellis, Kevin Huerter, or Trey Lyles to add more size and spacing to the equation. In theory, this lineup would give the team a better blend of creation, spacing, size, and defense, which is what you need to win big in the NBA. You need lineup balance.

On paper, this is all easy to say. But Brown and the staff also have to deal with the potential pushback they would get from the one of those three stars that is forced to ride the pine. Can Brown do this in a way that doesn't ruffle any feathers? Hopefully, because if he can, that would unlock a much more versatile closing lineup for the Kings.