The Sacramento Kings scored a huge win on Wednesday night when they took down the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not only did they overcome the best team in the East, but they did so without Domantas Sabonis, who remains out for at least 10 days.
A number of players performed well during this impressive victory, including Jonas Valanciunas. Everyone wanted Valanciunas to step up his game without Sabonis and that is exactly what he did, earning a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. He led both teams in rebounds, doing better than Defensive Player of the Year candidate Evan Mobley.
This was the sort of showing that fans wanted to see from Valanciunas, but he can't stop there. Like other Sacramento stars, fans will be demanding similar performances from Valanciunas in the days ahead, both before and after Sabonis' return.
Should Jonas do his best Sabonis impression or maximize his own skills?
When Valanciunas was brought to the Kings at the start of February, he was viewed as a backup center who could take some of the weight off of Sabonis' shoulders. Of course, that has all changed now, and the Kings need him to tweak his game if they have any hope of getting through this period intact. Wednesday was good, but it should be just a start.
In many ways, Valanciunas is a lot like Sabonis. His numbers often pale in comparison, but he can make a ton of noise in the paint, grab boards, and get in the way of opposing offensive plans. Yes, Sabonis leads the league with 13.9 rebounds per game and also posts 19 points and six assists a night. Few people expect Valanciunas to perform that well, but he can certainly come close.
It will all come down to how he approaches each game. If he really wants to fill the void left by Sabonis, he will have to work on his assist game. Valanciunas is scoring 2.2 per game, which is a far cry from what Sabonis does. Improving this will be easier said than done, but Valanciunas is on a team with a lot of able teammates who are always ready for the ball. He should work hard to find a way to facilitate.
Additionally, Valanciunas would be wise to improve how he sets screens because Sabonis is a beast when it comes to creating difficult choices for opponents on the floor. At times, he feels like a brick wall: unavoidable and insurmountable. At 6-foot-11 and 265 pounds, Valanciunas has plenty to work with and could amp up his screens, which opens up many opportunities for his teammates.
The good news is that Valanciunas has so many positive assets already. He is obviously a very strong presence on the floor, is solid with rebounding, and can also create blocks and steals. He is in a great position to help out the Kings and possibly prepare them for a run in the playoffs. If everything goes according to plan, he will use this time well, enhance his game, and then work even better with his new team once Sabonis returns.