What We Learned In Sabonis' Return, Kings Victory Over Wizards

The Sacramento Kings continued their beardown agelong of hoops pinch their 4th consecutive win, this clip a 128-115 triumph complete nan Washington Wizards. It wasn't a beautiful crippled from commencement to decorativeness for nan Kings, but they did much than capable to cruise to 1 of their easier wins successful nan season.

While nan Kings winning a astonishing 4th crippled successful a statement is awesome and thing nary 1 saw coming, nan biggest storyline of nan nighttime was nan return of All-Star halfway Domantas Sabonis. Much for illustration pinch different Kings who person returned from wounded this season, his first crippled backmost was disconnected nan bench, but we saw an highly businesslike nighttime for nan large man successful his return.

He vanished pinch a humble 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, but chipped successful a bargain and a artifact and put up those numbers successful conscionable 21:14 minutes of action. Throw successful his 5-of-6 from nan field, and it's precisely what you'd expect from him connected immoderate fixed night.

The discourtesy arsenic a full was clicking tonight, pinch each 10 players scoring, getting astatine slightest 1 assist, and moreover everyone grabbing a board. Sabonis will get nan headlines, and Russell Westbrook nan attraction for his game-high 26, but it was a squad matter coming against nan Wizards. Nothing shows that much than nan Kings 36 assists, a number that will apt make Doug Christie grin brighter than The Beam tonight.

Rotation Answers?

The biggest takeaway from coming is nan rotations now that each of nan seasoned players are healthy. Keegan Murray is still retired pinch injury, and Keon Ellis missed nan title pinch near knee soreness, but this feels for illustration nan healthiest nan Kings person been each season.

In nan beforehand court, Maxime Raynaud sewage nan commencement arsenic Sabonis worked his measurement backmost from injury, and Dylan Cardwell continued to get a coagulated chunk of minutes pinch 18:40 disconnected nan bench. Sabonis will surely spot his minutes increase, but it looks for illustration nan 3 bigs will each beryllium successful nan rotation going guardant (depending connected Cardwell's two-way statement situation).

The bully motion coming was Sabonis and Cardwell sharing nan level together. The Kings haven't had a rim protector to put adjacent to Sabonis since he arrived successful Sacramento, and Cardwell decidedly fits that bill. And his expertise to play successful nan dunker's spot opens up immoderate options for him connected offense, alternatively than him having to tally nan prime and roll.

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It shows that nan thought of Sabonis playing pinch either Raynaud aliases Cardwell could work. Not truthful overmuch for this season, arsenic moreover pinch nan 4 consecutive wins, nan Kings are apt retired of nan playoff picture. But for nan future. This is nan cleanable opportunity to spot what nan Kings person for imaginable rotations, arsenic nan wins and losses don't matter.

Not Getting Pushed Around

As mentioned above, it wasn't soft sailing for 48 minutes successful Sacramento. The Wizards made it a crippled successful nan 2nd 4th and commencement of nan third, but nan Kings did thing we've seen much lately arsenic nan wins person stacked up. They pushed back.

DeMar DeRozan and Kyshawn George getting into it aft going for a rebound punctuated it, but nan Wizards were utilizing their velocity and physicality to claw their measurement backmost successful nan game.

But nan Kings showed why they are nan seasoned squad and put their feet connected nan state to get a comfortable lead back. Even pinch nan mediocre record, it's a awesome motion for what nan Kings are trying to build.

This twelvemonth is each astir creating a civilization and identity, and getting punked by a young Wizards squad would person been difficult to stomach. This is nan nonstop type of crippled that screams Doug Christie, and different measurement successful nan correct guidance for Sacramento.

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