The In-Season Tournament is now upon us in the NBA. With teams rocking their new customized jerseys and courts, the energy in these tournament games from the players and the fans has been incredible. Teams have also been wisely carrying the momentum from some of these games into their overall season. While not a playoff win, an In-Season Tournament win brings high jubilation for these teams. These wins could be huge boosts for teams looking to bounce back from early-season slumps.
This pertains heavily to a team like the Sacramento Kings. After losing De’Aaron Fox to an ankle injury just three games into this season, the Kings quickly went through a rough patch. They lost three straight games and fell to a 2-3 record without Fox. However, after their Wednesday night overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers, they found some life. The Kings then carried that momentum into their first In-Season Tournament game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.
With their new starting rotation and the buzz of the in-season tourney, the Kings looked rejuvenated against OKC. While they still struggled with their shooting efficiency, the Kings finally played their brand of basketball. They pushed the tempo, constantly moved on the floor, and battled defensively. The Kings came away with a 105-98 win, but more importantly, they captured a huge spark. Here are three promising takeaways from the Kings’ first In-Season Tournament game.
Takeaways From the Sacramento Kings’ In-Season Tournament Opener
Red Velvet’s Bounce Back
After a rough start to the season, Kevin Huerter had a massive bounce-back game on Friday night. The Kings’ best shooter from last season entered Friday’s game, shooting just 28.6% from beyond the arc. This early season slump was particularly concerning for Kings fans when considering Huerter’s struggles during the Kings’ first-round playoff loss against the Golden State Warriors that capped off last season. However, as any good shooter usually does, Huerter bounced back from his shooting woes, and in a big way.
Huerter wasted no time heating up against the Thunder. He scored seven of Sacramento’s first nine points to start the game. Huerter finished with a 15-point first quarter on six-of-eight shooting from the field and three-of-five from deep. Huerter surpassed his previous season high of 17 points by having 19 points at the end of the first half. He finished the game with 28 points, nine rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one block.
Huerter’s impact was felt throughout the game for the Kings on both sides of the ball. When his shot is falling, this team’s confidence often skyrockets. With Fox being out, Huerter’s role has been that much more significant. While he struggled initially, Huerter’s Friday night performance was a huge way to bounce back. Hopefully, this is just the first sign of good things to come for Red Velvet’s play moving forward.
Sixth Man Stepping Up
When your starting point guard goes down with an injury, a team relies heavily on another player to fill that void. In times like this, having a sixth man of the year candidate can come in handy. Thankfully for the Kings, they have just that in Malik Monk. While Monk may not be able to make up for all the offensive prowess and scoring that Fox brings to the team, he has done an excellent job as of late stepping up for this team off the bench.
Before Friday night’s contest, Monk had arguably his best game of the season against the Trail Blazers. Aside from his 23-point scoring outing, Monk also had a staggering 10 assists and six rebounds in that game. His well-rounded performance helped propel the Kings to that overtime win against Portland. To many Kings fans’ delight, Monk’s impact carried on to their Friday night tournament matchup against OKC.
In their In-Season Tournament opener, Monk had another well-rounded performance for the Kings. He finished the game with 12 points, two rebounds, and eight assists. While he has struggled shooting the ball, Monk has still contributed some scoring to the Kings’ offense. However, it has been Monk’s playmaking that has come up huge for Sacramento. In his last four games, Monk has averaged 6.75 assists per game. For his career, Monk only averages 2.5 assists per game, so he has stepped up in a big way with his increased playmaking. Fox averages around six assists per game for this team throughout his career, so with him out, Monk has filled much of that facilitating role. Monk’s ability to play-make while leading the second unit’s offensive punch is incredibly valuable for the Kings moving forward.
Young Kings Shine Bright
Perhaps the most promising takeaway from the Kings’ game was the performance of a couple of their young players. Against the Thunder, both Keon Ellis and Keegan Murray had impactful nights that surely brought joy to not only the Golden 1 Center that night but the Kings organization as well.
Ellis had a very productive showing in his second start with the Kings and just his twenty-first game in the NBA. The young guard took on the challenge of guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander while also attacking the paint on offense. Ellis’ hustle and relentlessness on both ends helped set an early tone for the Kings and get the crowd into the game. Ellis finished the game with eight points, four rebounds, two assists, and three blocks in 31 minutes. For Ellis to step up into Fox’s starting role and bring the level of tenacity he brings is huge for Sacramento. His performance only adds to his case of remaining a key rotational player on this team.
As for Murray, he came into this game undergoing a rough shooting slump. He entered the match shooting just 33.7% from the field and 25% from three. However, the young second-year forward finally found his groove on Friday. After a rough start to the game, Murray finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and three steals. While Kings fans still await for Murray to blossom fully, Friday was promising in seeing how valuable he can be for this Kings team.
