The Sacramento Kings are SO frustrating

The Sacramento Kings are SO frustrating

This team is irritating this team is so infuriating this year last year was fwn and I knew it wasn’t going to be the same as this year for sure for sure but this oh this this is March this is when it matters you have this huge what this team called a

Statement win in Minnesota without dear Fox you come back home to start a stretch of three games in four nights 11 of 16 this month that home five against teams below 500 one of those teams the Chicago Bulls who by the way another short-handed team coming into your house

You get up 14 illegals so it’s okay how do you respond well you get back up big again up 22 points but by the end of the third it shrinks and by Midway through the quarter Morgan’s texting me I’m saying the kings are losing this game

The kings were up double digits when I sent that text to Morgan and the King Kings find a way to lose another big lead against another short-handed team they lose to the Chicago Bulls tonight 113 to 109 in the fourth quarter Demar D rozan had 19 points Sacramento had

18 Sacramento LED in this game by a large margin 8967 with 352 to go in the third they were outscored 40 6- 20 the rest of the way what is this team what is this team I I can’t I mean I feel like we do have it figured out this is what they’re

Going to do they’re going to win some games because they’re talented enough and they’re going to be good some nights and find ways but other nights they’re missing free throws they can’t guard and then they go through stretches where they can’t score you score 20 points in

15 and a half minutes of the game 20 points you said 15 and a half minutes I don’t know if this was in those 15 and 1 12 minutes but from 9913 to about 9:27 Deuce did not text me back but my text to him why would he foul there next text

I feel like Keegan keeps holding on to the ball a second too long needs to have a quicker decision next text [ __ ] next text [ __ ] next text I hurt next text this is my worst loss of the season next text I’m so sad f finally he replied um

Talking a little bit more about this game oh I just want you to rewind though I before that I said they they lost a game and he said uh oh I said f The Zone put dwarte in they’re losing this game yeah there you go so I think that

Explains where the emotions went when things started going downhill because I’m talking to Deuce even before going into tonight’s podcast about like it’s insane to think about if they had won this game how many good things we’re talking about even if it got close we would be talking about so many good

Things that happened throughout this game um which I know we will still touch on some things but TR yes but truly like the identity of this game in my eyes is a team that plays so hard and so well throughout and is not able to close and

We keep asking what’s the identity of this team the inconsistency all these things but that is that is like their identity the inconsistency on being able to close after you you have control of the game after you have a win waiting for you on your home floor making your free throws tonight

Things looking good on the defensive end for stretches for stretches starting off I’m talking about setting the tone starting off whatever or finishing the first quarter even but that’s the thing Morgan they have stretches where they look locked in defensively to start the third quarter and then they get

Absolutely cooked I don’t get it I don’t get how it goes from one end of the spectrum to the other I really don’t understand it but truly it is um it’s frightening sometimes what we are witnessing out there on the court and other times it’s like so exciting tonight the frightening

End first quarter 3622 Kings yeah Bulls Out scor him in the second 27- 20 Kings scored 35 in the 3D outscored him 35-28 but in the fourth they were outscored 36-8 dude that this top inconsistencies you have two quarters tonight where you score 35 Plus and then you have a

Quarter where you score 20 and a quarter where you score 18 mhm we’ll give the blls their credit in a little bit they’re pesky deflections Caruso they did some good things okay I’m not trying to take anything away you’re up 22 at home okay you’re the better team you’re

Supposed to win this game tonight there’s there’s no like excuse like hey this happens you’re coming off the heels of what the team called a statement win you’re also come up the heels where you’re talking about this players only meeting that happened after Denver the response from that the the talk about

The players only meeting continued like people were talking about it today it shoot around you’re like okay well maybe this could Galvanize you but what we said after that Minnesota win was this Morgan none of this matters if you lose Monday against the Bulls and here we are

They lost Monday against the Chicago Bulls and now you’re setting up a huge game coming up Wednesday night against a Lakers team who won tonight against Oklahoma City the number one seed and a Lakers team that’s only a game and a half behind you they beat you they’re

Only a half game behind you so the kings in the midst of trying to get into the top six let a huge game on their home floor go by not playing disciplined by not playing consistent defense by shrinking when the moment there that shrinking shrinking in the moment I’m

The there were bad shots there are poor decisions there’s even a stretch it was a tie game and you know of course it’s tie game already thinking the game’s over Trey LS gets a pass wide open for three hesitates passes gets it back hesitates again decides to put the ball

On the floor look like he might have a shot to go finish at The Rim he decides to pass it turnover that ends up leading um to a bucket by Kobe white an an one that foued sa bonis out right was that the n one there it might not have

Been either way it became one 11 109 after that pass and that’s just brutal um just you talking about that one possession right there there were so many times down the stretch where there was just too much hesitation for and like even in my text I talked

About Keegan and it was such little things like you’re not even it wasn’t not everyone’s even going to notice it right because I’m just like I’m just like yeah he he was surveying the floor seeing what he could do but already make the make the decision swing it know

You’re going to go like do something with it and I just felt like there was a lot of those slow decisions a lot of those hes as Mike Brown would call it especially when people have a wide open look and aren’t shooting the ball like Trey Lyle’s in that possession that

You’re speaking of so yeah I I I don’t understand why they went to that but they became scared of the moment and what we saw from this team last year I feel like was playing so fearless and at times it’s like they whatever their the fear is or whatever they’re worried

About um is is sinking in and it’s holding them back from playing their free best basketball then it’s a mental thing then because it has to be if this team is missing free throws like they have this year at Key moments you’re thinking about it this team shot 79% the

Free throw line last year this year they’re at 72% they’re missing big ones like we saw late they were able to hang on against Minesota but they missed key ones tonight that wasn’t the issue but then you get into the situation of them holding on

Leads we’re to the point now I mean I think I could speak for everyone who’s watching us or listening to us later I I don’t think anybody feels comfortable with a big lead no and I don’t yeah they were up 30 points in Chicago remember

They were up 30 and the the game got down to three yeah and they had to hold on to win that game and then tonight you’re up 22 and I know there’s there’s still a lot of time of course A Team could get back into it but a team should

Not get back into it especially if you play the right way it feels like they get up 22 and they’re like we’re good now and it’s they need to start going for the kill shot they need to go we’re going to keep playing the same way I’ll

Say this I do think the lineup that Mike Brown had at the end of the third quarter cost them because it gave it gave Chicago confidence it it got them right back in this league so third quarter kings are up 20 it’s 8767 337 to go he takes he he makes a

Change to the lineup it’s Mitchell monk dwarte ly and Len okay but even before that 411 Mitchell monk herder HB Len my point is you don’t hear hear sabonis his name you don’t hear dear fox’s name and you don’t hear Keegan Murray’s name yep that’s a dangerous proposition to me and

I don’t like that that setup at all because who is creating for you in this in this moment you know it’s monks there sure but you’re putting yourself in a really challenging position against a Chicago team that’s athletic that has some length that’s really good at

Defending M and then even yeah no I I’m I’m with you on that and I didn’t I didn’t really think about that in that moment um because I think when you have Malik monk out there you do feel this sense of confidence and even with Trey

Lyles at times right like th those are two guys off the bench that you think um can produce and do a good job and tonight there’s 38 bench points but truly it’s not about what they can do and produce on the offensive end only it’s also being able to like lock down

And be together on a string on the defensive end and that group isn’t playing together all the time on the floor in NBA minutes maybe at practice in a second unit sure but like in these NBA minutes like where things were working with a different lineup they scored six points while they

Were in the game together six points in like three plus minutes so when did they go they went to the Zone what in the fourth they ended up going to the fourth and this is after Keegan and sabonis pick up their fit and I just it’s like you got to have those

Guys on the floor but then you’re in a Zone and you’re so wor but then you’re scrambling and I I I felt like the Zone wasn’t the defense to put in that group I before we get there I just want to mention this it’s 8767 when they go with

A lineup that doesn’t feature sabonis fox or Keegan out there it gets whittel down to 9177 at the end of the third I mean you’re still in control but like dude your 20-point lead is gone and now they’re feeling confident so they just kept chipping away at that point early in the four

Sabonis picks up his fifth foul at the 1053 Mark Keegan picked up his fifth foul when it’s 10291 uh Sacramento at the 613 Mark but you’re still up by 11 you’re up 11 almost halfway through the fourth quarter they get in zone they get picked apart but it didn’t feel like an

11-point lead at that point it felt like it was just being chiseled away like there’s a point in a game when you feel like oh this is padding this 10-point game like this is a 10-point lead and this is how it’s going to be you know

Pretty much to the end it never felt that way it felt like you know whether you believe in momentum or not and I say that a lot cuz so many people like so many athletes even say that’s not a thing well whatever either way it’s like

The shift was going in the direction of the bulls and yes when that was the lead for the Kings I was not confident and then they go into that zone I I was like fine with the with making that adjustment but then when it wasn’t working it was just like ah [ __ ] and

Then they left it and then they started to throw doubles at D rozan but D rozan made the right decisions D rozan in the fourth quarter had 19 points on seven of seven shooting crazy it was pretty nuts I mean at the half he had only taken

Like one shot so then seeing what he was doing in that second half you would expect him to go off or at least find a way to get more but it just sucked that it was him getting his and then the other guys also getting theirs I mean d

Kobe white Morgan had a career high 37 points I think tonight or was it his match’s career high against the Kings let me just look it up real fast sorry god Kobe white I think he had his career high before against Sacramento yeah his career high uh was 37 points it’s

Tonight 37 points let’s also remind you he did not score in the first quarter I don’t even think he took a shot in the first he had 37 points he had seven assists five rebounds Kings couldn’t guard him Kings could not guard IO either who had 20 points on nine of 15

Shooting they couldn’t contain the ball they got destroyed in the pick and roll put sabonis in some compromising positions too and he was in foul trouble and then offensively it fell apart so when you can’t guard anybody then guys are in foul trouble you try a gimmicky Zone you’re throwing doubles at times

It’s like it’s too late D rozan cooked D rozan cooked all of a sudden he’s got a ton of confidence he’s tur tough turn around jumpers over Keegan like it was nothing and here’s where the worst part came in because then you go oh Alex kuso

Only two points right but he played 34 minutes what was going on I mean you look at down the line four steals you look at what he was be able to produce defensively and then what this team was able to produce defensively uh they ended up with nine steals but uh the

Kings had 18 turnovers and off those 18 turnovers the Bulls had 24 freaking points I mean it the shift was the Bulls were doing such a fantastic job of capitalizing off the king’s mistakes on their home floor you know already it’s deflating when the kings are making

These mistakes but the Bulls were doing just great finding ways to score off those mistakes all throughout the rest of the game Caruso was one of 10 in this game and had two points he was so impactful yep like you look at the boxer man he was awful oh0 for six from three

The guy was so good defensively he’s been on the all defensive team before he is legit out there and that’s you’re right that’s why he was out there and I I thought that was the other thing tonight the Bulls lineup just gives Sacramento fits especially when you’re starting those

Three guards and like d Roan like he’s pretty much a I know he doesn’t play the guard in this lineup but when they can do that and spread the spread you out I mean those guys IO were they were just beting the Kings off the dribble going

Straight to the Rim Yeah I mean you look at white and just his ability to beat anyone off the dribble I mean I think he had that first crossover early on Harrison Barnes and then uh went down the middle of the paint dunked it I mean

It was a nice move and I was like okay that can’t happen again and then it felt like it happened seven more times you know and that’s where it gets frustrated I go where’s the adjustment there you go into this Zone but this Zone you’re not

Even packing the paint in this Zone you know you’re you’re still somehow allowing the paint to be open enough for people to penetrate and get in there and if even if someone did come over and help it’s like they were getting the ball out getting a spray three and the

Kings had these moments where they were so locked in the verticality was there their hands were in the passing Lane and it was yes yes yes yes yes but the Bulls just did a better job of never taking their foot off the gas pedal and just

Going at them Rosen we mentioned the 19 had the fourth he had 33 points 10 of he missed two shots 10 of 12 shooting he was two of three from downtown I swear the guy always hits threes against the Kings never takes them but always hits

Them against the Kings and 11 of 12 from the free throw line I thought the other thing tonight a couple of things I I I was complaining about the lineup at the end of the third because you don’t you’re missing some key guys out there

And then you hung on to that too you gave you gave that group too much rope out there like you you got to make a a tweak faster Brown ended up making that tweak with 34 seconds to go when he put dearn Fox back in the game but I’m like

Well it’s 9177 now like got to make those tweaks faster the other thing is I love the lineup the closing lineup at the end of the second quarter Fox monk dwarte Keegan and sabonis dwarte I know it’s been a rough year I feel like the last five games he has been such a

Better player out there not only what he’s been doing defensively way more engaged playing physical getting a little chippy out there a little bit more under control too but he’s also being effective offensively in the first half he had eight points he finished with eight points five rebounds those

Numbers that that was first half numbers for him and I thought they should have gone back to him with that group it’s like you’re not getting stops right now someone’s got a sacrifice tonight all right sorry herder you’re out of this game Sorry HB you’re out of this game we

Got to go with dwarte out there cuz at least I know he can guard a little bit he’s going to play physical and right now he’s not killing you offensively yeah so that’s one where I’m like that’s a Miss especially when you saw the sample size of it that group at the end

Of the second quarter closed on a really good run they closed the second quarter on a 13 to3 run it was because they were getting stops they were playing the right way and then that lineup never played a minute together the rest of the game yeah I I which is surprising

Because I think Mike Brown is usually someone who when he likes something or something works like he goes with it but I think it’s where that lineup happened and it was like okay it happened there it was great but like how do I get back

There again I don’t want to force it you know so even sometimes understanding like a coach’s Instinct and what they feel is right but sure it worked and it was something that they could have obviously gone back to the next question I have lineup related and I I know this

Is something that happens all right we all get to the point after a loss and like you go to any NBA Market they’re talking about coaches rotations and minutes okay I’m just some idiot who watches the games but this is just my perspective on it please Keon Ellis

Started for you last game okay Keon Ellis started for you I know Fox is out he started for you did some really good things defensively had four steals Super Active I’m not not saying the guy needs 25 minutes a night yeah he starts three last game did not play tonight did not

Play tonight it’s not even about the whole like got to reward him it’s not even about that it’s about the no no Noe no I don’t I no no it’s not about that at at this point of the Year too it’s not about having to reward him it’s

About understanding the impact that he did have when he was playing in those minutes and why you did end up going with him um obviously because of the matchup right but the matchup in the NBA I I mean you’re going to H having that type of length and defensive mentality

Alone from someone like Keon Ellis like is is really like the one of the main reasons why yes I would automatically go in that direction against this lineup you you definitely would like to see him against iio or or Kobe white especially after what they were burning everybody I

Mean that’s the thing that the Bulls bench is one of the worst benches in the league league and especially it’s taking a bigger hit now of course Patrick Williams is out Tory Craig is out um you this is this team is banged up and you Lonzo hasn’t played in like two years

But you know they’ve had some injuries that they’ve dealt with too but the bench is is one of the lowest scoring benches in the league you got cooked by three guys tonight cooked I mean that and that’s what’s so disappointing it’s you lost a big lead

At home and these are crucial games this is not November so now can we get to the crucial moments in when they lost the lead and oh my God we didn’t even talk about that yet oh calm down there let’s not throw things or hit things um do you

Want to start with with the out of bounds play uh Baseline out of bounds Deen fox or do you want to just start like really when they got the lead at what 111 109 I mean sabonis fouls out and it just put you in a tough spot you end up going

Small and after killing it on the glass I felt it didn’t feel like Sacramento’s rebounding in that fourth quarter was the same and I I don’t have the numbers in front of me I’m going to dig them up now um he’s a beast I mean the way he

Battles in there and and he didn’t have a good night tonight either and that’s the other thing he started he was one of nine in the first half he got it going late um but in the third quarter let’s see in the fourth quarter the rebounding let’s see oh Sacramento outrebound him

10 to eight yeah it just I don’t know why it just felt like they got the timely ones yeah but yeah I mean I I mean yeah the late game execution just in general I mean you you fell apart it was Morgan it was 109 107 with 220 to go okay after

Barnes goes one of two at the free throw line yeah I know you don’t score the final 220 you had a fox turnover ly’s turnover a Miss three by Fox that wasn’t very good right mistakes and then you had the turnover with 36 seconds to go when you’re down

To with the ball coming out of timeout and fox threw a terrible pass that was a turnover and the game’s over now the even the fouling situation at the end was weird like I I’m like what foul yeah wait when when white had the ball Ando

Long but I felt like they were fing him I felt like they were and I’m like all of a sudden the officials aren’t going to call this a foul like this is the playoffs all of a sudden well it was just so unfortunate too because they

Missed a shot and was wasn’t that when ly’s like do for the offensive rebound whatever yes it was a great Hustle by ly diving on the ground for it was just like these bounces wasn’t working for them and I mean and you look at like you

And before we get to that final uh Baseline out of bounds play play too where dearn turns it over I mean you talking about the rebounds and even you know they outrebounded the Bulls by two in that fourth quarter but you look at the offensive rebounds even on the night

The Kings had 20 offensive rebounds that led to 24 Second Chance opportunity points and he lost the I mean there are so many things that you could go down the line and see and you’d be like yes that was great the points in the or the

Fast break points the or not the fast break points I’m sorry the second chance points the bench points you know the rebounding and the free throws even looking better and you still couldn’t find a way to win a game win this game specifically and um I look at that final

Baseline out of bounds play with dear Fox taking the ball out and turning it over trying to get it to Malik monk he did talk about it after the game can you take me to the inbound pass where you threw it out of bounds and like 30

Seconds left what was the play right there what was supposed to happen in the action yeah uh I mean it’s something that we run normally um and then uh we had HB on or um V on HB to be like the that that that would usually be domas but he fouled out at

The time and I kind of didn’t want to take that chance um obviously throwing on someone that’s 68 over someone that’s 7 foot um and I B Malik just had a miscommunication he was coming back to the corner I was trying to throw it over

The top to him and we just didn’t get the ball inbound some of that late game execution fourth quarter um and and turnovers I guess specifically how much of it do you feel like was kind of them pressuring compared to some of your own mistakes I mean I think Mo most of it

Was our mistakes um just getting too deep into the lane this is a team that um doesn’t necessarily guard the three ball well uh but they do guard the paint well um you know three four five guys in the paint at a time um a lot of hands

And we were just getting too deep into the paint today and uh they got their hands on a lot of balls just so disappointing man it is and you know I I thought his uh breakdown of that final play and usually sabonis is there and he’s dependable and

You can get it to him I mean just even having this size Advantage whatever being able to create that space from vich but it wasn’t there and it was just uh I wish they had I wish they had used their final timeout even right there like that is that was such an important

Possession that was just thrown away uh what dear didn’t have a great fourth quarter and that did not make it any better the kings in the fourth were a mess box was 0 for four 0 for three from downtown one of two at the line he had one point three turnovers Sacramento in

The quarter scored 18 points on six of 20 shooting they were 0 for six from downtown and they had six turnovers in the fourth quarter that turned into 11 points points for the Bulls meanwhile Chicago 36 points in the quarter 68% shooting they were two of

Three from downtown eight of nine at the line so the Kings finished the first quarter with 36 points and then the Bulls finished the fourth quarter with a 36 point fourth quarter where when it mattered most yeah I just I guess I just struggle

And I know a lot of fans too are are trying to figure out like how this keeps happening like it’s it’s just a ing these runs and you it’s just like when it falls apart it just all falls apart you know and yeah you you can’t trust this team at all I

Mean I wrote down the losses this year that like are just so painful did you you lost at home to the Hornets short-handed Hornets oh oh God yeah I know at Philly like hey they play hard they’ve got Maxi but embiid wasn’t playing and you got crushed Milwaukee at Milwaukee again oh

My God you’re up you make free throws and just execute you just execute make some free throws the game’s over and you win and then the final play the defensive breakdown at the end Lillard hits a game winner you lose next game having some of your best

Basketball in a game in Phoenix what a response after Milwaukee you’re up 22 points with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter you lose the game you lost to Indiana at home and to be honest it was an awful loss and no Tyrese no Tyrese TJ McConnell cooked you

Pascal SE yakum wasn’t even on the he wasn’t he wasn’t even Sacramento he was just getting to Indiana taking his physical then you lost at home to a Pistons team that we all know is awful correct that was short-handed and the next day two of the players that play in

The game got cut by the Pistons cut then you lost to Miami where you should have won that game they were short-handed oh God gu suspended hurt got cooked yep oh my God and then tonight against Chicago short-handed when you’re up 22 points you know it’s it’s happened too often

And you think about these games all these games I I mentioned like you had opport the Philly game let’s just cross out you just got smoked okay [ __ ] forget that um but all the rest of these Indiana I’m going to cross out too because you just got smoked it’s

Disappointing but these other games yeah that’s one two three four there’s like five games you you go we should have won those games we should have won those games like we had a chance we should have won those games your list honestly gives me anxiety like I just I feel

Something so heavy on my chest and it hurts and that’s why like tonight when I text you and I said this was my worst loss of the Season like the way I felt after this loss and I know you you have felt this throughout many losses and I I

Keep I stay pretty pretty even you know like I understand like hey it’s it’s the NBA the best players in the world are in this league like [ __ ] happens night in night out it’s going to be hard at times but it’s truly when you look at that

List and you look at a night like tonight night and again I say on your home floor you look at home court advantage and you still can’t find a way to close out this game and get that it’s disappointing I think it tells you so much more about this team that we’ve

Been saying all year long now I’ll say this really quick too I think there’s obviously fans Fanatics like they get in these places where they just want to like quit everything and they’re just so angry and I I understand all those emotions but I also I don’t feel that

Way because when I feel the highs of this team winning this year like even after Minnesota I get there there’s something there where I believe and I don’t feel like it’s it’s false but I feel like what I’m feeling right now and what I felt the other night I have to find a

Way to just feel the in between because that this is what they’ve been all season long all season long

Deuce and Mo vent about another tough home loss as the Kings lose a 22-point lead to the Chicago Bulls.
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