Should the Kings start Keon Ellis?

Should the Kings start Keon Ellis?

Keon Ellis has helped change things for Sacramento I know Deen Fox can guard he has shown that this year getting Keegan Murray back tonight was big for that because of what he can do defensively sabonis works his ass off so many people talk about the Kings needing they need a

Rim protector they need length I think they need length for sure long term but you know what they need they need they need more people who can just stay in front of their man they need guys that could put pressure on the ball that could play the passing Lanes be physical

Keon Ellis did it again tonight Keon Ellis now in the starting lineup for the second consecutive night he was in place of Kevin herder who has a right leg contusion so he missed the game Keon gets a start what’s he do he just makes happen he had eight deflections in

This game eight deflections in three steals since he has been back in the rotation since that Minnesota game the only game he didn’t play which Mike brunch be kicking himself for that the Chicago game but in these six games he now leads the team in deflections during that span and

Steals during that span that’s impressive stuff and he’s not playing tonight he ended up playing 28 minutes Keon Ellis is now late in the season going Mike Brown you got to play me yeah and I think I you know you said let’s talk about the defense but you’re

Exactly right like talking about Keon Ellis is talking about this king’s defense and it being so impactful these last two nights as a complete defense at times on the floor um and you look at all of his numbers like I was looking at some of his numbers through those now

Six starts he’s six and0 in his starts with the Sacramento Kings this season and not it was like his points were going up you know averaging five points per game and almost four assists per game and then you looked at his three-o percentage and it was like bad and it’s

Like yeah because at that point his role was still so different even in those starts right a small sample size too and that as well you know all those things can contribute to why that was happening but you’re seen with more opportunity and maybe more empowerment kind of

Behind that opportunity of being like no no you’re more than just this role player you’re more than just this Defender I need you to not be a liability on the offensive end I need you to contribute where you can and just be disciplined within our free flowing

Style that we like to play and I feel like the way that he plays defense has allowed him to play that same style on the offensive end whether it’s pushing the ball in transition whether it’s just moving without the basketball finding a way to be open from three um looking for

Others getting those paint touches he’s just done a fantastic job on both ends and he was thrown on D’Angelo Russell to start we’ve seen D’Angelo Russell cook the Kings over the years tonight D’Angelo Russell scored six points on two of nine shooting one of four from three those six points the usest he’s

Ever scored against the Sacramento Kings courtesy of our guy will Z Morgan I saw him do the same thing last week when the kings were in Los Angeles when he got thrown in there on D’Angelo Russell contesting his shots just in him physical navigating screens well Keon Ellis’s defense is for real

And I know some people had someone in our Discord today go yeah but are we are we overhyping this do we have our purple colored glasses on I’m like no this isn’t like a guy that’s like coming out in the first few games he’s starting and knocking down shots and you’re like is

He really one of the best Shooters defense translates and this guy is chasing around everybody he’s switching well he takes contact the guy is an impact Defender and by the way great question to ask especially when it’s like all you’re consuming is King’s basketball at times but it’s important

Like we say is to be fair and make sure that you seeing past those things and trusting your eyes when you are seeing the good and I remember with Keon Ellis playing the g i how many times did I say like you know I know he’s doing what

He’s doing in the G league and then we’d see those few opportunities I was like I don’t think his game will translate into the NBA as much as we want it to and all it was that was needed was more opportunity and maybe that was more opportunity with the big Squad the

Sacramento Kings and then more more opportunity with NBA minutes and whether it was in garbage time and he actually proved himself out there and then got the earned the time to be out there with the starters and showed Oh yeah no I am an NBA player I have arrived like trust

What you’re seeing with Keon Ellis um with this team and in this role it yeah it impactful is the best way to put it and for this guy to be doing this right now when you are pushing right you’re fighting and clawing to try to get out

Of this playin race that’s super tight you got some separation on the Lakers and Warriors now but Dallas is right in the M Phoenix is right there the kings are currently in six tonight but we know how fast this changes in the league this guy could help change the

King’s season right and now Mike Brown’s got an interesting challenge ahead of him what do you do here oh God and Kevin herder’s out right now I don’t know is Kevin herder going to be good to go against the Knicks coming up who who knows I think Mike’s got to seriously

Consider putting him in the starting lineup I think he gives so much energy the starting lineup and that doesn’t mean you don’t play Kevin herder Kevin herder can be impactful coming off your bench he could still play a significant role because of his his spacing his play making but Kevin has been inconsistent

This year Keon yeah now six and0 in starts you can’t deny that okay we can’t deny the six and0 and starts and you notice him out there you have had a problem as a team being consistent defensively we know this not only for the last two years the last 20 now you

Have a guy that’s got good size who is doing things that the Kings have lacked and I think it brings the best out of fox I think Fox is playing even better defense during the stretch you throw Davon out there too at times it’s nasty when the Kings go all right hey you’re

On DLo uh Keon uh you need a breather Davon you’re on D now you’ve got multiple guards that are able to out there well and now that they’re able to produce something on the offensive end right and some teams don’t have a lot whether they don’t have film on them on

The offensive end you know enough or enough respect for them on the offensive end you’re going to see those lapses maybe not if it was the postseason but at the same time how many times have we seen guys come under the screen on Davon Mitchell and then he’s like okay I can

Shoot this now so like what are you going to do I completely with you when you have those guys that can get up into others and especially when it’s like a star player that might draw a lot draw a lot of fouls right and so then you have

To go next guy up and it’s not a huge drop off and that’s why when you do talk about Kevin her there’s somebody on um my NBC call talking about that this morning before going into the show and he had mentioned that about like you know is this time that Keon Ellis is

Going to get the start over Kevin herder like going forward even before tonight’s game and I’m like no no no that’s not going to happen this late in the year I think if anything it’ll be be short leash for Kevin hder but game by game and maybe it’s a little bit prisoner of

The moment right now but it it does feel like well I mean why wouldn’t you especially when Kevin hder is a good player and could absolutely make an impact Off the Bench as well and the other thing too is I mean it’s something you have lacked and it’s seemingly

Helping your offense now shots are falling right now for Sacramento but when they’re able to get stops create turnovers and get out and go look at the the third quarter is a great example the Kings didn’t score 30 in that quarter they scored 28 but they out scored the

Lakers 28 to 17 in the quarter it was kind of a low-scoring quarter for stretches but the Kings turned it on the Lakers had six turnovers in that third quarter five King steals in that third quarter eight deflections is an absurd number fox has reached that a few times

This year Fox is near the top of the NBA in deflections per game right up there with SGA he’s very active defensively but the fact that Keon Ellis has eight deflections in the game he plays under 30 minutes and has three steals shows you the activity out there he’s

Efficient he’s efficient with with his activity he you know like he makes things like we keep using the word impactful but like making things happen only allows other players to also do their job it’s contagious at times as well Big Time stuff from Keon Ellis tonight he ends up playing 28 minutes 14

Points for him he also had two two rebounds three steals five of eight shooting three of five from Beyond The Arc two so he’s knocking down the three he was really strong for Sacramento just awesome stuff

Deuce and Mo talk about the impact that Keon Ellis has had for the Kings, his 6-0 record as a starter and if he should stay in the starting lineup.
__________________________________________________________________________
Support the show on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/deuceandmo

Become a Deuce & Mo member access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr7VqKCBgBQtBXri_rZ4Aww/join

NEW Deuce & Mo merch store:
https://deuce-mo-a-sacramento-ki-shop.fourthwall.com/

Watch games with them:
https://www.playback.tv/deuceandmo

Subscribe to the podcast:
https://www.deuceandmo.com/

Join our discord:
https://discord.gg/jfejj9A3nA

#sacramentokings #nba #keonellis #nbapodcast