What's your guess for December?

[VF21]

We've got 15 games in December. We're currently sitting at 11-11, a record I doubt many here could honestly have seen coming. We've survived November, which was by all accounts gonna be a real test.

So what do you think? Here's the schedule for December:

22 Sat. Dec. 1 Indiana 7:00 PM - WIN
23 Tue. Dec. 4 @ Phoenix 7:00 PM - WIN
24 Fri. Dec. 7 @ Cleveland 5:30 PM - WIN
25 Sat. Dec. 8 @ Indiana 5:00 PM - LOSS
26 Mon. Dec. 10 @ Chicago 5:00 PM - WIN
27 Wed. Dec. 12 Minnesota 7:00 PM - WIN
28 Fri. Dec. 14 Golden State 7:00 PM - LOSS
29 Sun. Dec. 16 @ Dallas 4:00 PM - WIN
30 Mon. Dec. 17 @ Minnesota 5:00 PM - LOSS
31 Wed. Dec. 19 Oklahoma City 7:00 PM NBATV - LOSS
32 Fri. Dec. 21 Memphis 7:00 PM - WIN
33 Sun. Dec. 23 New Orleans 3:00 PM - WIN
34 Wed. Dec. 26 @ LA Clippers 7:30 PM - LOSS
35 Thu. Dec. 27 L.A. Lakers 7:00 PM - WIN
36 Sun. Dec. 30 @ L.A. Lakers 6:30 PM - LOSS

 

[SLAB]

I’ve got 5-10 / 4-11, though I’m probably undershooting an attainable 6-9.

The way the team’s been playing lately hasn’t inspired much confidence and I see an ugly stretch.

Good start tonight though fighting through an ugly game/performance and coming away with the W. Wouldn’t have happened in the past, that’s for sure.

 

[The_Jamal]

Pretty good looking schedule considering the hell-hole we just left in December.

Most of our tough games we get at home (Warriors, New Orleans, OKC, Lakers, Memphis) while our toughest road spots are probably the LA teams at the end of the month. What looks really solid too is we don't leave the west coast after the 19th for 2 weeks. This road trip too is the softest opponent run we've had all season with us finally getting to play some of the bottom feeder teams in the NBA.

3-1 is certainly attainable if we take care of business and then the rest of the month is a toss-up with a bunch of teams that we at least have a shot at winning.

 

[Hoovtrain]

I think they beat Indiana

 

[Hoovtrain]

But seriously I’m thinking around 5-6 wins :-(

 

[VF21]

I think they beat Indiana

I figured either you or The Hammer would say that.

 

[NewArena]

I honestly think we can go 9 and 6

 

[Ozymandias]

8-7

 

[The Hammer]

I’ve got 5-10 / 4-11, though I’m probably undershooting an attainable 6-9.

The way the team’s been playing lately hasn’t inspired much confidence and I see an ugly stretch.

Good start tonight though fighting through an ugly game/performance and coming away with the W. Wouldn’t have happened in the past, that’s for sure.

Phx, Cle, and Chi have won a combined total of 13 games this year as of now. So you're saying we take those three and then win 1-3more? What team have you been watching this year?? You people crack me up!

THEY'VE BEATEN SEVERAL OF THOSE OTHER TEAMS THIS SEASON ALREADY! (Okc (TWICE), Mem, Minn) and given a good scare to two others (LAC, GS).

 

[The Hammer]

I figured either you or The Hammer would say that.

Lol.

 

[The Hammer]

FYI, I voted 10-5, but honestly could see them go on a run here and do something like 13-2. It's completely possible and if there was any time to do it, it would be right now. Most winnable stretch of games coming up over the next 4, and after that we play teams we've beaten or almost beaten.

 

[kingdivac]

6-9.....defense has more than a season to go. .500 at 22 games is better than most's expectations. Keeping .500 may be much for this squad and coach who seems to have shortened the rotation too quickly imo. More Giles and Farrell. Guys need playing time for a chance to contribute.
Saw some flashes of better passing with Giles and Bagley together on the floor

And FTs are still a bear disappointingly.

 

[Nokidding]

Anything above 6-9 would be amazing if we can win the next 3 (assuming Victor is still out) than that would be a great run for us to start off with

 

[kingsboi]

still not an easy month of December either. There are some teams on there that have been playing better such as Minnesota, Dallas and the Lakers. Clippers always give the Kings trouble and the game in Indiana will be a payback game. Have to at least get the ones versus Phoenix & Cleveland to give yourself a bit of a cushion.

 

[Sac.Kings]

If we can come out of this year at .500 I would be tickled pink. It would give us a heck of a chance for a run at the playoffs but there’s like 12 teams in the West battling for 8 spots and for the first time in a while, there’s no 23-4 team or such. Something like 5 games separates top seed from 14th seed which is nutty.

I’d love .500 ball this month. We have lost some of our mojo (Fox especially) and we need to find that fire again.

 

[upinsmoke]

I'm still taking this season 1 game at a time.

 

[Warhawk]

I was going to vote 6-9 but bumped it up one more to 7-8 (for wishful thinking). If they can keep playing anything close to 0.500 ball I'll be very happy. I think some teams are getting into better playing shape and we certainly are not surprising anyone with our up and down style of play at this point. Teams are trying to slow down the pace a bit and Fox isn't able to push it quite as much as he was early in the season. We are also playing a few teams as they are improving their records instead of catching them when they are down, unfortunately.

Go get 'em, guys! If we actually go 8-7 or better I'll be very pleasantly surprised.

 

[King Baller]

I think Bagley will come back after watching from the bench and play even better. Koufos will improve the defense as we saw against Indy.

The League will get the word out to the Refs that the Kings are no longer the Kangz and to call the game right.

Brandon Williams will be the wiser more mature person and apologize to Dave Joerger in front of the Team as he should.

Yes I'm an optimist and I'm calling December at 9 and 6

 

[gunks]

**** it.

9-6!

I think we beat up on the trash teams, eek out a few Ws against the good teams, and avenge that early season abomination of a blowout against the Lakers by beating them back to back.

 

[Kings_of_California]

I'm thinking 5-10. The schedule starts off really easy but the 2nd half of the month is really tough.

I'm scared we're gonna go on a 6 or 7 game losing streak. I'm hoping we can sneak in a couple W's.

22 Sat. Dec. 1 Indiana 7:00 PM
23 Tue. Dec. 4 @ Phoenix 7:00 PM - Have a bad feeling about this one for some reason
24 Fri. Dec. 7 @ Cleveland 5:30 PM
25 Sat. Dec. 8 @ Indiana 5:00 PM
26 Mon. Dec. 10 @ Chicago 5:00 PM
27 Wed. Dec. 12 Minnesota 7:00 PM
28 Fri. Dec. 14 Golden State 7:00 PM
29 Sun. Dec. 16 @ Dallas 4:00 PM
30 Mon. Dec. 17 @ Minnesota 5:00 PM
31 Wed. Dec. 19 Oklahoma City 7:00 PM NBATV
32 Fri. Dec. 21 Memphis 7:00 PM
33 Sun. Dec. 23 New Orleans 3:00 PM
34 Wed. Dec. 26 @ LA Clippers 7:30 PM
35 Thu. Dec. 27 L.A. Lakers 7:00 PM
36 Sun. Dec. 30 @ L.A. Lakers 6:30 PM

 

[Kingster]

I don't think the Kings beat Indiana in Indiana. Oladipo will probably be back. It will be a revenge game. Indiana won't be on their last game of a long road trip.

In the first 5 games (starting with Phoenix) I think the Kings go 3-2. After that, maybe 3-6 or even 2-7, which means somewhere between 6-8 and 5-9 for the entire stretch. I'm just not that positive right now on how this team is playing. I need to see a fairly big step up in their game to think they can be .500, much less over .500 in this stretch.

 

[Sac.1989]

Am I the only one that thinks it's not beyond the realms of possibility for us to win those first 6 before GSW ? I mean we already one W up

December looks manageable to me

 

[kb02]

6 - 8 games. One or two unexpected wins, one or two blowouts against us.

Fox needs to get his legs under him and start shooting threes during practice and on his own--he's passing up the shot way too much (you gotta shoot to create space). Teams are sagging off of him. He's also becoming one speed on offense again. He can adjust his pace, but I think the team, as a whole, has gotten into speed racer mode all of the time (the most guilty person is Troy Williams).

I love Williams hustle on defense, but he has shades of Marcus Thornton (black hole).

Buddy should never handle the ball at the end of a period.

Kosta is great on defense, but has hands of stone compared to the other bigs. He almost cost us the game last night with his inability to catch and finish.

I get why Giles did not see the floor last night, but wanted to see him. Does that make sense? He's slightly undersized against Sabonis and Turner.

Our defense is a joke right now. Post 12/15/18, I think we see a trade for a SF. Unlike others, I'm not yearning for Otto Porter. I'm not convinced he's a full time 3 nor do I think he's a beast defender. Factor in the contract and passing on him easy. Would rather get Moe Harkless. We need it too. We need a perimeter defensive beast.

I love the upside, but would be fine with trading WCS. He shows up and then he doesn't. Capela destroys him. Turner got the better of him last night. Guys with size and decent athleticism makes WCS very average.

 

[John Galt]

I think if you throw a lob to Kosta and it doesn't result in a basket... that's on the guy who threw the lob not on Kosta. Doesn't say on his resume that he's a lob finisher.

The dudes sending up those lobs need to wake up

 

[kingsfan1984]

I see 9 and 6. That loss to GS was a demoralize with the Utah one a hangover....last nights come from behind victory will erase that GS loss and its affects boosting us to get back to playing well

 

[sergmatt]

I think if you throw a lob to Kosta and it doesn't result in a basket... that's on the guy who threw the lob not on Kosta. Doesn't say on his resume that he's a lob finisher.

The dudes sending up those lobs need to wake up

Yep exactly KYP (know your personnel). It is pretty amazing at the NBA and NFL level how many players really don't seem to know or remember much about tendencies of both their teammates and the opposition. Some of that may be just the pure speed of the game and you go with instinct first over what you've supposedly studied. Of course the great/good players do recognize those tendencies and that's part of what makes them great. Jason Kidd never had an issue on who to throw and not throw lobs to.

The Kings basketball IQ I think is up this year (thanks mostly to Fox, Bogie, and Shump) but they still have a long way to go. They've been much better at defending the three this year. It's been amazing over the last five plus years just how many players on the Kings roster continually fail to recognize the other team's 3-Pt specialists and constantly sag off leaving them wide open.

 

[KingsSelecao]

Phx: Loss: Suns are poorly coached. They have significant talent, though.
Cavs: Win
Pacers: Loss: Payback and Olidipo will be returning
Bulls: Win: Close Game with Markanaan back
Wolves: Loss: Rose could be huge herr
Dubs: Loss: Curry back and in a groove.
Mavs: Loss: Doncic will show Kings ROY
Wolves: Win: Kings at Home
Thunder: Loss: Westbrook is not going to lose again
Grizz: Win: Tough game down to the wire
Pels: Loss: Davis, Randle, Mirotic, and Holiday
Clips: Loss: Better team, more depth, better coach.
Lakers: Win
Lakers: Loss

6-9 December

 

[KingsSelecao]

Phx, Cle, and Chi have won a combined total of 13 games this year as of now. So you're saying we take those three and then win 1-3more? What team have you been watching this year?? You people crack me up!

THEY'VE BEATEN SEVERAL OF THOSE OTHER TEAMS THIS SEASON ALREADY! (Okc (TWICE), Mem, Minn) and given a good scare to two others (LAC, GS).

You act like the Suns and Bulls are automatic.
I bet they lose one of those. Just because Kangz. Scares don’t count in the standings. Wins do.

 

[KingsSelecao]

I see 9 and 6. That loss to GS was a demoralize with the Utah one a hangover....last nights come from behind victory will erase that GS loss and its affects boosting us to get back to playing well

Kings would have never, ever been in the game if Curry and Draymond played. Durantula destroyed the Kings by himself.

 

[KingsSelecao]

Am I the only one that thinks it's not beyond the realms of possibility for us to win those first 6 before GSW ? I mean we already one W up

December looks manageable to me

6 in a row. That’s laughable. They will drop a supposed gimme against the Bulls, Suns, or Cavs. Beating Indiana again with Oladipo back. I don’t think so.