Tetsujin
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Kingsfans.com Official Game Thread
Game 18
Sacramento Kings versus Toronto Raptors
By Stephen Tetsu, The Tests Came Back Positive for Fun!Game 18
Sacramento Kings versus Toronto Raptors
That wasn't as painful as it could have been. Up against one of the best teams in the league, the once again undermanned Sacramento Kings played the Memphis Grizzlies tough and gritty for forty-eight minutes. Unfortunately, they didn't play the game all that smartly either.
It's hard enough to win a normal game in the NBA. It's even harder to win a game in the NBA against an elite squad. It's even harder yet to win a game in the NBA against an elite squad when your players are throwing the ball out of bounds every other play. And that was what happened on Sunday.
The Grizzlies aren't going to beat themselves (except for Tony Allen, who probably slaps himself in the face every morning for that extra kick) but the Kings still routinely do. No one said going from terrible to relevant would be easy. Rudy did good, Ben did good, DC did good except for hit his shots. But Rudy turned the ball over, Ben turned the ball over, DC turned the ball over. And therein lies the problem. When your three best players (with Boogie out) are constantly giving the ball away, it sets a certain "We're gonna loose this aren't we?" tone.
On the plus side, Reggie Evans went full Terminator mode against the Grizzlies, hitting the unsuspecting Memphis frontline harder than a deep-fried peanut butter, banana, and pickle sandwich hitting Elvis's sphincter, to the tune of 17 points and 20 rebounds. Of course, he only had this opportunity because Ryan Hollins somehow got himself tossed from the game in a matter of minutes. Sure, the rest of the team's rebounding numbers were in the crapper but it's largely because the Joker grabbed all of them. At the end of the day, having a hard hitter at the end of your bench like Reggie Evans is a nice luxury for a team that usually can't have nice things.
So yes, another loss. But one less tough game to play later in the season. Besides, the Kings are just treading water until Boogie gets back.
Awards Time
Tony Delk Memorial Award- Jon Leuer somehow looked like a good big man against the might midget frontcourt tandem of Landry and Evans.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim Award- Vince Carter was once half man, half amazing. Now he's just half man, all old. The dude pretty much is just a 3 and D guy at this point. And against the Kings he wasn't really even that. But at least he outscored our entire backup backcourt.
Mikki Moore Award- I finally realized who Ryan Hollins reminds me of. Brace yourselves. You ready? Put a dreadlocks wig on Ryan Hollins. I dare you. Same super boisterous personality and pumped-up-ness, same inability to produce. Only this time, he's usually at the end of the bench high-fiving dudes rather than starting next to Spencer Hawes.
Jason Hart Award- The usual suspects. *Cough* Ramon Sessions and Nik Stauskas *cough*
Tonight's Game
Never forget, the Raptors were once forced to wear these.
Toronto's immediate response? A loss to the Lakers at Staples Center, which at this point is getting the whole "Who's got your nose?" trick pulled on you thrice. In the loss, the Lakers put up 129 points on the Raptors, who scored 122 points of their own, which could mean that the Raptors will double down on defense tonight to compensate. Or it could just mean that the Lakers terrible defense somehow spread to Toronto like Ebola. Then again, a starting line-up featuring Greivis Vasquez doesn't exactly scream shut-down defensive team.
Oh, and Amir Johnson, their starting power forward and resident team defender hustle guy, is currently questionable with a stubbed toe, which I wasn't even aware was possible until I saw it last night. I stub my toe all the time and you don't see me calling in sick to work because of it. Maybe things are different because I'm not 6'10" though.
The main object tonight will be to explain the explosive play of Chuck Hayes, who is having an MVP level season for the Raptors, only playing in 11 games because Dwayne Casey wants to save his awesomeness until the playoffs (Geoff Petrie knows what I'm talking about!). To be fair, he does have a better assists to turnover ratio than both of our backup point guards.
The real issue will be containing the combo of Jonas Valanciunas and Kyle Lowry, both having excellent seasons to lead the Raptors to a blistering 13-4 start. Jonas is skilled around the paint and basket, which is pretty much the type of player that suddenly great defender Jason Thompson can give fits. Lowry is playing like a top five point guard in the league and Darren will have to bring his A-game to keep him from picking apart our defense.
Off the bench, Louis Williams is having a 6th man of the year award type season, which is great (for the Raptors) because that means Ramon Sessions is going to be defending him a lot. Patrick Patterson is shooting the three at a fairly ok clip right now, being the stretch forward that he couldn't be with the Kings because he couldn't hit the broadside of water to start off last season. Also, James Johnson continues to be a great defensive role player off the bench for the Raptors because former Kings always seem to do better once they leave the franchise (aside from Thomas Robinson who's just doing him).
The key for the Kings will of course be whether or not Demarcus is playing. If he is, the Raptors have absolutely no one capable of stopping him. If he isn't, they're missing their best player too, so the Kings don't really have an excuse for not making a game of it.
Just, for the love of all that is holy, STOP TURNING IT OVER!
Matchups
Kings versus themselves- It's a lot easier to win when you aren't actively trying to lose. So says Confucius.
Final Thoughts and Prediction
This is another tough one. And it's on national TV. Win this game and the national narrative probably corrects itself again. Lose this and, hey, we still have an easy December to look forward to!
My prediction? Kings win 103-94. Things get crazy. Chuck Hayes takes his shirt off. Our faces all melt off, Raiders of the Lost Ark style.
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