Tetsujin
The Game Thread Dude
Well, that was certainly a whelming game. In a game that the Kings pretty much were in the lead from start to finish, the team managed to look neither terrific or terrible and beat the Magic by a respectable amount never really quite managed to blow them out.
But a win is a win and, despite having gone through one of the worst stretches of basketball in franchise history over the last several weeks, the Kings are now inexplicably in a position to put together a winning streak and pull themselves back into the thick of the competitive western conference. No, I don't quite understand it either. But it certainly makes waiting out the pandemic a bit more interesting.
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Awards Time
Tony Delk Memorial Award - Khem Birch spent most of the first half absolutely dominating us on the glass like he was the second coming of Reggie Evans or something. Our bigs summarily sorta started boxing out late in the second quarter but until then, Birch was seemingly the only guy keeping the Magic in the game through hustle (and the Kings being lazy).
Cory Joseph/Jason Hart/Andres Nocioni Award - Cory Joseph for playing thirteen minutes in the first quarter that were so bad that Luke elfin' Walton had no other choice but to bench him in the second half of action. Mission accomplished!
Luke Walton Vacuum Cleaner - Luke Walton.
Mikki Moore - Glenn Robinson III, who saw playing time because Luke benched CoJo and then promptly put together a stinker of a game of his own.
Hassan Being Hassan WTF Moment of the Game- Hassan takes a lazy three for some reason. It goes as poorly as you'd expect. Also he moves at a glacial pace now but also noticeably affects how teams play us on offense soooooo
***
The Raptors remain a disappointing mess, having not used the time they beat the snot out of the Kings to right the ship. Siakam continues to struggle, Kyle Lowry is old, OG is potentially out with an injury. In other words, it's almost assuredly "get our asses handed to us" time in Kingsland. All in all, if we play better this time than the last time we faced them and still lose, I will be happy with it overall.
But a win is a win and, despite having gone through one of the worst stretches of basketball in franchise history over the last several weeks, the Kings are now inexplicably in a position to put together a winning streak and pull themselves back into the thick of the competitive western conference. No, I don't quite understand it either. But it certainly makes waiting out the pandemic a bit more interesting.
***
Awards Time
Tony Delk Memorial Award - Khem Birch spent most of the first half absolutely dominating us on the glass like he was the second coming of Reggie Evans or something. Our bigs summarily sorta started boxing out late in the second quarter but until then, Birch was seemingly the only guy keeping the Magic in the game through hustle (and the Kings being lazy).
Cory Joseph/Jason Hart/Andres Nocioni Award - Cory Joseph for playing thirteen minutes in the first quarter that were so bad that Luke elfin' Walton had no other choice but to bench him in the second half of action. Mission accomplished!
Luke Walton Vacuum Cleaner - Luke Walton.
Mikki Moore - Glenn Robinson III, who saw playing time because Luke benched CoJo and then promptly put together a stinker of a game of his own.
Hassan Being Hassan WTF Moment of the Game- Hassan takes a lazy three for some reason. It goes as poorly as you'd expect. Also he moves at a glacial pace now but also noticeably affects how teams play us on offense soooooo
***
The Raptors remain a disappointing mess, having not used the time they beat the snot out of the Kings to right the ship. Siakam continues to struggle, Kyle Lowry is old, OG is potentially out with an injury. In other words, it's almost assuredly "get our asses handed to us" time in Kingsland. All in all, if we play better this time than the last time we faced them and still lose, I will be happy with it overall.
