NBA Power Rankings Week of 11/21

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NBA.com #11
Last Week:9↓
Record: 8-6
OffRtg: 116.3 (6) DefRtg: 112.6 (13) NetRtg: +3.7 (10) Pace: 98.9 (17)
De’Aaron Fox had a pretty good weekend, totaling 109 points against the Wolves and Jazz. But the Kings split the two games, because their defense wasn’t good enough, especially in the clutch on Friday.
Three takeaways

• Fox ranks third in transition possessions per game (6.3), according to Synergy tracking. He hasn’t been very efficient in transition, scoring just 0.89 points per possession, down from 1.16 last season and the second worst mark among 32 players with at least 50 transition possessions total. But in scoring a career-high 60 points on Friday, Fox (14 on 10 possessions) outscored the entire Wolves team (five on nine) by nine points in transition. For the second straight season, the Kings lead the league in the (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ possessions (12.9%) that have been in transition.
• The transition defense is the biggest reason why the Kings are one of two teams – the Bucks are the other – that rank in the top five in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint (53.0%, fourth) and the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint (45%, fourth lowest). But as they allowed Minnesota to score 28 points on 20 clutch possessions in the loss on Friday, the biggest damage came with two straight Anthony Edwards drives for 3-point plays in the final two minutes of regulation.
• Malik Monk has missed the last four games, DeMar DeRozan has missed the last two, and Domantas Sabonis was out against Utah on Saturday. So the Kings’ bench has been pretty depleted, though they were still at their best with reserves on the floor last week.

The Kings are 0-1 in NBA Cup play, but still have a great opportunity to qualify for the semifinals because the loss was in overtime and comes with a point differential of zero. Their next Cup game is Friday when they’ll visit the Clippers, to whom they lost (at home) in Week 3, shooting just 3-for-26 from 3-point range.
Week 5: vs. ATL, @ LAC*, vs. BKN

ESPN: #14

• 2024-25 record: 8-7
• Previous ranking: 15
  
• Next games: @ LAC (Nov. 22), vs. BKN (Nov. 24), vs. OKC (Nov. 25)

The Kings are itching for Malik Monk, Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan to return, the latter two of whom could come back as soon as Friday. It's not that the wheels completely fell off for Sacramento while they've been sidelined -- De'Aaron Fox scored a combined 109 points over two games -- but there have been multiple close contests that they feel they could have won with their stars playing. The Kings struggled with clutch time games last season, and it was high on their list of things to address this season. -- Andrews

NBC Sports: #12 (#11 last week)
Can we say enough good things about De’Aaron Fox? The man scored 109 points combined on a back-to-back, which isn’t just a Kings’ franchise record, the only other player to beat it in the last 50 years was Kobe Bryant (2007). Wilt Chamberlain did it 15 times back in the ay because he makes a mockery of the record books. But did Kobe or Wilt ever almost lose a shoe during a steal, stomp it back on in play, then score a lay-up? I think not.

CBS Sports: #13 (#11 last week)
Injuries to DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis led to a historic scoring explosion from De'Aaron Fox, who put up 109 total points on back-to-back nights. The only other players to do that are Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain, so ... yeah ... decent. Unfortunately he ran out of gas in Monday's loss to the Hawks and ONLY put up 28.

Hoopshype: #13
Young Player Spotlight: Keegan Murray
I was worried in the preseason that Murray would be cast aside like an old toy upon DeMar DeRozan’s arrival, but thankfully, the third-year player has mostly maintained his role in the Kings offense. The bigger concern is that he’s started slowly from beyond the arc for the second year in a row, canning fewer than 30 percent of his triples on the year.
The good news is that Murray is posting career-best rebounding numbers and two-point shooting, including finishing an astonishing 86 percent of his attempts at the rim. Once the three-point shooting stabilizes, he’ll regain his place as one of the league’s better two-way youngsters.

Mean Ranking: 12.6
Sure, a slight dip, but it seems like everyone recognizes we're not at full strength. Also, some nice insight from the outside about Murray.

 

[hrdboild]

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NBA.com #11
Last Week:9↓
Record: 8-6
OffRtg: 116.3 (6) DefRtg: 112.6 (13) NetRtg: +3.7 (10) Pace: 98.9 (17)
De’Aaron Fox had a pretty good weekend, totaling 109 points against the Wolves and Jazz. But the Kings split the two games, because their defense wasn’t good enough, especially in the clutch on Friday.
Three takeaways

• Fox ranks third in transition possessions per game (6.3), according to Synergy tracking. He hasn’t been very efficient in transition, scoring just 0.89 points per possession, down from 1.16 last season and the second worst mark among 32 players with at least 50 transition possessions total. But in scoring a career-high 60 points on Friday, Fox (14 on 10 possessions) outscored the entire Wolves team (five on nine) by nine points in transition. For the second straight season, the Kings lead the league in the (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ possessions (12.9%) that have been in transition.
• The transition defense is the biggest reason why the Kings are one of two teams – the Bucks are the other – that rank in the top five in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint (53.0%, fourth) and the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint (45%, fourth lowest). But as they allowed Minnesota to score 28 points on 20 clutch possessions in the loss on Friday, the biggest damage came with two straight Anthony Edwards drives for 3-point plays in the final two minutes of regulation.
• Malik Monk has missed the last four games, DeMar DeRozan has missed the last two, and Domantas Sabonis was out against Utah on Saturday. So the Kings’ bench has been pretty depleted, though they were still at their best with reserves on the floor last week.

The Kings are 0-1 in NBA Cup play, but still have a great opportunity to qualify for the semifinals because the loss was in overtime and comes with a point differential of zero. Their next Cup game is Friday when they’ll visit the Clippers, to whom they lost (at home) in Week 3, shooting just 3-for-26 from 3-point range.
Week 5: vs. ATL, @ LAC*, vs. BKN

ESPN: #14

• 2024-25 record: 8-7
• Previous ranking: 15
  
• Next games: @ LAC (Nov. 22), vs. BKN (Nov. 24), vs. OKC (Nov. 25)

The Kings are itching for Malik Monk, Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan to return, the latter two of whom could come back as soon as Friday. It's not that the wheels completely fell off for Sacramento while they've been sidelined -- De'Aaron Fox scored a combined 109 points over two games -- but there have been multiple close contests that they feel they could have won with their stars playing. The Kings struggled with clutch time games last season, and it was high on their list of things to address this season. -- Andrews

NBC Sports: #12 (#11 last week)
Can we say enough good things about De’Aaron Fox? The man scored 109 points combined on a back-to-back, which isn’t just a Kings’ franchise record, the only other player to beat it in the last 50 years was Kobe Bryant (2007). Wilt Chamberlain did it 15 times back in the ay because he makes a mockery of the record books. But did Kobe or Wilt ever almost lose a shoe during a steal, stomp it back on in play, then score a lay-up? I think not.

CBS Sports: #13 (#11 last week)
Injuries to DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis led to a historic scoring explosion from De'Aaron Fox, who put up 109 total points on back-to-back nights. The only other players to do that are Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain, so ... yeah ... decent. Unfortunately he ran out of gas in Monday's loss to the Hawks and ONLY put up 28.

Hoopshype: #13
Young Player Spotlight: Keegan Murray
I was worried in the preseason that Murray would be cast aside like an old toy upon DeMar DeRozan’s arrival, but thankfully, the third-year player has mostly maintained his role in the Kings offense. The bigger concern is that he’s started slowly from beyond the arc for the second year in a row, canning fewer than 30 percent of his triples on the year.
The good news is that Murray is posting career-best rebounding numbers and two-point shooting, includingfinishing an astonishing 86 percent of his attempts at the rim. Once the three-point shooting stabilizes, he’ll regain his place as one of the league’s better two-way youngsters.

Mean Ranking: 12.6
Sure, a slight dip, but it seems like everyone recognizes we're not at full strength. Also, some nice insight from the outside about Murray.

Those two Anthony Edwards 3pt plays on consecutive possessions in the last 2 minutes still grind my gears.

Also, consider this... of the Kings 7 losses only 2 of them were out of reach in the last minute:

Game 1 loss to Minnesota: the score was tied at 115 apiece with 38 seconds left and the Kings had the ball. Fox missed a jumper then Edwards drew a foul and made both free throws with 2 seconds left.
Game 2 loss to LA Lakers: the Kings were down 2 with 55 seconds left before AD hit a miracle three.
Game 6 loss to Toronto (OT): down 3 with 19 seconds left in OT, the Kings took and missed 3 potential game tying 3pt shots
Game 9 loss to LA Clippers: Kings shoot 3 for 26 from 3pt range, lose by 9
Game 11 loss to San Antonio: Kings shoot 10 for 38 from 3pt range, only 17 combined free throws attempted in the game, Wemby makes 6 triples and Kings lose by 10.
Game 13 loss to Minnesota (OT): the aforementioned Anthony Edwards 3pt play (x2) game. tie game with 1:15 left in OT, Randle made a layup to give the Wolves a 2pt lead with 57 seconds left. The Kings looked confused on the ensuing offensive possession and manage only a Keon Ellis scramble layup which Gobert blocks. Edwards ices it with a long fadeaway.
Game 15 loss to Atlanta: Kings down 1 with 49 seconds left. They get consecutive stops after a controversial OOB call goes to Atlanta, elect not to call a timeout with 8 seconds on the clock in a semi-break situation, and Dyson Daniels gets all wrist on Fox's jumper for the game saving defensive stop.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Game 15 loss to Atlanta: Kings down 1 with 49 seconds left. They get consecutive stops after a controversial OOB call goes to Atlanta, elect not to call a timeout with 8 seconds on the clock in a semi-break situation, and Dyson Daniels gets all wrist on Fox's jumper for the game saving defensive stop.

Also the refs were about +20 for Atlanta before this point so it never should have gotten here.