[Game] Play-in Tournament 9/10 game: Kings vs. Mavericks 16 APR 2025, 7pm PT/10pm ET (ESPN)

[coolhandluke]

I mean, when the Kings started Christie's coaching tenure winning 10 out of his first 12 and he couldn't get the Interim tag taken off, his job had an expiration date on it, anyway.

What Christie has done with the handicap of personnel and coach turnover is remarkable. He did a better job with this squad than Mike Brown. Unfortunately, I don't see him as a good X and Os guy and maybe he needs better assistant coaches. Coaches are judged on the results. The level of play today, when the stakes are high, is unacceptable. The adjustments just weren't up to the mark. The loss is on the players who didn't seem to be on the same page. The starters were flustered. No shame in losing to a better team but I need to see a smarter gameplan, better substitutions and fight.

 

[SacTownKid]

And the Keon that has shown up in the NBA is largely the same Keon that was in college.
The thing that makes Devin and Keegan’s situations different from his is that both guys are a little younger and also displayed skills in college that they haven’t really been allowed to show at the NBA level. Probably the main difference between a first round prospect and a UDFA who wound up maxing out as a starter. Devin barely was utilized as a downhill scorer this season despite that being his best offensive trait at Providence. Keegan hasn’t ever really had the opportunity to flash his interior game that he had at Iowa.

Isaac Jones’s situation is a bit different from everyone else’s in that he was a LATE bloomer who grew into his body after high school and never really had a chance to develop as a basketball player until now so
while hes older he also has possibly the most pure potential of everyone on the team in a sense.

Yeah, at the end of the day there is a reason Devin was considered top a 10 lock at one point and Keegan was. Once we get to see Devin get pick and roll all to himself is when we find out what he is exactly. If the college game translates, there's something there for sure.

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1912733487863590923

 

[gunks]

Hot take: RINGZ~! Culture™ is the second-worst thing ever to happen to basketball, behind only the three-point shot. I'm old enough to remember when all most fans wanted was to be able to root for a team of good character guys, who gave it one hundred percent every night. This ol' Ricky Bobby "If you ain't first, you're last" headassery is the worst thing about sports fandom.

I would be open to a high floor/mid ceiling retool if I had faith in ownership to not poop the bed in the same way they've been pooping the bed since they took over from the last ownership group that tried to poop the bed right out of Sac.

Like, if the Kings ever make it to the second round again in my lifetime, I don't care if they get swept, I'll be at the parade in Old Town!

But without that faith in ownership it's hello darkness my old friend with tank talk.

 

[hrdboild]

And the Keon that has shown up in the NBA is largely the same Keon that was in college.
The thing that makes Devin and Keegan’s situations different from his is that both guys are a little younger and also displayed skills in college that they haven’t really been allowed to show at the NBA level. Probably the main difference between a first round prospect and a UDFA who wound up maxing out as a starter. Devin barely was utilized as a downhill scorer this season despite that being his best offensive trait at Providence. Keegan hasn’t ever really had the opportunity to flash his interior game that he had at Iowa.

Isaac Jones’s situation is a bit different from everyone else’s in that he was a LATE bloomer who grew into his body after high school and never really had a chance to develop as a basketball player until now so
while hes older he also has possibly the most pure potential of everyone on the team in a sense.

See look, we can still agree on some things! My head is still spinning from how much has changed in 4 months but I feel good about the young guys on the team and I would like to see Doug Christie continue on as the head coach next season.

 

[SacTownKid]

What Christie has done with the handicap of personnel and coach turnover is remarkable. He did a better job with this squad than Mike Brown. Unfortunately, I don't see him as a good X and Os guy and maybe he needs better assistant coaches. Coaches are judged on the results. The level of play today, when the stakes are high, is unacceptable. The adjustments just weren't up to the mark. The loss is on the players who didn't seem to be on the same page. The starters were flustered. No shame in losing to a better team but I need to see a smarter gameplan, better substitutions and fight.

Doug should be a great x's and o's guy theoretically. Former PG's tend to see the game pretty well. He didn't even bother trying to put in a system and that likely saved this from being a total cluster F to be honest.

 

[Warhawk]

I guess if it had to end, we got the end quickly.

The positive is this means I'm probably done watching NBA basketball until October, so I'll have a lot more free time to do some of the things I've been neglecting while watching the Kings all season. No point in watching the rest of the PO as I really don't care who wins or loses at this point.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Is there any defensive gurus like JVG that we could throw a bag at as a a defensive coordinator? I’m ok with keeping Doug (although I’m not completely sold) but we need a savant coordinator that can turn us around on that end.

 

[SacTownKid]

Is there any defensive gurus like JVG that we could throw a bag at as a a defensive coordinator? I’m ok with keeping Doug (although I’m not completely sold) but we need a savant coordinator that can turn us around on that end.

Ain't a single coach turning Monk, LaVine, DeMar, and Domas into a defensive unit, haha. If it's a rebuild, defense schmefense.

 

[Tetsujin]

See look, we can still agree on some things! My head is still spinning from how much has changed in 4 months but I feel good about the young guys on the team and I would like to see Doug Christie continue on as the head coach next season.

The thing about this team is that I do think there’s a good path to being at the very least a fun, competent team next season if the Kings can just clear the roster clutter out and in a lot of cases eliminate the barriers to opportunities for the young guys.

That means moving on from Deebo. Honestly don’t mind us taking less to move him to a contender since it’s what he deserves as a future HOFer.

Malik can stay but I think it has to be as our 6th man, if only because it balances out the scoring a bit more than if he starts.

I like Trey as a person but I don’t think he’s a big enough difference maker in our rotation to warrant giving him anything above the vet minimum next season.

Domas/Jonas
Keegan/IJ
Lavine/LaRavia hopefully
Keon
Carter/Monk

is a good tight rotation where your three “star” scorers are surrounded by strong defenders. Kings also have the MLE and the Huerter TPE to use to acquire extra pieces.

plus contract wise, Sabonis and Lavine are probably going to be easier to move midsession than in the offseason if the Kings did so ever decide to push the rebuild button.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Ain't a single coach turning Monk, LaVine, DeMar, and Domas into a defensive unit, haha. If it's a rebuild, defense schmefense.

That’s what people said about the Clippers without Kawhi and with Harden. Devin, Keegan, Keon and hopefully Jake is a super great start. Turn Deebos minutes into defense and find one more bench defender and you can stop being a bottom half defensive team.

 

[gunks]

The thing about this team is that I do think there’s a good path to being at the very least a fun, competent team next season if the Kings can just clear the roster clutter out and in a lot of cases eliminate the barriers to opportunities for the young guys.

That means moving on from Deebo. Honestly don’t mind us taking less to move him to a contender since it’s what he deserves as a future HOFer.

Malik can stay but I think it has to be as our 6th man, if only because it balances out the scoring a bit more than if he starts.

I like Trey as a person but I don’t think he’s a big enough difference maker in our rotation to warrant giving him anything above the vet minimum next season.

Domas/Jonas
Keegan/IJ
Lavine/LaRavia hopefully
Keon
Carter/Monk

is a good tight rotation where your three “star” scorers are surrounded by strong defenders. Kings also have the MLE and the Huerter TPE to use to acquire extra pieces.

plus contract wise, Sabonis and Lavine are probably going to be easier to move midsession than in the offseason if the Kings did so ever decide to push the rebuild button.

This plus an actual PG and we might be cooking. Still probably a 1st round exit, but that's better than getting smacked around in the play-in.

We might need a new HC coach too, but I'd still keep DC on the staff.

 

[TaxMan]

Yeah, at the end of the day there is a reason Devin was considered top a 10 lock at one point and Keegan was. Once we get to see Devin get pick and roll all to himself is when we find out what he is exactly. If the college game translates, there's something there for sure.

I just don’t see Devin ever being a star, but he has a chance to be an insanely good role player.

 

[Merdiesel]

How many minutes did Sabonis and JV play together tonight?

 

[SacTownKid]

That’s what people said about the Clippers without Kawhi and with Harden. Devin, Keegan, Keon and hopefully Jake is a super great start. Turn Deebos minutes into defense and find one more bench defender and you can stop being a bottom half defensive team.

Monk and Domas specifically have legit deficiencies though. DeMar is DeMar. Maybe Keon, Carter, and Keegan can make up for a bunch of it, but bad defensive smallish guards with non rim protectors is working against a lot of history. Even the Nuggets only made up so much for their makeup and most of that is because Jokic is an all time great on the other end. History dictates bad defensive teams that win a ring basically have to have a HOF big like Shaq or Jokic.

 

[Merdiesel]

Ringz culture led to Nico Harrison trading Luka for AD because of some “defense wins championships” fueled swing for the fences mumbojumbo. No one should ever aim to be Nico Harrison.

Nico Harrison made some back room deal with the league.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Monk and Domas specifically have legit deficiencies though. DeMar is DeMar. Maybe Keon, Carter, and Keegan can make up for a bunch of it, but bad defensive smallish guards with non rim protectors is working against a lot of history. Even the Nuggets only made up so much for their makeup and most of that is because Jokic is an all time great on the other end. History dictates bad defensive teams that win a ring basically have to have a HOF big like Shaq or Jokic.

Yeh it’s not easy but we were 12th for the first 30 games. I think we can improve on that if Deebos minutes were replaced and Devin is Davion/keon combined.

 

[Tetsujin]

Nico Harrison made some back room deal with the league.

Nah. Because every single thing he’s done since the trade very much seems to indicate that the man is actually as dumb as the trade made him appear.

 

[Siranthony]

I bought tickets to this play in. Worst kings experience I've ever had. Just keystone cops kind of vibe. I really was thinking we could win this one. Was looking forward to playing memphis. But I felt like fool spending money on this and telling people at work how we were going to win.

 

[sactowndog]

My tickets were $65 higher than my average ticket.

did you renew for next season and what is +65 as a percentage increase?

 

[chief bromden]

This game was the perfect cherry on top of the season. As I watched fans leaving early for the exits, I wondered how long it'll be until I get the opportunity to go to a play in or playoff game again... Was a fun ride while it lasted

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

I just don’t see Devin ever being a star, but he has a chance to be an insanely good role player.

He doesn't have the shooting form to be a star. It's really hard to change form at this point at this level

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

This game was the perfect cherry on top of the season. As I watched fans leaving early for the exits, I wondered how long it'll be until I get the opportunity to go to a play in or playoff game again... Was a fun ride while it lasted

ironic that it ended at home again. There's been no home court advantage in any of these 3 seasons

 

[Section 101]

did you renew for next season and what is +65 as a percentage increase?

Yes, I didn't see the play in game as off base. My average is like $215, games ranged from$140 lows to $490 high for warriors/lakers/Celtics. So the price was for like a Saturday game vs Denver.

 

[Section 101]

ironic that it ended at home again. There's been no home court advantage in any of these 3 seasons

Really since G1C opened in 2016.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Really since G1C opened in 2016.

So the last time they simply had a home court advantage was 2006?

 

[sactowndog]

Could be worse Kings fans…you could be a Suns fan…a team with an owner that meddles in all basketball decisions, makes terrible trades and ends up with a team that sucks, has no picks and is fully capped out.

Yeah the Suns might be the only team worse off than the Kings. But you might want to see what you get for Durant and possibly Booker.

 

[Jkbiker]

did you renew for next season and what is +65 as a percentage increase?

my average ticket was $68 my playin was $99 next season ave ticket $73. Lower level end zone row M

 

[SacTownKid]

I just don’t see Devin ever being a star, but he has a chance to be an insanely good role player.

Depends on what level his pick and roll game tops out at. If his college productivity out of pick and roll translates he could be extremely productive. Like maybe around what he was in college with enough minutes. That combined with the defense is a huge piece for any team. Remember, this isn't the typical Kings player athletically. NFL style athletes with game tend to have pretty high ceilings. His floor is insanely good role player already. Is he a franchise guy? Eh, likely not but you never know. Sometimes it's all about opportunity.

 

[Joshyjosh31]

The thing about this team is that I do think there’s a good path to being at the very least a fun, competent team next season if the Kings can just clear the roster clutter out and in a lot of cases eliminate the barriers to opportunities for the young guys.

That means moving on from Deebo. Honestly don’t mind us taking less to move him to a contender since it’s what he deserves as a future HOFer.

Malik can stay but I think it has to be as our 6th man, if only because it balances out the scoring a bit more than if he starts.

I like Trey as a person but I don’t think he’s a big enough difference maker in our rotation to warrant giving him anything above the vet minimum next season.

Domas/Jonas
Keegan/IJ
Lavine/LaRavia hopefully
Keon
Carter/Monk

is a good tight rotation where your three “star” scorers are surrounded by strong defenders. Kings also have the MLE and the Huerter TPE to use to acquire extra pieces.

plus contract wise, Sabonis and Lavine are probably going to be easier to move midsession than in the offseason if the Kings did so ever decide to push the rebuild button.

Doing a rebuild at the deadline instead of the offseason in a projected strong draft is what the kangz would do. Just get what you can and tank Sabonis stock ain’t going up from now everyone knows what he is or isn’t.

Edit: Cam Johnson basically players to his full potential and Brooklyn couldn’t get what they wanted for him and that’s a wing player with elite shooting not a small center who can’t defend and shot create for himself. Johnson is plug and play I don’t see a lot of teams coming for Sabonis hard to built a championship team with a center that can’t defend that well