Week in review: Kings finish off Pistons, post 3-3 East Coast road trip

Kings record: 16-12

Kings record on the week: 2-2

After a tough win against a very good Cleveland Cavaliers team that included a 19-0 run to end the game, the Kings were riding high heading into New York. For one of the rare times this season, the Sacramento Kings just didn't show up.

Missing De'Aaron Fox for a second straight contest, the Kings looked lost from the opening tip. Julius Randle man-handled Sacramento's forwards, posting 27 points before being tossed from the game in the mid-third quarter. 

RJ Barrett stepped in and filled the void in Randle's absence, torching the Kings for another 27 points and leading the Knicks to a 112-99 victory.

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After a drubbing in New York that didn't feel anything like a 13-point defeat, the Kings traveled to Philly to face MVP candidate Joel Embiid. Like the previous game, Sacramento came out soft and were run off the court by a final of 123-103. 

Embiid dominated the post, getting every Kings player possible in foul trouble on his way to 31 points in 30 minutes. James Harden and Tobias Harris kicked in 21 each as the Kings fell to 1-3 on the road trip with two games remaining.

The Kings left the City of Brotherly love and traveled across the border into Canada for a tough back-to-back against the Raptors on Wednesday. In his second game back from injury, De'Aaron Fox looked more like himself, dropping 27 points and 10 assists as the Kings snapped the two game skid with a 124-123 dramatic win.

Domantas Sabonis dominated the action, posting a 21-point, 20-rebound, 7-assist stat line. Terence Davis scored 19 against his former team filling in for an injured Kevin Huerter. 

Like so many other times this season, the Kings were almost done in by a late missed call by the officials. Fred VanVleet ran over Fox for a clear offensive foul in the waning moments. With Fox sprawled out on the floor, the Raptors point guard hoisted a wide open 3-pointer that would have tied the game, but he caught iron and the Kings escaped with the win. The NBA's Last Two Minute report admitted the error.

Needing a win to secure a .500 trip, the Kings looked worn out in the first half against the Detroit Pistons. Whatever was said at halftime struck a chord and the team came out with a fury in the third quarter.

Led by rookie Keegan Murray's 10 point quarter, the Kings trounced the Pistons for a 38-23 advantage in the third and they didn't let up in the fourth. Seven Kings notched double-figure scoring, led by Fox's 24 point outburst, to push Sacramento to a 122-113 victory and a 3-3 road trip. 

Player of the Week: Domantas Sabonis

Rarely do we give a player back-to-back POTW awards, but Sabonis is living up to his nickname, "The Ox." The Kings' star big is riding a streak of seven straight double-doubles and he leads the league in the category with 20. It was a gamble when the Kings traded for the two-time All-Star, but he is a top 15 player in the NBA this season and the driving force behind their incredible start. In four games this week, Sabonis averaged 21.5 points, 13.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 73.3 percent from the field. Kings fans better cram that All-Star ballot box and get this guy to Utah. 

Last week's POTW: Domantas Sabonis

Injury Report

De'Aaron Fox returned to action against the 76ers after missing two games with a sore foot. He took a game to round into form, but finished off the trip with two tremendous performances. 

Kevin Huerter missed the Raptors game with a sore ankle, but made it back in time to suit up and score 13 points against the Pistons on Friday. 

Alex Len has missed all week due to a non-covid illness. The seldom used center has played a total of 25 minutes this season for the Kings.

Davion Mitchell sat out the final game of the road trip due to illness. Like the rest of America, there is a bug going around the Kings' locker room and it bit the second-year guard.

Themes of the Week

• Never too high, never too low. When the Kings failed to show up against the Knicks and Sixers, the doom and gloom hit social media hard. The Kings responded in resounding fashion, picking up big wins against the Raptors and Pistons. After nearly two weeks away, the team is returning home at 16-12. Not too bad.

• DPOG. Associate head coach and defensive coordinator Jordi Fernandez came up with an idea to present a player with flashy Defensive Player of the Game necklace after wins. Sabonis took home the bling one night, but Harrison Barnes has been the recipient the last two games. This is just another way in which the Kings are finding ways to embrace the fun.

Stats of the Week

• 5: When the Kings hit the road for a six game trip, there was concern that they would come home 1-5 or 2-4. They faced five teams currently in the Eastern Conference playoff picture and somehow managed to return 3-3. Not bad at all.

• 7: Sabonis has seven straight double-doubles and he leads the league with 20 on the season.

• 7: A six game road trip is brutal, even by NBA standards, but it's not the longest of the season for Sacramento. They have a seven game trip scheduled from Jan. 28-Feb. 8, which includes two games in Minnesota, stops in Indiana, San Antonio and New Orleans and then two games in Houston against the Rockets.  

Quotes of the Week

“These guys are highly intelligent basketball players and I think our coaching staff is great too. It’s just a fun group to be around. We enjoy each other’s company, whether coaching or whether we’re socializing. I think you can feel that. It’s fun to come to work.” -Jay Triano on the 2022-23 Sacramento Kings

“That’s my dawg. He actually was the reason I didn’t trick myself out of a spot in Charlotte, because he always kept me grounded. He always told me to be patient, your time is coming. He always believed in me. He’s been great for me.” -Malik Monk on Triano

“He’s energetic, positive…very positive. I’ve known him for ten-plus years now and I’ve never heard him say one negative thing. When you’re around somebody with a positive energy like that, it’s contagious. He’s funny and he has his mannequin in the gym that he messes with before we watch film and stuff.” -Trey Lyles on Triano

Tweets of the Week

Celebrating Jordi Fernandez's win filling in for the ejected Mike Brown:

Celebrated every win:

Mike Brown's wallet gets thinner:

Clutch:

Fox gets stitches and Recee chimes in:

What if he didn't miss?:

Sabonis is having fun:

Weekly Reading

Monday Musings: Jay Triano, Manny the Mannequin and the Kings' offense

Week in review: Kings finding ways to win ugly games

Weekly Podcasts

What's next?

Kings vs. Charlotte Hornets, Golden 1 Center, Monday 7PM

Kings vs. Los Angeles Lakers, Golden 1 Center, Wednesday 7PM

Kings vs. Washington Wizards, Golden 1 Center, Friday 7PM