Deja Vu: Hawks Blowout Kings As Sacramento’s Skid Reaches Five Games
Jan 26, 2022, 6:44 PM | Updated: 6:51 pm
(Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images)
You get a blowout loss, you get a blowout loss, everyone gets a blowout loss!
Well, at least Wednesday night’s game was fun for 12 minutes.
The Sacramento Kings took a double-digit lead into the second quarter, but the fun would stop right there as the Atlanta Hawks demolished the away team over the final three periods to claim a 121-104 win at State Farm Arena.
Not even 24 hours following a 53-point loss to the Boston Celtics, the Kings (18-32) fell flat once again as they looked completely uninspired following the first quarter.
Sacramento has lost five-straight games (the team’s second five-game losing-streak of the season) and have dropped 10 of their past 12 contests.
Tuesday night’s first quarter performance from the Kings was enough for most people to turn the game off. Wednesday’s first quarter was a different story.
In what seemed like a complete-180 opposed to what transpired 24 hours prior, Davion Mitchell (10 points in the first quarter) and the Kings looked aggressive on both ends of the court as they took a 33-21 lead after 12 minutes of play.
During the first quarter, Sacramento scored more points (33) than they did over the entire first half (30) of Tuesday’s 53-point loss in Boston.
If Tuesday’s first quarter was enough to make fans want to turn the game off, Wednesday’s second quarter said, “now, hold on just a second.” Atlanta tacked a 46-spot on the Kings during the second quarter, outscoring Sacramento by 29 points in the period to take a 67-50 lead into the half.
Atlanta’s 46 points were the most that the Kings had surrendered in a single quarter this season.
After a first quarter that was filled with hope, inspired play and activeness on both sides of the ball, the same Kings team that we all saw on Tuesday night reappeared for the second period.
By the end of the second quarter, the game was all but over.
Atlanta quickly added onto their lead in the third quarter, leading by as many as 30 points to set Sacramento up for their fifth-consecutive loss.
We have reached a point where there isn’t much more to say when it comes to dissecting the on-court play. The most interesting aspect of this Kings team isn’t what’s taking place on the floor, but what is hopefully going to take place inside the office of general manager Monte McNair.
During the second half of Wednesday’s game, our very own Carmichael Dave shared the latest intel on McNair and the front office’s plans for the February 10th trade deadline:
We have long heard that McNair has no plans of punting on this season.
Following the loss to Atlanta, the Kings fell to 3.5 games back of the 10th seed in the Western Conference standings. There are seven games remaining for the Kings until the trade deadline–with most of those games coming against formidable opponents.
This team could realistically be seven-to-eight games out of the Play-In spot come February 10th if they don’t attempt to shake things up sooner than later. As weak as the Western Conference has been this season, the fact that this Kings team has lost five-straight–10 of their last 12 games–and STILL remain within reach of the 10th spot is simply astounding.
The schedule doesn’t get easier for Sacramento. Changes are needed and they are needed yesterday.
This city and this fanbase deserve so much more than the horrors we have witnessed over the past 24 hours. It’s truly been nightmare in every sense.
When will the nightmare end?
Injury Report
- Terence Davis suffered an injury to his right wrist (ECU tendon) during Tuesday night’s game in Boston and will be out indefinitely. Davis also received received five stitches to repair a laceration above his right eye after being injured during a drive to a basket on Tuesday.
- De’Aaron Fox (left ankle soreness) was a game-time decision leading into Wednesday’s game before being ruled out for the third-straight game.
- Chimezie Metu missed his second-straight game due to knee soreness. Metu is considered day-to-day.
Coming Up
Two teams that have been heavily linked through trade rumors will face off for the final time this season–and before the February 10th trade deadline–on Saturday evening when the Kings face the Philadelphia 76ers.
A very shorthanded 76ers team that was without four starters stunned Sacramento back on November 22nd when the Kings were outscored 25-12 in the fourth quarter, allowing Philadelphia to steal a 102-94 win at Golden 1 Center.
You can find all of your Kings vs 76ers coverage right here on Sports 1140 KHTK beginning at 3:00pm PST on Game Night with Scott Marsh and Henry ‘The High Flyer’ Turner prior to a 4:30pm PST tip-off from the City of Brotherly Love.
Upcoming Sacramento Kings Schedule
- January 29th @ Philadelphia 76ers
- January 31st @ New York Knicks
- February 2nd vs Brooklyn Nets
- February 3rd @ Golden State Warriors
- February 5th vs Oklahoma City
