Lack of Depth Kills Kings in Loss to Thunder
Dec 20, 2018, 12:00 AM | Updated: Jan 4, 2019, 11:38 am
SACRAMENTO, CA - DECEMBER 19: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives on Willie Cauley-Stein #00 and Nemanja Bjelica #88 of the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on December 19, 2018 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
by Matt George
No Marvin Bagley, Iman Shumpert or Bogdan Bogdanovic for the Kings tonight in their third meeting against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Three crucial pieces to the young Sacramento core that has earned them 16 wins so far this season. The lack of production showed, particularly with the Kings’ bench unit, as the Thunder marched out of the Golden 1 Center with a 132-113 win.
“Hats off to Oklahoma City. They were very serious and locked in tonight, very physical beat us to spots on the floor, beat us to basketballs, beat us to rebounds” said Kings head coach Dave Joerger, “They were more physical – they’re built a lot bigger than we are at this point, and so it just takes a while for our guys to fill out and get bigger and stronger as time goes on”.
Paul George was unstoppable tonight, scoring 43 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Russell Westbrook earned another triple-double; 19 points, 17 assists and 11 rebounds.
“PG and Russ had a hell of a game. They took over in the 4th quarter” said De’Aaron Fox.
Despite the big nights for Westbrook and George, Steven Adams was the player of the night for OKC, scoring 20 points and pulling down a career-high 23 rebounds. It’s the 2nd time in three games that the Kings have given up 20 or more rebounds to opposing centers.
“They get paid 100 mil to do that” Willie Cauley-Stein said.
Fox chimed in on the rebounding struggles as well, with the Kings as a team being out rebounded 66 to 43, “It’s something that we can work on as far as boxing out, but rebounding is all effort. We gotta stop giving up offensive rebounds and 2nd chance points. Rebounding is a team effort”.
Buddy Hield did all he could offensively to make up for his injured teammates, scoring a career high 37 points on 50% shooting from beyond the arc.
“He made a lot of shots and I had to play him a lot of minutes,” said Joerger, “but we needed some scoring. (The) guy can go get his own shot, and he was super for us.
The Kings now have a 2-1 season series advantage over the Thunder. Both teams will meet one more time on February 23rd in Oklahoma City.
Sacramento has the day off tomorrow. They host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
