Preview: Kings welcome Giles, Nets to Golden 1 Center
Dec 11, 2023, 10:15 AM
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Who’s ready for some home cooking?
The Sacramento Kings are back at Golden 1 Center following a one-game road trip to Phoenix as they will open up a stretch that will see the ‘Beam Team’ play seven of its next eight contests at home.
Thanks to a valiant closing effort from De’Aaron Fox (23 points in the fourth quarter), the Kings (12-8) defeated the Suns on Friday night in Sacramento’s second-straight road win.
A home-road back-to-back will tip-off on Monday as the Kings will face a Brooklyn Nets (12-9) team that has won six of their past seven games.
Can Fox and Sacramento improve to 13-8 on the year–the franchise’s best 21-game start since 2004-05 (15-6)?
Let’s find out.
De’Aaron Fox has played in 15 games this season.
In those 15 games, he has made 3+ three-point field goals on nine occasions.
Games with 3+ made 3PT FG by season:
2020-21: 17
2022-23: 12
2023-24: 9Fox is on pace for a career year from deep 🎯 pic.twitter.com/g2hQ0pgFJF
— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) December 9, 2023
Sacramento Kings vs. Brooklyn Nets Game Info
When: 7:00 PM PST
Where: Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM – Coverage starts at 5:30 PM on Game Night
Line: Kings -4.5, O/U 233.5
Be sure to tune in right here on Sactown Sports 1140 for all of your Kings vs. Nets coverage, beginning at 5:30 PM PST on Game Night before a 7:00 PM PST tip-off from downtown Sacramento.
Tickets: Click here
Be On Alert From Three
If one thing jumps off the page when looking at the Brooklyn Nets’ stats, it’s that they love to shoot–and make–the three-ball.
Brooklyn enters play on Monday as the NBA leader in three-point field goal percentage (.387%), third in made three-point field goals, and seventh in attempts from beyond the arc.
Five players are shooting 37 percent or higher from deep (min. ten games played): Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale, and Lonnie Walker IV.
Bridges is a player to watch in this one as the Kings will have to try and slow down the young forward who is averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 53 percent shooting from the field and 51 percent from three-point range.
Mikal Bridges with the game winner vs the Hawks!
32 PTS | 6 AST | 5 REB | 63% FGpic.twitter.com/0I4UJZTjkH
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) December 7, 2023
Sacramento hasn’t done a great job of holding opponents in check from three (24th in opponent three-point %), but they will have to pay extra close attention to the Nets and their many threats from the outside.
If the Kings can apply pressure on Brooklyn and force them to take shots inside the three-point arc, they should have a better chance of coming away with a win.
The Nets rank 18th in the NBA regarding points in the paint per game (48.5) and 16th in two-point field goal percentage (53%). If Sacramento can defend the three, they will be in a better position on Monday night.
Hitting Your Mark
Good things happen when the Kings shoot 45 percent from the field and/or 35 percent from the three-point range.
Sacramento turned around a rough start on Friday (38% FG and 26% 3PT) to shoot 55 percent from the field and 50 percent from three during the second half as they pulled out a win over the Suns.
It seems like the Kings’ approach to early struggles is to stick with their core offensive schemes and ‘shoot through it,’ in a way.
Sasha the Sharpshooter™️ pic.twitter.com/60LGxP8RTw
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) December 9, 2023
While it may seem as if Sacramento forces shots during cold spells, if they begin to fall, there is a target that usually results in a winning effort for the Kings.
In games that Sacramento shoots 45 percent or better from the field, they are 11-1 this season.
In games that Sacramento shoots 35 percent or better from three-point land, they are 9-1 this season.
When things get tough for the Kings’ offense, it looks like continuing to let it fly is the best course of action.
Welcome Back, Harry!
Former Kings forward Harry Giles III will return to Golden 1 Center for the first time as a player since January 9, 2021, when he played for the Portland Trail Blazers.
After two seasons away from the NBA, the Duke product secured a full roster spot with Brooklyn and has averaged 6.7 points over three appearances thus far.
Giles was a beloved member of the 2017-20 Sacramento teams after being selected by the Kings with the 20th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Over two seasons in the 916, Giles averaged 7.0 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 52 percent from the field over 104 games (17 starts).
The 25-year-old took to social media to share his excitement towards returning to his first NBA stop:
Back in G1C tomorrow 😬😬 I been manifesting this moment for a long time! Can’t wait to see Royalty! 916 it’s up tomorrow. Come seee meeee #purpleheart
— Harry Giles III (@HGiiizzle) December 10, 2023
Giles was in attendance for Sacramento’s Game 7 matchup against Golden State on April 30th, sitting next to De’Aaron Fox’s wife, Recee, as Kings fans gave the big man a standing ovation when he was shown on the Golden 1 Center jumbotron.
Tonight, he will take the floor in Sacramento–as a player–for the first time in nearly three years.
Harry Giles got some love from the Golden 1 Center crowd.
He’s courtside for game seven. pic.twitter.com/nxWHP0Tag4
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) April 30, 2023
Kings vs. Nets Injury Report
Sacramento
- Malik Monk – QUESTIONABLE (non-COVID illness)
- Colby Jones – OUT (lower back soreness)
- Alex Len – OUT (high right ankle sprain)
Brooklyn
- Dennis Smith Jr. – OUT (upper back sprain)
- Ben Simmons – OUT (left lower back nerve impingement)
- Lonnie Walker IV – OUT (left hamstring strain)
Upcoming Schedule
- Monday, December 11th – Sacramento Kings vs. Brooklyn Nets – 7:00 PM PST
- Tuesday, December 12th – Sacramento Kings @ Los Angeles Clippers – 7:30 PM PST
- Thursday, December 14th – Sacramento Kings vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – 7:00 PM PST
- Saturday, December 16th – Sacramento Kings vs. Utah Jazz – 7:00 PM PST
- Monday, December 18th – Sacramento Kings vs. Washington Wizards – 7:00 PM PST
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