Sacramento Kings' Schedule Breakdown and Record Predictions for December
The Sacramento Kings have gotten off to a fast start during the first month-plus of the 2014-15 season. Now they'll try to carry that performance into December.
It's a month that figures to have plenty of winnable tilts for the Kings. The team plays 15 games, 10 of which are against teams that are currently below .500. To put that in perspective, 11 of Sac's 15 games thus far have been against squads either at or above .500. For further context, it's the second-toughest schedule, according to ESPN's strength-of-schedule rankings.
The fact that the Kings were able to navigate such a difficult early-season schedule and still come out of it with their heads above water bodes well for December. Of course, that doesn't mean Sacramento can take any of these games for granted. Any team can win on any given night—except for the Philadelphia 76ers, that is.
Unfortunately for the Kings, they don't have Philly on the schedule for December. But here's a look at the games they do have...
Dec. 1 Through Dec. 7
1 of 5
Key Matchup: Dec. 2 vs. Toronto Raptors (W)
Rest of Schedule: Dec. 5 vs. Indiana Pacers (W), Dec. 6 vs. Orlando Magic (W)
The most difficult game of the week figures to be the one against the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 2.
After establishing themselves as a playoff team last year, the Raptors have looked like legitimate title contenders in 2014-15, posting an Eastern Conference-leading 13-2 record.
Toronto has a few legit pieces on its roster, but it all starts in the backcourt. Running the point, the Raptors have Kyle Lowry, who emerged as one of the league's best floor generals last year. The 28-year-old has kept it up too, averaging 18.1 points, 6.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game.
The starting 2-guard is DeMar DeRozan, who made his first All-Star team last year. The USC product has remained productive this time around, putting up 20.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per night.
The two of them, surrounded by a cast that includes former Kings Greivis Vasquez, Chuck Hayes and Patrick Patterson, who remain from last year's Rudy Gay trade, should keep Sacramento busy.
But the game being in Sacramento will give the Kings an advantage. Plus, the Raptors don't have an answer for DeMarcus Cousins—who does?—which will provide a boost in the paint.
Games against the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic look winnable as well. Indiana, without Paul George due to injury and Lance Stephenson to free agency, has taken a step back. It's still a solid defensive team, ranking 10th in defensive rating, but the Kings should be able to handle it.
The Magic, meanwhile, are still going through the growing pains of rebuilding. Their best win to date is against the surprising Milwaukee Bucks.
Record: 3-0
Dec. 8 Through Dec. 14
2 of 5
Key Matchup: Dec. 11 vs. Houston Rockets (W)
Rest of Schedule: Dec. 8 vs. Utah Jazz (W), Dec. 9 at Los Angeles Lakers (L), Dec. 13 vs. Detroit Pistons (W)
On paper, the game against the Houston Rockets is the most difficult one of the week by far. None of the other teams is close to approaching .500.
Luckily for the Kings, they've already played the Rockets in Houston on Nov. 26, losing 102-89. That should provide some familiarity for their December matchup. However, Sacramento was missing Darren Collison and Rudy Gay in that one, while Houston was without Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley.
Having two of their best three players back in the lineup will help the Kings in this one.
Plus the game is on TNT, which gives Sacramento the nod. You may ask why that's the case. Well, check out this tidbit from Kings stats guru Darryl Arata:
Prior to tonight's game, last time @SacramentoKings were on TNT, they beat OKC on 2/9/12. Tonight's win 3rd straight on TNT, all 3 in Sac.
— Darryl Arata (@kingsnotesguru) November 21, 2014
Games against the Jazz, Lakers and Pistons are less perilous. Utah has done some nice things in Quin Snyder's first year as head coach, and it has talent sprinkled throughout the roster in Trey Burke, Alec Burks, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter and Dante Exum.
The game against LA could be a trap game, with Sac playing on the road on the second night of a back-to-back. The Kings should win that game, but seeing them lose it wouldn't be too shocking. The Pistons, meanwhile, are still trying to find their footing under Stan Van Gundy.
Record: 3-1
Dec. 15 Through Dec. 21
3 of 5
Key Matchup: Dec 16 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (L)
Rest of Schedule: Dec. 18 vs. Milwaukee Bucks (W), Dec. 21 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (W)
The game against the Thunder should be the key one of the week. With OKC currently down, that looks like a pretty winnable contest. However, there are a couple things to consider.
First, the Kings already lost to a short-handed Thunder team back on Nov. 9. Granted, it may have been the team's worst game of the season, and it was in Oklahoma City.
Second, this one is still a few weeks out. When Russell Westbrook went down with a fractured hand on Oct. 31, he was slated to miss four to six weeks. Kevin Durant, who got hurt back in mid-October, was projected to miss six to eight weeks. There's a decent chance one or both of those guys are back on the court. That makes the Thunder a completely different animal.
The game against the Milwaukee Bucks is a sneaky one. Despite posting the worst record last season, the Bucks are off to a 9-7 start. While that level of play may not be sustainable, their sixth-ranked defense very well could be.
The game against the Lakers should be easier than the one from the previous week. This one is in Sacramento, and the Kings will have had two days of rest.
Record: 2-1
Dec. 22 Through Dec. 31
4 of 5
Key Matchup: Dec. 26 vs. Phoenix Suns (W)
Rest of Schedule: Dec. 22 at Golden State Warriors (L), Dec. 27 vs. New York Knicks (L), Dec. 29 @ Brooklyn Nets (W), Dec. 31 @ Boston Celtics (W)
Sacramento's first two games of the week—at Golden State and hosting Phoenix—figure to be the key ones. Phoenix, however, is slightly more important.
For one, the two teams figure to be closer in the standings and therefore should be vying for the same playoff spot. But beyond that, this game is also at home. While beating Golden State in any venue is a difficult proposition, it's increasingly true when playing it in Oakland.
Sacramento was able to beat the Suns in Phoenix on Nov. 7. The game went into double overtime, and the Kings pulled it out despite DeMarcus Cousins fouling out at the end of regulation. Having the game on their home court, and presumably having DMC for the whole contest, will give the Kings an advantage.
The rest of the week is against some of the weaker teams from the Eastern Conference. Assuming the Kings keep up what we've seen from the first month of the season, they should rightfully sweep those games. However, the team could suffer a letdown against the Knicks, as it'll be a back-to-back off a difficult contest against the Suns.
While the tilts against Boston and Brooklyn are both on the road, neither team is very good, especially considering the weaker competition the Celtics and Nets have faced in the Eastern Conference.
Record: 3-2
December Recap
5 of 5
December should end up being a better month than November has been for the Sacramento Kings. That's saying something considering the team's success.
Yet expectations are now different for the Kings. Instead of being cellar-dwellers, they're now at worst an average team, at best a playoff-caliber team. That means they'll need to take advantage of what figures to be a relatively easy schedule.
Perhaps most importantly, they'll need to stay humble. Head coach Michael Malone reminded the team after it got off to a 4-1 start, following a win over the Denver Nuggets: "Well, I told them this morning, ‘We haven’t done a damn thing,’ at 3-1, so I’ll keep telling them that. The season is young. To be 4-1 after five games is great, but we have a very demanding and difficult road trip coming up, starting with Phoenix. It’s a business trip, and no one is wanting to celebrate that Sacramento is 4-1 right now. We still have a lot of work to do."
The coach is right. The Kings still haven't accomplished anything yet. But if the team stays focused and plays to its capabilities in December, Sacramento will be one step closer to reaching its ultimate goal of qualifying for the playoffs.
Record: 11-4
Unless noted otherwise, all quotes obtained firsthand. All stats current through games played on Nov. 26.
What do you think of the Kings' December schedule? Let me know on Twitter @SimRisso
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