Lakers vs. Kings: 4 Reasons To Be Optimistic After Sacramento's First Game
The Sacramento Kings' season-opening win Monday night was an emotional moment for all involved, mostly because, just eight months ago, it looked like the Kings had played their final game in Sacramento.
But the Kings will remain in the capital of California for at least another season, and opened up the year with a thrilling 100-91 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers that gave Sacramento fans plenty to cheer about.
It may just be one game, and the Kings are still one of the most inexperienced squads in the league, but with their combination of talent, youth and depth, Sacramento is poised for a far better season than many in the league have predicted.
Let's take a look at four reasons why the Kings faithful should be optimistic after their first game.
Defense Intensity
1 of 4The Kings held the Lakers to just 42 percent shooting on Monday and their defense came up big late when it counted. After Los Angeles pulled within three at 92-89 with 3:48 to play, Sacramento gave up just two more points the rest of the way.
While Kobe Bryant did score 29 points for the Lakers, he shot just 10-of-24 and was mostly contained by a variety of Sacramento defenders. The Kings also held the Lakers to just 1-of-16 shooting from three-point territory.
Certainly the Lakers were not at full strength, with Kobe's injured wrist and the absence of center Andrew Bynum, but the Kings' defensive tenacity was in full force on Monday night.
Depth Will Be Key
2 of 4The Sacramento bench wasn't at its best on Monday, as the reserves scored just 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting, but the Kings bench is something to be optimistic about.
With the shortened NBA season bringing on more back-to-back games, depth is even more important now than in a normal year. The ability to constantly put out talented fresh players can really help any team, especially one as young and inexperienced as Sacramento.
With Jason Thompson, J.J. Hickson, Donte Greene, Travis Outlaw, Jimmer Fredette and Isaiah Thomas all ready off the bench, Sacramento won't need to wear out its starters as much as many teams that lack depth might.
Depth in this fast NBA season is something that could severely hurt the Lakers, but for Sacramento, it could be one of their biggest strengths.
Youth and Energy
3 of 4Experienced teams who have been together for an extensive time will most certainly get a boost right out of the gate this season. With limited training camp, new teams trying to fit in new talent may struggle to build cohesiveness early on.
The Kings have the youngest team in the league, and they're just now getting all their players together. Their team captain, Chuck Hayes, just re-signed with the team late last week and hasn't had much practice time at all.
But as the season drags on and the games keep on coming at this rapid-fire pace, youthful energy could be just as big a advantage as experience.
It was visible in the Kings' win, as the energy and athleticism beat the Lakers on both ends of the court. While experienced teams are almost always better off, in a shortened season the Kings' young age will be a serious benefit.
Composure Down the Stretch
4 of 4The Lakers trailed by as much as 15 in the fourth quarter, but pulled within three at 92-89 with 3:48 to play.
The Kings of old would have panicked, but to Paul Westphal's credit, they didn't do it tonight.
They regained composer and kept up their intensity. They came up with some huge defensive plays—a block by Tyreke Evans on Derek Fisher and a charge drawn by DeMarcus Cousins chief among them—and Sacramento managed to pull away for the win. In the last four minutes, the Lakers scored just four points.
Now, if the Kings could just start making their free throws earlier in the game, they could have avoided the drama. But that's a worry for another evening.
