Kings Rout Wizards, Show They’re Right Where They Need to Be

In the grand scheme of a season, the Kings’ most recent win will be quite forgettable. The team, who has now won nine of their last ten, is firing on all cylinders under interim head coach Doug Christie. They’re playing well-rounded ball and defeating everyone in their path.

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

As such, it didn’t seem like a huge task to handle one of the league’s worst teams at home. Sacramento faced off against the Wizards on Sunday night, who came into the Golden One arena sporting an abysmal 6-35 record. The team has almost nothing going for it, and the Kings are one of the hottest teams in basketball.

That combination led to a predictable outcome, with Sacramento getting out to an early lead, stifling the Wizards on both sides of the ball, and coming away with one of the easiest victories of the season.

Despite that, the contest mattered quite a bit. Not because the Kings won, which is becoming more and more the norm for the young team, and not because they brought their home record back to .500. Rather, because it shows they know how to beat bad teams.

Righting the Ship

Sacramento had a rocky start to the season. There were several noticeable issues under former coach Mike Brown, with one of the biggest being inconsistency. While they would win a big game here and there, they also dropped a lot of easy ones.

That’s a common issue for mediocre or middling teams who just coast through the season. That’s why taking care of business against Washington matters so much. It was an easy win, but the victory would not have been anything close to a guarantee just a month ago.

The Kings are a much different team now. Everyone is playing at a high level, and the chemistry is off the charts. They know where everyone is at all times, understand how to space the floor, and are playing with a ton of confidence.

Even going into the game against Washington, there was no doubt how they would show up. They didn’t start slow, nor did they mess around. They got out to a six point lead after the first quarter, eight more in the second, and won the game 123-100.

That style of win might be new to the Kings this season, but it’s something they know well from past seasons. The current roster understands how to win, and they know what it’s like to be a top team. Both of those are now coming together in a big way.

A Complete Victory

Something else that makes the Kings recent wins so impressive is how everyone is learning to contribute. Though leaning on the stars can work every now and then, being a top team in the current NBA means getting ample production. The Wizards game is a perfect example of that.

While De’Aaron Fox only had twelve points, the dynamic point guard dished out 13 assists and got everyone else involved. Sabonis scored 29 points, DeRozan had 24, and Malik Monk put together a 23/4/1 statline.

That was then backed up by 18 points from Keon Ellis, who has proved to be a huge spark plug coming off the bench. He’s a great defensive player, but can also drain long range threes or get to the cup in key situations.

That type of high-energy play is something felt by everyone on the team, and one of the biggest improvements under Christie. Everyone is giving their all, especially when it comes to extra hustle on both sides of the ball.

“Keon has things that you don’t teach,” Christie said of the explosive guard. “There’s instincts and timing and different things on defense. He’s found his way and found his shot, and shooting comes and goes but he continues to hone it.”

That faith is something Christie has in all of his players, and their confidence only grows with each passing game.

A Historic Night

It would also be impossible to discuss the Kings’ recent success without mentioning DeMar DeRozan. The multi-time all star had another great game against Washington, and continues to be one of the strongest players on the team.

Many doubted that the guard would be able to fit into Sacramento’s system. However, like everything else on the team, he’s hitting his stride at exactly the right time. He’s finding many ways to score, is playing great defense, and is filling in the leader role perfectly.

In fact, against the Wizards he passed Allen Iverson for 29th place on the all-time scoring list. That’s a great mark to hit, and shows that DeRozan’s talent isn’t going anywhere.

All of the Kings players are buying into the new system, and it’s paying huge dividends. It’s one thing to get the stars on board, but having them and the bench in sync is where the true magic lies.

“The ball’s moving, you know, guys have confidence, guys are knocking down shots,” said center Domantas Sabonis. “Keon’s doing celebrations. So, it’s good. It’s working.”