Kings Report – 1/22

The Sacramento Kings finally looked like they were turning a corner during their best four-game stretch of the season. Naturally, that momentum disappeared by the time I attended Sunday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 18.

I’m not sure what happened during that game, but it felt like there was a lot of standing around and not much hustle. The Kings kept it fairly close throughout, yet I never felt confident they were going to pull out a win with the energy they were bringing on the court. The rest of the crowd, however, didn’t give up hope. You would’ve thought Malik Monk had tied the game when he hit a three with 1:06 left in the fourth to cut the lead to five, judging by how loud the building got. Unfortunately, Monk missed his next three-point attempt, Russell Westbrook missed a free throw, and it all went downhill from there. The Kings fell to the Trail Blazers, 117–110.

I’ve been loving watching rookie center Dylan Cardwell get his playing time. He just looks like he’s having so much fun, and that’s what the game is all about. He posted his first career double-double against the Trail Blazers. It was one of those bright spots that make nights like this feel manageable, right up there with Malik Monk reaching the 1,000 three-pointer mark of his career.

This week the Kings will play their last home game of the month on Wednesday, January 21 against the 26-19 Toronto Raptors, before heading out on a six game road trip starting in Cleveland against the 24-20 Cavaliers on Friday, January 23, before moving on to Detroit to play the 31-10 Pistons on Sunday, January 25, and then to New York to play the 25-18 Knicks on Tuesday, January 27.

I’m going to cut it a little short today because I’m fighting a cold, but this is also the time of year I start paying close attention to trade news. The NBA trade deadline is February 9, and with it fast approaching, I’m curious to see how this Kings roster ultimately shakes out. Go Kings!