We have rarely seen such an unbridled match this season! Facing the Pistons, deprived of Cade Cunningham, the Kings were set to experience an evening as catastrophic as against the Pelicans. After twelve minutes, the Pistons players led by 18 points, with 47 points scored. Like Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento loses stupid balls, and opposite, the young Pistons want to run.
Jalen Duren smashes the rim, Bojan Bogdanovic lights up from distance, and Killian Hayes runs the shop. Rarely this season have the Pistons had so much fun in the game with a 15 out of 18 shooting in this first quarter (47-29). The Kings do not succeed, and the Pistons continue with Bogdanovic to take advantage of the generosity of the Sacramento defense (61-42).
And then Keegan Murray gets angry! Like a big man, he launches a 13-0, and everything goes: 3-points, dunk, fadeaway, against… In two minutes, Sacramento got back to the score (62-55). Jaden Ivey tries to shake up his teammates, but the Kings, still with Murray as their spearhead, record a new 13-0! At the break, the Kings are in front: 68-65.
The Kings continue the “runs”
Returning from the locker room, not 13-0, but 15-3. Straddling both halves, the Pistons have just suffered a terrible 41-7! With Sabonis hitting 3-pointers or Fox roaming the racket, the Kings broke away (83-68) and we thought the game was over. Especially since Malik Monk invites himself into the offensive festival (98-85). Except that Alec Burks is not giving up. At 3 points, he brings his team to -3 at the end of the 3rd quarter, then Duren equalizes (101-101).
There are nine minutes left to play, and everything has to be done again for the Kings. It’s the Sabonis-Monk duo who take matters into their own hands. Between them, they signed a 9-0 to regain a gap. And as in the 2nd quarter, the Pistons are overwhelmed against the Lithuanian's vista. Result, Sacramento signs a new 9-0 to knock out the Pistons. There are two minutes left to play, and Sacramento finally flies to an easy victory (131-110).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– An almost perfect start to the second quarter. On the street in the first quarter, with 47 points conceded, the Kings will score 11 out of 12 on shots to attack the second quarter. A way to respond to the 15 out of 18 shots from the Pistons in the first quarter…
– Domantas Sabonis still sees triple. Author of his best mark of the season, with 37 points, the All-Star interior added 13 assists and 10 rebounds to sign his 9th triple-double of the season. Only Nikola Jokic does better with 11 triple-doubles.
– The Spark Murray. We understand why the Kings did not want to let go of their “sophomore” against Pascal Siakam. Increasingly comfortable, he woke up his teammates in the second quarter, and finished the game with 32 points on 13 of 17 shots.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
