Game #12: Kings @ Knicks Preview

Nov 11, 2017
3 min read

Playoff train?

What: Sacramento Kings (3-8) vs. New York Knicks (6-5)

When: 5:00pm PT

Where: Madison Square Garden (New York City, New York)

How to Watch: NBC Sports California

How to Listen: KHTK Sports 1140

The Knicks are coming off of a loss to the Orlando Magic. Franchise player, Kristaps Porzingis did not play for New York. Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Knicks in scoring with 26 points and 11 rebounds. The team as a whole shot 52.5% from the field.

Are the young guys finally starting to click? The Kings are looking to win their third straight contest tonight against the New York Knicks in the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. On Thursday, the Kings beat the Philadelphia 76ers at home. Sacramento shot 43% from the field and 44.4% from three point land.

Rookie Justin Jackson had a breakout game, scoring 19 points in 30 minutes of action. Veterans Kosta Koufos and Zach Randolph both showed up big for the Kings. Kosta made 4 out of his 5 shots and Randolph put up 20 points, which lead all Kings in scoring. Malachi Richardson, who had been lost in the rotation played 7 minutes and in that time made all three of the shots he attempted, two of which were three pointers.

There are two players who can both be considered for player of the game due to their big plays down the stretch that helped win the game for the Kings. One of those guys is Willie Cauley-Stein, who had two huge blocks on Joel Embiid within the last minute of the game. The first block set De'Aaron Fox up for a bucket and-one to put the Kings within one point (Fox missed the free throw, but the ball went out of bounds on Philadelphia. Garrett Temple then made a three pointer). The second block ultimately led to the game winning shot, which was made by the man who should be considered player of the game, Kings rookie De'Aaron Fox.

With 18.8 seconds left on the clock and 17 seconds on the shot clock, the Kings were down by one and needed a bucket. Temple, the inbounder, found Fox at the top of the key. The rest of the team quickly went iso for Fox who was being guarded by Robert Covington. Covington gave De'Aaron space due to his quickness, so Fox stopped and popped from about 18 feet out and made the crucial basket. The Sixers had 13.4 seconds left and opted to not take a timeout, even though they had two left. Joel Embiid missed the potential game winner giving the Kings the win 109-108.

Keys to the Game:

•Outshoot the Knicks from 3

The Knicks lost their last game against the Magic a lot in part due to their three point shooting. New York only shot twelve threes and made just 5 for the entire game. The Magic on the other hand shot twenty-eight 3's and made thirteen of them.

•Defending the Paint

The New York Knickerbockers love playing in the paint and that shouldn't be a surprise when your franchise player is nearly the tallest player in the NBA at 7'3 (only half an inch shorter than the tallest player, Boban Marjanovic). Willie BLOCKING-Stein has to show up once again for the Kings tonight.

Inactive Report:

Sacramento:

•Vince Carter (illness) - OUT

•Harry Giles (Bi-Lateral Knee Rehabilitation) - OUT

•Georgios Papagiannis (G-League Assignment) - OUT

•JaKarr Sampson (G-League) - OUT

•Jack Cooley (G-League) - OUT

New York:

•Kristaps Porzingis (Sprained Left Ankle/Contused Right Elbow) - PROBABLE

Probable Starters: