Kings rookie Harry Giles III ejected, draws huge ovation from #SacramentoProud crowd
The departure of Kings rookie Harry Giles III following his ejection from Monday night’s 115-108 victory over the New York Knicks was just as spectacular as his obvious and unmistakable emergence over the past seven days.
Giles posted 17 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes before he was tossed out of the game for a flagrant-2 foul after landing an elbow to the head of Knicks forward Luke Kornet in the fourth quarter. Fans rose to their feet to shower Giles with a rousing ovation as he left the floor, waving his arms, high-fiving spectators and throwing his towel into the crowd. General manager Vlade Divac offered a handshake. An usher patted him on the back.
Giles was gone before reporters entered the locker room after the game, but he made his feelings known on social media. In an Instagram Story post, Giles said: “I go hard for Sacramento.” On Twitter, he said: “Love this city! Best fans in the league and I mean that with my whole heart. (Shout out) to the guys for finishing the job. We needed that! #SacramentoProud”
Buddy Hield scored 28 points for the Kings (32-31), who snapped a three-game losing streak and remained three games behind the San Antonio Spurs for the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoff race. Harrison Barnes had 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Allonzo Trier came off the bench to score 29 points for the Knicks (13-51), who had won three of their last six games after losing 18 in a row. Dennis Smith Jr. had 18 points.
When it was over, much of the discussion centered on the development of Giles, a 20-year-old center who was the nation’s No. 1 high school recruit before knee injuries nearly crippled his career. Giles averaged 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in 18.7 minutes over the past three games while shooting 65.7 percent from the field.
“Watching him get better right in front of our eyes, it’s touching for me,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said. “I like it. He’s a good dude.”
The Kings will continue to rely on Giles for a spark off the bench when they conclude a four-game home stand against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday — assuming he isn’t suspended for the elbow against Kornet. Giles’ most recent contributions have come at an opportune time with fellow rookie big man Marvin Bagley III sidelined due to a sprained left knee.
Giles had 18 points and seven rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 27. He had 15 points and five rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
Giles’ role has increased considerably over the course of the season. He averaged 11.7 minutes per game in October, 9.6 in November and 9.5 in December. He even spent time with Sacramento’s G League affiliate in Stockton before solidifying himself in Joerger’s rotation.
“He’s running better and better and better all the time, and he had some good post-ups in the first half where he’s barking for the ball, and you love that,” Joerger said. “It gives our whole team confidence.”
Giles has demonstrated an ability to score in a variety of ways, using a smooth high-post jump shot and an assortment of silky spin moves to finish around the basket with either hand. He is also living up to his reputation as a gifted passer with incredible court vision.
“He’s grown tremendously,” Hield said. “He’s obviously our best passer on the team. He’s skillful on the block and he’s patient. He’s young still, but he’s been growing and I love his attitude. ... He plays with a lot of passion. ... Harry had the most upside of anybody in his class. He was the best player, so I’m just happy for him and his success, and hopefully he keeps getting even better.”
It was unclear whether Giles’ flagrant foul on Kornet was intentional, but what is clear is he plays with a degree of nastiness and fire that others don’t offer.
“I think everybody needs to be aggressive,” Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox said. “Harry had a great night tonight and it would have continued if he didn’t get ejected. ... He goes out there and plays with energy all the time. Sometimes he plays with too much energy, but it’s something every team needs.”
This story was originally published March 5, 2019 at 5:17 AM.
