Will the return of Richaun Holmes give Kings the energy they need for playoff push?
The Kings are heading to Portland for a pivotal game in a surprising playoff push that won’t last much longer if they can’t summon more energy and urgency than they showed Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The only bit of good news came before the game when coach Luke Walton said he expects center Richaun Holmes to return this weekend, either on the road Saturday against the Portland Trail Blazers or at home Sunday against the Toronto Raptors.
Holmes was all energy over the first half of the season. The Kings could have used that in a somewhat deflating 125-108 loss to the 76ers on Thursday night at Golden 1 Center.
“They came out and set the tone early,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “They’re bigger, stronger — at least it felt like that tonight. They wanted it more, it felt like.”
There’s no way Philadelphia should have wanted this more than Sacramento. The 76ers (38-25) were coming off a couple of losses without All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, one to the Los Angeles Clippers and the other to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Kings (27-35) are coming off 13 consecutive losing seasons, the longest active playoff drought in the NBA.
If that streak is going to end, the Kings have to continue to play with the focus, intensity and toughness they’ve demonstrated for six weeks while going 12-6 over their past 18 games. Not the way they played against the depleted 76ers.
“We didn’t play the way we wanted to play,” Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic said. “… In this league, you can’t relax. That’s what I’ve learned. There’s no space to relax. All the teams and all the players are here for a reason and everyone is ready to step up and have a big night.”
Kings lose ground in playoff race
The Kings were alone in ninth place when the night began, 3½ games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff race. The loss left Sacramento four games behind the Grizzlies and a half-game behind the Blazers, tied with the San Antonio Spurs and just one game ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Grizzlies have showed tremendous resiliency in winning three in a row without Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke, but if they falter against a daunting schedule — and there’s still a good chance they will — this could be a three-team race between the Blazers, Kings and Pelicans. The Kings don’t have a world-class closer like Damian Lillard or a young bull like Zion Williamson. If they’re going to do this, they have to want it. No lapses. No letdowns.
Walton didn’t think they wanted it enough against Philadelphia.
“We’re going to learn that lesson,” he said. “Hopefully we learn it soon. Whether we take losses down the stretch or if we’re winning games, we’re going to have to win playing at a high level and being desperate like that. We (play) Portland and Toronto (this weekend). Including ourselves, everyone is either jockeying for playoff seeding or to make the playoffs. We have a lot of those types of games on our schedule. We’re going to see and we’re going to feel firsthand that desperation, that intensity, so it’ll be good for us.”
Bogdanovic said the Kings lost focus and didn’t execute their game plan. They shot 53.2 percent from the field but committed 18 turnovers and allowed the 76ers to make 17 3-pointers. Philadelphia also outrebounded Sacramento 45-37 and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds, amassing a 13-4 advantage in second-chance points.
“Tonight was the first game that we didn’t execute our plan and we didn’t play the way we wanted,” Bogdanovic said. “I can tell (you) this is the first game out of all the seven, eight games — however many we’ve had since the All-Star break — where we didn’t stick to the plan. It happens. Still, it’s behind us and we have a big one in Portland.”
How does Holmes fit?
Holmes could be back after missing the past 25 games with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He was arguably the team’s most valuable player over the first 37 games, averaging 13.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots while shooting 66 percent from the field.
“I feel good,” Holmes said. “Shoulder’s feel great and (I’m) getting my conditioning back and looking forward to being back out there as soon as I can.”
Holmes noted how well Harry Giles III and Alex Len have played in his absence, saying Giles has been “amazing” and Len, who was acquired at the trade deadline, has added a “presence in the paint” on defense.
“They changed the game and the identity of our team and got us in position for the playoff push,” Holmes said. “So for me, I just come in and try to add to what they’re already doing, try to integrate myself back in and try to bring whatever I can to what those guys are bringing.”
Walton now has to decide how to work Holmes back into the rotation. Walton reiterated Thursday he is unlikely to use all three centers on a nightly basis, but it’s unclear who the odd man out will be. That decision might be made from night to night based on matchups.
Whatever Walton chooses to do, getting Holmes back should help the team over the last 20 games.
“It brings us another big shot-blocking and rebounding presence,” Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox said. “(He) brings a lot of energy for us and someone that we’ve definitely missed for a long period of time now. If we do have him back this weekend, I think it helps us.”
Holmes thinks he can fit in seamlessly.
“For me, it’s just about seeing what needs to be done on the floor,” Holmes said. “So whenever I get a chance to play, whenever I get a chance to come back, just go out there and play with energy and do what I do.”
The Kings need that energy. They weren’t in a playoff race when Holmes got hurt, but they are now.
“It’s exciting,” Holmes said. “I think (making) the playoffs is a goal we’ve been talking about since the beginning of the season and to have an opportunity to make a push for it, I think everybody’s focused, everybody’s locked in and we want to make it happen.”
