‘Hell yeah’: Sacramento Kings say they need to improve one of NBA’s worst defenses
Even after a thrilling victory punctuated by big blocked shots and an emphatic dunk by De’Aaron Fox, the Kings continued to remind themselves they won’t win consistently until they get better defensively.
The Kings (5-6) have allowed an average of 130.4 points per game over the past five games as they prepare to play the Portland Trail Blazers (6-4) on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center. Kings center Richaun Holmes was pleased to see more energy, effort, focus and fight in Monday’s 127-122 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
The Kings allowed the Pacers to shoot 48% from the field and score 122 points — well over their season average of 115.7 — but Sacramento blocked 10 shots, came up with six steals and held Indiana to 33.3% from 3-point range.
“Sometimes you have lapses throughout the season and I think the last few games just haven’t been us,” said Holmes, who had a career-high six blocked shots against the Pacers. “… This has to be the standard. This has to be the way we play the full 48 and this has to be our identity.”
The Kings rank near the bottom of the NBA in several defensive categories. They are 30th in opponent field-goal percentage (.495), 29th in opponent 2-point percentage (.576) and 22nd in opponent 3-point percentage (.378). For some reason, opposing teams are even shooting better at the free-throw line against the Kings, who rank 29th in the league in opponent free-throw percentage (.813).
Kings coach Luke Walton recently talked about what it will take to become a good defensive team, a goal he set on his first day as the team’s head coach.
“It starts with the individual desire of a defensive player and then it goes to the desire to be a good defensive team, and then it takes time and trust and reps of playing together, which some of our guys have and some of our guys, it’s still new to them,” Walton said. “A lot of defense comes from just mentally and physically being locked in when the other team is bringing it at you.”
Glenn Robinson III provided some veteran perspective, saying good defense requires togetherness and trust.
“If somebody gets beat, they get beat. We’ve got to have their back,” Robinson said. “… Defense isn’t about just 1-on-1 defense. Defense is about helping each other.”
The Toronto Raptors scored a franchise-record 144 points in a win over the Kings on Friday. Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell, Toronto’s starting backcourt, combined for 56 points on 19-for-30 shooting from the field and 9-for-14 shooting from 3-point range.
Kings defense a concern
The Kings should be bothered by those kinds of numbers, said rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton, who expressed disappointment in his own recent defensive performances.
“Hell yeah I want it to bother guys,” Haliburton said. “I’m bothered. I’m frustrated. I’m going to go home and re-watch the game. I would hope that a lot of other guys do, too.”
Following the loss to Toronto, Walton was asked if he was concerned about the numbers opposing guards were putting up against the Kings. Walton pointed out the Kings were about to face the Trail Blazers, who have one of the league’s best guard tandems in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
“It concerns me because we’ve got Dame and CJ coming in tomorrow night,” Walton said. “That’s the concern. That might be the most dangerous backcourt there is in the NBA. It’s not all on our guards because we have been doing a lot of switching. We’ve been taking turns getting scored on, so it’s not on just the guards.”
Lillard was held to 17 points on 5-for-16 shooting, but McCollum scored 37 in a 125-99 victory over the Kings. That was Saturday. Now the Blazers are coming back for more against a team that has lost games by 31, 21 and 26 in the past 10 days.
“Obviously losing by 30-something is not acceptable and we all know that in this locker room,” Robinson said following a 137-106 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 4.
“Everybody’s ready for that next game and I have no doubt in my mind that we’ll come back, but we’ve got to do it together. It’s not going to be individually at all. Every team I’ve played on, no one’s been good enough individually by themselves to do it, so we have to trust each other, collectively come together. … We have to hold each other accountable. And at the end of the day, that’s what it’s going to come to.”
