Kings snap 3-point shooting slump in blowout win over shorthanded Suns; DeRozan injured
Many NBA analysts wondered how well the Sacramento Kings would shoot from 3-point range this season after adding DeMar DeRozan to a lineup that already featured Domantas Sabonis.
For all their magnificent talents, neither is a noted 3-point shooter, but at this point the Kings will be delighted if any of their other players start shooting the long ball as well as DeRozan and Sabonis.
The Kings took a big step in the right direction in a 127-104 victory over the Suns on Wednesday night before a crowd of 16,204 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
De’Aaron Fox had 29 points, six rebounds and 10 assists for the Kings (7-5), who have handed the Suns two of their three losses.
Kevin Huerter had 22 points, six rebounds and five assists, recording his first 20-point game of the season. Keegan Murray added 17 points while Domantas Sabonis posted 11 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
DeRozan left the game at halftime and did not return due to lower back tightness. There was no further information on the injury after the game.
Josh Okogie scored 25 points to lead the Suns (9-3), who were shorthanded with Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant sidelined due to calf injuries. Devin Booker was held to 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting with Murray working as the primary defender.
“I’ve gotta give a shoutout to Keegan,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “He was our defensive player of the game. We had a lot of very good defensive performances. You’re not going to stop Book. You’ve just got to try to make him work. Keegan did his best to make him work and our team was there to support him.”
The Kings shot 64.1% from the field while holding the Suns to 37.1%. They had a 62-42 advantage on points in the paint, a 22-13 advantage in fastbreak points and a 29-12 advantage in points off turnovers.
The Kings raced out to a 15-4 lead over the first 4:20. They went 7 of 7 from the field while the Suns went 2 of 11 overall and 0 of 6 from 3-point range.
Sacramento led by 12 in the first quarter and 15 in the second. Phoenix cut the deficit to five at the half and took a 68-64 lead early in the third quarter, but the Kings responded with an 11-0 run to regain control.
The Kings made five of their first six 3-point attempts and finished 15 of 28 from beyond the arc, shooting a sizzling 53.%. That was a welcome sign for a team that has struggled badly from long distance.
“Any night like this gives us a lot of confidence, especially when we didn’t get off to a great start at all shooting the ball this year,” Murray said after going 7 of 11 from the field and 3 of 5 from 3-point range. “To have things fall in place tonight after a rough game in San Antonio, it’s a good feeling and hopefully we can carry that on to the next game.”
Sabonis went 3 of 3 from 3-point range. Trey Lyles went 3 of 5 while posting 13 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Going into Wednesday’s game, Sacramento was last in the NBA in 3-point shooting at 30.1%. Brown didn’t sound too concerned before the game.
“I think our 3-point shooting is going to get figured out,” Brown said. “We feel like we have very good shooters.”
“I truly believe we have a lot of good shooters on this team,” Brown said. “When we’re open, we’ve got to keep taking them, but also when we touch the paint and you feel two (defenders), even if thee second one doesn’t commit to you, if you feel a second defender, somebody’s open.
“So you’ve got to play off two feet, you’ve got to spray the basketball, and I thought our guys did a good job of that. We got a lot of shots that resulted in set shots that you practice a lot.”
Fox was a big part of the spray game. He only attempted two 3-pointers, matching his season low, but he got into the lane at will and went to the free-throw line eight times while going 11 of 17 from the field with five assists that led to 3-point baskets.
After the game, Fox was asked if he made a conscious effort to orchestrate the drive-and-kick game instead of shooting more 3-pointers.
“Just the emphasis on getting to the paint,” Fox said. “I think one (3-point attempt) was off the dribble, one was a catch-and-shoot, but other than that, pretty much trying to touch the paint, and I think whenever we touch the paint and get open looks, I think we’re a better shooting team. So, pretty much just put an emphasis on that. (Assisant coach) Luke (Loucks) talked to me about it, and I’m just trying to be able to execute that, get teammates open looks, get to the free-throw line, whatever it may be.”
DeRozan, a 29.8% 3-point shooter over 16 NBA seasons, is shooting a career-high 40% on low volume at 2.3 attempts per game. Sabonis is shooting 37.5% on 2.2 attempts.
Everyone else has struggled with Fox, Huerter, Murray, Lyles, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, Jordan McLaughlin and Doug McDermott all putting up the worst numbers of their careers over the first 11 games.
And the numbers were staggering.
▪ Huerter, a 38.1% shooter over seven NBA seasons, was shooting a career-low 34%.
▪ Ellis, who shot 50% as a rookie and 41.7% last season, was shooting a career-low 33.3%.
▪ McLaughlin, who shot 36.9% over five seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, was shooting a career-low 28.6%.
▪ Fox was shooting a career-low 28.2% after hitting 36.9% last season.
▪ Murray, who shot 41.1% while making an NBA rookie record 205 3-pointers in 2022-23, was shooting a career low 27.9%.
▪ Monk shot 35.3% over his first seven NBA seasons. This season, he is shooting a career-low 27.9%.
▪ McDermott, a 40.9% shooter over 11 NBA seasons, was shooting a career-low 27.8%.
▪ Lyles, a career 34.5% 3-point shooter who hit 38.4% last seasons, was shooting a career-low 24.3%.
Most of those players improved on those numbers Wednesday, but why have the Kings been shooting so poorly?
“I don’t think it’s one thing in particular,” McDermott said. “I think we’re getting the right shots. We’ve just got to shoot them when we’re open. You’ve just got to be ready to go in there and shoot it when you’re open and eventually the law of averages will take care of itself.”
McLaughlin agreed.
“I think we’ve just got to keep getting them up,” McLaughlin said. “That’s the only way you’re going to get out of a slump, by just trusting in the work we do on the daily.
“Coach always shows us and tells us at times we’re turning down some looks and we end up taking a tougher shot later in the possession, so when we’re open and we have space, we just have to be confident and let it fly.”
Up next
The Kings will continue the homestand when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves in an NBA Cup group stage game Friday at Golden 1 Center.
The Timberwolves (6-6) have dropped three in a row, falling to the Miami Heat on Sunday before losing a back-to-back set against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Anthony Edwards is averaging 28.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Timberwolves. Julius Randle averages 20.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists.
Sacramento Kings schedule
Nov. 15 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Nov. 16 vs. Utah Jazz
Nov. 18 vs. Atlanta Hawks
Nov. 22 at Los Angeles Clippers
Nov. 24 vs. Brooklyn Nets
This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 9:14 PM.
