The Philadelphia 76ers split their series earlier in the week, losing to the Charlotte Hornets before winning at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. They will now face off against another team with their own issues, the Sacramento Kings, for the first time this season.
Oh, oh. Where do we even begin to dismantle this team? Fans of the Process era are probably familiar with #Kangz, a series that can’t get out of its own way. Ten years later, they’re still #Kangz.
The Kings have had recent success with a beam team headlined by De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Fox is gone now. He will be replaced by Zach LaVine, who will join DeMar DeRozan as the Kings, coincidentally or intentionally, look to reunite the Chicago Bulls in a more competitive conference. Sabonis is still on the roster, but he is slowly regaining playing time after coming back from a lengthy injury.
The remaining members can best be described as fluid. Malik Monk has been out of the rotation for a while this season, but he’s still around. Although Keegan Murray is currently out with an injury, he remains a bright spot in a dark situation. Additionally, the Kings added a veteran presence this summer by bringing in Dennis Schroder and Russell Westbrook. There are some small signs of hope, as rookies Max Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell have shown results in limited minutes. Oh yeah, our old friend Dario Saric is also here.
As you can probably tell from this list, things are looking pretty bleak. The Kings sat in the basement of the Western Conference at 12-36 and played the way you’d expect. This roster has talent, but lacks a linking piece or a well-rounded contributor. Inconsistency characterizes this team. Most nights, one player records the box score, but it’s usually done alone and not as part of a cohesive team effort.
That’s reflected in their offensive rating this season, which ranks 29th in the league despite having notable scorers. Their defense is about what you would expect from a team like this, which ranks 28th in the league. In fact, it was a team that wasn’t interested in either end of the floor or any particular skill set.
Since changing teams, the Sixers have had their fair share of ups and downs. On the one hand, they won an actual game against a competitive team. On the other hand, they’re probably getting into dogfights more often than they should, and they’re still below .500 at home. But the final game against the Bucks could be a turning point. That’s because all three big names seem to be finding their feet and developing chemistry.
Joel Embiid and Paul George both had great performances against Milwaukee, totaling over 60 points. We’ve talked a lot lately about Embiid’s comeback, but George has been at his best this season. He sank nine 3-pointers and stepped up as a perimeter scorer when the Sixers’ offense cooled down. Tyrese Maxey also had a solid night, scoring 22 points and dishing out nine assists. Rookie VJ Edgecomb added a well-rounded performance of his own, including a triple-double, while filling in the gaps while the Sixers’ stars did what they were supposed to do.
All of these names get a lot of attention, but some would argue that none of them are the real story of the previous movie. With Quentin Grimes out, Jared McCain was called up and looked like the player we saw last season. He scored 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting and had a team-best plus-minus with George at +13. McCain took a shot in the game against Charlotte, but it looks like that may have helped get him back on track. The Sixers will need his shooting ability throughout the regular season, and he has a chance to continue doing so against a struggling defense. That will be a key area to focus on in this matchup.
Key stats to keep an eye on in this matchup include Joel Embiid (probably), Paul George (probably), and Quentin Grimes (questionable). Joni Bloom, Charles Bassey and Marjon Beauchamp are listed as questionable due to their transfers to the G League. For Sacramento, Russell Westbrook (sore right foot) and Malik Monk (sore right ankle) are questionable, while Keegan Murray is out.
The Sixers have two home games coming up, first against the Kings and then against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, so they should be able to get a win and get some much-needed home wins. The question is whether they can continue to build on this momentum.
when: Thursday, January 29th at 7pm ET
where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
clock: NBC Sports Philadelphia
wireless: 97.5 Fanatic
to follow: @LibertyBallers