Sorry if you've heard this one before. The Kings battled the Raptors for three quarters and with 11:11 left in the game, Sacramento led 91-84. But the lead was gone within two minutes. From that point on, Toronto fed the Kings a steady diet of Chris Bosh, who Sacramento had no answer for all day. The Kings made just 6-21 shots in the final period on their way to a 115-104 loss.
1 - Kevin Martin showed signs of the player he was before injury. In the second quarter, his aggressiveness was evident. The hard spills he took just proved that he's getting more comfortable on the court. He and Tyreke Evans are starting to run a two-man game that will create open looks for Martin. Unfortunately, his shot was still shaky (7-18 FG, 9-12 FT, 1-6 3-pt. FG).
2 - Evans was a true facilitator on Sunday. His focus was getting in the lane, and when Raptors defenders collapsed, he was consistently finding the open man. Early on, the Kings poor shooting likely cost Evans a handful of assists. But the strategy finally paid off in the third quarter. In the span of 1:09, Evans' drove-and-kicked to Donte Greene for three three-pointers on three straight possessions. It was one of the Kings most exciting sequences in months, as the subsequent Toronto timeout led to chest bumps and celebration between Evans, Greene and even Martin.
3 - The Raptors ran just about everything through Bosh, and with the way the Kings defended him, it was a smart move. Greene, Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson all took turns trying to keep the star away from the basket. But their efforts were futile. Most of the time, the Kings defenders displayed poor positioning, allowing Bosh to attack the rim at will. When double-teams were employed, Bosh found his teammates, and Andrea Bargnani (9-15 FG) and Antoine Wright (6-7 FG) made the Kings pay.
Quick hits - Greene and Omri Casspi had a heated exchange with 10:26 left in the 4th quarter. Greene was trying to isolate in the post against the smaller Jose Calderon. Casspi failed to clear the area despite Greene's emphatic requests. The result was Greene being stripped by Casspi's defender, Sonny Weems, and Casspi watching the rest of the game from the Kings bench ... Sean May continues to make the most of limited minutes. The big man has a smooth shooting stroke and will battle down low. He hit 4-5 shots in 8 minutes for 8 points ... Sporting a mask to protect a facial injury, former King Hedo Turkoglu scored 16 points before fouling out.
Comments
I wish we were back in the days when the Kings played in a converted warehouse with a leaky roof. The fans would even cheer for the exit signs!
RE:the fans would even cheer for the exit signs!
Present day,we have become spoiled,so much as in life,you forget about the things,the little things that matter.
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