The Sacramento Kings are pleased after defeating two great teams, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers.
They’re especially proud of their defense, which helped secure these victories.
Sacramento’s Back-to-Back Success
Playing games on consecutive nights is tough, but the Kings seem to handle it well. They’ve won six out of their last seven back-to-back matchups.
Their recent win against the Lakers was largely thanks to their strong defense, which isn’t always their strong suit.
The Kings are currently 22nd in OPP PPG at 117.4
In the six games Keon Ellis has started, the Kings have given up 106.8 PPG
That would be good for 2nd in the NBA only behind MIN who give up 106.7
Kings are 6-0 when Keon starts, including wins over MIN, MIL, OKC and LAL 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/xjZEUkfCiO
— AL in CAL (@ALinCALI22) March 14, 2024
Improvements in Defense
While the Kings haven’t been great defensively lately, they’ve shown improvement in their last two games.
One standout factor is their starting lineup, where player Keon Ellis stepped up due to injuries to teammates.
Ellis, who hasn’t lost a game when starting this season, made big defensive plays, including three steals in each of the recent wins.
Team Effort on Defense
The Kings as a whole stepped up defensively, forcing a total of 11 steals in each of their recent victories.
Domantas Sabonis, a key player, led the charge by effectively guarding Lakers’ star Anthony Davis and emphasized improved communication and teamwork on defense.
De’Aaron Fox’s Defensive Impact
Even though De’Aaron Fox didn’t shine offensively in the Lakers game, he made a significant defensive contribution by limiting Lakers’ point guard D’Angelo Russell to just six points.
Fox stressed the importance of strong defense, especially against teams like the Lakers known for their inside scoring.
Recent: Coach Darvin Ham Supports Anthony Davis After Challenging Game Against Kings
Coach’s Concerns and Team’s Energy
Despite the win, Coach Mike Brown wasn’t pleased with the difference in free throws between the two teams.
However, overall, the Kings’ defense has been lively and will be crucial in upcoming games, like against the New York Knicks.
