Game Preview: Knicks at Kings- 3/4/2019

By the way. Right back down to business for New York. Today they’ll face the Sacramento Kings (31-31) who are desperately clinging to the playoff’s pant leg. A full three games behind the eighth place Spurs, Sacramento needs to win every single game they can. So this one against the Knicks (13-50) is imperative. Especially after they, like the Knicks, lost to the Clippers in their last outing. They had a chance to cut the lead late in the game, but Harrison Barnes was called for a charge on Danilo Gallinari. That would have tightened the West’s playoff race exponentially.

Now the Kings have today, and again on Saturday in New York to take on one of the NBA’s worst teams. The Knicks still have stretches where effort is not an issue, but execution has gone completely astray. With 19 games left on the year, the spirit of competition seems to have left the team. They seem to be focused on individual improvements and staying connected as teammates. If there is anything David Fizdale seems to have imparted on this team, it is definitely that they have to fight for one another. Right now that fight is funneled into improving specific parts of your game.

Projected Starters

For those of you that can’t deal with Lance Thomas, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that he is playing better than Kevin Knox is right now. Still no Frank Ntilikina for New York. Whats the point? Mudiay stinks! Dennis Smith seems not very good.

For the Kings, no Marvin Bagley, who is still probably a week or two away after suffering a knee injury. Certainly they hope to have him back as soon as possible. Unfortunately for Knicks fans, Mitchell Robinson will not get the opportunity to meet him at the summit!

Key Matchup

How quickly can De’Aaron Fox run Dennis Smith Jr. into the ground? Smith should actually look more comfortable in a faster paced game. Fox is just so gifted that it won’t be long before he slyly figures out a way to get Smith to relax. Soon after, he’ll pounce!

Coach Dave Joerger has been toying with the idea of giving Fox more minutes later in games by taking him out a little on the early side. He is reluctant to play Fox 40-minutes a night despite the Kings’ hunt for the playoffs. Risking injury just to drink a little playoff blood is, wisely, not part of the program.

So get your track shoes on! *Cut to Mudiay wearing cleats*. Big Mūd always out here like Sonic dropping all his coins ten times a game. Goodness gracious.

Prediction

The fans at Golden 1 Center will get a Jumbo Jack. I’m not sure how they get them so I’ve decided to guess that it takes two missed free throws in the third quarter or something.

Since we agree that that is how. Dennis Smith Jr. is the one you’re looking for, Kings fans. The neophyte has been struggling very deeply with his jump shot and free throw stroke. His timing is all over the place, he has a funky hitch that constantly goes through alterations, his elevation is inconsistent, his footing is always different. He is shooting a putrid .561 percent on almost five free throw attempts per game as a Knick. Hack DSJ for a Jumbo Jack today!

So that happens. The other thing that will happen is Willie Cauley-Stein is gonna shrug and go up with some junky stuff that will be eliminated by the Block Ness Monster. Mitchell Robinson just blocks everything. Either you change the way you attack, or don’t attack at all, 'cus that weak shit is getting packed. Soak it up while you can, rook, ‘cus the game plan is gonna change for you.

De’Aaron Fox will go for 40 points and a triple double.

Knicks by -32.

Warm Up Music

Don’t slip, Kings!