On three consecutive victories, with their best record since 2006 (23 wins – 18 losses) and currently fourth in the Western Conference (!), the Kings are on cloud nine. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis are obviously the main reasons for this success, and coach Mike Brown intends to do everything to send them to the next All-Star Game.
19 points – 15 rebounds – 16 assists – 2 steals – 2 blocks for Sabonis. 24 points – 5 rebounds – 5 assists for Fox. And another big victory for the Kings tonight against the Rockets (139-114).
If the meeting between Sacramento and Houston on Friday was a bit tense (4 expulsions after a confusion involving Malik Monk, Chimezie Metu, Tari Eason and Garrison Mathews), the Domantas – D.Fox duo once again lit up the Golden 1 Center to offer a great evening to the Kings fanbase. Enough to solidify their personal file a little more for the next All-Star Game in Salt Lake City.
After the meeting, Sacramento coach Mike Brown did not hesitate to back them in an attempt to boost their candidacy (via FOX 40).
“If De’Aaron and Domantas aren’t All-Stars, shame on the selection process. Because they really deserve it. […] And it’s not like we’re 12th in the standings. I think you really have to consider the collective record when voting for the All-Star Game.
Domas and Foxie don’t get the recognition they deserve. It is shameful. I hope that will change soon enough within the League.”
In view of the last checkpoint on fan votes for the All-Star Game, De’Aaron Fox is only 10th in the ranking of guards in the West, and finds himself behind guys like… Austin Reaves, Russell Westbrook or Klay Thompson. As for Domantas Sabonis, he is not even in the Top 10 of the frontcourt, unlike Kevon Looney, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green (that’s it the Warriors fanbase…) and Kawhi Leonard. We know the power of the big markets (Los Angeles, San Francisco in our case) over the small ones (Sacramento) when it comes to sending certain players to the All-Star Game, but here we are still in full disrespect.
Lakers’ LeBron James and Nets’ Kevin Durant continue to lead in the NBA’s second fan voting returns for the All-Star Game: pic.twitter.com/naVKXu2xot
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 12, 2023
Sabonis, who became the first player in Kings history to go 15-15-15 since a certain Oscar Robertson, had a magnificent season of versatility (19 points, 12 rebounds, 7 average assists at 60% shooting including 39% from 3-pointers) to allow the Kings collective to run at full speed. The Fox, a real team dynamiter, is perhaps having his best career season with 24 points and 6 assists on average at more than 50% shooting, all this while being one of the most clutch players in the League This year. One one-two punch formidable which today allows the Kings to dream of this long-awaited return to the Playoffs.
👑 1st in the Pacific
👑 Highest scoring team in the NBA
👑 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝟱 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 .𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟲🗣LIGHT THE BEAM! 🟣🔦 pic.twitter.com/yYbxMmRows
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) January 14, 2023
It’s been since 2006 that the Sacramento fanbase has been waiting for a team like the one we see today. But it’s also been since 2017 and DeMarcus Cousins that the Kings have been waiting for an All-Star. Thanks to Fox and Domas, this year could therefore be the right one.
It seems even more, this year must be the good one.
When we take a look at the All-Star Game competition in the West, it’s hard to see why De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis couldn’t both meet up at the Salt Lake City All-Star Game next February. . They will nevertheless have to count on the vote of the media (25% of the votes for the holders), the players (25% also) and the coaches (who choose the substitutes) to hope to participate in the celebration, since they are shunned by the fans…
Source texte : FOX40