Raptors Rapture
Fansided

Kings [9-19] at Raptors [19-8]: Preview & 3 keys to victory

By Brian Boake

SACRAMENTO, CA - DECEMBER 10: Buddy Hield
SACRAMENTO, CA - DECEMBER 10: Buddy Hield /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Kings visit the Air Canada Centre. While the Raptors are clearly the better team, they need to ensure they don’t take their youthful opponents lightly.

The Sacramento Kings, owners of an (almost) perfect mirror image of the Toronto Raptors’ record, visit the Air Canada Center. This is the second and final meeting this season between the teams.

We just saw these guys last week. Despite the Raptors’ less than stellar effort, our team had enough defense to hold the Kings at bay for a 102-87 victory. That game was typical of Sacramento’s troubles – they can’t score enough.

SACRAMENTO, CA – DECEMBER 10: The Toronto Raptors bench reacts during the game against the Sacramento Kings on December 10, 2017 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – DECEMBER 10: The Toronto Raptors bench reacts during the game against the Sacramento Kings on December 10, 2017 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Kings are the NBA’s lowest scoring team, a full point worse than Memphis’s 97.2 point Per Game. They are also the league’s worst team in point differential, a wretched minus_9.3. Their record should be much worse, but they have two 1-point victories and another in Overtime.

George Hill, their starting point guard, didn’t face the Raptors last week but should be on hand tomorrow. He’s a useful journeyman (2.5 assists PG? blah!) and no more, so why they coughed up huge money for him is beyond me.

More from Raptors Rapture

In fairness, Hill and promising rookie backup De’Aaron Fox aren’t likely to rack up impressive assist numbers for a team that doesn’t make buckets. The Kings are last (a familiar spot) in 3-point attempts with 22.1 PG, although they connect at an eminently respectable 38.4% rate. That percentage is spiked by one-trick-pony Buddy Hield, who’s at 46%.

3 keys to Raptors victory

  1. Make them one and done. While I don’t think of the Raptors as a great rebounding team, our guys have a plus_0.4 ranking, which is 13th. Sac is minus_3.6. If we keep them off the boards, their scoring will be even more constrained than it already is. Let’s keep Dwane Casey away from a coronary by minimizing those second-chance opportunities.
  2. Hit those long balls. The Kings rank 28th in 3-point defense, allowing 38% of opponents’ attempts. I suspect that’s partially because their big men aren’t fast enough to rotate successfully, but what do you expect from Zach Randolph? Other than Serge Ibaka, the Raptors shot poorly from beyond the arc in Sacramento. If our guys are just average, they will shred their defense.
  3. Keep working the ball inside. Both Jonas Valanciunas and Ibaka have made strong contributions to the Raptors’ scoring lately. If their defenders have to collapse on our big men because they are filling it up, more space for our shooters will be available. Our frontcourt stalwarts are happy to pass out of double teams.

Prediction

While I can’t imagine another beat-down of the kind the Raptors just laid on the Nets, a victory against a weak visitor like Sacramento should be nearly automatic. Our team is better on both sides of the ball.

Toronto 119 – Sacramento 99

Home/Raptors News