Well, I just finished writing 1200 words about that stupid loss to the Lakers and now I can think about a 3pm start against the Pacers? No rest for the tired fans of this team, I think. And hey, if the Kings lose this game, they drop to 13-17, have lost 4 in a row, and will be EEEEEAAAASSSYYYYYYY for the national media to challenge the Sabonis/Haliburton trade again! No pressure, people!

Let’s talk Kings basketball!

When: Sunday, December 22, 3:00 p.m. PST
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBCSCA
radio: Sactown Sports 1140am

For your consideration

In many ways, the Indiana Pacers had an even more disappointing start to the season than the Kings. After an injury-depleted trip to the Eastern Conference finals, a media-backed All-NBA selection for Tyrese Haliburton, and an offseason in which Hali and the Pacers were prematurely named the next big thing in the East (oops, it was actually the Cavaliers ). ), the Pacers are currently just 13-15 this season. That record looks better than it did two weeks ago, when the Pacers were 11-15 and had lost 4 of their last 5, including losses to the Pistons, Raptors, Nets and Hornets. The Pacers are on a three-game winning streak, but those wins came against the 76ers, Pelicans, and Suns (who have been pretty bad this month). A little momentum goes a long way, but it also reminds us how a few wins in a row can quickly change a team’s mood.

Tyrese Haliburton has also bounced back after a truly terrible start to the season. Currently averaging 18 points and 8.7 assists on 35.4% from 3, he is still well below his pre-injury levels last season. But those season numbers are still being dragged down by his dumpster fire in October. His numbers were better in November and continued to improve in December. This month, Hali is averaging 19.1 points, 8.8 assists and has gone from 3% to 38.6%. In short, don’t get caught up in the early season narratives. Hali has found her footing again and is as dangerous as ever.

The Pacers as a team are top 10 in 3P percentage at 37.6% for the year, but rank just 26th in 3PA and average fewer three-point attempts per game than the Kings. Sacramento has made a habit of giving opponents plenty of opportunities from distance, and the Pacers are a team that could really punish the Kings from deep. But the Kings come into this game with a better offensive rating and a better defensive rating than the Pacers. The Pacers have two days of rest under their belt while the Kings play back-to-back. And the Kings have made a habit of shitting the bed in recent weeks, so I’m not taking anything for granted at this point except the Kings should have a chance of winning this game if they can get their heads out of their collective asses.

A win quiets the noise and allows us a few days of peace until after the holidays. A loss amplifies the noise surrounding this team’s failures to a new level. Will the kings bring us a lump of coal or peace on earth?

forecast

Monk is getting hot, Sabonis is 20/20, Keon Ellis is +12 in 7 minutes.

Kings 132, Pacers 118