De’Aaron Fox: “One thing about playing with Domas Sabonis is how much easier he makes the game. He creates so many opportunities for everyone. People think, ‘Oh, we don’t want to give him the mid-range,’ but then they start sending doubles, and he’s such a willing passer. He makes life easier for the team. What amazes me is how he can just walk to his spots, almost casually, and still score. He literally walks into position, rises up, and shoots over people like they’re not even there. You can give him the ball five possessions in a row, and he’ll find a way to score or get to the free throw line. He’s shooting 50-40-85 this year, which is insane for a big man. He’s underrated and underappreciated, but what he does for our offense—pulling bigs out, creating driving lanes, making us harder to guard—is unmatched. His consistency is what makes him special.”
Source: YouTube
Source: YouTube
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
StatMuse @statmuse
Most points in a half this season:
40 — LaMelo Ball
37 — Paolo Banchero
34 — James Harden
33 — De’Aaron Fox
32 — Nikola Jokic
31 — James Harden, Karl-Anthony Towns
Only one player is on the list twice. pic.x.com/5whQMrYoap – 12:41 PM
Most points in a half this season:
40 — LaMelo Ball
37 — Paolo Banchero
34 — James Harden
33 — De’Aaron Fox
32 — Nikola Jokic
31 — James Harden, Karl-Anthony Towns
Only one player is on the list twice. pic.x.com/5whQMrYoap – 12:41 PM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Malik Monk & De’Aaron Fox on tonight’s 130-129 loss to the Nuggets, having to work their way back from a 23-point hole, what hurt them in the first quarter, the physicality improving as the game went on and the battle between Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Jokic. pic.x.com/9z5Qu865Mc – 2:35 AM
Malik Monk & De’Aaron Fox on tonight’s 130-129 loss to the Nuggets, having to work their way back from a 23-point hole, what hurt them in the first quarter, the physicality improving as the game went on and the battle between Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Jokic. pic.x.com/9z5Qu865Mc – 2:35 AM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Domantas Sabonis on playing through back soreness after his hard fall in the first half, tonight’s 130-129 loss to the Nuggets, seeing Denver close efficiently and, agreeing with Mike Brown about his Kings not embracing the details. pic.x.com/f32foWuifp – 2:23 AM
Domantas Sabonis on playing through back soreness after his hard fall in the first half, tonight’s 130-129 loss to the Nuggets, seeing Denver close efficiently and, agreeing with Mike Brown about his Kings not embracing the details. pic.x.com/f32foWuifp – 2:23 AM
Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
🇷🇸 Nikola Jokic posts a triple-double as the Nuggets edge out the Kings
🇱🇹 Domantas Sabonis settles at the losing end with a double-double
🇭🇷 Ivica Zubac scores a double-double in blowout win
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/17… – 2:16 AM
🇷🇸 Nikola Jokic posts a triple-double as the Nuggets edge out the Kings
🇱🇹 Domantas Sabonis settles at the losing end with a double-double
🇭🇷 Ivica Zubac scores a double-double in blowout win
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/17… – 2:16 AM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
The Sacramento Kings have had way too many great moments this season erased by losses.
Fox 60 points. Loss.
Sabonis triple-double vs Lakers. Loss.
Kings 4Q comeback in Toronto (with Sabonis triple-double). Loss.
Now tonight’s 23-point comeback vs Denver. Loss. – 1:19 AM
The Sacramento Kings have had way too many great moments this season erased by losses.
Fox 60 points. Loss.
Sabonis triple-double vs Lakers. Loss.
Kings 4Q comeback in Toronto (with Sabonis triple-double). Loss.
Now tonight’s 23-point comeback vs Denver. Loss. – 1:19 AM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
Domantas Sabonis loves playing against the best centers in the league. pic.x.com/HAKnABsvjF – 12:57 AM
Domantas Sabonis loves playing against the best centers in the league. pic.x.com/HAKnABsvjF – 12:57 AM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Kings lose 130-129 after DeMar DeRozan fumbled the pass from Domantas Sabonis on the baseline. Wildly entertaining game where Sacramento had to erase a 23 point deficit. Domantas Sabonis played 42 minutes – 28 points, 14 boards and 6 assists. – 12:30 AM
Kings lose 130-129 after DeMar DeRozan fumbled the pass from Domantas Sabonis on the baseline. Wildly entertaining game where Sacramento had to erase a 23 point deficit. Domantas Sabonis played 42 minutes – 28 points, 14 boards and 6 assists. – 12:30 AM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
Sabonis missed time earlier this season with a back injury. He’s clearly in pain after that hard fall. – 11:11 PM
Sabonis missed time earlier this season with a back injury. He’s clearly in pain after that hard fall. – 11:11 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
Hard fall for Domantas Sabonis while going for the dunk. Kings bench wants the refs to review for a flagrant. – 11:10 PM
Hard fall for Domantas Sabonis while going for the dunk. Kings bench wants the refs to review for a flagrant. – 11:10 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Sabonis hit the ground extremely hard. He’s taking a second to collect himself on the baseline. – 11:10 PM
Sabonis hit the ground extremely hard. He’s taking a second to collect himself on the baseline. – 11:10 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
Keon Ellis could’ve easily saved the ball from going out of bounds to Domantas Sabonis.
Instead he threw it off of Russell Westbrook, who was laying on his back on the floor. – 11:00 PM
Keon Ellis could’ve easily saved the ball from going out of bounds to Domantas Sabonis.
Instead he threw it off of Russell Westbrook, who was laying on his back on the floor. – 11:00 PM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Both Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis played the entirety of the first quarter. – 10:38 PM
Both Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis played the entirety of the first quarter. – 10:38 PM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Nuggets lead Kings 41-21 after 1. Aaron Gordon was a problem with 14 points, Jamal Murray 9 points. Sacramento gets 8 points and 5 boards from Domantas Sabonis. – 10:37 PM
Nuggets lead Kings 41-21 after 1. Aaron Gordon was a problem with 14 points, Jamal Murray 9 points. Sacramento gets 8 points and 5 boards from Domantas Sabonis. – 10:37 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Kings get destroyed in the first quarter, trail the Nuggets 41-21 heading to the second. Sabonis has 8 points and 5 boards. Kings out rebounded 18-9. Zero defensive presence. – 10:36 PM
Kings get destroyed in the first quarter, trail the Nuggets 41-21 heading to the second. Sabonis has 8 points and 5 boards. Kings out rebounded 18-9. Zero defensive presence. – 10:36 PM
Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
De’Aaron Fox got caught with the hand in the cookie jar there.
What a start for Peyton Watson and Aaron Gordon! – 10:35 PM
De’Aaron Fox got caught with the hand in the cookie jar there.
What a start for Peyton Watson and Aaron Gordon! – 10:35 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Sabonis is going at Jokic in the post. He’s up to 8 points and 4 rebounds, but the Kings are down 39-21. – 10:33 PM
Sabonis is going at Jokic in the post. He’s up to 8 points and 4 rebounds, but the Kings are down 39-21. – 10:33 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Colby Jones with a monster block. Sabonis bucket. Kings are waking up a bit. 28-13 Nuggets. – 10:28 PM
Colby Jones with a monster block. Sabonis bucket. Kings are waking up a bit. 28-13 Nuggets. – 10:28 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Malik Monk with a huge block on Westbrook on the opening possession, but Westbrook recovered for a hoop. Sabonis gets the Kings on the board with a bucket over Jokic. – 10:11 PM
Malik Monk with a huge block on Westbrook on the opening possession, but Westbrook recovered for a hoop. Sabonis gets the Kings on the board with a bucket over Jokic. – 10:11 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan & Domantas Sabonis have to score ___ points for the Kings to win tonight. – 10:00 PM
De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan & Domantas Sabonis have to score ___ points for the Kings to win tonight. – 10:00 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Curious where the public stands on this. I’m doing All-Star research. I think the last West F/C spot might come down to these two. Who’s been better this season: Jaren Jackson or Domantas Sabonis? – 3:02 PM
Curious where the public stands on this. I’m doing All-Star research. I think the last West F/C spot might come down to these two. Who’s been better this season: Jaren Jackson or Domantas Sabonis? – 3:02 PM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
De’Aaron Fox chats about the adjustments for him in having Malik Monk in starting lineup, what’s working right now with his Kings & looks ahead to the matchup with the Nuggets on Monday. pic.x.com/bx93OZqGGf – 4:36 PM
De’Aaron Fox chats about the adjustments for him in having Malik Monk in starting lineup, what’s working right now with his Kings & looks ahead to the matchup with the Nuggets on Monday. pic.x.com/bx93OZqGGf – 4:36 PM
More on this storyline
Matt George: Kings FINALLY beat the New Orleans Pelicans thanks to 4 big steals in the 4th quarter. Sabonis: 32 points, 20 rebounds DeRozan: 29 points (20 in 2nd half) Kings back to .500! -via Twitter @MattGeorgeSAC / December 12, 2024
Some usual top-tier suspects are being mentioned, but salary cap and apron restrictions make most of them non-starters. Our source did have an interesting thought, however. “The one place that I don’t hear a lot of talk about with LeBron is Sacramento,” he said. “He could change them, and they might have the kind assets to make a trade work. They have a lot of young talent, and because they’re a small market, they haven’t spent like drunken sailors. They have some draft picks a young talent. If they could get to the salary, LeBron would take (De’Aron) Fox and (Domantas) Sabonis and elevate the hell out of them — particularly Fox. With that threesome, those guys could be a force.” -via Heavy.com / December 12, 2024
Finally, in the summer of 1995, five years after Lithuania broke free of a soon-to-crumble Soviet Union, a deal was struck. “If not NBA now, never,” Arvydas said then. “Last chance.” He turned 31 in his rookie season, was named to the All-Rookie first team, was a runner-up for Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year and averaged 23.6 points and 10.6 rebounds in the playoffs. Age and injuries had slowed him considerably, but he was still a force, which presented a tantalizing question that has lingered ever since: What if Arvydas Sabonis had come to the NBA in his prime? “We would have had four, five or six titles,” former Blazers great Clyde Drexler once told ESPN. “Guaranteed. He was that good.” -via ESPN / December 12, 2024
De’Aaron Fox: What’s funny, though, is we just played San Antonio, right? We come out of halftime, and I’m picking up CP. You know CP—he doesn’t care about much like that. He walks up to me and says, ‘Yo, you’re like the only point guard who actually plays defense, who actually comes and guards me, picks me up.’ At the time, I brushed it off, like, ‘Whatever.’ But after the game, and seeing he just became the second-leading assist guy in history, I thought about it. CP doesn’t just walk up to anybody and give compliments. He really felt that. -via YouTube / December 17, 2024
De’Aaron Fox: “Mike Brown is the same guy every day. His passion is unmatched. In his first training camp with us, there’s this clip where he talks about ‘turning on the jets,’ and he sprints full speed. I was just praying he didn’t tear something. He only did it once, but he ran as hard as he could. Sweat was pouring off him, and it set the tone. He even plays defense during shooting drills. He’s out there sliding, sweating, and going hard like he’s still a player. That’s the energy he brings every day. It’s why you respect him. It’s also why it drives him crazy that we’ve struggled defensively. Defense is his thing. He’s a defensive guru, so I know he loses sleep over it. But he’s trying to make do with what we have. We’re a smaller team without a legit shot blocker, but we’re improving. We were 11th in defense for a while and now hover around 14th. It’s still a work in progress.” -via YouTube / December 17, 2024