Kings battled ‘to make Sacramento proud’

In November 2015, Rudy Gay – 36 points that night – and his gang made their law on the Bucks floor of a still very young Giannis Antetokounmpo. Since that date, the Kings have not won in Wisconsin. Ten years of scarcity erased last night a significant victory for the Californians.

Because Doug Christie’s men, who presented themselves with the opposite record of the Bucks (1 win – 4 losses), first suffered a local storm: 47 points conceded in the first quarter (47-36). With Giannis (26 points) having such good scoring support, with five players with 16 or more points next to him, it’s hard to hold on.

The Kings still found a way to stay in touch in the game. All in the context of a physical match during which technical fouls had to be handed out. Like this first scrimmage that happened in the first quarter between Bobby Portis and Domantas Sabonis.

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« We like that. After all, you know how I play. It is a source of motivation. I think it united us even more », of Dennis Schroeder’s youth about this sequence in which Russell Westbrook spontaneously appeared to separate the two men, before showing support for his Lithuanian teammate.

The Russell Westbrook Effect

« Russell immediately supported Domas, making sure to be there for him. I think it shows that we really want to be a team, and we’re getting there. I was really happy. I was on the bench then, I couldn’t go on the field, otherwise I would have been suspended. But Russell defended him and I think that gave us energy », this Schröder encore.

This episode would precede another brawl in the third quarter, when the same Westbrook intentionally fouled Antetokounmpo – with his hand at neck level – to prevent him from going on a counterattack.

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This sequence had a favorable effect on the guests, as Zach Lavin and his team took a more than 10-point lead in the minutes that followed. A lead that would hold for a while, even if they had to fight until the last moments to have the last word.

The kings saw what they were made of

At the end of the great battle, hailed by Doug Christie. ” This team has shown the type of character that I think the entire city of Sacramento would be extremely proud of. It’s a big, big win for me. It’s just one match, but if we keep fighting like this, we’re winning. We would have won some of the previous matches. They didn’t give up. They didn’t protest. They were just closing the gap until the final whistle », delivered by the coach.

Enough to give juice to a team that has had three defeats in a row and is starting the season delicately. ” We really needed him. A win is always good. When you lose, you try to understand why. Losing is never a good feeling, so this one feels really good. It’s really hard to win in this league and we managed to get one today. », appreciates Schroeder.

And what Doug Christie will remember is the way. ” This is exactly what I like, what I want to see. Because we only discover who we are deep down when things get tough. When everything is going well, everything is easy and everything is working in your favor… When things get complicated, we see what we are made of. How far are we willing to go ? (…) So well done, but if it’s only one match. There’s another one in Denver », concludes the coach.