Though it hasn't always been pretty, the Sacramento Kings are finding ways to win against some of the NBA's best teams. Most recently, the Kings defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road without their best scorer in PG De'Aaron Fox.
Before their all-important win against the West's best, Kings players hosted a "players-only" meeting to set the tone for the remainder of the season. Currently sitting at 7th place in the conference, Sacramento has ample opportunity to fight for a top-five seed through the end of the regular season.
Initiating the players-only meeting was F Trey Lyles, a player who's been a sort of X-Factor for this team's offense. The Kings are 9-1 in the last ten games where Lyles has 10+ points, displaying his value best when he's knocking down shots.
This type of message resonated with the entire Kings roster, with the starters and bench providing 62 points each against Minnesota, displaying their depth no matter who's on the floor.
Instead of going over the fine details with his team, HC Mike Brown said he "went out and had a drink" the night before, allowing the team to conduct their own meeting. Speaking about its impact, Brown talked about how important team connection is to success (via @SeanCunningham | X):
It's always good things when you can have conversation, and sometimes the conversation is heated. Malik is a great example, you guys have seen it sometimes, we go back-and-forth... you can't take nothing personal. You gotta understand that "My teammate, and I'm not excluded, is trying to help me be better."
When asked who the voices of the team are, Brown talked about C JaVale McGee's veteran presence and noted Malik Monk and Lyles as two other important figures within the locker room.
Clearly, the meeting had an effect. Playing down your best scorer against the league's best defense isn't an easy task, but Sacramento got the job done. Looking ahead, the Kings will take on the Chicago Bulls at home in a possible return game for De'Aaron Fox. With a win, the Kings would match the Phoenix Suns' record through 60 games.
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