Why Kings' Starters Looked Better In Milwaukee and Denver

Since the first five games of the season, not only has the frequency of passes to Sabonis from Schroder increased, but the efficiency has as well. Against Milwaukee and Denver, Schröder averaged 19.5 passes to Sabonis, which led to an average of five assists per game for him. Sabonis is also shooting 50% on those passes from his point guard. It’s just two games, but the eye test also shows some growth between the two players that can be built upon.

The pair were still -2.9 for both games, but that’s a significant improvement on where they started the season. A lot of this is likely due to familiarity, but Dennis’ pull-up frequency has also increased from 35% in the first five to 44% in the last two, which could be another factor. I’ve been critical of Schröder to begin the year, but getting the two-man game off and running with Domas is a huge deal for Sacramento’s offense.

Are The Kings Finding a Balance Between DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine?

Unless you’re a very new basketball fan, you’ve heard the Sacramento Bulls jokes and have seen fans lament the pairing between DeRozan and LaVine. All of the jokes are completely fair, too. The pairing was a very rough watch last season as the two both struggled on the defensive end while cannibalizing each other's shots.

Things got even tougher for the pair with the addition of Schröder, who is also most effective with the ball in his hands. DeRozan and LaVine will never be a great fit on the court together, but Doug Christie and the coaching staff might have found a way to put both players in the best position to succeed.

In the first five games of the season, DeRozan and LaVine had an offensive rating of just 102.9 while sharing the court together despite their shooting talent. In the last two games, that number jumped to 118.7, but the biggest difference comes from the rotation. 

The pair was the second most used two-man lineup in the first five games, with 130 minutes together, but they are the 7th most used pairing in the last two games, with just 57 minutes. Christie seems to have noticed that both players function better as the primary option on offense and has started to use DeRozan more with the second unit.

This allows DeRozan to be a primary creator while playing with players like Drew Eubanks, Keon Ellis, and Nique Clifford, who are all comfortable playing off the ball while DeRozan goes to work. In the last two games, DeRozan is averaging 24 points on 50% from the field. LaVine has been excellent all year and is definitely Sacramento’s number one option, averaging over 27 per game, and separating him and DeRozan should only help his efficiency as well. 

This Kings, roster is going to be an issue until some changes are made, but I’m impressed with the way they’ve been able to compete given their limitations. I wouldn’t say the team has been blown out yet, which tells me that they’re playing hard for Christie, and LaVine also deserves specific credit for playing the best defense of his career. The Kings still aren't going to be a top-six seed barring a miracle, but at least they’re finding ways to keep pace against some of the NBA’s best teams.