Kings vs. Knicks Preview – By the Numbers
Fans called for it and the NBA heard. The Kings are gearing up for a 2nd TNT game this year against the red-hot New York Knicks. While the Knicks winning streak was snapped, they are still coming into the game with wins in 9 of their last 10 games. Let’s see what the Kings can do to slow them down in front of the national audience.
This game will comprise of two head coaches who are known to lead staunch defensive teams and relying on slowing down their opponents to get the win. So naturally, we are getting the number 1 ranked offense against the number 5 ranked offense. The Knicks have relied much more on their scoring than defending this year, as they come into the game with the 17th ranked defense. Much like the Kings though, they make the combination work with the 7th highest Net Rating in the league at 2.9. This is all to say that Thibodeau may have the defensive reputation, but tonight the Kings should be on the lookout for a scoring onslaught from their opponent.
Pace isn’t as hot of a topic as it used to be here in Sacramento, but I think it’s important to point out that the Knicks are 27th in the league with a Pace of 97.45, compared to the Kings 10th ranked 101.25. Compared to the 2018-19 season, the Kings don’t have to run to score. Their offense so good that they can beat you on set plays and they have the ability to play with pace in the half-court setting, but the numbers show they are at their best when they get out and run. Sacramento is 19-8 when they score at least 16 Fastbreak Points. It will be hard to do against the Knicks, who only allow 12.5 per game, 5th least in the NBA, but the Kings could find a big advantage if they are able to get out and run.
Where the Knicks like to do their damage is on the boards. They are one of the best rebounding teams in the league, and it shows in the results. They are 32-11 when they outrebound their opponents, compared to 7-17 when they tie or get outrebounded.. They grab 46.8 Rebounds per game, 3rd in the NBA, and 12.5 Offensive Rebounds, 4th most. What’s dangerous about them is how well they take advantage of those opportunities, averaging 16.7 2nd Chance Points, 2nd most in the league.
Part of what helps give the Knicks so many putback opportunities is that they are not a great shooting team. Their FG% of 46.6% ranks 24th in the NBA, and their 35.1% 3P% is 22nd. Those extra misses give them opportunities for long rebounds and easy putbacks at the rim. No one takes advantage of it more than Julius Randle, who is averaging 4.1 2nd Chance Points per game just by himself. That may not seem like a lot, but it’s 2nd most in the NBA and can add up over the course of a game if he gets going on the boards.
That’s not the only thing Randle is doing well though. His 25.3 Points, 10.4 Rebounds, 35.3% 3P%, and 6.8 Free Throw Attempts are all career highs. He has 4 40-point games and 20 with 30 or more. If Brunson, who is still questionable, is out, the Kings should be able to focus more on Randle, but even with that extra focus he can still light it up on any given night.
For the Kings, the last time they were on TNT they torched the Nets by putting up 153 Points. It was one of the few games where multiple players were hitting from 3. Harrison Barnes was 2-of-4 (50%), Huerter was 5-of-7 (71.4%), Monk was 1-of-2 (50%), Davis was 7-of-10 (70%). The luxury that the Kings have is that they have so many shooters that they don’t need to have everyone be on to win, but when they do it is other-worldly. We may be entering that territory, as Kevin Huerter is on another heater, Monk has been on fire from deep, Keegan is still on track to break the rookie record, and Trey Lyles is making them off the bench. Enjoy tonight Kings fans, this should be a fun one.
