During his 25-year NBA career Mike Brown he has earned a well-deserved reputation as a defensive coach. After leading the Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference championship in 2007 with a patchwork team and building a legendary system into the Warriors’ dynasty, the coach took on the challenge of his career by landing in Sacramento Kings. At just 53 years old, Brown is about to do something that seemed impossible 12 months ago: make the Californians a team Playoffs. However, in this league there is no time for celebration, especially when you have the opportunity to achieve something big in front of you. A difficult goal to achieve if they don’t fix their defensive issues first.
As Juan Estévez recently analyzed in this medium, the Kings have the best offensive ratio of this Regular Season (118.7), which is also on track to be the best in history. A detail by no means secondary, a reflection of the connection between Sabonis and Fox, although it is by no means a guarantee of success. Less so if they leave after a long postseason career.
While they are on top of it assessment offensively, in defense the thing is completely different. The Kings own it fifth worst All NBA records, conceding 116 points per 100 possessions to their opponents. To summarize, below the Californians are teams in the battle for Victor Wembanyama like the Pistons (117.1), Rockets (118.1), Spurs (119.2) and some Blazers with a similar endemic problem to Sacramento’s back.
The story of the Kings season boils down to high-scoring games that have been satisfactorily resolved in the clutch in most cases. With 59.5% closing wins nothing seems to indicate that facing the Playoffs they will have difficulties to solve with a win.
Well maybe yes.
As in the normal course of a meeting, andin the clutch the Kings had the same defensive issues. In fact, despite being the fifth team that has won the most games there, it is the 7th worst defense (117.7). Details extremely similar to what was shown for the rest of the duel.
The clearest example of their problems came in a 133-124 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks., in which Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 46 points on a flawless 19-of-28 streak from the field (67.9%). And it wasn’t just the Greek who had his night as Khris Middleton poured in 31 points on 60% shooting and Brook Lopez scored 23 on 64.3% accuracy.
😱 WHAT PAR-TI-DA-ZO
Giannis came back with everything to win on the road in Sacramento
🔥 46 points
▪️ 18 of 26 shots from the field
▪️12 rebounds
▪️ 4 assistspic.twitter.com/QMWYFIjp39— Sportingnewses Spain 🇪🇸 (@sportingnewses) March 14, 2023
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Sacramento’s big hole in the back is in the paint, where they award 53.4 points in the zone for every 100 possessions, the third most voluminous data in the NBA. Without being able to properly defend the perimeter of the ring, an area where their opponents score 66.4% of their attempts, it is very difficult for them to have a big Playoffs. Less if their hypothetical First Round picks could go from the Mavs of Doncic and Irving to the Lakers of LeBron and Davis, not forgetting the Clippers of Kawhi and George.
To perform well in this very specific area of the field is not easy. Without further ado, it turns out to be the most difficult space to capture in the current context of the game. At a high tempo and with a lot of ball movement, the margin for error is naturally smaller, so the opponent can easily press the paint.
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Another aspect to consider going into the Playoffs in the case of the Kings has to do with how easily the opposing best player has a great night. Today’s appearance of Giannis was not accidental. In fact, it was the keynote address in Sacramento. on 8 times the Californians allowed the other team’s star to shine with his own light, thus overcoming his barrier 40 points. Fortunately, they are still far from the troubling cases of other contenders such as the Clippers and Celtics, both of whom have 10 games of allowing more than 40 goals by a single player.
Mike Brown has little time and a lot to fix. The only positive in this regard is the Playoff experience that both he and his assistants have, something fundamental in the Playoffs. The coach has already started experimenting with things like zone and mixed defenses with relative success. Will they be able to make amends in time or will they make up for their great deficiency?
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
