Kayte’s Kings Player-by-Player Breakdown

The season is over, and now we can delve deeper into what is ahead for the Kings.

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Kayte’s Watching NBA Stars In the Making

It’s very easy to look at things in the context of the short term. We do it all the time in our daily lives.

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Kayte Discusses the Triple-Double Debate

It’s funny to me how important stats are to some sports fans.

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Kayte Asks for Patience with New-Look Kings

I understand fans’ frustration right now. In all honesty, the Kings had a phenomenal start to the season, and I truly feel we were a little spoiled by the team’s early success. Read more

Kayte’s Blog: The All-Star Break Benefits

As we’re finishing off the proverbial first half of the season, even though we’re really 52 games into an 82-game season, to say the Kings are welcoming this All-Star break is an understatement. Read more

Kayte Puts Young Kings Play In Perspective

Let’s be honest, being a professional athlete is a pretty amazing and enviable job to a lot of people. Read more

Kayte Breaks Down the Kings Six-Game Trip

You could say the Kings have had a favorable home schedule so far this season. Read more

Kayte’s Blog: The Psychology Of Free Throws

If you look at the Kings free throw percentage after 21 games, it’s really not too bad. Seventy-two percent (72.3) isn’t fantastic, but it’s by no means bad. However, if you took out the handful of games where the team shot poorly from the line, its average would be extremely respectable.

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Kayte’s Blog: Kings Extreme Makeover

I have to say, 10 games into the season, I’ve been pleasantly surprised.

Coming into this season I didn’t know what to expect from this team and I don’t think I was alone. A new coach, many new players, then early injuries to two key players. Who knew after 10 games this young team would be 5-5?

There were a couple of rough games early on that made me think this was a typical youthful “rebuilding” team with an inability to close out games and inconsistency from one game to the next. Then the team earned a couple of wins and it snowballed into four straight, and I’ve reevaluated what this team is capable of.

I think Kevin Durant said it best in his tweet after the Kings beat the Thunder at ARCO 101-98, ‘This team is going to surprise a lot of teams this year!’

So far, I’m one person who has been surprised.

I knew from preseason this group of guys was going to give an all-out effort every night, but effort doesn’t always make up for inexperience when it comes to winning close games. In the loss in New Orleans, after being ahead for 46 minutes of the game, I saw youth and the mistakes that go hand-in-hand with it. Then came the game in Utah, and I saw growth in record time. I thought it could have been a fluke or a glimpse at the possibilities. Then the Kings came home the next night and took care of Golden State. Sure you can say, ‘But that’s Golden State,’ however, one thing young teams are susceptible to is relaxing after a big win instead of using it as a step in the right direction…and then they took another step and won again.
Usually with young teams, it can be one step forward, two steps back.

At 5-5 we’ve seen step after step moving forward. The best part about it is the team won games it wasn’t playing well. The Kings grinded teams out regardless of offensive flow and frequent turnover problems. It hasn’t been just one or two guys. It has been steady contributions from multiple players, night-in and night-out.

I don’t know how the rest of the season will turn out, but if the first 10 games are any indication, this team has a chance of surpassing everyone’s expectations. They’re not on the typical “rebuilding” timeline. This is the extreme makeover version! Who knows what can happen? It’s the great thing about sports. You can speculate and crunch numbers all you want, but the game has to be played. So far I think the Kings have surprised a lot of teams and I’m sure it won’t stop any time soon.

Kayte Sees Rockin’ Return for Kings

 

Last night’s opening game in Oklahoma City may not have been the outcome Kings fans hoped for, but there is no reason to worry after one game.

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