Sacramento Kings: The Good, The Bad, The Terrible

Nov 20, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Isaiah Thomas (22) talks with teammates forward Luc Mbah a Moute (33), center DeMarcus Cousins (15), and forward Travis Outlaw (25) in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Kings defeated the Suns 113-106. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

The Sacramento Kings are now 11 games into the season and have now won their first road game, while also going on their first winning streak. With now two handfuls of games in the books, I think it’s a good time to look at the good, the bad and the ugly.

The Good

The Kings have now won two games in a row and the main reason for this small success is what/who is going to be labeled “the good.” His name is Isaiah Thomas. The 5-foot-9 point guard has been on a scoring tear and has now set a franchise record for the most games scoring double digits off the bench. Thomas is one of the Kings focal points on offense and has really shown his ability to carry the second unit. Thomas has played so well, he could arguably be the starter for the team, but getting starter’s minutes off the bench has not slowed him down one bit. I do expect Thomas to keep up this type of production all season long.

The Bad

The bad has been the play from the small forward position. This was almost the terrible for the lack of production the Kings have found from this part of their team. The main person you have to eye from this spot has to be former starter John Salmons. He has been definition of inconsistent and the Kings needed his production from the get-go, but they really haven’t seen him show up this season expect in quick flashes. Travis Outlaw has played a bit better, but is mainly just a offensive threat that spreads the floor. No defense really involved in his game. You can’t put too much on the shoulders of “The Prince” Luc Mbah a Moute. He has taken this starting job the last three games and is hopefully going to be a defensive anchor for Sacramento going forward.

The Terrible

The terrible was quite easy to find. It is how quickly this Sacramento Kings team can go into an offensive and defensive drought and either letting an opposing team break out to a big lead or have their own lead dissappear. Yes, the Kings have found a way a few times this season to show life in the second half to try and rally back, but that is not a good way to play basketball. Once the team hits their offensive drought, their defense seems to suffer even worse, as they seem to start giving up easy baskets one after another. Offensively it starts to become “old Kings” basketball, as each player starts to play for themselves instead of for one another. This has been one of their biggest flaws all season and with it still being early, hopefully it will change.

The Finish

To sum it up, the Kings are off to a slow start. They are now 4-7 and their next five games are not at all going to be easy to get wins, as they will be playing top level playoff contenders. Adversity is to be expected sooner rather than later and it will be interesting to see how this young team will ride the wave. It is still a rebuilding year for this Sacramento Kings team and changes maybe coming soon, as rumors are suggesting Kings are actively looking to trade. As for now, fans should enjoy this win streak and take the season one game at a time, because they are definitely in for a long year.