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5 Things to Watch for in the Kings Season Opener

The Kings tip off the 2022-23 season this Wednesday night when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers in their first home tilt of the season.  

Sacramento enters the matchup with an entirely new coaching staff, two new starters, a top-five draft pick and a roster that features seven new faces from last season.  

Here are five things every Kings fan should be watching for in the home opener against Portland: 

Mike Brown’s Starting 5 

Kings head coach Mike Brown has all but solidified the point guard, small forward and center positions in the starting lineup, with veterans De’Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes and Domantas Sabonis locked in those roles. However, the two-guard and power forward positions have seen an open battle throughout training camp and preseason.  

Coach has been tight lipped about who might get the start in these spots come Wednesday night, and if the Kings first four exhibition games are any indication, the coaching staff is going to have a tough decision on their hands.  

Newly acquired guard Kevin Huerter started three of Sacramento’s four preseason games and improved each time on the floor. After going 2-for-5 shooting and scoring just five points in his first preseason game, the former Terrapin scored a combined 24 points over the next two games, shooting 7 of 13 from the field and 6 of 10 from deep.  

Another contender for the role is returning guard Terence Davis. Davis, like Huerter, started preseason slowly but picked things up over the next three games. In just 11 minutes of action against the Trail Blazers, TD racked up 14 points on four triples to go with four assists, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. He followed that up with a 12-point outing off the bench against the Suns before dropping 14 points and six assists, again off the bench, against the Lakers.  

The likely final contender for the starting two-guard spot is Malik Monk, who got the start against the Lakers after ankle soreness prevented Huerter from playing. Monk was solid in the start, putting up 13 points and hitting two of the Kings 20 threes in the win, as he reunited in the in the backcourt with friend and former Kentucky Wildcat teammate Fox for the first time since college.  

As far as the power forward position goes, it appears to be another three-man race, this time between KZ Okpala, rookie Keegan Murray and Trey Lyles. 

Okpala is familiar with Coach Brown’s defensive philosophy thanks to his time playing on the Nigerian National Team and proved he could be the defensive stopper on the wing this team needs to be successful. He started and ended the preseason the same way: frustrating one of the game’s best players, LeBron James, with his defensive intensity. He also showed off his sneaky athleticism, meeting Pat Beverly at the rim to block a dunk attempt midway through the matchup.  

Another option for the Kings at the 4 is rookie Keegan Murray, who, despite playing just two games, might have had the most impressive preseason of anyone on the roster. In his preseason debut, Murray tallied a game high 16 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting while adding two steals and six rebounds. He followed that up with another 16 points -- the team high again – against the Trail Blazers, scoring all but one of his points from three-point range.  

Last but not least, is power forward Trey Lyles, who started 11 games for the Kings last season after arriving via midseason trade. Lyles’ play has fluctuated during the preseason but he showing during the matchup against the Lakers the value he brings to the court. He came off the bench to score 17 points, only behind 21 from Fox, and knocked down a team-high four three-pointers.  

A difficult decision lies ahead for Brown but if there’s anything we know about the new head coach, it’s whoever is named starter, will have earned it.  

Keegan Murray’s Debut 

Keegan Murray has absolutely crushed every “NBA Debut” so far.  

In his California Classic debut, Murray finished with 24 points and seven rebounds. In his NBA Summer League debut, tallied 20 points and nine rebounds in a his first matchup against fellow rookie Paolo Banchero. And in his NBA Preseason debut, the Iowa native tallied team-highs in points (16), rebounds (6) and FGM (7).  

Murray missed the final two preseason games with a non-COVID related illness, and the team is looking to ease him back into action, so there’s a chance his debut may be delayed beyond opening night.  

But whenever the rook takes the court for the first time, we can almost guarantee it’ll be worth the wait.  

Defense, Defense, Defense 

It’s well known that Coach Brown is a defensive minded coach. Defenses he’s led as a head coach have never finished below Top 16 in defensive rating and early indications point to the Kings being good on that end of the court.  

During the 2022-23 preseason, the Kings have held all but one opponent to under 100 points and twice forced the Lakers to shoot below 40 percent from the field. They’ve also forced over 20 turnovers in each game this preseason.  

The coaching staff’s emphasis on team defense was put on display with the installation of the new bell in the practice facility. The bell is meant to encourage players to keep making winning plays on the defensive end, whether it be steals, taking charges or simply going vertical to defend the rim.  

In addition to the new philosophies Brown and the rest of the coaching staff have introduced, the signing of guys like Okapala and Chima Moneke, Basketball Champions League MVP and defensive player of the year candidate, will only bolster the squad through this season. 

Fox Off the Ball 

De’Aaron Fox has thrived throughout his career as a ball-dominant point guard but that will seemingly evolve in Mike Brown’s offense.  

Brown and the rest of the Kings coaching staff see the point guard through power forward positions as interchangeable, with any one of those guys able to bring the ball up and initiate the offense. 

That means, sometimes Fox will bring the ball up, sometimes it’ll be Harrison Barnes, and even Sabonis at times. Either way, fans will get plenty of looks at Fox off the ball in offensive sets this season.  

Look for Fox to be active in DHO’s on the elbow with Sabonis but also serving as the baseline cutter while others work through their progressions.  

Regardless, Brown’s pace-and-space offensive will see significant movement from players -- and the ball -- in the hopes of finding the best shot available. 

Second Unit Success 

The Kings second unit has been giving opponents fits during the preseason. But when you roll out a second five that includes the likes of Lyles, Murray, TD and Monk, guys that can each drop 20 in their sleep, it’s clear why.  

Over four preseason games, the Kings bench outscored opponents 281-172. On average, the bench is outscoring foes 70 to 43.  

If the Kings bench can maintain that momentum throughout the season, they will be an incredibly tough team to beat.