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Kings Fall Short in 2nd Scrimmage | Kings vs Bucks 7.25.20

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Kyle Ramos

What better way to get warmed up for a season restart than by facing some of the best teams in both conferences.

Sacramento is set for three scrimmages against the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Clippers starting on July 22. The squad will play these contests over the course of six days leading up to the NBA’s reboot of the 2019-20 campaign.

While Sactown returned to practice last week in preparation for the final stretch of the season, the team has not seen true basketball action since early March. This slate of contests against some of the Association’s top teams could be an effective way to knock off some of that rust.

These opponents are considered to be some of the elite squads in the NBA, but Sacramento has seen some success against them during this season.

Against the Heat, the Kings split their two contests with the loss coming in the form of a heartbreaker in overtime. In three matchups with the Clippers, Sacramento has been victorious in two of them, including a 124-103 rout back in January.

Milwaukee is the lone team of the three that the Kings have not picked up a W against in 2019-20.

Following the team’s first practice back together last week, Kings head coach Luke Walton touched on his mindset heading into the bubble in Orlando.

“It’s going to be a challenge for everyone - from the top-seeded teams to the teams like us who are trying to get into that playoff scenario,” said Walton. “The challenge is going to be finding that rhythm again.”

Coach Walton also noted how different teams will have different attitudes during this final portion of the regular season. He recognized that some of the teams that are already locked into a comfortable playoff position may be using these games to get back on track and then peak right at the start of the playoffs. However, his roster will be looking at those eight contests, and even the scrimmages leading up to them, through a different lens.

“We have to find a way to create that chemistry and be peaking from day one. It doesn’t carry over, said Walton. “I know we were playing well towards the end of the season, but for every team it’s starting over.”

Sacramento is traveling to Orlando this week and will continue preparing for the restart along with the other 21 teams involved.

With NBA action just on the horizon, Sactown’s faithful will eagerly await to see how their team handles the hurdles that separate the Kings from a spot in the playoffs.

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Strong Scrimmage Schedule Presents Opportunity for the Kings

Steven Wilson

The ABC 10 cameras were rolling at Kings Training Camp on Tuesday in San Diego. Check out some of the great action from the team's first scrimmage!

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Kings Training Camp Scrimmage Highlights

sacjwise

With a full season under his belt, Kings guard Ben McLemore is ready to take on more of a leadership role.

That much was evident Wednesday night as Sacramento scrimmaged Toronto inside Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

McLemore was aggressive early in the game, getting to the hoop with ease. He also knocked down a three and mid-range jumper – all in the first quarter – while carrying the team for a solid three-minute stretch before his teammates started to heat up.

But the shooting guard knows it’s just the beginning of his NBA ascent.

“I think I did OK,” stated the Kansas alum. “Especially getting back on the court, playing up and down [and] scrimmaging a team. I think I could have done more last night [but] we watched film today and saw [a few] things we can work on.”

Head coach Michael Malone stressed talking on defense and offense during the morning session of Sacramento’s final day of Mini-Camp.

Whether it’s explaining the offense to a rookie or calling out a switch on defense, McLemore took the advice to heart.

“[I’m just trying] to be a leader,” said No. 16. “Just talk a lot – I think it’s the biggest thing I need to do for us this year… just being out there and being more vocal.”

After learning a new system last season, the team hopes Year 2 will be smoother.

“The biggest positive is that not everything is brand new,” stated Malone. “Last year… was the first time we introduced our terminology and our philosophy on both offense and defense. So now, Ben, Ray [McCallum], Quincy [Acy], Derrick [Williams], DeMarcus [Cousins] and Jared Cunningham – those guys know us. So the fact we have a year under our belt, and there’s definitely some corporate knowledge, will only help us out in Summer League.”

The team’s leader says the system will allow the Kings to have multiple scorers on the floor at the same time.

“Instead of positions… [the NBA is] really becoming a lot of position-less basketball,” said Malone. “Ben, Ray and Nik [Stauskas] are all basketball players – they can put the ball on the floor, make plays, [and] make shots.

“What I’ve seen is that Ben and Nik can play together without any problems. They both have a pretty good understanding of the game and they play well off of each other. When you have two guys who have the potential to shoot as well as they do, it’s going to pose problems for other teams.”

Fans will soon get their first look at Sacramento’s rising stars, as the team tips-off its 2014 Summer League schedule Friday night against San Antonio at 7 p.m. inside Cox Pavilion.

scrimmage

Kings Fall Short in 2nd Scrimmage | Kings vs Bucks 7.25.20

Strong Scrimmage Schedule Presents Opportunity for the Kings

Kings Training Camp Scrimmage Highlights

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