The Kings won the first game of the season in Denver. Hector had a mixed copy with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. But with a nasty 5-15 shooting and 0-4 at 3PT and 6 fouls. The Fox, Hield, and Barnes trio all finished with 21 points.
Jokic was monstrous, with 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 14 assists. But apart from Porter with 24 points, the rest didn't follow.
But time doesn't wait, and the Kings head straight to Sacramento. In the top six, they will only face three teams. Denver, Phoenix, and Houston. Specifically, they will face the Suns and Rockets twice in a row. And it's time to play the Suns at home.
Both teams won their first meeting and have certainties. The Kings will live and die with their offense. At the beginning of the season, offensive teams often make the best start because defenses are still running. Wharton knows his team will need help to keep teams below 100 points with his current weapons.
Being out of contract next season, he cannot afford to be reckless. In the first six games, they have a record of 3-3.
Hector is showing progress this season, averaging about 13 points and 12 rebounds. Not to mention the 3 assists and, in defense, 1.5 steals and 1.9 blocks. Despite all, the minimum number of points conceded on a game this season is 106, which is a lot. That's about the league average. And the next game against Golden State, the defense will explode with 136 points conceded in a heavy 136-106 loss in San Francisco.
The Kings now have seven straight games at home, and the first one against Chicago will be the best game of his career so far.
Sacramento, CA.
Both teams have the same record at the beginning of the game, which is 3-4. The Kings have their usual lineup, while the Bulls have: PG Coby White, SG Zack LaVine, SF Otto Porter, PF Patrick Williams C Wendel Carter.
Hector was aggressive from the start and will rule with an iron fist. He grabbed the first rebound of the game following a missed shot by White. A few seconds later, he grabbed an offensive rebound and hit his first shot of the game. Then a block on LaVine, all in the first 30 seconds. The match is on.
The Bulls only made one basket, but it wasn't effortless. Hector will continue to put pressure on the Bulls' interiors. He received an assist from Fox and blocked Carter. In 2 minutes, he already has 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Time moves forward, and the score is 13 everywhere. The Bulls woke up with three-point shots from White and LaVine. Hector has since grabbed two more rebounds. He made his layup attempt on an assist from Fox.
Then he gets an offensive rebound and makes a feint shot, and Holmes only has to dunk to add two points. A little later, he receives the ball at the low post and intimidates Williams with backdowns. As he approaches the basket, he makes a U-turn and places the ball in the rim.
The show is not over, and he finds himself alone at midrange. Seeing that he is on fire today, he shoots and succeeds in his shot. He made two free throws before going out. The Bulls are not dropped, kept alive by their guards, and try their chances inside despite Hector's deterrence.
The quarter ended with a 3-point lead for the Kings, 25-28. Hector has 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks.
Wharton is delighted with Hector. In his conditions, we do not change a tactic that works. If the Bulls have trouble stopping Hector, as much to give him food on his return, but the time is to rest. Fox was injured midway through the quarter and will not play again; he has decided that Hector will be the nucleus today.
He takes over from Hector and will also cause trouble for the Bulls with six straight points and a steal. LaVine had a layup, and Gareth Temple, on a three-point shot with an assist from Porter, prevented the Bulls from sinking.
Time passes, and there are 5 minutes left to play in the second quarter. The Kings lead 42-50. Cory Joseph and Coby White scored a leach, but the Kings took a 10-point lead thanks to two three-point shots from Barnes, with Bjelica as a passer. The Bulls take a timeout, and Hector returns to the field.
Hector's construction site resumes, first always in the mid-range at shoulder level; it is his comfort zone, two more points for him. Then two defensive rebounds and a foul on a shot earned him two free throws. Both are converted.
The Bulls will score two three-point shots. Between the two shots, Hector will convert another layup. But Hector is human; he will finally miss a shot, but it is only partially postponed. In the last thirty seconds of the quarter, Hector put a putback dunk after an offensive rebound and another dunk at the last Second of the quarter.
22 points and 8 rebounds for Hector at halftime. Total dominance, watching the Bulls change players to take care of Hector but without a solution, Wharton felt good. But the situation does not allow him to relax. The Kings led by only 3 points, 59-63.
(PS: Let's talk about Wembanyama for a bit. I'm glad the Spurs got the 1st pick; in France, many people were hoping for him to go to San Antonio, myself included. Wembanyama would have been at Spurs no matter what in this book, and since I'm in a good mood, I will spoil it a bit. Wembanyama will be a troublesome opponent for Hector. But the reverse sentence makes much more sense: Hector will be a considerable problem for Wembanyama. Second spoiler: A team that made the playoffs this year in the Eastern Conference will be the Kings' first opponent in the NBA Finals. It's mostly linked to the future coach of the Kings. The irony is that he beat the team he defended against Jordan and Reggie Miller as a coach in the NBA Finals. He hasn't been able to win the NBA Finals when he's been there. I just wanted to let you know that I won't say more.)