Interim coach Doug Christie didn’t hold back when discussing his team’s recent performance ahead of their clash with the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night in Portland.
The Kings were handed a 130-111 defeat by the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, marking the first leg of a back-to-back set. Christie was critical of the team’s effort on both ends of the floor and emphasized the need for improvement against a Blazers team riding a five-game winning streak.
Zach LaVine made his Sacramento debut with 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field after being traded from Chicago. Christie acknowledged that there will be an adjustment period for LaVine but refused to use it as an excuse for the Kings’ poor performance.
In other news, Sacramento acquired backup center Jonas Valanciunas from Washington in exchange for Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks. Valanciunas, who previously played with DeMar DeRozan in Toronto and alongside Domantas Sabonis for Lithuania in the 2016 Olympics, could make his Kings debut against the Blazers.
Portland, on the other hand, is missing guard Matisse Thybulle due to an ankle injury. The Blazers have won nine of their last ten games, including a 112-89 victory over Indiana on Tuesday, where Anfernee Simons scored 22 points and Jerami Grant added 20.
Thursday’s game will be a test for the Kings as they aim to bounce back from their recent loss and improve their performance against a strong Blazers team.
