Kings hold Celtics accountable for sloppy loss

The first words that came out of Mike Brown's mouth during his post-match press conference perfectly summed up the Kings' 132-109 loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night at the Golden 1 Center.

“Evaluation is easy. They kicked us in the ass,” Brown told reporters after the loss.

After wrapping up a four-game trip to Chicago, Brooklyn, Washington D.C. and then Utah, the Kings returned home for their second game in a row and their fifth game in seven nights.

But no one apologized for the ugly loss.

"You know, everyone has to play these kinds of games, so you have to play them," Brown said. "Whatever happens, happens. Are you guys tired? Maybe. But at the end of the day, you still have to say what happened on the floor.

What happened on the floor was the Kings passed the ball too much and the Celtics took advantage. Boston has a 21-6 advantage in points on spin, giving only 5 gifts to Sacramento 14. 

It really was the difference in the game, considering how well both teams shot and how close the teams' final scores were.

The Celtics are 49 of 92 (53.3%) from the field and 18 of 44 (40.9%) from downtown. The Kings were not far behind, shooting 39 of 81 (48.1%) from the field and 17 of 44 (38.6%) from 3-pointers.

Regardless of last week's heavy workload, the Kings - to the surprise of many - showed up very early in the game, but it didn't take long for the wheels to fall off. After beating Boston in the first quarter, Sacramento fell short in the remaining three-quarters. 

Domantas Sabonis played a big part in this early start, as he was triple-double guarding in the first quarter. He then finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in 37 minutes.

Sabonis' efforts have not been enough for the Kings, but his consistent play this season has been admired by many in the league.

"Sabonis is a dog," Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said after the game. "I've been a fan of his games for a while. His sons understand how physical, patient and careful he is. He's tough, especially when over the line he can't score three points.

"But I think we tried to keep him out of the basket tonight, but he still managed to impress in the game. Sabonis is a dog." He admits he may have played a role, but he didn't apologize for being a three-time All-Star.

Sabonis told reporters after the game: "I'm sure everyone felt it today. "But that's no excuse. It's part of the schedule and every team has gone through it. Ultimately we have to go our own way and do a better job in the second half.

Meanwhile, his other Kings All-Star was candid and outspoken in the two-minute post-game press conference:

“They beat us on every ball, second-chance points and turnovers. I think we beat it," Fox said. "They beat us on every hustle stat. They beat us on every aspect of today's game."

The Celtics had just 18 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists in 29 minutes, beating out the Foxes, who are striving for an All-NBA team this season.

After the game, Boston star Jayson Tatum praised the Kings and vouched for Fox's All-NBA campaign.

“They are much better than they have been in years,” Tatum said. “I give a lot of credit to Mike Brown. He made the players play better. Fox, he played at the All-NBA level, Sabonis was great for them, they played at that pace. doing. “All of these players feel more confident. Playing with confidence and freedom naturally paves the way, both individually and as a group. You played your part. .

Even if the Kings' team watching the world on Tuesday doesn't reflect the team they've had all season, but seeing each other for the first time since their 17th season, the reality check is a lesson learned by the young and hungry team. Post-season approach.