Sacramento Kings interim coach Doug Christie was direct about his team’s performance before their game against the in-form Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
The Kings were beaten 130-111 at home by the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, which was the first game in a back-to-back set.
Christie was unhappy with how his team played on both ends of the court. He knows the Kings will need to improve in several areas when they face the Blazers, who are currently on a five-game winning streak.
“Unacceptable in a lot of different ways, especially on the defensive end,” Christie said. “Must, must be better. Must, must play with the level of energy, intensity, physicality, and aggressiveness that I want to see and (that) I think they’ve begun to expect from themselves. That wasn’t it.”
“You can use all the different excuses. I’m not going to do that — 19 turnovers for 28 points (conceded) — unacceptable. (Shooting) 51 percent for them from the 3-point line — unacceptable.”
Zach LaVine scored 13 points in his Sacramento debut, making 4-of-13 shots from the field, after being traded from Chicago.
Christie acknowledged that there would be an adjustment period for LaVine, but he wasn’t using LaVine’s first game with the team as an excuse for the Kings’ poor performance.
“That’s part of what’s going to happen,” Christie said. “We have to find our way. As a unit, they have to feel Zach out, Zach has to feel them out. But I’m not using any of that as an excuse.”
On Wednesday, Sacramento acquired backup center Jonas Valanciunas from Washington in exchange for Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks.
Valanciunas had previously played with DeMar DeRozan in Toronto and with Domantas Sabonis on Lithuania’s 2016 Olympic team.
“It’s great. I’m excited,” said Sabonis, who had 21 points and 13 rebounds against the Magic.
“A fellow countryman with me. He’s all about this culture — he’s tough, he plays every game, I think he’s going to help us a lot off the bench. I know he’s going to play his heart out.”
Valanciunas could make his Kings debut against Portland, who will be without guard Matisse Thybulle due to an ankle injury.
The Blazers have won nine of their last 10 games, most recently defeating Indiana 112-89 on Tuesday. Anfernee Simons scored 22 points and Jerami Grant added 20 in the win.
Portland led by six points midway through the fourth quarter before finishing strong, outscoring the Pacers 30-13.
“Leads like this that are 10-12 points, they go away so fast in the NBA,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “But the way our defense is humming, when teams are playing against us — at least in particular now – that lead probably feels like a 20-something-point lead. It’s been tough to score on us.”
“That’s been my vision the entire time. I want to be that team that nobody wants to play against. Even when you come in and play well and win, you’ve had to fight so hard for that win, you have to go earn that. That’s what I want us to be at all times, home or on the road. I want teams to earn their keep against us. And we’re doing that right now.”
