Ti’s Four-Point Play: A Look At The NBA’s Best In Different Areas
By Ti Windisch
The Fastest Team In The NBA – Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings don’t currently have a winning record, but they would make the playoffs in the Western Conference if the NBA season ended today. They’re also pretty damn fast.
One thing George Karl focused on this offseason was picking up the pace, even going so far as using a 14-second shot clock to get his players used to playing at a fast pace. That has shown up in the stat sheet, as the Kings lead the NBA in pace and are currently on a five-game win streak.
When a team doesn’t have the kind of outstanding roster the Spurs or Warriors have, an edge is necessary. The Atlanta Hawks are a great passing team. The Chicago Bulls play tough defense. And the Sacramento Kings move very, very fast.
Making another team play a type of game they’re not used to is a great strategy in the NBA, and the Kings have been doing just that lately. Rajon Rondo deserves a lot of credit for leading a precise attack at such high speeds, and of course DeMarcus Cousins is a massive part of any good basketball happening in Sacramento.
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If the Kings can keep this up, they might be a fun team to watch in the playoffs. They aren’t a complete team yet, but they can hang around better opponents by just outrunning them. That’s greatness, in a way.