Programming note: Watch the re-air of the Kings’ come from behind victory over the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at 6:00 p.m. PT on NBC Sports California.
With the NBA on shutdown, NBC Sports California has decided to start replaying some entertaining games from the last few seasons of Sacramento Kings basketball to quench the thirst of fans. It begins tonight with the Kings’ road win over the Grizzlies from the 2017-18 season.
While we know the outcome and can remember the game-winner in the final seconds, watching replays gives us all a glimpse of where the team's young player were in development just a few seasons ago and how much they've grown.
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Here are five things to watch in a nail biter from Apr. 6, 2018.
Bogi for the win
Bogdan Bogdanovic didn’t; exactly have the greatest stat line, but he came through when it mattered. Not only did he hit the game-winner with 1.1 seconds remaining, but he stole the inbounds pass on the Grizzlies' final possession to seal the win.
Bogdanovic would enter the summer as the favorite to start at shooting guard the next season, but a last-minute knee injury heading into training camp set him back, opening the door for Buddy Hield, who would have a breakout 2018-19 campaign.
NBA
The Unicorn?
Willie Cauley-Stein drew the ire of fans around the league when he compared himself to then Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis. Against the Grizzlies, Cauley-Stein showed flashes of brilliance, although he didn’t quite reach unicorn status.
On the night, Cauley-Stein posted 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in 33 minutes of play. This is the type of player the Kings were hoping for when they drafted Cauley-Stein with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Clutch
The game ball went directly to Bogdanovic, but Justin Jackson’s 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining gave the Kings the lead and a shot at a win.
Jackson’s year and a half with the Kings came with mixed results, but he started the final 35 games that season for Sacramento and had a few nice moments.
Future on display
Hield and De’Aaron Fox both played a prominent role in the Kings’ victory.
While he didn’t have a huge scoring game, Hield stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 14 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals.
Fox played 33 minutes and managed to post 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
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Who, who and who?
JaKarr Sampson started at power forward for the Kings in this game. The energizer bunny has spent the last five seasons attempting to carve out a niche in the NBA after going undrafted out of St. Johns in 2014.
Sampson played 25 minutes for the Kings in this game, but he isn’t the only player that you may have forgotten from that season. Nigel Hayes scored two points and grabbed four rebounds in 16 minutes and fan-favorite Jack Cooley added six points and five rebounds in 15 minutes.
Hayes played a total of nine games in his NBA career and currently suits up for Žalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania. Cooley hasn’t seen an NBA court since that season either, but he tore up the Italian Serie A last season, averaging 19.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game while helping to lead Dinamo Sassari to a Europe Cup championship. Cooley is currently playing for the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Japan.