Kings big man Marvin Bagley III showed up and showed out in another stellar performance in Friday night’s 126-114 win over the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center.
Bagley had his fourth double-double of the season, finishing with a season-high 26 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the field. He also collected a season-high 13 boards and had two blocks.
“I'm just trying to stay locked in on what we’re doing,” Bagley told reporters after the win. “I’m just showing up every day with a good mindset, just trying to keep my body healthy and staying positive, and playing as hard as I possibly can every time I step out there. That’s been my mindset and it’s been working out for me. I'm just happy I'm able to come in and help contribute to the team winning.”
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The 6-foot-11 forward made an impact throughout all four quarters Friday, scoring 10 points in the fourth to seal Sacramento’s second straight win.
In his 11th straight start, Bagley is earning his minutes and proving he’s more than a rebounder.
“He was great for us,” Kings guard De’Aaron Fox said after the game. “We all know he can run, he’s athletic. As a team, when a big is getting an early post seal, you want to be able to get them touches and we were able to do that. He finished, got to the free-throw line, made his free throws. He was good for us all around today.
“With us just being able to get him touches in the flow of the game helps everything and everybody. I think he’s been good for us since he’s been starting. Defensively I think he’s gotten a lot better. Obviously, he’s a good rebounder. He always does that, and tonight he showed a lot of his offensive game.”
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Bagley was one rebound shy (16 points, nine rebounds) of another double-double in the Kings’ stunning 125-116 win over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.
And while head coach Alvin Gentry acknowledged the former No. 2 overall draft pick’s impressive performance, he wants consistency from the young big.
“I thought Marvin played well,” Gentry said after the game. “I thought he did a really good job of finding open spots when we drove the basketball … He just found those open holes in the defense and was able to finish at the basket.
“I just think he’s got to continue to be consistent … but I thought he was very active tonight and did a good job on the boards also. Obviously, the way he rebounded the basketball and how he went up for some of the balls, even in the crash zone, I thought he did a good job with that. We need that kind of play out of him for the remainder of the season, that’s what we’d like to have.”
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Fox added 27 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Buddy Hield scored 19 points and Harrison Barnes had 16 points and nine rebounds.
The Kings look to extend their two-game winning streak when they host Houston again on Sunday.