KEY POINTS

  • De'Aaron Fox knows how disappointing the Sacramento Kings' start to the season has been
  • They had opportunities to beat the Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors but failed to protect their halftime leads
  • Fox also identified where they need to improve moving forward

Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox recognizes the missed opportunities that he and the team have had to start their season.

“I just haven’t played well, that’s all it is. When you’re out there on offense you want to make shots, and I just haven't. It’s a slow start,” Fox told the media after team practice.

The Kentucky product is currently averaging 18.7 points on 38.6 percent shooting from the field and just over 15 percent from deep, with 4.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and a whopping five turnovers over the past three games.

Fox has struggled to get his shot to fall, especially during their 110-101 loss to the Utah Jazz last October 22.

He attempted 19 shots overall, making just five of them in 35 minutes of action, while only making two of his four attempts from the free-throw line and none of his five attempts from beyond the arc.

Comparing it to his first three games from last season, Fox averaged 19 points on 41.3 percent shooting with 36.4 percent from three and limited his turnovers to four per game.

Being the veteran in a very young Kings backcourt and the de facto leader of the team, Fox knows he must uphold his side of the bargain if he wants to make good on second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton’s promise.

Fox did not only admonish himself but also the Kings in general for not protecting the lead that they made in the first half in their two losses, recognizing that they had a golden opportunity to defeat two of the West’s best teams in the Jazz and Golden State Warriors.

“A lot of times it's just details. A missed box-out, or not setting screens or using screens or not getting downhill, not doing what we started off the game doing,” he said.

Fox also mentioned that the team is not looking to do anything too different from what they have done in their past games, opting instead to work on their major pain points.

The Kings do have a glimmer of hope moving forward as rookie Davion Mitchell limited All-Stars Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell to subpar outings when their teams met.

Their next challenge does not get any easier as they visit the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, October 27.

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