The new NBA season is just around the corner. On October 24th, the NBA will open the long-awaited 2023-2024 season. Before the season opens, it would be good to look at each team’s strengths and key players’ strengths and weaknesses. So I prepared. From now on, let’s check each team’s 2023-2024 season offense and defense power and style, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of key players, one team a day for 30 days through the scouting report.토스카지노 도메인
We will look at each team in reverse order based on last season’s performance. The protagonist of the 24th time is the Sacramento Kings, who are dreaming of going further after advancing to the playoffs for the first time in 16 years.
22-23 season results
– Regular season: 48 wins, 34 losses, 3rd place in the West
– PO: Eliminated in the first round
Key players on the 23-24 season roster
– Handlers: De’Aaron Parks, Davion Mitchell, Malik Monk
– Wings: Kevin Herter, Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes, Sasha Bezenkov
– Bigs: Domantas Sabonis, Trey Lyles, Alex Len, JaVale McGee
23-24 season check points
1. The pinnacle of offensive basketball
Last season, Sacramento showed the pinnacle of offensive basketball. He recorded an offensive efficiency index of 118.6, ranking first in the entire league. They showed off their overwhelming offensive power through a beautiful handoff game that started with Domantas Sabonis. The key this season is for Sacramento to maintain the offensive power of last season. Fortunately, the key players have largely remained the same. Sabonis, who agreed to a contract extension, and De’Aaron Parks, who continues to grow, remain as the focal point. The offensive court is still full of good news.
2. Growth of Young Guns
In the new season, Sacramento still needs to pay attention to the growth of Young Guns. Of particular note is Keegan Murray, who had an impressive rookie season last season. Murray has averaged 14.8 points since his rookie season, becoming a key offensive player on the team, and especially showing off his overwhelming power in producing spot-up jumpers. He had a 41.1% 3-point shooting percentage. What if Murray’s scoring ability is upgraded while the offensive center of gravity, led by Pax-Sabonis, is already solid? Sacramento will be able to easily maintain its position as the league’s best offensive team in the new season.
3. Balance
Last season, Sacramento was the best team in the league in offense, but ranked at the bottom in defense. The defensive efficiency index was only 24th. If it weren’t for their overwhelming offensive power, it wouldn’t have been easy to achieve good results. The defensive anxiety that naturally comes with Domantas Sabonis playing as a center must be compensated for through defensive organization. Diligent defensive movements and pressing abilities from wing resources such as Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, and Sasha Benzenkov are needed.
23-24 season offense
Sacramento’s offensive color is clear in the upcoming season as well. The 2-on-2 game based on the hand-off game must be used frequently, and the spot-up attack opportunities and cut-in attacks derived from it must be effectively deployed. Last season, Sacramento was the team with the highest handoff attack frequency in the league (97%) and ranked 3rd in the league in handoff attack efficiency. The pick-and-roll handler attack (3rd) and cut-in attack (8th) that followed from here were also very efficient. In the end, the key is for the handoff game, which starts with Domantas Sabonis’ hand, to unfold smoothly like last season.
Expected offense role for the 23-24 season
– Control tower: Domantas Sabonis, Trey Lyles
– 2-on-2 game handler: De’Aaron Parks, Davion Mitchell, Malik Monk
– Isolation: De’Aaron Parks, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray
– Spot Up jumper production: Keegan Murray, Kevin Hutter, Harrison Barnes, Sasha Benzenkov
– Paint zone attack: Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Parks
– Clutch time ‘The Man’: De’Aaron Parks, Kevin Hutter, Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes
22 -23 season offensive statistics
Offensive efficiency index: 118.6 (1st place)
Score: 120.7 points (1st place)
Field goal percentage: 49.4% (2nd place)
Assists: 27.3 (3rd place)
3-point success: 13.8 (5th place)
3-point success Success rate: 36.9% (9th)
Mistakes: 13.5 (9th)
Offensive rebounds: 9.5 (23rd)
Paint zone scoring: 52.3 points (14th)
Second chance scoring: 13.3 points (19th)
Fast break scoring: 14.9 points (7th)
Counterattack scoring based on opponent’s mistakes: 17.6 points (11th)
23-24 Season Defense
Sacramento’s biggest defensive weakness last season was its ability to protect the paint zone. The number of points conceded in the paint zone was the 5th highest in the league. As mentioned earlier, this is a problem that arises when Domantas Sabonis plays as a one-big player. Sabonis’ defensive movements are not as agile, so his defensive coverage is relatively narrow, and his rim protecting ability is also below average. However, due to Sacramento’s offensive system, it is difficult to operate a lineup in which Sabonis plays with other big men for a long period of time. This is because the court becomes cramped, which is counterproductive. Therefore, rather than attaching a bodyguard big man to Sabonis, upgrading the forward line’s rim protection ability would be the best way to improve defense while maintaining offense and defense balance.
Expected defense role for the 23-24 season
– Ace stopper: Davion Mitchell, Harrison Barnes
– Rim protecting: Domantas Sabonis, Alex Len
– Defensive rebounding: Domantas Sabonis, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray
– Team defense anchor: Harrison Barnes
– Defensive energizer: Davion Mitchell
– Causes deflections and turnovers: Davion Mitchell, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray
22-23 season defensive statistics
Defensive efficiency index: 116.0 (24th)
Points conceded: 118.1 points (25th)
Field goal percentage allowed : 49.2% (29th)
Assists allowed: 26.7 (28th)
3-pointers allowed: 12.5 (18th)
3-point percentage allowed: 37.3% (26th)
Mistakes caused: 14.2 (15th)
Blocked shots: 4.2 (9th)
Offensive rebounds allowed: 9.7 (7th)
Paint zone goals conceded: 53.5 points (26th)
Second chance goals conceded: 12.7 points (6th) Fast breaks allowed:
11.5 points (1st)
Mistake-based counterattacks conceded: 16.3 points (12th place)
Key player scouting report
De’Aaron Parks
– Height/Weight: 190cm/ 83kg
– Origin: University of Kentucky
– Draft year & ranking: 5th pick in 2017
– 22-23 season record: 73 games, 25.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 51.2% field goal, 32.4% from 3-point range
– SCOUTING REPORT
: One of the best offensive guards in the league. He uses his overwhelming speed and strong lower body strength to score dribble-based scores. He is good at producing not only typical breakaway scores but also short mid-range scores using pull-up jumpers and floaters. In fact, he took 13.8% of his shots last season as a runner, hitting 54.6% of those shots. Runner shot productivity ranked in the top 12% of the league. He is a player who will serve as Sacramento’s ace in the new season as well.
Domantas Sabonis
– Height/Weight: 211cm/ 108kg
– Homecoming: Gonzaga University
– Draft year & ranking: 11th pick, 2016
– 22-23 season record: 79 games, 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists,. 61.5% field goals, 37.3% 3-pointers
– SCOUTING REPORT
: A big man who played his best in Sacramento last season and spent his third All-Star season. He is a big man with a very high basketball IQ, and his ability to save handlers through the handoff game and setting screens is among the best in the league. He is dominant in screen angle changes and hand-off pass timing, which helps the entire team’s attack flow. He settled in Sacramento during the 2021-2022 season, and changed Sacramento’s offense as soon as he joined. In fact, last season, he ranked second in the league in team scoring production based on screen assists. He is a very important player in Sacramento’s offense in the new season as well.
Keegan Murray
– Height/Weight: 203cm/ 97kg
– Hometown: University of Iowa
– Draft year & ranking: 4th place in 2022
– 22-23 season record: 80 games, 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 45.3% field goal, 41.1% 3-point shooting
– SCOUTING REPORT
: A promising forward who has shown impressive performance since his rookie season and has become a key player in the team. At the time of the draft, he had to suffer from criticism due to being called a rookie because he was selected instead of Jaden Ivey (5th pick, Detroit), but he put all the criticism to rest with his rookie season performance. As expected, he performed particularly well in the offensive court. He hit a whopping 2.6 3-pointers per game at a percentage of 41.1%. Looking at the 3-point category alone, it can be said that both explosiveness and efficiency were at the top of the league. He is a player whose growth is expected in the upcoming season as well. This is because there is a possibility of increasing the scoring volume in isolation and pick-and-pop games.
Kevin Herter
– Height/Weight: 201cm/86kg
– Origin: University of Maryland
– Draft year & ranking: 19th in 2018
– 22-23 season record: 75 games, 15.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 48.5% field goal, 40.2% 3-point shooting
– SCOUTING REPORT
: He moved to Sacramento through a trade ahead of last season, and had a career-high season upon joining, contributing greatly to Sacramento’s offensive basketball. He hit 2.7 3-pointers per game with a 40.2% probability, and he did not just stand and throw 3-pointers, but also made catch-and-shoots through bold off-the-ball moves, destroying the opponent’s defense. Although he is not a strong defender, he has quick defensive movements and good concentration, so he is not a player who causes much harm to the team’s defense. The new season is also a resource that will play a big role as the team’s key shooter.
Harrison Barnes
– Height/Weight: 203cm/102kg
– Homecoming: University of North Carolina
– Draft year & ranking: 7th pick in 2012
– 22-23 season record: 82 games, 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 47.3% field goal, 37.4% 3-point shooting
– SCOUTING REPORT
: Veteran forward entering his fifth full season in Sacramento. Over the past four years, he has had three seasons in which he appeared in 70 or more games, most notably last season when he appeared in all 82 games and anchored Sacramento’s forward line. After moving to Sacramento, he is playing as a power forward rather than a small forward, and is a player who anchors the team in a stable role in offense and defense. In fact, it is said that Barnes is playing the role of a locker room leader in Sacramento, a relatively young and inexperienced team. On offense, he scores through post-ups and spot-up jumpers, and on defense, he serves as an anchor that encompasses the overall movements of his teammates. Although his explosive power is somewhat lacking, he is a player who brings considerable stability to the team when he is on the court.
Sasha Benzenkov
– Height/Weight: 206cm/ 102kg
– Origin: Bulgaria
– Draft year & ranking: 57th in 2017
– 22-23 season record: –
– SCOUTING REPORT
: Best player in Europe, winning EuroLeague MVP in 2022-2023 season A forward who stands tall. He signed with Sacramento ahead of this season, finally decided to advance to the NBA, and is a player who has achieved almost everything that can be achieved in Europe. He has a very good shooting ability, recording a 3-point success rate of over 40% in Europe, and is expected to contribute a lot in attack by utilizing his shooting ability in Sacramento. Although his shooting release is quite unique, it is not easy for opponents to block because he is so fast. He, along with Harrison Barnes and Keegan Murray, is a resource that could become a mainstay of Sacramento’s forward line next season.
Malik Monk
– Height/Weight: 190cm/ 90kg
– Homecoming: University of Kentucky
– Draft year & ranking: 11th in 2017
– 22-23 season record: 77 games, 13.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 44.8% field goal, 35.9% 3-point shooting
– SCOUTING REPORT
: A player who served as Sacramento’s bench ace upon joining last season. He received attention for his outstanding athletic ability and offensive ability since his days in Charlotte, but his up-and-coming play and shaky defense limited his utility. He began to perform well for the Lakers in the 2021-2022 season, and led the team’s rebellion in Sacramento last season by utilizing his unique offensive ability and serving as a bench ace. He is expected to play as the team’s key bench guard alongside Davion Mitchell in the new season. While Mitchell shows a strong presence in the defensive court, Monk is a resource that must do his part in the offensive court.