The Sacramento Kings have begun the season as they mean to go on. They have continued the positive momentum of last season’s promising postseason into the 2023-24 season. Under the leadership of head coach Mike Brown, the Kings have become one of the best teams in the highly competitive Western Conference. They further strengthened their title credentials by defeating an extremely talented Orlando Magic side yesterday.

However, the game was chock full of controversial officiating calls, which left Mike Brown fuming. But Kings’ guard Malik Monk came out and defended the referees in a post-match interview.

Malik Monk defends the officials

In an enthralling match, the Sacramento Kings came out on top, as they defeated a promising Magic side by a scoreline of 138-135 in double overtime. Despite the exceptional performance, officials earned the ire of the Kings’ coaching staff for several missed calls. However, in a post-match conference, Malik Monk defended the referees. He said, “We gotta stop man. The refs can’t make the right call on every play. We be nagging them too much. I’ve been trying the coaches to shut up. They not give us anything if you keep talking to him.”

Monk’s perspective is refreshing to see, especially amid increasing calls to hold referees accountable for incorrect decisions. Nevertheless, the Kings won’t be bothered as they won the game. Monk played a starring role, as he came off the bench to score 37 points and 9 assists. Domantas Sabonis had an outstanding performance, achieving a triple-double with 22 points, 12 assists, and an impressive 23 rebounds. Their victory over the Orlando Magic keeps the Kings firmly in the hunt for a guaranteed playoff spot. However, they still remain an unknown entity in the postseason. Can they compete with the “big-boys” of the league?

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Are the Kings title contenders?

The Kings were given a reality check by the Warriors in last season’s playoffs. The Warriors defeated the higher-ranked Kings in seven games in the first round. This time around, the Kings would at least aim to clear the first hurdle of the postseason. However, many people believe that the Kings could be the dark horse for this season’s title.

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However, the current composition of the Kings’ roster leaves a lot to be desired. Although they might secure a playoff spot, going deep in the postseason looks extremely unlikely. The Kings’ hierarchy must orchestrate a significant trade for a star if they stand any chance at the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy. At the moment, the Sacramento Kings are more title pretenders rather than title contenders.

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