The Sacramento Kings made the rash decision to fire head coach Mike Brown on Dec. 28 after a 13-18 start to the season. However, they've turned things around as of late under interim boss Doug Christie, winning seven in a row heading into Tuesday's clash with the Milwaukee Bucks.
One of the main storylines this season was the internal drama between Coach Brown and franchise star De'Aaron Fox. The two reportedly didn't see eye to eye and with the Kings looking to lock up their guard long-term, there's a belief they let go of Brown to make sure Fox inks a new deal.
However, big man Domantas Sabonis shut down the rumors about the drama between Brown and Fox.
Via Basketnews:
“There was a lot of drama, Sabonis admitted. “With Fox, coach, everybody. But we must think about the team and how we play, not the outside noise.”
“Everybody started talking nonsense. But we don't pay attention to it and just do our job,” Sabonis continued.
Sabonis also praised Christie for the job he's done since taking over for Brown:
“He has a very big heart,” Sabonis said. “He loves Sacramento a lot and will give everything for the Kings organization. You can see it every day during practices, video sessions, and games. The players feel that and want to fight for him.”
The vibes are up in Sacramento. During this unbeaten run, they've beaten several quality teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, and even the Boston Celtics last Friday. Sabonis is also balling out lately, registering 20 points or more in four straight appearances.
While many criticized the Brown firing, perhaps it was exactly what Sacramento needed — a culture change. Sitting just 1.5 games out of sixth place, the playoffs are a reality once again. And if Christie continues to thrive, the Kings might just hand him the full-time job. He certainly has the respect of his players.