The Sacramento Kings are arguably the most surprisingly good team of the season so far. San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich praises the culture change that helped turn things around in Sacramento.
Popovich also praised the efforts of Kings general manager Vlade Divac and head coach David Joerger for the work they put in to breathe life into the franchise, via Sean Cunningham of ABC10 Sacramento.
"Guys are committed, guys are physical, taking some pride in defense. I think Vlade & the team have made some good moves & I think Dave's done a great job of bringing that group together. They look really good. It's impressive," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich after the game.
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) November 13, 2018
People never really paid attention to the Kings coming into this season. Aside from the spotlight of being a 2nd overall pick that rookie Marvin Bagley attracted, many expected that the team would again vie for a lottery pick next year.




But with an 8-6 record to start their campaign this year, this young Kings team have gained the attention of the league. They have surprised opposing teams with their smooth offensive schemes as they currently rank 4th in points per game (114.5). They are also placed 1st in forcing opponents to commit turnovers, characterized by the team's 8.5 steals per game, good for 5th place in the league.
While Bagley is yet to break out from his shell this season, the Kings' backcourt duo of De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield have been impressive. They are leading the team in scoring, both with 18.7 points per game, and they are doing it efficiently.
The Kings look to build upon their victory over the Spurs as they go on the road to face Marc Gasol and the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday.