Reno (5-10) came home for only the third time this month to take on the Austin Spurs (6-10). It will also be the last home game in December.Of course there are 7 home games in a two week span next month. Such is the D-League. Anyway in front of an announced crowd of 2,089 (there were many more as a can of food got you in but I guess they didn't count) the Bighorns gutted out a 108-105 overtime win after trailing throughout. Bighorns improving slowly but still 5 games out of the playoffs. However we will get to the more pertinent information.









My constant complaining in these posts about court time for the first rounders down here finally seems like it can be shelved. Both Skal and Papa G saw 37 minutes + in this contest. They even played together ! Papa G even started!









The extra minutes gives you some more time to see how much time it will take these two to help the Kings.









Skal.....The difficult part here is what The Kings have in mind for him. As previously reported he has been playing center when nearly everyone thought he was a forward of some sort. In any case let's assume he is a forward as he was tonight. I have been suggesting since the year started that he should take more threes. Tonight he shot a season high 4. Made one but such nice looking misses. Rebounded well tonight and for those who have yet to see him in action he can really, as they used to say it, sky. Would like to see him more often in the open court but the offense is not geared to that sort of thing yet. A positive step on his growth chart. Still a prospect in my mind. Duje was written off at this time last year.









Papa G- Lets take the game at face value. Fifteen points in 37 minutes on 6-9 and 3-4. Nine rebounds. Three blocked shots. Fouled out. OK if it was anyone else you would say not bad. Unfortunately Papa G is saddled with more expectations. Let's assume he was drafted where everyone thought he would be drafted. Somewhere at the end of the first round or high second. That is "project land" for most and that is what he is, a project. The microscope on his play would be in a different lens then the one we see for the 13th pick in the 2016 NBA draft. The Kings need a lot of patience here. In 2009 we saw Rudy Gobert play several games with the Utah Flash (since then the Idaho Stampede and Salt Lake City Stars) and the only thing he had going for him then was his height. It has taken SEVEN years since his last appearance at the Reno Events Center for him to establish himself at the NBA level. That my friends is patience. Papa G will take just as much time. Of course the franchise is not known for having that sort of perseverance so who knows.













This was the first game for Papa G in awhile as he has been with the Kings. I hope and assume he was in Sacramento to get individual work with the Kings big man coach (whoever that is). There is nobody on the Bighorns staff that qualifies in that regard that I know of. He surely needs to learn a few moves besides the back in type.









Lamar Patterson had another solid outing. However if the Kings ever had a use for him he would be occupying Malachi Richardson's spot on the bench right now as the player he most resembles on the Kings is Rudy Gay. I believe he will be signed by someone (probably in Europe) fairly soon as too good for everyday D-League action.









The Kings/Bighorns also announced that Reno will be playing two games in Sacramento on February 24th against the Santa Cruz Warriors and again on March 3rd against the Raptors 905. Here is part of the press release.









"When we purchased the Bighorns, we wanted to find unique ways to grow the team and introduce them to Kings fans," said Kings President Chris Granger. "Bringing Bighorns basketball to Sacramento will allow Kings fans to see our rising talent as they grow their skills in the NBA Development League." "We’re excited to show Sacramento and Kings fans how fun and entertaining Bighorns basketball can be," said Bighorns President Keenan Polan. "As a part of the Kings family, we’re seeing instant success with support and resources from the full backing of the business support staff, and the continued involvement from the basketball operations team. We’re excited to take advantage of our relationship and play in the world’s best arena."

Kings fans may be mildly curious to check out the action and see for yourself the quality of play. Nobody knows of course who you will be seeing at that time but Brady Heslip is fun to watch for the Raptors (unfortunately Sim Bhullar is no longer with the team) and Phil Pressy for the Warriors might leave you wondering how he started 14 games with the Celtics. You will probably see, barring injuries or trades, all the 2016-17 rookies in extended time.









Of course this arrangement is not without some difficulty for Bighorn season ticket holders and Reno fans in general. Bighorns season ticket holders paid for these games in our season ticket package. What should the Kings do about that since the games have been taken away? Well we can use our tickets for the Sacto games plus, as a bonus, free tickets to a Kings game the NEXT night. Fair enough in their minds I guess,..... But.....What if we don't want to drive over Donner Pass in the winter to see the Bighorns play in Sacramento at our own expense? What if we don't want the further expense and time of spending the night there to watch the Kings the next night? Seems reasonable that when I bought the tickets to these particular games I had a right to assume the games would be played in Reno. The seats were sold and paid for per game. I mean I appreciate the offer and all and I might take it for one game anyway but it seems that there should be an option for those who do not want to go to Sacramento period. Like a pro-rated cash refund maybe. That seems fair. No, bad idea. The only option is to receive a rebate/refund on next years season tickets. No one has said for absolute certainty that the team will even be here next year ! Imagine a Kings season ticket holder, in the best seats, being told that two of the games you paid for will now be played in Reno. And you can get there on your own. And finally, by the way, even though we have pissed you off to the extent you don't want to do business with us ever again,you can get your money back when you give us more money when you buy your season tickets next year. This is my first experience with a "pure Kings" promotion/operation here and not real impressed. Little things in the big picture I know but they add up.









Around the D-League.....Pierre Jackson back in the league and putting up the numbers for Rio Grande Valley. Funny how the Rockets style is now considered successful and gathering praise league wide. Rio Grande has played that style for years setting the table as you will. Reno had their number by taking that sort of play to the next stage. Kings fired that coach and dismissed the experiment as a failure.......Gary Peyton Jr. had a league high 51 the night after he played well in Reno......In another example of the geographical consolidation towards the parent clubs the Magic announced that they had purchased the Erie Bayhawks and will move them to Lakeland (Fl). You can count on almost one hand now the number (6) of D-League teams that are more than 75 miles away from the mother ship. Reno is one of them.....Diamond Stone got out of the dog house in Santa Cruz and joined the Clippers. The Clips are one of the few NBA teams not to have their own D-League team and disperses players wherever they can.













As I write these words the Kings are in the playoff hunt. I will type that sentence while I can. Go Kings!



