Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox has pointed out that Luke Walton’s firing as head coach It was “a bit shocking” to him, although he stressed the need to look to the future and redirect the team’s situation.
The point guard addressed the media after shooting practice prior to the confrontation on Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers, which ended with a new defeat (102-94) for the Californians after a bad last quarter. In this appearance, the first after Walton’s resignation, Fox reinforced the team’s unity.
“We have to keep fighting,” said the player to the middle Sacramento Bee. “Obviously, there are some guys who had already been through something like this in the middle of a season, but you can’t play a game worried about it. We still have matches ahead. We have plays to make, so we are still there. We have to be ready to play. “
The Kings confirmed Walton’s firing after losing seven of the last eight pre-game meetings against the 76ers. Instead, Alvin Gentry, until then associate head coach, has taken over the team. Fox does not believe that this transfer of technicians represents an important change within the game system, but it did indicate the need for improvement in several facets.
“I think some things will change but I don’t think it will be a big reform,” said the player. “They both want to play fast, but in the end it is in defense where we have to do better. And on the rebound. We are allowing rebounds and many times we get scored on the second chance. We just have to be focused and ready to play. “
Two fundamental aspects that the Kings will try to improve so as not to string together another season outside the playoffs, a scenario they have not been on since 2006. They currently occupy twelfth position in the Western Conference with a 6-12 record, two and a half games away. distance from the posts play-in.
(Cover photo by Sean Gardner / Getty Images)