Ellis answers own call with career performance in Kings’ loss

Ellis answers own call with career performance in Kings’ loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – About eight hours before tip-off against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, Keon Ellis was asked about players stepping up to fill the void of several injured Kings.

“That’s just room for anyone to come in and step up and show what they can do,” Ellis said after Kings shootaround Monday morning. “So with guys out, I mean, we’re a team for a reason. One guy goes down, it’s next man up.”

Little did he – or the rest of the world – know that would be him.

Ellis went from an undrafted two-way player to an impact starter for Sacramento last season after turning heads with his defense and locking down big-name superstars like Steph Curry.

He always has been efficient from 3-point range, shooting nearly 44 percent from beyond the arc during his time with Sacramento’s G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings. But playing alongside players such as De’Aaron Fox and DeMar DeRozan, who demand the ball so much, and shooters such as Kevin Huerter and Keegan Murray, Ellis always has been of the mindset to never “do too much” and play his role of whatever the team asks and needs of him.

On Monday night, with DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk all out due to injuries, the Kings needed him to be aggressive on the offensive end of the floor. He rose to the challenge.

“Heck of a job by Keon,” Kings coach Mike Brown said after Sacramento’s down-to-the-wire 109-108 loss to Atlanta. “We’ve been on him about if you’re open, to let that thing go. And tonight, he let it go. He’s a good shooter.

“He shot [44 percent] from the 3 when he was in the G League. Last year, he was around 40. So we know he could shoot basketball. And it was great to see him step into it and let it fly tonight.”

Ellis let it fly six times without a miss before finally watching one 3-ball rim out midway through the second quarter. He was 6 of 8 from beyond the arc by halftime.

Three minutes and 32 seconds after checking into the third quarter, he surpassed his career-high in points after knocking down three more triples. His…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ellis-answers-own-call-career-075126149.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-11-19 07:51:00

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