2 Key Player Matchups To Watch for in Kings vs. Thunder

The Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder are ready to put on a show Friday night, with multiple player matchups worth tuning in for.

The Sacramento Kings host the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday in an In-Season Tournament Group Play matchup. The Kings are off to a 3-4 start in their 2023-24 campaign, while Oklahoma City has had a hot start, starting 5-3.

Sacramento have struggled to start the year, as they are 1-3 with their star point guard De'Aaron Fox sidelined, as he is ruled out again for Friday's matchup against the Thunder. Oklahoma City has started their season with an interesting trend, as they are 5-0 against Eastern Conference opponents but 0-3 against Western Conference teams.

While the Thunder are expected to beat a Fox-less Kings team, being 1.5-point favorites (via FanDuel Sportsbook), the Kings are tough to beat at home. Whether the Kings or the Thunder come out on top, this should be an exciting matchup.

Sacramento's All-Star point guard is sidelined, so fans will not get the highly-anticipated point guard matchup of Fox against Thunder G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but there are two other intriguing matchups to watch for:

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Oct 9, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center / Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports

Domantas Sabonis vs. Chet Holmgren

While he does not get the media attention of other NBA stars, C Domantas Sabonis is sneakily a top 20 player in the league and debatably a top-three center. Friday night, he will face off against rookie C Chet Holmgren, who has shown the potential to be one of the best.

Holmgren, 21, was the 2nd overall pick by Oklahoma City in the 2022 NBA Draft but missed his entire first year due to injury. Now healthy, the 7-footer has proven to be one of the most versatile players in the game.

The rookie is averaging 16.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game with impressive 57.5/55.6/90.0 shooting splits. His 55.6% three-point shooting is good for second in the NBA, behind rookie teammate G Cason Wallace (57.1%).

Holmgren will give Sabonis all he can handle with a 7'6" wingspan, but the veteran will certainly try to dominate the slim rookie in the post and on the boards.

While Holmgren's skillset might give him the edge in this matchup, both players are All-Star caliber, and it should be an electric big man battle. 

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Oct 9, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) reacts after scoring a basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at Paycom Center / Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports

Keegan Murray vs. Jalen Williams

The Kings and Thunder both believe they got gems in the lottery of the 2022 NBA Draft, as Sacramento took F Keegan Murray and Oklahoma City took G/F Jalen Williams. Murray and Williams were honored on the 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie First Team, and both have had high expectations heading into their sophomore seasons.

While the two wings have similar accolades, they are two different players. Murray has proven to be one of the best shooters in the league, breaking the record for most three-pointers made in a season by a rookie, while Williams is an impressive slasher with a sneakily good handle and gets to the rim with force.

Murray has started his sophomore campaign on a cold streak, shooting just 25% from deep through his first seven games. While Murray's shot has not been falling, he has found other ways to contribute, many of which were not part of his game during his rookie season. 

While there is a chance the two sophomore wings do not guard each other in Friday's matchup, fans should hope to see them face off multiple times. Williams and Murray have the potential to be future stars in this league, and they both have an opportunity to make a statement against each other. 

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