De'Aaron

Fox

Fox had an opportunity to tie Tuesday’s game and force overtime, but his 3-point attempt in the final seconds was long. He didn’t have a great night shooting the basketball, but the rebounds and assists were solid, and Fox only committed two turnovers. The percentages weighed down Fox’s fantasy value last season, but he’s a relatively safe top-40 pick in most leagues.

After missing both of his 3-point attempts in Wednesday’s loss to the Warriors, Fox was much better in Friday’s rematch. He made four of six on the night, a notable performance for a player who averaged a career-high 2.9 3-pointers per game last season. Fox made at least four 3-pointers in 19 games in 2023-24, and it isn’t difficult to envision a scenario in which he does that more often this season. The addition of DeMar DeRozan gives the Kings another capable scorer and playmaker, which could lead to a few more catch-and-shoot opportunities for Fox.

Fox produced a gaudy point total in his final action of the 2023-24 season, but the Pelicans made him work for his numbers. The Kings point guard was inefficient, shooting 4-of-16 from three while committing five turnovers. While Fox’s scoring (26.6), rebound (4.6), and steal (2.0) averages increased in comparison to last season, his field-goal and free-throw percentages decreased. However, that did not prevent him from providing 2nd-round per-game value in 8- and 9-cat formats, and the same can be said for Fox’s totals value. If he’s to threaten 1st-round value in 2024-25, the percentages need to improve.

All five Kings starters finished Tuesday’s win in double figures, with Fox being one of two (Keegan Murray) to score at least 20. In addition to the 24 points, Swipa dished out six assists while only committing one turnover in his 39 minutes on the floor. Next up for the Kings is a matchup with New Orleans on Friday, and the Pelicans won all five meetings by an average of 19.0 points. Fox struggled with inefficiency in those matchups, shooting 40.9% from the field and averaging 4.0 turnovers per game.

Fox only needed 26 minutes in this game to have a big scoring night, and he did it while maintaining efficiency and posting a full stat line. The win locked them in as the 9th seed in the West, where they will host the Warriors in the first Play-In game. If they win, they will take on the loser of Pelicans-Lakers, with a chance to play the Thunder on the line. It is a very different scenario from last season, when they hosted the Warriors at the 3rd seed, but they will still get to add another chapter to their rivalry with Golden State.

Consistency has been an issue for Ellis since moving into the starting lineup, but he had a solid showing on Friday. One night after scoring five points in a loss to the Pelicans, he contributed 17 points against the Suns. Ellis has reached double figures in only three of the seven games he’s played in April, and Sacramento needs more with Kevin Huerter (shoulder) and Malik Monk (knee) sidelined. All five starters scored in double figures for the Kings on Friday. That includes De’Aaron Fox, who amassed 23 points, five rebounds, six assists, four steals, and three 3-pointers in 41 minutes. The Kings need a win over Portland and a Lakers’ loss to the Pelicans on Sunday to earn the 8-seed ahead of next week’s Play-In tournament.

Fox injured his ankle during the fourth quarter of Thursday’s loss to the Pelicans. However, he said after the game that he would be fine, and the absence from the injury report confirms this. Look for Fox to take on his usual workload as the Kings attempt to earn the 7-seed ahead of next week’s Play-In tournament.

Fox got off to a good start on Thursday, scoring 11 points in the first quarter. The Pelicans did a better job of defending him from that point onward. While Fox finished with 33 points and shot over 50% from the field, he was also responsible for six of Sacramento’s 14 turnovers. More concerning than the turnovers was his ankle injury during the fourth quarter. The good news is Fox said after the game that it wasn’t as bad as the injury he suffered earlier this season, and he’d be alright. Due to the defeat, the Kings are locked into the Play-In tournament. The goal is to earn the 7-seed, ensuring they’d host the 8-seed.

While Fox and the Kings had some frustration regarding his lack of free-throw attempts, the jet-quick point guard still managed to surpass the 30-point mark for the second time in three games. A top 25 player in 8-cat formats this season, Fox is just outside that threshold in 9-cat. And he could be even more valuable to fantasy managers next season with improved numbers at the foul line. Fox, who was 2-of-4 on Tuesday, is shooting 73.3% from the stripe after making a career-high 78.0% of his attempts in 2022-23. Sacramento, hoping to avoid the Play-In tournament, has three games remaining on its regular season schedule.

Fox shot out of the gate in this one, dropping 21 points and four triples in the first half. He was relatively quiet in the scoring department until the 3:59 mark of the fourth quarter. From there, Fox scored 12 points as Sacramento led a furious (but failed) fourth-quarter comeback. The game marked Fox’s eighth 40-point performance of the season, and he hit the second-most three-pointers of his career. Over his last five, Sacramento’s star guard has averaged 27.2 points, 5.2 boards, 6.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.8 triples.