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Will Achiuwa Take Hunter’s Spot in Kings' Starting Lineup?
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- Will Achiuwa Take Hunter’s Spot in Kings' Starting Lineup?
(Justine Willard/Imagn Images)
Precious Achiuwa's fit with the starters looked promising over De'Andre Hunter in the Sacramento Kings ' 121-96 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
The starters posted a -51.5 net rating with Hunter in 18 minutes, and a +33.3 net rating with Achiuwa in seven minutes. It's a small sample size in Game 1 of 82, and coach Doug Christie shouldn't make drastic changes, but it's worth taking note.
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Achiuwa finished Wednesday's road opener with 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 29 minutes. Hunter logged six points, three rebounds and one assist in 20 minutes.
The 6-foot-8 forward may not be the floor spacer the Kings need, but his high motor covers his deficiencies. He set screens for rookie Darius Acuff Jr. and crashed the glass on both ends, leading the team with three offensive rebounds.
Sacramento could run the Horns set with Achiuwa and Domantas Sabonis. Both would set screens at the top of the key for Acuff; one screener rolls to the rim while the other fades to the 3-point line.
Neither big man is a high-volume, efficient 3-point shooter, but the action helps the team generate more attempts from beyond the arc. The Kings shot 8-for-28 from three while the Clippers shot 14-for-35.
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Achiuwa's impact can't be ignored despite a small sample size. He averaged 10.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in five preseason games, including a preseason high of 18 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 8 and 11 rebounds against the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 13.
The 28-year-old also stepped up when the injury bug derailed the season. LaVine and Sabonis underwent season-ending surgery last February, opening more minutes for the bench players.
He went from averaging six shots per game in January to over 10 once his veterans were sidelined. Achiuwa dominated the Toronto Raptors with a 28-point, 19-rebound double-double on April 1.
Christie praised his performance, saying he played "grown man basketball" and that he's been spectacular.
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On the flip side, Hunter was unimpressive throughout preseason. He averaged three points and 2.3 rebounds in four games.
The 28-year-old entered the season healthy after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a left eye retinal detachment two games after being traded to Sacramento. His injury gave general manager Scott Perry time to gauge where he fits in the organization's plans.
Perry must figure out how a healthy Hunter contributes to the team's success, but Achiuwa isn't making his job easy. He could force his way into the starting lineup sooner rather than later.
