Mike Brown Blasts De’Aaron Fox After Kings’ Stunning Collapse Against Pistons!

On a dramatic Thursday night, the Sacramento Kings faced a stunning defeat when Detroit Pistons’ guard Jaden Ivey completed a four-point play in the closing moments. Ivey was fouled on a three-point attempt from the corner, which he made, and then sank the subsequent free throw, putting the Pistons in the lead for the first time since the opening quarter.

This turn of events left the Kings with just three seconds on the clock and no timeouts remaining, forcing them to attempt a desperate half-court shot that failed to hit the mark.

Sacramento’s coach Mike Brown sharply criticized his players’ execution during the game’s final moments. Brown pointed out that his team had clear instructions to commit a floor foul if possible. “They dribbled for eight seconds and we didn’t foul them,” he lamented.

“If you’re up by three, you need to defend closely at the three-point line. There should be no opportunity for a close-out. We explained this, they knew the only threat was a three-pointer,” Brown continued, pointing out that De’Aaron Fox was caught off guard, which led him to foul Ivey.

“I need to review the footage to see Fox’s exact position, but essentially, there was no need for a hard closeout. We were okay with a two-point play at the basket, so there was no reason to be away from your man at the three-point line,” he added.

Brown also mentioned he was unsure why Fox was not positioned to defend Ivey on the perimeter, emphasizing the need to analyze the game footage for better clarity. His explanation underscored that Fox should not have been in a situation requiring him to close out.

Fox, taking a broader perspective, attributed the loss not just to the last play but to the entire fourth quarter during which the Kings conceded 37 points.

As a highly favored former All-Star, Fox’s apparent disregard for the coaching strategy casts him into speculative trade discussions as the February deadline approaches. These developments are unlikely to stabilize his situation.

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