Mike Brown credits Kings assistants for Game 6 small-ball lineup vs. Warriors

How Kings befuddled Warriors with Game 6 small-ball adjustment originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

Looking for answers against the defending NBA champions in a must-win Game 6, Kings coach Mike Brown went small against the Golden State Warriors -- and it worked beautifully.

When Domantas Sabonis wasn't on the floor for Sacramento on Friday at Chase Center, Trey Lyles filled in at the 5 and finished the Kings' 118-99 win with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, nine rebounds and two steals.

After the game, Brown explained who was responsible for the adjustment that befuddled the Warriors.

"I got two guys on my staff, they drove me fricking crazy in our last meeting," Brown told reporters. "Robbie Lemons is our analytics coach. He was the one that kept beating my fricking head in to do this, do this, do this, and Luke Loucks. We were all on board with it, but those two guys were probably the most adamant, and not necessarily with Trey. We all felt we wanted to go to Trey, but just mainly just, 'Hey, let's just keep shooters on the floor, touch the paint and spray it.'

"We felt that Looney's been kicking our behind, so it's not like going to Trey or going to somebody else from time to time would hurt us on the glass because he's been already doing work. I give my entire coaching staff a lot of credit, but Robbie Lemons, our analytics coach, and Luke Loucks, he's our fourth assistant, they're the two that really got on my nerves about it."

Lyles at center in Sacramento's newfound small-ball lineup helped stretch Golden State's defense and provide better spacing for the Kings' offense, and it showed. Lyles ended up finishing the game a plus-9 in plus/minus rating, and once Sacramento went ahead 34-32 three minutes into the second quarter, it didn't relinquish its lead.

That helped neutralize Warriors center Kevon Looney, who finished with 13 rebounds Friday after grabbing 56 boards across Golden State's three straight wins in Games 3 through 5.

"I think it affected it some just because it was kind of a new lineup that we haven't seen this series, and kind of had to make some adjustments how we were going to guard it and guard the pick-and-roll and different things like that," Looney told reporters after the game, regarding the Kings going small. "We had been playing a certain way the whole series.

"It took some adjustments to finally get used to, and something we have to watch film and see how we can execute better against a small lineup, but I think we can make the adjustment."

The Warriors' 2022 NBA Finals win came thanks, largely in part, to their own small-ball adjustments. This postseason, they found themselves on the other end of things as the Kings forced a Game 7.

"They made some nice adjustments to try to, like you said, give their guards, [De'Aaron] Fox, [Malik] Monk, give them space to try to drive," Warriors star Steph Curry told media after the game. "... They pushed those buttons, and it worked, and so we have to be able to make the adjustments, because you assume it's going to be the same, or a similar vibe.

"You know, that's the fun part about a series. You see a little bit of everything, and that's why there's seven games."

Golden State's coach, Steve Kerr, said the Warriors' defense did not respond well to Sacramento's adjustments. Even though the Warriors finished the first quarter with a two-point lead, Kerr knew things "didn't feel great."

"You know, you could kind of sense that they were getting better shots than we were, and they were putting more pressure on us defensively," Kerr told reporters after the game.

"But it definitely helped them. It was a great adjustment by Mike to go small and to get more space in the half-court and open up the floor a little bit. They were able to make 17 threes tonight, and I don't think they have made that many in the series. So they obviously, having lost three in a row, felt the need to make a shift, and that was their big move tonight, and I think it readily paid off."

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While the Kings had the upper hand in Game 6 thanks to Lyles and Co., they can rest assured the Warriors will watch the game film and come back to Golden 1 Center on Sunday with adjustments of their own.

But just one win away from advancing to the Western Conference semifinals, Sacramento certainly will be ready for whatever challenge awaits on its home court.