Sacramento Kings’ Omri Casspi Turns Heads in Lone Start of the Season
By Joseph Crevier
@JosephMCrevier
Rocky Widner-Getty Images
The rejuvenated Sacramento Kings were victorious once again Tuesday night, defeating the new-look New Orleans Pelicans 99-89 without key players Rudy Gay and Darren Collison. Omri Casspi instead stepped in and came up huge for the diminished Kings roster recording a season-high 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting.
Formerly drafted 23rd overall by Sacramento in 2009, Casspi was nearly out of the league after he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011. After a two-year stint in Cleveland, Casspi found himself inking a near minimum deal with the Houston Rockets where he again saw the court sparingly. The fourth year man out of Israel was subsequently traded to the New Orleans Pelicans last summer, waived and found himself back in the purple and black with a chance to resurrect his ailing career. And boy has he made the most of the opportunity.
Aside from organically adopting the role as the team chemist, Casspi has provided a valuable punch off the bench to a Kings team that heavily relies on its starters. Casspi has also appeared to have become good buddies with superstar center and hothead DeMarcus Cousins, which is invaluable considering how Cousins plays exponentially better under good temperament. In just about 17 minutes per game, Casspi has contributed 7.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, giving Gay peace of mind knowing that he can sit a few games throughout the season if need-be.
Sacramento currently possesses the seventh seed in the competitive Western Conference and will have to continue at above .500 if they plan on clinching a playoff berth for the first time in almost 10 years.
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