Six stats that show Ellis’ defensive impact amid Kings’ playoff push originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Keon Ellis‘ defensive impact has been felt since he recently earned a spot in the Kings’ rotation.
After stringing together a couple of impressive performances, however, it has become more than just a feeling as the numbers and stats are backing him up.
The undrafted guard out of Alabama signed a two-way contract with Sacramento in 2022 before earning another two-way last July, spending most of his time with Sacramento’s G League affiliate in Stockton.
But as Kings coach Mike Brown’s defensive scheme hasn’t gone as planned after nearly two years in Sacramento, new opportunities arose for Ellis, who has made the most of every single second he has touched the floor.
And it paid off — literally — last month when the Kings rewarded the young guard with a standard, multiyear NBA contract.
The move has been beneficial for the Kings, too, as Ellis has helped lift Sacramento on the defensive side of the spectrum and whose defensive presence will be crucial down the final stretch of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Here are XX stats that show just how impactful that young guard has been since becoming an essential part of Sacramento’s rotation:
In the last 4 games the Kings have had the 2nd best defensive rating in the league at 103.8 DRTG.
Keon Ellis has played at least 25 minutes in each of the last 4 games.
Coincidence, I think not. pic.twitter.com/DQy0Haf5Ad
— KingsMuse (@kings_muse) March 19, 2024
Ellis’ recent performances include the tough assignments of guarding some of the league’s best, including Damian Lillard, D’Angelo Russell and Jalen Brunson.
Lillard struggled with just 10 points on 2-of-12 shooting from the field and 1 of 6 from 3-point range after averaging 24.4 points on 42.3 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from downtown this season. Ellis then contained Russell, who was on a recent hot stretch with the Lakers, to just six points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field and 1 of 4 from deep.
This is a phenomenal piece. Pretty much covered all of the Kings challenges and opportunities going into the postseason.
Great stat in here: post-All-Star, the Kings’ defensive rating with Keon Ellis on the court is 105.2, which would lead the NBA. https://t.co/h9TmnVLHzs
— Professor OAK 🇵🇸 (@o_a_khan) March 19, 2024
CRAZY STAT: last night Keon Ellis became the first guard in NBA HISTORY to record 5+ blocks and 7+ rebounds off the bench 🤯🤯🤯
Keon is HIM pic.twitter.com/TYlIS6UVwr
— AL in CAL (@ALinCALI22) March 19, 2024
And fans can enjoy this video just for fun.
Keon Ellis just had one of the best defensive tapes I’ve ever seen out of a Kings player. 5 blocks but that doesn’t even tell the whole story. Just an unbelievable talent on that end. pic.twitter.com/BmIACJqlrk
— Skyler (KFR) (@SacFilmRoom) March 19, 2024
With Kings guard Kevin Huerter out for at least Wednesday’s game due to a dislocated left shoulder and whose status thereafter is unknown, Ellis will start in his place.
Sacramento is playing some of its best defense right now, with Ellis undeniably a huge factor in that, and it couldn’t have come at a better time with the playoffs around the corner.
