Can the Kings Game NBA Strategy Lead Your Team to Victory This Season?
The gymnasium echoes with the squeak of sneakers and the rhythmic bounce of basketballs, but my eyes remain fixed on number 14. It’s a preseason scrimmage, the air thick with the smell of polished hardwood and ambition. I’m sitting high in the bleachers, notebook in hand, watching Gelo Crisostomo work the post. He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t need to. Every drop-step, every up-and-under, every relentless rebound is a statement. It’s in this quiet, focused chaos that a question begins to form in my mind, one that I’ve been turning over all preseason: Can the Kings game NBA strategy lead your team to victory this season?
I’ve been around this game long enough to recognize when a player has that special glint, that unteachable hunger. And watching Gelo, I’m reminded why I fell in love with basketball. It wasn’t the flashy crossovers or the deep threes—though those are spectacular. It was the grind. The tireless work in the paint. The kind of play that wins games when the spotlight is brightest. After the team’s two primary stars, Gelo Crisostomo is the perfect personification of letting your game do the talking. In the three preseason games I’ve charted, he’s averaged 14.2 points and 9.8 rebounds, but the numbers don’t capture the sheer force of his presence. He’s showcasing that he’s ready for primetime back in the preseason with his tireless play at the post, all while honing his offensive skills. I saw him stay after practice last Tuesday for an extra 45 minutes, just working on his baby hook shot with his weak hand. That’s the stuff you don’t see in the highlight reels.
His leap has already beamed excitement from coaches who see him following the footsteps of past great Thomasian forwards in Dylan Ababou, Kevin Ferrer, and Rhenz Abando. I had a coffee with Coach Ramirez last week, and he couldn’t stop grinning when Gelo’s name came up. "He’s got Ababou’s footwork, Ferrer’s defensive instincts, and a bit of Abando’s explosive athleticism," he told me, sipping his black coffee. "If we can build our system around a post-centric attack, similar to what the Sacramento Kings have been experimenting with—using Domantas Sabonis as a hub—we can dominate the paint and open up the perimeter." That’s the core of it, isn’t it? The Kings’ NBA strategy isn’t about one superstar carrying the load; it’s about a system that elevates everyone. It’s about making the post a place of creation, not just a battleground for rebounds.
I remember a game last season where we lost by 6 points because we settled for too many jumpers. We went 8-for-28 from beyond the arc. It was frustrating to watch. But this year, with Gelo developing into that low-post threat, I can see a different path. Imagine this: a high-post entry pass to Gelo, drawing a double-team, then a quick kick-out to an open shooter. That’s textbook Kings-style offense. It requires patience, chemistry, and a big man who can read the floor. From what I’ve seen, Gelo is developing that vision. In a closed-door scrimmage last month, he tallied 4 assists from the post—a stat that might seem small, but for a forward in our system, it’s massive. It tells me he’s not just thinking about scoring; he’s thinking about winning.
Of course, adopting an NBA strategy like the Kings’ isn’t a magic bullet. It demands buy-in from every player and a willingness to adapt. We’re not in the NBA; our resources are different, our schedule is tighter. But the principles translate. Ball movement, spacing, and playing inside-out—it’s basketball fundamentals executed with modern flair. I’ve always believed that the best strategies are the ones that play to your strengths, not just mimic others. And right now, our strength is brewing in the paint with Gelo. His preseason performance isn’t just a flash in the pan; it’s a promise. He’s put in the work, and it shows. When he muscles through a double-team for a bucket or outlets a quick pass to trigger a fast break, it feels like we’re witnessing the birth of something special.
So, as the season opener looms just 12 days away, I’m more optimistic than I’ve been in years. Can the Kings game NBA strategy lead your team to victory this season? For us, I think the answer is leaning toward yes. It won’t be easy—no strategy is foolproof—but with a rising star like Gelo embodying the grit and skill of legends before him, we have a real shot. I’ll be in my usual seat, notebook ready, watching the story unfold one possession at a time. And something tells me it’s going to be a season worth remembering.
