I remember watching that game where King put up 26 points despite shooting 9-for-31 from the field - those numbers tell a story that completely changed how I think about basketball strategy. When I first started analyzing games, I would have dismissed this as an inefficient performance, but now I understand this exemplifies what separates good players from truly impactful ones. The fact that he managed to contribute meaningfully while having an off shooting night reveals something crucial about winning basketball: it's never about just one aspect of your game.

What struck me most was how King had to earn every single basket through sheer determination. We often get caught up in highlight reels and perfect shooting performances, but real basketball - the kind that wins championships - happens in those gritty moments when your shot isn't falling but you find other ways to dominate. I've personally experienced games where my shooting was off, and the temptation to force bad shots or disengage completely was overwhelming. But watching players like King teaches you that there's always a path to impact the game. His 12 rebounds and three steals didn't just happen - they were the result of constant movement, anticipation, and refusing to let poor shooting define his entire performance.

The mental aspect here is something I can't emphasize enough. When you're missing shots at that rate, the psychological battle becomes as important as the physical one. I've seen talented players completely collapse after a few missed baskets, their entire game deteriorating because they couldn't separate their shooting from other aspects of their performance. King's ability to contribute elsewhere demonstrates a level of mental toughness that I believe can be cultivated through conscious practice. It's about reprogramming your instinct to equate personal success solely with scoring.

Let's talk about those 12 rebounds for a moment. For a player who's presumably not a traditional big man - given his scoring role - this represents extraordinary effort and positioning. In my own coaching experience, I've found that rebounding is often about anticipation and desire rather than pure size or athleticism. The fact that he grabbed 12 boards while presumably being guarded by players focused on limiting his scoring speaks volumes about his basketball IQ. It reminds me of something my first coach used to say: "Great players don't take possessions off - they just find different ways to contribute."

Those three steals are particularly telling. Defense creates offense, especially when your shot isn't falling. I've found in my own playing days that focusing on defense can actually help break shooting slumps - it gets you engaged in the game differently, takes the pressure off, and often leads to easier scoring opportunities in transition. King's steals likely generated some of those 26 points through fast breaks or disrupted defensive sets. This is something I wish more players understood - when your offense struggles, double down on defense rather than forcing the issue.

The shooting percentage itself - 9-for-31 - would make most analytics people cringe, and rightly so. But here's where I sometimes disagree with pure analytics: context matters tremendously. Were these good shots within the offense? Was he drawing defensive attention that created opportunities for others? The raw numbers don't capture the full story. I've seen players shoot poorly but still positively impact spacing and offensive flow simply by being a threat the defense must respect.

What I take from performances like this is that basketball excellence comes in many forms. We get so obsessed with efficiency metrics that we sometimes forget the intangible elements of winning basketball. The ability to contribute meaningfully despite shooting struggles, the mental resilience to impact the game through other channels, the understanding that your value isn't tied to a single statistical category - these are what separate good players from great ones.

I've incorporated this understanding into how I approach the game now, both as a player and when advising others. Instead of getting discouraged by missed shots, I focus on what else I can control - defensive positioning, rebounding angles, creating for teammates. King's performance that night, while statistically uneven, represents the kind of multidimensional impact that wins games when it matters most. It's a reminder that basketball is a mosaic of contributions, and sometimes the pieces that don't shine brightest are the ones holding everything together.

The real lesson here transcends that single game. It's about developing what I call "secondary skills" - the aspects of your game that remain reliable when your primary strengths aren't working. For shooters, it might be defense or playmaking. For big men, it could be screening or interior passing. King demonstrated that night that he had cultivated these secondary skills to a level where he could still dominate even without his best shooting. That's the mark of a complete player, and it's something every serious basketball player should aspire to develop in their own game.

Looking back at that stat line now, I see it not as a poor shooting night salvaged by other contributions, but as a masterclass in winning basketball. The 26 points look impressive in the box score, but the real story is how they were earned and what happened between scoring plays. This is why I always tell young players to watch entire games rather than just highlights - because the truth of basketball excellence often lies in those moments when things aren't going perfectly, and players find ways to excel anyway. That's the kind of strategic thinking that elevates your game beyond mere statistics and into the realm of genuine impact.