Struggles

by Tom Ziller on Oct 18, 2008 8:32 AM PDT

One of the fears in the back of my mind once Ron Artest left Sacramento was that against Houston -- a team the Kings have competed with over the last 2-3 years, even in the lean times -- Kevin Martin would get locked up by Ron. I thought of Brandon Roy, quick and crafty and largely unable to get anything against Artest. It seemed like Martin might get the same treatment.

Artest didn't check Martin on any one play last night. A relief, right? Well, Artest did an insane job on John Salmons, tiring him out on one end and forcing him to take jumpers or run into Yao Ming on the other. Everyone has talked about Ron's limitations as a man defender on the perimeter for a few years. We forget that at his defensive peak in Indiana he had Jermaine O'Neal, a great post defender in his prime, as a backstop. In Sacramento, he had ... Brad Miller, not exactly a dominant paint enforcer. Ron's smart. If he can't get a steal or stop an aggressor outright, he'll funnel. That's what happened to Salmons the entire first half, and it showed in the box score.

The more confusing struggle was the lack of Martin's FGAs early in the game. For the first three possessions, Martin didn't touch the ball. Then he drew a foul, but didn't touch the ball again for a while. Part of that's on him -- make cuts, call for it, find a way to get free ... especially with Rafer Alston checking you. Part of that's on Beno Udrih and Brad Miller -- find your best player. And part of it's on Reggie Theus, who needs to have a plan to get his offense going early.

Martin turned it around and ended up with a productive game. Udrih's shot didn't fall and his defense on Aaron Brooks was atrocious, but he lead the offense and the break fairly well for the most part. The bench mob was fesity but sloppy, Miller made smart decisions but couldn't shoot, and Mikki Moore's flawless offense was muted by his continued inability to seal the defensive glass. Overall, I found the defense to be somewhat encouraging -- the guys were talking, and Yao met resistance on almost every possession.

But I fear this game is a fair microcosm of the season to come. When you're running with so much youth, so many players in new situations -- Martin as #1 weapon, Salmons as starter, Udrih as full-time starter -- you're going to have repeated struggles. Hopefully once the regular season begins we'll get enough spare electricity -- a Martin explosion, some primacy from Mikki, a little Shock and Hawes -- to keep the lights on.

And yes, Donté Greene's rooster expression is a great start.

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Exactly

There will be moments of sublime joy this season, as potential begins to show itself, but there are going to be a lot of games that get clicked off midway through the fourth quarter out of frustration.

I still love Artest, but I’m also glad he’s not on the roster anymore. The matchups with Houston this season weren’t going to be fun regardless, but the rest of league will be in the same boat as Sacramento. Lots to like about the Rockets, especially if Yao and McGrady stay reasonably healthy.

Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen.

by andy sims on Oct 18, 2008 8:44 AM PDT reply actions

Seems like

The Rockets are good enough that McGrady and Yao can take 25 games off apiece and they would still be dangerous. Sure, health will probably make or break the Rockets, but they don’t need anything more than to be healthy for the stretch run to be serious contenders IMO.

As for the Kings, they’re gonna need more than good health.

by furious.d on Oct 18, 2008 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions

The Rockets

May end up being ‘the’ team to beat this season. I know many think – and justifyably so – that the team will be the Lakers, but if Houston can get and stay healthy, a big if considering thier history, I think they may be the most ‘complete’ team inthe NBA.

Cisco? Cisco? CISCO!!!! #*$!%! !

by lietothegirls on Oct 18, 2008 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions

I agree with andy on this one

The start of the season may be the worst part as Reggie and the players figure each other, and the opponents, out.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. It's simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get tangled, you tango on

by pookeyguru on Oct 18, 2008 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions

I didn't watch the game

but I noticed that JT, Mikki, Donte, and Spencer all got about 20 min. each. It will be interesting to see if that stays the same tonight and into the season. Reggie did say that the last few preseason games he would be getting the rotation down.

by babasin on Oct 18, 2008 10:59 AM PDT reply actions

Cisco didn't play

so he will get most if not all of Greene’s minutes. And the starters didn’t come back in late in either half, like they will, so we’ll probably see JT and Spencer’s minutes be around 15 or so each with Miller in the mid 30s and Mikki right around 30(he had foul trouble). That’s my guess anyway.

Ball movement ... is like jogging for most people: They do it occasionally, and it makes them happy. Then they go back to not doing it. - Henry Abbott

by Kfan in Korea on Oct 18, 2008 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions

Game impressions

A general lack of determination by most of the Kings. Most distressingly, by Martin. Any night he doesn’t come to score is going to be a real struggle.

I repeat the headline of my Summer Post after Artest was traded.

WHO WILL BRING THE FIRE?

Who is the 2nd scoring option on this team? Is it Salmons? Beno?
I’m not sure the players know.
Salmons Has to be it, he has to throw that Zen shit aside during games and finish!
If he can’t, well, his time as a starter won’t last past this season at the longest. He has to convince his teammates that he is the #2 GUY. Or else.

You can’t decide to play in the 2nd half. (martin +)

Grades:
Beno: C
Martin: C+
Salmons: C
Mikki: B
Miller: C

You don’t win many games with C+ efforts.

Bench

Hawes: C+
Jackson: B
All the rest: C

Now, that was against a Rockets team that may win the West (if healthy) in my opinion.

But the lack of intensity, determination, the team showed won’t win many games.

I wasn’t encouraged.

Cisco? Cisco? CISCO!!!! #*$!%! !

by lietothegirls on Oct 18, 2008 11:06 AM PDT reply actions

One concern

In the second half, with Artest and Yao sitting, Salmons was still pretty ineffective.

I’m almost to the point where I’d rather see Garcia start, regardless of Salmons’ inability to come off the bench. That always seemed like emotional blackmail to me anyway. Or pouting. Certainly not professional.

At least Kenny Thomas was ready to play when he got put in.

It just seems like Salmons only has two moves. Stand outside the arc and wait for the ball, or drive and spin, where nine times out of ten they anticipate the spin move and he gets stripped. He seriously needs to learn to move without the ball.

Let's go home.-Kevin Martin

by LeaguePassAddict on Oct 18, 2008 11:11 AM PDT reply actions

Thank God we got rid of Artest, he is such a head-case that it was way to big of a problem,

now we can look to the future without having to worry about all of Ron-Ron’s daily shit.

by mattman on Oct 18, 2008 12:17 PM PDT reply actions

+1

Good post, and I too am starting to see how this team will look in the regular season. The #2 option very much looks like it will be a problem. Part of that is that Salmons has been terrible so far. The bench is going to struggle all year. There’s just no two ways about it. Can I revise my 30 win prediction?

Shut up and Coach

by Carl on Oct 18, 2008 2:11 PM PDT reply actions

wait on the revision, Carl

Let’s see how we look look with our full contigent and a regular rotation. We’ve not seen that as yet. I was certainly somebody that predicted 35 – 40 wins. I am sticking with that until I get a bit more information and see how the team looks with some consistency in personnel and rotation.

by Kusian on Oct 18, 2008 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions

With Kusian

Right now the starters look OK (exception Salmons, John) and the bench is lacking, but the bench is playing more than the starters. Once the season starts and the starters are playing starter minutes, I anticipate that this team will compete on a regular basis, especially at home.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Oct 18, 2008 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree wholeheartedly

with Ziller here; and I’m on record as saying that if you’re expecting a playoff contender this season, well… just don’t. I believe that right after the draft I predicted that this year’s team will win something like 23 games, and I’m sticking with that. Outside of Kevin and Cisco this is basically a collection of largely unproven young NBA novices selected in the middle of the draft and veterans with no upside.

I also expect (hope) that Brad will be traded before the deadline, the short term effect of that being we’ll take another major hit in the talent department.

Bottom line: Until the younger guys develop considerably the Kings aren’t gonna sniff a playoff spot, and to be actual contenders we still need major upgrades in talent and athleticism in the front court and at the point. We’ll need at least one Top 5 Draft pick and probably at least one significant Free Agent signing.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun watching the kids develop, and it’s not going to stop me from going to Arco this year. I’m excited about the season starting!

But every franchise, the Jazz, the Mavs, even the Celtics, even the Lakers has to bite-the-bullet once in a while and rebuild.

2008/2009 is our turn.

"When the going gets Weird, the Weird turn professional."
(Hunter Thompson)

by Mucho Moss on Oct 18, 2008 11:02 PM PDT reply actions