that the Kings’ problems defending the 3 point line have to do with a lack of length at the 1,2,3 spots? I watched Bobby Jax try to cover 3pt shooters last night to no avail. He’s never been a lengthy guy, and he’s too slow now to make up for it. I appreciate Salmons’ effort, but he can’t cover the entire perimeter.

I expect 3pt D to get much better when K-mart and Cisco become available again. Then we can go back to getting pounded inside like usual. ;)

As a die-hard Grizz fan (and yet a reader of Tom’s work with great admiration) I have to say that the Kings shouldn’t get too upset about last night’s shooting. There is an expression we use down south that says something about blind squirrels and acorns that comes to mind.

Having said that I think the open looks came from the surprising aggressiveness of Mike Conley to break down the Kings defense by getting into the lane. We Grizz fans have been wanting to see that all year because we knew people would have open looks if he started forcing defenses to react to him.

Theus is not doing a terrible job. He’s lost two starters on a team with less than ideal talent and chemistry. The Kings are rebuilding but maintaining their vets as well. That rarely works out well. Memphis has totally gone with the youth movement and while they will take some lumps this season the starting five last night could be the starting 5 in three years very easily and then the oldest player would only be 26. Sacramento needs to decide whether to accept mediocrity (or worse) for the immediate future or scrap the vets and go completely with a youth movement.

That is beyond Theus’ control in my opinion.

I remember Bugs Bunny cartoons always raising the volume of background cricket noise to emphasize a deafening silence, and in a comedy group I was in in college we’d always use “Crickets” just as TZ does here. But what I can’t remember is, when did “Crickets” join the pop lexicon? Who’s responsible?

PS – On an unrelated and random note, my college comedy group’s lone enduring claim to fame is that we coined and popularized the phrase “jump the shark”.