I completely agree. Motivation – direction = confusion and ineffectiveness.

Even with bad teams, a coach with a system will find ways to be competitive. Look at what Jerry Sloan has done. I agree with the OP that a coach doesnt have to subscribe to any given system, but there has to be a system.

I too have noticed how the offense seems stagnant and disjointed. I can never figure out what they want to do out there. They have good parts: Kevin, Salmons, Spencer. They can score and in many different ways, but it’s all a mish-mosh at the moment. I hear Theus say he wants the Kings to be a “running team” sopposedly because he has the personnel for it. I disagree. Other than Shock, Kevin and little used Bobby Brown, I don’t see a running team. Spencer can run but he’s no Amare Stoudemire. Beno is NOT a running PG like Nash or Paul. Mikki can run but can he catch? Salmons can catch and finish but can he run well?

To be a great running team, you have to have two main things: One, players (usually wings and a PF) that can run AND play above the rim, and two, players that can pass on the full run and in traffic. Other than Donte’ Greene, I don’t see any high flying finishers on this team. Kevin can do it on an ally-oop but is not going to dunk over people. Beno and Garcia are decent half-court passers but not very good at threading the needle or throwing that pinpoint pass on the full sprint.

The Kings should run when they have the opportunity but their personnel (Hawes, Miller, Beno, Garcia, Salmons, JT) are MUCH better suited for a cutting, backdoor motion offense. I think Reggie knows this but he needs to focus most of his plays on this. So far this year, there has not been enough pick-n-rolls between Beno and Moore/Spencer/JT. None of the Kings guards have penetrated enough and if they are stuck on the perimeter, that will just render the PF to watching when on offense and will cause Salmons and Martin to have to create with the dribble, which is the antithesis of a motion offense.

Not surprising to see an 0-4 record. The Kings do need Miller back though. Maybe with him back, Theus will feel more comfortable to running the high-post offense which creates more cuts, movement and passing. My question is: why couldn’t this offense be run through Hawes?

I don’t think Theus’ job is in jeapordy yet. He had a horrible start to last years season and made it work. Not only that but what can a coach do with 2 of his 6 best players missing and playing on the road four games to start the season? It should get better. Tonight against the Grizz would be a good start. Still no Miller or Garcia though.

I have to admit when I first heard he was going to a uptempo system I was skeptical. A team that didn’t rebound and turned the ball over too much, trying to speed things up just sounded wrong. Now, the triangle that’s different. First, it’s basicly 3 on 3 or 2 on 2 ball. So, you only need a good passing big, an outsice shooter, and someone to go to the rim. That and the pick and pop, I thought we could do.

Well, the uptempo has worked some, but they don’t rebound well enough to make a big up side. Then there’s the turnovers which have increased because of the increased pace of the uptempo run outs. So, that’s a wash.

As for the triangle, I’ve seen about one or two plays a game that even look like a triangle. But, mostly I see a team that can’t even set a decent screen or pick especially the bigs. And the guards aren’t making good cuts or running the defender into the screens. Now, you can blame that on the coach, but I got to believe that a pro should know these basic bb moves.

There’s nothing in Jeff Van Gundy’s system that will make Moore or Miller good defensive stoppers in the paint. Or, make Beno or BJax quick enough to stay in front of their man.

Theus inherited this mess. He didn’t create it. The rookies are coming along, and if it wayn’t for his work with Cisco who knows how he would have worked out. I say give him time. The worst he can do is cost us the #1 pick in the draft, by getting the team to come together like last year.

TZ, if you have an idea of a system that will work with this group let’s hear it.

“A team with a vision knows exactly where each part goes, what each part needs to do. Win or lose, the machine stays in tact and can give it another shot.”

Immediately, made me think of San Antonio.

Great post, TZ. Well written.

p.s. The first time I read the post I thought you had written " too laissez-faire for Keynes," which struck me as odd. But now I just noticed it says “Smith.” So, maybe given the tragedy of last night, I had Keynesisan economics on my brain. We are all going to get a bunch of it soon enough ;-)

As I read through this, I couldn’t help but think of the Big Lebowski: “Say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it’s an ethos.”

First off I disagree about Adelman. Bibby didn’t do his job, and continued to not do it. He’s one of the worst defenders in the NBA. And his offense wasn’t good to make up for that. So I disagree on Adelman, but that’s one of the area’s we always were bound to disagree on. It’s a moot point since it’s highly unlikely Adelman will ever return to the EC anyway.

I agree that the team has looked lost, but I think that would say more about Reggie if that was really the case a month into the season. All the things you say are true TZ, and a well argued/written piece (I wouldn’t expect anything less), but that being said, I can see the biggest problem with Theus is that right now it’s hard to argue in HIS favor. He doesn’t have any player playing above & beyond regardless of him except JT. (I suspect he plays that way for him.) I want to give Theus time before I throw him under the bus. However, it will be hard to deny if, as you say, if the Kings aren’t better than the Thunder in a month, then well, that goes that.

As far as Avery Johnson goes, No thanks. He’s one of the most overrated coaches ever, and he would be just as poor a choice as Theus if the Kings don’t continue to perform. I like the idea of Saunders quite a bit, especially if the Kings are young, and Saunders is given patience, but the greater issue I think with Saunders, is that Cleveland could fire Mike Brown and hire Saunders and Flip would take that job, not only cuz of Bron, but also because Cleveland is his hometown. But if I have a choice between Flip and Avery, it’s never Avery, and absolutely Flip.

Great article! I think someone was inspired by Obama last night…. right?

I watched many of our games last season but I haven’t been able to find any streaming videos online this year so I can’t really tell about Theus coaching so far.

However, by seeing our roster as it is now and judging its quality, these huge losses seem totally normal to me. The quality of our players is very close to the bottom of the NBA. Don’t get me wrong, but I really can’t find anyone with elite skills or at least superstar potential. (I haven’t watched Thompson yet).

All I’m saying is that we have many mediocre players, a couple of them with potential to have potential and an unproven leader. Blowout losses are a logical consequence to me, so I can’t blame Theus for that. I can blame Karl for having AI and Melo and have a team which sucks and I can blame Isiah or Nelson for other reasons, but not Theus.. yet.

Think the Colangelos and their commitment to a certain type of player and the dividends that has had in Phoenix and Toronto. Of course that has been coupled with coaches who have a certain strategy to utilize those players.

Petrie needs to be more involved with overseeing and developing player development alongside and above the coach. If he wants the kings to play a certain way, with a certain strategy, he needs to make it clear to the coach, and if that coach cant do that, he needs to find one who can.

Try being the Clippers who have had more than 1 game on their home floor.

I know Bobby is the tenured cat, but he’s finished. It’s time for BB to get his apprentice training.