A Poor Man's Memory

by Ziller on Dec 13, 2008 7:03 AM PST in Recaps Comment 26 comments

I fear we forget too soon.

I found the effort level to wane during two stretches: the first three minutes of the game, and the first six minutes of the third. Those stretches had something in common, of course: starters. And in those two stretches, Brad Miller and Spencer Hawes did not play well. When Miller's shots are not falling, he typically gets frustrated and less effective. Hawes is (of course) most effective when he receives a pass in a good position to score. His rebounding (poor Friday) has been consistent enough -- it doesn't oscillate based on his offense. (Further, Mikki Moore is a consistently poor rebounder and Jason Thompson is a consistently awesome rebounder.) Miller's the wild card.

Remember last winter? Remember Brad's nutty double-double animal style spin? That's the rub: he's not getting 20 rebounds unless his offense is clicking. If his offense isn't clicking, he's not as good of a rebounder as he needs to be (and can be).

That's a problem for a team (again) without a dynamic rebounder next to him (Hawes is good, not great) and no plus rebounder in the backcourt. (John Salmons has been boarding far lower than usual this season ... and his usual is poor for a three.) Because of all these factors, the team depends too heavily on Miller's offense -- it affects the team's shooting (because Brad opens up so much when it's hitting), the ball movement from the high post, and the team's defensive rebounding. And there's really no cure -- you need Miller out there because when he's on, the Kings are at their best.

It's about motivating Miller to play smart even when the shot isn't going. There were a few key opportunities for Miller to seal a rebound ... and he just didn't get it. (Salmons had some bounce near him as well, but I'm willing to give him a pass since he defended Kobe well until the late fourth.)

All that said, the Kings trailed by 3 in the final minutes. In L.A. Against the pissed-off, 18-3 Lakers. I'm good with the effort overall. We forget too soon the status of this team: a rebuilding, in-flux young squad missing its best weapon. I want the Kings to win every night -- doubly so against the Lakers. But let's be realistic. Just because the team didn't translate a soon-to-be mythical dominating win at home to the road three days later doesn't mean the soon-to-be mythical dominating win meant nothing.

It meant a lot, and I hope the players remember it and cherish it for the rest of the season. Remember it, cherish it ... and replicate it. Fifty-nine games left, you know? Plenty of time to keep it rockin'.

Benorockin_medium

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Well said TZ

I’m really more interested in tonight’s game than I was last night. I figured the Kings probably weren’t capable of playing 48 perfect mins vs the Lakers last night, and as such, they weren’t likely to win unless the Lakers totally fell flat on their face.

I thought Donte Greene had a very effective stretch last night. It’s almost got to the point where I’m going to advocate a Brian Cardinal for Mikki Moore trade just to get Mikki off this team. That breakdown leaving Andrew Bynum to help on Kobe Bryant was embarrasing. Make Kobe beat you or something, but don’t leave Bynum wide open for Kobe to make an easy pass (well easy for Kobe). That didn’t make no sense. And if Mikki was responding to the game plan, shame on Reggie.

Either way, I think this team played hard, and I was happy with the effort level except the 3rd when they got down big, and I’m happy the team got back in the game. At this point, to be honest, I really would like to see this team move Brad Miller and BJax for Shawn Marion, and maybe do the Moore for Cardinal deal as I already mentioned up top. Yeah, Shawn Marion really isn’t desirable, but who cares? He expires at the end of the year.

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 Dec 13, 2008 9:59 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Okay, I'll bite

Why Cardinal. What am I missing? His numbers are worse, his salary is higher. Does he have a team option next year or something?

"Shut up and Coach!"
Vfettke

by SavageBeast on Dec 13, 2008 10:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you

Their contracts both end at the same time, so it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

I think Pookey just wants to make sure that with Miller gone we fill our goofy big white guy quota.

www.mancancook.net

by vfettke on Dec 13, 2008 10:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

True

I hadn’t even thought about the BGWG quota.

"Shut up and Coach!"
Vfettke

by SavageBeast on Dec 13, 2008 11:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually I'd rather keep Moore if Theus sits him for extensive periods of time

But if that won’t happen, Brian Cardinal it is. (I don’t want Brian Cardinal either folks. I was just making a point.)

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 Dec 13, 2008 9:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I don't get it.

by cbsf on Dec 13, 2008 1:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Trading Brad not without it's risks.

Trading Brad even for Marion (which I think is the best choice) has it’s risks. It leaves us with Spencer, JT, Mikki, & K9 at the 4 next year. Which means we have to pick up 2 Bigs, or pay Mikki $6M , or play K9. With our base salary at $55.9M without Mikki and more rookies to add, we’ll only have the MLE and draft choices to fill those 2 PF spots. And, I doubt the Maloofs are going to want to go over the salary cap with 7000 empty seats in Arco.

Finding a trade that brings us a serviceable PF while giving up Mikki, Bjax, Shelden, or Douby makes a Miller trade advantageous especially for an expiring. Then with 09 cap space, we have more than just our 1st round picks to fill our needs at center, pg, & sg next season.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Dec 13, 2008 4:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So what?

Who cares? A lottery team is a lottery team is a lottery team, and Brad don’t make us a playoff team, and we’re still a lottery team. Hence, I don’t get Brad’s inherent value. This time last year, I understood it cuz I could see it. Now? I don’t get it.

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 Dec 13, 2008 9:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's not about Brad's value

at least not on the open market. It’s about how many bigs we have left to play the game, and who they are. If you think the games are bad with Brad playing, imagine how bad they’ll be with Shelden or Mikki backing up Hawes, and K9 replacing who ever move over to replace them.

Whether we’re a lottory team or not, I don’t see where upgrading our weakest position PF now, rather than waiting a year is a negative.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Dec 13, 2008 11:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

We've lost by 33 and 24

at home over the past two weeks with Miller and Moore on the roster. I’m not pinning these margins on either of these guys, but I ask you, how much worse do you think it can get without them?

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Dec 13, 2008 11:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This team just needs other parts

That’s all. I’d be really thrilled if the Kings could move Brad & John Salmons for Shawn Marion at this point. I’m not really thrilled with any veteran on this Kings roster, although John is hardly to blame for any problems this roster is having.

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 Dec 14, 2008 10:42 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's not about getting worse it's how we get better

I agree, Millers defense costs us 10 ppg and Moores offense costs us 6 to 8ppg and our 3pt shooting costs us 9ppg. But the reserves we have won’t be an improvement. Your point is so what, we’ll lose badly anyway. And, I agree. But, because of our base salary, if we don’t trade for an expiring, then we limit our opportunities to improve the roster next year, and I prefer not to lose badly with the same roster next year.

I want to improve every year from now to 2010/2011. Lets trade to improve the pf without using Miller unless we get an expiring. Then if we don’t have to use Miller, we can trade him for any expiring. We improve this year, improve our options next summer, and should improve our roster for next year. And, when K9 expires we should be able to improve for the third year in a row.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Dec 14, 2008 4:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The Mood Ring

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the game last night. I thought the level of energy was not as high as it was on Tuesday (mostly by Cisco Garcia who seemed comparatively quiet). The stretches of aimlessness (both in direction and shooting percentage) I expect from this team which is lacking in overall talent and experience, so criticism is unnecessary.

Ahh, BM, #52, The BradMan – or in your comments today, now also – "The Rub". No doubt, he is the most intriguing and controversial of all Kings players. He reminds me of those icons at the old theater houses – comedy and tragedy. When I watch him play my emotions run from anger and frustration to joy and marvel sometimes ~~within the same quarter~~, minute to minute. Against more athletic opponents he just falls short. He can at times, through effort and experience, overcome those deficits. This guy is no poker player. He wears his pride for his wily play next to abject dismay when again, unbelievably, no foul was called when he missed that last shot. I don’t know if there is a solution to his bipolar play and in some ways I don’t know if we want one. In sum, I think his playing time is carefully monitored by Coach Theus who seems well aware of the volatility of one of his key ingredients, particularly with Kevin Martin out (which makes BMiller’s production more important.)

by betweentheeyes on Dec 13, 2008 10:18 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

well written

My takeaway from last night was:

My God, at this point in his career, given that this game is how he makes a living , and given that he knows his bread and butter scoring opportunity is a wide open 15 footer, shouldn’t Brad be hitting at least 60% of ’em? Does he not practice them to death??

And if he did make at least 60% of them, Lord, how that would open things up for everybody else.

Life is every mammal's journey from very very wet to very very dry.

by Holmdel on Dec 13, 2008 8:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

my other takeaway

was that Spencer performs well in the clutch.

You can see it. He wants the ball, he is more focussed, he has better energy, and somehow, he slows down (rushing is his problem when he makes a move through the first 3 qtrs, but he executes better in the clutch).

Life is every mammal's journey from very very wet to very very dry.

by Holmdel on Dec 13, 2008 8:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

JT needs so clutch time as well

The summer league (I know, how sad is it that I bring up July in December) had JT making some nice clutch, winning scores. I would like to see him get some chances soon.

by betweentheeyes on Dec 13, 2008 10:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Great Article Man

Yesterday’s game was fun. Everything was good about it, except the end. Man, we probably would’ve won if Martin was available

Wack To Mack With The General and The Back. (J-Mac and D-Mac)

by Rayder K on Dec 13, 2008 10:25 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Brad's negatives equal his positives

What I mean by that is that his ineffectiveness brings the team down as much as his effectiveness helps them. A big part of him being useless out there is his effort. He doesn’t get the call he wants and he pouts about it then starts complaining. Last year this led to 11 technicals for him. Luckily he only has one this year. However, you can still see his effort level drop completely when things don’t go his way. I forgot the exact game, but he got knocked down on the offensive end and a foul probably should have been called but it wasn’t. He took his sweet time getting up and getting to the other side. All I could think was “Dude, hurry the hell up!” He just didn’t care.

I don’t want to knock the guy too much, because when he brings it and plays well this team is completely different. It just gets to a point with Brad where you see him struggle early and you know it’ll just get worse because he’s going to stop trying. He’ll take a shot, go for a rebound, or defend guys, all without even bothering to jump. He’ll whine and complain and become useless. I really hope this doesn’t rub off on Spencer, who has the ability to start poorly and piss us all off and then finish strong and have us loving him again.

www.mancancook.net

by vfettke on Dec 13, 2008 10:32 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

All I have to do to be content with miller is

look at some of the starting Centers that other teams are saddled with.

Dalembert, Collison, Jason Collins?

Yeah, I’m ok with Miller.

by Citadel 29 on Dec 13, 2008 10:50 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

A good Game really

But I always thought that the team looked like it was playing to ‘stay in it’.

Probably that was the plan, stay in it and try to win in the end. If this team had a real leader they’d be ‘staying in it’ by trying to win the whole damn thing.

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

by lietothegirls on Dec 13, 2008 10:52 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

winning effort that fell short

for a team that plays poorly on the road, against the Western conference’s leading team, “:staying in it” is an accomplishment. Maybe down, but never out. I agree, a good game.

by betweentheeyes on Dec 13, 2008 10:56 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The time is now

to trade Brad. Like TZ says, the team depends too heavily on him. And he’s not part of the future plans, so why not start now to develop an offense around Hawes, JT, Martin, the kids who will actually be around when we start to make our run? Better trade him now, too, while his value is still reasonably decent.

by LPKingsFan on Dec 13, 2008 11:39 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Please give JT more minutes.

In 23 minutes he collected 8 rebounds, 2 of which were offensive rebounds. He only took 9 shots and made just about half… please Reggie free Shock.

There now I've met the 75 word count. -pookeyguru

by moproblemz on Dec 13, 2008 11:42 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I wanted to see

JT on the floor down the stretch instead of Mikki.

We could have used a few more rebounds there.

Let's go home.-Kevin Martin

by LeaguePassAddict on Dec 13, 2008 11:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Frontcourt

Last night’s game was awful game for Miller as everyone saw. The key for him is to not get so down on himself and find other ways to help the team besides hitting jumpers. I am glad Reggie was able to adjust his rotation and put Mikki in at the end of the game instead of Miller. I actually enjoy watching Mikki coming off the bench. His energy and attitude the past two games have been great.

As some of you mentioned in the game thread, Spencer does not look/play very well at the 4. It seems like a very uncomfortable position for him in the offense. I can remember one example from last night where Spencer and Beno both went to set a screen for Salmons late in the game. Spencer definitely looked out of position on that play. It would be great to see JT at the 4 but this is a transition/rebuilding year so I don’t think a lot of stability will be seen in the starting lineup. Also, over the season I expect to see JT wear down more than Spencer who has a year of NBA life under his belt. Maybe Reggie is trying to save JT for minutes later in the season? I don’t agree with that but maybe it is the plan.

by 916baller on Dec 13, 2008 12:44 PM PST reply actions 0 recs