UGH
by Tom Ziller on Dec 29, 2008 5:49 AM PST
in Recaps
Email
Print
There isn't much to say about the most embarrassing loss in the last two decades, other than it doubled as the most boring game in the history of the universe.
One King scored more than two FGs ... and Donté Greene's third FG came in the last minute. The high scorer drops a whopping 11 points -- four Celtics scored at least that many. The Celtics blocked nine freaking shots -- nine of 68 attempts.
Ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh.
61 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Just when you think...
…the bottom has been reached, the boys find new depths!
Congrats!
Please consider the environment before reading this signature.
Troll
Coming to you live from the land of interim coaches.
by LeaguePassAddict on Dec 29, 2008 7:47 AM PST up reply actions
Not at all
There have been multiple ugly losses this year where i didn’t think it was possible for the boys to play any worse- this game proved me wrong. Time for a team mirror check- pronto.
Please consider the environment before reading this signature.
How many mirror checks can you realistically do in a single season?
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
Mirror, mirror on the wall
Well, after this debacle it doesn’t look like they’d done any up to this point! Maybe a quick glance or two, but no long hard looks. I hope some good can come from such a bad loss.
Please consider the environment before reading this signature.
I think there was a game subtext going on that I completely missed
Note the positioning of KG’s left hand in the above picture. Then go to ESPN’s Dime and look at the hand on number six. Gives low scoring game a whole new meaning.
"Shut up and Coach!"
Vfettke
There have been comments lately
about my recent lack of alliteration.
After a game like that? A series of games like that? How many times can you say miserable, pathetic, lost…..
I agree with Ziller
UGH
"You keep on using that word
I do not think it mean what you think it means"
Interesting stats
- They made more free throws than we made field goals
- We had more fouls(24) than FGMs(19)
- We had almost as many TOs(18) as FGMs
www.mancancook.net
After a loss like that....
I would use the term “they” or the “Kings” instead of “We”- do you really want to be attached to this type of ineptness (twice this week I’ve had to use this word).
Fire Kenny Natt now. I can’t believe he actually started Moore and then he just kept playing him. If you are down 25 at the half and then 35 with 8:30 left in the third then you should probably make whole sale changes, not ride the tide to a 40 point deficit.
Oh yeah, and about the picture of Salmons leading off this post. I used the ol’ DVR to back-up and replay this exact play a half dozen times last night. Salmons, coming off a Brad Miller pick, chose to go at Kevin Garnett (the 2008 NBA defensive player of the year), split between Eddy House, push into another defender already planted in the paint while his own man had come back into the scene. Salmons should have A) Kicked the ball back to Miller who had a wide open 18’ jumper (Garnett’s man). B) Kicked the ball to Miller who could have kicked the ball to Garcia for a wide open three (sagging Allen). C) Kick the ball to a wide open Beno Udrih standing to his right for an open three (House’s man). Point is, Salmons dribbled into a triple team- one of which players happened to be Garnett who was actually the primary defender- passed up wide open teammates everywhere, got his shit blocked and furthered the ass whooping. If Natt had any balls he would have pulled Salmons- like he did Udrih in the third when he threw a pass to a wide open Mikki Moore who decided to leave his spot on the floor at an inopportune time.
The Kenny Natt experience needs to end now.
Hot dogs, get your hot dogs.
That didn't take long to throw Natt under the bus too
I’m impressed JJ.
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
Consistency is the spice of life Pookey.
He just doesn’t seem to get this whole head coach makes key decisions idea. Some one has to step up and put these players in their place and I know that it isn’t a 60 game lame duck fill-in. There are some very good coaches available right now. The Kings brass needs to make the commitment to the youth of this team and to a coaching system that will last longer than what little time that Natt has left.
Flip, The Little General or Smooth Eddy are all fine with me. Choose one, make him an offer and let’s get this thing going the right direction. Worse case scenario? The Kings lose more games and move up in the draft (if that is still possible).
Hot dogs, get your hot dogs.
Can't do that in this league
A roster shakeup is the first step. No veteran coach is taking over this mess of a roster at the moment. You just can’t tell grown multi-millionaire men anything you want, and expect them to do it. Coaches have to work to convince players to buy into a system that will help them win games. But there has to be trust, and there isn’t any with this group. I think the reason is that Brad Miller & Bobby Jackson have undercut Reggie Theus badly, and now are doing the same with Kenny Natt. They are the dominant mouths in the locker room, and it’s not helping things. No coach will fix anything with those 2 impeding progress.
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
Don't forget Martin in regars to Theus.
If the Kings bring in an established coach, the players will listen. The last thing I want to see is the young core of Kings players watching veterans running rough shot over head coaches. The Kings need real direction right now. This move should have happened in the off-season or maybe with 25 games left but doing this 20 something games in is not just throwing away a season, it is establishing a dangerous trend in the locker room.
Hot dogs, get your hot dogs.
That's my only issue with Salmons
He does not know when to set up his teammates. About 5 times a game he drives into the paint and either turns it over, misses a fadaway jumper, gets blocked or misses a layup. Almost every time it’s because the defense has rotated and sagged in on him. Usually there are 2 or 3 players wide open somewhere. To be fair though, I have also noticed that sometimes the other Kings players don’t move to an open space which makes it hard for Salmons to get the pass to them. Case in point was in the final moments of the Toronto game where he drove the ball. Miller and Spencer both came in to the paint which left Salmons no passing lanes to get to ball to them. He turned it over.
"Oh, boy! This website is very good. Hey, let's talk about the Raiders!" - "Peaches" Napier
Seriously............where does this team go from here?
At his post game press conference last night, KNatt said that there was nothing special about this loss, we’ve just got to pick ourselves up blah, blah,blah, blah.
I have seen a lot of Kings losses over the years and as far as I’m concerned last night we plumbed new lows. If the team tuned reggie out I’m not sure there is a word for the lack of attention they are paying to Knatt. He looks like a substitute teacher out there. Maybe there is teaching being done in practice but it’s not showing up on the floor.
I’m sure the players will show the appropriate disgust with this loss and mouth the standard cliches but we weren’t just beat last night; we were sliced and diced, we were pulverized, we were osterized, we were pulverized, we were…………processed and shown to be a team that has no idea how to play together with no indication of the discipline that Knatt is supposed to installing and the Kings were shown to be a team that is disintegrating in front of our eyes. Whatever interim coach Mike Singletary did with the 49ers after Mike Nolan was fired, interim coach Knatt is doing the opposite.
Gavin Maloof seemed to be having a great time at ARCO last night so maybe this is what the family wants but with a few more games like last night they are going to be drawing Memphis sized crowds soon.
At this point there is nothing that the team, it’s players and spokesmen can tell us, we have heard it all, what they say is meaningless. The team is floundering and whether it’s Eddie Jordan, Flip Saunders or whoever it’s time for GP to get serious about bringing in a coach who can get the rebuilding started.
"We are in the business of kicking butt and business is very, very good." - Charles Barkley
I think the big question is what is worse for attendance.
This may be one of those moments when everyone is forced to admit we are not going anywhere this year and it’s time to go ahead with trading Miller, Mikki, etc. It’s still a little early in the year, but it’s like what happens in baseball after the All Star break. You decide if you are pushing for the playoffs or going ahead with rebuilsing for next year.
The problem is that the Maloofs still need to make money this season. Do we pay more to see the occassional win while keeping the vets. Or are we willing to watch some very sloppy basketball to get the young guys minutes? One thing that can’t be overlooked is that not only did our starters get pasted by their starters, but our bench got pounded by their bench. And the worst part of that is their bench is supposed to be bad. Our bench is supposed to be our future.
I sincerely hope this doesn’t turn into a season like we are all used to in the past where everyone gets used to losing and it stops bothering them. I don’t think the Maloofs will let that happen.
"Shut up and Coach!"
Vfettke
by SavageBeast on Dec 29, 2008 11:19 AM PST up reply actions
Find a positive from last night
And you’re far way too optimistic. And probably way too much into zodiac’s.
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
The only positive from last night
BMiller’s pick on Ray Allen.
Any time Ray-Ray gets knocked on his butt, the game isn’t a total loss.
Coming to you live from the land of interim coaches.
by LeaguePassAddict on Dec 29, 2008 1:56 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Good 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
Getting a good lottery pic
is part of the rebuilding process. The bandwagoneers will return after the rebuild.
Car Crash
Does anyone else wonder why they kept watching that game last night? I stuck it out to the final buzzer and want my time back….but then I realize that the time wasted on a team that clearly does not want to be out there is nobody’s fault but my own….
It IS like a car crash
Nobody wants to admit they’re curious if someone is hurt, but you lick you’re lips, wrinkle your nose and slow down briefly to view the disaster.
We’re in a fog induced multi-car pile-up though…..
"You keep on using that word
I do not think it mean what you think it means"
by lietothegirls on Dec 29, 2008 1:00 PM PST up reply actions
i kept watching
in anticipation of seeing our youngens play together. when they finally did, i saw more passion in a 3 minute stretch than the rest of the game. from now on, i might just watch the play by play and turn on my (expensive) league pass when i see….greene in for salmons, brown in for udrih, thompson in for lobster, hawes in for mr techincal, whiney bitch. cisco can stay in..he at least makes it look like he’s got a pair!
by thisismellow on Dec 29, 2008 5:19 PM PST up reply actions
Blazer fan here...and I've got a question...
What was so wrong with Theus?? I know the guy was underachieving a bit this season, but I didn’t see any reason for him to be fired so quickly….it’s not like anyone was expecting the Kings to fight for a playoff spot (well, besides Kings fans I guess). Any insight into that? Was it just the Maloof’s with a quick trigger?
If I'm not workin', sleepin', eatin', drinkin', depletin', or sweatin'....I'm reading BlazersEdge. Well....actually only two of those are true.
Lot's of stuff
30 point home losses, losses at home to bad teams, road blowouts. A decline in the overall play of the team, especially on the defensive end.
More info has come out after the firing about Theus’ deferring many of his responsibilities to Chuck Person. It appears he may not have been giving this job his best effort.
My guess is management could have dealt with some of those things, but to see the team giving less than a full effort (which they seemed to do last year, even when the playoffs were clearly out of the picture) was the breaking point.
Are we gonna live together? Together are we gonna live?
It's hard to explain to people from the outside
They think Theus did a better overall job than he really did. Of course, Theus probably wanted out after he sensed he was a lame duck. He’s played his cards right into parlaying a disaster into another opportunity down the road. Reggie is a smart guy, as long as people understand what a disaster Chuck Person was for this franchise, Ron Artest not withstanding.
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
I don't think anything was wrong with him
Not experienced, made some mistakes, talked too much – yes.
But he was dealing with a flawed roster. Now it looks like he was the only thing getting this sagging group somewhat excited occasionally for games….
"You keep on using that word
I do not think it mean what you think it means"
by lietothegirls on Dec 30, 2008 9:08 AM PST up reply actions
The problem was, and always had been, the roster & it's ability to do certain things
Reggie knew what the answers were, and management didn’t like it. He got canned for that reason. I don’t think it’s hurt Reggie any, and if anything, the team’s performance has helped prove he’s not a terrible coach.
As far as anything else that’s concerned, if Petrie wouldn’t look to trade Beno or Miller because the perfect return wasn’t out there, he would look as foolish as he has been in delaying a Ron Artest trade, or MIke Bibby to name 2 guys. At some point, Petrie has to be the most responsible, and the Maloof’s sharing the responsbility, of how this roster is put together.
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
Agree
If your car breaks down repeatedly, do you blame the car, the guy driving the car, the guy who built the car or the guy who owns the car?
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Dec 30, 2008 10:20 PM PST up reply actions
I'm not really blaming anybody for this team
It’s just a mediocre team have a truly crummy season. And because many in the EC expect the KIngs to win under any circumstance, it’s set off a tone of pure desperation I’m not really sure exists.
Of course, it is easy to say that after Kevin Martin returns. But I wasn’t mad about this team; resolved from day one it was what the KIngs were getting, & lo & behold, it’s what the KIngs have got.
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
I think
You have to blame the guy that built the car and the guys who own the car if they influence how the car is built.
Kenny Natt and Reggie Theus before him are driving a car with maybe two legitimate NBA starters when healthy. This is a Rambler, not a Mercedes Benz. So it’s hard to blame the coach when the car breaks down.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Dec 31, 2008 9:09 AM PST up reply actions
Rebuilding sucks, and requires a ton of losing
It’s part of the process. Pointing fingers may help you feel good, but offers no realistic/honest solution for anything the Kings need over the long term.
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
Pointing fingers
That’s semantics. But you can’t confront what’s wrong with a situation if you are not willing to be open to a variety of viewpoints, even if they are wrong.
We have torn up Theus, Natt, just about every player, the Maloofs, but Petrie has largely gotten a pass. I’m not sure he deserves one. He’s probably the key piece of the puzzle and has the most influence on the Kings fortunes.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Dec 31, 2008 9:37 AM PST up reply actions
Who are you saying hasn't criticized Petrie?
Cuz you know I’m not on that list.
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
I'm just saying
In general, Petrie has largely gotten a pass on this board, but it’s his decisions that have us where we are today. I am not talking about you specifically.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Dec 31, 2008 1:26 PM PST up reply actions
Hmmm like which decisions do you speak of?
He’s not above criticism, but I don’t think it’s his decisions that have led the Kings to where they are. That’s just the nature of the course the franchise took with decisions that were made. (What I’m saying, basically, is that yes he deserves criticism, and doesn’t deserve to be shielded from it, but at the same time, it isn’t all his fault either. Blame is a double edge sword, and one I view as largely a waste of time, so in 1 sense, why bother when it’s not all that applicable?)
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
I am talking collectively
I guess I’d have to review everything he’s done for the past 5-10 years to really answer that question.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Dec 31, 2008 3:07 PM PST up reply actions
Good luck finding a way to oust him
Cuz the evidence ain’t there for that one.
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
That's probably
What Mike Shanahan was saying as he signed off on the plans to build a 35,000-square-foot house in Denver.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Dec 31, 2008 3:17 PM PST up reply actions
What's the point of comparing 2 different sports?
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
I'll try again, but keep it simple
2006-07: 33-49
2007-08: 38-44
2008-09: 8-24
TOTAL: 79-117 (.403 win percentage)
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Dec 31, 2008 3:42 PM PST up reply actions
Small sample size
The Kings current plight is due in part to the deals made trying to keep the Kings relevant and competitive after 2001-02 (Brad Miller, the Webber trade, Ron Artest). So you have to take Petrie on the complete body of work. Put another way, every loss suffered today is still partly residue of the victories from earlier this decade.
But I will be the first to admit, I am a Petrie lover and am probably not completely objective when it comes to the topic.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
Question
I am wondering how many sub-.400 GMs (I think we will be there by season’s end) over a three-year stretch have gotten canned in the last few years. Naturally some of those have never had the prior success Petrie did, but I am just curious.
I have to think that if we are still having this same conversation at this time next year that Petrie will be on his way out or already gone.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Dec 31, 2008 7:27 PM PST up reply actions
Answering with a question
How many of those GM’s preceded those three losing seasons with eight consecutive playoff appearances?
The man may retire, but the Maloof’s will not fire him.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
Just remember
The Maloofs did fire the coach with eight consecutive playoff appearances, so I am not sure why that makes the GM with eight straight playoff appearances but a poor record since then immune to firing.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 1, 2009 12:14 PM PST up reply actions
Technically
They did not re-sign Adelman, whose contract had expired.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
Yep
I am sure if they decide to can Petrie it will technically become a “retirement.”
The point is they got rid of Adelman when the Kings were more successful. Now they aren’t and attendance is in the toilet. Exactly how patient do you think they will be?
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 1, 2009 12:41 PM PST up reply actions
Patient enough
to let Petrie at least work to the end of his contract.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
I guess time will tell?
How long is Petrie’s contract?
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 1, 2009 5:13 PM PST up reply actions
His option has been picked up
though the 2009-10 season.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
So
Another 16 months or so.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 1, 2009 8:18 PM PST up reply actions
I was thinking
It may be easier just to list Petrie’s clearly winning moves in the past five years:
- Drafting Kevin Martin.
There, I think that about covers it.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 1, 2009 12:46 PM PST up reply actions
Even with this small sample size, I would at least add
the signing of Salmons and the drafting of Garcia to that list, with the caveat that it is too soon to tell with Hawes/Thompson/Greene/Brown/Houston’s pick.
If the man had gotten job three years ago and this is what he accomplished, I would agree with you. But part of what he is dealing with right now is the remnants of the apex (Miller’s contract, Thomas’ contract, ’Reef’s contract). In retrospect, perhaps they should have held on to Webber, which would have prompted the trading of Peja for expiring (due to cap reasons) and the earlier exodus of Bibby (again, due to cap reasons). And today, perhaps we would be where Portland is, instead of two years behind. But I don’t recall anyone calling for that at the time. 20/20 hindsight.
Let me ask you this – was not rehiring Adelman the right thing to do? Because my thought at the time was if you can’t improve on him, rehire him. So using that same philosophy, who do you hire to replace a guy that has already proven that he can take a moribund team and produce a winner?
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
I thought about Salmons and Garcia
But I don’t see those as “clearly winning moves.”
They are more in the B to C category than the A to A-category.
But they are clearly better than the Mikki and Beno signings and the Douby drafting.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 1, 2009 1:34 PM PST up reply actions
20/20 Hindsight
Of course that’s what it is after the effects of a move have been more clearly defined. But that clarity is what you need to definitively judge someone’s performance. Like you say, the jury is still out on some of the more recent moves.
And, as we know, the meddling of the Maloofs has been a factor. That said, why did they meddle? In part, because they had lost some faith in Petrie’s judgement?
In some ways it’s similar to the higher-ups questioning Theus’ moves and focring him to make changes, then judging him by the lack of results.
It would be a lot simpler if the owners were owners, the GMs were GMs and the coaches were coaches. But that’s clearly not what has happened with this dysfunctional franchise in disarray.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 1, 2009 1:44 PM PST up reply actions
The Grass is Always Greener
Whether or not rehiring Adelman was the right decision is hard to say, although he had a proven track record but was criticized for not being able to get over the hump.
What was clearly a mistake was hiring Mussleman to replace him.
If the Kings bring in a better coach at that point, at least someone as competent as Adelman or at least in the neighborhood, you can no doubt rewrite their recent history.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 1, 2009 1:49 PM PST up reply actions
While your devils advocacy has talent
It’s polish is sorely lacking.
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
Other than that
How did you enjoy the play, Mrs. Lincoln?
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 1, 2009 6:38 PM PST up reply actions
When I meet Abe
Is the day the circle will be complete.
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
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
