A Beautiful Game Made Ugly

by Ziller on Feb 10, 2008 8:51 AM PST in Recaps Comment 18 comments

Two of the fastest teams in the league, filled with athletes at most positions, a bevy of dynamic scorers, shooters for days and very little defensive acumen. Should be a pretty-looking game.

The refs ruined this one.

Both teams had trouble drawing a foul in the paint. Kevin Martin had at least three or four no-calls in the first half; the Warriors suffered all sorts of unfairness in the second half. Just bad reffin' all the way around. But it hurt the Kings more.

Why?

It turned Sacramento into a jump-shooting team. If you'll remember, it's when the Kings turn into a jump-shooting team they have trouble. The bad calls turned Golden State into a bit of a jump-shooting team as well. But they like to shoot jumpers. They are in fact better at shooting jumpers than most teams, especially the Kings.

So there's the downside to the otherwise solid strategy of focusing on slashing, driving and getting to the line: When the refs have a bad night, you're going to have to hit shots. And hitting shots is the single most important factor in team offense -- so having good shooters, having players who get their teammates into position (by pass, screen or pressure relief) for better shots -- those are important. The Kings' base is mixed on those counts. Hence the league-average offense.

Monta Ellis was brilliant. He plays like a much bigger player, maybe owing to his relative strength (given his frame). He could make a ton of money this summer; if Baron Davis doesn't opt out (he won't) and the Warriors focus on signing Andris Biedrins first (they may have to if someone else makes a quick offer), the bidding for Ellis (clearly ahead of Louis Williams in this summer's Tiny Two-Guard Sweepstakes) could get steep. Tough to know what Chris Mullin will think, given he gave Mike Dunleavy Jr. a $3.5 billion extension but stiffed Biedrins, Don Nelson, Davis, Mickael Pietrus, Matt Barnes, and Patrick O'Bryant.

This is all just a way to say I hope Ellis lands somewhere else so Kevin Martin doesn't have to chase him around four times a year.

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20-20 hindsight

I have on numerous occasions sung the praises of Theus. This time I have to criticize him. Yes, it was his decision that cost the Kings a very important game.

It became obvious by the end of the third quarter that Martin was being schooled by Monta Ellis. So Theus finally brings Douby in and he basically continues his strong play he showed the previous night.

If Douby had stayed in the rest of the game the Kings likely would have won. I thought Theus was totally willing to play the players who are playing well at the time but in this instance he bull headily stayed with Martin even though the guy was definately having one of his worst games. Martin seemed out of it the entire game. Stars can't be stars every game.

by KingsFan on Feb 10, 2008 11:06 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Kind of Reminds Me of JRich on the Warriors

Maybe Martin should play the first three quarters and a fresh Douby can play the end of the third and the fourth.

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 10, 2008 11:18 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather see Martin play

"Great players don't have off-nights" is a frequent refrain, and I honestly agree with it - if K-Mart missed his first 11, I wanna see him still have the confidence to take the 12th deep into the fourth. Theus is very aware of the complexities of an NBA player's confidence, and his decision to play K-Mart is probably an effort by Theus to show his confidence in Martin.

I was worried about that when Kevin sat out the fourth in the last game, maybe we should be happy Theus is aware of that. I think we'll give up one game by three points in order to ensure K-Mart doesn't go into a prolonged shooting slump. And had Martin stepped up and scored big at the end, well then we'd all be applauding Theus's genius move.

Coaching is hard - it's alot easier to redo decisions when we're sitting in front our computers on a Sudnay afternoon after sleeping on the game.

Mikki Moore in the skills challenge! - LPA

by iashwash on Feb 10, 2008 11:29 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Off Topic

Was thinking about our team building discussion and the Jazz and some other teams and how injuries sometimes have a positive effect. Case in point: Jazz get Boozer, Boozer gets hurt, Jazz suck, Jazz get to draft Deron Williams.

I think we have seen how injuries in an off-hand way have helped our team become deeper by giving guys a chance to play. I am sure that early-season experience, for example, came in handy for Douby in his fine outing the other night.

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 10, 2008 12:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So basically

The more a player plays, the better they get.

Whether that time come from injuries, trades, suspensions, a dearth of talent, doesn't really matter.

Having a hurt player is never a good thing. That other players step up when the star goes down (as we see from BigBaby against the Spurs today) is more evidence that coaches should play their young reserves more, not that injuries can cause good effects.

PS: An even better example as far as drafting-by-sucking is the Spurs the year before they drafted TimmyD.

Mikki Moore in the skills challenge! - LPA

by iashwash on Feb 10, 2008 12:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

I'm sure those sporadic minutes accompanied with sporadic play did wonders for Douby.

I am the stone that the builder refused I am the visual, the inspiration That made Lady Sing the Blues..I'm the spark that makes your idea bright...

by pookeyguru on Feb 10, 2008 12:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Of Course

It's always a lot better to sleep on the game than to sleep during the game.

It might have been a different game if the refs hadn't missed that out-of-bounds call with 15 seconds left.

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 10, 2008 12:38 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I found it hard to watch

I kept expecting the Dubs to outright snatch the game from the Kings, but they never did.

Whether it was Baron's 5th foul, or Jackson's ankle turn, or simply Martin's off night; the Kings looked like a disjointed team trying to find a rhythm. The only time the team looked cognizant was with John Salmons & Beno Udrih on the court. (Hint Hint)

Last but not least that stupid little tantrum Ron threw was just yet another example of why Ron's insanity makes him hard to deal. Because Ron has about 25 personalities, and all of them seem capable of showing at any given moment.

I am the stone that the builder refused I am the visual, the inspiration That made Lady Sing the Blues..I'm the spark that makes your idea bright...

by pookeyguru on Feb 10, 2008 12:49 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

ticktickticktickticktickticktickticktickticktick

Can you hear it? He's about to go off.

Ron Artest: A legend in his own mind.

by LeaguePassAddict on Feb 10, 2008 5:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I Think It's Hard

Any time you have a team in transition, and you have a lot of players who are basically equal in talent or have different strengths and think they should be playing, it's hard.

When you have veterans/starters who are providing so-so leadership and making mistakes and you have young players who are providing energy and making mistakes, it's very easy to want to see those young players get a shot.

Their time is coming. Every loss from here on out makes it easier to get those guys on the floor.

I think there is a lot of stress and fear of the unknown on a lot of teams in the league and the passing of the trading deadline will relieve that a lot, regardless of what happens between now and then.

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 10, 2008 2:01 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Interesting point

We certainly agree about so-so leadership coming from at least Bibby & Artest. I don't think anyone recently, with the exception of Corliss, is really much of a leader to begin with. Maybe Cisko of the younger guys may qualify.

Hopefully the trade deadline relieves the Kings of Bibby & Artest at a minimum.

I am the stone that the builder refused I am the visual, the inspiration That made Lady Sing the Blues..I'm the spark that makes your idea bright...

by pookeyguru on Feb 10, 2008 2:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

My favorite

non-Sacramento announcer comment of the evening was, of course, about the inimitible Ron Artest.

"I bet he was a hyperactive kid."

Ron Artest: A legend in his own mind.

by LeaguePassAddict on Feb 10, 2008 5:48 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

lol I heart Jim Barnett

by gsw4life on Feb 11, 2008 1:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

JIm Barnett is enjoyable I agree

I am the stone that the builder refused I am the visual, the inspiration That made Lady Sing the Blues..I'm the spark that makes your idea bright...

by pookeyguru on Feb 11, 2008 1:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

what a dick

Two words: Dick Bavetta

by henryclemente on Feb 10, 2008 10:40 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Is Dick too old to ref?

I think so. It's like senior citizen drivers. At some point their reaction time and split second decision making begins to degrade. He needs to step aside and make room for younger eyes. Not helping matters was the woman ref on the same officiating team.

by KingsFan on Feb 11, 2008 11:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs