SPOILER ALERT: Kings Delete 2008-09 Suns
by Ziller on Mar 29, 2009 9:08 PM PDT
in Recaps
40 comments
Watching Beno Udrih carve up ARCO Arena like a bar of cedar put things in a good bit of perspective: of course bad offenses routinely destroy the Kings defense. When your point guard can't stop a leaky faucet, you have no chance to prevent the flood. Beno can't stop the leak, but Steve Nash might actually be a worse first line of defense.
It almost looked as if someone told Beno at halftime, "Hey, that guy is as slow and soft as you. Beat him." Because Beno beat him. Into dust. Repeatedly. Sure, Nash did the same at the other end. But Sacramento already had the advantage, Kenny Natt went with some sort of instinct and actually stayed big late in the fourth quarter (with Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson sharing the court) and the Kings held on.
The national interest in this story will be from the angle that the Suns choked an easy win up at the worst possible moment. (Heck, that might even be the local angle. Or we'll be asked where this effort has been all year. Fair question, sure.) But the Kings did go out and win this one. They took it from Phoenix. Shaq rolled, and Spencer never for a split second backed down. Nash rolled, and Beno never for a split second backed down. Francisco Garcia pushed hard, Kevin Martin pushed ... every King who played went after it. The gym, while boisterous, was far FAR far from full. But doesn't it seem like every time the gym's excited (save Boston), the Kings turn out better effort? Is the bad attendance feeding into a self-fulfilling doom?
But whatever, that doesn't matter right now. For the second time in 10 days, the Kings went out and beat the opponent. That's worth a night of smiles.
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The thing I liked the most was the glimpse I got of the team we could be next year.
And that’s a team with 2 legit inside scorers and rebounders (Shock and Hawes), a pair of offensively versatile wingmen who defend in different ways but are both potentially effective (Nocioni and Garcia), a “shoot the lights out” SG who may be learning how to play D (KMart), a penetrating guard with more than adequate court vision (Udrih), 2 high energy guards who provide instant offense (BJax and McCants) and promising young players (Greene, Simmons and whoever we draft)…
There can only be one Noce!
by NoceOne on Mar 29, 2009 9:24 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It's a good win for the team
There will be no accusations of tanking.
It may ultimately cost us the worst record position in the lottery though.
Ball movement ... is like jogging for most people: They do it occasionally, and it makes them happy. Then they go back to not doing it. - Henry Abbott
by Kfan in Korea on Mar 29, 2009 9:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Worst record is no guarantee of anything
This has been debated before, but I’m in the camp of preferring having our current crew learn to play together and develop a winning attitude than getting the most ping pong balls. The past couple drafts have shown us that the worst records aren’t any kind of guarantee on draft position. Having the current team get better while still maintaining very good lottery chances seems like a much better long-term success strategy. No one can tell which way the ping pong balls will bounce.
by thekangarooster on Mar 29, 2009 9:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Worst record is a guarantee of drafting no worse than 4th
You’ll notice I said it was a good win.
Ball movement ... is like jogging for most people: They do it occasionally, and it makes them happy. Then they go back to not doing it. - Henry Abbott
by Kfan in Korea on Mar 29, 2009 10:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You are correct
I’m just not a fan of the pro-tank attitude sometimes exhibited on this site by commenters (not necessarily you) and decided to state my 2c.
by thekangarooster on Mar 29, 2009 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm torn
I never cheer for the team to lose, but I recognize the benefits that come from the better draft pick. I’m happy we won and I’m also worried that we won. If that makes sense.
Ball movement ... is like jogging for most people: They do it occasionally, and it makes them happy. Then they go back to not doing it. - Henry Abbott
by Kfan in Korea on Mar 29, 2009 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not torn...
LOSE, BABY, LOSE!!!
Call me a tanker, a cheater, a bad-juju kind of guy, whatever…
There is ONE guy in this draft. If Rubio enters, there will be TWO guys in this draft.
In case you haven’t noticed, the Kings need one of these two guys. Sure, the last place team has only a 1 in 4 chance of getting the top pick, but it’s a better chance than anyone else. We. Need. A. Top. Two. Draft. Pick.
Seriously, imagine Rubio or Griffin on our team and then tell me you REALLY want to win more games this season.
by PhutureKings on Mar 29, 2009 11:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually
i hope the tanking spirit doesn’t cost us. And this Kings needed NO help anyway.
No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
I am the stone that builder refused..I am the visual...The inspiration..That made lady sing the blues....I'm the spark that makes your idea bright.....The same spark that lights the dark....So that you can know your left from your right...I am the ballot in your box....The bullet in your gun...The inner glow that lets you know...To call your brother son....The story that just begun...The promise of what's to come...And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won....
by pookeyguru on Mar 30, 2009 12:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tanking helps no one
Methinks a spirit that encourages losing would hurt a team more than the best draft pick would help.
That being said, even if this team gives it their all, we are still going to be the top contender to win the worst team award, get a draft selection as high as the PP balls allow, and move briskly ahead in the rebuilding phase that we are currently enjoying so much.
by batso on Mar 30, 2009 7:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
With
Each win could cost us ping pong balls, and that cannot be ignored. But at the end of the day, a win is always a very good thing.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
by section214 on Mar 29, 2009 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The way the lottery has been going
anywhere in the top (bottom) 3 seems to have as much of a chance.
I’ll take the win without worry
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect
and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 29, 2009 10:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hope you went to the game
No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
I am the stone that builder refused..I am the visual...The inspiration..That made lady sing the blues....I'm the spark that makes your idea bright.....The same spark that lights the dark....So that you can know your left from your right...I am the ballot in your box....The bullet in your gun...The inner glow that lets you know...To call your brother son....The story that just begun...The promise of what's to come...And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won....
by pookeyguru on Mar 30, 2009 12:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nope
And only saw part of it – family in from out of town. I’ll be there Tuesday, though.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
by section214 on Mar 30, 2009 8:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
Tuesday is going to be awesome. And I’ll probably miss it cuz I’ll be in Portland visiting family myself.
No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
I am the stone that builder refused..I am the visual...The inspiration..That made lady sing the blues....I'm the spark that makes your idea bright.....The same spark that lights the dark....So that you can know your left from your right...I am the ballot in your box....The bullet in your gun...The inner glow that lets you know...To call your brother son....The story that just begun...The promise of what's to come...And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won....
by pookeyguru on Mar 30, 2009 9:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I really liked the way
Hawes drained those clutch shots at the end of the game as the Kings got to within two possessions and the game seemed to be slipping away. Great game and something to build on.
"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 Mar 29, 2009 9:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
We can build on this!
In all seriousness, I thought the same thing as well. Making shots down thestretch makes me more confident with the player he can become. Hawes’ growth as a player is becoming more evident.
Wait....Why is everybody clapping? Everyone around me is clapping.... I guess I should be clapping too... GO LAKERS!!! I hate living in So Cal
by 27freethrows on Mar 29, 2009 9:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I too have enjoyed
how Hawes has looked like he’s becoming very clutch. The great part about this is he can score from the perimeter as well as the post, so if he does learn to produce in the clutch, he could become very deadly.
Overall a good win for Sacramento, despite Greene not getting playing time.
"Greed is the inventor of injustice as well as the current enforcer." - Julian Casablancas
by submison on Mar 29, 2009 10:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm Thinking the Fact That
Shaq was quoted as “not knowing” who Spencer Hawes was may have served as some motivation for Spence this game, eh?
by PhutureKings on Mar 29, 2009 11:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nice win
16+ points for every starter and Garcia and McCants combine for 31 of 33 bench points. Great play by the Kings and a deserving win.
by rc360 on Mar 29, 2009 9:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Excellent effort
(where has it –
oh never mind..)
We didn’t really stop anybody – but hell – we beat somebody!
feels goooood
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect
and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 29, 2009 10:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
well, hang me out to dry
on some tetanus-infested clothespins.
Well done, Spencer Hawes. Now Shaq will know your name.
Donte? Donte'! Donté?!?!
'spect da 'xtra E'
by iashwash on Mar 29, 2009 11:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Stupid work causing me to miss a King's win against the Diesel
I came online just now to see how much we lost by and lo and behold Sacramento was in bold on Yahoo. Amazing stuff.
by Aykis16 on Mar 29, 2009 11:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Having only looked at the boxscore
I saw Kevin’s line, Beno’s line, JT’s line and Spencer’s line. I just smiled. The first thing I looked at when I saw the Kings outrebounded the Suns? I just looked everybody’s total up & down. It was damn near incredible to have 4 starters with 7 or more boards. And that’s what it takes in this league to win games.
Great win by the Kings, even if it hurts the lottery chances.
No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
I am the stone that builder refused..I am the visual...The inspiration..That made lady sing the blues....I'm the spark that makes your idea bright.....The same spark that lights the dark....So that you can know your left from your right...I am the ballot in your box....The bullet in your gun...The inner glow that lets you know...To call your brother son....The story that just begun...The promise of what's to come...And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won....
by pookeyguru on Mar 30, 2009 12:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I might add
That all those boards came with Phoenix shooting around 50. Can you imagine if we had held them to around 45? Double-doubles abound.
by misterbrister on Mar 30, 2009 5:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Does anybody think the current roster is better suited to the uptempo game.
I know that there are a lot of reasons why we won. Better passing, guys making shots, & better rebounding, to say nothing about the hussle plays. But, it seemed to me, that the faster pace of the game seemed to favor the Kings more so than the slower half court games they have been playing.
Beno looked better. They actually ran a pick & roll with JT & Beno. The scoring was more spread out, and not as relient on Martin. Grant & Jerry talked about the conditioning need by the Suns to run their type of offense. But, the younger legs of the Kings didn’t seemed to mind the pace. I was reminded of the OT game at GS.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
by HighTops on Mar 30, 2009 12:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I think ...
… we’re better suited against bad defensive teams.
Coincidentally, the league’s three fastest teams (GS, PHX, NY) happen to be awful on defense.
by Ziller on Mar 30, 2009 5:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also where our wins have come from:
I’ve been to three games this season. LAC, in NY(win), home vs PHX. Pretty good record for this season. Maybe I should just go to more games. Do you think it’s me? yeah, it’s prolly me.
If yr not happy with the results, lower yr expectations.
by tokyo on Mar 30, 2009 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
On TZs note
none of those ‘fast’ teams are contenders, or going to make the playoffs. That should be considered as we look to the future.
I don’t want to be GS, fun to watch – but not building towards a championship. Now, if we could play something like that on offense and still play some D (ala the old Kings) – I’m in.
We did have two good defenders on that team who barely scored 12-13 a game.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect
and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 30, 2009 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Does Beno know that it is not a contract year?
I thought Beno brought good energy on the offensive end with a much broader sense of creating and reading the defense than what I percieve as his usual pre conceived notion of what should happen and then trying to force play.
It is once again BB time – Beuno Beno and Bad Beno schizophrenically alternating games, or quarters in games (similar affliction effects Cisco – what was with the airballs at the end of the game tonight). Sorry to be sour – Well done, Kings.
As for the lottery, I have made clear my thoughts – winning a couple of more games and lessening the chance of a higher draft pick or a secured draft position is emotionally satisfying but ultimately illogical. An attitude of losing is amnestically cleared with wins. Get a new coach, more talent and the wins, and the memory of loses will magically fade.
by betweentheeyes on Mar 30, 2009 1:49 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I have not seen or heard about it myself
But – is Beno possible able to play off the ball, i.e. play the SG post? I am asking to evaluate whether having him as a backup PG only is the only option Kings might have if they would find a better (starting) PG – and for which he would be cleary overpaid – or if there is any chance to give him even some more minutes from the bench in future. Of course, on the defensive end it would be a problem very often, but can he be a combo guard at least offensively?
by KingsFanfromCentralEurope on Mar 30, 2009 5:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great win
But I still have a HUGE problem with Natt. Every game in which we are competitive, he sits a starter for huge chunks late in the 4th. And it’s a different guy each time.
Nocioni deserved to be on the court at the end of the game, and though he seemed happy with the win, I would guess he was unhappy about being relegated to the bench after his hustle and grit got us to the point where we could actually win.
It’s like Natt is going, “See? I’m a good coach. I can win with one starter tied behind my back.”
McCants had a couple of good plays down the stretch. His last-second-of-the-shot-clock dagger was beautiful. But I still have a problem with Natt sitting Nocioni. It seemed unnecessary and dangerous.
Coming to you live from the land of interim coaches.
by LeaguePassAddict on Mar 30, 2009 6:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
there are lots of teams
that play a different lineup at the end of games from the beginning. The logical guy to remove for Nocioni would have been McCants. I’ve been the biggest McCants hater on this site and even I have to acknowledge by and large he’s played really well, certainly better than Nocioni since both arrived.
Its possible Natt wanted more quickness or better shooting; maybe he wanted someone who can create his own shot, maybe he just though McCants was playing better last night. Maybe there’s a directive to see McCants at the end of games to determine if we want him back or not. Nocioni has a long contract and is a known commodity, some of these other guys aren’t.
Natt will be attacked regardless of what he does. He picked a lineup that played well down the stretch and they won. The most likely guy to replace for Nocioni made plenty of big plays, why are we complaining? Natt does plenty of obvious things to complain about without attacking him when things do work.
The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give…Howard Cosell
by ForThree on Mar 30, 2009 8:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Noc is coming off an injury too.
Maybe he didn’t want him to reaggravate it, especially when Rashad was playing well.
by Aykis16 on Mar 30, 2009 10:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
4three is right
It was a win, give Natt a passing grade and a pass on this one.
As for his future? Check out the poll we did.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect
and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 30, 2009 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree Natt will be attacked no matter what he does
He hasn’t generated enough good will to bring anyone to his side.
No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
I am the stone that builder refused..I am the visual...The inspiration..That made lady sing the blues....I'm the spark that makes your idea bright.....The same spark that lights the dark....So that you can know your left from your right...I am the ballot in your box....The bullet in your gun...The inner glow that lets you know...To call your brother son....The story that just begun...The promise of what's to come...And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won....
by pookeyguru on Mar 30, 2009 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My big issue
Is that Natt does it in every game. He sits at least one starter who is playing well for either a huge stretch in the fourth quarter or for the end of the fourth or both. In games where we’re competing.
Remember the night he sat Martin because of his “injury” which Martin said wasn’t the case? Last night he sat JT and Hawes. No bigs on the floor for about the last five minutes. Chris Paul started scoring in the paint.
Either Natt is getting paid to be competitive but still lose, or he’s an idiot.
Coming to you live from the land of interim coaches.
by LeaguePassAddict on Apr 1, 2009 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hope it's the former
Cuz if it’s the latter, then i’ll be forced to feel bad for Kenny, which at this point, isn’t possible.
No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
I am the stone that builder refused..I am the visual...The inspiration..That made lady sing the blues....I'm the spark that makes your idea bright.....The same spark that lights the dark....So that you can know your left from your right...I am the ballot in your box....The bullet in your gun...The inner glow that lets you know...To call your brother son....The story that just begun...The promise of what's to come...And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won....
by pookeyguru on Apr 4, 2009 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It was a fun game to watch and a fun thread to be on
what the box score doesn’t show is that nocs and secondly cisco brought the fire and their A game early and they led this suddenly energized team to the win. I’m hoping we can bring the same energy and will to win down the road to Oracle and shut up those GSOMers up for the rest of the season.
"We are in the business of kicking butt and business is very, very good." - Charles Barkley
by Bluejohn on Mar 30, 2009 11:29 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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