Add Three More Losses
by Tom Ziller on May 20, 2009 7:51 AM PDT
in NBA Draft
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PrintI got over it last night before I went to bed. Credit the rum.
I'm back to being "not over it" today. I feel like I've been dropped from a jet at 15,000 feet, wearing a shirt of galvinized steel and a parachute made of Michael Sweetney. I'm not feeling alive.
This topic tag cloud at the bottom of Sam Amick's story on the disaster seems right.
A-yep.
The Kings had to lose three times on Tuesday. What were the odds of each loss?
Well, as we know, the Kings had a 25% chance of winning No. 1. FAIL.
Once the Clippers' 177 combinations were removed from the pot, the Kings had a 30.37% chance of winning No. 2. FAIL.
Once Memphis' 75 combinations were removed from the pot, the Kings had a 33.4% chance of winning No. 3. FAIL.
The ball numbered 1 was obviously never drawn -- the Kings and Wizards held all combinations which included that digit. Twelve Sixteen (!) times a ball came out of the hopper ... and never was it the No. 1 ball. (Edited: the Clippers won No. 1 and No. 2.)
This really, really sucks. Even when skill and talent and coaching and execution don't matter, the Kings still can't win.
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To add to the depression
The ball came out of the hopper SIXteen times actually because after the Clippers won the first pick, they drew again, and the Clippers had the combo for the second pick as well.
Father of the "Natt this!" movement.
Not sure how
But when the odds roll against you so badly so often, it has to be somehow related to the fact that the Maloofs own a casino, and this is the universe showing how the house always wins.
Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen.
We've had 25 years of a bad run with the Lottery
Even when it was with us (1989) it was against us. So I’m thinking more along the lines of “the old Arco was built on an Indian burial ground” type of thing.
by ttylerbballcamper on May 20, 2009 8:58 AM PDT up reply actions
The Kings beat the odds to pick 1st in 1989 btw
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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.....
And what a fabulous year that was to have the #1 pick
(Note sarcasm)
by ttylerbballcamper on May 20, 2009 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions
Never occured to me you would be sarcastic saying that
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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.....
This
is the reason why I’ve always hated the lottery. One team actually does tank the season to get the #1 pick, and the NBA overreacts, creating this joke. I know I sound bitter, but I’ve always thought the lottery was bull shit. The “worst team gets first pick” format has worked for every other sport … except this one.
Booyah!
Then again we'd love the lottery if we got first pick last year.
Father of the "Natt this!" movement.
At the very least, it needs to be tweaked again.
When the team with best odds only wins 4 times in 25 years, something is wrong. The odds for the worst team should be 40%, not 25. And then, if the worst team doesn’t pick first, that team’s odds should escalate to 55% for the second pick and 70% for the third.
I know many of us were trying to provide comfort last night, but I never accepted it. Yeah, as many of the positive posters suggested, we’ll be OK. But, that’s my point – we’ll only be OK…we were supposed to be great. And, it’s not like I was being selfish, because I was hoping for the first OR second pick. I would’ve been fine w/ that.
You’re telling me a franchise that is a perennial fuck-up DESERVES to pick ahead of us? You’re telling me that a franchise that has a superstar talent in Durant NEEDS to pick ahead of us?
It’s B to the S.
"It would be my honor to be your new stepfather."
by PhutureKings on May 20, 2009 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions
I too think it needs to be tweaked
The team with the worst record does have the highest chance of getting the first pick. But of its picks, it’s most likely to get the 4th pick. It needs to have the most chance to get the 1st pick and the least chance to get the 4th pick.
Father of the "Natt this!" movement.
One word: Tanking
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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 like your idea for tweaking the lottery process
to make it more fair, but what you get down to it, there isn’t much difference between a 17-win team and a 19-win team. In fact, this season, there were six teams who won less than 30% of their games. All those teams need help.
It will take at least a couple of years before we start to know who the cream of this year’s draft crop is. The #4 pick might turn out to be the best of them all. Griffin and Rubio are not guaranteed to become all-stars.
I have confidence in Geoff Petrie. He has a vision for the kind of team he wants to build. He’ll find a solid player in this draft who will fit that vision.
by MiledAnimal on May 20, 2009 12:00 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree with your points Miled
I don’t want to hear that the Kings were more deserving of the pick than the Clippers were. That’s crap. You win 19 games, and you need lots of help. Lots and lots of it.
I don’t like the idea of tweaking the lottery. I think it’s perfectly fine the way it is. I think fans are going to have to learn that nothing in life is guaranteed and that the only way to guarantee winning a lottery is by having “luck” on lockdown for a 100% of the time. Nobody does.
I think had the arena news not come out a week ago, I think this pick wouldn’t be perceived as so negative. As it is, the idea that the Maloof’s could apply for re-location is in people’s minds right now, and that not having the 1st pick doesn’t help the team sell any more tickets to casual fans who would go out and see that 1st pick vs that 4th pick.
That’s a big part of where I stand.
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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.....
Totally agree with you Pookie
It’s damn clear to me that if we would’ve gotten the first pick, there would be no complaints about the lottery system (at least until next year). I’m sorry but anyone who would say otherwise is lying. We get the number 1 pick and we would be stoked and no one would mention the lottery system.
Are we really more deserving of the first pick than Memphis or the Clippers?? I don’t really think so. They need help too, and I’m excluding OKC cause they are gonna be so good in the future that I’m annoyed by them already. I don’t think I agree with the lottery 100% but I can’t come up with a better system, and this one doesn’t seem that unfair to me.
because...
Stern can adjust with this system. With a straight system, there can’t be any manipulation.
Tbh we couldn't have asked for a better three teams to jump past us.
The Clippers who don’t really need a PF get Griffin. The Grizz won’t take Rubio as they believe in Conley. Then the Thunder have a PG although they could take Rubio if they believe Westbrook should be playing SG. The silver lining is K9 could easily become the 5th pick, if the Wizards had gotten a top pick there’s no way they unload it for cash… I think now there’s a possibility.
There now I've met the 75 word count. -pookeyguru
Devil's advocate (even though I posted a fanshot very similar to this thinking)
Grizzlies very much do NOT believe in Conley. I have no doubt many would consider Rubio an upgrade. However, they really do need a major upgrade for a big man. Thabeet or Hill could be that guy (they’d probably pick Thabeet, unless Hill has a tremendous workout. It would’ve been nice for Greg Monroe to still be in the draft ).
You’re right about the Thunder. I really hope they like Harden more than Rubio.
Wizards cannot add K-9’s monster salary to their team even for just one year. If anything they’ll need to get rid of salary.
Father of the "Natt this!" movement.
I am afraid that with their salary space
Memphis can draft Rubio, shop Conley and still sign some proved big man (for example from the overcrowded frontcourt of Clippers, e.g. Kaman).
by KingsFanfromCentralEurope on May 20, 2009 8:46 AM PDT up reply actions
Conley
Averaged over 30 minutes this season. Started 60 or so games. Played nearly 40 minutes during the last month of the season. His numbers improved significantly. Dont know if you can say that the Griz do not believe in him.
I think they’ll draft Rubio, tho. Maybe they trade him—but I doubt they just pass on him.
You keep telling yourself that...
Griffin and Rubio, the only two franchise like players will not get passed. If anything they will draft these players, and trade others on their teams to get them in the lineup.
"You can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking your head up a bulls ass, but wouldn't you rather take a butchers word for it?"
by Sac King on May 20, 2009 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Maybe it's better to look at it like this:
First ball: 75% chance to fail: PASS
Second ball: 69.3% chance to fail: PASS
Third ball: 66.6% chance to fail: PASS
Really, even with the best chance of all the teams, the odds were still really stacked against us, as everyone made clear during the last month but seem to be forgetting now.
Lest not forget, we have Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson, both of who we hope will improve from last year. We have Nocioni who is a very capable player. And we have Kevin Martin. Add a top 4 draft pick to that and we have 5 pretty good players starting for us. Throw in a coach who actually knows what he (or she) is doing and there’s no way we are the worst team in the league next year (because the Lakers are the worst team in the league EVERY year, in my book).
by cbsf on May 20, 2009 8:46 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I like your optimism
But there is not another player in this years draft that have the same “NBA Ready” comparisons as Griffin and Rubio. If the Kings want to make a turn around they are going to have to manipulate some trades to acquire a franchise player, and the Maloofs are going to need to get out their checkbooks and start paying for some talent in free agency. Martin, Hawes, Thompson, and Noce, are a losing combination. Griffin and Rubio would have made the Kings better, not playoff caliber, but better. Now the Kings are going to have to pay for a top five pick that will be a “project”.
If only Stern wasn’t such a Nazi, we could be looking at John Wall…
"You can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking your head up a bulls ass, but wouldn't you rather take a butchers word for it?"
Kings won't have any cap room in Free Agency to sign a major player
And, there isn’t likely to be many players out there anyway.
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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.....
So
we are screwed…
"You can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking your head up a bulls ass, but wouldn't you rather take a butchers word for it?"
Completely
100%.
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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.....
Cursed?
Kings fans must also consider the fact that the Kings also lost TWICE (in tie-breakers to the Bobcats and Knicks) in the 2007 draft to fall to the 10th pick AND they, predictably, lost the 2008 lottery. This means the Kings are a combined 0-6 in the OFFSEASON for the last 3 years.
6 losses and NO wins since the Kings re-entered the flawed NBA draft lottery; it’s time we start investigating the source of the curse that plagues the Kings.
the nba is a sham and david stern is the ringmaster.
how may times do we have to be duped before we accept the fact that the illusion is the reality? does anyone remember tim donnaheghy? does anyone remember the 2002 post season? add this to the long list of ways the nba has intentionally acted with malice toward sacramento and the picture being painted becomes clear. the nba is as great a farce as the wwe, but shhhhhhhhhhh…dont say it out loud. there were two sure fire picks in the draft this year and neither of them will fall to the kings. so now we wait and we pray that when 2010 free agency rolls around the kings bank roll is large enough to attract someone like dwyane or bosh. until then keep the 10 dollar upper deck tix flowing, maloofs because back to back 20 win seasons are hard to swallow.
I'm sure Stern somehow got all the reporters and TEAM representatives
to agree that the Clippers should get the number 1 pick this year. I think Sacramento and Washington really wanted that. You conspiracy theorists really need to get some sense in your head.
Father of the "Natt this!" movement.
You know what kills me Aykis?
The Clippers didn’t even have a team representive inside.
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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.....
And by inside
I mean where the actual lottery took place.
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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.....
No shit
And doesn’t Kehriotis sound like the scientific name for a disease anyway?
“Hey, babe…bad news. I just got off the phone with the doc. He says it’s ‘Kehriotis.’ They’re giving me about 5 weeks to live.”
"It would be my honor to be your new stepfather."
by PhutureKings on May 20, 2009 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions
Read Henry Abbot's piece
Over at TrueHoop. He was one of the outsiders who was allowed in the room as the lottery happened. Cool read.
Never forget: I am a complete idiot
And Kehriotis
doesn’t have a problem with the lottery system. It works. It just didn’t work as we all hoped for the Kings this year.
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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.....
All I'm saying
Is that I think this might have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. Everything in Sac is bleak right now, whether it’s reflective of the economy or not well, everything’s reflective of the economy. The point is we’ve got the worst team in the league, which will improve slightly next year even if we’re optimistic. There’s no arena plan and plenty of suitors out there, begging for our franchise. The state is broke is not helping out the Vegas boys before they take care of others here in town(see Mermaid restaurant/bar). GP is out of contract after this year. Rookie coach who inherits lame duck status as soon as he’s below .500. Coachie’s prolly gonna die(knock on wood). Pinning hopes on next year’s draft already.
Unless the Maloofs pull out the checkbook and work out some Bean Town magic ala 07/08, or the bad economy has demolished all our handsome suitors just as much as it has devastated the once “beautiful suburbs” of Sac(see Elk Grove Mall/future-scape-dystopia), I don’t really see a reason why it makes good “business” sense to keep a team in Sac right now. The Seattle coup is a giant warning, this is a for profit league and teams go where they see profit.
Enjoy yr our recession, however short/long it lasts.
If yr not happy with the results, lower yr expectations.
Yea TZ
I know how you feel. Jennings would be a good fit for this team I think (I have been high on him for sometime) but its a shame we did not get the choice of Griff or Rubio.
I am still confident that we will get an impact player either way.
Blessings.Love.Peace
by lifestyleforthesellout on May 20, 2009 10:26 AM PDT reply actions
The way I see it
You’re in a much better situation than my Blazers were, when we had the worst record and fell to #4 in the draft.
There are many similarities between this draft class and that 2006 draft class as well… most think it’s weak, some good PGs, lotsa guys people expect to be decent pros but not stars.
You guys are much better off than we were back then. You got Kevin Martin, who if healthy is one of the BEST pure scorers in the NBA. Ya got Jason Thompson and Hawes, both good young bigs to build around. You have nice pieces, PLUS you got a very smart GM in Petrie. I trust him in the draft.
I think, like in 2006, a lot of guys in the mid-lottery range are being underrated. Since you got a GM that I trust to find the hidden gem, I’m pretty confident you guys will come out of this on top.
It isn’t an ideal situation, but you’re better off than most in similar situations in the past. Smart management is key.
I know most of you don’t like Beno… when Memphis takes Rubio, are you guys wanting to try to steal Conley away from them? I know many Blazer fans are licking their chops at the thought of Conley and Oden reunited. We can afford to take some bad contracts from Memphis to sweeten the deal for them… what would you guys be willing to give up for him?
Mortimer
by Mortimer on May 20, 2009 12:54 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Morty
I’d like to point out that the 5 or 6 best players from that draft are: Andrea Bargnani (1st), LaMarcus Aldridge (2nd), Tyrus Thomas (4th), Brandon Roy (6th), Rudy Gay (8th), and Rajon Rondo (21st).
All of those guys are in the top 10. There’s a greater chance of having a real star at the 1st overall pick than any other draft, but outside of that, it very much becomes a crap shoot.
Good points about the Blazers vs the Kings this year. Petrie will earn his money this year.
Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....
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.....
You make a great point
Yes, that draft was awful too and we probably have more pieces now than the Blazers did back than.
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