Deconstructing the Destruction of Beno Udrih
by Ziller on Aug 11, 2009 8:38 AM PDT
in Commentary
92 comments
How did Beno Udrih get here?
I'm not privy to Beno's workout habits or his video room work. I have not heard good things about either, both in published reports (by both Sam Amick and Ailene Voisin) and behind the scenes. It's an accepted notion: Beno is lazy, or became lazy some time around July 2008, when he just so happened to sign a $30 million contract. Another accepted notion is that Beno does not play through injuries most other players would play through. (In fact, this notion is what led San Antonio's Gregg Popovich to decide 57-year-old Jacque Vaughn would be a better back-up than the 25-year-old Slovenian, which led to the Spurs dropping Beno for absolutely nothing, despite his [at-the-time] cheap, one-year contract.)
But those are all notions -- sad notions, mind you -- and we care (or should care) more about production. How did Beno Udrih get here?
As section214 has noted in the past, Beno wasn't actually far off his 2007-08, contract-earning production in reputation-killing 2008-09. In 2007-08: 13 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 turnovers on 46% shooting. In 2008-09: 11 points, 4.7 assists, 3 rebounds, 2.2 turnovers on 46% shooting. His scoring suffered due to taking fewer shots, but he upped his assists with no collateral damage on the turnover side. By most accounts (including my own), Beno was a worse defender in 2008-09, though he was clearly not good in 2007-08.
One of the biggest statistical differences between the seasons is Beno's three-point shooting. In 2007-08, he shot 38% from long-range. Last season, he only shot 31%. That seems like a huge deal -- maybe that's where his points went?! But no, actually not. It was only a difference of eight points over the course of the season, or 11.06 points per game instead of his actual 10.95.
The three-point shooting numbers are interesting, though, in that they speak of the complete incineration of Beno's confidence, or well as the dysfunction of the team under Kenny Natt.
In 2007-08, 19% of Beno's field goal attempts came from long range. That's a good chunk, especially considering Beno isn't adept at getting to the stripe. (Players with lots of free throw attempts typically have their true two-point FGA levels understated, the reason being that they are attempting lots of twos which result in FTAs in the box score in lieu of FGAs.) Again, in '07-08, Beno shot well from deep. There was incentive to continue shooting those threes, and perhaps shoot more threes. When you make 38% of your threes, every attempt is worth 1.14 points. You'd need to hit 57% of your two-point shots to hit the equivalent value. (It's not quite that simple, because of fouls and the natural limitation on three-point attempts, but you get the idea.) For Beno in '07-08, threes were usually a good idea!
Things changed at the start of 2008-09. Through the end of November, Beno had hit only nine of 34 three-point attempts, or 26%. That's a poor value shot (0.78 points per shot). He had still taken a good portion of his shots from long range -- 17% -- but it wasn't working out so well.
In December, it continued. He still took threes (18% of his FGAs) but he kept missing them, shooting 24% for the month and now 25% on the season. The Kings were, at this point, one of the bleakest teams in the league, battling with the Clippers, Thunder, Grizzlies and Wizards to be the worst.
In January, under Kenny Natt, Beno took more threes than ever! Some 22% of Beno's January shots came from behind the arc. Why? Because he started hitting them. In a four-game stretch toward the end of the month, he hit 9-of-14 threes.
In February, it continued. Beno shot less (thank you, Rashad and Andres) but kept his three-point share at 17%, and hit half of the 14 he took. But he suffered an injury late in the month, and missed the first half of March. When he came back, he came off the bench for one game ... and had a decent performance (10/7, 50% shooting). He hit one three that game. He would only hit one more over the final 15 games of the season.
In March and April, Beno took 168 shots. Only 13 -- 7.7% of them -- were three-pointers. Beno completely abandoned that part of his game. Not coincidentally, he missed most (11) of them. His confidence was completely shot, thanks in part to his own bad performance, as well as no doubt Natt's tough love attitude (which we all championed) and the utter awfulness of the Kings. The team was going nowhere fast. As the driver, Beno needed no navigator. He knew how to get there, and he showed it.
There's another weird artifact from March and April last season with regards to Beno: he passed as he had never passed before. He averaged 6.2 assists per game over those 16 games, far more than his seasonal average of 4.7 and season-to-date average of 4.3. He had a pretty wonderful string of assist-heavy games after returning from injury: 7, 6, 6, 7, 6, 5, 7, 6, 9, 8, 6, 6, 5, 4, 6, 5. By both Beno and Sacramento standards, that's pretty good! And he kept his turnovers to 2 per game. His shooting frequency didn't decrease during March and April. He shot as poorly as ever, and stopped taking threes, but he still took shots. But for some reason, he upped his "point guard performance." Was it the exile of John Salmons (an isolation player) and Brad Miller (a facilitator)? Probably. It's interesting to note going forward.
But the shot ... he abandoned his most efficient shot -- the three -- when the going got rough. His competition for minutes was Bobby Jackson and Will Solomon. How's it going to be when his competition is Tyreke Evans and Sergio Rodriguez? How will Beno respond when, quite literally, his NBA career is on the line? History ain't smiling. It will be up to Beno to overcome his confidence issues, and the coaching staff to massage his spirit in the fashion that releases the quality we have seen in spurts. Putting Kevin Martin and Jason Thompson on the floor and letting them play, that's the easy part. Making Beno Udrih consistently productive is where you earn your paycheck.
I mean, we know he has it in him, right?
As always, all data from Basketball-Reference.com.
9 recs |
92 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Excellent
post Ziller. Beno can’t get away from this team fast enough. shakes head at that contract
Beno was on Ebay a few weeks back, but, alas…no luck.
by ARoyalPain on Aug 11, 2009 8:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Great post Ziller
This is the kind of post that keeps me coming here even when there is nothing to write about and it seems like everyone and their brother wants to trade away the whole team. Clearly looking at your numbers, Beno CAN play. In fact, I would tend to say that he has proven he can play more than Sergio has (Career Sergio has an assist to t/o ratio of 2.9 to 1.4).
We all know Evans’s strengths, but clearly we will need a guy who can come off the bench and distribute the ball w/o turning it over. Especially if we move Evans around at times. I think your post brings two keys into focus:
1) How will Beno respond to the pressure of two strong competitors for minutes? He has a role here, he really does, and he can earn minutes. But he has to relish the competition, not shrink from it. WE now Sergio and Evans will fight for their minutes. Will Beno?
2) Almost more than any other player on the floor, a PG is affected by the coach and what the coach is demanding the team do as far as plays, defense, etc. I agree that Westphal is no diamond in the rough. But he will hopefully bring a stability we haven’t had since Rick left. Articles like this remind me that we DO have some decent players. It just looks like we don’t because none of them have the same idea of what the team is supposed to be doing. Can a solid coach help Beno get his numbers back? Pops didn’t, but Pops is a lot like Sloan. Some players thrive under him, others don’t. I think Westphal is more like Adelman— a player’s coach.
It would be nice to see Beno flourish again.
"Shut up and Coach!"
Vfettke
by SavageBeast on Aug 11, 2009 9:42 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I too
would like to see Beno succeed. I thought he played much better later in the season. The increase in assists during march and april is a promising sign. If he can continue to put up those type of assist numbers he could be a valuable member of the team.
"I'm too weird ta live but much too rare ta die"
by aKingisBored on Aug 11, 2009 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Only on Kings TV: Sergio vs. Beno. Don't miss which promising young PG will be voted off the NBA island and has to return to Europe. Coming soon to an arena near you.
"I'm addicted to polo y'all...respect my fresh" - Travis25Outlaw
by Norsktroll on Aug 11, 2009 10:09 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice
Making Beno Udrih consistently productive is where you earn your paycheck.
that’s where it all comes down to …
Westphal has to make the best of the players we have . And if he is a player coach then Beno might listen to him and try harder …
cos clearly the tough approach did not work on him …
Said Van Gundy about the situation: "(Spanoulis) says, 'I was [Tracy] McGrady back home.' Great. McGrady is McGrady here," ..
by GreekKing on Aug 11, 2009 10:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
If anyone can do it...
…it’s Paul Westphal.He seems like a great players coach who knows how to maximize players strengths and minimize their weaknesses.
by Smills91 on Aug 11, 2009 2:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
When it's put like that
He doesn’t seem nearly as bad as everyone would have you believe. You hinted at Beno’s biggest problem though… getting his mind right. Was it pressure, Natt, or just kicking back and counting dollars that changed his mindset? Who knows? This year the pressure is off (2 other guys to play the 1, so it isn’t all on him. And let’s face it – things can’t get much worse!), Natt is gone, and he must have counted all that money by now!
He deserves a chance.
by Rickyflip on Aug 11, 2009 11:16 AM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Yeah Beno wasn't nearly as bad
as some people have claimed, although he certainly didn’t live up to expectations. I think there were probably a lot of factors that contributed to his (perceived?) lack of production. The injuries, uncertainty at the coaching position at the beginning of the season, and Natt’s lack of an offensive system likely contributed to Beno’s bad year, as well as his lack of confidence or perhaps complacency on his part.
"I'm too weird ta live but much too rare ta die"
by aKingisBored on Aug 11, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why do I keep hearing this nonsense?
Beno was the worst PG in the NBA last year… Name a starter worse than this bum… Seriously, give me one example of an NBA STARTING PG you would sit on the bench behind Beno.
When I read those #‘s it doesn’t make me feel any better. IF by some miracle he does step up and become a solid bench guy? Cool… But don’t count on it. You can’t coach heart.
People always want to shine up the guy they have. Instead, focus on what other teams have and then decide if what you have is better.
Sorry, but I just don’t have time for lazy over-paid players who weren’t star potential to begin with. I could really care less how he felt the coach treated him. When you get paid more in a single year than most people make in a decade, you should (at the very least) play hard.
Beno will find no patience here. He hasn’t earned it.
I'm a limousine-riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing, wheeling-dealing son of a gun!!! Wooooo!!!
by tlfairgo on Aug 13, 2009 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
To me
It seems like Beno has been pretty darn consistent. His stats in the last two seasons are very similar, especially considering all of the other changes surrounding him.
It does seem that he lacks confidence. And it is very notable that his assist average bumped up as it did in the last two months in the absense of the traded players.
I think now he is in a better position to succeed. I hope he jives well with Westphal. He is well suited to be a backup combo guard. I think that we may have just wished him to be something he is not, and our dissappointment has more to do with our expectations than his drop in play.
by DustyG on Aug 11, 2009 11:23 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I wonder what Beno must be thinking?
While I doubt that Beno reads StR he must be aware what the fans and media are saying about him and he couldn’t help but notice that the Kings picked up another pg via trade (Sergio) and drafted an alleged pg (Reke).
Did Beno make a conscious decision to give the smallest effort possible after he signed his MLE contract. Does he even care about his reputation and does he plan on playing after his current contract expires?
The only thing I can say is that he was playing well at the end of the season. His assists were almost up to elite territory and he was playing with some semblance of control. If he comes back playing like he did at the end of the season Westphal is going to give him minutes. If he struggles early he could be in for a modified Kenny Thomas season where he rarely gets any burn at all.
I have no idea what motivates him . With both Theus and Natt he seemed to argue a lot and didn’t appear to accept much coaching. Will Westphal be able to reach him and appeal to whatever motivates Beno? Will Beno respond to competition or will he be overwhelmed by the challenge? If confidence is the issue, how will Westphal help Beno regain his in the brutal world of professional sport?
"We are in the business of kicking butt and business is very, very good." - Charles Barkley
by Bluejohn on Aug 11, 2009 11:33 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Fun fact about Beno
Chris Paul is the gold standard for point guards, being probably the best in the world at his position. In 78 games last year, Chris Paul had double digit assists on 51 occasions, or 65% of his games.
Then there’s Beno. Beno played 73 games last year. Can you guess how many times Beno had double digit assist totals?
One.
How’s that for a ratio? 1.4%. Or approximately 1/50th as often as Chris Paul.
Jus sayin’.
From the people who brought you Reggie Musselnatt.
by My Losing Season on Aug 11, 2009 11:52 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
A soul-searching Beno...
is a good Beno Udrih to have right now.
I feel the Kings finally have a nurturing environment for the players to grow and evolve in. I really don’t see Westphal arguing with or putting up with a head-hanging Beno. This situation should only help Beno get his stroke and confidence back which equates to a healthy backcourt for the Kings. Whether Beno comes off the bench or starts, I have a good feeling he’ll understand and execute his roll on the floor.
October 28th couldn't come soon enough.
by JETisKing on Aug 11, 2009 11:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
This is why if I was a team like Philly
I’d definitely look at a trade getting Beno. It isn’t sexy for them, but it’s better than running Jrue Holiday while he’s too young for the next few years, and expecting Lou Williams to make that transistion.
Of course, Philly won’t do this so it’s a moot point.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 12:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Nevermind
There’s no way to do that.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 12:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
They might take a package of players.
Beno and Noc for Dalembert and your beloved Jason Smith works and fixes a lot of problems for both teams. Philly takes on an extra year of Noc and one or two of Beno but both guys are serviceable where Sammy doesn’t seem to be in their system. If I’m Philly- which I’m not, I would seriously consider this deal.
"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.
by jjham15 on Aug 11, 2009 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't see them giving up Jason Smith
But, Willie Greene they would have to consider I think.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And I say that because....
..Willie Green isn’t worth what he’s being paid, and Jason Smith is still young therefore valuable.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Still holding that flame for Smith I see.
Willie Green has been productive in stints. If the 6ers would give him up instead then so be it- the Kings could use the back-up 2-3 to help replace Noc in the deal.
"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.
by jjham15 on Aug 11, 2009 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Green has been productive in stints
But, he’s nowhere near the value that Smith is if only because Smith is younger and plays a more important position for the Sixers. That all being said, it matters greatly whether Smith is healthy or not.
I don’t care whom the Kings replace Noc. I would love to see salary dumped, but I fear it will just include taking on more crap.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 4:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
One thing about Beno.
He has the ability to shoot that mid-range jumper. Thats a good skill to have at your disposable. Being able to stop on a dime and pop that 12 to 16 footer is a consistent weapon. That shot is going to fall 50-65% of the time. Personally, I think Beno was quibbling with Reggie Theus all the time and his performance suffered as a result. He spent too much blaming the coach, his teammates, the system, instead of looking in the mirror. Some of his TOs were just ludicrous, and spoke not to skill, but just a lack of concentration and effort. I chalk that up to a season gone down the drain, and relationships that soured.
If Beno Udrih and Coach Westphal are on the same page, and his confidence returns, Beno will have a rebound year in 2009-10, whether in limited minutes (10 to 15) or extended (25 to 30).
by bench_blob on Aug 11, 2009 12:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Difference between 07-08 Beno and 08-09 Beno
We expect that kind of production out of a player making chicken scratch, we expect more out of a guy making 5 mil a year
Dip til I rip
http://reclaimingthetitle.wordpress.com
by Muff209 on Aug 11, 2009 1:02 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
well we are gonna have a battle for PG
And if Beno plays better then maybe he can be traded easier! Either way, the players who stand out in this competition will really benefit the team and let us know which direction we are heading.
Or Sergio, Beno, Reke, and Cisco can all sulk about playing time and we can end up with more player mutiny and another lost season! Woohoo!
by Ice_9ine on Aug 11, 2009 1:18 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Beno was viewed in a completly different light, based almost entirely on the contract.
In 07-08, we started the year without a point guard (I believe Bibby was injured) and it was just awful. Beno came in and provided some stability and played as well as Bibby, so everyone was happy with him.
In 08-09, he signs a contract for the exception, opens the season injured and takes awhile to round into shape. By the time he does, the wheels have fallen off… the best player is injured, starters are traded, coaches are fired, yet everyone points to Beno as the root of the problem. I don’t get that.
I have always felt Beno was a marginal starter. His contract is a little long and probably 1-2 mil too high, but it’s not the albatross people make it out to be, and he isn’t the main reason we sucked last year. Again, he is a marginal starter/6th man type player, and those players don’t control or dictate a teams destiny. Your stars do that.
by R-Man on Aug 12, 2009 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions 4 recs
Rec'd
I have always felt Beno was a marginal starter. His contract is a little long and probably 1-2 mil too high, but it’s not the albatross people make it out to be, and he isn’t the main reason we sucked last year. Again, he is a marginal starter/6th man type player, and those players don’t control or dictate a teams destiny. Your stars do that.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
by section214 on Aug 12, 2009 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Double rec'd
"I'm too weird ta live but much too rare ta die"
by aKingisBored on Aug 12, 2009 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll take it one step further
That’s the single best statement I’ve seen about Beno in this whole thing.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 12, 2009 9:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hind site....
Pookey and I had serious discussions last year on the value of Beno- I think we agreed that his value was around 3yrs/9-10 mill and for that money, the Kings and almost every other team in the league would still be interested.
I think the key to Beno is something T-Zilly touched on. For Beno to be successful, he has to shoot the three- hitting it is nice but shooting it is key. The three ball sets up everything in the Kings offense- both past and present and both for Beno and the bigs down low. The current roster is filled with shooters- Martin, Garcia, Hawes, Nocioni and possibly Casspi/Donté which will lessen the impact of a perimeter shooting Beno, unless he plays substantial minutes alongside Evans.
Possibly the single biggest issue with the 2008-09 was the starting line-up that included both John Salmons and Beno Udrih. Neither player is a particularly bad three point shooter, but they are reluctant which caused an over reliance on Kevin Martin to shoot the three and a clamp down on slashing and interior scoring. I’m not saying that Beno has to be a set shooter- I am saying he needs to catch and shoot from the perimeter at a good clip when he is given the opportunity or we will see a player like Evans struggle mightily when paired with him.
I also blame Reggie Theus and his “I used to play the point in this league….” B.S. for much of Beno’s failings. When Beno f-ed up, he was always looking to pass the blame. It looked as though Theus had taken away all his confidence and left a nervous nelly looking to pass the buck not the ball.
I believe a combination of poor fitting players, confidence and coaching led to the undoing of Beno. I’m confident that the Kings will be a better coached team, with players that fit around Beno better and that his confidence will return. I fear that he has wasted his chance to be an NBA starter and wasted his chance to make an impact with Kings fans. He has some heavy lifting to do to both become a viable role player and redeem himself in the eyes of his fans and fellow players but I think it is too early to write him off completely.
"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.
by jjham15 on Aug 11, 2009 1:17 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Sight- not site...my bad, the kids are quite the destraction today.
"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.
by jjham15 on Aug 11, 2009 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
T-Zilly
I’m recing it for that alone.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
good reason pooh
:)
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 Aug 11, 2009 11:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My Beno issue
I consider 12 and 8 an adequate PG. In 73 starts Beno got to 12 points 35 times , he got to 8 assists 5 times. He as able to combine those feats in exactly 2 games, meaning there were 38 starts he achieved one or both of the goals and 35 games he was less than adequate. If you drop the assists goal to 7 he got there 15 times and combined for 7 and 12+ in 9 games…which means in 40 games he got to one or both goals and in 33 he got to neither. You can’t have 30+ throwaway games from a starter.
by ElRonToro on Aug 11, 2009 1:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
If 12 and 8 are only adequate PG numbers...
There are only 4 guys in the league who averaged at least an “adequate” game: Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, and Jose Calderon.
Rondo, Kidd, Parker, Rose, Billups, Harris… all typically inadequate.
by unfair weather on Aug 11, 2009 1:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I never said I was brilliant
but I’m holding at 8 for where I break off a pg from a guy who’s ok playing point.
by ElRonToro on Aug 11, 2009 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Looking at the historic numbers...
8 APG is closer to where I consider the break point for “elite” or “all-star”.
Adequate, at least a couple less.
by unfair weather on Aug 11, 2009 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm with you!
I consider adequate rebounders to get about 15 per game. And I think your average scoring guard should put in about 25 per night. Now let’s get a nice team of adequate guys together and win a few damn championships!
by DustyG on Aug 11, 2009 2:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
When you're right, you're right.
Elron — I changed my mind.
Definitely on board with your definition of adequate.
by unfair weather on Aug 11, 2009 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Megan Fox
Is an adequate woman.
My way of saying you guys might be closer to right than me.
by ElRonToro on Aug 11, 2009 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If you had said 13 & 6
I would have agreed with you. Just for the record.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think 6 was the number you were looking for
"We are in the business of kicking butt and business is very, very good." - Charles Barkley
by Bluejohn on Aug 12, 2009 8:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
effort, effort, effort
I think Kings fans are forgiving if a player simply shows effort. Where is Beno now? Wouldn’t we all be more forgiving if he had been here this summer, agreeing he sucked last year and that he was killing himself to make sure it didn’t happen again? maybe he’s in gym somewhere in the world, but it would behoove him to make sure that the fans knew that he was… that he cared… and that it won’t happen again.
by longtimelistenerfirsttimecaller on Aug 11, 2009 1:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
ding, ding, ding!
exactly my thoughts. It wasn’t only us fans that were disappointed with beno it was also the coaching staff & gm. Where is beno right now? If we are all wrong then why isn’t he here showing & telling the fans he WILL keep his job. part of my concern was his softness & lack of respect from his teammates (thanks to peaches for letting us in on that one) also he gets hit hard for something thats partially not his fault, his contract. beno is plenty decent pg but a plenty decent pg is about 3 mil per in this league
by allbenji's on Aug 11, 2009 5:22 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Timing is everything.
Beno just happened to be one of two or three starting quality point guards when he entered FA. If you move everything up a year to now, 2007-08 Beno in the 2009 FA class would still be available and probably only worth 2.5 mill or less a season. Sessions is said to be worth about 4 mill a year in this market.
"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.
by jjham15 on Aug 11, 2009 5:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Assists count largely on easy buckets
1. Teams that score a decent number of thier points on higher % shots tend to have much higher assist totals.
2. The Kings do not score easy buckets. Higher % shots are almost always very near the basket off one or no dribbles.
2/ Excellent offensive scemes can also make some jumpshooting teams very effective, once again off one or no dribbles.
Obituary:
We have had very few catch and shoot players – not talking about all perimeter shots as some think! – catch and shoots can/should come in the 8-12 foot range as well as right at the rim.
We unfortunately had neither a strong inside presence at the rim, a group of catch and shoot guys OR an offensive sceme that led to easier, high % shots.
dribble adlib dribble adlib shoot
1a. The pick and roll and pick and pop are both pretty simple strategies to create some easier shooting opportunities (Beno favs by the way) – and we didn’t even do those well.
I beg and pray for some semblence of an offensive sceme I can recognize from game to game
(I mean one that has some hope of working)
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 Aug 11, 2009 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The main difference between the 07-08 season and the 08-09 season
07-08 – Beno was competing for his career, so that gave him the effort to play, no matter if the Kings were losing or not.
08-09 – Guaranteed contract for the next 5 or so years, big bucks, Kings losing. No reason to bring the A-game.
I hope GP doesn’t pull the same deal with Sean May if May happens to be somewhat productive.
by CloudyEyes on Aug 11, 2009 2:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Main difference?
How about- No Ron Artest, John Salmons as a starter, Brad Miller- career revival in 07-08, back to Earth in 08-09, Head Coach fired mid-season to name a few.
Beno got lost in the shuffle and became the poster child for team wide issues- lack of talent, lack of defensive intensity and bloated contracts. Was Beno really worse than Brad Miller, Mikki Moore, Kenny Thomas, Bobby Jackson- hell even Garcia? All of these player except Garcia made more money than Beno. Now I don’t want to be the Beno defender but I don’t buy that the main difference between 07-08 and 08-09 Beno is a money issue- sure, he didn’t improve but I think John Salmons and Spencer Hawes are the only two players that really did improve statistically over the same period.
"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.
by jjham15 on Aug 11, 2009 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think the Kings only took Sergio Rodriguez on simply because they got cash (3 million)
from the Blazers to take him. Otherwise, I doubt they would have. They don’t really need Rodriguez in any real way. (Unless they need a backup to a backup which they may need if Beno gets hurt.)
On the other hand, we’ll see. I still would love to see the Kings dump Noc for an expiring contract (doesn’t really need to be more than that) and leave it at that for the season. I don’t think dumping Beno AND Noc is very likely.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 4:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree-
It would be a Christmas miracle to get rid of both of those players. Rodriguez has some potential and I would like to see what he can do as a primary back-up but I don’t see that happening with Beno still in the fold. I haven’t given up on Beno yetand I would like to see him in a small line-up with Martin and Evans but he is going to have to shoot the three to make that work.
"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.
by jjham15 on Aug 11, 2009 5:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep
I think that’s what the Kings are thinking too. Rather than worry about Beno’s contract, they’re just going to try and dump Nocioni while they can. (Hopefully.)
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Noce has more value than you think
Its only our depression that has us undervaluing almost all our players
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 Aug 11, 2009 11:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You said the same thing regarding John Salmons
Care to re-evaluate that?
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 12, 2009 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
nope
we should have waited
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 Aug 12, 2009 6:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Okay
At least you’re consistent. Foolish in this regard, but consistent.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 12, 2009 9:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
His contract could have looked good around draft day
IMO
It might have been parlayed into something (maybe)
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 Aug 12, 2009 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wishful thinking at the very best
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 13, 2009 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
In hindsight what did we get out of that deal?
We traded Miller’s 2yr contract at $24M for Noc’s 3yr contract at $21M. We gave away Salmons for Cap Space and end up with no talent or draft picks. We have no backup center and 4 SF’s.
We would of been better off by trading Salmon outright by his self. Keep Miller and move him to backup and start Spencer. I know there was some cash involved but that helps the owners and not the team. If they wanted the cap space for this year, all they had to do was trade Salmon for an expiring.
We’d have the same team we have today, but with a backup 7’ center. We’d have the same cap space. But, we’d have Miller’s $12M expiring contract, instead of being stuck with Noc’s $7M contact.
Chicago took us to the cleaners. They got 2 players that played extended minutes throught the season & playoffs. And, we ended up with Noc.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
by HighTops on Aug 13, 2009 8:49 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
There may have been other reasons to lose Miller
The guy was probably not a very good influence on the young bigs in terms of leadership or work ethic, and he was a complete stiff on defense. I’m guessing they wanted to unload his personality and work habits as much as his contract.
Having said that, the Miller-Salmons-Nocioni deal went over with a resounding thud, not unlike the Bibby trade a year earlier.
From the people who brought you Reggie Musselnatt.
by My Losing Season on Aug 13, 2009 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's the perception HT (That Chicago won the deal)
And, well, it’s wrong. As usual.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 13, 2009 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Your opinion not mine.
There have been a lot of critics here who didn’t like Miller or Salmon’s because of their game. But, sometime we throw out the good, with the bad. We forget what they did that was good and helped the team.
Chicago had no problem with them. Brad’s stats with Chicago both during the regular season & the playoffs, were almost exactly what he did for us. 12pts, 8rpg, 3assts, & 1 blk in 24mpg. I’d be happy with that from a backup Center. Salmon’s started 28 of his 33 games with Chicago, including all 7 playoff games. He shot 47% from the field and 42% from the 3, while scoring 18ppg, 4rpg, 2asts, 1steal in 37mpg all exactly like he did in Sac.
Worst of all we lost Millers expiring contract this year and are stuck with Noc’s contract for 3 more years.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
by HighTops on Aug 13, 2009 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My opinion is right
Yours is wrong. That’s the difference.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 13, 2009 6:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh and after you read the first statement
Read this one. That was sarcasm. You are still wrong, but I won’t be able to convince you.
This wasn’t about an expiring contract for 2010. This was about money, and the chance to save some for this season and beyond. Also, it saved the Kings some money last season as well with deals that were made (the Diogu trade for instance).
I know it’s unpopular to give the Maloof’s credit for maintaining their bottom line, but that’s what they did. Trading Miller would have been hard without taking a contract back because most teams wouldn’t just give all their expiring contracts up to take Miller. If he quit on the Kings, and he did HT, than he doesn’t have much value to the franchise as a backup C.
Salmons was traded at the likely peak of his value. If he opts next summer, than okay. Right now, I’d say the odds of that are a million to one given that Salmons had a career season. But, we will see.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 13, 2009 7:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Concur
Brad was highly overpriced baggage, which can’t be said about Noc (as least not yet). Frankly I do not miss Miller one bit, and I think the team culture is much improved without him.
From the people who brought you Reggie Musselnatt.
by My Losing Season on Aug 13, 2009 9:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh & Ht
You & lttg are very misled about the value of a player on the marketplace. Very very misled at that.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 13, 2009 7:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Your absolutely correct about the deals saving the Maloofs money
But your wrong about being able to change my mind. You can be very persuasive sometimes. But, the truth is I don’t care if the Maloofs save a few Million last year and another 5 Million this year by not spending on the team.
They had 250,000 unsold seats last year. And, they said they lost $25M, which I don’t believe especially since they got $10M from the league for their share of the Lux Tax and the League Slush Fund. Now, they’ve added Reke & Omri, and swapped Ike for May. They basicly have the same team they ended the season with and maybe even the same starters.
All I see is one bad business decision after the other, and one questionable trade after the other. Even their choice of coach seems to be based on dollars rather then on talent or fit. It wouldn’t be my way of starting a rebuild. So, I don’t hold on to a lot of hope, for major improvement this season.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
by HighTops on Aug 14, 2009 12:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
They didn't get 10M from Lux Tax
I’d have to calculate what their share would be, but my memory was that it was around 2.5 million (whatever 1/30th of the amount of luxury tax there was). Plus there was the escrow tax which they also get a part of (which is equally as important).
As far as major improvement, I’m kinda hoping the Kings don’t win 40 games this season. Sucks for the fans watching every game in the seats (and that does suck I recognize), but I would rather have the Kings get a Tyreke Evans and Derrick Favors in back to back drafts than anything else. THAT changes a franchise. Forget the whole Brad Miller nonsense for a moment, and the money it may or may not have saved the Maloofs (and while I’m 100% certain they saved money, I don’t think that was why Geoff Petrie did it), I think the lack of stability Miller provided was more important. I think the deal got done because of the financials that it cost the Bulls to do the deal. If there wasn’t a small enough difference between what it would cost the Bulls to have Miller and Salmons (with his trade kicker), which is about 2.5 million I might add, than I would agree with you.
However, 2.5 million to move 2 players who don’t really fit into your long term plans, and you can replace with cheaper players (Greene or Casspi), and a veteran player who makes all of 2 million more than Salmons for perhaps 2/3 of the same production at Salmons peak level last season, than yeah, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 14, 2009 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn't say they got $10M in Lux Tax money
I sad Lux Tax and the League Slush Fund money. By the Slush Fund I was referring to the Escrow Account. It works like this;
$6.5 Million in Cash for Every Team on July 29
Remember the NBA’s escrow system? Basically, reported amounts for player salaries are not precisely the amounts they get. Instead, a percentage of every player salary is held aside, in escrow. At the end of the year, the league tallies up how much players made as a percentage of the league’s “basketball-related income.”
If the basketball-related income was high, then the players get their money back.
If the basketball-related income was low, then the owners get a mulligan on some of what they agreed to pay the players.
The result, is a pretty good recession buster for the owners. At the moment there’s nearly $205 million in the escrow account. $194 million of that, according to the memo, will be distributed equally to the 30 teams on July 29 — meaning each team gets $6,467,847 in cash. The rest goes towards benefits (a long story), meaning teams will also each be spared $363,087 they would have been expected to contribute for next year.
In effect, each team will get about $6.8 million, the vast majority in cash.
So, between the Lux Tax & Escrow Fund they got between $9.6M & $10M.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
by HighTops on Aug 14, 2009 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was true regardless of whether they traded Miller or Salmons or not
I’m not really exactly sure what your point here is. Yes, they did it to save cash, but I also think the franchise is far better off with just Nocioni on the roster at this point. Kenny Thomas comes off next summer (seems like a long time ago he was traded here). This stuff takes awhile to unfurl sometimes.
I’m working on a piece over at my own slice of the pie HT. Hopefully you will see my point. But, it probably won’t be up until tomorrow unless I kick my own ass into gear and get it finished later today.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 14, 2009 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
But as far as the 25 million being lost
There is no way they can claim that without looking foolish. Especially after the moves they made, and especially when you consider that they took Shareef Abdur-Rahim’s money off the books last year with his medical retirement.
In a way, I think you’re right HT about the bad signings and what not. But, at the same time, I also think the subsequent trading away of Artest, Bibby, Salmons and Miller has saved the team quite a bit of money and heartache in the long run. So, while they weren’t trading those guys at maximum value, would you have advocated that they trade any of those guys at maximum value?
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 14, 2009 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The trades had to be made for the rebuild to start.
We got something in exchange for Artest. We got out of a bad contract with Bibby but got nothing in return. But, we got nothing but cash for Salmon & Miller. I just think a good GM should have gotten more for them.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
by HighTops on Aug 14, 2009 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
As I've said before
I think the biggest problem with the Bibby and Miller trades was not the players they got back, but the timing of the decision to unload those guys. If they had dealt those guys two to four years earlier when their stock was high, they would likely have gotten talent and draft picks in return. Instead they foolishly clung to the notion that a Bibby/Miller/Peja (later Bibby/Miller/Artest) core could compete for a championship. I fell for that logic at the time; a lot of us did. But in hindsight it seems downright ridiculous.
I don’t fault the trades per se. I fault the timing.
From the people who brought you Reggie Musselnatt.
by My Losing Season on Aug 14, 2009 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Okay
My long winded 5500 word response is up. Read it if you dare.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 15, 2009 1:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wasn't throwing Beno under the bus for the 08-09 team issues
Sure, his offensive stats pretty much remained the same, but the hustling Beno from the 07 season seemed long departed in the 08 season, imho. Maybe it was Natt’s coaching system that brought him down. Hustle is all on the player and I believe that’s where Beno got his money, because I remember Bibby pretty much walking down the court and Beno running his butt off when they both were playing. They both were averaging about the same stats at the time, but GP saw promise in Beno’s hustle and traded off Bibby.
by CloudyEyes on Aug 12, 2009 1:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Beno but...
…dude might have been the worst Starting PG in the league last year. The flash and sizzle he showed before the big money contract seemed to completely disappear after the contract. I think that is what fans are most angry about. When a player is rewarded with a big contract, fans think that players need to work out in the gym harder, get in the weight room and on the treadmill, and try to improve their talent to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, for many many years the Kings had a horrible role model, The B-52 Bummer. He showed that someone of modest talent could put it in cruise control on the Kings and still get paid. This is now the sentiment of some of the Kings players. This is just another thing on Coach Westphal’s plate that he eventually will have to deal with.
Players who are putting in the most effort should be rewarded with more minutes so they can score more and perhaps earn more on their next contract by improving their numbers. Players who do not give consistent effort need to ride pine. Then their numbers will better reflect their usefulness to the team.
I, for one, do not believe that Beno will just tuck his tail and give up. I think, if he is smart, he has seen the moves that the Kings have made and all the talk of how poorly he played last year, and maybe he is working out like a madman trying to prove all of his critics wrong. At least that would be the sane and reasonable response of a normal NBA Player that had been completely dissed by having a heavy portion of blame from a 17 win season placed upon him. He was the floor leader right? When it goes bad, the leader is to blame right? Well, I don’t think Beno was totally to blame for last year’s fiasco, he certainly has a good size share of the blame to tote. The only alternatives for a PG on the bench was a 700 year old B-Jax (Love Ya B-Jax!! Hope you enjoy your retirement!! Thank you for the great memories!!) who didn’t have enough gas left in the tank to run the team. B-Jax wasnt signed as a STARTER. So when Beno went south, the Kings had nothing to replace him with. If your leader is bad, your team is bad, and that is a lot of the reason for a 17 win swirl down the toilet last season.
Fast forward to 2009-10. Now the Kings made no secret that they wanted to improve their guard play. They brought in mostly Point guards to try out for the draft. They signed Sergio Rodriguez, a capable NBA PG. They drafted Tyreke Evans, quite possibly the most athletic player on the team on day one! Beno can go one of 2 ways. Either he is going to try to compete or he is going to fail miserably and that will be the end of Beno’s career. Really that is the only two ways it can go. Honestly, what other possible outcomes are there??? I think Beno might be able to recapture some of the flash and Sizzle he had before the big contract and perhaps attract suitors at the trade deadline who are desperate for a PG to replace an injured player on a playoff run. But other than desperation, I cant see any team taking on Beno’s contract. There just isn’t a lot of return on investment there.
So hopefully Beno is in a weight room right now reading this as he is running on a treadmill, preparing for the the most important season in his pro basketball career. Because this is exactly that for Beno. If he can find a way to succeed this season and appear to be worth the contract he has, then his career might take a turn for the better. If Beno is sitting on the couch, eating potato chips and slurpin beers, then there is a good chance that he isn’t going to have a long, prolific career ahead of him. Either way, it will be an exciting sideshow to the Kings story this season!!
Another year, another chance to hope for the team !!
by FaStRmAn on Aug 11, 2009 4:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Beno's Contract is why he is disliked
I hated Beno’s contract from the moment that we offered it to him. 5 years and $36 million for a marginal (at best) point guard is terrible. The reason that all the fans have turned on him is because he is paid way too much. I don’t think that he really regressed that much, its just he was not worth, and never will be worth, that kind of jack. I think that we can all agree that we like Kevin Martin but would you want him on this team for $20 million per season? NO!
by BruinGrad916 on Aug 11, 2009 4:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I think Beno'
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 Aug 11, 2009 4:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Oops.
Beno’s problem is rooted in the way he presents himself. If he had a more outgoing personality, high fiving his teammates, getting on the floor for loose balls, cheering from the bench, posting about his workouts on Twitter, even putting up the same numbers he has put up. Everyone would love him even if he made 7 mil per season.
His problem is he chews out his teammates, disappears from Sac for the summer, appears to sit out games if he has a hangnail and sulks. People would be upset with him if he made 3 mil.
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 Aug 11, 2009 4:57 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Good points all
It’s definitely his personality.
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.....
by pookeyguru on Aug 11, 2009 5:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Have you ever seen him
in pregame workouts? Everyone ignores him.
I initially thought the team was dissing the poor guy for no reason.
Today its no mystery!
I would expect every player on the Kings to go the extra mile in the off season with only 17 wins. Apparently, it doesn’t bother him too much. That’s why I hate the guy.
by nothingbutnet on Aug 11, 2009 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Number hide the underlying problem
Taking time while play is still going on, to chew out a teammate for a turnover that was mostly his fault. Poor man defense and failure to get back on defense after a missed shot. Not able to get the ball in low to the posting up players. There are just so many intangibles that detract from his overall game. As Kfan pointed out he’s just not a good teammate.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
by HighTops on Aug 11, 2009 5:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Spur fan here.
Just wanted to say that’s a pretty good analysis about Beno.
I have an answer for your question: Beno will suffer for the new players and he will fade to suckland in a matter of days. He doesnt know how to play off the bench or under pressure. The spurs lost all faith in him. As you mentioned, we played the frickin Vaughn! (and won a championship with him…..yes the big three are THAT good).
So good luck with Tyreke and Sergio. Both of them are very talented in very different ways. If the kings are intelligent Beno will get traded or benched eternally.
"Rock and Roll angels bring that HardRock Hallelujah"
by Chilai on Aug 11, 2009 6:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Unfortunately,
I am afraid I agree.
Time will tell…
by nothingbutnet on Aug 11, 2009 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
EXPECTATIONS . . .
Beno didn’t meet them last year because most people I believe expected more from him.
This year everyone has low expectations . . . so I believe we are in for a pleasant surprise.
At least that’s what I’m hoping for.
Ba-da
by Ba-Da Bing on Aug 11, 2009 8:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Great Post
I was wondering when someone was going to break his performance down.
I’m way too lazy, but I certainly appreciate your efforts.
by nothingbutnet on Aug 11, 2009 10:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
A PG needs a sceme that is intelligilble
to have a chance of executing it.
Not that I think a great sceme would make him a great PG – just a mid-level worthy competent one.
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 Aug 12, 2009 12:04 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
rec'd the post by the way
and a good discussion by all.
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 Aug 12, 2009 12:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
How do those numbers compare on a per minute basis?
When looking at Beno’s stats last year and the year before last, the ratios and percentages looked ok, but it just didn’t seem like he was doing enough for the minutes he played. I’m not sure how much that had to do with the system and how much that had to do with Beno. I recall an interview where Beno said his role on offense was to take the ball up court, pass it to someone else, and then go to the corner and wait for a pass.
by markdog333 on Aug 12, 2009 6:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Based on TZ's research I have a theory
Based on TZ’s numbers, Beno didn’t shoot the 3 well for the first 3 months of last year. 24% compared to the 38% he shot in the year before. Coincidentally, last year Beno didn’t play for his countries team in the Euro championships. I believe he had a new child and I remember hearing him say he was going to spend some time with his family.
So, if he wasn’t playing organized ball, maybe he wasn’t able to keep himself in shape. He might of worked himself into shape by January which is when his outside shooting came back. He continued to shoot well until March when he was hurt, but never got his form back after he returned.
Wild speculation I know. But, maybe because he’s playing now, he’ll come to camp in shape & ready to shot.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
by HighTops on Aug 14, 2009 1:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Beno will play for team Slovenia at European Championship in Poland in September.
The EC 2009 starts in September.
Beno missed first 2 weeks of preparation with a minor injury.
Yesterday Slovenia lost to Spain in a preparation game.
Beno started, here are the game stats: http://www.kzs-zveza.si/kzs/dokumenti/ESPANA_ESLOVENIA_FINAL.pdf
Slovenia was level or better than the Spaniards untill our coach was ejected before the half time.
Go Beno!
by thaBongo on Aug 21, 2009 2:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 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.
