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Preview: Kings at Hawks

Star-divide

THE OPPONENT

Atlanta is ridiculously good, compared to last year. Plenty of credit should go to Jamal Crawford, the single notable addition. (Sorry, Joe Smith.) But the internal growth is a huge part of this. Josh Smith getting religion. Al Horford becoming one of the top interior defenders in the league. Joe Johnson finding a way to join his friends in symphony. Marvin Williams refining his already strong defense. Just brilliant internal growth, which probably means Mike Woodson deserves more credit than he'll get. I don't know who the hell fixed Smith's offense, but they deserve a Nobel.

The Hawks have the league's No. 3 offense and No. 12 defense. That defense can still improve -- yes, even with Mike Bibby manning the point. If the offense maintains its gaudy standard, this is a team which can beat any Eastern contender other than Cleveland. (The Hawks don't match up well against the Cavs, and while I'd enjoy such a series, Cleveland would be massive favorites.)

LAST TIME

The Kings nearly beat Atlanta in November's Sacramento match-up. Kevin Martin had 29/10 with a broken wrist in that one. The Hawks pulled away at the end.

KEY BATTLE

Bigs vs. bigs. Josh Smith is a terror, and Horford is woefully undersung as a defender. Jason Thompson might have a tough time scoring -- if Horford marks him and Smith helps, it's a block waiting to happen. If it's the other way around, it's a block waiting to happen. Thompson needs to rely on set-up passes from his guards and needs to focus on the boards. The days of Thompson being an offensive focal point should be over, or at least stalled. It's not working, and it's not likely to work against such an impressive defensive squad. Jon Brockman, Thompson's partner tonight, is never an offensive threat, and needs to make his impact on the boards, as he no doubt will.

BOLD PROCLAMATION

Donte Greene will outscore Marvin Williams. Omri Casspi will outscore Donte Greene. Kevin Martin will outscore Omri Casspi.

BOLD BROCKLAMATION

Jon Brockman will run at least one waffle house out of business by noon.

DETAILS

Tip at 4 PM. Two game threads (4, 5:15) and a post-gamer (6:45). Go Kings.

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Credit to the Hawks

That franchise has seen quite the turnaround from where they were. If you didn’t catch it, Lang Whitaker did a good piece where he was embedded with the Hawks for a couple of days. Definitely worth the read.

The Hawks are a tough match-up, but I honestly feel like the Kings can win any game this season. I’m not saying they should be expected to win every game, or even favored, but it is no longer outside the realm of possibility. Should be a fun one to watch.

Never forget: I am a complete idiot

by Exhibit G on Jan 20, 2010 12:10 PM PST reply actions   2 recs

Thanks for the link G.

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.....

Oh, hes in the laegue two and Jayson Thomson and that Boggins dude on Milwokee, and Occur for the Jizz. Its a talented laegue.--Kfan in Korea

by pookeyguru on Jan 20, 2010 12:33 PM PST up reply actions  

I have a feeling

this is going to be our 2nd 20 point loss of the season.

Remember folks, I'm almost always wrong.
My sig was too long...

by Scott Coleman on Jan 20, 2010 12:44 PM PST reply actions  

Haha

yep, and does anyone else think Fergie is a man?

Remember folks, I'm almost always wrong.
My sig was too long...

by Scott Coleman on Jan 20, 2010 3:01 PM PST up reply actions  

and a package!

Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance. Vonnegut

by Ice_9ine on Jan 20, 2010 4:33 PM PST via mobile up reply actions  

I wish the game would just start

I don’t have class today and this is all I’ve been looking forward to

by DaPorts! on Jan 20, 2010 12:48 PM PST reply actions  

You not having class makes this day different how?

Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen.

by andy sims on Jan 20, 2010 3:44 PM PST up reply actions   1 recs

Good stuff

The only thing I’d disagree on is that the Kings are going to need to double on Horford. He averages fewer points per game than JT, and the Hawks have at least three more potent weapons in Johnson, Crawford and Smith for us to focus on.

Although I’d like to see them double Johnson and Crawford at times and get the ball out of their hands, Westphal seems to like to play it straight and just hope our guys make the other team’s stars work for their points.

"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."

by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 20, 2010 2:02 PM PST up reply actions  

Thanks, I appreciate the complement

I didn’t say double all the time

We’re going to have to double Horford down low where he has a 74% FG%
because Horford takes shots from all over the court, and at a pretty good percentage. But, shooting 74% at the rim almost demands a double team. Also, I thought that Brockman might need some help in close. And, if you watch about 2-3 minutes into the game, we did double him with JT just off the left side of the rim, and he gave up the ball.

Johnson & Crawford don’t mess around and get the shot off pretty quickly, so with the floor spaced as well as the Hawks do, by the time the double team gets out to them the shots probably going to be gone.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy

by HighTops on Jan 20, 2010 11:50 PM PST up reply actions  

Screwed that up. Only 1st sentence was supposed to be in quote.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy

by HighTops on Jan 20, 2010 11:51 PM PST up reply actions  

Actually

I thought we did a good job doubling a lot of players in certain stretchs, and it flustered the Hawks and creates some turnovers and Kings energy. I’d like to see that more often.

"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."

by coolcatreportdotcom on Jan 21, 2010 8:30 AM PST up reply actions  

Good post

I have to wonder where Sergio went. You talk about Beno initiating the offense and I would much rather see Sergio out there and Beno getting outside shots off of his feed. Play Evans and Martin at 1 and 2 and then sub with Sergio and Beno. The Kings offense tends to get quicker and faster with Sergio and it gives the whole game a lift. Beno’s mid-range game would be harder to guard against if he moved without the ball first. Other teams are getting much better at blocking him out.

Also, PW has seemed to put in a purely defensive lineup to get a reset on the floor. Sort of like a start over… Seems he may be starting the game with that in playing Brockman and, was it, Thomas(?). Seems that he has figured out that the defense has to be anchored and the fact that it isn’t early in the game has killed us in the past.

by MustangMBS on Jan 20, 2010 2:31 PM PST up reply actions  

Sergio would be a better PG than Beno, if we had a motion offense

especially lately with Beno making so many mental errors and having so many passes picked off. But, Beno can create for himself, more so than Sergio. And, unless the other players start moving to get open, Sergion has no one to pass to who can make a shot. Then the closck starts running down and Sergio is forced to take one himself.

And, I think PW believes that Beno is a better defender and that seems to be the way he’s going with his rotations.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy

by HighTops on Jan 20, 2010 9:15 PM PST up reply actions  

Grab your mouthguard and hide the Bisquick

Mancakes is on the job.

"Sometimes the capriciousness of youth anesthetizes common sense." -Let Geoff's words guide our patience this season.

by AnotherStupidSN on Jan 20, 2010 1:10 PM PST reply actions  

I've been having a good feeling about this

but I don’t want to jinx it

The future begins now...

by edm7 on Jan 20, 2010 1:19 PM PST reply actions  

Well, you've been fairly clairvoyant so far...

"Sometimes the capriciousness of youth anesthetizes common sense." -Let Geoff's words guide our patience this season.

by AnotherStupidSN on Jan 20, 2010 2:05 PM PST up reply actions  

No expectations for this game,

I’m cool with the outcome as long as two things don’t happen:

1. The Refs don’t blow a critical call in the last two minutes changing the outcome of the game
2. Bibby doesn’t hit a buzzer beater to win the game for the Hawks.

When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.

by nothingbutnet on Jan 20, 2010 2:49 PM PST reply actions  

My prediction: You stay beyond 2011.

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.....

Oh, hes in the laegue two and Jayson Thomson and that Boggins dude on Milwokee, and Occur for the Jizz. Its a talented laegue.--Kfan in Korea

by pookeyguru on Jan 21, 2010 1:10 AM PST up reply actions  

arrives at the top of the hour

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 Jan 20, 2010 4:00 PM PST up reply actions  

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