Kings 71, Hornets 75: Turnovers and Offensive Rebounds Prove Costly
by Aykis16 on Nov 21, 2010 6:18 PM PST
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PrintThe Kings played probably one of the best defensive games I have seen them play in at least the last five years, holding the Hornets to only 32.2% from the field. There were still lapses at times, but they were relatively few and far between. Perhaps the biggest problem on defense was keeping New Orleans off the offensive glass. They had 15 offensive boards, and it led them to have 12 more FGA than us, a huge reason we lost. We would make a great defensive play, but then New Orleans would get the ball back anyway, like for example on that critical last play when Luther Head forced Chris Paul to take a very tough shot, and then Marco Belinelli of all people comes up with the offensive rebound. That just shouldn't happen.
On offense, mistakes were our downfall. We continue to take way too long to get into our offense and end up having to force a decision. Turnovers killed us all game and New Orleans took advantage. We also continue to make some really poor decisions, again going to Dalembert early in the game down low. Why? There is another guy on the team that excels down low (Carl), and even though the Hornets were doing a good job fronting him early and keeping him away from the basket, Dalembert should be our 5th option on offense every time he's down there. These kind of mistakes cost us the game, a game we should have won. Still, its the 2nd game in a row we've played well defensively. Now we just need to be able to play offense and defense at the same time and we could actually be a pretty solid team.
Player Recaps and other notes after the jump.
- Luther Head was amazing as a defender. Absolutely amazing. He helped keep Chris Paul to 2-12 shooting, and he saved several baskets. His offense is another matter though. He's a good shooter, and showed it tonight, but he probably should not be in charge of running the offense. He dribbles a lot, and can't seem to decide what he wants to do. He had 4 turnovers and only 1 assist. Luther represents the problem with this team: we have to have him in to play defense, but then we don't have as good of an offense. If we put Beno in, our offense gets better, but our defense gets worse. It's a trade-off.
- Tyreke Evans was pretty ineffective offensively tonight and New Orleans did a good job keeping him out of the paint for the most part. And that inbound play the Kings ran at the end of the game was atrocious, as Tyreke spent at least 3 seconds of the precious 6.4 thinking about what to do before giving it to Cisco for a desperation airball three. He probably should've shot it. His defense wasn't as bad as it has been though and I think the players are really buying into working hard on that end.
- Again I don't understand why we run any plays at all for Sam Dalembert. I love, LOVE, what he brings defensively and on the glass, but I rarely want him touching the ball on offense, other than on the offensive glass.
- Donté Greene was another player who is bringing a lot defensively, and I was most impressed with how hard he's been attacking the glass, and it seems that he's definitely making a conscious effort this season to hit the boards after being an extremely poor rebounder the past few games. One thing he does need to work on is his shot though, he had several great looks for three that didn't go down, including that corner one in crunchtime that would've been huge. It's definitely an area he needs to keep working on because he's going to get open looks from outside and he needs to be able to capitalize consistently.
- DeMarcus Cousins was trying to do waaaaaaay too much out there, and it was to the detriment of the team. He was playing sloppy on offense, and he wasn't boxing out very well on defense, allowing the Hornets to grab some of those precious offensive boards (including that last one by Belinelli). It was to the point that I didn't understand why he was in the game instead of Jason Thompson, who played very well in the 8 minutes he saw action. I do have to wonder if we may have won the game with Jason in the game instead of DeMarcus, because DeMarcus was worth every bit of that -8 he had in the boxscore tonight.
- The one reason I think JT wasn't in the game was because his defense sort of stunk when he was playing. He left Jason Smith wide open three plays in a row, and he also left Trevor Ariza wide open for that three that beat the halftime buzzer.
- Carl had an off-game and I have to credit David West and the Hornets defense, who did a great job of keeping him away from the basket and denying him the basketball. He was forced to shoot jumpers most of the time, and as we know, he's much less effective when that happens or he has to put the ball in the floor. He really doesn't react all that well to double teams either, and that one pass in the fourth where he tried to whip it to the other baseline (ended up being a turnover) just epitomized how this Kings team doesn't really know how to move the ball around. Go for short, easy passes instead of the pass that has to go through the entire opposing team.
- Cisco was very active when he was in the game, and he played some great defense on Marcus Thornton (who really doesn't look that good right now) and he was one of the few Kings to not turn the ball over. His three point shot (0-2) seems to have left him as of late though, which is kind of strange, although that last one wasn't really fair to count against him as he had to let it go almost as soon as he touched it over two Hornets defenders.
- Free Throws: We lost by 4, and we shot 9-15 from the line. Even Luther missed his sole free throw opportunity.
- Still, this kind of effort from the Kings on the defensive end is great to see, and hopefully keeps up. But we really, really need to work on the offense, especially moving the ball and getting into our plays earlier in the shot clock.
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Every time the kings go down low to Sam
I just cringe and hope for the best. That said he needs to be out there on D. And you can’t just ignore him on offense otherwise the other team starts playing four on five. Turnovers however are what cost us this game. You cannot turn the ball over 22 times and expect to win.
by Lotusprime on Nov 21, 2010 6:47 PM PST via mobile reply actions
I'm not saying we should ignore him on offense
I just don’t think we should focus on him either.
Author of the Pick and Scroll. Follow me on Twitter here.
keep in the middle...
how about that? let him handle the ball of course, so it keeps the opposing team focused on him and not let him be an odd man out as 4 on 5. but then again, he should never get the ball after the 10 second marker, he’s just going to waste time and not give the offense a chance. i’d say we use him in high pick and rolls, let evans drive and shot or kick out, and have dalembart come back to the post after he’s done. he’ll still be effective in offense rebound that way and he’ll also open up the lanes as he’ll have a defender move out with him.
You cant ignore 7 footers
theyre alley oops waiting to happen.
huh? wha?
by effin steve on Nov 21, 2010 11:21 PM PST up reply actions
I was only able to view snippets of the game, mostly when the Kings built a sizable lead
in the first half and again in the last few minutes of the game. The Kings certainly appeared to have internalized the ministrations of the coaching staff to defend better. At least in the first half. The second half was another story as the Hornets closed the gap and David West hit buckets to keep them in the lead.
I think Cousins should not have been in at the end of the game. He clearly is not ready to handle the pressure and decisions that must be made to ensure that the team scored. Donte disappointed when he missed that wide open baseline three. Aside from his shot blocking. Dalembert is a huge offensive liability. I still think the kings should stick with JT and Geene in the game. PW must be into playing contracts.
Close but no Cigar…
Stay Thirsty My Friends
WONK
Etymology - origin unknown
Function - Noun
Definition - A person preoccuped with arcane details or procedures in a specialized field; broadly, NERD; especially someone young who focuses on one topic or subject to the near exclusion of all other topics.
the people sitting around me
groaned at everything cousins did and were screaming for him to be benched all game. he was bad out there but managed to make some good plays. i think during crunch time sam is such an offensive hole u kinda have to have cousins in.
"After this, I'm gonna kick Bob Arum's ass."
-George Lopez
by Eddie Gonzalez on Nov 21, 2010 6:52 PM PST up reply actions
quick tidbit
i sat a few rows behind what had to have been Marco Belinelli’s parents (the dad had a hornets jersey on and the mom had what looked like his jersey from when he played in europe) and it was as hilarious as ud expect it to be. they reacted exactly as im sure i would if my kid was out there
"After this, I'm gonna kick Bob Arum's ass."
-George Lopez
You are so totally on my dude! Epic Post Akis
I knew there had to be something good about the 3 pm starts. Love to see your comments up so early.
It’s the players job to keep the coach happy, not the coach’s job to keep the player happy. - Paul Westphal quoted from The Purple Panjandrum
Pathetic offense
3/4 of the time our offense looks like pick up basketball- 5 unfamiliar guys trying to run some semblance of offense and failing. And enough already with the set where the big man receives the ball at the 3 point line and attempts to initiate something.
keeps the defense honest...
that has to happen, either sooner or later because it keeps the defense honest. as stated, if dalembart never touches the ball 3-5 times, it’s going to be a 4-5 on and they’ll just let dalembart open on purpose to force the ball to him. and that’s bad because then dalembart’s going to be cold and that’s worst off than if he was able to touch the ball every now and then to make a pass or at least take a little hook.
like i said our offense:
24-15 sec = dribble
15-8.4 sec = pass pass pass
last 8-3.5 sec = either post up or dribble dribble
2-1 sec = forced shot / TO
i see that all the time too...
i understand the reasoning behind it and i understand that running out the shot clock is how you control the tempo of the game, but it’s no good when you can’t get your offense in time. why not try this instead:
24-16 sec – dribble across and setup play
16-8 sec – run play, pass, pick and roll, pass, slash, etc.
8-2 sec – take shot if open, if not pass to post or wing
2-1 sec – post for shot or take a foul
The view from section214 -
Luther Head did an amazing job on defense. Chris Paul was not enjoying himself for most of the game.
I thought that Westphal perhaps missed an opportunity to get Casspi some burn when Paul was out of the game – he could have pulled Luther during those periods and inserted Casspi, moving Garcia to the 2.
JT and Garcia had a pretty animated argument over the rotation on that last play before the half (when Ariza hit the 3). 80% sure that JT blew the rotation.
Free throws and turnovers, turnovers and free throws. Blah-blah-blah.
Sunday afternoon crowd was similar to Wednesday night in size (12k?), but a much younger demographic. Lot’s of kids, which was nice to see.
Every game that goes by, you see more and more of the angel/devil in each of these players. Dalembert and Head positive defense/negative offense (maybe neutral offense in Head’s case), Landry and Udrih positive offense/negative defense. JT and Cousins positive contributions through hustle/negative contributions through brain lock.
Westphal was as involved as I have ever seen him from the bench. Not that it helped, but it was noticeable.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
Yea,,Cisco eventually did a my bad on that debate
but I took it as a maybe we should stop arguing in front of all these people and talk about it in the locker room, rather than admission of guilt
There are some guys smarter than me, some guys better looking, I take comfort in the fact that there is no guy that is both.
I was confused about that play...
I am not coach, so hopefully someone can help me out.
I watched it three or four times and couldn’t figure out who’s fault it was. Cisco was cheating pretty close to the key to prevent the drive, leaving his man out on the three point line unattended. JT was matched up with someone inside, though, so when the ball handler began his attack and Garcia committed to him, was JT supposed to rotate out to the three point line to cover Garcia’s man and leave his man open right at the rim?
It looked to me as if JT should have fronted his man, so that Garcia wouldn’t have had to cheat in so far, and Garcia should not have completely neglected whats-his-name out on the three point line,
"The Kings have nothing to lose but their games."
I'm only guessing but I thought the Kings were in a 2-3 zone and JT was playing man
Looking at the tape, it looks like the Kings wanted to put 2 guys on top to pressure Paul. Cisco turned and pointed to JT after Ariza started to move toward the corner. JT pointed to the man closest to him, and I don’t know what he said but it looked like he might be trying to say he already had a man.
Landry’s man came out high as it to set a back pick on Tyreke, and Cisco moved over to sandwich him in between him and Tyreke. JT’s man moved over toward the right side of the key, like he might be going to set up a screen behind Tyreke should Paul drive that way. But, JT went with his man instead of staying in his zone. And, the spacing between Ariza and JT got too far, and he couldn’t get back quick enough.
I think JT was supposed to say in his zone when the guy near him moved toward the elbow at the other side of the key, and probably was supposed to stay along the baseline and move closer to Ariza. It wouldn’t be the first time that JT was playing man when everyone else was playing zone.
Well, that’s the way I see it. But, Cisco really shouldn’t have been so indignent. He lost his man around the 6 minute mark of the 2nd, and NOH got an uncontested layup on a backcut.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
An offense where the guard brings the ball up to the 3pt arc and then passes to a center at the top of the key
is doomed to have turnovers or put up bad shots. As bad a decision as feeding the ball into Sammy was, putting the ball into his or Cousins hand at elbow is just as bad, especially early in the shot clock.
You need the ball in the hands of the guards or wings until it’s time for the bigs to score. And, even if Carl is being fronted or closely guards, you must have offensive set to get him the basket. There are ways to do it, and we either just don’t do it well or don’t have the right personel to do it. Just like we don’t seem to have the right personel to run a decent pick & roll for our bigs to get easy baskets.
We asked for more consistent minutes and a shorter rotation, so I’m not going to ride PW for playing Cuz when he’s having a bad game. These tough experiences will pay dividends later on, just like it did for Evans last season. I loved this game, and know that if we can continue to play defense like this, eventually the bugs in the offense will work themselves out.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
by HighTops on Nov 21, 2010 7:08 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Your first line?
I was talking about to the wife on the way to the game. What are they thinking? They must get it to him in the paint – and he’s not in the paint because that apparently isn’t in our offensive scheme – assuming we have 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 Nov 21, 2010 8:18 PM PST up reply actions
To me this team is missing a playmaker
There was hope that Tyrke would fill that role. And, with some of the setups for our bigs in the earlier games, it looked like it could happen. And, then him hitting those short & mid range jumpers looked like another piece to the puzzle. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen all 3 pieces come together yet. If or when that happens this team will take a giant leap ahead, and Luther can the piece that completes our backcourt.
It’s unlikely Head can become that playmaker and if Tyreke doesn’t improve, we’re going to be hurting unless GP makes some kind of big move. I know a lot of people feel we need a star SF, but I never bought in to that. PW has the right idea about what we need at that position and it isn’t a star. We’re going to need time for Tyreke and Cousins to become the go to guys on this squad and sharing that role with a 3rd player isn’t going to help this team in the long run. Nor will it help in the development of Greene & Casspi, who I feel can become exceptional players.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
I still think Tyreke is a bit gimpy right now.
But yes, I agree we need another playmaker. One that can defend.
Author of the Pick and Scroll. Follow me on Twitter here.
I have come on board to the
possibility of getting a PG who can play 30 minutes of excellent defense and pass like gas after a supersized burrito.
There are some guys smarter than me, some guys better looking, I take comfort in the fact that there is no guy that is both.
The way you described that is sounds like it could pass for Pooh. ;)
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
by HighTops on Nov 21, 2010 10:18 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
It seems like Tyreke has lost his confidence in his jumper.
He’s back to trying to take everything to the hoop and defense have the wall waiting for him – especially playing him to drive right. He needs to work on finishes more with his left hand so he’s not as predictable at the rim. I definitely think he’s still gimpy right now. He lacks the quickness that we’re used to seeing him play with.
Depressed
Blake Griffin is already a better player than Tyreke. F the lottery!
He was the 1st pick in the draft for a reason.
How is this the lottery’s fault?
"For five decades (and counting), these fans have been blessed with West, Baylor, Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Shaq and Kobe. Seven of the 15 best players ever. At some point, the gravy train will end. The Lakers will bottom out like the Knicks did last decade, submarined by bad moves, poor signings and unlucky drafts. Their fans will flee in droves. Jack will pass away. The buzz will be gone. That's how the NBA works -- in a 30-team league, you can't always get lucky, not even if you're a big-market team with deep pockets. I don't know if that day is three years off or 30, but it's coming." Bill Simmons
Blake Griffin is the better athlete
Right now his game is predicated on that athleticism. One more big knee injury and he could lose everything that makes him so amazing.
Author of the Pick and Scroll. Follow me on Twitter here.
it's anybody's knee...
oh, it’s just not griffin’s knee trust me. if any basketball player’s knee goes out, so does their game period. heck, even my knee will make me worst than i am and i could go out and play a decent street game.
The way he plays is pretty hard on those knees
fun to watch though
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 Nov 22, 2010 9:27 AM PST up reply actions
Stupid good player being good
I predict JT will never breathe through his nose.
by wallywagon11 on Nov 21, 2010 9:01 PM PST up reply actions
I HATE
when head handles the ball…
"After this, I'm gonna kick Bob Arum's ass."
-George Lopez
Agreed
Tentative, and the offense stalls even more, if that’s possible. But he has been a very efficient shooter these past two games, has not really forced any shots, and has played inspired defense on two pretty good PG’s (Harris and Paul). Beno would certainly be better for the offense, but I think that what he would have given up defensively to Harris and Paul would have overwhelmed his offensive contributions.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
Two pretty good PGs is the understatement of the year
Chris Paul is probably a top 5 player in the league at his best.
Author of the Pick and Scroll. Follow me on Twitter here.
I'd change the 5 to a 2
There are some guys smarter than me, some guys better looking, I take comfort in the fact that there is no guy that is both.
top 2 player
or top 2 pg?
I am VERY against Lebron, completely ignoring the stats. He ruins teams, despite what his great stats say. I dont care what anyone says, he ruins teams. - anonymous nets fan
by lemmetakeutodamovies on Nov 21, 2010 10:38 PM PST up reply actions
Sorry..can't read PG
There are some guys smarter than me, some guys better looking, I take comfort in the fact that there is no guy that is both.
top 5...
i’d say top 5. there’s plenty of great PG’s out there so i can’t say chris paul is a top 2 ya know. nash destroyed us the other day remember? and he’s like what 40? closer to 50 honestly!! we will take on deron williams in the next couple of plays that’s gonna destroy us too. honestly, reke is a 2 position who can handle the ball – like wade. we still need a true PG and i believe we should get that in the draft this coming year. heck, i’d trade our number one pick to get a good PG on another team!!
and Head doesn't seem to want the shot in crunch time
have you noticed? He wants nothing to do with it. That leaves us with very few offensive options when, as discussed above, DMC is out above the Ft line.
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 Nov 21, 2010 8:21 PM PST up reply actions
I have noticed that
But check out this four game run since Head was placed back into the core rotation: 12 pts. a game in 28 minutes per game on 84%(!) true shooting and 83%(!) Effective Field Goal Percentage. That’s insane for anyone, much less a player that’s in there primarily for his defense.
(The Small Sample Size Institute approves of this statistical analysis)
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
And, he has an almost 5 to 1 assist to turnover ratio.
If he could only dribble the ball better, and was more comfortable in running the offense.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
You need to defend
but you also need more than 3 FGs in the last 5-6 minutes, whatever it was.
Can’t we find a happy medium between losing 110 -105 and this college score?
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 Nov 21, 2010 9:44 PM PST up reply actions
Yes
I believe it would be losing 92-87.
There are some guys smarter than me, some guys better looking, I take comfort in the fact that there is no guy that is both.
by ElRonToro on Nov 21, 2010 10:02 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
I was waiting for that
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 Nov 22, 2010 9:28 AM PST up reply actions
Yes, we could have used Beno in the last couple of minutes on offense
But who’s he going to cover?
Beno is doomed to play when backup point guards like Jordan Farmar are in the game, and he even makes guys like that look like All-Stars.
"But the Kings went in another direction, and that’s today’s reality: a full rebuild, multiple coaching changes, 42 wins in two seasons and a 3-6 start this season. Meanwhile, Ron has a ring and is a key cog on the best team in the league, so I guess it worked out OK for him."
Beno actually looked alright on defense tonight
He was very active.
Author of the Pick and Scroll. Follow me on Twitter here.
That being said, I wouldn't have wanted him on Chris Paul at all tonight.
Author of the Pick and Scroll. Follow me on Twitter here.
The last 2 minutes of the game
it sure would have been nice to have Cisco in the corner shooting those 3’s, as opposed to Donte.
Head was 3 for 3 from beyond the arc.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
Thats why I wanted Cisco to take Dontes spot at the end of the game
I worded that wrong the first time. Cisco has hit some big time shots for us at the end of games the last 2-3 years
But he won't take shots in crunch time
as we discussed above.
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 Nov 21, 2010 9:45 PM PST up reply actions
Is Reke not getting to the ft line a function of his health or the way he plays???
I thought he’d surely raise his 6.5 ftas per game last year to around 8 fta per game this year, just by understanding nba defenses better, how refs make calls, and because he has a better jumper that defenses need to play closer to. Any thoughts on why he’s getting to the line significantly less?
" 1 + 1 = 3 " - David Kahn
Since the Phoenix game (the one where he fouled out)
he has been forcing it into the key a lot less. But I’m guessing that his injury is playing a role.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
The Minny game is when he fouled out.
In any case, I’d bet his lack of aggressiveness has more to do with the injuries than anything.
"If you're going to lead the orchestra, you have to turn your back on the audience." -Geoff Petrie
by AnotherStupidSN on Nov 21, 2010 7:47 PM PST up reply actions
Geoff Petrie is a time traveler.
He tried to warn us of our offense.
by wabut on Nov 21, 2010 7:43 PM PST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
Yea, but what does he know?
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
Yeah -
The Kings have averaged less than 88 points a game since GP made those comments.
(The Small Sample Size Institute approves of the above statistical analysis)
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
PW seems to be giving Cousins play time and development minutes (mistakes ok) that are costing the Kings points on both ends
Makes sense unless the game is close. The play that stood out for me was the Mbenga dunk with Cousins shuffling up the floor. JT appeared to be doubling the ball handler on at least two of the open shots by Smith. Is that bad play or what the coach asked for? He was covering a big on block when pass went to Ariza at end of half. Garcia was standing alone. There were a few stretches in second half when the Kings could have used some fresh legs. Nice to see Donte earn start but Casspi should get some burn. Dally trying to live up to preseason promise to show his scoring potential. Hopefully, that experiment is over soon.
Honestly
It’s good that PW is giving Cousins a lot of burn time. He needs the on court experience to truly develop into a dominant big man. The Kings never had a real shot at a playoff seeding this season, and if the stars had aligned and they snuck into the post season, it would have been a very early first round exit. It’s better to continue developing the young core of Reke/Cousins, accept this season as another painful growing year, and aim for a prolific scoring wing in the draft. I have very high hopes for the Kings and I’ve always had a soft spot for this team, but now is not their time, next year will be the Kings’ breakout year. Book it.
Nicolas Batum is the future of the Blazers
Great effort
Again, there’s always a couple reasons why we can’t pull out these Ws, but some of the progress is encouraging. This is a very good Hornets team and the Kings played them as well as they could. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
And I hope there’s a way to find Omri some minutes. Donte has had two very good games but I wish we could find Omri a chance to contribute. Tough right now, with how well (in comparison to other games) the team is playing, but hopefully he’ll get his chance soon. And if one more person writes something about Omri being in the doghouse I’ll probably hit my head against the wall… repeatedly. It’s just the minutes game, and he’s losing it right now.
Keep it up Kings!
"Children want what they want when they want it." ... Andy Sims
When do we start the Free Omri rants?
There are some guys smarter than me, some guys better looking, I take comfort in the fact that there is no guy that is both.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
by section214 on Nov 21, 2010 10:10 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
We're playing well
so not anytime soon
"Children want what they want when they want it." ... Andy Sims
Omri appears to be taking his DNPs very well.
From the Bee this morning:
Still sitting – After starting nine consecutive games, Omri Casspi is the player who has lost out with Greene back in the starting lineup.
Casspi has had the unwanted “DNP-Coach’s Decision” next to his name in the box score the last two games. He appears to be taking the loss of time in stride.
“Next time (Westphal) puts me in the game, I’ll play hard, play to win like I do all the time, and good things will happen,” Casspi said.
Casspi said he hadn’t spoken to Westphal about his playing time. Westphal said he has an “open door policy” for any player who doesn’t understand his role. Casspi hasn’t taken Westphal up on that.
“I’m a professional,” Casspi said. “Coach made a decision on who he wants to play, and we have to accept that. I can only worry about things that I can control.”
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/22/3202787/kings-notes-greene-bolsters-teams.html#ixzz162bNLwJe
In these times, you have to be an optimist to open your eyes when you awake in the morning.
~Carl Sandburg
I turned on the tube late - the score was 71-68 and I thought it was the end of the 1st half so I kept doing the other stuff I needed/wanted to do
The Kings are putting more effort in on the defenive end and that is a good thing. Donté with 10 boards is good. The frustration in Coach Westphal’s voice is not good.
The charming avuncular cool cat impressing in the post game talks last season is now showing that those grey hairs are well earned and starting fray from running his fingers through them. I would like to see this team settle the eff down. They seem to be disrtracted by playing time, and confused or lost as to who goes where. The Tyreke is going to drive or the get the ball to Landry offense is stale with few opitons.
Better times ahead but it is a rough uphill climb not a steady incremental path.
There were a LOT of rebound opportunities tonight
and we got few of the late ones.
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 Nov 21, 2010 9:46 PM PST up reply actions
I can't wait until Omri gets out of the doghouse.
The problem seems to be his study at the Beno Udrih School of Defense. I always thought the Israelis had a dynamite defense, but I guess Omri just attended the shooting drills.
"But the Kings went in another direction, and that’s today’s reality: a full rebuild, multiple coaching changes, 42 wins in two seasons and a 3-6 start this season. Meanwhile, Ron has a ring and is a key cog on the best team in the league, so I guess it worked out OK for him."
Please take medication at proscribed intervals
doctor’s orders are doctor’s orders.
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 Nov 21, 2010 9:48 PM PST up reply actions
Please keep the starting lineup...
Reke, Luther, Donte, Carl, and Dally….
keep defense a priority.
On the offensive end, I like what they were trying to do, it was just bad execution.
by getPGwithbounce on Nov 22, 2010 12:35 AM PST reply actions
Was it just a couple of months ago when JT seemed like the Kings PF for the next decade...
…and Top Hat was a “nice to have but better him gone than JT”?
Anybody figure out why JT’s been playing so bad? Is it really the playing out of position bit or is there something else wrong with him?
There can only be one Noce!
Well he hasn't really played significant minutes
So I don’t think it’s fair to say he’s been playing so bad. And, yes, for a while when he was playing he was clearly playing out of position
by 8thInningWeirdness on Nov 22, 2010 12:50 AM PST up reply actions
I think this is the big thing is that JT has been thrown around like a football on a sunday..Never knowing where he is gonna play, whether he is gonna play and what his role is exactly gonna be.
Finally Westphal has it in his head that JT should only be used at PF or C positions…not the 3…you wanna use any of the bigs at the 3 it should be Landry..Hes quicker, better outside shot and can penetrate a lot better..now granted his Defense is lacking, and there seems to be way to many good 3’s that I would be scared of him defending.
JT is a very serviceable backup PF/C, just not when he is being jerked around all of the floor.My only problem is most players on our team are just serviceable backups on a high caliber team..My rotation as it would stand right now
Head > Beno (24 > 24) (Heads good D, good shooting vs Beno poor d, good shooting, also it seems offense runs a bit smoother and more passing with head in game)
Reke > Cisco (36 > 12) (Reke’s gotta have the burn here, Cisco can be that good pesky guy against star gurads)
Greene > Casspi (24 > 24) (I like Cisco at the 3, but I think we need him more for backup 2 right now, I think both of these guys need thier chances to show what the really can do..If its a close game towards the end and you need D put Greene in)
JT > Landry (Dependent on need Defense vs O, who they are guarding. 28/20)
Cousins> Dalembert (Dependent on need Defense vs O, who they are guarding. 28/20)
DNP: Jeter, Wright, Jackson
You notice I didn’t put Whiteside in here..Keep it a simple 10 man rotation with minutes as listed with Whiteside rotating in for scrap minutes between PF/C, because if we are really looking at trading one of JT, Landy or Dbert, then we need to get him some time. If we end up trading one and someone hits a rookie wall, or goes out injured, I would like him to have some playing time behind him to get used to the speed of the game.
Founder of team Omté Caspeen
JT > Landry (Dependent on need Defense vs O, who they are guarding. 28/20)
I guess you didn’t see JT get lit up like a Christmas tree last night in minimal minutes.
"But the Kings went in another direction, and that’s today’s reality: a full rebuild, multiple coaching changes, 42 wins in two seasons and a 3-6 start this season. Meanwhile, Ron has a ring and is a key cog on the best team in the league, so I guess it worked out OK for him."
JT got what, 7 minutes? How can you draw any conclusions about his defense in 7 minutes? I do know as a fact that he had as many offensive boards as Landry (in 34 minutes) and Cousins (in 24 minutes), 3 less points than Landry on 9 less shots & 1 less point than Cousins on 7 less shots.
Read above
In his brief stint, JT got posterized by Jason Smith three times and didn’t switch when Ariza hit a three. Giving up nine points in seven minutes isn’t going to keep you on the floor.
"But the Kings went in another direction, and that’s today’s reality: a full rebuild, multiple coaching changes, 42 wins in two seasons and a 3-6 start this season. Meanwhile, Ron has a ring and is a key cog on the best team in the league, so I guess it worked out OK for him."
landry was crap
all night. dmc wasn’t any better. JT should have had 2nd half minutes and i think if he had the kings may have one the game if he had.
the problem with JT and Donte is this – they help out defensively so they give up points to their man. that’s the reality of it. when guys get beat down the lane JT & Donte are both quick to collapse. If you watch Landry, he doesn’t help half the time – he’ll stay out on the perimeter and give up the layup. as a result – he rarely gets in foul trouble and his man doesn’t get open looks – but it isn’t helping the team defense at all.
i’d much rather have JT out there hustling attempting to play D than have Landry not attempting to play D. if Landry isn’t knocking down his shots there’s no reason to have him on the floor.
Landry didn't play well last night
But he’s a much better option than JT, night in and night out. Period.
"But the Kings went in another direction, and that’s today’s reality: a full rebuild, multiple coaching changes, 42 wins in two seasons and a 3-6 start this season. Meanwhile, Ron has a ring and is a key cog on the best team in the league, so I guess it worked out OK for him."
by NewEraKings on Nov 22, 2010 10:22 AM PST up reply actions
not sure if last night was night in or night out
but i don’t understand the logic of a guy being a better option when he is having a bad game. JT outplayed Carl last night and the coach stuck with Carl hoping he’d get going and he never did. In my opinion PW sticking with CL and DMC were the biggest reasons they couldn’t pull off the upset.
maybe i’m wrong but there seems to be an opinion out there that CL is way better than JT. I’m not of that opinion – offensively CL is a better player. But to me I think you have to factor in rebounding and defense. CL is not a good defender and despite his foul problems JT has shown the ability to guard 4s, 5s and some 3s and is a better rebounder.
CL Career #s: 12.3 ppg 5.4 rpg
JT Career #s: 11.4 ppg 7.7 rpg
I don’t think CL has done enough to make him untouchable or that he should be given the 4 spot without question. He’s been struggling most of the year and yet there has been no talk of bringing him off the bench. Not sure why that is.
Last season: Carl vs. JT
As long as we are managing stats, how about comparing per 36 minutes last season?
- Landry: 54% field, 81% line, 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 fouls, offensive rating 113, defensive rating 110.
- JT: 46% field, 67% line, 13.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.6 fouls, offensive rating 106, defensive rating 109.
Landry gives us the low-post presence from a power forward that we haven’t had since Webber. JT’s not chopped liver, either, but on a team with Dalembert starting, you need someone alongside him who can put the ball in the cup.
And Landry should be doing even better if the Kings could do a better job of getting him the ball down low on a consistent basis.
"But the Kings went in another direction, and that’s today’s reality: a full rebuild, multiple coaching changes, 42 wins in two seasons and a 3-6 start this season. Meanwhile, Ron has a ring and is a key cog on the best team in the league, so I guess it worked out OK for him."
He left Jason Smith several times
and the guy made him pay. I still think that Ariza was Cisco’s man. JT was guarding a big right under the basket, said something to Cisco about Ariza but Cisco waved him off.
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 Nov 22, 2010 9:33 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah, mistake on PW's part
JT was hot yet he only got 7 minutes. You got to go with the hot man of the day. Cousins was hapless.
"The wins will start piling up"
I liked Westphal’s postgame comments. You have to like the focus on D. Now if we can just score the ball.
"But the Kings went in another direction, and that’s today’s reality: a full rebuild, multiple coaching changes, 42 wins in two seasons and a 3-6 start this season. Meanwhile, Ron has a ring and is a key cog on the best team in the league, so I guess it worked out OK for him."
Westphal may have figured out the right mix
Lots to be excited about. Luther Head, wow. Donte learning from Darnell in practice how hard to work on every play on the defensive end. Beno coming in more active off the bench because (a) it’s contagious; (b) he realizes it’s the only thing that will keep him out of the Casspi black hole.
It really seems like inserting Head and Greene into the starting lineup moved us past a tipping point, from bad defense to good. And in a related “tipping point” issue, it would be extremely hard in the abstract to determine whether Beno’s defensive problems outweigh his offensive benefits because it really is a multivariable “dynamic” equation. When Beno is in, our whole offense works better — remember, that was the conventional wisdom in pre-season. What is the domino effect from his poor defense? At what point does a weak defensive starter sap the morale of the team’s defense? Hard to figure in the abstract, but I think PW has figured it out through experimentation.
Bottom line: I like this Westphal guy.
Life is every mammal's journey from very very wet to very very dry.
by Holmdel on Nov 22, 2010 6:16 AM PST reply actions 2 recs
It all starts with defense.
If we can hold teams to less than 90 points we will win more than we lose, especially with the offensive abilities of this team. The games against the Nets and the Hornets the Kings’ defense kept them in the game.
I’m glad Westphal has tightened his rotations. It is disappointing it took more than one season to do so.
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