Careening Toward Tomorrow: Thunder 113, Kings 107
by Ziller on Mar 3, 2010 8:19 AM PST
in Recaps
116 comments
The wild thing about that score -- all those points! -- is that this wasn't some track meet. Maybe the central actors were exhausted by the time the buzzer rang, but that was more because of repeated slashing by just about everyone in sneakers. This was a game of dribbling, a game of driving. Three players broke double-digit free throw attempts, and the lion's share of shots from the two starting point guards came at the rim. All told, this was a 90-possession game, which damns the defense each squad plays, but also celebrates the efficient offense.
If the Kings had any sort of defensive rebounding prowess, this would have been a win. Oklahoma City shot damn well, but the Kings shot even better, and with both teams limiting turnovers and getting to the line fairly frequently, the game came down to the boards. The Thunder had a big enough advantage, both in winning precious offensive rebounds and keeping the Kings from getting easy putbacks. OKC won some 41 percent of its offensive rebound opportunities. That's impossibly high. Just too high. And it happened up and down the roster, with no King grabbing more than five defensive rebounds. and with five Thunder players grabbing multiple offensive rebounds. (Russell Westbrook, a point guard, and Nick Collison each had four. Collison's came in 21 minutes.)
But there's the problem -- you insert a rebounder, and the offense could falter, and you can't afford to fall behind if the Thunder starts hitting shots. Joey Dorsey is really the only "rebounder" on the team, and he got a touch of burn (seven minutes) but didn't help appreciably on the boards (just two total, giving up at least one OKC offensive rebound). It's a continual struggle for the Kings, even when they are playing well overall (as they have since Friday). And until there is massive internal improvement or an infusion of a big man who can play well on offense, defense and rebound well, it will be a nightly hurdle to be overcome in other categories.
Better defense could be once such category, but we didn't see great signs Tuesday. Westbrook got to the Kings' back line of defense repeatedly, and Spencer Hawes being forced to help allowed Nenad Krstic's entire box score to happen. This isn't to blame the guards solely -- Hawes rarely breaks up imperfect passes (of which Westbrook makes/made plenty), so his help really just forces the driver to make a decision. Westbrook made the right ones. But really, the guards, particularly Tyreke Evans, didn't help a lot on that end. Something about the pick-and-roll defense looked familiar, looked like it has for years. Like the Kings couldn't defend it, or something.
The Kings' own pick-and-roll worked well several times, and the ball movement was generally solid. There was some stalling here and there, but more than half the team's made baskets (of which there were plenty) were assisted. Carl Landry (brilliant on offense, questionable on defense) and Sean May hit their open jumpers, Francisco Garcia and Donte Greene combined for 5-10 long-range shooting, and Evans even went off-ball on a few plays, finding space and a clear(er than usual) path to the basket. The offense worked as it should, even if Evans missed more lay-ups than usual, and even if no Kings were a factor on the offensive glass. (Landry and Omri Casspi each had two. The rest of the team combined for four.)
Plenty to build on. Let's hope Paul Westphal's staff can do as Scotty Brooks's staff has and tighten up this defense.
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i enjoy killing jason thompson
but he would have helped a lot last night. remember the thunder have 4 top 5 picks. we have 1 top 5 pick, two more top 15 picks, and two picks in the 20’s. we don’t need to panic on an overpriced older big man. wait for the draft.
other thoughts: I was not impressed with jeff green when he was drafted but that was before I knew he was the second coming of rashard lewis but with a left hand and muscles…
would okc trade harden for omri right now straight up?
if okc would have taken tyreke who would geoff have grabbed at #4? I am hunching jonny flynn.
and hasheem thabeet and robert swift should go grab a drink
by lchristmas on Mar 3, 2010 8:30 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Yep JT would have help on the boards
Problem is he’s such a f up on offense.
yes they would
would okc trade harden for omri right now straight up?
We wouldn’t of course . . .
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:08 AM PST up reply actions
disagree completely
OKC wouldn’t because Harden fits their team, and I don’t see why we wouldn’t. It would balance our roster better and I don’t see any reason to think Omri’s future is a lot brighter than Harden’s right now.
What we've got here is, failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach.
Agree
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Mar 3, 2010 10:18 AM PST up reply actions
Hardin is a role player
Omri still has a chance to be a starter. A little more strength and endurance is all he needs. He’s a better shooter, faster on the break, potential to be a much better defender . . . .
He’s got much more physical talent and thats why they would make the trade and we wouldn’t.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:25 AM PST up reply actions
Harden's a role player, at 20 years old?
I can’t see any reason to conclude Omri’s a better shooter, his FG% is higher, but 3pt% is within 5 thousands of a point between them, and Harden’s FT% is higher.
As far as defense, no reason to think Harden can’t be a good defender, he already is averaging more steals than Omri. Rebounding is a wash, especially given Casspi’s a forward and Harden’s a guard, 5.1 rebounds per 36 minutes isn’t bad at all for a guard. Harden’s also a significantly better passer.
I don’t see any reason to think Harden can’t grow into being a starter, just like Casspi might. We’ll see how it plays out, but Harden would be a great fit with Tyreke, hits the 3, is smart and moves the ball along.
What we've got here is, failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach.
I like them both
Omri is a better athlete in my opinon. Harden has a good bball IQ. I think they are both going to be nice players. I suspect most of us wouldn’t give up Omri for Harden. Then again, I suspect most OKC fans wouldn’t give up their guy for ours either. It’s not like one is cleary better than the other at this point.
Exactly. I feel that they are close in talent.
But Omri is cheaper, so…
:)
"Thou must give props" - Ice_9ine
by tomroadrunner on Mar 3, 2010 12:12 PM PST up reply actions
I'd take Omri 7 days a week and twice on Sundays
I agree that OKC wouldn’t do it because they have Durant playing 40 minutes at SF and Harden is thus more valuable to them, but I’d much, much rather have Omri than Harden.
Me too
Not sure where Harden gets his offense consistently through his career. Not impressed. He looks primarily outside shooter shooting 39% FG. I think Harden will improve that number, but Omri has been over 50% much of the year, and is admittedly deadly fatigued.
Tyreke eyes were lighting up with Harden in front of him. Harden plays at controlled pace, and makes smart plays, but I don’t see star potential worthy of the #3 pick.
Can you imagine Westbrook and Tyreke in same backcourt? Scary. Sam Presti blew it.
Harden
reminds me of Ginobli with his lefty shot
by lemmetakeutodamovies on Mar 3, 2010 10:38 AM PST up reply actions
Ginobli is a playmaker
a force.
I don’t see that happening for Harden. He’s a complementary SG which is fine but . . . . 3rd pick?
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:52 AM PST up reply actions
Its not Harden's fault he was picked 3rd
its not relevant to how good a career he will or won’t have.
What we've got here is, failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach.
It was more about the Ginobli comparison
which I just don’t see. I also don’t see him as a starter on a good team as I think he’s limited offensively and doesn’t appear to have the tools to be a good defender. Just not the versatile guy that Ginobli is or as is really need to truly compliment Durant and Westbrook at a championship level.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 11:16 AM PST up reply actions
that's all they have in common
I don’t see the ballhandling, driving ability, or defensive skills.
he looks like a one-dimensional shooter – a poor man’s michael redd. not a bad player but not worthy of the #3 pick
I don’t see how westbrook and reke could play together though.
by lchristmas on Mar 3, 2010 10:55 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
So... when are we going to suit Shareef?
GREENE! You’ve been superfluously apostrophe’d! - andy sims
Well... wtf are we waiting for?
We have the technology. We can rebuild him. We… can… make him… better.
GREENE! You’ve been superfluously apostrophe’d! - andy sims
Amick: Tyreke a SG
That’s how he has him listed in tonight’s starting lineup in his preview story for the game tonight. He needed to hit a few of those layups and stop the Westbrook layup drill for us to get over the hump last night.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Mar 3, 2010 8:39 AM PST reply actions
westbrook will be scary scary scary unstoppable
(instead of only 1 scary like he is now) when he works on and gets confidence in his jumper – which he will – look at his free throw stroke
that team is going to be hard to stop for a long time
by lchristmas on Mar 3, 2010 8:52 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Udoka
I think they were saving him for some duty on Kmart tonight.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Mar 3, 2010 8:40 AM PST reply actions
KMart is Udoka's duty?
The crap jokes need to stop CCR :)
GREENE! You’ve been superfluously apostrophe’d! - andy sims
I hate to say it, but on a good team Carl Landry is really a backup in the Corliss Williamson mold
Barring the acquisition of a 7’0" monster defending/shotblocking/rebounding center that can cover his deficiencies, the team will continue to get killed inside and on the glass. I like Landry a lot and appreciate his hustle, but there’s only so much he can do at 6’8" and not a freak athlete.
This Landry/Hawes tandem has to be the worst rebounding PF/C combo in the league, and that’s never going to result in consistent wins. I want to like the KMart trade and the final verdict on that deal will come when we see how the cap room is used, but something’s gotta give.
Indeed
"And I never said I don’t like KMart. I just don’t think the duo is good for the team. They are essentially two of the same player"
Sammyp831.
Some defense by the guards and wings would help
As pointed out elsewhere, it’s hard to rebound when you are constantly switching to cover up the deficiencies of your teammates.
Road game, we lost by six to one of the best young teams in the league. If Tyreke makes a few more layups, we get a couple more boards or stops, we get Landry a few more touches, maybe it goes the other way.
One thing I did like was that we were not so one dimensional in crunch time on the offensive end. If Tyreke didn’t have something, he was passing to Hawes, who was swing ing to Landry for the three man game on the other side. Landry set some great picks for Beno and Beno was hitting the shots, but it would be nice to see Landry get the ball back on some of those possessions. It was also nice to see Garcia drain some threes.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Mar 3, 2010 9:04 AM PST up reply actions
Thank you nbrans
That is exactly how I feel. I have no idea where this magical 7 footer is going to come from.
I love beating dead horses.
Touche
"Thou must give props" - Ice_9ine
by tomroadrunner on Mar 3, 2010 12:14 PM PST up reply actions
Landry can take his game to another level
As I see it. If you look at his improvement so far in the league, he has not level off. His NBA experience is same as Spencer Hawes, although he is 5 years older.
Landry needs to get in better shape this off-season, and he will get more rebounds and get better at help defense. Last night Landry disappointed me he was not more active. I am going to attribute some of this to adjusting to a new system. And some to need to get better.
Positives are footwork, strength, touch, and decision-making are there for makings of effective PF. He boxes out his man and creates space so our offense can hum efficiently. There are better driving and passing lanes the last 3-4 games than we have seen all year. Our wings are recipients.
Remember too we are starting a 6’3" SG in Beno. This is not helping our team rebounding. Insert a Evan Turner or Iggy type SG, a 6’7’ guy who can go in there and collect rebounds, and we can make significant strides to close rebounding gap, barring acquisition of said monster inside-big enforcer type.
Hawes and Landry both make the whole offense better, smoother
Its obvious. Can they do better on the other end? We’ll see but I think Hawes still can. He suffers from a lot of what JT does but in a different way. He also didn’t use his summer to get stronger and it shows. His skill level has improved, its clear he has more upside to him on both sides of the ball if he can find the strength and endurance.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
I don't think we need a 7'0 shotblocking rebounding center
We just need better team defense and team rebounding. Guys need to box out together.
Look at the Rockets, who do they have? Chuck hayes (6’7) and Luis Scola (6’9). They’re good players, but it’s not size or crazy athleticism which makes them get the job done.
Dunking Dutchman
They're fading fast
Good (excellent) team play with inferior athletes only takes you so far
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 11:11 AM PST up reply actions
True
But still, without skill and teamwork, inferior athletes can go a long way. And we have some athletic guys, especially JT and Greene, who still lack the skills to get to higher level.
My point is, if you have a 7’0 shotblocking/rebounding center who gets no help whatsoever from his team, you’re not getting there either.
Dunking Dutchman
Lopez
"Thou must give props" - Ice_9ine
by tomroadrunner on Mar 3, 2010 12:15 PM PST up reply actions
Landry off the bench?
As I watching the game last night, I couldn’t help but thinking that I’d prefer starting Spencer and JT, and then going with Landry off the bench. When Spencer is in the game, the Kings run their offense through him at the high post and the guards dominant the ball. It’s either that or Tyreke going 1 on 5. Landry’s skill set seems to get a bit lost. Moreover, neither Spencer nor Landry are great rebounders.
It’s seems like Landry might fit in better with the second team, where he could be the consistent go to guy. I’m not suggesting that JT is "better" only that Landry might fit in better with the 2nd unit. He could play with JT, Dorsey, or Brockman.
Thoughts?
Landry is already the Kings second best player
That doesn’t doesn’t mean he can’t come off the bench, but I think the better solution is starting him and getting him the ball more.
"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."
by coolcatreportdotcom on Mar 3, 2010 2:37 PM PST up reply actions
what a drop off
What a drop off between Reke, our 20 year old rookie, and our 2nd best player. So far, Landry is an ok scorer and at best an average defender. That reality just bummed me out.
Honestly, I need to see a lot more from Landry to be impressed. His defense needs to improve, and he doesn’t make anybody better on offense. At leat, though, I’ve seen him kick the ball out from the low post to open shooters a few times. To be fair, he hasn’t been here long and probably doesn’t really have a feel for his teammates and their style of play quite yet.
I think it’s going to take a lot more discipline from the Kings’ guards – especially Reke – to get him the ball more in the low post. Reke is not a great post passer. So, let’s hope there is improvement there.
I do think he makes others better
he very quickly kicks it out for a better shot when he’s d-teamed. JT would unfortunately probably force a bad shot.
I think the offense works better when he’s on the floor just becuse he does get quite a bit of respect.
The rebounding is a concern . . .
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 4:11 PM PST up reply actions
JT
With JT in the game he really helps out on the boards. Brockman as well is a big body to help out board in these types of games. Too bad they are both out right now!
I thought the Kings record is now 20-40 but the front page says 19-40. ???
Kings rule! (They are royalty - right?)
JT & Brockman are not the answer
Whatever they would have brought in rebound we would have lost in other areas.
I love beating dead horses.
I suggest some box out drills
That rebounding was just embarrassing. Yes, a number of them just seemed to bounce Okl’s way but . . . that’s not a big team they have. Still, they are a top 5 rebounding team somehow.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:15 AM PST up reply actions
They rebound by Committee.
Blessings.Love.Peace
by lifestyleforthesellout on Mar 3, 2010 10:21 AM PST up reply actions
which probably won't work in a playoff series against a good defensive rebounding team
but we’ll find out in a month or so.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:26 AM PST up reply actions
Already noted, but...
The OKC O boards were killer. I charted their O boards and they only failed to score on 2 of their O board extra possessions. They even had a couple of “3 to make 1” possessions- 2 O boards in the same sequence before finally scoring. Way too many 2nd chance points.
We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been.
where my name came from
I moved to Sacramento in 1990. Before that I lived in LA and was a diehard Laker fan. Today I can not stand the Lakers. Back then the Lakers were thought of being soft and finesse when compared to the Celtics, Pistons, and 76ers and constantly got killed on the boards. So Pat Riley told his team “no rebounds, no rings.”
I think Landry can play the power forward just fine and do not think his defense is all that bad. However when Spence had just 3 boards and he wasn’t exactly going up against D. Howard, that is a concern, especially considering his previous concerns when he played so well. He needs 8-10 boards a night.
Durant is just frigin special. OKC has two special players in Westbrook and Durant and have surrounded them with some nice pieces.
The Kings have one special player in Evans and some very nice pieces. Who will be that second special player? Because to get to the next level, we need that second special player. Is he already on the team? The only player who I think has the potential (and potential is a big word) is Donte and that is a kinda of big question mark.
I have faith in Petrie this summer either through the draft, free agency, or a trade to get that other player.
I know JT would have helped on the boards, but when Landry got the ball down low and was patient and either dunked it or got a easy shot, I know JT would have got impatient and took some ugly shot that would have banked off the glass without a basket.
by noreboundsnorings on Mar 3, 2010 9:13 AM PST reply actions
Scotty Brooks is really to be commended for the fine job he has done with his team.
As you point out, this was really the crux of the game:
If the Kings had any sort of defensive rebounding prowess, this would have been a win. Oklahoma City shot damn well, but the Kings shot even better, and with both teams limiting turnovers and getting to the line fairly frequently, the game came down to the boards.
The Kings played a very good game, but lost it on the boards. That is frustrating, because they have done a lot better with rebounding this season, compared with last season. This does give Westphal something to concentrate on: defensive rebounding. The Thunder just had too many second and third chance shots last night.
To be the best, you have to do your best. Otherwise, you are only second-rate.
Hawes did his rebounding against the Jazz
so now that the heat is off him for a while he can return to rebounding suckatude. He only had 3 boards last night. I was so pissed watching smaller guys taking rebounds away from him like taking candy from a baby.
PW should have called him out right there on the court telling him to immediately go to the locker room and return in a suit and tie.
by KingsFan on Mar 3, 2010 9:17 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
We really needed Hawes' rebounding last night.
To be the best, you have to do your best. Otherwise, you are only second-rate.
So... Evan Turner or DeMarcus Cousins?
JT isn’t good and won’t be good. Anyone with that size, skill and ability who can’t make any shots right under the rim and pouts like a 3rd grader when anything goes poorly has the issue between their ears.
Beno is an integral part of this team but to be a playoff team The Kings need a star at shooting guard as Evans continues to be the point…
So… DeMarcus Cousins or Evan Turner in the draft…? That dilemma would be a great one to have… I’d say Turner if he’s available but Hawes & Landry don’t quite get the boards and Thompson instead of Landry gives you bad D and horrific offense in the paint.
John Wall
Know hope.
Frankly I’m not a fan of either Evan Turner or DeMarcus Cousins. I personally think Turner is really overrated. He’s kind of like Tyreke in that he’s all ballhandling and no shooting, but he’s nowhere near the athlete and doesn’t have that quickness. I don’t think his rebounding is all that impressive considering the dearth of bigs in college right now.
With Cousins, I feel like when you’re drafting in the top 5 I’m comfortable with one fairly large question mark, but not two. Cousins is both an underwhelming athlete and a supposed nutcase. That’s never a good combination.
I’m rooting for John Wall until we lose the lottery.
Evan Turner
is so efffin’ good. Trust me on this. Or don’t, just watch the guy a little closer. He is an amazing ball handler for his size, he knows where to be on the court at all times. He has tremendous anticipation for the ball. He is getting almost 9 rebounds a game playing PG! He is a terrific passer. I would like to see him shoot the 3 pointer better, but his fundamentals are solid. So I don’t see it as a problem. He is not a terrific athlete, but neither is Tyreke. Vertical jump is one of the most overrated skills anyway. I like Turner for his drive to compete too, he plays the right way. Whoever drafts Turner is going to have a cornerstone player for next decade. I hope its us.
He's going to be a very good NBA player
NBA style will improve his game – much like it did for Curry if not exactly the same way.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 11:01 AM PST up reply actions
I actually feel the opposite is the case
In the NBA people are going to pack it in on him and he doesn’t have Tyreke’s quickness and otherworldly finishing ability. I think Turner has more potential than Harden because he’s taller, but no-shooting and no-quickness doesn’t translate to star.
I could still change my mind, but right now I think he’s going to be a bust relative to where he’s chosen.
This is exactly what everyone said about Harden last season
I think Turner will be better than Harden, but I don’t see star. He doesn’t have the athletic gifts. He’s a poor man’s Evans and Roy.
I think he's a lot like Roy, a good comaparison
Can he be that good? Maybe. Roy isn’t athletically gifted either.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 11:39 AM PST up reply actions
Roy is very athletic
He’s not a freak, but he’s quick and can get up. Roy can also shoot, which makes a very big difference.
Tyreke is one of the very few shooting guards in recent NBA history who have approached stardom without being able to hit a jump shot consistently. He can do that because he’s athletic and has world-class finishing ability. Turner doesn’t have the quickness and he has the same problems with his jump shot. In college he gets shots because of his height and ballhandling. I don’t think that’s going to be available to him in the NBA.
I’d actually compare Francisco and Turner in terms of skills, size and athleticism. But Turner doesn’t even have Cisco’s jump shot.
I could be missing the boat on Turner, but he’s one of the players I’ve watched a lot simply because I’ve been so confused why he’s so highly touted. He definitely fills up a stat sheet, but I don’t see how his game translates to the NBA.
Because
. He definitely fills up a stat sheet
like Roy – but we’ll see.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 12:06 PM PST up reply actions
With all due respect
you were criticizing Tyreke pretty harshly from what I recall. So you kind of missed the boat there. Evan Turner has better size and length than Roy, which is a fair comparison. I actually consider Turner a better prospect than Roy.
With all due respect, I wasn't
Here’s my last post on the 2009 draft:
1. Tyreke Evans. If you can imagine a spectrum of John Salmons to Brandon Roy… Evans is somewhere in there. He’s similar to those guys in that he needs to have the ball to be effective. But is he more Salmons, needing to pound the ball and somewhat limited athletically but really crafty penetrating? Or can he be Roy, deadly crunch time player and a killer passer? Tough to say. He doesn’t have great size, but Evans has some serious talent with the ball, he’s got crazy long arms, and he’s athletic enough that I think he’s got the best chance at stardom out of this class of shooting guards. I also really don’t think he’s a point guard.
2. James Harden. In the annals of NBA Draft combine history, the nugget that James Harden scored a higher vertical leap than Dwyane Wade surely does more than anything else to invalidate the entire exercise. Harden has some definite strengths: he’s a surprisingly good finisher, he’s got good all-around skill, he’s a solid passer, and very few bearded players in NBA history have been busts. However, his weaknesses are also manifold: he’s undersized, he’s not that quick, he can’t go right, he’s not a great leaper (sorry combine), he’s not great at creating his own shot, he doesn’t have great elevation on his jumper, and he has an unfortunate last name. Ultimately, when I add up the strengths and subtract the minuses, I’m left with one conclusion: NBA roleplayer. How many undersized AND underathletic guards are stars in the NBA? Honestly. He’ll give you some good minutes, but you’re going to be crying in a few years if you think he’s going to be a star.
Only thing I missed was NaPG, and given that Beno’s starting I might not even be wrong about that.
http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2009/6/11/906644/positional-rankings-or-how-i-still
Here's you from that post
James Harden is going to be a star in the NBA. I think he gets picked #2. One thing he does is change speeds, and use his athleticism when he needs to. It is actually a very subtle skill, Brandon Roy, and LeBraon James are masters at it. It is something a player like Jason Thompson (needs) needed to improve upon, playing with bursts of quickness, to keep defenders guessing, i.e. freeze defender > read defense > attack.
Ha!
and very few bearded players in NBA history have been busts.
I hope you got some love for this at the time.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 4, 2010 8:47 AM PST up reply actions
Tyreke isn't a terrific athlete?
Which King’s team are you watching? He is a great athlete.
I agree too
I think people sometimes miss Tyreke’s athleticism because he doesn’t go flying high in the air most of the time. That’s kind of why he’s such a basketball genius – he uses his athleticism to get away from defenders laterally, not by going straight up.
Let's see...
If , NBA Basketball Player = terrific athlete
And, Tyreke is Na Terrific Athlete
Then, Tyreke Na Basketball Player
Solution: Trade him
To be the best, you have to do your best. Otherwise, you are only second-rate.
Cousins could be a Shaq
If he wants it enough. If he’s on the board and Wall, Favors and maybe Turner are gone I think its a no brainer that he’s the BPA – and you take him.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 11:04 AM PST up reply actions
Shaq didn't want it enough
So that doesn’t make a ton of sense, but I agree with the basic premise of your comment, though I like Wesley Johnson a lot as well.
"Matthews, like so many before, did not expect the Yeti. No one ever expects the Yeti." ~ Ziller
by Player To Be Named Later on Mar 3, 2010 2:16 PM PST up reply actions
Actually thats exactly what I meant
He comes with nearly identical baggage Shaq had, weight, attitude, desire – people forget.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 4:13 PM PST up reply actions
Tyreke and Landry on the Pick-N-Roll
Is it just me… But Tyreke needs to get Landry the ball on the pick-n-roll more. Landry is wide open and Tyreke doesn’t seem to get him the ball quick enough or not at all. Those two could get something going if Tyreke learns to pass it quicker.
Tyreke's biggest passing deficit is to the inside or low post
He generally passes to his right or left and hardly ever to the low post, so yeah I agree.
afraid of TOs I suppose
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:19 AM PST up reply actions
Probably, though he had one really great pass last night.
It was picture perfect over several defenders to Landry at the low post. So, there is progress…
That was nice
It probably wouldn’t have had to be so perfect if he can get them into the post player sooner though.
quicker decisions followed by sharp passes
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:59 AM PST up reply actions
Beno is trying to show him how to do it
he’s been feeding some nice ones to Tyreke especially
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 12:12 PM PST up reply actions
Good summation TZ
I think that pretty well says it. A win with better rebounding. Most definitely.
It was interesting to see the Kings do a lot better defensively in the second half. At least that was my impression.
OKC was shooting some kind of crazy percent in the first half, 67% I think, and the Kings brought that down which was good to see.
Even though the Kings lost last night, that will still an enjoyable game to watch.
Randy Hahn: "I’ve been referred to as a playa…"
Once was enough for me, thank you.
To be the best, you have to do your best. Otherwise, you are only second-rate.
The Sportscenter highlights were all OkC.
Not a single Kings highlight. At all.
W. T. F.
GREENE! You’ve been superfluously apostrophe’d! - andy sims
I saw
a few on Tyreke finishing at the bucket ….
by what_the_crap on Mar 3, 2010 10:23 AM PST up reply actions
I didn't see any, and I was looking for it.
Maybe different versions
GREENE! You’ve been superfluously apostrophe’d! - andy sims
that was on ESPNews
at like 6am. Maybe they added them later on or something.
by what_the_crap on Mar 3, 2010 12:56 PM PST up reply actions
I got two words
Demarcus Cousins! we’re not losing the game with this guy
also where the hell was the D on Durant and Westbrook
What is so hard about boxing out?
Said it before, but how is it possible that our bigs have no idea how to BOX OUT!? It is pissing me off. Honestly, I really could grab 3 boards in an NBA game. (I’m looking at you Hawes). It’s a joke. And it is a teachable skill. Plus, D rebounding is a good portion of good defense.
agreed
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:20 AM PST up reply actions
because
boxing out doesn’t get you on SportsCenter.
by what_the_crap on Mar 3, 2010 10:23 AM PST up reply actions
winning does
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 10:27 AM PST up reply actions
because you can't box out your guy
and try to stop the driver no one bothered to guard at the same time.
What we've got here is, failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach.
And
It isn’t just the bigs. Not just Hawes. I watched and saw that both Evans and Westbrook went under the rim. Both waiting for the rebound and Evans was in position, but did not box out Westbrook. Westbrook got the rebound.
It isn’t just the bigs who can box out and that can do better under the rim. We need to have better play from all the players. This is especially true if you are going to have Spencer at the elbow or high post position.
absolutely right
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 11:05 AM PST up reply actions
It isn't just him though...
We have incomplete players. Way too many are one or two dimensional and we need players who have more to their game. As TZ states, we need bigs who can score, defend and rebound. We don’t have such players yet and they are kind of a scarce commodity.
Casspi has proven he'll be a very good rebounding SF
If he can improve his strength and endurance. He has a chance to be an excellent all around versatile player.
But he’s hit the wall face first.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 11:07 AM PST up reply actions
He's getting too tangled
If you notice when the ball goes up, Landry will body up his man (which is good), but then he doesn’t release off of contact to go after the ball.
There is no reason Landry should not be collecting 8 rebounds a game, not this 5.5 per stuff. I am giving him more time to adjust his starting role, and new system, and teammates. But before long we should be seeing double digit rebounding games as he gets acclimated. True he has never been a big rebounder, but he played on a good rebounding in Houston with limited minutes. Now that he is on a bad rebounding team with more minutes, his rebounding rate should reflect that.
He was the answer last night against the Rockets.
To be the best, you have to do your best. Otherwise, you are only second-rate.
Since the trade deadline, rebounding has been a problem with or without JT
Admittedly, the first 3 games Landry was just getting use to his new team, but with JT and Landry starting the Kings averaged 34 rpg & 37.3 rpg with Landry and Hawes. Overall, since the break the Kings are 6.8 rpg below their seasonal average. On the plus side, Dorsey is rebounding at the same rate as Brockman, but just not getting as many minutes.
The backcourt defense isn’t any better without Martin, maybe if Cisco were starting it would be. Maybe the answer to the pick & roll defense is for the big not to come out and stop penetration. Just pack the lane, at least they’d be in position to rebound on the occasional miss. Because the pick & roll defense is an absolute disaster, the way we play it now.
I think this is the 12th game in which we beat the other team in scoring from the field, but lose the game because we were outscored at the FT line. Team defense and the fact that we have one of the highest foul rates of any team in the league are the major problems right now. And, the fact that Spencer needs to play away from the basket and initiate the offense, because the guards can’t do it on their own, says a lot about our guard play.
I’m not saying that Tyreke won’t get better with more experience and training. It just that at this point in his career, his weaknesses are creating problems in other areas of the overall team performance. And, the same can be said about Spencers rebounding, JT’s post defense and post game, and so many other factors in this young teams development.
I enjoyed the Clipper game, and the Utah game, and the OKC game. And, it wasn’t because of the final scores. I saw good basketball and good effort, and yes I saw mistakes too. But, I’m looking forward to tonights win, and the team getting better each game.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
by HighTops on Mar 3, 2010 12:33 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Landry's great but
There needs to be someone getting boards consistently and that’s his only weakness… Landry and Hawes together means the other team is getting most of the rebounds.
We'll see
If you can get 24 rebounds from your basic 3 man frontline rotation that should be enough and the wings should get you to +/-40. Thats 8 apiece, which we haven’t seen yet but should be possible when JT is back.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 1:22 PM PST up reply actions
The rebounding differential wasn't that bad
OKC had 26 defensive boards, and the Kings had 24. Both teams had very high completion percentages. The big difference in the game was that OKC got a lot of put backs off their misses close to the basket. We just don’t have their athleticism. Plus their backcourt outrebounded ours 7-1 on the offensive glass.
JT isn’t the answer, as someone already pointed out, he’s only averaging about 1.5 more rebounds than Landry at the PF position, but his offense around the basket negates most of that advantage. The biggest let down is coming from the wings. Almost no rebounds from the SG since we lost Martin, Omri’s rebound is down considerably and Donte only seems to rebound well from the PF position. Our bench only averaged a rebound every 8.5 minutes, and OKC averaged 1 every 4.3 minutes.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
No doubt the wings should get more
We haven’t really seen what our Hawes/Landry/JT rotation can do in an extended period though. I’d think they could limit all those O-boards.
Tyreke/Beno combined for 11 boards, which should be good enough on just about every night and was superior to the Thunder backcourt. It was the Hawes/Casspi/Donte’ that really let us down.
And all those O-boards surely contributed to the extra FTs Okl got.
What? You realy think that Collison and Kristic are highly athletic? I don’t.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 2:11 PM PST up reply actions
As for the bench
JT would/should be a part of that going forward to not confuse my point. (or did I?)
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 3, 2010 2:13 PM PST up reply actions
It did confuse me
24 from frontline meant starting 3 backcourt players, then you mentioned wing and then JT.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
I was referring to the
C- PF rotation. Oh well.
Lots of ‘winnable’ games this month, we’ll see how it goes.
So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii
by lietothegirls on Mar 4, 2010 8:49 AM PST up reply actions
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