Kings vs. Mavericks Preview: SEEING STARS
by Tom Ziller on Jan 14, 2012 12:00 PM PST
in Commentary
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Visiting the champs,
soaking in all that success.
Star struck? I hope not.
Sacramento Kings at Dallas Mavericks
6 p.m. Pacific on Comcast SportsNet California
The Kings got roughed up in the second half of the team's loss at Houston Friday. To me, that was a story of four games: the one that the Rockets ran up on early, the Kings' fight back led by Isaiah Thomas and crew, the Rockets repeating their first quarter success in the third and the long, slow close-out by the Rockets. The Kings were near able to replace the big push they had gotten in the second.
The lesson: don't keep falling behind! It's easier said than done, but it happens when the Kings don't seal off the defensive glass. That ruins Sacramento's attack, which is best on the break and secondary break. We have a bad halfcourt offense right now that's still adjusting to and informing Keith Smart.
Unfortunately, Dallas is a good team -- better than Houston, surely -- and the same problems could crop up Saturday. Add in that the Mavericks have an undefendable big man in Dirk Nowitzki and decent backcourt/wing depth (compared to the thin Rockets), and ... yeah, the Kings are going to need much more from DeMarcus Cousins (who was completely taken out of his game by Samuel Dalembert Friday; that was like Battier on Evans all over again), and something from the Salmons-Fredette syndicate.
Game's at 6. Game threads at 6 and 7:30. Let's go Kings!
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Cleveland and Dunkin Donuts
A match made in diabetic heaven.
I miss Big Mike and his Arco Thunder monologue.
by RJinFairOaks on Jan 14, 2012 12:49 PM PST up reply actions
Hopefully this prediction goes the same way my Salmons prediction went
by HeuristicLineup on Jan 14, 2012 12:27 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Jinx Dirk!!!
Never Turn Back - Crush 40
Being a Fan: 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure, 50% pain, and 100% reason to remember the name!
by raiderking21 on Jan 14, 2012 12:46 PM PST up reply actions
Forget about Dirk, he'll probably rest while Odom and Marion go for 40 each.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
Unfortunately I won’t be able to watch this game as I’ll be at the raw house show tonight :( Although maybe that’s a good thing as I won’t have to witness the potential slaughter we might receive from the mavs :/
by CousinsEvansDUO on Jan 14, 2012 12:30 PM PST reply actions
Haha, I have a college friend who was on the news in Dallas
Labeled as Dirk’s “Doppelganger” during the Finals. I’ll have to get him to imitate this picture.
Claremont Mckenna College
Forbes #3 in the West, #12 in the Nation
"Crescit cum comercio civicas"
Throw it around the back so it look fly when I pass//
Just to avoid the block go high off the glass//
I'm killing them out there they gon' have to bring caskets//
This all I hear after the baskets *swoosh*//
by HarveySpecter on Jan 14, 2012 1:33 PM PST up reply actions
The Kings are still one of the worst shooting teams in the league
We’re 29th in FG% at 40.5%, we’re 26th in 3P% at 27.3%, and we’re tied for 1st with Charlotte in Points Allowed.
I have to disagree with you TZ on IT leading anything in yesterdays game. He shot well but 5 assists and 3 turnovers, doesn’t get the team back in the game. And, he only had 1 of the 8 steals that lead to the 22 fast break points that got us back into the game in the 2nd quarter.
The way the Kings are offensively right now, their only chance of winning a game is to get more FGA’s by getting more OFF Rebounds, Steals and FT’s.
We might get the FT’s and depending on how DMC feels we could control the boards, but no way we get the steals and FB pts that we had against Houston. Our only hope is for the 3pt shooters to have their best game of the season.
This will not be a pretty game.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
HT!
I miss your pre-game write-ups!
by MichaelMack on Jan 14, 2012 3:58 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
I read that as
“We’re tied for first with Chandler Parsons Points allowed”
"We're not talking about me and Darko in the same sentence." - Chris Webber vs KAHN!
by caseycheesecake on Jan 14, 2012 4:35 PM PST up reply actions
Yes it has
What a great ending. Shades of TO against the packers.
by Lotusprime on Jan 14, 2012 5:20 PM PST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
I sense another blowout loss looming
Too bad the Kings couldn’t have caught Dallas at the start of the season when they were struggling.
Dallas is still not back, but the problem all season isn't the opponent as much as it is US
PW had 2+ years and we still don’t run a Pick and Roll that’s effective. We don’t run plays to get any easy baskets for our front line. No picks, screens or back cuts in the paint. Even Lowry was setting picks on our bigs to free them up, and we have much bigger guards and don’t use them half as much as other teams.
We need less standing around watching and more bodies crashing into each other and running thru the paint to cause confusion and make the defenders chase our shooters instead of cutting off the passing lanes and crowding the paint.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
Wouldn't that
Necessitate us having shooters? We have a ton of slashers but not many shooters. That said I do agree with your points.
by Lotusprime on Jan 14, 2012 3:31 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I think they would probably shoot a better percentage
If they were taking more open shots, and in the flow of the offense, rather than so many forced jumpers, or 20 foot fade aways.
Agree
Smart’s got the team getting easy baskets in transition, but has a lot of work to do in the half court.
I hope Smart continues his trend with Donte. He’s still to trigger happy from 3, but he’s rebounding and defending well, and I think he’s more of a threat around the basket without the ball than anyone else right now. I also think he’d be the best option to try to slow down Dirk.
You could be right about Donte, and he saw 32 minutes at the 4 in the last game
but, without DMC playing or playing well, Dirk will probably spend more time resting on the bench watching the reserves beating us.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
For some reason I expect Odom to remain scoreless
and continue his slump against our overwhelming SF power since it´s opposite day.
Oh thank goodnes.
"We're not talking about me and Darko in the same sentence." - Chris Webber vs KAHN!
by caseycheesecake on Jan 14, 2012 4:36 PM PST up reply actions
I wonder if Smart is going to start him or bring him off the bench slowly
If he comes off the bench we’d see a great match-up between him and Terry.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
Dirk was my hero last season in the finals.
It did my heart good to watch him win the championships. It would do my heart good to have the Sacramento Kings beat him tonight.
Isaiah, slay the giant.
Asked if the Kings had any intention of trading Cousins, basketball president Geoff Petrie said, "No."
Anyone else have this not showing up on their TV listing?
Been watching football all day and just went looking for the Kings game and can’t seem to find it on Comcast… err Xfinity… errr whatever. Anyone else having this issue?
I hope they don"t beat us to bad!!!!!
by cowboyron96@yahoo.com on Jan 14, 2012 6:02 PM PST reply actions
oops
"We're not talking about me and Darko in the same sentence." - Chris Webber vs KAHN!
by caseycheesecake on Jan 14, 2012 11:09 PM PST up reply actions
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