Zone Defense and Banana Peels

by Slam_Dunk on Jan 19, 2012 4:19 PM PST

Pondering the game
He becomes one with the flow
Seizing the moment
Being behind near the end of a game is like hitting the wall in a marathon - trying to pry loose the ball from a team smelling victory and from opposing fans getting boisterous and jubilant. But what sublime feeling - to keep the pressure on, to keep trying, to push yourself just a little bit longer - to make a game-winning steal. It takes a great player to do that, and despite the way it may look, it is never luck. - From Stuff Good Players Should Know, by Dick Devenzo, original publication date 1983

What happened in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers was unusual for the Sacramento Kings this season, in light of the number of blowouts they have endured. It is even unusual looking back at previous seasons in the Post Rick Adelman era, when the team experienced many close games, losing by just a few points in the fourth quarter. The team just needs to learn to close out games was the usual refrain.

What happened last night was a turn-around of past fourth quarter experiences. The Sacramento Kings were the ones to emerge the victors with the Pacers left to scratch their heads to ponder what had happened to them. Coach Smart used the element of surprise to confuse the opponents with a Zone Defense maneuver. You'd have thought he had thrown a bucketful of banana peels on the floor with the way it seemed to throw off their game.

How many times have the Sacramento Kings been leading a game, only to have the rug pulled out from under them in the last few minutes of the game. The table was turned last night and Coach Keith Smart was a large reason that the Pacers are studying tape of what went wrong today. For a change, it was the Kings who snookered the other guys by a crafty coach.

Could this be the beginning of a new era for the Kings? A coach who operates like a tactician, performing clever maneuvers at critical junctures of the game? It may be too early to assess the workings of the new head coach, but the future looks intriguing.

(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)

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Banana Peels? Wawawawawawawawa!

Also, agreed. Will be interesting to see where this takes us.

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 19, 2012 6:53 PM PST reply actions 3 recs

I'm obligated to rec any Mario Kart reference...

because of all the hours I put into my N64 playing that (and Golden Eye) during my youth.

Dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble...

by The Crown Royal Gentleman on Jan 19, 2012 7:50 PM PST up reply actions

Heh, don't even get me started

On GoldenEye. That and Mario Kart were the same for me too.

Claremont Mckenna College
Forbes #3 in the West, #12 in the Nation
"Crescit cum comercio civicas"

by HarveySpecter on Jan 20, 2012 12:46 AM PST up reply actions

"youth"....sure....

" 1 + 1 = 3 " - David Kahn

by Shizzo on Jan 22, 2012 4:31 PM PST up reply actions

While the zone defense (and subsequent win) are getting Smart the kudos

and deservedly so, IMO, I think we need to also applaud his efforts in getting this team play an actual NBA designed offensive scheme.

Ball movement, off-the-ball movement and spacing are so much better than where we were 2 weeks ago.

I hope KS is the real deal. He’s acquitted himself quite well so far, (even with the ugly results – blowouts) so I think with some time he can get this entire team (not just players, but all the coaches too) working as a cohesive unit, with an actual game plan.

This.

by elfboy_ on Jan 19, 2012 7:28 PM PST reply actions 2 recs

Great post

by SPTSJUNKIE on Jan 19, 2012 7:37 PM PST up reply actions

Keith Smart

Was great. We need a sf like Paul George and I think that’s a playoff team. I’m so glad Smart was picked up, I read that he already agreed to join the Mavs before he joined the Kings. So glad he chose us.

by Chent on Jan 19, 2012 8:15 PM PST via mobile reply actions

Good point Chent

If the Kings start to play better and I don’t know that they will I think we will look back at this game as the turning point. Coach Smart’s press conference last night impressed the heck out of me. He has a plan, a consistent message and understands the process of getting a young team to actually play like a team. There is no player on the Kings with enough skill to win games playing 1 against 5, on any team.

If the players actually learned something in the 4th quarter last night we will see the Kings improve fairly dramatically especially if this is combined with their shooting improving by regressing Up to their previous mean. Isiah Thomas was phenomenal in the 4th quarter but the team offense and team zone defense were even more impressive. Smart’s coaching was masterful and when Westphal was canned we may have lucked into the coach this team has needed since Adelman’s contract was not renewed.

Frances Amthor: I think you're a very stupid person. You look stupid, you're in a stupid business, and you're on a stupid case.

Philip Marlowe: I get it. I'm stupid Farewell My Lovely (1975)

And in this vein I get what I want how I want it because I am the customer. You might want to remember that you thieving scumbag mongrel bitches.

nate21h@evilcowtowninc.com

by Bluejohn on Jan 19, 2012 10:27 PM PST up reply actions