Courage For the Years of Wandering

by Tom Ziller on Dec 19, 2007 7:39 AM PST in Recaps

1 2 3 4 T
SAC (10-14) 28 24 25 29 106
NJN (10-15) 25 25 28 23 101
BOX SCORE

If you'd been asleep the past year and you woke up to watch that team win that game last night... you'd be pretty curious about what the hell happened to the Sacramento Kings. John Salmons and Francisco Garcia are Options #1 and #2 on offense. Dahntay Jones plays crunch time minutes. Brad Miller's the stalwart defender. Ron Artest takes nothing but threes. Beno Udrih suffers a key late-game injury. Those were your Sacramento Kings last night -- barely a hint of the past there. It's almost a team of mercenaries, moreso than the standard mediocre NBA team. Of those players mentioned, only Salmons and Garcia have a +50% likelihood of being here in two years (depending on whether Miller keeps this up). This is almost a carnival of NBA castaways.

But the guys were more... together than they ever seemed to be last year. We forget, but last year's version had a better start to the year than Reggie Theus' bunch. Last year, the team was just now slipping away from .500. Now? .500 would be cause for firecrackers and wine coolers. Of course, as fans we're in a different place. Under Eric Musselman, we would have seen some rather iffy decision-making in the final minute (Salmons' foul on Richard Jefferson, Dahntay leaving his feet on his own baseline after a big rebound) and cautioned against putting stock in a sloppy victory. Now? A 'reckless abandon, it's good to be the winner vibe' persists. I like it.

Salmons was terrific -- it was almost a Martinesque performance. The early clock threes, the fast-break and otherwise easy buckets to pad the numbers/score... everything but the incessant foul drawing. And you know what? He can do that alongside Kevin. There's no book which says two guys can't combine to take 38+ shots a game. I'm not ready to pawn off Ron Artest just yet... but I'll be excited to see Martin and Salmons reunited in the starting lineup for sure.

I think the number of Francisco Garcia game clinchers is up to three this season. This one was a special treat. Why? The YES Network. Close your eyes and imagine the sound coming from a playoff game on TNT in two years...

Ahem. YES! Thank you.

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Marv

Why'd they let that perv back on TV?

balls to the walls

by kangsfan on Dec 19, 2007 8:02 AM PST reply actions

Listening to this on 1140 last night

As I was driving home, doing what I could to pick up the static-filled game being called on 1140, it seemed unreal that a Martin-less Kings team was doing this well on the road. Garcia's shot? Money.

As the game was closing, Gary Gerould was saying, "that will put the icing on the cake"... followed by, "boy, the German Chocolate tastes great about now!" or something. Hokey, and silly. But good to hear the Kings winning.

Why did the Kings win? The Poodle stayed off the floor. In the just under 4 minutes he was on the hardwood, the Kings had a 5 point deficit. In the 44 he was on the bench? The Kings were up by 10.

Not only did Garcia make 5 three pointers, but he was 7 of 7 from the line. All hail 'Cisco.

Kings-obsessed. A's obsessed. More ramblings: louisgray.com

by louismg on Dec 19, 2007 8:15 AM PST reply actions

Very confusing statistical win.

The Kings were out rebounded by a 14 and out shot 50% to 45%. Nice performance by El Flaco and Salmons. Brad Miller is finally earning his paycheck but I would still like to see Williams instead of K-9; a wins a win.

We are slipping into the NBA abyss.

by jjham15 @ Sactown Royalty on Dec 19, 2007 8:57 AM PST up reply actions

Kenny Thomas rox; yall underestimate him

I am the stone that the builder refused I am the visual, the inspiration That made Lady Sing the Blues..I'm the spark that makes your idea bright...

by pookeyguru on Dec 19, 2007 9:26 AM PST reply actions

Stats

The Kings' record when Kenny Thomas plays double figure minutes in a game so far this season:

3-10 (.300)

The Kings' record when Kenny Thomas plays less than 5 minutes in a game so far this season:

6-2 (.750)

Coincidence?

He can shoot, and he looks great in a suit. Hey, everybody - It's REGGIE TIME!

by dalt99 on Dec 19, 2007 9:44 AM PST reply actions

Update

Make that 7-2 thank you very much.

He can shoot, and he looks great in a suit. Hey, everybody - It's REGGIE TIME!

by dalt99 on Dec 19, 2007 9:18 PM PST up reply actions

yeah, almost

"Salmons was terrific -- it was almost a Martinesque performance."

Well, except that John can actually play both sides of the ball and doesn't constantly leak out. Sorry, TZ, but Martin has never played at the all-around level (offense, defense, rebounding, assists, finishing at the basket with 4 dudes hanging on him) that we've seen from Salmons this year. A couple of weeks ago, I would have to say that Artest has been our best player this year. At this point, I might switch that vote to Salmons.

We have to find a way to keep Salmons on the court 30+ a night. So, when Kevin gets back and is inserted into the starting line-up, Theus has to consider starting Ron at the 4.

What the hell do we do when Bibby comes back?! Ain't enough basket balls for the dudes on this team.

by Kusian on Dec 19, 2007 10:48 AM PST reply actions

pookey's point

I think your statement regarding not enough basketballs has been one of pookey's core reasons for trading Bibby and Artest even if you receive less than perceived value in return - it frees things up for your future players. While I have been on the side of get value or don't trade these guys, I can sure appreciate pookey's thought process.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Dec 19, 2007 11:00 AM PST reply actions

true

Too many good scorers - that's a good problem to have. Seriously, though, it could be an issue. Our two and three guys can flat out score. (And Bibby is basically a 2 as well.) I don't know how you handle things once Martin and Bibby are back. Guess that's why Reggie is getting paid the big bucks.

by Kusian on Dec 19, 2007 11:05 AM PST up reply actions