GAME 70 at Houston, Game Thread

by Ziller on Mar 24, 2008 3:58 PM PDT in Game Threads Comment 57 comments

2,000 apologies, my friends, for somewhere between "none" and "mediocre" previews the past week.

Go Kings.

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I need my fix!

You're killing me sir.

by Mikey G on Mar 24, 2008 4:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If you owe us 2,000 apologies

for the lack of game previews... what do they Kings owe us for just completely sucking?

by vfettke on Mar 24, 2008 4:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

On the bright side

They have benched Kenny Thomas for most of the season. That alone was a big gift from the Kings is it not?

by Mityt on Mar 24, 2008 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In Addition

I think K9 owes it to the fans, himself and the entire organization to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent and find a team that better suits his needs.

The NBA Lottery: Where fans turning against their favorite team happens.

by kingme18 on Mar 24, 2008 5:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe this team?

Just an idea.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 24, 2008 5:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not good enough for me

the puppy should be neutered on live television for the final game at Arco this season. then, i might consider it even.

by vfettke on Mar 24, 2008 8:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's not going to come down to match-ups or anything. Not a lot of coaching strategy here. We'll lose, probably big, and if we don't lose, nothing that might have been said in a game preview would have pertained anyway, because it would be flat-out unpredictable.

I would, however, like an injury update...

TickTickTickTickTickTick

by LeaguePassAddict on Mar 24, 2008 4:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Beno and Brad yes, Ron no

per Sam Amick's Blog

Here's the quote:

A brief conversation with Kings coach Reggie Theus led to the discovery that point guard Beno Udrih (lower back strain) will return tonight after a three-game absence and center Brad Miller (right elbow bursitis) will start as well. Ron Artest will not play, although Theus wasn't sure which ailment - knee or elbow - was bothering his small forward.
"You have to ask him," he said.

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 24, 2008 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Update

LP Houston just said Artest will play.

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 24, 2008 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

2,000 apologies are not enough

I want my money back.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 24, 2008 5:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah!

Re-FUND! Now where did I put that reciept...

Mikki Moore in the skills challenge! - LPA

by iashwash on Mar 24, 2008 5:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

lets

get win number 32!!!

by kingsTV on Mar 24, 2008 5:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Kmart shooting better tonight

13 points on 5-6 from the floor in the 1st Q. 26-24 Hou

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 24, 2008 6:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah

he even had a little post up action.

he's becoming quite the dynamic scorer

by kingsTV on Mar 24, 2008 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

There was that article (?) that said he needed to work on posting up for next season and he already is.

by coolcatreportdotcom on Mar 24, 2008 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

artest

is obviously hurting, need to sit him on the bench reggie

by kingsTV on Mar 24, 2008 6:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

And

sit Brad down next to him.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 24, 2008 6:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

ron

is really hurting us offensively and defensively

put salmons and spencer back in

by kingsTV on Mar 24, 2008 6:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Ah,

but is it his knee or his elbow that is hurting us the worst?

God bless you, Corliss. You always played as though you knew how expensive my tickets were. -section214

by KK on Mar 24, 2008 8:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pivotal 3rd Quarter

The Rockets go on dry spells offensively and there could be a possibility they go on one 2night.

The NBA Lottery: Where fans turning against their favorite team happens.

by kingme18 on Mar 24, 2008 6:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

O and by the way

A loss to Houston would send us fishing for the summer.

The NBA Lottery: Where fans turning against their favorite team happens.

by kingme18 on Mar 24, 2008 6:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Or a Golden State win

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 24, 2008 6:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Tanking Making Progress (LOL)

We have clinched no worse than the 13th best chance at winning the lottery.

The NBA Lottery: Where fans turning against their favorite team happens.

by kingme18 on Mar 24, 2008 7:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Officially fishing.

It's the least the Maloof's owed Adelman.

Congrats on becoming the 13th most winning coach in NBA history, Mr. Adelman. Congrats on your current team beating the last team you coached for and whose owners treated, and continue to treat, you so badly.

I wasn't rooting for a Rockets win, but I can't be mad or ignore the irony of Rick Adelman's record coming against the Maloof owned Kings.

I was really pissed at the way the Maloof owned TV broadcast of Adelman's first return to ARCO was handled, given the fans suppport of the former coach on his return. The TV broadcast of that game showed none of the fan support he was given, nor, if I remember correctly, did they ever show a shot of Rick Adelman during the game. CSN's Maloof owned broadcast of the game did a disservice to both Adelman's history with the Kings and the fans appreciation of what he had brought to the team.

The fans appreciate all of the good times and great basketball Adelman and the players gave us.

Was it time for him to move on? Maybe, it was certainly a hot topic at the time and still open for debate (which I am not trying to stimulate).

Surely it could have been handled with a lot more class. Then and now.

I'd still like to have seen Sacramento's team beat Houston's tonight and let that record come against a different team.

But, I can't be mad and I'll always wonder if that was the beginning of the Maloof's losing the luster of being the best owners in the NBA status in Sacramento. Maybe it started earlier, but it's the place that I pinpoint as the beginning. I am probably wrong...again.

God bless you, Corliss. You always played as though you knew how expensive my tickets were. -section214

by KK on Mar 24, 2008 9:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bleh

It was definitely time for Adelman to go - this team was in a precarious decline late in his tenure and I think he had just been here too damn long. There's only a certain shelf life coaches (not named Jerry Sloan) have with their teams.

The Musselman hire was clearly a mistake, but in two or three years, there's a possibility we will be pretty happy with Theus and won't be pining away for Adelman (a guy who still hasn't won the whole enchilada).

Kenny Thomas - uniting Kings fans since 2006

by otis29 on Mar 25, 2008 5:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hasn't won the whole enchilada

I think that criticism it totally unfair. How many championships does Riley have without Magic or Shaq? Jackson without MJ or Shaq? Popovich without Duncan? Sloan? Karl? Nelson? They have zero, right?

You could argue that we should've won in '01-'02, but you could also argue that it was taken away from us. And even so, Webber was not any of the above players.

Hell Sloan had Stockton and Malone, two of the top 50 all time and how many championships did they win? We hear this shit about Adelman, but not Sloan?

Adelman has coached 17 years? and has 800 wins. What's that 47 wins per year? That's pretty fricking good.

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 25, 2008 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Adelman = Great Coach

No question. Rick Adelman has achieved as an NBA head coach, and I'm not taking anything away from him.

But -

With the exception of Sloan and Pop, no current coach has stayed in their current place as long as Adelman did here. He had his run. Also, he slit his own throat here when he publicly stated that he was a free agent and it was up the Maloof's to make him an offer. The Maloof's saw that as disloyal and that was that.

And 1 -

While it was not Rick Adelman that missed all of those free throws in game 7, I can't help but think that had Adelman been on the Laker bench and Phil Jackson been on the Kings bench that we would have won that series. This probably says more about Jackson than it does about Adelman, but I just don't see Phil Jackson losing game 5 on a fluke three and game 7 on the home floor.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 25, 2008 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok

I can't help but think that had Adelman been on the Laker bench and Phil Jackson been on the Kings bench that we would have won that series. This probably says more about Jackson than it does about Adelman, but I just don't see Phil Jackson losing game 5 on a fluke three and game 7 on the home floor.

This is the type of argument that I don't understand. Adelman has never had the chance to coach a Shaq, Kobe, MJ, Stockton, Malone, David Robinson or a Duncan. It comes down to this: Is Duncan > Webber because of the coach or is Pop > Adelman because of the players. I think Phil is a fine coach, but again how many titles has he won without MJ or Shaq?

Swap Webber for Shaq and we win that series. Swap Kobe for Peja, we win that series. Phil for Adelman? Maybe, don't know why we should think so. When has Phil ever won anything where he didn't have at least one player who was the best at his position in the game, and maybe the best at his position all time(MJ yes, Shaq at his peak maybe). What makes you think he would have won anything with the Kings? Is Phil a great coach because of his players or are his players great because of his coaching?

I could argue that the Lakers would've had home court that year if Adelman had coached them, and the series wouldn't have even gone 7 games. I could also argue that Adelman on the Lakers would've kept both Shaq and Kobe happy and the Lakers would've had a dynasty that would be just now starting to flame out. It's all conjecture.

Regarding your 1st "but". I never said the Kings shouldn't have let Adelman go. I agree it was probably time, and Rick didn't help himself any with his closed personality.

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 25, 2008 2:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

My opinion

is just and only that - an opinion. It really has no statistical basis to it. It's just a feeling I have based on watching Jackson coached teams close out games. Your point is valid - it may be more about his players than Jackson himself.

Here's where I can't get past my opinion - I really thought we had the better team in 01-02. Shaq and Kobe may have been better players, but I did not think they were greater than the sum of our parts. Now, this is probably just me looking at things through rose colored glasses (or maybe I have pink eye, I don't know). But given the fact that I thought we had the best team, my opinion is that if you gave Jackson the best team and home court his team would prevail. The argument falls apart for me if the Kings were not the best team, and perhaps they were not.

This in now way diminishes my opinion of Rick Adelman. One can argue who is the best player in the Sacramento era (Rock, C-Webb, Vlade, Peja?). But you can't argue about who was the best coach. RA, hands down.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 25, 2008 3:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They're all just opinions

Which is good. If it were all just facts, we'd post a fact, respond oOo good fact! and move on. ;p

Good points. It may be my Kings Purple colored glasses, that make me argue in favor of Adelman over any Faker coach.

Was our 01-02 team the better team? By regular season record yes and at the time I thought so too. I thought we should've won that series, I just am not ready to lay all the blame on Adelman. I may not be ready to lay blame on any King for that mess, ask me again in another 5 years.

Maybe this is sour grapes, but the best team doesn't get special foul calls, the best players do. See Dallas-Miami finals for additional evidence.

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 25, 2008 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Were we talking about Sloan?

Nope, don't think so...if you want my opinion on Jerry Sloan, feel free to ask - but we are talking about Adelman.

So tell me where I implied that Adelman is a poor coach?

And you can't take those championships away from Riley, Jackson, or Popovich. You're working under the assumption that they couldn't have won without those players - it's completely unprovable one way or the other. You can only look at the results.

Adelman's Kings team choked away a chance to get to the NBA Finals. His Portland teams were immensly talented but never got over the hump. I suspect he will improve Houston considerably but most likely a championship will still elude him.

That doesn't make him a bad coach, but it doesn't make him irreplaceable either.

Kenny Thomas - uniting Kings fans since 2006

by otis29 on Mar 25, 2008 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, the post was not

entirely directed at you. Lots of extra irritation crept in. Just a response to the "can't win the big game" deal that follows Adelman, but doesn't seem to follow Sloan for some reason. That's why I brought him up.

You're working under the assumption that they couldn't have won without those players

No, I'm saying that they haven't won without those players, and that Adelman has never had players of that caliber. Riley had some pretty nice teams in NY, and Ewing was a pretty good player. One could argue that the players surrounding Kobe these last few years are a lot better than those surrounding LeBron but the Jackson coached/Shaqless Lakers haven't done much. Yes, West vs Least. You've got the best player in the game, where's the great coaching?

Regarding Houston: I agree with your take, better under Rick but still no enchilada.

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 25, 2008 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just call me

"extra irritation." ;)

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 25, 2008 4:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not at all

I always enjoy debating with you. Always insightful and insult-free.
The "extra irritation" is just the national perception that Sloan, Karl, Nelson, Jackson, Riley, and Popovich are coaching gods, and Adelman doesn't deserve to be mentioned in that group.

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 25, 2008 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Extra irritation

but...but...but...I've already given that name to somebody else. Will you settle for EI2?

God bless you, Corliss. You always played as though you knew how expensive my tickets were. -section214

by KK on Mar 25, 2008 10:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

On Old MacDonald's farm I was known as EIO.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 26, 2008 7:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

EIO it is!

Time to come up with a more accurate reason for the acronym now.

God bless you, Corliss. You always played as though you knew how expensive my tickets were. -section214

by KK on Mar 26, 2008 7:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

How about

Excellent Insight...Occasionally.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 26, 2008 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

I tend to agree with you on the concept of needing a superstar to win a title. Still, there are plenty of teams with exceptionally good players who haven't won a ring. There are plenty of Hall of Famers who've never won titles. So it's a give and take - you need great players and you need a good coach.

Really, Detroit has been the exception to the superstar rule. The Kings could very well have been the other squad to do so.

And if that theory holds true, we had better start hoping for a little more ping-pong ball luck in the draft lottery.

Kenny Thomas - uniting Kings fans since 2006

by otis29 on Mar 25, 2008 4:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm Kfan

and I completely agree with your post. Love your signature by the way.

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 25, 2008 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Otis, I'm not pining

I got over it a long time ago.

I think the ownership/coach relationship got toxic, for whatever reasons. The Maloofs made a grab for PJ and things went downhill faster from there. That could have contributed to the decline, or it may have had nothing to do with it. Doesn't matter, either way, because it's in the past and can't be redone.

I agree with you on Musselman, and my hopes are pinned on Theus being the solution to a nearly four year old problem with the Kings.

God bless you, Corliss. You always played as though you knew how expensive my tickets were. -section214

by KK on Mar 25, 2008 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Theus

He was handed a pretty damn difficult situation as a rookie coach. I think he's handled it pretty well, all things considered. All the injuries, the suspense hanging around Artest and Bibby as the trade deadline approached, Artest's penchant for coaching himself - it's not like he was handed Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, that's for sure.

The one thing that's bummed me out though is the team was a few games under .500 around midseason and they were so entertaining to watch. The product on the floor now reminds me more of Musselman's squad last season...they are playing hard, but the basketball is quite a bit uglier.

Kenny Thomas - uniting Kings fans since 2006

by otis29 on Mar 26, 2008 6:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

on all points.

I'd love to have some inside info on what is going on in that locker room!

God bless you, Corliss. You always played as though you knew how expensive my tickets were. -section214

by KK on Mar 26, 2008 7:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It appears

that Beno's done for the night.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 24, 2008 6:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

RE: It appears

then why isnt Artest? He looks hurt.

Wait....Why is everybody clapping? Everyone around me is clapping.... I guess I should be clapping too... GO LAKERS!!! I hate living in So Cal

by 27freethrows on Mar 24, 2008 7:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

artest

doesn't get told when to come off the floor

by kingsTV on Mar 24, 2008 7:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

is it really

that obvious when bavetta is reffing a game against the kings?

by kingsTV on Mar 24, 2008 7:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Did you see the official timeout Bavetta called

late in the game to inform Theus that while rolling the ball up the floor stopped the shot clock it didn't stop the game clock?

The Kings were down six with around two minutes left.

On their next possession, I believe they rolled it up the court again while the game clock ticked down.

It almost seemed like he was pleading with the coach not to blow it by using this strategy.

God bless you, Corliss. You always played as though you knew how expensive my tickets were. -section214

by KK on Mar 24, 2008 9:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

our

defense is disgusting

by kingsTV on Mar 24, 2008 7:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

why

aren't we seeing more spencer.

has he even played since the first quarter?

by kingsTV on Mar 24, 2008 7:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Good job hanging around

Just need to keep it close over the next 5-6 mins. then anything can happen.

by Kfan in Korea on Mar 24, 2008 7:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Or

12 minutes away from win #800 for RA.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 24, 2008 7:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

same ol' same ol'

can this season end already

by kingsTV on Mar 24, 2008 7:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Is it just me

or is losing better when Hawes is starting? =s

by kingme on Mar 24, 2008 9:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's not just you

It's the difference between a loss with little redeeming quality and a loss with no redeeming quality.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Mar 24, 2008 9:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Off Topic

Derek Fisher's takedown of Monta Ellis to win the Lakers-Warriors game should be required viewing for the Kings players, especially Beno. Dirty play, yes, but it won the game.

by coolcatreportdotcom on Mar 24, 2008 10:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs