Predict Win Total 2014/15

[Prince_XY]

You can't be serious I agreed with you till this PDA has to go before Malone.
Pheonix has solid defenders as well as veterans. Fry, Tucker, green, and the Morris twins are all very good players. Unlike the Suns we have 0 defenders well DMC/Gay/Collison are average Suns actually have defenders.

The Kings doesn't have any player on the roster who you can say Handicapped-in-defense. Size is no longer a problem in every position. The BIG HOLE at the backcourt which is the root-cause and start of defensive lapses should be gone - since IT is gone. McLemore is on his second year and should be able to provide decent defense, otherwise he should be gone too.

All players should be able to put up an honest and decent match-up on defense because we have a so-called defensive coach at the helm.

Is Malone just pretending to be a defensive coach?

If he is, then he is no better than Keith Smart and deserves to be fired.

 

[Padrino]

i'm going to be a bit more optimistic than usual and predict 36-38 wins for this team, in the hopes that some continuity between cousins, gay, and the coaching staff will result in a more effective approach to this season's gameplan...

 

[Gary]

36-40.. I will go with the middle of that 38..

 

[Insomniacal Fan]

36 is my guess

 

[Glenn]

I'm gonna say between 41-45,

Cousins will shine this season, cementing himself as an all-star and possible superstar

Rudy i feel has learned alot about who he is as a player since arriving to Sacramento. I feel he's going to make a leap as a player but probably not as much as Cousins will.

No matter what anyone else wants to tell me, i believe IT was selfish, and i believe we are a better team without him. The increased ball movement and peskier defense by DC will reap wonders for this team.

I dont think Stauskas will win ROY, but i believe hes gonna have a great season. The man can knock down an open shot with no problem, and not just that....he's looking to be a damn well rounded rookie from i have seen so far.

Nik and hopefully a better BMac will lead to production from the SG position. It was such a huge negative for us last year...i dont need to explain any further...

Coach malone just settling in and having a fresh season should count for something as well

I could go and on, but the point is we are just a better team this year! I honestly dont think 12 or 15 more wins this season is unattainable and i have not felt that way for awhile with the Kings.


1 more month!!! cant come soon enough!!!!

I agree with you. It depends on how close Nik comes to his potential. He's a good team man and great shooter. Now we get to see if he can show all that in the NBA.

 

[206Fan]

You can't be serious I agreed with you till this PDA has to go before Malone.
Pheonix has solid defenders as well as veterans. Fry, Tucker, green, and the Morris twins are all very good players. Unlike the Suns we have 0 defenders well DMC/Gay/Collison are average Suns actually have defenders.

Who are their solid defenders? Bledsoe is an above average defender and Plumlee is solid..but aside from them, who else?? Goran Dragic is average, but nothing special. They do not have great defensive players on that team. The reason why their D was decent/good last year was because everyone bought into the concept of TEAM defense.

Don't forget that the Kings have vets on this team too. Reggie Evans, Ryan Hollins, Ramon Sessions, Carl Landry, and Omri Casspi. We also have a good talent in Nik Stauskas.

Where's the optimism? If the Kings can just play team defense and commit to defense, we can have success like the Suns. I actually think that their front court is a suspect this year. Plumlee next to Morris? Cousins and our guards should have no problem attacking them.

 

[bajaden]

Not that it matters, but I'm going with 44 wins. I think they'll just miss the playoffs. I'll be extremely happy with anything over 40.

 

[The Hammer]

Not that it matters, but I'm going with 44 wins. I think they'll just miss the playoffs. I'll be extremely happy with anything over 40.

I think anything near 40 and this team sets Sacramento on fire again. Anything near 40 and the optimism about this team will go through the roof. The Suns don't have a Cousins.

How crazy would it be if this team won 50 games and grabbed the 7th seed?

 

[Chupacabra]

Who are their solid defenders? Bledsoe is an above average defender and Plumlee is solid..but aside from them, who else?? Goran Dragic is average, but nothing special. They do not have great defensive players on that team. The reason why their D was decent/good last year was because everyone bought into the concept of TEAM defense.

Don't forget that the Kings have vets on this team too. Reggie Evans, Ryan Hollins, Ramon Sessions, Carl Landry, and Omri Casspi. We also have a good talent in Nik Stauskas.

Where's the optimism? If the Kings can just play team defense and commit to defense, we can have success like the Suns. I actually think that their front court is a suspect this year. Plumlee next to Morris? Cousins and our guards should have no problem attacking them.

Bledsoe, Tucker, and Plumlee are all good defenders. Bledsoe and Tucker are exceptionally good on defense.

 

[206Fan]

Bledsoe, Tucker, and Plumlee are all good defenders. Bledsoe and Tucker are exceptionally good on defense.

I wouldn't call Tucker an exceptionally good defender. He's one of those players who don't have a lot of skills, so they only focus one primary thing in their game. It's like Eric Moreland and shotblocking. Both players understand their role is where I see Tucker. I honestly forgot about him, but I think he's in the same tier as Plumlee. They do not have exceptionally talented above average defenders aside from Bledsoe.

 

[c-webb1s#1]

I think anything near 40 and this team sets Sacramento on fire again. Anything near 40 and the optimism about this team's will go through the roof. The don't have a Cousins.

How crazy would it be if this team won 50 games and grabbed the 7th seed?

if we win 50 games this year...i don't even know...i would probably cry tears of joy every day! Hell ya never know, crazier things have happened lol

 

[c-webb1s#1]

Bledsoe, Tucker, and Plumlee are all good defenders. Bledsoe and Tucker are exceptionally good on defense.

I think the have too many guards and only one basketball. That small ball style of play won't get you anywhere. And lets not forget how well the suns defense will hold up when IT is on the floor...

 

[206Fan]

I think anything near 40 and this team sets Sacramento on fire again. Anything near 40 and the optimism about this team's will go through the roof. The don't have a Cousins.

How crazy would it be if this team won 50 games and grabbed the 7th seed?

I would cry... cowbells will be back, old fans will come out again, there would parties and parades in dowtown, and who knows what else? I think that's a wet dream, but it's a crazy thought. I honestly think that this squad together is capable of winning at least 40 games..Even if the Kings start off the season 3-3, Sacramento would crazy. 50 games is just too much...too much man. I forgot what it feels like to root for a good basketball team again.

 

[The Hammer]

if we win 50 games this year...i don't even know...i would probably cry tears of joy every day! Hell ya never know, crazier things have happened lol

I would cry... cowbells will be back, old fans will come out again, there would parties and parades in dowtown, and who knows what else? I think that's a wet dream, but it's a crazy thought. I honestly think that this squad together is capable of winning at least 40 games..Even if the Kings start off the season 3-3, Sacramento would crazy. 50 games is just too much...too much man. I forgot what it feels like to root for a good basketball team again.

Ok so we got two criers in less than an hour. Anyone else projecting tears at 50?

 

[Warhawk]

I'm thinking that a 10 game increase from last year would be a significant accomplishment and an optimist's "realistic" goal - if there is such a thing. While I would love to see us around 0.500 at the end of the year, I don't know that it would be feasible in the West in one year unless more moves are made. Obviously flirting with the PO would be a dream come true, and I don't see that happening.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

I think anything near 40 and this team sets Sacramento on fire again. Anything near 40 and the optimism about this team's will go through the roof. The Suns don't have a Cousins.

How crazy would it be if this team won 50 games and grabbed the 7th seed?

Phoenix came out of nowhere and won 48 games last year, with less talent and potential than we have this season. It's a long shot, but it's nowhere near impossible, if you get a "snowball effect" going with team play and chemistry

 

[Dreadnought]

Went with 31-35. West is too strong but I'd love to be proven wrong. I just think this team will run into chemistry and identity issues while putting out an entertaining product.

 

[HighFlyingMonkey]

Collison/Sessions/McCallum
McLemore/Stauskas
Gay/Williams/Casspi
Thompson/Landry/Evans
Cousins/Hollins/Moreland

What I like about the roster:

-Strong bench and depth. This is one of the best benches in the NBA. Sessions has been a high-end sixth man and Landry's been a high-end sixth man, which is a great core for a bench. Surround them with a shooter like Stauskas, an athletic wing in Williams, and a shotblocker in Hollins, and I like whats going on here. We've got young guys waiting in the wings like McCallum and Moreland to develop and a proven insurance guy in Casspi in case Williams still hasn't figured himself out yet. Our bench is going to win us some games this year, a lot more than what we could say for the last few years.

-Better shooting. Stauskas is a given, but even Collison, Casspi and Sessions when his feet are set can stretch the floor. I expect McLemore to shoot better this season given his reputation, and there is hope that Williams has improved his marksmanship over the offseason.

-Improved defense. Collison and Hollins, while not worldbeaters, are plus defenders at their respective spots. Cousins made big strides as an anchor for Team USA. McLemore projects to at least be solid on that end.

What I don't like about the roster:

-Lack of third option. Cousins and Gay is a solid duo, but we need someone who can be a top-notch third option. Isaiah, unfortunately, is gone, and right now barring an explosion from one of the younger guys, there's nobody there to pick up that production. The West is far too competitive for that.

-No elite defenders. Up and down the roster there are adequate to solid defenders, but nobody truly stands out as someone who will make his impact on the defensive end. It puts a lot of pressure on Malone to design a defensive system that will have us sniffing even mediocrity defensively. We need a top-end defender to make true strides on that end. McCallum and Moreland could be potentially very good defenders, but they are still raw and probably not ready to make an impact this year.

-Comical imbalance at the starting PF spot. Current contenders for the starting spot: a guy who does one thing at an elite level and nothing else even average (Evans), a guy who is average at pretty much everything and elite at nothing (JT), a guy whose best years have been coming off the bench (Landry), a guy who's never averaged more than 16 mpg in his 8 year career (Hollins), and a rookie (Moreland). FIVE contenders for the spot and none of them starting caliber.

Such a shame that PDA struck out getting a Josh Smith deal done, would have hit two birds with one stone (Starting PF and elite defender). But as constructed, this looks like a .500 team to me. 41 wins.

 

[KingsCitizen]

I'm overly optimistic with 51-55. High possible if DMC don't get injured at all.

 

[King Baller]

I like a ten game improvement from last year also. A fifteen game improvement would have us dancing in the streets

 

[Sluggah]

Honestly I was gonna go all the way up, but there is a limited number of options.

yeah, I figured. smart choice.

officially predicting 42.

 

[Entity]

I am going with 42 wins. That is 14 more than last season. I think we will be better and we lost 14 games last year by 5 points or less.

 

[Bosnian Diehard]

I think the pros and cons of the team heading into the season are about level so I predict a fairly mediocre season, which would be a good improvement for us. 33-35 wins.

 

[Bricklayer]

This is about as tight a bell curve and universal an opinion as I have seen about anything around here.

 

[The Hammer]

This is about as tight a bell curve and universal an opinion as I have seen about anything around here.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[jcwkings]

Phoenix came out of nowhere and won 48 games last year, with less talent and potential than we have this season. It's a long shot, but it's nowhere near impossible, if you get a "snowball effect" going with team play and chemistry

The Suns amassed a bunch of guys that fit together though, 2 dynamic elite dribble penetrators(now 3 with IT) surrounded buy a bunch of spot shooters and defenders. They took what was the "in" thing of late in the NBA (Dynamic PG play, dribble penetration and 3 point shooting) and they bet all their money on it. It got them 48 wins and now they added a 3rd dynamic PG into the mix. That team will be fun to watch for sure with 2 of Dragic, Bledsoe and IT on the floor at all times now. You just will not be able to defend that speed and quickness with traditional lineups, and with a very weak SG position around the league, its not like most teams will be able to punish them for playing two small guards. A league pass bookmark for sure. I get the feeling they will own us this season, with no shotblocking Dragic, Bledsoe and IT will get to the rim at will against us, and you can't expect Ben or Nik to take advantage of a size difference.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

The Suns amassed a bunch of guys that fit together though, 2 dynamic elite dribble penetrators(now 3 with IT) surrounded buy a bunch of spot shooters and defenders. They took what was the "in" thing of late in the NBA (Dynamic PG play, dribble penetration and 3 point shooting) and they bet all their money on it. It got them 48 wins and now they added a 3rd dynamic PG into the mix. That team will be fun to watch for sure with 2 of Dragic, Bledsoe and IT on the floor at all times now. You just will not be able to defend that speed and quickness with traditional lineups, and with a very weak SG position around the league, its not like most teams will be able to punish them for playing two small guards. A league pass bookmark for sure. I get the feeling they will own us this season, with no shotblocking Dragic, Bledsoe and IT will get to the rim at will against us, and you can't expect Ben or Nik to take advantage of a size difference.

That's a matchup, where Collison, Sessions, and/or Ray Mac will be playing a lot together. I'll pick us to go 2/2 against them

 

[Albatros]

2 people think we will get 20 or less wins? Wow. That would be unspeakably bad.

 

[lwc]

It is interesting to me that Boogie has never won 30 games in a season. The Kings MUST get above 30 this season or Cuz may bust some heads. I fully think the Kings will surpass 30 wins on their way towards 40. I voted 36-40 wins. I am thinking 38 wins.

How many games this season are against non-playoff teams from last season?

 

[Albatros]

It is interesting to me that Boogie has never won 30 games in a season. The Kings MUST get above 30 this season or Cuz may bust some heads. I fully think the Kings will surpass 30 wins on their way towards 40. I voted 36-40 wins. I am thinking 38 wins.

How many games this season are against non-playoff teams from last season?

32 I think, I just counted so that might be wrong.

 

[Rockmeister]

I said 25 or less games. I am surprised to see people put down 30 or more wins. We have NO defense.