KingsFans.com Official Game Thread
Game 7
Sacramento Kings at Oklahoma City Thunder
By Stephen Tetsu, Also on the Thunder's Injury Report with a Pulled GroinGame 7
Sacramento Kings at Oklahoma City Thunder
Ummm... Foul?
Is it safe to exhale yet?
Thus far into the young season, we’ve seen the Kings win tight games, ugly games, and a blowout. And now, to add to that smorgasbord of victories, we can add a double overtime slugfest in which Demarcus Cousins fouled out at the end of the fourth quarter, Rudy Gay was sick with the stomach flu, Ben McLemore wound up being our most effective player in crunch time, and Wile E. Coyote caught the Roadrunner with absolutely no issues.
There’s really not much more I can say about Demarcus Cousins at this point because he’s quite simply better than anyone else out there on the court unless their name is Lebron James, Kevin Durant, or Anthony Davis. He’s simply in a league of his own now, a goddamn ten eyed spaghetti-haired spider monster that comes out at night and eats the neighborhood pets. I know that made absolutely no sense but it’s only because Boogie is indescribably good. I mean, the dude had an off night and dealt with horrid officiating and still wound up with a meager 25 points and 18 rebounds. ON AN OFF NIGHT.
Meanwhile, Rudy was apparently puking his guts out, though we couldn’t tell because he certainly played with a lot of them in the overtimes. Rudy’s simply one of those dudes who could suck for the entire game but you’d still want the ball in his hands with the game on the line. Like the Lebrons and Durants occupying his position, Rudy was born with the clutch gene and he displayed with a turnaround jumper to put the Kings in the lead for good.
I’ve honestly never heard an announcing crew in any sport **** as much on one guy over the course of a single game as the Suns crew did on Ben McLemore, which of course made Ben’s overtime takeover all the more satisfying. And really, when your team drafted Alex Len in the same draft, you really have no room to talk. If Ben’s problems are all mental then what does that make Alex Len and his inability to not foul anyone when he’s on the court? I’ve long considered Eddie Johnson a poo-eating dumb-guy and to see him get his comeuppance in the form of a Ben triple from the corner in crunchtime made my day even more enjoyable.
Elsewhere, the Isaiah Thomas revenge game wound up being rather anti-climactic, with IT's attention being drawn away by a death in the family and the two starting point guards for the Suns both playing like they were possessed by the soul of Kevin Johnson. In total, the guy played 17 minutes, barely scored, have four assists, and airballed a shot that would have won the game at the end of regulation.
But, overall, this game was a real roller coaster, the first three quarters being relatively dormant as the Suns asserted relative control of the game. If you have the game recorded and still haven't seen it, just skip ahead to the fourth and enjoy the ride, fully knowing the result. In the meantime, I'm still gonna need a few stiff drinks.
Awards Time
Tony Delk Memorial Award- Miles Plumlee, who is a solid big man but usually not 15 points, 16 rebound solid. Honorable mention goes to PJ Tucker, who had 16 off the bench.
Mikki Moore Award- Gerald Green has become a pretty good basketball player but he didn't really get to show it against the Kings, instead limiting himself to 6 points on two of six shooting from behind the arc. Way to make the most of those minutes, highflier.
Jason Hart Award- Is there any question who's winning this?
Mateen of the Game- Demarcus Cousins, who, after fouling out, made sure that his coach didn't earn a crucial technical that would have put the game in the hands of Phoenix. Good benchmanship, Boogie.
WTF Moment of the Game- Demarcus fouls out on an incredibly spotty offensive foul with the game on the line and we still win. So really, both overtimes.
The View From the Other Side
5:40 Let's get this one!
I pick up Sacramento radio station KTHK where I live, and they seem very eager for this game, to see how far along the Kings have come.
5:49 let's win it
Tucker should hopefully be on Rudy so who’s shutting down Cousins??
5:50 I don't think we need to shut Cousins down, just make him work for it and make him do it alone.
Sorta how we played LAL back in 2007, letting Kobe work and get his while everyone else starves.
5:56 Murdering time for IT
5:58 I'd honestly be very surprised if we win tonight.
The Kings are a ghastly combination of big, strong, quick, and foul-attracting. Just the kind of team meant to foil our playoff plans.
But in Thomas I trust… let’s get it!!
6:00 The best way for Thomas to prove that the Kings screwed up by letting him go would be for him to get 18 assists tonight
Half of them to either Dragic or Bledsoe.
Thomas playing hero ball again isn’t going to cut it for me even if we win.
6:24 16-3 run in 3:25
love this offense. And the defense is sneaky good. Keep it up!
6:27 so glad we didn't take mclemore
even though I wanted him
6:29 Kings commentators are really good
No bias at all, calls the game as it is, really appreciative of the Suns assets and mangement
6:29 Len going one on three in the lane may not be our most effective offensive look.
6:32 Rudy Gay looking like the player he actually is
Mostly ineffective volume chucker
6:36 see you guys
Dragic is tearing it up, so IT rides the pine. Doesn’t matter that this is his former team. We ride the hot hand
6:37 36 point quarter
me like
6:38 Faith in Jeff Hornacek restored.
He realized that Goran does his best as the primary ball handler, with no other PGs on the court. Adjusted minutes of players accordingly.
6:40 Soooooooo, Goran getting more time at the point and being @solid@ like he always is when he plays at the point.
Beautiful ball movement between EB and GD in the 1st. Just gorgeous.
Horny keeping IT on the bench for Green. Interesting!
6:42 Plumlee is playing solid defense on Cousins.
6:47 It's still funny how much I wanted Ben McLemore last year.
This year? I will choose Nik Stauskas over him every time.
6:55 IT3 is the weirdest player ever
he has some of the most effective play in the league at the PG position in terms of numbers and gets many assists, yet usually a unit struggles just a bit when they are with him at point… why is this happening?
6:55 we've done a great job on gay/cousins so far...keep it up
only reason they are in this is cause they have made 4 more free throws
7:00 The Wild Wild West!
Because of last year, and the way the west is this year, it’s hard not to feel like every game has playoff implications, and the season just started! Wow.
7:03 My idea or Kings play soft defense?
7:04 So Cousins is a foul magnet now.
7:09 cousins has as many free throws as our entire team
7:10 Even the Kings announcers want Zoran to play!
They just split-screened him and Goran.
7:11 Apparently it’s Suns vs Cousins free throws. Damn it seems like a winnable game and still a close score…
7:13 Just shutdown everybody else and force Cousins to beat us.
7:19 If Archie can score 29 on Sacro, why's he not playing tonight?
7:28 l wouldn't call Ben garbage
but I do find it interesting that they drafted stauskas, who basically provides the same role.
7:31 I wonder if Kieff feels pain when Marcus falls
7:38 keeps feeling like suns are poised to open this one up. hope they can push it to double digits and hold off any more sactown runs
7:41 Might as well caption this game, "game of runs"
Suns go on a 6-0 run then allow the Kings to do the same
7:44 The Kings are getting back into it by neutralizing Kieff.
Wait what?
7:45 IT is just a catalyst
Plum playing very well too
7:49 I know Reggie Evans can board, but giving up 78 offensive rebounds on one possession is pathetic..
7:53 Reggie Evans against Goran is death for the Kings.
7:54 Bled and Goran have hit the magic number of 16, we ain’t losin
7:57 Lesson of the Day: Goran good with ball. Give Goran ball. Suns win when Goran has ball.
8:06 Caspi has some of the most awkward motions I've seen from an NBA player.
From his shot to his dribble to his hesitations to his turns… just awkward.
8:07 With a win tonight, we pass Sacramento in the standings. I don't remember ever saying that before.
8:08 Take IT out
8:12 IT completely slowed the game....
8:12 Aaaaand
Boom just like that a tie game
8:14 Cousins should get T
8:16 Nobody is in a rythm of what their minutes and substitutions are and ...
so they dont understand when to pick up or not .. since they dont have a feel / rythm of the game…
8:17 The Kings are for real and we are being lazy right now.
COME ON GUYS LET’S GET THAT LEAD BACK
8:20 if Cousins get fouled out, that is really good... really, really good
8:21 This can't be a good idea having Tucker on Cousins
Our bigs must really suck and then Tucker needs to box out three people for a rebound.
8:21 Who can defend this beast ?
8:22 This sucks !
8:24 Something is seriously wrong with this team's rebounding.
I know the King’s are a respectably good opponent, but this game should have been buried a quarter ago.
8:25 FOULED OUT BYE BYE COUSINS
8:26 let's just say if i were a kings fan i would be livid
8:26 Honestly though, props to Cousins.
Kid has grown so much, gonna be a superstar.
8:26 I'm such a hypocrite when it comes to flopping.
BUT SCREW IT GO PAY THAT FINE MOOK! YOU GOT COUSINS OUT!
8:27 Bad call, just a good, hard screen. Boogie has really matured
8:28 oh god. missed wide open bucket
i’m pooping myself.
8:28 IT game winner please
8:29 Put IT in for the kill
8:30 Would have been so awesome to see IT win it against his former team
8:31 OT without Cousins? Should be interesting..
Then again we don’t have kieff either.
8:32 Was that last play just make IT look bad so that he doesnt ask for minutes anymore ?
8:33 Look, Boogie's out.
We have a great chance of winning since Boogie’s out and we still have Hydra, Tuck and Mook.
8:33 it's k guys
overtime and cousins is fouled out. They can pull out the win
8:34 Amazing to see how much of a difference Cousins makes
8:35 What if we trade for Cousins and send IT back ..
would be pretty sick
8:35 Suns. Just Taking over
the final run is the SUNS RUN
8:37 Rudy Gay: 9 points, 4/18 shooting.
Wow, was that all Mook/PJ there?
8:40 I think IT needs to handle the ball here
Dragic is still off and Bledsoe gets too cute with the ball.
8:41 Sometimes it looks like we’re so f*ckin confused on offense. Everyone just standing there, while Bledsoe dribbles until he turns it over
8:42 Yeah whatever
3-3 after tonight
8:42 I dunno what I'm more scared about
Whether Horny is drawing up these terrible plays or whether Bledsoe is ignoring the coach and running his own terrible plays
8:43 Game on the Line ...
It would be a really bad loss….
8:44 Im stunned at our ineptitude with leads. This is just comical. Hornaceck needs to coach much better if we are to make the playoffs.
8:46 The Kings are practically giving us this game.
If we don’t win this…it’s like neither team wants to win.
8:46 I really don't wanna watch this 2nd overtime
8:50 ...yeah! leave the scoring to Rudy Gay!
8:51 Please Kings keep giving Rudy Gay the ball
8:53 BLEDSOE
PLEASE DO THAT INSTEAD OF DRIBBLING
8:53 I just don't understand our plays
It’s like we have no plan out there.
8:54 our offense is horrendous
8:55 good game guys
Congrats Kings, you deserve it more than us
8:57 oh thank goodness Darren Collison is a mediocre FT shooter
8:57 Horny should have realized by now that Dragic and Bledsoe's roles needs to be reversed
Dragic has no shot, Bledsoe can’t dribble or pass without turning it over. Have Bledsoe be a catch and shoot guy and let Dragic create.
8:57 Bledsoe costed us this game. Isaiah not performing also doesn't help.
Everyone else played well enough for us to win.
8:58 At this point I hope we just go for a three to win.
Either we miss and we don’t have to watch this or we win and don’t have to watch this.
8:59 Well, **** effort.
Can’t beat the Kings without Cousins. That’s just pathetic.
8:59 NIGHTMARE !!!
KINGS BEAT US ON OUR HOME COURT …
9:00 3-3.
9:00 This one's on coach too.
Some terrible plays. Stubborn. Wrong decisions. You name it.
Not the end of the world, but we haven’t looked our best in any game this season.
9:01 Too scared to watch Sunday vs Warriors
We’re gonna get slaughtered.
9:02 Let's dial it down a notch. This thing was a war. Blame what you want, but NOT the players' effort.
Goran and Bled were out there 46 and 42 mins. Marcus and Plumlee 41 each. They gave it all they had.
9:03 No way we should’ve lost this game with Cousins being out for the 2 overtime periods. Just awful offense in the overtimes.
9:05 bledsoe was terrible, isiaiah was inside his own head, too passive early on
we should have put our Kingslayer in, Archie Goodwin. you can tell he hates mclemore
9:04 worst loss in the hornacek era
You get a 7 point lead in OT, you gotta close it out.
You cant score 11 points in the 4th quarter.
Bad coaching, bad turnovers, its gotta be better than that if you want to be a playoff team.
9:07 I want to cry right now.
Seriously, that was hard to watch. There’s no reason they should have lost that game.
I’m starting to have some doubts now about this team. I really hope they can right the ship.
9:07 Goran has to be the primary ball handler, the ball just sticks to Bledsoe when he has it. Too much overdribbling, not enough early offense. Taking a shot with less than 5 secs left on the shot clock on every possession isn’t a great formula for success. The Kings without Cousins for 2 overtime periods should not be able to beat us. Just a terrible, terrible loss. At least Miles and P.J. played to win in the overtimes, and please don’t foul out again Kieff cause without having you to bail us out on bad offensive possessions with tough shots with the shot clock running down, this is what happens.
9:09 Can't believe Suns lost this game
Considering they had no Cousins for the 2 OT’s.
9:09 team is too balanced.
need a focal point on offense. right now its nobodies team. didnt know who would btaking the final ots
9:18 Pecking order has to be made clear in the locker room now.
IT has to lead the 2nd unit. Everything else remains the same as last year.
9:26 Dream run seems to be over ......
Its going to get super challenging in west.
The bottom teams UTAH and SAC are also playing like champs this year. If we don’t turn it around within next 5 games, it will already get difficult to make playoffs.
We have to compete with:
Warriors, Rocktes, Spurs, Clippers, Mavs, Grizzlies, Blazers, Kings, Thunder (when they’ll be healthy), Pelicans.
With 11 Playoff teams, the west seems much tougher than last year’s!
It looks like the Jazz, Wolves, aren’t consistent enough for a playoff spot this year, but they can bite you in the ass on any given night.
Only the Nuggets, Lakers has a long way to go.
9:42 Every win is the greatest and every loss is the end of the world.
9:59 Why are we relying on IT so much
WE have enought talent in rest of the team to beat this SAC team. So IT or no IT, we should have won this one.
10:50 Kings adjustment, attack the rim changed everything
Midway through the first quarter, the Kings called a time out and attacked the rim. I counted every possession after that but two were layups. It changed everything. Even though we had an 11 point lead, they attacked over and over. All we could do was give up layups and fouls which they converted. This was the biggest turning point in the game. We have no interior defense and every team knows it. It is early in the season but how are these players going to become someone who can shut down points in the paint?
I pick up Sacramento radio station KTHK where I live, and they seem very eager for this game, to see how far along the Kings have come.
5:49 let's win it
Tucker should hopefully be on Rudy so who’s shutting down Cousins??
5:50 I don't think we need to shut Cousins down, just make him work for it and make him do it alone.
Sorta how we played LAL back in 2007, letting Kobe work and get his while everyone else starves.
5:56 Murdering time for IT
5:58 I'd honestly be very surprised if we win tonight.
The Kings are a ghastly combination of big, strong, quick, and foul-attracting. Just the kind of team meant to foil our playoff plans.
But in Thomas I trust… let’s get it!!
6:00 The best way for Thomas to prove that the Kings screwed up by letting him go would be for him to get 18 assists tonight
Half of them to either Dragic or Bledsoe.
Thomas playing hero ball again isn’t going to cut it for me even if we win.
6:24 16-3 run in 3:25
love this offense. And the defense is sneaky good. Keep it up!
6:27 so glad we didn't take mclemore
even though I wanted him
6:29 Kings commentators are really good
No bias at all, calls the game as it is, really appreciative of the Suns assets and mangement
6:29 Len going one on three in the lane may not be our most effective offensive look.
6:32 Rudy Gay looking like the player he actually is
Mostly ineffective volume chucker
6:36 see you guys
Dragic is tearing it up, so IT rides the pine. Doesn’t matter that this is his former team. We ride the hot hand
6:37 36 point quarter
me like
6:38 Faith in Jeff Hornacek restored.
He realized that Goran does his best as the primary ball handler, with no other PGs on the court. Adjusted minutes of players accordingly.
6:40 Soooooooo, Goran getting more time at the point and being @solid@ like he always is when he plays at the point.
Beautiful ball movement between EB and GD in the 1st. Just gorgeous.
Horny keeping IT on the bench for Green. Interesting!
6:42 Plumlee is playing solid defense on Cousins.
6:47 It's still funny how much I wanted Ben McLemore last year.
This year? I will choose Nik Stauskas over him every time.
6:55 IT3 is the weirdest player ever
he has some of the most effective play in the league at the PG position in terms of numbers and gets many assists, yet usually a unit struggles just a bit when they are with him at point… why is this happening?
6:55 we've done a great job on gay/cousins so far...keep it up
only reason they are in this is cause they have made 4 more free throws
7:00 The Wild Wild West!
Because of last year, and the way the west is this year, it’s hard not to feel like every game has playoff implications, and the season just started! Wow.
7:03 My idea or Kings play soft defense?
7:04 So Cousins is a foul magnet now.
7:09 cousins has as many free throws as our entire team
7:10 Even the Kings announcers want Zoran to play!
They just split-screened him and Goran.
7:11 Apparently it’s Suns vs Cousins free throws. Damn it seems like a winnable game and still a close score…
7:13 Just shutdown everybody else and force Cousins to beat us.
7:19 If Archie can score 29 on Sacro, why's he not playing tonight?
7:28 l wouldn't call Ben garbage
but I do find it interesting that they drafted stauskas, who basically provides the same role.
7:31 I wonder if Kieff feels pain when Marcus falls
7:38 keeps feeling like suns are poised to open this one up. hope they can push it to double digits and hold off any more sactown runs
7:41 Might as well caption this game, "game of runs"
Suns go on a 6-0 run then allow the Kings to do the same
7:44 The Kings are getting back into it by neutralizing Kieff.
Wait what?
7:45 IT is just a catalyst
Plum playing very well too
7:49 I know Reggie Evans can board, but giving up 78 offensive rebounds on one possession is pathetic..
7:53 Reggie Evans against Goran is death for the Kings.
7:54 Bled and Goran have hit the magic number of 16, we ain’t losin
7:57 Lesson of the Day: Goran good with ball. Give Goran ball. Suns win when Goran has ball.
8:06 Caspi has some of the most awkward motions I've seen from an NBA player.
From his shot to his dribble to his hesitations to his turns… just awkward.
8:07 With a win tonight, we pass Sacramento in the standings. I don't remember ever saying that before.
8:08 Take IT out
8:12 IT completely slowed the game....
8:12 Aaaaand
Boom just like that a tie game
8:14 Cousins should get T
8:16 Nobody is in a rythm of what their minutes and substitutions are and ...
so they dont understand when to pick up or not .. since they dont have a feel / rythm of the game…
8:17 The Kings are for real and we are being lazy right now.
COME ON GUYS LET’S GET THAT LEAD BACK
8:20 if Cousins get fouled out, that is really good... really, really good
8:21 This can't be a good idea having Tucker on Cousins
Our bigs must really suck and then Tucker needs to box out three people for a rebound.
8:21 Who can defend this beast ?
8:22 This sucks !
8:24 Something is seriously wrong with this team's rebounding.
I know the King’s are a respectably good opponent, but this game should have been buried a quarter ago.
8:25 FOULED OUT BYE BYE COUSINS
8:26 let's just say if i were a kings fan i would be livid
8:26 Honestly though, props to Cousins.
Kid has grown so much, gonna be a superstar.
8:26 I'm such a hypocrite when it comes to flopping.
BUT SCREW IT GO PAY THAT FINE MOOK! YOU GOT COUSINS OUT!
8:27 Bad call, just a good, hard screen. Boogie has really matured
8:28 oh god. missed wide open bucket
i’m pooping myself.
8:28 IT game winner please
8:29 Put IT in for the kill
8:30 Would have been so awesome to see IT win it against his former team
8:31 OT without Cousins? Should be interesting..
Then again we don’t have kieff either.
8:32 Was that last play just make IT look bad so that he doesnt ask for minutes anymore ?
8:33 Look, Boogie's out.
We have a great chance of winning since Boogie’s out and we still have Hydra, Tuck and Mook.
8:33 it's k guys
overtime and cousins is fouled out. They can pull out the win
8:34 Amazing to see how much of a difference Cousins makes
8:35 What if we trade for Cousins and send IT back ..
would be pretty sick
8:35 Suns. Just Taking over
the final run is the SUNS RUN
8:37 Rudy Gay: 9 points, 4/18 shooting.
Wow, was that all Mook/PJ there?
8:40 I think IT needs to handle the ball here
Dragic is still off and Bledsoe gets too cute with the ball.
8:41 Sometimes it looks like we’re so f*ckin confused on offense. Everyone just standing there, while Bledsoe dribbles until he turns it over
8:42 Yeah whatever
3-3 after tonight
8:42 I dunno what I'm more scared about
Whether Horny is drawing up these terrible plays or whether Bledsoe is ignoring the coach and running his own terrible plays
8:43 Game on the Line ...
It would be a really bad loss….
8:44 Im stunned at our ineptitude with leads. This is just comical. Hornaceck needs to coach much better if we are to make the playoffs.
8:46 The Kings are practically giving us this game.
If we don’t win this…it’s like neither team wants to win.
8:46 I really don't wanna watch this 2nd overtime
8:50 ...yeah! leave the scoring to Rudy Gay!
8:51 Please Kings keep giving Rudy Gay the ball
8:53 BLEDSOE
PLEASE DO THAT INSTEAD OF DRIBBLING
8:53 I just don't understand our plays
It’s like we have no plan out there.
8:54 our offense is horrendous
8:55 good game guys
Congrats Kings, you deserve it more than us
8:57 oh thank goodness Darren Collison is a mediocre FT shooter
8:57 Horny should have realized by now that Dragic and Bledsoe's roles needs to be reversed
Dragic has no shot, Bledsoe can’t dribble or pass without turning it over. Have Bledsoe be a catch and shoot guy and let Dragic create.
8:57 Bledsoe costed us this game. Isaiah not performing also doesn't help.
Everyone else played well enough for us to win.
8:58 At this point I hope we just go for a three to win.
Either we miss and we don’t have to watch this or we win and don’t have to watch this.
8:59 Well, **** effort.
Can’t beat the Kings without Cousins. That’s just pathetic.
8:59 NIGHTMARE !!!
KINGS BEAT US ON OUR HOME COURT …
9:00 3-3.
9:00 This one's on coach too.
Some terrible plays. Stubborn. Wrong decisions. You name it.
Not the end of the world, but we haven’t looked our best in any game this season.
9:01 Too scared to watch Sunday vs Warriors
We’re gonna get slaughtered.
9:02 Let's dial it down a notch. This thing was a war. Blame what you want, but NOT the players' effort.
Goran and Bled were out there 46 and 42 mins. Marcus and Plumlee 41 each. They gave it all they had.
9:03 No way we should’ve lost this game with Cousins being out for the 2 overtime periods. Just awful offense in the overtimes.
9:05 bledsoe was terrible, isiaiah was inside his own head, too passive early on
we should have put our Kingslayer in, Archie Goodwin. you can tell he hates mclemore
9:04 worst loss in the hornacek era
You get a 7 point lead in OT, you gotta close it out.
You cant score 11 points in the 4th quarter.
Bad coaching, bad turnovers, its gotta be better than that if you want to be a playoff team.
9:07 I want to cry right now.
Seriously, that was hard to watch. There’s no reason they should have lost that game.
I’m starting to have some doubts now about this team. I really hope they can right the ship.
9:07 Goran has to be the primary ball handler, the ball just sticks to Bledsoe when he has it. Too much overdribbling, not enough early offense. Taking a shot with less than 5 secs left on the shot clock on every possession isn’t a great formula for success. The Kings without Cousins for 2 overtime periods should not be able to beat us. Just a terrible, terrible loss. At least Miles and P.J. played to win in the overtimes, and please don’t foul out again Kieff cause without having you to bail us out on bad offensive possessions with tough shots with the shot clock running down, this is what happens.
9:09 Can't believe Suns lost this game
Considering they had no Cousins for the 2 OT’s.
9:09 team is too balanced.
need a focal point on offense. right now its nobodies team. didnt know who would btaking the final ots
9:18 Pecking order has to be made clear in the locker room now.
IT has to lead the 2nd unit. Everything else remains the same as last year.
9:26 Dream run seems to be over ......
Its going to get super challenging in west.
The bottom teams UTAH and SAC are also playing like champs this year. If we don’t turn it around within next 5 games, it will already get difficult to make playoffs.
We have to compete with:
Warriors, Rocktes, Spurs, Clippers, Mavs, Grizzlies, Blazers, Kings, Thunder (when they’ll be healthy), Pelicans.
With 11 Playoff teams, the west seems much tougher than last year’s!
It looks like the Jazz, Wolves, aren’t consistent enough for a playoff spot this year, but they can bite you in the ass on any given night.
Only the Nuggets, Lakers has a long way to go.
9:42 Every win is the greatest and every loss is the end of the world.
9:59 Why are we relying on IT so much
WE have enought talent in rest of the team to beat this SAC team. So IT or no IT, we should have won this one.
10:50 Kings adjustment, attack the rim changed everything
Midway through the first quarter, the Kings called a time out and attacked the rim. I counted every possession after that but two were layups. It changed everything. Even though we had an 11 point lead, they attacked over and over. All we could do was give up layups and fouls which they converted. This was the biggest turning point in the game. We have no interior defense and every team knows it. It is early in the season but how are these players going to become someone who can shut down points in the paint?
Tonight’s Game
Soooooo... yeah
Nothing can kill your momentum like a perennial favorite to go to the NBA Finals. Kevin Durant is probably player 1b in any list of the best talents in the NBA today and Russell Westbrook is an explosive number two guy. A hard nosed defensive squad under Manteca native Scotty Brooks, this is going to be our biggest test yet.
Buckle up folks, this is going to be one hell of a ri-
Wait, what's that you're telling me? Durant and Westbrook are injured? Well, we still might have to deal with Perry Jon- Wait, he's out too? Well, who's on the Thunder then???
As of their last game against the Grizzlies (a game which they almost won, by the way), the Thunder were trotting out a Reggie Jackson/ Jeremy Lamb/ Lance Thomas/ Serge Ibaka/ Steven Adams lineup, which is a team missing two of the best players in the NBA and now starting a guy who only played five games as the Pelicans' third string SF last season as their small forward.
Essentially, the one position grouping relatively unaffected by the disasterous injury bug epidemic is the team's big men. Now his team's best player, Serge Ibaka has pretty much become an offense first player struggling to get one block a game. In his second year, Steven Adams is only meh but still better than Kendrick Perkins, who is pretty much big and nothing else. But considering how every other position on the team is pretty much down to its third or fourth option, the big men tree of the Thunder is relatively full.
Meanwhile, Reggie Jackson is still trying to prove he is a starter in the league, much to the chagrin of his teammates, who would rather play cohesive team ball than the junky heroball Jackson keeps attempting to steer the team to during games. Oh and Sebastian freaking Telfair is their current backup point guard, to further paint a picture of their dire situation.
But let's not pretend it'll be an east win. Oklahoma City has great fans and it's always been a tough place to win, even before the Thunder became good (i.e. when P.J. Carlissimo coached them). To beat them and extend the magical streak the Kings will have to show up and play tough. Feed the monster.
Match-ups
Thunder versus Injuries- Anymore and they'll just start pulling dudes out of the stands.
Demarcus versus anybody- Try to stop him, I dare you.
Ramon Sessions versus Ramon Sessions.
Final Thoughts and Prediction
Let's keep this streak going. Play the Thunder tough and strong, try to outlast them (they only have like seven players so it can be a war of attrition). I'm thinking a Kings win 101-98. Nothing will come easy for us.
Go Kings!
PS. This things are harder to write at three in the morning.
