[Grades] Grades v. Pelicans 11/18/2014

[KingsFanGER]

Great hustle, energy and defense by JT. Pelicans switched the lineup to Davis+Anderson and Malone tried to react with Landry, cause JT had his problems guarding stretch-4's. Landry did a solid job so far, but left Anderson open time and time again for no reason at all. Still we could have won it, if we would have taken care of the ball and managed to give the ball to DMC. Loved Casspi once again and was shocked of Stauskas Defense and the time DC spend on the bench.

Again the officiating leaves some question marks for me. DMC posts up, Ajinca stumbles....offensive foul on DMC? Why on earth is it an offensive foul, when you are just stronger than your skinny opponent? I wish they would stop punishing DMC for being physical superior. On several occasions there was plenty of contact in the paint and DMC get's no beneficial call, when he trys to fight through it for the hoop.
Is it just me, or is the officiating somewhat unstable. If DMC uses his brute force to overpower his opponent he gets called for an offensive foul, but if he gets whacked across the arms, the ref's seem to think "This guy is so strong, let him fight through contact....no call!!"

 

[Ugolino]

15 turnovers. Painful to watch.

 

[dude12]

Uh oh Nik to the d league time again.

How about to the bench....the good teams don't play their rookies when they are not ready to contribute. Our 2nd team backcourt defense is killing that unit in just about every game. And I'm a big fan of Ray but he didn't quite do the job either. Probably why the team has looked at Toney Douglass multiple times....they know Nik is not ready.

 

[rexb_kings]

So disappointed last night! This was a very winnable game for the Kings and they blew it again. Defense was non existent pretty much as Kings can't stop whatever the Pelicans ran. That Tyreke teardrop over Cousins and a 3 pointer in the late 4th was a killer though.

Hope this is a learning experience for the young guys ie. Stauskas and McCallum. They were playing for longer stretches than I thought they should be which pretty much changed the momentum towards the Pelcs..Kings had a chance but those boo boo plays (TOs!!) killed us too..grrr...

 

[Chubbs]

The bench is definitely a problem, especially if you play them most of the 4th.

DC's third quarter was rough, and I'm all for freeing Ray (more to see what he can do than a belief he can actually be effective), but not in the 4th. Same with Nik. Very very bizarre sub patterns.

DC is our best PG. I don't care if he sucked in the 3rd. He needed to be out there in the 4th.

Malone got outcoached. Or outrostered. No answer defensively for Ryan Anderson.

 

[TheJewishKing]

Unfortunately, and it already happened this year three times and it is actually pretty hard to pay attention to due to the fact that the Kings opened the season really well but the Kings main problem is the fact that they are shooting their own feet, Kings are usually opening the game really well and jump to early major lead against their opponent team but for some reason the Kings are struggling to maintain this lead and end the game as winners.
I am not sure yet if it's because of lack of experience or just taking the foot off the gas, but Kings have to do something about it, 3/5 from our losses this season were after leading by major gap over the teams we faced, and yet the Kings still found a way to lose, and it's a shame since we could have these games in hand, but we weren't able to keep them in our hands.

Since the season is still young I believe that the Kings have to find out why they keep blowing up huge leads and eventually come up short, they can figure out what is the reason for it and handle it, there is lots of talent in this team and it would really be a pity if we lost games like these.

In this particular games, the two players who were really decent was Demarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi, both were playing hard and cashing in opportunities to score, Cousins was a beast with 24 points and 17 rebounds, he really showcased once again why he is one of the best big men in the league if not the best of them.
Seemed like he really matured since his last season with the Kings, and the childish attitude he had in the past is almost entirely gone, I reckon that he finally realized his role in the team as a leader and was able to grow up.

Omri Casspi has been the spark for the Kings pretty much since the season started and it was not different this game as well, he finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds and was really affective and efficient, he was not afraid of the bigger AD and took the ball to the hoop against him and was able to lay it in, he was decent for the Kings in the clutch moments, but eventually it was not enough for the Kings squad to mark a W.
I really enjoy watching the confidence coach Malone gives in Casspi and his willingness to play Casspi on crucial minutes for the team, Malone was proclaiming earlier that Casspi is a hustle player that every team wants and needs.

 

[Chubbs]

Some nice quotes in here. Echoing what many have said here.

DeMarcus Cousins: "It started on defense. We just completely broke down. We gave this team life tonight. We had them down early and we had them where they were out of it. And we just gave them life. Let Ryan Anderson get going and we knew from the beginning, his ability to stretch the floor. So we just didn't play our scheme the way we were supposed to and we gave this team life."

http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2014/11/19/7246471/demarcus-cousins-discusses-Pelicans-loss

 

[kingsfan1984]

If JT is playing well than we need to play him and Cuz together regardless of match ups, the Grizzlies do this all the time, they never change Marc/Z-Bo if they are playing well together(they had Z-Bo defending Ariza), I rather have Cousins chasing a slow footed Ryan Anderson on the 3 point line (with his 7'5 wingpsan) and letting Rudy/JT rebound the ball inside. You just have to tell Cousins stick to Ryan Anderson if we wanted JT on Davis (which was working). Why should we be the ones changing I would put my life on the line and say Anderson would have far bigger issues defending Cousins than Cousins would chasing him around the perimeter. It's not like any of our other big men could do a better job guarding a stretch 4 like Anderson (who has zero dribble drive game). Anderson is not exactly Paul Milsap who can devastate you off the bounce either, taking guys out who are playing well just does not seem like the answer.

Team's can downside all they want but that mean's we are going to kill them on the glass and in the paint at the other end. We have to play to our strengths and atm Cuz/JT have shown when not fouling out to be a very decent combo on D and JT had some offence going 2night as well.

Very few of the "stretch 4's" can put the ball on the floor (Bosh/Milsap/LMA/Morris twins thats about it) and go around Cousins or Thompson, all it is, is paying attention to detail and understand the guy want's to shoot and you can't help off him. I don't get why people are so scared of them teams like Memphis punish stretch 4's it's like in MMA they say punch a Brazilian jujitsu black-belt in the face he turns into a white belt, well let Cousins and JT hammer a stretch 4 in the paint and lets see how good there shooting %'s are and if they can even stay in the game.

I agree 100%. If a team goes small against your bigger guys, there is a mismatch on the other side of he floor. Also, if the foot speed of your bigs is your big concern, there is this thing called a zone that can help with that.

One thing I noticed, which was probably a result of collison not getting in game, was there was a number of possesions where Anderson was gaurding Cuz in the post and the kings didn't go right at him! That is would be what to look for to punish the small ball lineups against you.

Why is it that other teams have nooooooo problems getting our defenders to switch at the mere threat of a screen? A couple of slow motion off the ball screens with Anderson and there guard "forced" nik to switch to anderson in th post, after which anderson became Dirk Nowitzsky. Is it only our guys that get switched this easy? if so why do we not used these novel things callled screens off the ball and movement? Seems like other teams players are also able to move quickly when they don't have ball in their hands which seems to make our defense work, all our guys. Meanwhile, our guys like one play where two guys, each on the corner 3 spot opposite each other, causually change places with each other and thats all we got which when that tough play is defended well its time for a rudy iso play?

 

[kingsfan1984]

very bothered with a few low IQ things, starting with our players seemingly lack of understanding of what andersons and davis's games are all about offensively. The offensive problems we had, with lack of ball movement and rudy failing to exploit a size advantage are understandalbe. But NOT the defensive effort/IQ. Davis is De Andr Jordan for the most part. He wants the alley oop or offensive tip....sooo simply keep your body by his to defend lob and box him out. Simple. Anderson wants to shoot a set 3...soooo maybe stay near him Landry. A wide open anderson 3 is a better shot than a contested flip in traffic. Simple. This speaks to me of our team not taking things seriously and a lack of focus and preperation. Did they not have a scouting report? Don't they watch film and as a team who wants its reputation to be a DEF one, don't they gameplan how they are going to gaurd player? It's not like what the pelicans did was anyting complicated or new to what they have done all year and last.

 

[SacKings384]

Well, I dunno how to put this but..........

I know the "D League" isn't exactly know for its "D" but he needs to learn the fundamentals and he needs to be out there playing against guys that are quicker and stronger than him in games that don't particularly matter. He goes in for 10 minutes, gets burned, and sits back on the bench. He's not learning. He goes to the D-League, gets burned, but gets 30 minutes of PT and gets to get some shooting confidence going it's going to work better for him. Just my opinion. Reddick and Korver did improve without going to the D-League, so maybe Stauskas can too.

 

[Glenn]

Our players need to get to know each other. While the Spurs core players may know when their team mates are inhaling and exhaling, we are not even close. It takes time and fortunately, other then Ben and Nik's lack of experience, I think we have a group of guys that are a good start. Now let's keep them together awhile. I think Malone's use of platoons is one way of keeping guys together who know each other on the court. It isn't the greatest way of using the players but I think there is a reason for the platoon sub pattern.

The last thing I want to see is wholesale trading. The players need stability.

 

[lawlman91]

Our players need to get to know each other. While the Spurs core players may know when their team mates are inhaling and exhaling, we are not even close. It takes time and fortunately, other then Ben and Nik's lack of experience, I think we have a group of guys that are a good start. Now let's keep them together awhile. I think Malone's use of platoons is one way of keeping guys together who know each other on the court. It isn't the greatest way of using the players but I think there is a reason for the platoon sub pattern.

The last thing I want to see is wholesale trading. The players need stability.

On your last sentence. I agree completely.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

I would almost like to see Malone run a Sessions/McCallum bench backcourt until Pete brings someone else in. Nik is just giving us nothing on offense and killing us on defense. He needs to hit the weights big time.

Or run a 3 guard rotation like a lot of coaches do.

He's really gotta stop with the Hockey style sub patterns

 

[Glenn]

On your last sentence. I agree completely.

Good. I bumbled around with the first paragraph and all I wanted to say was in the last sentence. Patience, folks.

 

[bajaden]

He has a tough time staying in position with the stronger players, which Gordon is. It's not so much the speed, it's strength and weight. He's still a "college kid" right now. Give him time to physically mature

I totally agree! I'm the grader for Stauskas in this game, and despite what some are saying, can anyone tell me how many times Stauskas got beat off the dribble by Gordon? Please tell me, because I have my notes handy and know every single play that occurred between Gordon and Stauskas. Nik's problem wasn't getting beat off the dribble, and I don't call getting screened, getting beat off the dribble. Any player can be screened and if you don't think so, then I'm done talking to you. Stauskas biggest problem is strength. Gordon simply bulled his way to the basket on the occasions he actually got to the basket. I'm amazed how there are those that want to pick on the easy target of Stauskas, who actually for the most part had a decent game, are the same people that aren't jumping up and down over who left Anderson wide open, and I mean totally uncontested, for one three point shot after another. At least Stauskas contested every shot by Gordon. Two of them with a hand right in his face. Last time I checked, tackling isn't legal.

Now I don't want to be put in the position of defending Stauskas, but at the same time, I'm not going to sit by and see him made the sacrificial lamb when he's hardly the reason we lost this game. We lost the game because no one defended Anderson, we made far too many unforced turnovers, Rudy Gay decided that he was singlehandedly going to rescue the team, and every time JT went out of the game our pick and roll defense went down the toilet. In essence, it was a team loss!

 

[kingsfan1984]

I totally agree! I'm the grader for Stauskas in this game, and despite what some are saying, can anyone tell me how many times Stauskas got beat off the dribble by Gordon? Please tell me, because I have my notes handy and know every single play that occurred between Gordon and Stauskas. Nik's problem wasn't getting beat off the dribble, and I don't call getting screened, getting beat off the dribble. Any player can be screened and if you don't think so, then I'm done talking to you. Stauskas biggest problem is strength. Gordon simply bulled his way to the basket on the occasions he actually got to the basket. I'm amazed how there are those that want to pick on the easy target of Stauskas, who actually for the most part had a decent game, are the same people that aren't jumping up and down over who left Anderson wide open, and I mean totally uncontested, for one three point shot after another. At least Stauskas contested every shot by Gordon. Two of them with a hand right in his face. Last time I checked, tackling isn't legal.

Now I don't want to be put in the position of defending Stauskas, but at the same time, I'm not going to sit by and see him made the sacrificial lamb when he's hardly the reason we lost this game. We lost the game because no one defended Anderson, we made far too many unforced turnovers, Rudy Gay decided that he was singlehandedly going to rescue the team, and every time JT went out of the game our pick and roll defense went down the toilet. In essence, it was a team loss!

Stauskas is not the problem here. He isn't a strength right now but not the problem either. I also don't see where people are getting the "can't stay in front of his man" thing. I see him stay in what I see good position and able to usually contest shots on him. A number of times, Gay forced Nik to switch onto Anderon because gay didn't want to fight around the screen to stay with his man, crating the mismatch. Gay would leave his man to get the guy coming around the screen (laziness or he is injured, but not first time so i think lazy) so Nik has no choice but to switch.

I think Nik has been the victim of a lot of terrible fouls on him where on the replays I just don't see the foul. Usually the offensive guy is initiating the body contact and they whistle Nik. Im not seeing others getting whistled for that, especially the opposing team defender on Cuz and Gay, they are not getting called for being "physical."

 

[ppine]

J Reynolds put the light on the two soft spots for the Kings on Offense: turnovers are too high and assists are too low.
Defense was the issue last night. It is really tough to contain Davis, but the Kings had no answer for Andersen. The team did not react. I would hang that loss on Malone for never figuring out how to stop him.

Bright spots were rebounding, Cousins in general, Collison, and Casspi driving to the rim like a madman. Ray is learning to play defense. Stouskas is not.

 

[Iced Espresso]

Now Williams is terrible, but he is much more athletic than Anderson, once Anderson got hot they should have put Williams on him.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

I would almost like to see Malone run a Sessions/McCallum bench backcourt until Pete brings someone else in. Nik is just giving us nothing on offense and killing us on defense. He needs to hit the weights big time.

Or run a 3 guard rotation like a lot of coaches do.

He's really gotta stop with the Hockey style sub patterns

One dilemma for Nik, is that he needs to workout hard and gain strength/weight, but in the process of doing that, you can lose some touch and feel on your shot for a while. His greatest capability is his shooting.

There's only so much weight lifting that an NBA player can realistically do during the season. As a result, his strength and weight is going to come on very gradually, as in a couple years...not a few months

 

[Sac.Kings]

 

[kingsboi]

So many head scratchers in this game...should of not lost this game. I'm not sure why they decided not to play any defense tonight, Davis must of had at least 5 dunks in this game, and we know how much Malone hates easy points. Second, all of a sudden Ben can't shoot again? Third, why was Collison out for so long in the fourth quarter and then inserted at the four minute mark I believe? still trying to comprehend that one. Fourth, why was Anderson open all game as he was shooting for warm ups? at what point do you say enough is enough? sigh...I saw this in the first half and kept mentioning how they played so out of sorts on the defensive side it was just a matter of time before they started knocking down shots. Good lord Nik was being attacked like a piece of meat in a shark tank...it's rough watching him out there right now, have to do something about that.

 

[Chupacabra]

This loss pisses me off more than the Dallas and Memphis losses. This game absolutely wreaks of all of the bad Kings teams of the last few years. You can't go out and and collapse in the 2nd half on national tv, at home, against a team that you can and maybe should beat. Where did the consistent defensive effort go? Do good defensive teams give up 61 points in a half at home? Do they give up 49% shooting at home to a team that isn't top tier? It makes me wonder whether things have really changed all that much. Prior to this game I would have said they have, but this performance is indicative of a bad team.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

This loss pisses me off more than the Dallas and Memphis losses. This game absolutely wreaks of all of the bad Kings teams of the last few years. You can't go out and and collapse in the 2nd half on national tv, at home, against a team that you can and maybe should beat. Where did the consistent defensive effort go? Do good defensive teams give up 61 points in a half at home? Do they give up 49% shooting at home to a team that isn't top tier? It makes me wonder whether things have really changed all that much. Prior to this game I would have said they have, but this performance is indicative of a bad team.

i agree. I really hope this game was an aberration and not an indication of the team we will see for the rest of the year. But either way, Pete really needs to get us a couple guys that can at least make it so we arent getting outscored by 5-10 points EVERY time DMC goes to the bench

 

[pshn80]

This loss doesn't worry me. As others have said we're improved but we aren't there yet. Take the good and build on it. We are a very potent team at our beat but keeping our best on the floor a lot has been hard. Ben last year was horrible basketball player. He is improved but not nearly there yet. Nik has great potential but is a negative factor now. Cuz doesn't play enough. Gay is tweaking how hard to push his talents. Our bench has has played too many minutes. The coaches are still learning what can be expected of their rotational guys. Sort of fun watching the development, more fun when it works well.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Eh, I would say that there are differing values of 'worried'. I'm not worried about the loss in the abstract, because I know that I would have gladly taken 6-5 after eleven, back in September. However, comma, the way that we lost is problematic. From my point of view, aside from opening night, our losses seem to have a lot in common, and I'm wondering how many times we have to lose in the same fashion before we learn from our mistakes?

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Gay is questionable again for tomorrow, DMC and JT are probable

 

[Bricklayer]

Gay is questionable again for tomorrow, DMC and JT are probable

One of maybe 3 true national TV games we are scheduled for -- I'd eat my hat if Cuz missed it.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

One of maybe 3 true national TV games we are scheduled for -- I'd eat my hat if Cuz missed it.

What are the other 2? i thought this was the only one, not counting NBATV games

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

We've got at least one more TNT game, but I don't remember the opponent off the top of my head. The Rockets, maybe?

EDIT - Yes, we host the Rockets on TNT on Thursday, Dec. 11, and then we host the Thunder on the Worldwide Leader the following Tuesday. Our only three 'true' National (big N) games are all right together. For that matter, so are pretty much all our national (little n) games on NBA TV, not counting however many Fan Night votes we can win.

We have seven scheduled national TV games, and six of them are within a month of each other.

 

[Bricklayer]

We've got at least one more TNT game, but I don't remember the opponent off the top of my head. The Rockets, maybe?

EDIT - Yes, we host the Rockets on TNT on Thursday, Dec. 11, and then we host the Thunder on the Worldwide Leader the following Tuesday. Our only three 'true' National (big N) games are all right together. For that matter, so are pretty much all our national (little n) games on NBA TV, not counting however many Fan Night votes we can win.

We have seven scheduled national TV games, and six of them are within a month of each other.

After which time the media powers that be fully expected us to be finished for the season and just playing out a depressing lottery season. So I hope we give them a raspberry -- there actually are games added and changed late in the season. If we can stay in the hunt, would not be surprised if we got a few more added from Feb onward.