Joerger and his culture
- Thread starter Bricklayer
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Now we just need Barnes to get McLemore playing that way. Actually there have been small flashes of Ben showing some NBA level toughness. He has the physical tools now he just needs to show more grit and grind. The Kings have now guys like Ben, WCS, Skal, and perhaps Malachi that have all the physical tools to be good to very good NBA level defensive players. And due to the teams depth a little foul trouble is OK as long as it is not the key starters.
Ben, Willie, and Skal will never be tough. Never. Toughness is internal. If you have to think about it, you aren't it. Malachi might be able to get there though.
I doubt we do it, but if I was trying to put this team over the top I would say we need two things: one more good scorer to bring off the bench to keep us moving when the starters leave. And one more pit bull to team with Barnes and really give us that flavor.
I doubt we do it, but if I was trying to put this team over the top I would say we need two things: one more good scorer to bring off the bench to keep us moving when the starters leave. And one more pit bull to team with Barnes and really give us that flavor.
Funny how everyone focuses on Ben. Who played gritty defense for the Kings in recent years? Who was a tough guy? Cousins, Evans...... and?
If those words of toughness and grittyness should mean anything, we need Joerger to get under our guys skins.
It wasn't Ben alone, who gave up last season, it was the whole team with Cousins as the only one at least trying to go down fighting and complaining. Everyone else seemingly simply didn't care if we win or lose.
And this includes seasoned veterans that were signed to establish a new culture, teach the right habits or a winning mindset or whatever - we all know all those meaningless pretty words before the season starts well enough.
What's different this year? Nothing outside of Joerger being our coach.
That's the thing. Can Joerger change the mindset of our team. We will see it soon enough.
If those words of toughness and grittyness should mean anything, we need Joerger to get under our guys skins.
It wasn't Ben alone, who gave up last season, it was the whole team with Cousins as the only one at least trying to go down fighting and complaining. Everyone else seemingly simply didn't care if we win or lose.
And this includes seasoned veterans that were signed to establish a new culture, teach the right habits or a winning mindset or whatever - we all know all those meaningless pretty words before the season starts well enough.
What's different this year? Nothing outside of Joerger being our coach.
That's the thing. Can Joerger change the mindset of our team. We will see it soon enough.
Absolutely, and I have stated I am really hopeful coach Joerger can and will right the ship. Both winning and losing are team efforts, or lack of. I would like to see grit and toughness on defense from everyone, not just Ben.
I mention Ben specifically because I would love to see him succeed, and hate the thought of another wasted top 10 pick for us.
I mention Ben specifically because I would love to see him succeed, and hate the thought of another wasted top 10 pick for us.
I can say one thing for sure,
Morale seems to be waaaaaaaaay better than at this point last year.
Happy players are more likely to buy in. Will they stay happy if we open the season poorly? Who knows. But Joerger is far more of a players coach than Karl, that's for sure! And who's to say we might not actually scrap our way to some wins out of the gate?
Morale seems to be waaaaaaaaay better than at this point last year.
Happy players are more likely to buy in. Will they stay happy if we open the season poorly? Who knows. But Joerger is far more of a players coach than Karl, that's for sure! And who's to say we might not actually scrap our way to some wins out of the gate?
I am all for defense and have written about it a lot.
Toughness is something that is hard to "develop" in people. As an example Cousins is a big, strong guy but is used to being able to go through people. He has toughness, but gets easily rattled when defensive players stand up to him. He gets frustrated. If you are going to play with toughness, you have to look forward to the next play. You have to be mentally tougher than your opponent.
The NBA has a long season, and the banging takes a toll on people. It takes a certain kind of person to stand up to all of that.
Larry Bird might be an example of a player with a lot of toughness. He played as a kid against adult men. He was a trash talker, but his mental toughness was at a very high level.
The most intriguing part of basketball to me has always been that it is really mental warfare.
Toughness is something that is hard to "develop" in people. As an example Cousins is a big, strong guy but is used to being able to go through people. He has toughness, but gets easily rattled when defensive players stand up to him. He gets frustrated. If you are going to play with toughness, you have to look forward to the next play. You have to be mentally tougher than your opponent.
The NBA has a long season, and the banging takes a toll on people. It takes a certain kind of person to stand up to all of that.
Larry Bird might be an example of a player with a lot of toughness. He played as a kid against adult men. He was a trash talker, but his mental toughness was at a very high level.
The most intriguing part of basketball to me has always been that it is really mental warfare.
Not necessarily true. Reports were that Cousins' agents were very opposed to the Kings hiring Karl. Put it this way, the chances of them having a good relationship was slim from the beginning. There was never any thought that they'd get along, and all we could hope for was that it wouldn't affect the wins and performance on the court. Nevertheless, the past is the past.
If he'd knocked Blake down and stood over him or walked away that would be tough. He set him down as gently as a baby in a crib on that dunk.
If he'd done a Christie uppercut number on Reddick. I thought Reddick was the tough one on that second sequence - provoking Ben then taking a flop to get the ejection for a non-hard foul. Ben looks like the guy whose brother won't stop poking him so he finally flails his arms and yells "stop it".
Visualize Matt Barnes or Vernon Maxwell or Ron Artest in either of those sequences
If he'd done a Christie uppercut number on Reddick. I thought Reddick was the tough one on that second sequence - provoking Ben then taking a flop to get the ejection for a non-hard foul. Ben looks like the guy whose brother won't stop poking him so he finally flails his arms and yells "stop it".
Visualize Matt Barnes or Vernon Maxwell or Ron Artest in either of those sequences
We are just going to have to disagree here. I think the McLemore foul on Blake was just about right. No need to try to hurt a player. Ben stopped the score and laid Blake out safely.
As far as JJ Redick being tough because he flopped......I don't think so. On that play the Ref's did a poor job as JJ fouled Ben before the flop.
As far as the comparison with those players you mentioned on the Blake play they would have never caught Blake. I also doubt any of the three are fast enough to get around Redick. Maybe go through him but not around. IMO Ben has two more years to prove himself as he is still only 23. By comparison Redick is 32.
As far as JJ Redick being tough because he flopped......I don't think so. On that play the Ref's did a poor job as JJ fouled Ben before the flop.
As far as the comparison with those players you mentioned on the Blake play they would have never caught Blake. I also doubt any of the three are fast enough to get around Redick. Maybe go through him but not around. IMO Ben has two more years to prove himself as he is still only 23. By comparison Redick is 32.
Ben has committed quite a few hard fouls that made me raise my eyebrows because I didn't expect them. He's by no means a tough player but he's not the type of guy who's just going to let the opponent do what they wish because he's too soft. He's basically average in that department.
A guy like Belinelli would have never challenged Griffin on that fast break dunk attempt. That's soft.
A guy like Belinelli would have never challenged Griffin on that fast break dunk attempt. That's soft.
K
Jimmy Butler/Beverly/Carroll/Tucker/Tyson Chandler/Marcus Smart/Avery Bradley/Draymond/Adams/Birdman/Alan Anderson/Bismack/James Johnson/Acy/Crowder/Ed Davis/Tony Douglas/Taj Gibson/Tony Allen/Amir Johnson/MKG/Wes/Marcus Morris/Zaza/David West/Ronnie Price are all tough as nails pitbull types and there's countless others I have missed.
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