[Game] Kings vs Blazers - Tuesday, Jan. 1 - 6:00PT/9:00ET - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Unless our coach is totally blind by what many see in WCS maybe he can finally try a different approach after we blew the last two games.

Maybe we can give ochefu and Gabriel a few minutes with the team. After tonight if Giles can stay out of foul trouble I find it hard for him to not get some serious playing time going forward.
We have thought that in previous games with no luck. At this point I will believe it when I see it.
 
The thing is, there were several times to rest in those 13 minutes because of time outs and other commercial breaks.
Sure, but that’s true for every quarter long stretch of a game but teams still typically sub guys out after that much consecutive in game run. Especially the Kings who play guys in 8-10 minute stretches and then sub them out. Plus, Harry isn’t exactly accustomed to those runs.
 
That’s a very bad thing. After a day off? Already gassing out less than halfway into the year?

This team is spiraling.
Thank God my vacation is over after today and I will not damage my health no more by waking up or staying up till 4-5 AM in the morning to watch Kings game, like I did all this year, it's not good for my health.

I got my hopes really high pretty much after this last December stretch, but after last few games meh, but still gonna believe.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
That’s a very bad thing. After a day off? Already gassing out less than halfway into the year?

This team is spiraling.
De'Aaron is playing injured
I don't think Bogi is still fully in in-season mode post-injury
Shump hasn't played this much basketball since the year he got traded to Cleveland.
Harry is getting rookie season Fox treatment.
Bags is injured.
Buddy is 45 years old.

I don't think we're in a downward spiral just yet.
 
At least Giles should have earned a spot in rotation. Been obvious for a number of games now. Would have won that laker game and possibly tonight if he comes in sooner. Desperately need to get Troy and Gabriel on squad full time. Trade jackson for peanuts

Nurkic with 23 boards...kinda a trend

Bjelica outboards wc$ 2 to 1

Good news is willie is a Restricted free agent so if he doesn't garner interest we can sign him cheap. Would be nice coming off bench
 
I hate to be this guy, but this isn’t surprising. We’re three great but unlikley comebacks away from being on a seven game losing streak. The team has been really really bad since Bagley went down.

Hopefully the bad habits disappear when he gets back, but this is us crashing back down to earth hard.
Interesting stat though, with Bagley the team is 13-13 and without him the team is 6-5. this includes the 2 games earlier in the season with the back tweak. In the most recent stretch with the knee, the Kings are 4-5 after tonight without Bagley. This stretch has also been pretty strong schedule wise and its getting stronger next two games. So its pretty much the same record wise. That's not to say that we are no worse off without Bagley, becuase obviously he helps a lot, just that the record wise its not that bad. At least not yet.
 
It’s tough to blow 9 pts leads late in the 4th to teams that will make the playoffs. But we’ve exceeded expectations so far, have seen huge growth from Fox and Hield, and have a really bright future with Bagley, Bogey and Giles. It’s exciting to see the development.

Having said that, we simply do not have a complete team so it’ll be a stretch to make the playoffs this year. I was watching the Portland broadcast and they consistently were pointing out how weak we are down low. We need some muscle and toughness down low (which Bagley definitely brings) but someone to complement him that will bring consistent defense and rebounding. Wish we could find someone like Gobert or Capela
 
If Giles was tired thats is on the coach who played him 13 minutes straight. And it’s on the coach also who did not play him the last 5 minutes of the overtime. It almost seemed that he felt obligated to play WCS the last 12 minutes of the game.
How can our center continue to get his shot blocked time after time when most other centers can at least muscle up down low.
All he ever gets is lobs, and fast post moves. He hardly ever out muscles a opponent on offense and he plays that way on defense most of the time. I am really afraid we should have gotten rid of him a month ago when he was worth something.
 
That’s a very bad thing. After a day off? Already gassing out less than halfway into the year?

This team is spiraling.
No too early to say that. But let’s hope Joeger starts upping minutes for Yogi, Harry and Frank. Yogi and Harry should have at least 20 and Frank should have 8-10. I might even give Skal 5 in Willie’s spot. Let us push it without killing our own legs. It means Joeger must trust his bench which he has been loath to do.
 
Watched the game live......a pretty good game for the Kings despite offensive woes, the defense was better but at 93-82, my compadre and I both said they needed 105 or 106 to win and we were dead on - they muffed it. Fox had a wild runner that was ill-conceived. Cauley Stein did not play a good game. especially offensively. Giles should've been left in - he was playing better than Stein.
 
Opposing teams are doing the following:

1. Push out against the Kings guard. Make them drive n dish or shoot with a man in their grill.
2. Sag off of WCS or Kosta. Make them shoot the midrange, If the Kings drive, stuff them.

Kings need to bring WCS to the perimeter n screen roll him from there. Pull opposing bigs out. Then attack.
I expect a ton of it going fwd.

That said, soft WCS showed up. But it wasn’t even really soft WCS, it was low IQ willie showing up. Use your head. Mix your speed. We miss Bags.

And for those who don’t appreciate Moe Harkless, dude took Bogs outta the game in the last few mins of the 4th n OT. He’s massive in person. About as big n long as WCS. We need a jumbo defender like him.
 
At least Giles should have earned a spot in rotation. Been obvious for a number of games now. Would have won that laker game and possibly tonight if he comes in sooner. Desperately need to get Troy and Gabriel on squad full time. Trade jackson for peanuts

Nurkic with 23 boards...kinda a trend

Bjelica outboards wc$ 2 to 1

Good news is willie is a Restricted free agent so if he doesn't garner interest we can sign him cheap. Would be nice coming off bench
Jackson is getting better. We are a young team and we are going to have ups and downs.

As for Giles, obviously I agree as I have been critical of Dave’s refusal to give him minutes for some time now. I think it cost us the Laker game for sure. As for this game, I think we just needed a spark and couldn’t seem to find one.
 
So frustrating. We should be 21-16 and 6th seed, above Portland, Lakers and spurs. I dont care that we are still above 0.500, I want the kings to play up to their ability and max their potential.
 
Think one thing we've learned the last couple weeks without Bagley is we have absolutely no inside post presence when he's off the floor and creates a huge vacuum in our offense. WCS is great at rim running (when he actually does it), but his post game just hasn't developed. Nurk, an awesome defensive C, just absolutely toyed with him all game and blew up those possessions in the final 3 minutes with ease.
They were forcing drives when they should've been setting up outside shots. The Bjelica weak take 2-up with 5s left on the shot clock and less than a min in the game was a failure and horrible. They kept trying to attack the teeth of the defense. The Trailblazers were longer and bigger inside. Fox had a good look at a winner, but was a close miss. Was hoping he'd drive and kick.
 
As far as Giles goes, I think it's clear we're playing the "Long game" with him in terms of his development. I was fine bringing him along slowly, but Koufos has regressed on both ends. He's just a complete nothing on offense now and he has to be near perfect on defense for the value of him getting minutes to be there (which it hasn't been). Getting more and more difficult to justify him not getting run with Koufos struggling and WCS getting dominated by a bunch of big physical Centers.
 
those 2 damn straight-line drives by Lillard at the end were brutal. One of them he caught Buddy and froze him stiff with a headfake and just breezed right past.... sigh..
 
Opposing teams are doing the following:

1. Push out against the Kings guard. Make them drive n dish or shoot with a man in their grill.
2. Sag off of WCS or Kosta. Make them shoot the midrange, If the Kings drive, stuff them.

Kings need to bring Giles to the perimeter n screen roll him from there. Pull opposing bigs out. Then attack.
I expect a ton of it going fwd.

That said, soft WCS showed up. But it wasn’t even really soft WCS, it was low IQ willie showing up. Use your head. Mix your speed. We miss Bags.

And for those who don’t appreciate Moe Harkless, dude took Bogs outta the game in the last few mins of the 4th n OT. He’s massive in person. About as big n long as WCS. We need a jumbo defender like him.
Fixed it for you. I think Giles is better on the perimeter both in shooting and distributing from there. WCS is better moving around underneath.