[Game] Kings @ Grizzlies - Saturday, Dec. 21 - 5PT/8ET
- Thread starter VF21
- Start date
- Status
If Buddy was half the playmaker that Trae is, it would be an act of God. I would never use Buddy's name in connection with the word playmaker. Buddy's biggest problem is BBIQ, and the fact that he thinks he's better than he is. The team took 100 shots tonight, and Buddy took 18% of them, but only made 16.6% of them. He made 18.1% of his three's. The team will not make the playoffs if he continues to take that many shots and only makes 16% of them.
Barnes struggled at the beginning of the game, missing some chippys, but he bounced back and ended up hitting 44.4% of his three's while going 7 for 7 from the line. My memory is a bit foggy, but I think the only time Buddy got to the line was on a technical. The other culprit in the game as far as shooting was Joseph who went 1 for 7 overall, and 0 for 2 from the three. Combined, Joseph and Buddy took 25% of all the shots, and made 16% of them. You won't win many games if that continues.
I've been quiet up to now, trying to be patient, but Buddy downright stinks right now. He can't continue to take that many shots, and miss. Buddy has to realize what his strengths are and play to them. He isn't Michael Jordan but sometimes plays like he is. He is the focus of the other teams defense. The majority of his shots are now contested, which means his shot selection hasn't been good. He's a much better catch and shoot shooter than he is an off the dribble shooter. He seldom gets squared up off screens anymore.
Right now, if I had to choose between keeping him or Bogi, I would take Bogi 10 times out of 10. We missed him big time tonight. People that are being critical of Bagley, need to take a breath. He's missed the majority of the season and is still trying to get into the flow. Walton said the other day that the team has had one full practice with Bagley since he returned. So lighten up, and cut him a little slack. He'll be fine.
The starting lineup that I would like to see is Fox, Buddy (assuming he finds his stroke), Bagley, Barnes, and Holmes. Our interior defense was excellent with both Bagley and Holmes together on the floor and our rebounding was also excellent. I would also like to see Justin James get into the rotation. Let him steal some minutes from Ariza and from Joseph. I think has potential, and neither Ariza of Joseph have a long term future here. Especially Ariza.
As fans, we should never lose sight of the future while wanting to win right now. You never ever sacrifice the future, especially when the potential is there. This team isn't that far away from being a playoff team. But if it wants to be one this year, It has to get back to defending, and most of all, playing smart. Of late, were beating ourselves. Stop trying to make passes that aren't there, and stop being casual with the ball. Are you listening Buddy?
Barnes struggled at the beginning of the game, missing some chippys, but he bounced back and ended up hitting 44.4% of his three's while going 7 for 7 from the line. My memory is a bit foggy, but I think the only time Buddy got to the line was on a technical. The other culprit in the game as far as shooting was Joseph who went 1 for 7 overall, and 0 for 2 from the three. Combined, Joseph and Buddy took 25% of all the shots, and made 16% of them. You won't win many games if that continues.
I've been quiet up to now, trying to be patient, but Buddy downright stinks right now. He can't continue to take that many shots, and miss. Buddy has to realize what his strengths are and play to them. He isn't Michael Jordan but sometimes plays like he is. He is the focus of the other teams defense. The majority of his shots are now contested, which means his shot selection hasn't been good. He's a much better catch and shoot shooter than he is an off the dribble shooter. He seldom gets squared up off screens anymore.
Right now, if I had to choose between keeping him or Bogi, I would take Bogi 10 times out of 10. We missed him big time tonight. People that are being critical of Bagley, need to take a breath. He's missed the majority of the season and is still trying to get into the flow. Walton said the other day that the team has had one full practice with Bagley since he returned. So lighten up, and cut him a little slack. He'll be fine.
The starting lineup that I would like to see is Fox, Buddy (assuming he finds his stroke), Bagley, Barnes, and Holmes. Our interior defense was excellent with both Bagley and Holmes together on the floor and our rebounding was also excellent. I would also like to see Justin James get into the rotation. Let him steal some minutes from Ariza and from Joseph. I think has potential, and neither Ariza of Joseph have a long term future here. Especially Ariza.
As fans, we should never lose sight of the future while wanting to win right now. You never ever sacrifice the future, especially when the potential is there. This team isn't that far away from being a playoff team. But if it wants to be one this year, It has to get back to defending, and most of all, playing smart. Of late, were beating ourselves. Stop trying to make passes that aren't there, and stop being casual with the ball. Are you listening Buddy?
I've been thinking for a while now that Buddy is the biggest casualty of this team trying to play half court offense instead of the simple run & gun of last season. When asked last year to what he attributed his newfound success Buddy said that it was playing free and getting open shots in the running game with Fox. Now, to put it in the words of Christie, Walton is asking Buddy to "learn how to play basketball" in the half court. Buddy isn't learning as much as he is crumbling. Unless the game is radically simplified for him, I have my doubts he's ever going to be above average in a half court setting.
I was disappointed Walton did not play Justin James in this game. Hield played 39 minutes in this game and made 8 points off of 18 shots. If James would have taken 20 of the 39 Hield minutes I think the Kings have a good chance of winning this game.
I was disappointed Walton did not play Justin James in this game. Hield played 39 minutes in this game and made 8 points off of 18 shots. If James would have taken 20 of the 39 Hield minutes I think the Kings have a good chance of winning this game.
Not worth the bother....
Too many more losses to this streak and you can kiss any talk of playoffs goodnight by January. They go +10 under .500 and I don't see them clawing back - not with this inept offense. They go 1-5 in their next homestand (which is possible given opponents) and like some have said, things may get ugly. They will be 13-22 and staring at oblivion for this season. This is getting pretty close to the general WTF environment that matched the season start. Last season they were never more than 3 games below .500.
Too many more losses to this streak and you can kiss any talk of playoffs goodnight by January. They go +10 under .500 and I don't see them clawing back - not with this inept offense. They go 1-5 in their next homestand (which is possible given opponents) and like some have said, things may get ugly. They will be 13-22 and staring at oblivion for this season. This is getting pretty close to the general WTF environment that matched the season start. Last season they were never more than 3 games below .500.
Astute observation about the style of play and Hield. I was lamenting for defense and FTs much of last season - well, they are last in FTA and last in FTM in the league, so that's gotten worse although their FT % has markedly improved to 9th - Stein leaving helped that. Now their defense has improved some to the detriment of their offense. In short the play-style experiment or process is not yielding the needed results. I do not understand or much care for Walton's rotations either. Would like to see digging more into the bench
Now that the Kings finally have all their players back, they are playing like they did those terrible first 5 games of the season.
If Luke is going to save his and Vlade’s jobs, he best figure out how to make this roster win and he better figure it out fast.
The season is teetering in the next week or two now. Either the Kings sink or swim. If they sink, I think Vlade and possible Luke’s job may be on the line by the end of this season.
If Luke is going to save his and Vlade’s jobs, he best figure out how to make this roster win and he better figure it out fast.
The season is teetering in the next week or two now. Either the Kings sink or swim. If they sink, I think Vlade and possible Luke’s job may be on the line by the end of this season.
For real.
I ain't even mad anymore. I check box scores like I check the weather. A loss is about as surprising as rain in December.
I still enjoy a Kings win, but I really only tune in if I have nothing else going on. And I'm quick to tune out at that. I think I watched 1 and a half quarters of the Pacers game.
I like Luke. Fox is going to continue to improve and be a heck of a player. Mr. Holmes is great. But beyond that? This team needs a major shake-up...
...Barnes, Buddy, and Bogs are crazy underwhelming. Bagley looks like he should have gone 6 in the draft, but I'll be optimistic because I have no other choice beyond whining in the Luka thread (that got old), Vlade probably should have been fired years ago...
My Kings fandom is on life support, but I guess I like sharing the pain with all you guys here at Kingsfans...I'm still hanging on, because... well, we gotta get better eventually, right?
So uh... Go Kings!
I ain't even mad anymore. I check box scores like I check the weather. A loss is about as surprising as rain in December.
I still enjoy a Kings win, but I really only tune in if I have nothing else going on. And I'm quick to tune out at that. I think I watched 1 and a half quarters of the Pacers game.
I like Luke. Fox is going to continue to improve and be a heck of a player. Mr. Holmes is great. But beyond that? This team needs a major shake-up...
...Barnes, Buddy, and Bogs are crazy underwhelming. Bagley looks like he should have gone 6 in the draft, but I'll be optimistic because I have no other choice beyond whining in the Luka thread (that got old), Vlade probably should have been fired years ago...
My Kings fandom is on life support, but I guess I like sharing the pain with all you guys here at Kingsfans...I'm still hanging on, because... well, we gotta get better eventually, right?
So uh... Go Kings!
The Kings need to go home and eat some home cookin.
Hield, and Bagley are playing way under their potential. So is Bogdan when we see him.
Mr. Holmes quietly goes about his business emphasizing defense and getting 18/12.
The Kings are rebounding better but have defensive problems that are exposed by good teams.
They are playing very much like they lack confidence. They need to get some back.
Hield, and Bagley are playing way under their potential. So is Bogdan when we see him.
Mr. Holmes quietly goes about his business emphasizing defense and getting 18/12.
The Kings are rebounding better but have defensive problems that are exposed by good teams.
They are playing very much like they lack confidence. They need to get some back.
The last few games I’ve really noticed buddy struggling to get open shots whereas all these other teams are getting open shots over and over. Even when they aren’t great 3 point shooters, nba players will hit an open 3 at a pretty good clip. Is it opponents zoning in on buddy defensively or just us not executing and setting bad picks?
We'll see how things work out but Walton has already shown the ability to adapt which gives them a good chance to pull off a quick turnaround. The question is whether or not he's willing to chop a good chunk out of his playbook to suit the players the team is building around if need be. The system he wants to use is custom built for teams using less iso, more role player oriented, lunch pail types. Now he's putting in two players in theory that are more iso based and shot creators in Bagley and Fox. It's one thing seeing someone like Barnes who can do some of those same iso based things not be used, but having three of your top guys not be used like that is insurmountable.
Motion systems are based on moving bodies into empty space and it's becoming clear that this team has to do a bit of a 180 and instead create more and more space in the half court off the ball by moving those same bodies away from driving and passing lanes. This is why moving the ball into the post is such a key for a half court based team. And that doesn't necessarily mean most of your shots need to be generated from that spot. The Triangle is a good example of a system where the post is used heavily but isn't necessarily generating shots from there. In time the players will start to read the defenses better but right now the chemistry simply isn't there.
Motion systems are based on moving bodies into empty space and it's becoming clear that this team has to do a bit of a 180 and instead create more and more space in the half court off the ball by moving those same bodies away from driving and passing lanes. This is why moving the ball into the post is such a key for a half court based team. And that doesn't necessarily mean most of your shots need to be generated from that spot. The Triangle is a good example of a system where the post is used heavily but isn't necessarily generating shots from there. In time the players will start to read the defenses better but right now the chemistry simply isn't there.
After looking again at the first half of this game, I can tell you that there is just a lot of sloppiness in the play of the Kings, not just team-wise, but individually. They just haven't gotten it together yet. Fox and Bagley still don't have their game legs, imo, and both don't have the polish that has been evident in their prior play. The timing seems missing on everything. Easy assists are there for the taking, but are not being seen. Player spacing is poor in some instances. It's the opposite of the proverbial "well-oiled machine." Same goes for the defense. These last few games have had the smell of the first five games. Even the GS game, a victory, was smelly with a zillion turnovers. I think the Kings come out of this funk just like they did after the first five games of the season. If the sloppiness continues after the first week of January, then I might get concerned. Not yet.
- Status