[Game] Kings @ Jazz - Saturday, Jan. 18 - 6PT/9ET

[SacTownKid]

Game after game, just looks like they have no energy. Has to be some chemistry issues with player and or players/coaching staff.

It's gone from code blue to life support. Pretty soon the players will make the decisions for Vivek.

 

[burekijogurt]

Stacking shooters and keeping the middle clear makes a big difference when one team apparently doesn't know how to do it successfully and the other team does almost every night.

but what is our lineup that does this that is decent defensively?

 

[sactowndog]

Good grief this team... at least Marvin is doing stuff.

the problem is Marvin doesn’t stretch the floor on offense or play good defense. So he can get his points while the team still loses badly which we are seeing.

 

[VF21]

Game after game, just looks like they have no energy. Has to be some chemistry issues with player and or players/coaching staff.

Losing night after night takes its toll, too.

 

[VF21]

It would be nice if the Kings could keep Utah down to less than 60 points in the first half....

I'm blaming you for this...

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Common foul? If there's a clear-path rule, that should OBVIOUSLY be a clear-path foul.

 

[VF21]

Sure wish Mr. Holmes was out there.

 

[VF21]

Common foul? If there's a clear-path rule, that should OBVIOUSLY be a clear-path foul.

Except that DeFox still had the ball.

 

[Groovygreg]

I don’t mind Buddy taking mid-range jumpers. He usually makes them.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Except that DeFox still had the ball.

I mean, the rule is dumb. It was applied as written, but it was written dumb.

 

[Groovygreg]

Fox is so shifty. Great finisher.

 

[Turgenev]

Fox looking good.

Bags has nice series of plays tapping rebound away from Rudy, setting screen for Buddy to make an open 2

 

[Turgenev]

Utah commentators, who are not unbearable, saying once Kings get comfortable playing against different defensive schemes they'll be formidable. I would add a defensive playmaker or two but will take it...

 

[VF21]

That could have been a lot worse.

I like what I'm seeing from Bagley. I can't wait for Holmes to get back.

 

[jellyfish]

Considering how awful the Kings have played we are lucky to be down only 14, if the Kings even play average in the 2nd they could comeback.

 

[Groovygreg]

Based on the eye test, it feels like the Kings should be down by 30.

 

[SacTownKid]

I'd like to see more of that lineup with Bogdan at point. That seemed to throw the Jazz off a little bit.

 

[Kings_of_California]

After the Baze/Tolliver trade, the tallest guy the Blazers have off the bench right now is 6'8" rookie Jaylen Hoard lol.

 

[jellyfish]

Watching the Jazz you can clearly see it's a players thing, they got smart guys who make skip passes all day long after dribble penetration no one on the Kings other than Fox/Bjelly (0 FGA so far) can do that, Bogie/Cojo dribble for 5 hours than pass, Bagley (played solid) tunnel visions and Barnes is the same.

It's a player issue we got, we don't have team ballers. The Kings play a primitive basic form of basketball (works with elite talent) cause we don't have the personal to play drive and dish smart basketball.

 

[SacTownKid]

but what is our lineup that does this that is decent defensively?

Well, they traded the guy that helped bridge the gap. Look, defensively the fundamentals are flawed. They just are. Obviously the Kings know this because tonight they're just throwing crap in out of nowhere like switching almost everything. Where was this when Ariza was in the lineup? Anyway, Fox, Buddy, Bogdan, Barnes, and Bagley is probably their best shot at doing both. Decent? Eh, it's likely beyond even personnel at this point so beggars can't be choosers.

 

[Kings_of_California]

I was hoping Dedmon would play better so he looks more valuable on the market.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

After the Baze/Tolliver trade, the tallest guy the Blazers have off the bench right now is 6'8" rookie Jaylen Hoard lol.

I'm not sure the trade actually changed that, as Tolliver is at best 6'8". Is Skal hurt?

 

[SacTownKid]

Watching the Jazz you can clearly see it's a players thing, they got smart guys who make skip passes all day long after dribble penetration no one on the Kings other than Fox/Bjelly (0 FGA so far) can do that, Bogie/Cojo dribble for 5 hours than pass, Bagley (played solid) tunnel visions and Barnes is the same.

It's a player issue we got, we don't have team ballers. The Kings play a primitive basic form of basketball (works with elite talent) cause we don't have the personal to play drive and dish smart basketball.

Look at how they play though too. See the middle of the floor. They spread the heck out of the half court on nearly every play and force the defense way up. The Kings are spreading it better in this game from what I can tell than most games this year but looks who is spreading. They have Bagley or Joseph at the corners on some plays. No defense isn't going to give that to them. Luckily Joseph isn't turning down those shots and he hit a few 3's. The bigger question long term is whether you giving the defense what they want is going to work. So far this season its a big fat no.

 

[sactowndog]

If I have to watch bad basketball I would at least like to watch young bad basketball. But the Kings aren’t that young. Players on the roster under 25:
Bagley
Fox
Giles
James

somehow we are bad and relatively old.

 

[Groovygreg]

I'm not sure the trade actually changed that, as Tolliver is at best 6'8". Is Skal hurt?

Skal is hurt. I forget what type of injury.

 

[VF21]

Watching the Jazz you can clearly see it's a players thing, they got smart guys who make skip passes all day long after dribble penetration no one on the Kings other than Fox/Bjelly (0 FGA so far) can do that, Bogie/Cojo dribble for 5 hours than pass, Bagley (played solid) tunnel visions and Barnes is the same.

It's a player issue we got, we don't have team ballers. The Kings play a primitive basic form of basketball (works with elite talent) cause we don't have the personal to play drive and dish smart basketball.

The Jazz is a team of players that have played together and know each other and their coach very well.

 

[jellyfish]

If I have to watch bad basketball I would at least like to watch young bad basketball. But the Kings aren’t that young. Players on the roster under 25:
Bagley
Fox
Giles
James

somehow we are bad and relatively old.

I agree at worst we would get some highlight fastbreak dunks with those guys

 

[jellyfish]

The Jazz is a team of players that have played together and know each other and their coach very well.

O please the excuses, the Grizzlies this year are as new as the Kings, they play a similar brand of basketball, to Utah chemistry you have or you don't and same goes for talents and basketball smarts.

 

[VF21]

Skal is hurt. I forget what type of injury.

From Yahoo's fantasy player report:

Skal Labissiere (left knee) has a left knee articular cartilage lesion and be re-evaluated in four weeks.
Advice: He suffered the injury on Dec. 28 and has been out since. Labissiere will go through his rehab protocol, and it sounds like the Blazers should have an update on his near the All-Star break. Hassan Whiteside's great play lately has softened the blow.

 

[SacTownKid]

the problem is Marvin doesn’t stretch the floor on offense or play good defense. So he can get his points while the team still loses badly which we are seeing.

His defense hasn't been that bad really. He's been aggressive and using his length fairly well this season. The Kings help on defense (although tonight there has been more switching than we've ever seen) and if teams break down your help scheme on as little as 2-3 passes you are going to get teams going early and here we are again, back to a single run deficit you just can't seem to make up. I don't think the Kings have the combination of length and athletic ability at the 3 and 4 to run a middle help scheme that results in run outs to the perimeter. You need feet choppers and long athletes to excel at that. Bazemore should help but by moving Ariza in the process it's one step forward, one step back.