[Grades] Kings @ Nuggets, 12/23/2020

[pdxKingsFan]

He's a UA guy from one of my favorite periods coming off their NC so I will never hate him the way most Kings fans do, I just don't know how to grade Luke last night. He won the game, but there was some head scratchers. Like he really let Haliburton shine but then he pulled him and it took a miracle from Buddy who had been good most of the second half until the final 2 minutes or so + OT. Holmes wasn't playing great but he left him in to foul out. Maybe this was genius figuring that Jokic was going to get calls until the final minutes where everything is more scrutinized? But more likely it was just dumb luck that Whiteside was available to lock him down at the end? I just don't know. There's no point second guessing. We won, it was fun. Whatever with the lineups for now. Maybe in games we aren't close he'll play some of the younger guys extended minutes? I want to see Bagley and Haliburton playing and both got good minutes last night. The win was a bonus. The other young guys hopefully get their chance to shine, but if we are ever going to be over .500 the guys that needed to contribute did last night.

 

[Entity]

I give Walton a C.....he Was forced to play Whiteside at the end. He overplayed Cojo who made shots. Don’t expect Cojo to continue to make those shots. And I thought he could have went offense and defense type subs down the stretch with Bjelica for Whiteside when we needed a bucket. Would have opened things up a bit for Fox.

But I’ll never give Walton credit for anything.

Joseph has the exact same career fg% as buddy and fox. All 3 are at 44% I would expect him to make those shots as much as I would expect buddy and fox to. Why do you guys act like Joseph isn’t a solid player? We are lucky to have a solid backup pg

 

[pdxKingsFan]

One would charitably say it's because he was wondering why they were even reviewing a clearly in-time buzzer beater but I'm halfway sure it's because he didn't know why his players were celebrating.

The announcers would say its because any time the light goes on it goes to automatic review but that wasn't even close so it was annoying, especially since I was about 30 seconds to a minute behind everyone else and I didn't want to celebrate only to find the post before me was it being walked back.

 

[Telemachus]

Joseph has the exact same career fg% as buddy and fox. All 3 are at 44% I would expect him to make those shots as much as I would expect buddy and fox to. Why do you guys act like Joseph isn’t a solid player? We are lucky to have a solid backup pg

Throughout his career, Cojo has been a solid 3pt shooter when he can catch it and shoot it. Off the dribble is a completely different story. Last season we saw way too much of the latter.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Joseph has the exact same career fg% as buddy and fox. All 3 are at 44% I would expect him to make those shots as much as I would expect buddy and fox to. Why do you guys act like Joseph isn’t a solid player? We are lucky to have a solid backup pg

Because he isn't viewed as part of the core and because Vlade overpaid him in many people's minds. He contributed to the win last night. He deserved credit.

 

[ockingsfan]

Joseph has the exact same career fg% as buddy and fox. All 3 are at 44% I would expect him to make those shots as much as I would expect buddy and fox to. Why do you guys act like Joseph isn’t a solid player? We are lucky to have a solid backup pg

Depending on how the early season plays out, CoJo may be an integral player in rotation as the Kings push for the playoffs or he will become a trade candidate at the deadline. If CoJo continues to play like last night, the Kings will have options.

CoJo is definitely a solid back up point guard on a playoff caliber team. The question right now is whether the Kings are ready to surprise and compete this year or not. But, I will tell you one thing, if CoJo and the Kings continue to play like they did last night, there is a chance they will be competing for a playoffs spot this season.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Depending on how the early season plays out, CoJo may be an integral player in rotation as the Kings push for the playoffs or he will become a trade candidate at the deadline. If CoJo continues to play like last night, the Kings will have options.

CoJo is definitely a solid back up point guard on a playoff caliber team. The question right now is whether the Kings are ready to surprise and compete this year or not. But, I will tell you one thing, if CoJo and the Kings continue to play like they did last night, there is a chance they will be competing for a playoffs spot this season.

If the Kings are not as bad as we thought they'd be but still a year or two away, being able to move CoJo (and I guess Barnes and Buddy potentially) could be huge over the next two drafts if Monte can draft as well as he did this year. I have a lot more faith that Monte could dig something worth keeping out of the back half of the first round than I have had since Petrie snagged Kevin Martin with the 26th overall in 2004.

 

[Turgenev]

I didn't see the first preseason season game but looking at the boxscore was like 'OK, another year of this'. Yesterday I watched the first three quarters on my phone with choppy reception while on a long distance train trip. I saw good and bad from players like MBIII, Fox, and Cojo. But the team hung in against a contender. They didn't let the lead go as they would have in past seasons and came out engaged in the third quarter. Easy A for me.

 

[upinsmoke]

I dont hate on cojo. Hes a solid defender and knows his limitations.

 

[steelevt]

Where’s the love for Coach Walton?

I think Luke out coached Malone tonight. Luke pulled the right strings to keep the Kings close all game. From managing the fouling out of the bigs and keeping a rookie on the floor during crunch time.

He made the all the right defense for offense switches to close out the game and the OT.

If coach can keep up the focus on keeping the Kings close in games, with a chance to win at the end, the Kings may surprise this year!

Coach Walton: A-

Maybe A- for the coaching staff. I hear Rex getting a lot of praise for the defense and I’m sure gentry is helping with the offense.

 

[Insomniacal Fan]

Overall the team came in prepared to play. Team defense was consistent, and seemed to push the Nuggets from doing what they wanted... up until the 4th quarter, where the Nuggets seemed to be able to get whatever they wanted.

I look at this game and I think we got lucky; Barnes was able to create some plays from individual initiative, and CoJo was able to hit a couple of threes. Can we rely on that every night? (I don't think so...)

 

[dude12]

From a tweet in regards to the last 2 minute report




NBA's L2M from Nuggets-Kings isn't pretty. Here's list of incorrect no-calls.

In 4th: Barnes traveling

In OT: Foul on Whiteside defending Jokic, DEN lost ball

Barnes traveling before tying game at 122

Barnes foul on Jokic w/ two seconds left

Barton foul on Barnes' dunk



Hard to believe we got that many calls......not used to it. Then again, Jokic had carte blanche all game long

 

[Vinny Basketballerino]

Grade: 5 RAVIOLIS

Outstanding win. Fought hard all night, made a big run, held on, and back to back great defensive plays wins it in OT... incredible. A great omen to start the season. Kings are over .500 for the first time in 47 years!

LLL
VB

 

[ppine]

Fox was a difference maker last night along with Barnes. Fox put a lot of pressure on the defense. I would grade him much higher than a B-.
I agree that Bagley stills play like a rookie. His defense is weak and leaves his feet at the drop of a hat. No B+, more like C+.

 

[coolhandluke]

I love the wily vet we signed this season. This Haliburton guy is really something with his preternatural poise showing the kids how to get pesky on defense and play unselfish on offense.

 

[Tetsujin]

From a tweet in regards to the last 2 minute report




NBA's L2M from Nuggets-Kings isn't pretty. Here's list of incorrect no-calls.

In 4th: Barnes traveling

In OT: Foul on Whiteside defending Jokic, DEN lost ball

Barnes traveling before tying game at 122

Barnes foul on Jokic w/ two seconds left

Barton foul on Barnes' dunk



Hard to believe we got that many calls......not used to it. Then again, Jokic had carte blanche all game long

**** it, we deserved this win