[Game] Kings @ Clippers, 12/01/21 7:30pm Pacific, 10:30pm Eastern
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We got a W over a Clips team devoid of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Good, great, grand, wonderful.
It’s something, I suppose. And on the road no less. A game they often lose regardless.
Can’t figure this team out at all. As soon as you think they are getting it together, they lay a few really bad eggs. As soon as you bury them they win some games you don’t expect.
6-6 on the road. 3-8 at home.
If they could figure out how to perform as most teams do at home, there actually might be some hope.
It’s something, I suppose. And on the road no less. A game they often lose regardless.
Can’t figure this team out at all. As soon as you think they are getting it together, they lay a few really bad eggs. As soon as you bury them they win some games you don’t expect.
6-6 on the road. 3-8 at home.
If they could figure out how to perform as most teams do at home, there actually might be some hope.
Just got back from Staples Center on the foggiest day in downtown Los Angeles that I can remember in 20 years. Some thoughts from my perspective seeing this one in person:
First of all, I'm not sure that anything which happened in this game should actually count as legit NBA statistics. Both teams looked they were going through the motions for all 4 quarters and this Clippers roster without PG or Kawhi is tanktastically awful. Despite the big numbers they put up tonight, the Kings offense remains a befuddling mystery. Haliburton is basically a whole mini offense unto himself but the rest of the team was just dribbling up into three pointers or throwing the ball aimlessly around the perimeter without accomplishing much of anything.
Fox, Buddy, and Davion would occasionally drive in to walls of defenders and have to pick up their dribble and throw it back out. Metu had a nice first half but couldn't sustain it. Alex Len was a big part of that 3OT win last week but I think he may have turned back into a pumpkin. The scouting report is definitely out on Buddy. He was smothered every time he touched the ball on the perimeter, as he should be. I don't think we bothered setting a pick to free him up for a catch and shoot even once though. The ghost of Coach Walton lives on in our all-out commitment to 4 guard lineups and a weave offense which only Tyrese Haliburton is actually able to execute effectively.
I agree that something is wrong with Fox. He looks like he's coasting at about 20% effort right now. More than once he had a fast break opportunity and pulled the ball back out to run the half court offense instead. For a large chunk of the 3rd quarter he was just standing in the corner while everyone else tried to create something from the perimeter. He got stripped or mishandled the ball several times down the floor and even airballed a midrange pull-up (granted that was a tough shot at the end of the shot clock). He played better than this in college. I don't think it's a physical issue. He seems distracted by something or maybe he doesn't like that he's been turned into a spot-up shooter.
Davion had some very nice moments defensively but the team defense is kindof a mess. The other team's big will come up and set one pick to free up the ballhandler and the result is almost always an open shot for somebody. Everybody in the arena knows that players are going to take a three if you give it to them so why are so many of our players setting their defensive stance too far away to effectively contest? It's maddening to see players catch the ball, hold it for 2 seconds, and then throw up an uncontested three over the lunging reach of whichever Kings player is supposedly guarding them. Fox finally started playing defense after the Clippers cut the lead in the least 4 minutes. It was the first time all game he started to look like he cared about the outcome.
Richaun is so automatic with his push shot right now that they should just call that shot the "Richaun Holmes". 20 years ago he would have been the cornerstone of an NBA offense with his current level of efficiency.
Jay Scrubb on the Clippers might be the most aptly named player in the league. If you play NBA 2K and manually decrease every attribute to the lowest level the game will allow for, I think you would get Jay Scrubb.
Mitchell and Davis both put up big numbers but I don't think they played better than they have been, they just made shots that they'd been missing. Reversion to the mean taking effect perhaps?
I'm not sure that Louis King is an NBA player right now. He stood out on both ends for us, and not in a good way.
First of all, I'm not sure that anything which happened in this game should actually count as legit NBA statistics. Both teams looked they were going through the motions for all 4 quarters and this Clippers roster without PG or Kawhi is tanktastically awful. Despite the big numbers they put up tonight, the Kings offense remains a befuddling mystery. Haliburton is basically a whole mini offense unto himself but the rest of the team was just dribbling up into three pointers or throwing the ball aimlessly around the perimeter without accomplishing much of anything.
Fox, Buddy, and Davion would occasionally drive in to walls of defenders and have to pick up their dribble and throw it back out. Metu had a nice first half but couldn't sustain it. Alex Len was a big part of that 3OT win last week but I think he may have turned back into a pumpkin. The scouting report is definitely out on Buddy. He was smothered every time he touched the ball on the perimeter, as he should be. I don't think we bothered setting a pick to free him up for a catch and shoot even once though. The ghost of Coach Walton lives on in our all-out commitment to 4 guard lineups and a weave offense which only Tyrese Haliburton is actually able to execute effectively.
I agree that something is wrong with Fox. He looks like he's coasting at about 20% effort right now. More than once he had a fast break opportunity and pulled the ball back out to run the half court offense instead. For a large chunk of the 3rd quarter he was just standing in the corner while everyone else tried to create something from the perimeter. He got stripped or mishandled the ball several times down the floor and even airballed a midrange pull-up (granted that was a tough shot at the end of the shot clock). He played better than this in college. I don't think it's a physical issue. He seems distracted by something or maybe he doesn't like that he's been turned into a spot-up shooter.
Davion had some very nice moments defensively but the team defense is kindof a mess. The other team's big will come up and set one pick to free up the ballhandler and the result is almost always an open shot for somebody. Everybody in the arena knows that players are going to take a three if you give it to them so why are so many of our players setting their defensive stance too far away to effectively contest? It's maddening to see players catch the ball, hold it for 2 seconds, and then throw up an uncontested three over the lunging reach of whichever Kings player is supposedly guarding them. Fox finally started playing defense after the Clippers cut the lead in the least 4 minutes. It was the first time all game he started to look like he cared about the outcome.
Richaun is so automatic with his push shot right now that they should just call that shot the "Richaun Holmes". 20 years ago he would have been the cornerstone of an NBA offense with his current level of efficiency.
Jay Scrubb on the Clippers might be the most aptly named player in the league. If you play NBA 2K and manually decrease every attribute to the lowest level the game will allow for, I think you would get Jay Scrubb.
Mitchell and Davis both put up big numbers but I don't think they played better than they have been, they just made shots that they'd been missing. Reversion to the mean taking effect perhaps?
I'm not sure that Louis King is an NBA player right now. He stood out on both ends for us, and not in a good way.
Yeah, they shoot far too many threes. One of my gripes about the NBA in general these days, as most teams shoot’em as if they are as efficient at it as the Warriors.
If the KINGS would just take good shots and not focus on 3’s, I think they‘d win a lot more games when the opposition shoots too many 3’s and isn’t hitting them.
Basically stop trying to match the opponent.
For as much grief as this team gets for it’s defense, I feel like their inability to score and scoring droughts most games is what costs them the most.
If the KINGS would just take good shots and not focus on 3’s, I think they‘d win a lot more games when the opposition shoots too many 3’s and isn’t hitting them.
Basically stop trying to match the opponent.
For as much grief as this team gets for it’s defense, I feel like their inability to score and scoring droughts most games is what costs them the most.
I thought King was guilty of hunting for his shot last night. Gunner gotta gun whenever he can.
I was flipping between the Kings and the Bruins game last night. There were moments of some ugly hoops in that Bruins game. It reminded me of the Kings during the Fox generation. The Fox lead Kings are essentially a college basketball team that lacks real execution on both ends of the floor. Hence the stretches of no defense and no offense. And, no, it’s not on the coaching. It’s on the players. The only player, who is capable of running an offense consistently is Hali. The only player, who plays defense consistently is Davion. Everyone else is still pretty much playing AAU ball. Hence the reason why you see players coasting. This team doesn’t work for each other. It’s your turn, my turn. So no cuts, no boxing out on offense or defense, no secondary screens…
Gotta get rid of the Vlade generation.
I was flipping between the Kings and the Bruins game last night. There were moments of some ugly hoops in that Bruins game. It reminded me of the Kings during the Fox generation. The Fox lead Kings are essentially a college basketball team that lacks real execution on both ends of the floor. Hence the stretches of no defense and no offense. And, no, it’s not on the coaching. It’s on the players. The only player, who is capable of running an offense consistently is Hali. The only player, who plays defense consistently is Davion. Everyone else is still pretty much playing AAU ball. Hence the reason why you see players coasting. This team doesn’t work for each other. It’s your turn, my turn. So no cuts, no boxing out on offense or defense, no secondary screens…
Gotta get rid of the Vlade generation.
For the record Fox had 24 points on 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3 and 8/9 from the stripe.
last 10 games his slash line is 46/34/79
He has basically been the same player he was last year for about half the season but we can’t let go of the poor start.
I’m not opposed to trading Fox if it makes the team better but the hyperbole is getting out of control.
last 10 games his slash line is 46/34/79
He has basically been the same player he was last year for about half the season but we can’t let go of the poor start.
I’m not opposed to trading Fox if it makes the team better but the hyperbole is getting out of control.
You know, it's time to push back on this narrative. The reason kids are playing like AAU ball is because they haven't received any real coaching. Player development still needs to be a thing when you're talking about NBA players who are drafted early. When do you think was the last time Bagley was actually stuck with a whole week of working on actual screens in his life?
That's why coaches like Malone and Joerger were great for young teams, and are at a premium. They developed kids who all of a sudden no longer had that athletic advantage. They understood the importance of structure. You can't play fast if you don't know where you're going.
Don't fool yourself into thinking that the Nuggets became the team that they were without Malone, who includes players of the same generation that you're lambasting.
This team needs more marching band, less jazz, until the players are developed enough that they can freelance because they understand the music.
It's not just an attitude thing.
That's why coaches like Malone and Joerger were great for young teams, and are at a premium. They developed kids who all of a sudden no longer had that athletic advantage. They understood the importance of structure. You can't play fast if you don't know where you're going.
Don't fool yourself into thinking that the Nuggets became the team that they were without Malone, who includes players of the same generation that you're lambasting.
This team needs more marching band, less jazz, until the players are developed enough that they can freelance because they understand the music.
It's not just an attitude thing.
The DeAaron Fox I saw last night looked like a player who doesn't want to be there. He's doing his job which is to play basketball and he's a very good basketball player so even with 20% effort he's contributing but I couldn't help feeling like something is bothering him. I don't know if this was in the TV coverage but on one play in particular the Kings grabbed a rebound and ran up the floor and he walked. He was the last player from either team to cross the half court line. That's not the DeAaron Fox I know. He's my favorite player on the Kings right now but I also try to be objective when evaluating what I see.
That’s one of the things that have made our last couple of draft picks stand out as well. Tyrese and Davion spent multiple years in college and have this come into the league with a better set of skills than a lot of the 18-19 year old kids who come out of the draft these days.
Davion is a great defender sure, but a lot of that stems from him having spent years in a great defensive program in Baylor (their defense this season looks even better than last year when Davion and Jared Butler were there). This isn’t to discredit his individual skills and achievements as a player but he’s so good at defense partly because he’s been taught to play defense.
Even so, we’ve seen his defense slip under two bad defensive coaches in Walton and Gentry, who both either don’t know how to teach defense (Walton) or apparently don’t care about teaching defense (Gentry in literally every single place he’s coached).
It’s all interconnected and simply getting rid of a “generation” of players isn’t going to fix it.
Davion is a great defender sure, but a lot of that stems from him having spent years in a great defensive program in Baylor (their defense this season looks even better than last year when Davion and Jared Butler were there). This isn’t to discredit his individual skills and achievements as a player but he’s so good at defense partly because he’s been taught to play defense.
Even so, we’ve seen his defense slip under two bad defensive coaches in Walton and Gentry, who both either don’t know how to teach defense (Walton) or apparently don’t care about teaching defense (Gentry in literally every single place he’s coached).
It’s all interconnected and simply getting rid of a “generation” of players isn’t going to fix it.
It’s awesome how Fox, and Boogie before him, you know, the best players on the team, get all the heat because the team doesn’t win. It must be them. Even when they put up numbers…..it just must be them. And no, I don’t think Fox or Boogie or others like Holmes are without warts, but how the eff does Hali get a pass. Or Davion or other guys when they don’t play well or let’s face it, Hali, just play like a##. It’s awesome when Hali has the PNR rolling but that’s not always the case.
You're basically seeing what I'm seeing. Watch a Warriors game and their passing has a point to it. Each pass is like a set up for the next pass, which in turn sets up an opportunity. The Kings team passing is of the "uh oh I'm being guarded, here you do something with it" variety. Swinging the ball around the perimeter without ever getting a step on the defender just puts the player you passed the ball to in the same position you were just in. Your ball handlers should be smart enough to not dribble for 10 seconds, only to set up TT for a midrange jumper that he isn't going to take. There is a reason why TT was left there wide open and it's not because the other defense sucks.
The team defense is frustrating. It's as if they don't know who they're playing against and play every set against every player the same. Continually sagging off good 3pt shooters to help defend the paint against players who aren't even known for driving and scoring in the paint in the first place. Not to mention they are out of position anyway so even their paint help defense isn't that effective. Doubling non shooters at the elbow or sagging off of players like Curry so he can't kick it to Toscano Anderson for a midrange shot.
Lou King's defense has been disappointing to say the least. He did not look nearly this bad in SL. Obviously the level of competition is different but I'm not talking about him getting blown up by a Lillard or anything. I'm talking about him reacting a full second to late to a drive by players I have to look up on wikipedia. He did not defend like this in SL or at the end of last season.
In the end it was just one of those games where the shots fell. They played the same way they have been playing for a while but they got the same kind of luck they had at the end of the Lakers triple OT game. They'll come crashing down to earth and then do this same thing a few games later. It's what bad teams do.
The team defense is frustrating. It's as if they don't know who they're playing against and play every set against every player the same. Continually sagging off good 3pt shooters to help defend the paint against players who aren't even known for driving and scoring in the paint in the first place. Not to mention they are out of position anyway so even their paint help defense isn't that effective. Doubling non shooters at the elbow or sagging off of players like Curry so he can't kick it to Toscano Anderson for a midrange shot.
Lou King's defense has been disappointing to say the least. He did not look nearly this bad in SL. Obviously the level of competition is different but I'm not talking about him getting blown up by a Lillard or anything. I'm talking about him reacting a full second to late to a drive by players I have to look up on wikipedia. He did not defend like this in SL or at the end of last season.
In the end it was just one of those games where the shots fell. They played the same way they have been playing for a while but they got the same kind of luck they had at the end of the Lakers triple OT game. They'll come crashing down to earth and then do this same thing a few games later. It's what bad teams do.
I didn’t see that play, but it doesn’t take much to see the complete lack of effort on both ends of the court. Watch the Warriors or the 02 Kings and notice the amount of running, screening, blocking out…that they do for each other. Then watch the current Kings and it’s usually 1 vs 5 or when Hali is running point 3 vs 5. The three being him, the big, and his wing outlet.
DeAaron has said the right things regarding the Hali and Mitchell drafts, and I do believe he has positive personal relationships with both of them, but lets not forget the strong statements he made around not needing another ballhandler when we potentially could have drafted Luka. Whether it's subconscious or not, I think he's partially grumpy about not having the ball in his hands at all times.
I don't doubt the human element. I thought the three guard system could work, but at this stage in their careers, they don't have the skill set nor the maturity (on the court) for it to work.
I have always thought Fox was a 4 years away from playing under control. His lack of burst this year may accelerate that.
Mitchell is still finding his way.
Hali can play with either, but Fox's lack of shooting makes it less than ideal.
I have always thought Fox was a 4 years away from playing under control. His lack of burst this year may accelerate that.
Mitchell is still finding his way.
Hali can play with either, but Fox's lack of shooting makes it less than ideal.
I think the team is pretty easy to figure out. There is no home court advantage for them anymore, so there is no significance to their home/away record...they are all just games. All NBA players are capable of having good games. This team, regardless of who is playing and who isn't, will win some games....but it won't be 50% of them by the end of the season
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