[Game] Kings @ Grizzlies, 11/22/2022 5pm Pacific 8pm Eastern

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When Keegans shots aren't falling he's going to look worse than he is actually playing since that's really all he's adding to the team most nights. He's a stretch big pure and simple. Defensively he's been pretty solid outside of blowing a rotation or getting blasted off the dribble from time to time. It's a little like Buddy though. Buddy's turnovers looked so bad you didn't realize he was almost always a plus on the turnover ratio so it wasn't a real issue. The timing was more an issue sometimes. They got him some looks on the block and that turnover down low was a clear hack. Giving him some of those looks will take some pressure off of him to be a shooter or a slasher.
But the problem is that his shots haven't been falling...at all. I'm 100% certain that if we had a better wing option, Keegan probably would've been benched already. Anytime he has the ball in his hands, it feels like the game is moving too fast for him. I actually think his defensive struggles have also gone under the radar because of how bad the entire team defense is.

I think we have to do something to help him. He looks lost half of the time on the floor.
 
But the problem is that his shots haven't been falling...at all. I'm 100% certain that if we had a better wing option, Keegan probably would've been benched already. Anytime he has the ball in his hands, it feels like the game is moving too fast for him. I actually think his defensive struggles have also gone under the radar because of how bad the entire team defense is.

I think we have to do something to help him. He looks lost half of the time on the floor.
He'll learn. I'm not worried at all.

He's facing a lot from personal issues to getting all the rookie calls he could possibly get to running with 14 different guys he only just started running with. He has shown his poise and I think he'll slowly but surely find his way out of the slump.
 
Keegan is scaring me pretty bad right now. He is not playing great and making some mistakes. Not a good combo. I guess our bench past top 9 is never gonna see the floor again
He's been solid overall, even on bad nights. No, not a 4 pick type of player but in reality it's going to be a hard road for him on his best day to beat out these guards or bigs that can play guard unless they are going to essentially run every play for him off screens to get him looks. This is a playmakers league right. You look at those top 15-20 players in the NBA and those playmaking skills are a given. With his first step, handling, andplaymaking abilities, Keegan is going to find it hard some nights to assert himself unless they run plays for him. Barnes is finding himself but you can see his first step and handling abilities are on another level. I still think Keegans post game can translate to the NBA and if it does, he'll put up 20 a night at some point. That's the missing component with him. Usage is what made him a top pick but that's not a surprise. The good news is the Kings aren't building around him and so far, he is fitting in quite well. If you do watch him, especially on defense you'll see how his length brings a lot to the table.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
He's been solid overall, even on bad nights. No, not a 4 pick type of player but in reality it's going to be a hard road for him on his best day to beat out these guards or bigs that can play guard unless they are going to essentially run every play for him off screens to get him looks. This is a playmakers league right. You look at those top 15-20 players in the NBA and those playmaking skills are a given. With his first step, handling, andplaymaking abilities, Keegan is going to find it hard some nights to assert himself unless they run plays for him. Barnes is finding himself but you can see his first step and handling abilities are on another level. I still think Keegans post game can translate to the NBA and if it does, he'll put up 20 a night at some point. That's the missing component with him. Usage is what made him a top pick but that's not a surprise. The good news is the Kings aren't building around him and so far, he is fitting in quite well. If you do watch him, especially on defense you'll see how his length brings a lot to the table.
In a way this was a pick like the JJJ one was for Memphis. Trae got picked immediately after him but I’m pretty sure the Grizzlies are perfectly fine with how things have turned out even if he isn’t a ball domineering playmaker. That’s Keegan’s place for us.
 
But the problem is that his shots haven't been falling...at all. I'm 100% certain that if we had a better wing option, Keegan probably would've been benched already. Anytime he has the ball in his hands, it feels like the game is moving too fast for him. I actually think his defensive struggles have also gone under the radar because of how bad the entire team defense is.

I think we have to do something to help him. He looks lost half of the time on the floor.
Well, getting him some pick and pop could do the trick. Fox called that play for him a few games ago and the defense was boned. Out of a pick and pop he also might find a little more spacing to be able to make a drive to the hoop. He's got a very good drop step move that's going completely unused and in college he would usually get the middle of the paint to pull that off. Straight line pick and pop to his drop step is going to be money. And one move can be good enough. Take away Davions hesi and the dude is going to struggle to score at all in iso, lol.
 
Good win.

Its also an impressive win because the Kings didn’t play that that well overall and seemed to play the entire game on Grizzlies terms and pace. Yet, they controlled the majority of the second half and won…on the road against a very good home team. They can’t even pull the injured Ja card because he killed it lol. Though we certainly didn’t miss Bane.

Im not worried about what happened at the end with the Kings mistakes with the full court traps.

Kings guards are too quick and they have too many good ball handlers for that to be a running problem through the season. I’ll accept Domas explanation of the team simply not facing that sort of pressure to this point and just not responding to it properly.

If anything, teams should be getting burned doing that against the Kings. I think the Kings were just trying to burn clock and were comfortable with the lead and just got sped and things got really tight very quick. There was a complacency that quickly turned into panic. I think that will clean up

Harrison Barnes is the player of the game. He brought calm. He made the free throws and had another big night.

Another great game for Fox. Despite that turnover on the double, it is pretty remarkable how well Fox takes care of the ball. One of the very underappreciated things about his game. He doesn’t rack up turnovers like a lot of similarly used players. Also 4 steals.

Hard work by Domas. He was getting beat up tonight but competed hard on the glass and 8 assists. Finding ways to be impactful even if the game isn’t going smoothly for him.

Huerter good as usual. Maybe he won’t shoot over 50 percent from deep all season but I think he’ll hover around that mid 40 all season. It’s a little more than a small sample size at this point. He’s one of the best shooters in the game. There might be more to unlock with him too. He needs to shoot free throws better though.

Metu played well…we needed that 10 points.

Davion was impactful…we just need that three to be more consistent. I think it will get there for him.

Couldn’t win the game without Monk but also couldn’t almost lose the game without him lol…but if even his bad games are 14-4 we got ourselves a big time sixth man.

Keegan’s road blues continue. Not uncommon for rookies to play better at home but the gap between home Keegan and road Keegan is way too wide. Kings are going to be on the road a lot over the next month so he needs to figure it out. Atleast tonight he was going for it. Just cold. So hopefully those shots falling one game on the road gets him going
 
Thank God the Kings don't have to deal with Ja Morant on every team...dammit. Obviously, they try to attack Sabonis. I think the Kings need to tell the other guys to help out a bit since Sabonis is slow...or maybe play zone? I mean I didn't see them play zone at all.

But this game should have been over if not for so many lucky Memphis break....some of it was our fault...other Memphis is luck out...like the Ja Morant desperate 3 and made it. Fox definitely made two crucial mistake twice. One where he tried to lob a pass to the right side but Sabonis was wide open to the left...should have passed to Sabonis. The other one was a critical 3 pt shot foul against Ja. I understand Fox's playing hard and want to block the shot but man....can we ever get a break? Another one is Ja sneaky punch the ball from Huerter...obviously Fox should be the one handling the ball in that situation because every possession count...not Huerter. There were just too many mistakes at the end there.

Nevertheless, a win is a win and this is an impressive win against a Grizzlies team with Ja and Jaren Jackson Jr playing. We will get better on team defense and clean up some of those turnovers for sure.
 
Wow some Ja shade there? He just walked off the court, didn't go to Fox or anybody.

Good. Get salty Ja
I reiterate. I can't hate him around here @macadocious cuz that's apparently too aggressive. So I will continue to "strongly dislike" him.

But at the end of the day he has a "strong dislike" for my boy DeAaron and I have the same for him. #teamfox
 
Thank God the Kings don't have to deal with Ja Morant on every team...dammit. Obviously, they try to attack Sabonis. I think the Kings need to tell the other guys to help out a bit since Sabonis is slow...or maybe play zone? I mean I didn't see them play zone at all.

But this game should have been over if not for so many lucky Memphis break....some of it was our fault...other Memphis is luck out...like the Ja Morant desperate 3 and made it. Fox definitely made two crucial mistake twice. One where he tried to lob a pass to the right side but Sabonis was wide open to the left...should have passed to Sabonis. The other one was a critical 3 pt shot foul against Ja. I understand Fox's playing hard and want to block the shot but man....can we ever get break? Another one is Ja sneaky punch the ball from Huerter...obviously Fox should be the one handling the ball in that situation because every possession count...not Huerter. There were just too many mistakes from at the end there.
The Kings were looking good when playing up and pressing. I get they can't do that all game simply because they'll get chippy calls but they don't have much of a choice. They have to attack the dribble.
 
Sometimes I forgot why Matt Barnes is here. Then I remember the Barnes/Fisher story, and the route he drove down always serves to remind me that he is from NoCal.

:p
He kinda likes to play both sides of the fence. Letting everyone know he's from Sac, while also making it clear that he lives in LA. He's definitely a stoner, but he hasn't lost all of his brain cells yet
 
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