[Game] Sacramento Kings @ Portland Trailblazers, 12/26/2023, 7:00pm PST/10:00pm EST

[ShastaKingsFan]

Here's some detailed analysis of why Sabonis, among others, have really bad defensive technique. If we're going to criticize guys like Huerter for bad defense, it's only fair to say that Sabonis can be just as bad

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Irrelevant.

Why is that irrelevant? It speaks directly to Monk's lack of success in a different role, which was the entire premise of my post.

 

[kingsboi]

Here's some detailed analysis of why Sabonis, among others, have really bad defensive technique. If we're going to criticize guys like Huerter for bad defense, it's only fair to say that Sabonis can be just as bad

Sabonis was a weak defender in OKC and Indiana, this isn't new but it does put emphasis that you need the rest of the starters to be able to hold their own because if someone gets in the paint, it's a lay up or foul

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Sabonis was a weak defender in OKC and Indiana, this isn't new but it does put emphasis that you need the rest of the starters to be able to hold their own because if someone gets in the paint, it's a lay up or foul

It's tough with Huerter on the parimeter and Sabonis inside.....and Barnes looking less effective

 

[kingsboi]

It's tough with Huerter on the parimeter and Sabonis inside.....and Barnes looking less effective

precisely, which is why the point of attack is so important. no defender will always keep a good offensive player out of getting to his spot or getting in the paint but having a physical defender who will give Brown that "make them feel you" approach to defense will go a long way

 

[Remi]

I had a feeling that only Fox and Sabonis were playing hard and with desire to win - and rest of the team seems had too much of Christmas celebrating and played badly.
Additionally, I dont understand why NBA coaches play with constant plan of player minutes in every game... In Euroleague even stars can be benched if they play bad.

 

[ick300]

I had a feeling that only Fox and Sabonis were playing hard and with desire to win - and rest of the team seems had too much of Christmas celebrating and played badly.
Additionally, I dont understand why NBA coaches play with constant plan of player minutes in every game... In Euroleague even stars can be benched if they play bad.

In this game , Coaches must have left Sabonis and Fox alone against 5 , maybe it was going to be easier for them , istead of thinkink they have help from another 3 on the floor ...

 

[Caccia]

Why is that irrelevant? It speaks directly to Monk's lack of success in a different role, which was the entire premise of my post.

Since you ask, Lebron James was 25-31 in the games he started in 2021-22. You think he should have come off the bench? That was the Russell Westbrook "Disaster in LA" season. The question of individual performance is one thing; team performance is something entirely different. Of the players who participated in at least forty games, Austin Reaves was the leader in +/- at +0.9. Monk was second at +0.7. Everyone else had negative numbers, including LeBron James at -2.1 and Anthony Davis at -2.3. Why? Because they were starting with Russell Westbrook (-2.7), until he got benched by Frank Vogel, who took the fall and was fired at the end of the season.

https://www.nba.com/stats/team/1610...=PerGame&Season=2021-22&dir=D&sort=PLUS_MINUS

 

[gilly420]

Barnes "situation" looks really bad for us, we desperately need a solid player at his position and salary. I was firmly against resigning because we needed new blood in the front court.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Barnes "situation" looks really bad for us, we desperately need a solid player at his position and salary. I was firmly against resigning because we needed new blood in the front court.

Barnes IS a solid player. 48/39/83 shooting splits, better than most of the roster. The disrespect for HB is absurd. The guy is the 5th starter, not a featured player.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Barnes IS a solid player. 48/39/83 shooting splits, better than most of the roster. The disrespect for HB is absurd. The guy is the 5th starter, not a featured player.

His ability to shoot the ball is not really in question

 

[Srzly]

Barnes IS a solid player. 48/39/83 shooting splits, better than most of the roster. The disrespect for HB is absurd. The guy is the 5th starter, not a featured player.

Agree. Barnes is not the problem. I think at this point replacing Kevin with a solid defender would be the only change I’d make and let Kevin see if he can provide a spark to our 2nd unit that has been pretty bad most games outside of Monk.

Bottom line is our bench hasn’t been providing much of anything lately. Not like last year where we seemed like such a deep team.

 

[iowamcnabb]

His ability to shoot the ball is not really in question

everything he does is in question from kings fans. Good game or bad game he takes crap. I’m totally ok with an upgrade if one becomes available by the way but I’m not going to call a league average starter a scrub.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

everything he does is in question from kings fans. Good game or bad game he takes crap. I’m totally ok with an upgrade if one becomes available by the way but I’m not going to call a league average starter a scrub.

Point is that if he was defending at a high enough level, with good enough rebounding,...most wouldn't be questioning his ability to shoot.

I want to see him in a second unit, where he will feel obligated to take more shots

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Since you ask, Lebron James was 25-31 in the games he started in 2021-22. You think he should have come off the bench? That was the Russell Westbrook "Disaster in LA" season. The question of individual performance is one thing; team performance is something entirely different. Of the players who participated in at least forty games, Austin Reaves was the leader in +/- at +0.9. Monk was second at +0.7. Everyone else had negative numbers, including LeBron James at -2.1 and Anthony Davis at -2.3. Why? Because they were starting with Russell Westbrook (-2.7), until he got benched by Frank Vogel, who took the fall and was fired at the end of the season.

https://www.nba.com/stats/team/1610...=PerGame&Season=2021-22&dir=D&sort=PLUS_MINUS

Except the reason why that's a bad comparison is that you can look at LeBron James', Anthony Davis' and Russell Westbrook's respective CVs and say that they have proven track records to indicate that that season was an aberration, rather than a reflection of the actual value of their production as starters. You can't say that about Malik Monk.

 

[The_Jamal]

Point is that if he was defending at a high enough level, with good enough rebounding,...most wouldn't be questioning his ability to shoot.

I want to see him in a second unit, where he will feel obligated to take more shots

I do think HB with the 2nd unit could be great, along with a reduced minutes workload. Our end unit is a little more iso focused anyway and his ability to draw fouls could really boost that units production. I just don't think he's got the legs for 33+ MPG either

 

[gunks]

I've been wanting us to move HB to the bench since the news came that we resigned him. I think he could take on Monk's role as the main engine of the offense off the bench.

Move Monk to starting SG, and somehow nab a full sized PF to replace Barnes in the starting 5... easy peasy!

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Why couldn't we have played the Blazers team that showed up to play San Antonio today? Were we their friggin Super Bowl or something?