[Game] Kings @ Pelicans (Play-In Tournament) - 4/19 6:30PM PDT/9:30 PM EDT

pdxKingsFan

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
#151
#151
KingsFanSince85 said:
I understand not liking this team much, as they are often frustrating to watch. But you gotta stop with the tired "running it back" mantra. People read and repeat it even though it isn't exactly true.

I mean, a vast majority of teams have the same core from the season before. So by that definition, practically every team (at least those in the postseason) are doing the same.

Further, the KINGS don't have the exact same roster as last season. In fact, the lineup that's starting now isn't the same. Keon Ellis wasn't a factor last season, and even earlier this season, but is now. So that's a major change. And while they aren't seeing much playing time now, Sasha, Duarte, Jones and McGee weren't on the team previously.

Lastly, "punting the season" is a ridiculous interpretation of keeping the main core intact. As mentioned already, almost all contending teams do the same. It's part of the development process.
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I ran the numbers compared to the last time we were in a similar spot in a different thread and came to same conclusion. Not to mention we expected Sasha to be a big piece and it has taken longer to get him integrated. I have little doubt that HB wasn't out top priority in FA when we cleared space last summer either but rather than risking team chemistry by leaking our targets we just quickly and quietly re-signed him and moved on.
 
F

Fantazija

Bench
#152
#152
Kingster said:
Holy Moly! I've seen CJ go invisible against a lot of team (e.g. Lakers) and then he can go bonkers like against the Kings. Halliburton said he was the toughest guard to guard in the entire NBA because of his quickness. Hopefully, the Kings swarm him like what they did against Curry.
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Was thinking the same thing watching CJ look completely useless against Lakers
 
KingsFanSince85

KingsFanSince85

All-Star
#153
#153
pdxKingsFan said:
I ran the numbers compared to the last time we were in a similar spot in a different thread and came to same conclusion. Not to mention we expected Sasha to be a big piece and it has taken longer to get him integrated. I have little doubt that HB wasn't out top priority in FA when we cleared space last summer either but rather than risking team chemistry by leaking our targets we just quickly and quietly re-signed him and moved on.
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Agreed, regarding HB.

BTW, I edited my previous post (probably after you read it) to include examples of other teams making improvements via development of their core. Some might argue extended health also plays a role (I agree), but nonetheless keeping a successful core together (specifically a young core) is typically vital in taking further steps in the process.
 
M

midtowner

Starter
#154
#154
Also - the defensive leap that this team has made recently is phenomenal. It happened during a rough stretch of losing games - but we weren’t losing because of defense.

So, it’s been a tough season to watch because of the clunkers against crap teams and the relative lack of being “clutch” compared to last year. But if they win tonight - it will be remembered as a season of tremendous growth.

Also - the GM will have a way better view of what we need going into this offseason than last one (Davion is a rotational piece, Keon is a starter, Keegan can still be counted on to become a star, Fox’s 3 pt shot is real, etc…).
 
KingsFanSince85

KingsFanSince85

All-Star
#155
#155
Fantazija said:
Was thinking the same thing watching CJ look completely useless against Lakers
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There are seemingly a myriad of players that are good players, no doubt, but that seemingly torture the KINGS more than most. It almost seems like a curse sometimes. CJ's been doing it to the KINGS since his Portland days.

I also swear that Brandon Ingram historically has fared well against us, too, dating back to his days in LA.

With Zion also being a nightmare matchup for us, it just so happens that NOP has multiple KINGS killers on their roster. Even their less heralded players, such as Murphy and Alvarado, seem to have career performances competing against players wearing Sacramento uniforms.

I often joke with my wife, "put KINGS uniforms on them" then suddenly they wouldn't be doing the same things.
 
KingsFanSince85

KingsFanSince85

All-Star
#156
#156
midtowner said:
Also - the defensive leap that this team has made recently is phenomenal.
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I'd make the argument that type of improvement is made much more possible by keeping the core together. It takes time to gel together, especially on the defensive end. Beyond a 1/3rd of the roster being different, this is yet another reason why the "running back" mantra is silly.
 
Padrino

Padrino

All-Star
#157
#157
KingsFanSince85 said:
There are seemingly a myriad of players that are good players, no doubt, but that seemingly torture the KINGS more than most. It almost seems like a curse sometimes. CJ's been doing it to the KINGS since his Portland days.

I also swear that Brandon Ingram historically has fared well against us, too, dating back to his days in LA.

With Zion also being a nightmare matchup for us, it just so happens that NOP has multiple KINGS killers on their roster. Even their less heralded players, such as Murphy and Alvarado, seem to have career performances competing against players wearing Sacramento uniforms.

I often joke with my wife, "put KINGS uniforms on them" then suddenly they wouldn't be doing the same things.
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This is why it was so important to find something resembling defensive intensity and consistency this season. While the first half of the season was largely hopeless on that front, the Kings have become a genuine above-average team on that end since the All-Star Break. This matters for both their immediate and long-term playoff prospects. Opponents themselves have said it on several occasions: nobody's ever scared of the Kings. Everybody finds their groove against the Kings. They shoot lights out against the Kings. But if Mike Brown establishes a defensive identity that makes opposing offenses increasingly uncomfortable (as we saw against Golden State on Tuesday), then we'll see fewer players who just seem to explode every time they play the Kings.
 
B

bball_nomad

G-League
#158
#158
Fantazija said:
Vegas doesn't seem to care about 0-5 bad matchup either having Kings as very light favorites.CJ probably will be deciding factor, if he shoots his normal percentages( those are not that great btw) Kings should be in a good position to advance assuming the intensity level is the same like in a game vs warriors
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CJ shot badly in both games against Lakers. I just can pray that he will not go for 40+ points and make us break our media equipments at home.
GOOD Kings, good refs and come back home with W!!!
 
C

Caccia

Starter
#160
#160
The coaches have had three days to come up with a better plan against New Orleans--and lots of tape to watch, telling them what not to do. They should have not only a plan A but a plan B and perhaps desperation plan C to throw at the Pelicans. As many posts have suggested, what they do will be as crucial as how the players perform.
 
KingsFanSince85

KingsFanSince85

All-Star
#161
#161
Padrino said:
This is why it was so important to find something resembling defensive intensity and consistency this season. While the first half of the season was largely hopeless on that front, the Kings have become a genuine above-average team on that end since the All-Star Break. This matters for both their immediate and long-term playoff prospects. Opponents themselves have said it on several occasions: nobody's ever scared of the Kings. Everybody finds their groove against the Kings. They shoot lights out against the Kings. But if Mike Brown establishes a defensive identity that makes opposing offenses increasingly uncomfortable (as we saw against Golden State on Tuesday), then we'll see fewer players who just seem to explode every time they play the Kings.
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I don’t disagree with anything you said here (except that the LAL are surely a team scared of the KINGS ;)). That said, I will point out that there are still some players that play well against certain teams, in certain venues, in certain situations, no matter how intense or consistent the defense is. It just goes that way sometimes.
 
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Spike

Spike

Subsidiary Intermediary
Staff member
#162
#162
It's an uphill battle for sure. I am hopeful that the coaching staff does not apply a strategy of "if these shots fall we win," but rather "this is how we will disrupt the Pels."

The staff has shown that they can adjust to the situation at hand, so I remain hopeful. It feels weird saying this, but I hope it's a low scoring mucky affair. Trying to simply outscore them did not work the last five times.

Man would I feel better having Monk. He's such a wildcard, for better or worse, and I think his unpredictability would be such a benefit now.
 
C

Caccia

Starter
#165
#165
I am looking at the Pelicans' depth chart. Will Herb Jones move to power forward, and Trey Murphy start at shooting guard? Also, is CJ McCollum more of a combo guard than a true point guard? As I posted early in the thread, he averages 4.6 assists per game, below the average of 5.6 for De'Aaron Fox. On the other hand, he has scored below 24 points only once in the past ten games.
 
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Capt. Factorial

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
#166
#166
Caccia said:
I am looking at the Pelicans' depth chart. Will Herb Jones move to power forward, and Trey Murphy start at shooting guard? Also, is CJ McCollum more of a combo guard than a true point guard? As I posted early in the thread, he averages 4.6 assists per game, below the average of 5.6 for De'Aaron Fox. On the other hand, he has scored below 24 points only once in the past ten games.
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I would strongly suspect that Trey Murphy will be the guy who steps into the starting lineup with Zion out. But I'm not sure it really matters who you designate as "PF" or "SG" with that lineup. They'll have Ingram, Jones, and Murphy playing wing spots, and you figure the preferred matchup is going to be to line up Jones against Fox and CJ against Keon, and I have no idea how they'll want to match up the other two wings against Keegan/Barnes. On offense, I don't know if it's going to matter.
 
SacTownKid

SacTownKid

Hall of Famer
#174
#174
This might need to be a big game for Keegan tonight. If he gets going that could change things. So far this season though the Pels have locked up the DHO sets. Keegan is getting benched at times and is averaging 11 ppg and shooting 36% against NO this season. This might be a good time for Brown to add a new wrinkle for Keegan.
 
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