[Game] Kings vs. Timberwolves 10/24/2024 7pm Pacific 10pm Eastern

[gunks]

Ok I'm grumpy at the loss but not despondent.

Lots of positives tonight. If Randle doesn't go supernova (like usual against us) we win this pretty comfortably.

It's weird as hell seeing a guy in a Kings Uni get sent to the line over and over again but I can get used to it. Maybe Fox and Domas will start getting a better whistle by proxy!

Now please please PLEASE beat LA.

 

[hrdboild]

how do you envision us closing the attempts gap or do you not think that is a problem?

I do think it's a problem but I think the solution has to be arrived at from the other end -- by limiting the number of open looks we're giving up, not by hoisting more shots ourselves. I've been pretty consistent (perhaps nauseatingly so for some) in making the same point repeatedly since Monte put together this core group of Fox, Sabonis, and Murray -- this team needs a defensive anchor to lock down the paint. That allows everyone else to stay home on their matchups instead of collapsing and leaving shooters wide open. If we can force teams off the three point line and into taking tougher contested 2pt shots instead our more FT heavy offense will be enough.

There are other options which would partially fit this role but the one guy who I think instantly makes this team a contender is Onyeka Okongwu. Atlanta can't value him that highly since they've never tried to make him a starter and they only gave him a $62 million dollar 4 year extension with an average annual salary of $15 million. On top of that they blocked him entirely from his best position (PF) now by committing $150 million to Jalen Johnson and using a first overall pick on Zacharie Risacher. It makes me sick to my stomach that that guy is rotting away wasting his career in Atlanta instead of helping us win a championship.

 

[Sluggah]

Remember like 6 months ago when everyone was complaining about us jacking up too many threes? Pepperidge farm remembers.

 

[iowamcnabb]

I do think it's a problem but I think the solution has to be arrived at from the other end -- by limiting the number of open looks we're giving up, not by hoisting more shots ourselves. I've been pretty consistent (perhaps nauseatingly so for some) in making the same point repeatedly since Monte put together this core group of Fox, Sabonis, and Murray -- this team needs a defensive anchor to lock down the paint. That allows everyone else to stay home on their matchups instead of collapsing and leaving shooters wide open. If we can force teams off the three point line and into taking tougher contested 2pt shots instead our more FT heavy offense will be enough.

There are other options which would partially fit this role but the one guy who I think instantly makes this team a contender is Onyeka Okongwu. Atlanta can't value him that highly since they've never tried to make him a starter and they only gave him a $62 million dollar 4 year extension with an average annual salary of $15 million. On top of that they blocked him entirely from his best position (PF) now by committing $150 million to Jalen Johnson and using a first overall pick on Zacharie Risacher. It makes me sick to my stomach that that guy is rotting away wasting his career in Atlanta instead of helping us win a championship.

I agree on the defense. I’m a Wu fan myself, not sure what the plan for him in Atlanta. The guy I’m eyeing for the Kings in the future is Santi Aldama. He has good size and is tough but he can still hit threes. I don’t know if Memphis will have room for him long term.

Offensively, the team with the lowest 3 pt attempt average last year put up 31 a game, we had 29 tonight. If we can get to 35 a game like Jamal suggested I thing that would be a happy medium

 

[iowamcnabb]

Remember like 6 months ago when everyone was complaining about us jacking up too many threes? Pepperidge farm remembers.

Yeh i think the complaints were mostly about relying on the three or settling. Having said that, you have to get them up at league average rate or better or things get pretty tough analytically.

 

[megapoxy]

https://twitter.com/statuses/1849687172187640187

In addition to that and after watching LAL - MIN in the opening night...

We didn't force them to make so many turnovers, Conley wasn't under so much pressure and without him there is no typical PG in their squad. Had similar amount of turnover at Lakers but many at the start of that game due to Lakers pressure.
Lakers had many points in the paint (72) and many second chance points (15 offensive rebounds), we had 40 in the paint and just 4 offensive rebounds, something that we were good last season.
I think Sabonis has a much less limited role in the offense, less touches on the ball, he did hit those 3 3s but hesitated to take "middies" at least a couple of time, in one of them he was wide open from a close range, hesitated and then made a bad shot at the end.

So our offense seems to be working in a complete different way and it might take some time to see if it is effective or not

 

[Hoovtrain]

^ seemed to be a lot of iso ball in the 4Q, especially with DR

 

[sackings]

https://twitter.com/statuses/1849687172187640187

In addition to that and after watching LAL - MIN in the opening night...

We didn't force them to make so many turnovers, Conley wasn't under so much pressure and without him there is no typical PG in their squad. Had similar amount of turnover at Lakers but many at the start of that game due to Lakers pressure.
Lakers had many points in the paint (72) and many second chance points (15 offensive rebounds), we had 40 in the paint and just 4 offensive rebounds, something that we were good last season.
I think Sabonis has a much less limited role in the offense, less touches on the ball, he did hit those 3 3s but hesitated to take "middies" at least a couple of time, in one of them he was wide open from a close range, hesitated and then made a bad shot at the end.

So our offense seems to be working in a complete different way and it might take some time to see if it is effective or not

4th quarter free throw woes. This seems repetitive from last year.

 

[sactowndog]

and at least 40-50% of the catch and shoot variety. C&S 3’s with NBA players is one of the best shots in the game. Our guards combined had maybe 4 or 5 total.

We won’t win many games if that continues.

just as a follow up ……. They had 4 total

that is not winning basketball.

 

[joemama]

Maybe for this years team we just need him to play the role Grayson Allen did for the Suns last year. 7-8 3 point attemps a game and hope he makes 40-42 percent

Hahhhahhhhaahahah

 

[joemama]

So you want Huerter shooting 1 for 6 on a good night? Great plan lol

Rite
When will some learn he isn't who or what he once was

 

[Rob-The-Great]

One Game. RELAX

 

[upinsmoke]

Randle chewed up our front court, we need a physical player who can defend the paint.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Rite
When will some learn he isn't who or what he once was

based on what? Even in a down year last season he shot 36 percent on high volume. Analytically that’s still considered good. If they can find more catch and shoot opportunities for him I think that number could go up

 

[LPKingsFan]

Randle chewed up our front court, we need a physical player who can defend the paint.

Felt like his threes hurt the worst though.

 

[The_Jamal]

https://twitter.com/statuses/1849699776226578863

"hUeRtEr iS a zErO oUt tHeRe"

 

[The_Jamal]

based on what? Even in a down year last season he shot 36 percent on high volume. Analytically that’s still considered good. If they can find more catch and shoot opportunities for him I think that number could go up

It's no use, this forum is contractually obligated to have a fall guy and it's just Huerter now.

 

[upinsmoke]

It's no use, this forum is contractually obligated to have a fall guy and it's just Huerter now.

Because injury aside he's been stinking up the joint and makes alot of money. BTW we still owe Atlanta a pick.

 

[reptilexcq2]

Huerter shooting never impress me...it's not like Keegan where if he missed...you're kind of surprise. Huerter is like 1 out of everything 4 shots...terrible as a shooter.

 

[The_Jamal]

Because injury aside he's been stinking up the joint and makes alot of money. BTW we still owe Atlanta a pick.

If Huerter was "stinking up the joint" why was the starting 5 unit by far our best 5 man combo from last night? Surely, if we were playing 4on5, we wouldn't have had a +30 net rating?

 

[LPKingsFan]

Always like to check my impressions from the game against Popcorn Machine’s game flows. Here’s last night’s: https://popcornmachine.net/gf?date=20241024&game=MINSAC

 

[Folsomkingsfan]

Huerter shooting never impress me...it's not like Keegan where if he missed...you're kind of surprise. Huerter is like 1 out of everything 4 shots...terrible as a shooter.

He shouldn't get minutes

 

[upinsmoke]

If Huerter was "stinking up the joint" why was the starting 5 unit by far our best 5 man combo from last night? Surely, if we were playing 4on5, we wouldn't have had a +30 net rating?

Because the game isn't played on a spreadsheet. I want him to play well but he hasn't in a while now.

 

[The_Jamal]

Because the game isn't played on a spreadsheet. I want him to play well but he hasn't in a while now.

Oh ok, so no answer, as usual.

 

[Section 101]

Randle chewed up our front court, we need a physical player who can defend the paint.

You mean like Murray on Randle and Ellis on Ant? Should of happened down the stretch, but he had Monk in.

 

[iowamcnabb]

It's no use, this forum is contractually obligated to have a fall guy and it's just Huerter now.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

If Huerter was "stinking up the joint" why was the starting 5 unit by far our best 5 man combo from last night? Surely, if we were playing 4on5, we wouldn't have had a +30 net rating?

That's an easy one.....because the guys he was playing with are the 4 most talented players on the team

 

[ESP47]

I leaned over and told my wife in the 3rd that I could already tell this was going to be a last minute loss. Seen it too many times. Other teams have players that can just crank it up when it's necessary. We saw that with Ant.

 

[Jones2006]

I like +/- but over more long term and with context ... But I'd caution against purely using +/- to evaluate players in single games as I see some people doing here. I mean just use common sense. Ellis/Lyles had a poor +/- yes - But this could literally be boiled down to a couple possessions of Fox/Monk/DeRozan missing shots & Ant/Randle hitting 3's (as a hypothetical example). So a player can have a bad +/- simply because of other players in the game just missing/making shots.

Context is everything. Purely noting +/- is casual analysis in my opinion.

Ellis/Lyles didn't appear too bad to me from the eye test in this game.

The randomness of the game will affect smaller sample sizes anyway. I'm disappointed in the coaching staff and quite frankly find it EMBARRASSING how Brown in the press conference is insinuating the starters played too much. Um that's 100% controllable. Going into this game, they should have had the specific rotation and minute distribution outlined and ONLY alter it if necessary or for needed adjustments (unlikely in 1st game). Instead, they play Len literally 1 or 2 minutes at the end of the 1st, then go small after for reasons completely unknown, overplay starters, Ellis barely gets run, etc etc. It just seemed like no clear rotation game plan. DeRozan should not play more than 35 minutes period. Most likely same with other starters in the 1st game with all healthy bodies. The minute distribution was embarrassing tonight treating it like a Game 7.

 

[Srzly]

I actually thought Kevin played okay. Wasn’t that impactful either way.

I would much prefer that compared to Lyle’s’ performance. When he came in the game we looked noticeably worse. Hoping it is just shaking off the rust. Not going to overreact based on 1 game.

There were plenty of positives last night. That was a pissed off Wolves team that “needed” this win after that performance against the lakers.