Post game thoughts 12/7

[thatguy]

The ‘Did You See the Suns/Nets Score?’ edition. Wow.

Why, if they were all going to play, would you not start your five best players? Why? Artest played the majority of the game but didn’t start either half. I’m not understanding this…

Where was Garcia? And why put in Corliss? Odd. Just some weird messages being sent right now.

(Psst…hey, Corliss! Go hang out with Maurice. Everybody’s doing it.)

I try not to focus on one particular play much, but this is in regard to Mourning’s block on Salmons in the 1st quarter: How is an elbow to the grill not a foul? (Don’t get me started on the Bibby drive. Or the Shareef T.)

It is still weird for me to see the neutered Jason Williams. Memphis fans must have been upset with Hubie and his scissors.

Speaking of Williams, didn’t it seem like there was a little ‘whatever you can do I can do better’ with he and Bibby during the 3rd quarter?

“Kevin Martin? This is Earth. We, uh, have you in sight…Advise slowing your decent, please confirm.”

I’ve always had a strange dislike of Antoine Walker. Well, maybe it isn’t all that strange.

This could be unpopular—especially tonight: John Salmons, thus far, has been a good addition to the team. At about the right price. I think his stats belie his value.

That Dwayne Wade guy, um, he’s pretty good.

Shareef, please, please, please, please, please don’t pull a Kenny Thomas.

Apparently, the Arco timekeepers aren’t familiar with the idea of a home team advantage.

And, yeah, this is a game the Kings should’ve won. Regardless of forcing overtime/late game ‘heroics,’ color me a bit unimpressed. There wasn’t even a moral victory tonight.
I guess I’m cranky tonight.

 

[Bricklayer]

Much truth above. I am scratching my head again at this point. There doesn;t seem to be anything or anyone this team can really rely on. Scary.

 

[thatguy]

Much truth above. I am scratching my head again at this point. There doesn;t seem to be anything or anyone this team can really rely on. Scary.

Are we...uh, seeing eye to eye?

 

[VF21]

Are we...uh, seeing eye to eye?

Say it ain't so...

 

[DaMan]

Much truth above. I am scratching my head again at this point. There doesn;t seem to be anything or anyone this team can really rely on. Scary.

Like i said in a previous post, one of the many problems the kings have is that no nobody on this team is a go to player which makes the game easier for ever body else. This team is full of secondary and third opinitions.

 

[thatguy]

Like i said in a previous post, one of the many problems the kings have is that no nobody on this team is a go to player which makes the game easier for ever body else. This team is full of secondary and third opinitions.

Here is the strange thing from my perspective: Bibby and (maybe x 10 Martin) have the skills to be 'the guy.' The problem is only Artest wants to be 'the guy.' That is more the problem: the guy(s) that have the ability can't or won't handle it and the guy that wants to handle it, can't.

 

[SacTownKid]

On one positive note. We are still fairly competative right now when you consider Ron Artest is playing the worst ball of his career. Mike Bibby is playing the worst ball of his career. Brad Miller is playing the worst ball of his career. They are all not 100% yet. And Kevin Martin is in a slump.

If these guys simply put up their career averages we could be a scary good team!

Now they just have to do that.

 

[DaMan]

Here is the strange thing from my perspective: Bibby and (maybe x 10 Martin) have the skills to be 'the guy.' The problem is only Artest wants to be 'the guy.' That is more the problem: the guy(s) that have the ability can't or won't handle it and the guy that wants to handle it, can't.

I disagree Bibby has had his chance but has only proved to be a good secondary player next to Webber. And even though i love and he is young, i don't think Martin will ever be the guy, more in the lines of a Hamiton or Peja. But i agree with Artest, he has only proved to be a good secondary player next to J O'neal.

 

[Beezy]

I disagree Bibby has had his chance but has only proved to be a good secondary player next to Webber. And even though i love and he is young, i don't think Martin will ever be the guy, more in the lines of a Hamiton or Peja. But i agree with Artest, he has only proved to be a good secondary player next to J O'neal.

I think a lot of us got too excited about K-Mart when he was playing so well in the beginning of the season... I agree K-Mart is another Hamilton at best.

 

[thatguy]

On one positive note. We are still fairly competative right now when you consider Ron Artest is playing the worst ball of his career. Mike Bibby is playing the worst ball of his career. Brad Miller is playing the worst ball of his career. They are all not 100% yet. And Kevin Martin is in a slump.

If these guys simply put up their career averages we could be a scary good team!

Now they just have to do that.

Not to be a jerk, but I still don't think there were any moral victories tonight. Being competitive against a sub-par team isn't something to be happy about, with or without the injury situation. As I stated, I don't think there are any moral victories tonight.

 

[thatguy]

I disagree Bibby has had his chance but has only proved to be a good secondary player next to Webber. And even though i love and he is young, i don't think Martin will ever be the guy, more in the lines of a Hamiton or Peja. But i agree with Artest, he has only proved to be a good secondary player next to J O'neal.

What I said is that Bibby has the skill to be the guy. He just doesn't want to be. Artest wants to be and hasn't shown the skills to be the guy. And that is a problem.

 

[VF21]

Not to be a jerk, but I still don't think there were any moral victories tonight. Being competitive against a sub-par team isn't something to be happy about, with or without the injury situation. As I stated, I don't think there are any moral victories tonight.

I have to agree. You don't walk away from this one feeling good. In my book, this "almost win" was the worst loss so far...

 

[SacTownKid]

Not to be a jerk, but I still don't think there were any moral victories tonight. Being competitive against a sub-par team isn't something to be happy about, with or without the injury situation. As I stated, I don't think there are any moral victories tonight.

More of a statement about the entire season thus far. The other day we fought back from a 17 point murdering and nearly won that one. There are 82 games in a season. This team needs to grow in these games. Not just win.

 

[ImaKingsFan]

Looking on the bright side...The Kings got in the "Christmas spirit" a bit early as they helped Denver out by taking Miami to overtime.

 

[VF21]

Looking on the bright side...The Kings got in the "Christmas spirit" a bit early as they helped Denver out by taking Miami to overtime.

Well, I hope Denver at least sends a "thank you" card.

 

[ImaKingsFan]

Well, I hope Denver at least sends a "thank you" card.

Indeed and maybe a fruitcake.

 

[KingKong]

What I said is that Bibby has the skill to be the guy. He just doesn't want to be. Artest wants to be and hasn't shown the skills to be the guy. And that is a problem.

Unfortunately, so true. However, I don't believe Bibby does have the skills to be that guy. He's a damn good player but hardly a superstar. Artest is a defensive superstar and not more than a good player on offense.

 

[thatguy]

More of a statement about the entire season thus far. The other day we fought back from a 17 point murdering and nearly won that one. There are 82 games in a season. This team needs to grow in these games. Not just win.

I understand your sentiment. I just don't agree. Yes, games can (and should) be taken one-by-one, but the other day the Kings lost by 25 and a couple days before that they lost by 19; losing at home by a few points to two teams that should realisticaly be beaten is not a step in the right direction.

 

[DaMan]

Unfortunately, so true. However, I don't believe Bibby does have the skills to be that guy. He's a damn good player but hardly a superstar. Artest is a defensive superstar and not more than a good player on offense.

Totally agree, that was what i was trying to say.

 

[thatguy]

Unfortunately, so true. However, I don't believe Bibby does have the skills to be that guy. He's a damn good player but hardly a superstar. Artest is a defensive superstar and not more than a good player on offense.

Hey, wait a minute! I'm thatguy!

Superstar is a fairly all-encompassing term. I have no problem saying Bibby has the skills to be a 'superstar.' I also have no problem saying he will likely never be one.

 

[DaMan]

Hey, wait a minute! I'm thatguy!

Superstar is a fairly all-encompassing term. I have no problem saying Bibby has the skills to be a 'superstar.' I also have no problem saying he will likely never be one.

I just don't think he has the skills to be one.

 

[ForlornKing]

Totally agree, that was what i was trying to say.

But I think the question that comes arise, should we package Artest and Miller while Artest still has full-value, and before he doesn't get mad, and pull a 'I wanted to be traded', to get a player that could be the Man?

Merely speculation, I'm just throwing it out there.

I love Ron Artest, and I think he is just best suited to be a Side-kick.

The Tenacious Defender, That can score 18 pts. a game, Is IMO the best sidekick to pair with somebody that could be the man.

But I don't know if he's too selfish to realize he isn't. I don't know if a coach can change that.

 

[thatguy]

I just don't think he has the skills to be one.

Okay, I guess I'll just say you are wrong.

 

[VF21]

... we package Artest and Miller ... to get a player that could be the Man?

Okay, I'll ask...

Who do you think we could get?

 

[Bricklayer]

But I think the question that comes arise, should we package Artest and Miller while Artest still has full-value, and before he doesn't get mad, and pull a 'I wanted to be traded', to get a player that could be the Man?

Merely speculation, I'm just throwing it out there.

I love Ron Artest, and I think he is just best suited to be a Side-kick.

The Tenacious Defender, That can score 18 pts. a game, Is IMO the best sidekick to pair with somebody that could be the man.

But I don't know if he's too selfish to realize he isn't. I don't know if a coach can change that.

Indeed, he's Pippen.

And which is why fo course the threads over int eh Personnel sectiojn about Martin/Miller or Martin/Bibby for KG. KG/Artest = defensive forward pairing for the ages. Of course unless Kevin figures this out pretty quick thoughts along those lines may have to be scuttled.

 

[SacTownKid]

I understand your sentiment. I just don't agree. Yes, games can (and should) be taken one-by-one, but the other day the Kings lost by 25 and a couple days before that they lost by 19; losing at home by a few points to two teams that should realisticaly be beaten is not a step in the right direction.

When your 3 main pieces are playing at this level you better expect to be losing games, a whole lot, and probably more than we have at this point. Geoff Petrie isn't just talking for the sake of talking when he says we need QUALITY years out of Bibby, Artest, and Miller. With the way this team is constructed that is the only way it will succeed. The only thing we have had going for us is Kevin Martin's coming out party and now he has joined the fray it would seem.

 

[KingKong]

Artest was considering going to the Lakers. Could you imagine a Kobe/ Artest pairing?

 

[thatguy]

But I think the question that comes arise, should we package Artest and Miller while Artest still has full-value, and before he doesn't get mad, and pull a 'I wanted to be traded', to get a player that could be the Man?

Merely speculation, I'm just throwing it out there.

I love Ron Artest, and I think he is just best suited to be a Side-kick.

The Tenacious Defender, That can score 18 pts. a game, Is IMO the best sidekick to pair with somebody that could be the man.

But I don't know if he's too selfish to realize he isn't. I don't know if a coach can change that.

It is going to seem that I'm trying to pick on you but I'm really not; this is going to be a bit of a rant about what I've been seeing the past few weeks/months. Artest isn't going anywhere. And Miller probably isn't either. And Bibby will most likely be a King for the rest of the season. Shotblockers don't grow on trees, point guards can't be picked out of the ground and superstars aren't grown with magic beans. There is not a magic basketball field from which to pick or barter high level NBA players. Please stop.

 

[VF21]

Artest was considering going to the Lakers. Could you imagine a Kobe/ Artest pairing?

Staples would explode...and it might signal the end of life on earth as we know it.

There's no way the world could survive that much ego in one confined space. It would make Kobe-Shaq look like a love fest.

 

[KingKong]

Staples would explode...and it might signal the end of life on earth as we know it.

There's no way the world could survive that much ego in one confined space. It would make Kobe-Shaq look like a love fest.

Ha, probably. But IF Artest accepted the Pippen role it would be a very interesting combo.